We got to experience today the best way to see and learn about Yorktown Virginia. First you call Patriot Tours and Provisions at 757-969-5400 and ask to reserve how ever many Segway PT's you want for your party. The owner, Randy, and his help will do all in their power to accommodate you.
When we got there there we only saw 4 or 5 Segway PT's. Ask, maybe they can get more. They also rent bicycles and electric power mobility scooters, and supply all the beach needs and snacks for a great day!
They even have what they call a "Segway Yorkshaw" for those of us that don't want to brave the Segway! Randy showed Ann how it worked, but she opted for the real Segway.
Then be sure to ask for Loren to be your tour guide. We were lucky to have him as a friend and guide on our tour! This history buff has spent the last 7 years studying up and becoming familiar with the Yorktown history. That's him on the right, training Ann how to ride her own Segway PT before we head out.
Loren then took us outside and provided a little more safety training. By the time we were done with that our confidence was firm and we were ready to take off on the tour!
Full of Segway PT handling confidence, we were off and running on what was to be a very interesting tour.
Wayne even got confident enough to try a self portrait while cruising down the road!
Loren took us on the 90 minute tour and he was talking the whole time. Very knowledgeable ! We learned how the natives of the area made canoes.
We saw and learned about many historical buildings around Yorktown.
We toured the cemetery and saw the family plot of Thomas Nelson Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and heard many stories about his and his family's life.
In fact, we even got to meet Thomas Nelson's several times great grandson (Guess what his name is?).
He runs a bed and breakfast in Yorktown. It is a very popular spot called the Marl Inn.
Loren always found the shady spots to stop and tell us about the local history as we went through the town.
What an amazing place! It was made so much more interesting by all the knowledge shared by our friend and tour guide, Loren.
Ann's confidence waxed stronger as she whipped her little Segway PT around town, following and listening to Loren. It was fun for Wayne to see her scooting around like that! Look at that firm look of confidence!
This is the Customs House and Ann. Right across from there is a little restaurant in a home built in the 1700's. We had lunch there before the tour and it was delicious!!
Several of the buildings and homes around town still carry cannon balls imbedded in them from the Revolutionary War and Civil War!
Here Loren tells us about the Nelson home, which has several holes from cannon balls. Loren told us that the British took this home from the Nelsons and then as it was occupied by the British, Nelson himself fired cannon at it to destroy the British that were house therein!! Lucky for us, he only hit it 4 times!
This memorial was commissioned 4 days after the Revolutionary War was won, but never built until the 100th anniversary. It honors the formation of the United States of America.
Loren always led out and then kept an eye on us and was talking the whole time about this and that historical tidbit he had learned from all his reading and from descendants of this region's former occupants.
It was a fascinating 90+ minutes. If any of you ever go to Yorktown, we would highly encourage you to utilize the Segway PT augmented tours and especially ask for Loren!!
