Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 41

filled, and plenty of parks of all sizes are
scattered throughout. Twenty-six miles of
greenways (with more in development) lace
the city. A few weekends ago, Phil and I
headed out on the Roanoke River greenway
off Wiley Drive, following the flow of the
water. We walked past Carilion Clinic and
the lovely healing garden on the riverbank
just below (built in collaboration with the
city, in honor of the late Dr. Robert L. A.
Keeley), folks jogging, walking dogs, riding
bikes.
The greenway winds under a train trestle and past tall glass and brick buildings,
but round another corner and the view is
green leaves, water and mountains. Walk a
little farther, under the Walnut Street
bridge, and a path climbs up the hill and
ends at a neighborhood ice cream parlor,
HITS (Homemade Ice Cream, Treats,
Smoothies and Shaved Ice), whose owners
make their own treats. (Flavors run from
the chocolate-vanilla-strawberry standbys
to ginger peach and Mexican chocolate,
with a bit of heat.) That afternoon, we
climbed the hill and enjoyed bowls of ice
cream on the little deck overlooking the
river and greenway, and then (I'm sure)
walked the calories off, finishing up our
two and a half miles.
Almost as walkable as the greenway is
the city's Old Southwest neighborhood, a
community marked by historic homes and
an artistic community, not too many
blocks from Roanoke's downtown. We're
sitting outside a restaurant on 4th Street.
The sunlight is fading, and the light spilling from inside the restaurant, through
stained glass hung inside and through the
clear glass of the window, is cozy. In
between tomato cheddar soup, fresh salad,
grilled cheese and a summery white wine,
we've said hello to various acquaintances
also out for dinner. Then a rooster crows.
And crows again. A small dog barks back.
Where is the rooster? I ask the waitress.
Which one? she replies. I gesture in the
general direction of the sound, and she
confirms the fenced-in backyard of a
Victorian house across the street.
Sometimes the rooster hops the fence, she
says, and the staff of Wildflour Cafe scatters out into the street to catch him and
return him home.
That is old Southwest.

The Blue Ridge Mountains
are 400 million years old.
It's OK if you make time stand
still for a moment.

The opportunities for outdoor recreation are
endless in the Roanoke Valley. There are
hundreds of miles of scenic trails for hiking,
biking, running and horseback riding. The
famous Appalachian Trail follows a mountain
ridge through the region, while a beautiful
urban greenway winds through the heart of
the valley. Follow a trail to happiness in
Virginia's Blue Ridge.

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Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014

BRC Unlocked
From the Editor
From the Farm
Creature Feature
Great Buys
Country Roads
Festivals & Events
50 Great Things to Do in the Mountains this Fall
Photoessay: The Crispness of the Air and of the Leaves
Roanoke, Va.: A Resident Enjoys her Town as a Visitor
Blue Ridge Parkway Views: The Detail
Cyrus McCormick: The Agricultural Industrial Revolution Began Here
Locavore Dining: It’s All in the Details Right Out Back
Mountain Garden
Cabin in the Woods: Hidden Mountain Resort
Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 3
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 4
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - BRC Unlocked
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - From the Editor
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 7
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - From the Farm
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 9
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Creature Feature
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Great Buys
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Country Roads
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 13
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 14
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 15
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Festivals & Events
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 18
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 19
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 20
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 22
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 23
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 50 Great Things to Do in the Mountains this Fall
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 25
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 27
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 28
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Photoessay: The Crispness of the Air and of the Leaves
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 35
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Roanoke, Va.: A Resident Enjoys her Town as a Visitor
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 39
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 40
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 41
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 42
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 43
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 44
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Blue Ridge Parkway Views: The Detail
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 46
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 47
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 48
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 49
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Cyrus McCormick: The Agricultural Industrial Revolution Began Here
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 51
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 52
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 53
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Locavore Dining: It’s All in the Details Right Out Back
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 55
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 56
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 57
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 58
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 59
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Mountain Garden
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 61
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 62
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 63
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Cabin in the Woods: Hidden Mountain Resort
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - Cover4
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