Roanoke's Greenways

The city of Roanoke Virginia has established a bunch of walking and cycling trails around and across the city.


They are a way to get out into nature in the middle of the urban sprawl of a city of a hundred thousand, but as I am quite unfamiliar with the geography of Roanoke I can only tell you I walked a couple of them wherever it was they went... The Murray Run started through a patch of wild strawberries.


The trail wandered between a school's sports field and a street of suburban homes.


The dirt and gravel is well graded to make for easy running or cycling, though some runners prefer the athletics field.


I took a seat and watched the action of which there wasn't much.


It was a delightfully peaceful spot on a weekday evening in the middle of the urban hustle.


I found some strange flowers, or whatever they are...


And the trail became wooded like a real forest. A hell of a commute!


Meanwhile, somewhere else in the city I found a similar greenway under the Memorial Street Bridge.


This one was more popular.


Quote a bit more popular yet hardly crowded!


People everywhere.


I paused for pictures while my dog hustled along seeking new smells.


Huckleberry Finn was out learning to kill fish on the Roanoke River.


Quite the spot.


Deep green grass to refresh a hot Labrador.


I don't think Cheyenne was missing mangroves and mugginess and limestone...



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Roanoke Mountain

There's a turn off the Blue Ridge Parkway that leads to the highest spot overlooking the Roanoke Valley around Mile Marker 120.


The four mile loop really isn't that bad but the parks service doesn't tell you that.


Cheyenne liked the altitude on a spring evening but the views didn't impress her.


Mill Mountain is the location of the world's largest artificial star, the usual hyperbole. The star is a cute way to give Roanoke a nickname. Birmingham Alabama is the magic city, Roanoke is e star city.


The sunset was okay but it was also an indication that the place was going to get dark and the parks service would sweep through the loop and hustle us out before they locked the gates.


It was pretty out there.


Virginia is filled with fields, narrow lanes and scattered houses.


The parking lot at the top was empty until my Labrador made an appearance and started prowling.


There was a narrow trail through the woods but it was too late to explore.


It looked intriguing with it's slate steps and handrail into the void.


So we came back next day and the wildlife was out in the sunshine.


It looked positively Hansen and Gretel in the light of day.


Cheyenne was wondering when the hills would stop.


She gamely climbed the steps my sweet aging girl.


The local undertaker came by and waited patiently,


...but Cheyenne easy to go just yet. We sat on a knob and admired the view together.


The hill was waiting for us on the return trip to the parking lot.


The view remained excellent.


We sat in the grass and I read while Cheyenne watched people come and go. I like the company of my dog.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Staunton, Virginia

It rained and I drove and my dog slept.


I was not sure what this sign meant but it looked important.


Staunton, pronounced "stan-ton" is one more historic city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Thus it is brick buildings from another era abound.


It also slopes a bit owing to the lay of the land in southwestern Virginia.


It wasn't in operation when I was the but the American Shakespeare Center is based here. They operate an Elizabethan style indoor theater here and put on about 300 performances a year with a traveling company as well.


I am keen to see them but according to their literature ASC they weren't open when I was in town. Too bad, but I will get to see them Performing my next trip, as I have tickets in hand.


Apparently they rely on a repertory of actors with strong costuming, multiple rôles and minimal staging to relive the joy and accessibility as they put it of the period's staged entertainment.


I liked Staunton, despite the weather.


And the architecture was great fun and so surprising in a nation dedicated to kitsch in public buildings.


Staunton isn't far from the nation's capital and lies at the southern terminus of the famed Shenandoah Valley.


It is a university town, filled with shops restaurants and thus youth.


Just one more fancy town in a state filled with history.


A nice mixture for a short vacation.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monterey, Virginia.

Start a road trip with a view of falling waters at a place called Falling Spring, and pause to enjoy the views.


Like everything of historic importance in the Commonwealth, Thomas Jefferson, an early governor of the state, seemed to have his finger here in pursuit of preservation. Despite modern perceptions of his stance on government, Jefferson saw a strong role for gummint in the preservation of things of value for the Commonwealth. He didn't just sell out public wealth to his friends running mega corporations.


Destination Monterey, on an overcast day in southwest Virginia. Monterey in this case is not the former capital of the Golden State, nor is it the capital city of Nuevo Léon in the United States of México.


It is the seat of the most sparsely populated county in Virginia


For some reason they named it Highland County, possibly in deference to the line of rolling hills that separate it from the rest of the state to the east.


Thrift stores are away of life supporting assorted causes, in this case the local pound. Even here they have surplus of pets it seems. Neutering as a way of life is as far off as ever.


The architecture reminds me of the mansions seen in Key West.


And as pretty as the homes are you can get a lot more mansion for your money here, than at 24 degrees North.


Four bedrooms built in 1856 for an asking price of a quarter million. This one below isn't actually for sale.


This one isn't either, but I think you can rent a room for the night at the Highland Inn. Not in my plans but I bet the beds are comfy. Breakfast on the balcony anyone?


The anti-Monsanto movement is alive and well. I read somewhere that Brazilian peasant farmers have filed a six billion dollar class action suit against Monsanto and it's crop patents. Well, this isn't Brazil but they are fighting back:


And they like flowers around here too. Cheyenne was indifferent.


Ancient houses abound but perhaps this was a manufactured home trying to look cool. I know less about architecture than I do about plants and I am notoriously ill informed about botany. It's quite possible General Nathaniel Greene slept here. And as he died in 1786 that would make the house old. If he did sleep here. Which I doubt as I just made that up.


On the other hand Bucksnort Lane is located off Seldom Seen Road, and you know that's true because realtors don't joke about this stuff. I joke about it all the time. I'd love to see this address on my driver's license. Ninety grand sounds pretty lovely too.


The day was starting to deteriorate if your idea of good weather is blue skies and sunshine. Riding a motorcycle without rain gear in the saddlebags was starting to look like a challenge.


I was in a car with working windshield wipers so I was relaxed. This guy was too, even though he had ridden from New Hampshire on a Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport, one of the bikes on my short list for happiness. The Aprilia behind him is faster but I am too old for that kind of sport. Seeing exotic Italian bikes on the street reminded me I wasn't in Key West.


Though even here lumbering Harleys do fill in the spaces between Italian bikes on the roads. This lot were looking more prat-like than usual in their matching orange outfits.


It was jealousy at work as they were riding and I wasn't.


However a few miles up the divine US Highway 250 to Staunton, filled with curves and dips and tremendous fun on a motorcycle, I was jolly glad I was snug in a car.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad