Return to Tank Crossings

Valentine's Day 2013: As with most years, I had no date, and with several unrelated things bothering me at the time, I decided to go driving after work to clear my head. I wanted to revisit the section of VA 40 between McKenney and Blackstone, which I drove in late 2010 but took few pictures. I started off my journey on I-85/US 460.


Most of the US 460 reassurance shields on I-85 are modern cutouts.


This is where the south end of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike used to be.


I-85 eventually increases to 70 MPH after shedding US 460.


I departed I-85 at VA 40 and headed into McKenney.


Leaving McKenney, VA 40 is very quiet.














Look, another route.








Entering Fort Pickett.






Tank crossings!






Other signage.




The base's airport runway is over that hill. I couldn't get a good angle.


Big curve.


VA 40 enters the town of Blackstone, where this old trailblazer, and another one like it heading westbound, still remains posted.


This should be US 460 Business on the left, and a VA 40 shield on the right.


I turned east towards home and headed out to the bypass.








The bypass meets the business route.


US 460 eventually takes you back to I-85.


Today, though, I was going to take my favorite road of all time, VA 153.


Beginning northbound on VA 153, with no reassurance shield. The reason I like this road so much is that it can safely have military vehicles drive from Fort Pickett to Richmond on it at 55 MPH; indeed, its name in Amelia County is Military Road. A car like mine can go close to (mumble) MPH on many sections of it; I was going 65 MPH most of the way and felt like I was crawling.


On VA 153, 65 MPH is just too slow for me. ethanman62187 likes this.






Meeting old VA 38, which I traveled in Februaries past.


If I still had VTEC...


Meeting VA 38 and SR 602 at Scotts Fork. SR 602 eventually goes to VA 36.


Heading eastbound on SR 602 (Bevils Bridge Road), which is decidedly not primary material. I'm descending to the (unmarked) Bevils Bridge Appomattox River here.


And ascending from the river, now in Chesterfield County, where SR 602 becomes River Road.


That's it. Again, no clinches...just a man, his car, and the road.