Muffler Man: Homer
The third day of our recent road trip was a long one. It was getting dark and our route was taking us through some pretty scary, winding mountain roads in western Virginia. There were a few more stops on my list, but I especially hate driving in the dark so I had to make a Sophie's Choice and decide which of the three remaining spots was worth a stop. It's probably not surprising that I chose a Muffler Man, and Homer became our last stop of the day—and the last official Muffler Man of the trip.
Homer resides in Bedford, Virginia, outside of the Bedford Mini Golf & Batting Zone. It was closed by the time we arrived—their sign said "open when dry and 50 degrees or by appt"—but luckily Homer is right out front and easily accessible. Bedford Mini Golf held a contest to name their Muffler Man, and Homer—a baseball reference, I assume—was the winner.
Homer was made by a local artist, Mark Cline, and he stands 14-feet tall. He has a baseball in one hand, a golf club in the other and stands on a base surrounded by tiny baseball bats. He's wearing a baseball hat, of course, and a Bedford button-up shirt. His socks and shoes are a little strange—is he supposed to be in a full baseball uniform?—but overall the paint job looks fresh. This was the first sports-themed Muffler Man that I've seen, but I feel like it's the perfect place for one of these manly giants.
Bedford Mini Golf & Batting Zone
958 Burks Hill Road
Bedford, VA 24523
Easily accessible even when closed