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The /First Landing State Park is on the Chesapeake Bay beach. My campsite was next to the dune and trees are between campsites, so you don 't see the next campsite. Rabbits are everywhere in the park. They ignore all the navy fighter jets and chinook helicopters noisily flying overhead. Ft Story is next door to the park and Norfolk Naval base is nearby.
At Ft Story there are 2 lighthouses 350 ft apart. Old Cape Henry lighthouse was built in 1792. It was the first lighthouse financed by the new US government. It was built on a 56 ft high sand dune 500 yards from the beach, so you have to climb 75 steps to get to the lighthouse. Since erosion has exposed the foundation, you have to climb 14 more steps to get to the base, then 102 steps inside the lighthouse for a total of 191 steps. From the base the lighthouse is 94 ft high, but over 150 ft fromm the base of the dune, making it almost as tall as the new one.
In 1881 it was felt that the old lighthouse would not last, so the new Cape Henry lighthouse was built of iron sides. After sitting idle for years, the old lighthouse was eventually restored and the public could climb the light. The new light is still operational and operated by the coast guard, but is not open to the public.
After cycling to the lighthouses, I cycled south to the boardwalk on Virginia Beach, then took it along the beach to the end, then back to the park, riding around the park, before heading back, for over 30 miles.
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