The Roanoker - March 2014 - 18

Jeffrey Rigdon has a well-defined take on dudedom: "You don't think about it, you don't call
yourself such, you just are and it is for others to
see it ... or not." What Jeff is, is a native Northern
Californian (they know dudes), a newly-minted
Viking, a fiction and technical writer, a moviemaker, a pest control professional, owner of
a cleaning business, an 82nd Airborne combat
veteran, and a gentle soul who adores children.
He plans to marry his exotic, bright and young
partner Charisse Scott (nee, Surayya; see inset
photo) this winter and sail into the Viking mist.
Rigdon's 59, but his heart is 25.
He's been cobbling together a Viking movie,
"Talos," for several months now, using local talent, costumes he's accumulated over the years,
bars and homemade sets. The Vikings of the Valley show up at festivals and parades, pulling their
impressive little ship, usually filled with children,
and delighting crowds. Rigdon is at the head of
the group, head-to-toe a Viking, swinging his
hammer with mock-gruffness. The children love
him.
Dudeism came naturally: "I learned to surf,
lived the surfer life, moved to the Salinas area
and learned to ride horses and live the longhaired life of party and excess."
He fought a war (combat in Laos and Cambodia), came home and fell in love with the
South. He's raised five kids in Roanoke, but the
real dude inspiration joined him in 2000, when
he began Vikings of the Valley and went all-in.
It's his heritage. He started an online group,
then "accumulated the gear, chain maille armor, swords, helmets, clothing, shields. He did
educational programs for schools and child care
centers, public libraries and private groups. Kids
again. He linked with Pearl Fu's Local Colors
and became her personal Viking, pulling her
rickshaw for the festival. Other Viking dudes -
his kids and a passel of wenches among them
- tagged after.
The Viking gig has grown, but never been
serious. It's always fun, says the Viking Dude.
"We are filming the sequel to our first cinematic
adventure, 'Talos,' a Conanesque [story]. ... As
time allows I am also working on two [Viking]
novels."

18 MARCH/APRIL 2014

DAN SMITH

VIKING DUDE

OLD DUDE
George Kegley is 85 years old and delivers Meals on Wheels to people a generation
younger. He gives blood by the gallon. He lives in one of the oldest houses in the
Roanoke Valley and sits on the front porch watching Canada geese pass by.
When he saw the American Theatre unceremoniously razed in 1971 to make
way for one of Roanoke's ugliest structures, he helped found the Roanoke Valley
Preservation Foundation, saving many of the buildings you love from a similar fate
and laying guilt at the feet of those who tore our history down.
When he was working for a living, he defined "business reporter" at The Roanoke
Times with his constant stream of 12-inch breaking business stories. Always a man
of few words.
He's been a Father of the Year and a Citizen of the Year in Roanoke and he's won
a room full of awards for volunteering. He mows the grass at his church. He gives
short speeches in a high, tinny voice that almost nobody can hear. He doesn't have
a love affair with the microphone.
THE

R OANOKER.COM



The Roanoker - March 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - March 2014

Roanoker - March 2014
Contents
The 360
The Network
The Flavor
The Gossip
The Gist
The Look
Dudes! and What it Means to Be One
Three More Dudes
Top 10 Annoying Dude Traits and How to Overcome Them
Dude-Dubious: The Awards for Questionable Achievement
The Lady in Black and Her Harassment of Dudes
Man Caves, Roanoke Style
Carvins Cove at 70
Dude Eats: Jack Brown's
The Dish
The Perfect Weekend
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Intro
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Roanoker - March 2014
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Cover2
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 3
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Contents
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 5
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The 360
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Network
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Flavor
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Gossip
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Gist
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 11
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Look
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Dudes! and What it Means to Be One
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 14
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 15
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 16
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 17
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 18
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 19
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 20
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Three More Dudes
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 22
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 23
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Top 10 Annoying Dude Traits and How to Overcome Them
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 25
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Dude-Dubious: The Awards for Questionable Achievement
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 27
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 28
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 29
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 30
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 31
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Lady in Black and Her Harassment of Dudes
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 33
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 34
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 35
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Man Caves, Roanoke Style
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 37
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 38
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 39
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 40
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 41
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 42
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 43
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Carvins Cove at 70
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 45
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 46
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 47
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 48
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 49
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 50
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 51
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 52
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 53
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 54
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Dude Eats: Jack Brown's
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 56
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 57
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 58
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 59
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 60
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 61
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Dish
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 63
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 64
The Roanoker - March 2014 - 65
The Roanoker - March 2014 - The Perfect Weekend
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Cover3
The Roanoker - March 2014 - Cover4
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