So today I played hookey from work (well not really, I had let them
know ahead of time I was likely to take off today).

I drove down from DC to Cumberland Virginia (sorta of mid-way between
Richmond and Charlottesville.) I was wanting to stop in at the factory
where an all-aluminum trailer is being made for me (enclosed unit, with
a single axle intended for hauling pinball machines.) I had a nice long
conversation with the owner (about a variety of other topics, not just
trailers. )

Anyway, on the drive down I went the "recommended" way by Maps.Google
(I.E I-95 South to Richmond, then the Powhite Toll Road to US 60 west,
to Cumberland.) As typically boring as most interstate drives are.

On the way back I was more creative. First I took Virginia Route 45
north to US 522, then I took US 522 north the US 15 which led back to
I-66 and one of my common ways home from there.

US 522 goes through some rather nice area, is lightly traveled and was
relatively fast (55 mph speed limit along most of it). Places I drove
through were:

Mineral (and old mining town, where lots of various crystals have been
found that now grace collections in the Smithsonian.)
Western reaches of Lake Anna (made made lake with a lot of lots and one
state park on its borders
Culpepper (where I switched over to US 15)
US 15 goes through Brandy Station (site of the largest calvary battle
of the American Civil War)