Our travel spot for today? Virginia.  Fairfax County, to be precise. Where I grew up for 15 years.  And let me tell you, it was a treat to grow up so close to this bridge.  It's the place that cops patrol on Halloween night, and kids run through the woods, telling each other to hush, while fumbling with flashlights.

Now, Fairfax County has a rich and beautiful history, much like the scenery around it.  It dates back to when the area was claimed for Lord Fairfax, an English aristocrat that was something to the power of something in line for the throne.  That's not really so important to the legend, but it's a fun little tidbit.  Anyhow, Lord Fairfax's influence caused an influx of wealthy individuals to flock to the area. That's the important part of this dip into history.

To be completely honest, Bunny Man Bridge is not a Bridge at all.  It is, in fact, a train overpass called Colchester Overpass.  It was built in 1906 near a Civil War era railroad station, and it is still utilized today.  Not that I would be okay with taking a train over the pass, but I will say that the added danger of an occasional train flying close by overhead certainly adds to the thrills.

Now, what's the story? Well, there's two. The first is the story of a wild man who would roam the woods dressed as a hatchet wielding version of the Easter Bunny.  He'd find stragglers, one was even a student at the Air force Academy, and would harass them, and even threw his hatchet into a car window.  Not so scary.  But this is just a rip off of the true story.

In 1904 the Asylum Prison of Clifton, Virginia was shut down because of the growing number of wealthy and influential residents in the nearby area.  15 buses left the prison, only 14 arrived at their new location.  The 15th bus crashed, killing the driver and all but 10 of the inmates. Police found nine of the ten, but were unable to locate the final inmate, Douglas J. Grifon.

As the days went on, and the search parties grew less and less, the sightings of perfectly skinned and half eaten rabbits grew more and more.  They were found hanging from tree limbs, scattered in clearings, some even on the treeline of properties.  This would have of course been disturbing, but it only became more gruesome when the remains of a missing man, Marcus Wallster, was left hanging under the Colchester Overpass.  The remains were partially skinned, and hung like the lifeless bunnies that had been scattered throughout the forest.

After this incident, police efforts doubled, until finally they were able to catch him at the overpass.  He evaded police capture one last time by running in front of an oncoming train.  His remains were recovered, but at least two of the officers reported that they very clearly heard his maniacal laugh echo from the other side of the overpass.

The final part to this story is the reason that Grifon was committed to the asylum in the first place.  He massacred his family on Easter Sunday, and strung them up, just as he did to his bunny victims so many years later.

Just remember, if you ever venture into the woods of Colchester, don't go on Halloween, and turn tail and run if you see one too many dead bunnies.  Enjoy your adventure, and stay safe through your travels!