Leaving Charlottesville, I stopped at Thomas Jefferson's house. It turned out to be at the end of a long winding driveway, protected by multiple gates and manned security checkpoints. From the visitors parking lot, you can't see anything, only trees. The guard in the lot, leaning against his truck, said the only way to see the house itself is to pay $22 for the tour.
Then he asked if I was one of those cross-country cyclists. When I said yes, he thought about it a second, and popped open the door of the truck, telling me to take off my bike helmet and hop in.
I did, and he gave me an unauthorized tour, driving through the security checks, where I nodded as they waved us through, straight up to the house.
The security guy said, laughing, that he was a retired cop. If they fired him he still had his pension.
Here's the photo that normally costs $22.
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