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Back in 1988 two mountain bikers from Roanoke, Va., decided their home state needed a race. Inspired by burgeoning scene just across the state line in West Virginia, Scott Freday and Paul Economy started the Great Escape—a rugged point-to-point race on Potts Mountain. The small race eventually gained momentum in the mid ’90s, when it [...]

For anyone who was at the Charlottesville Pavilion last night, the words “If I had a boat,” probably make you think of ponies…or tall men with black pants. But for those of you who may not be Lyle Lovett fans (and we will speak more about Lyle later), when you hear those words, you may actually think of [...]

One of the most under the radar and undoubtedly amazing tours rolling through the region this summer is the unique indie folk trio billed as Appalachian Voices. Consisting of Yim Yames (aka Jim James of gonzo alt-country rockers My Morning Jacket), cello-wielding soul crooner Ben Sollee, and mellow singer-songwriter Daniel Martin Moore, the group of [...]

I grew up at the foot of Bull Run Mountain in what used to be a quiet corner of Prince William County Virginia. Only minutes from quaint villages like Middleburg, and The Plains, my parents chose to build a house and raise their family on a piece of land so unspoiled and so pristine, that [...]

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Hiking West Virginia program in which you are awarded a walking stick merely for taking hikes in the state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas. I’ve found a few other states that offer similar programs. Georgia sponsors the Canyon Climbers Club. The membership fee is $10 and [...]

The White House today announced plans to drill for oil and gas in a three million acre area off Virginia’s coast — the first ever drilling allowed off the U.S. Atlantic coast — and extends potential drilling to the rest of the Atlantic, focusing on the Southeastern U.S. The Virginia lease sale, just north of [...]

It has been quite a few years since I first set foot on the Appalachian Trail. As I stepped forth from Springer Mountain on that early spring day, I was ready to revel in the grand scenery of the mountains, the far-off vistas, the roaring waterfalls, the crimson-gold sunsets. Oh, I might occasionally stop to [...]

If you were around the Charlottesville music scene in the ’90s, you’re definitely familiar with Baaba Seth. The world jam outfit was one of the region’s most popular bands throughout the decade—mixing a potent ensemble concoction of funk, jazz, rock, African rhythms, and Latin grooves. The high-energy sound was put to good use during the [...]

In the spirit of complete disclosure and unrepentant bias, I must admit to being an unabashed Trent Wagler fan. Adrienna Valentine, the 2009 release from Wagler and Jay Lapp, last year earned the distinction of being, at any given moment, the record most likely to be found in my CD player and it was, by [...]

Around the turn of the twentieth century, Moses H. Cone, who earned his fortune by becoming the “Denim King,” purchased extensive acreage at what is now milepost 294 along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, North Carolina, to develop his personal mountain kingdom. For hikers, the most outstanding changes Cone and his wife, Bertha, [...]

Last week during some eleventh-hour Christmas shopping, I stopped at Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck), where I spent my newborn son’s first year of college tuition on a light lunch at the hot bar and four organic bananas. As I made my way to the cash register, I spotted a free sample table being mobbed [...]

Daylight hours are fewer, breezes chillier, and the sun doesn’t pack the warmth it did a few months ago. Time to head to the beach! However, I’m not talking about some sand you can drive to. No, you’re going to tramp miles, but once you reach this place you’ll enjoy a solitude that is almost [...]

Get to your local ski shop and get the gear ready—the Southern ski season is upon us. Temps are going to drop as the end of the week approaches with snow expected in the Virginias. Snowshoe Mountain already has the guns blazing and lifts will start running this Saturday, December 5. The same goes for [...]

Levon Helm will be driving Dixie down to the Dreaming Creek Stage this summer. The iconic drummer from The Band has been announced as an initial headliner of FloydFest, which will take place July 22-25 in its usual beautiful setting just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Floyd, Va. Now rolling as a solo act, [...]

In many people’s opinions, Breaks Interstate Park, on the Virginia/Kentucky border, has the most beautiful and dramatic setting of all of the commonwealth’s state-run recreational facilities. Blessed with an abundance of hemlocks and rhododendron, it’s perched on the edge of Russell Fork Gorge, the largest canyon east of the Mississippi River. My choice outing, which [...]