Virginia Beach & Norfolk

I was so happy to find this bike trail away from cars through a maritime forest. "The Park ranges from tidal cordgrass salt marshes to live oak and loblolly pine scrub atop 75-foot dunes" and shelters swamp canaries and green herons. I pedaled pretty fast through the tannin-browned waters of "gothic flooded forests in the center, one of the northernmost stands of Spanish moss and bald cypress in North America."

First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach is where the first permanent English settlers landed in America before settling in Jamestown. The six-mile Cape Henry Trail runs the length of the Park.

At rest with a beautiful view.

Naval Station Norfolk

Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, not far from Virginia Beach, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean. So, naturally, I wanted to have a tour at the home of the Atlantic fleet.

In 72 hours the fleet can be at sea under way to wherever needed.

At the gate my ID was checked, then I
Boarded a Navy bus with others for a look around. We were not to take pictures of ships while we were near the docks but it was ok to take photos after we got back a way. I asked what a frigate was and the young navy woman guide did not know. She relayed questions to the driver who was a retired drill sergeant and he knew the answers!

There was a nuclear sub at the dock. The Commander is a woman and the only woman on board.