I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!!

My wife Debbie is a huge fan of the TV show “The Waltons” so this ride was for her!

The creator/writer of that show, Earl Hamner, based the show loosely on his life growing up in the mountains of Virginia in the Depression era 1930s. Our 301 mile round trip took us from our home to the Walton’s Mountain Museum, across the street to the house that inspired the stories and back home.

The museum (in the former Schuyler High School) and Hamner’s childhood home are located in Schuyler, VA. While they are really out in the middle of the mountains and woods, it is easy to get there….just go until you think you went to far then go another couple miles! 🙂  This area of Virginia also has a lot of motorcycle friendly roads, a quick internet review will show you many.

The museum itself has multiple exhibits including replicas of the sets used in the TV show. It even has a real “confiscated locally” moonshine still to represent the Baldwin sister’s “Recipe Machine”. Earl Hamner’s home is across the street from the Museum and is on the Virginia Historic Registry.

While I knew a little of Mr. Hamner’s life story I was surprised at some of the things he wrote or was connected to. For example he was the creator of the series Falcon Crest, wrote for the Twilight Zone, wrote the tele-play for Hidi, Charlotte’s web and the book that inspired the move Spencer’s Mountain (based on his family, where his dad was played by Henry Fonda).

If you are a fan of the Walton’s, or not,  and are in the area this is a nice little side trip and if you are on a motorcycle it is so much more fun.