A GUIDE TO PLACES, REAL AND ALMOST REAL, YOU MAY HAPPEN TO TRIP ACROSS IN MY PHOTO ALBUM

THE BLACKSBURG DUCK POND: Located on the campus of Virginia Tech, it's been one of my favorite hangout places for nearly ten years now. It's the home of countless waterfowl, many of whom love to be fed by visitors so much they'll waddle out of the water and take the food right out of your hand! (It's truly amazing how fast those hungry ducks will gather in front of you when they suddenly realize you have grub.)

THE CASCADES: A 60-foot-high waterfall at the end of two two-mile trails in Pembroke, VA (about 1 1/2 hours south of Roanoke). The falls are definitely worth either hike, but the "lower trail" is more fun: it runs along the stream born out of the falls and is full of swimming holes, rocks to climb, side trails to explore...and it often acts as a natural air conditioner in the summertime.

THE CATAWBA VALLEY: My favorite corner of Southwest Virginia. One of the last rural areas, and definitely the best, left in Roanoke County. Many areas are like a living time capsule, where you can find log cabins, farmhouses, mills, and fields of wheat and corn. It also contains the stretch of the Appalachian Trail with my two favorite (very scenic) hikes, Dragon's Tooth and McAfee's Knob. The valley is made of limestone and filled with caves; both the ancient streambeds and tops of the mountains are littered with various types of shell and plant fossils.

FREEDONIA: A large and lovely log house tucked into the woods beside Lake Laura, between Woodstock and Mount Jackson, VA and next to the Bryce Ski Resort in the Shenandoah Valley. The perfect place for friends and fun. Owned by Joe and Joan Griffin.

GRACESTONE CALLIGRAPHICS: Owned by T.M. (Tamara) Stoneburner and operated out of Ashburn, VA. Some of her recent clients have included Saint Joseph's Hospital in Baltimore and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

GREAT FALLS: An incredibly beautiful (and misty) series of waterfalls along the Potomac River in McLean, Virginia. The falls are part of an 800-acre state park (just on the Virginia side, not even including Maryland), and close to the old Potomac Canal that was partly founded by George Washington in 1785. The historical area of the park includes the remains of a 200-year-old town named Matildasville, as well as a hiking trail that runs right down the center of the canal's old restored locks.

MELROSE: An early to mid-19th century plantation house in a very remote wooded corner of Leesburg, Virginia. Excellent gathering place for July 4th festivities. Owned by Barbara and Jay Josselyn.

PIPESTEM STATE PARK: A gorgeous wilderness resort perched on top of a mountain high above the Bluestone River Gorge, West Virginia. Near Princeton, Concord College, and Bob "Gilligan" Denver. A great mountain aerie.

ROANOKE COLLEGE: Next door to downtown Salem, Virginia, and my alma mater (Class of '98, after years of on-and-off schooling). I took a BA there in English with a concentration in Education, the latter for certification to teach Kindergarten through 12th grade. Most of the folks in this album I met at Roanoke College. The college is also the host every November of the famous Fall Ball that permeates my pictures.

TABOR HALL: A small part of Roanoke College but an extremely important one--at least in my life. A center of great events, power, and oddities, I met most of my closest friends there at one time or another, and it is the home of some of the happiest memories in my life. And I don't consider it at all unusual that I never actually lived there during my years at Roanoke College. It just kept calling me back.

VIRGINIA'S EXPLORE PARK: A living history / nature theme park in Roanoke, VA, settled close to Milepost 115 along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Using costumed historic interpreters, old buildings reconstructed on site, and reproductions of everything from an authentic Native American wigwam to a working blacksmith shop, the Park demonstrates everyday life in Southwest Virginia in 1671, 1740, and 1850. The historical area is open from April 1 - October 31. For more information call (540)-427-1800.

This page modified 26-Mar-2002 14:02:45.