It is good to be a dog in Fluvanna County, or at least at Pleasant Grove Park outside of Palmyra.
Not only do dogs get to run in a fenced area big enough to handle a small herd of horses, but they also can plunge into the Rivanna River from their very own beach. If that’s not enough, the woods along the numerous trails make for some serious off-leash romping. The dogs even have their own Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fluvanna-Dog-Park/291764774641).
I ran into a dozen or so happy pups during my Sunday morning run. One seemed to want to tag along. Another insisted that I toss a toy into the river.
I took it easy on the 4-mile-ish trot. Not only was it in the 90s, but I also was still recovering from a 11-mile run the day before, part of training for the Labor Day Weekend Virginia Beach Half Marathon.
The route included stretches of easy-to-navigate gravel trails, but also some up-and-down slightly slippery dirt paths. All of the trails were very well marked and I only encountered one fallen tree along the way.
Now, finding the actual park was a bit more of a challenge. I expected to see some signage on Route 15. No luck. So after I drove about 5 miles too far, I turned around and followed a small road near the river. A was lucky to spot a faded sign that marked the entrance.
The actual town of Palmyra is tiny, as in a population of just over 100 people. It is the county seat of Fluvanna County, population about 26,000. The county is 25 miles east of Charlottesville and 60 miles west of Richmond.
Historical highlights? It was invaded by the British in 1781 during the Revolutionary War and was a major transportation link during the canal era.
22 runs down, 112 to go
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