The life-changing benefits of unplugging

When I emailed Nick George, executive director of nonprofit The Listening, earlier this year, a line under his email signature grabbed my attention. “I am offline from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, when I observe a ‘tech sabbath’,” it read.

I was intrigued and asked Nick to tell me more.

Nick says he has been taking a 24-hour break from technology for a couple of years after getting the idea from a friend’s email signature as well. During this time frame, Nick says he spends time with family, catches up on errands and will even talk on the phone or FaceTime with his parents—so it’s not completely tech-free, but there’s no absentminded scrolling through social media or responding to emails. “There’s something nostalgically simple about it. I find myself appreciating the weekend more,” says Nick.

According to Alisha Walker Marciano, Ph.D., professor of physiological science at University of Lynchburg, reducing exposure to technology, even for short periods of time, is helpful to prevent what’s known as cognitive overload. “We might be doing work on the computer and have five tabs open and a phone next to us. This requires us to constantly shift our attention, leading to cognitive overload,” she explains. “Having that happen constantly can be problematic because it keeps people from being able to focus on the tasks they are trying to complete. It can make people feel more fatigued.”

All of this connects to our social and emotional health as well. Marciano says that some past research has found if a cell phone was present in a face-to-face conversation, the individuals in that conversation reported feeling less connected to the people they were speaking to.

Social media, in particular, is of specific concern. Constant use of the platforms has been linked to excessive feelings of depression and anxiety. “One study found that people who gave up Facebook for a week actually reported better psychological wellbeing than people who did not,” she says.

If you aren’t glued to your phone, you may be more likely to get outside and enjoy the outdoors—which Marciano explains is linked to tons of benefits: “Exposure to nature, even if it’s just going on a walk in a neighborhood, improves attention, is associated with better mood, lowers stress, and improves short term memory.”

Marciano recognizes that not everyone is going to want to disconnect or be able to disconnect for a full 24 hours, like Nick. But she says there are smaller ways people can reduce distractions:
• Put your phone on “do not disturb” for a little while each day.
• Cut down on the number of notifications you receive from various apps.
• Set boundaries for certain times of the day to stop checking work emails or social media.
• Keep your phone at a distance at bedtime and overnight.

“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing to be beneficial,” she says. “Generally, being more intentional about your use of technology, having a purpose and using it with a purpose will help you reduce how much time you spend online.”

Two years after he started setting some tech boundaries, Nick doesn’t feel restricted but instead views the tech-free time as a gift.

“It’s not intended to be legalistic or bar you from getting work done,” he explains. “But at the same time, if your intention is to take care of your mind and spirit, it’s totally worth it to leave work at work and live your best life on purpose!”

As soon as school lets out for summer break, the extra time at home—for those who were attending school in person—combined with the absence of constant homework obligations has both parents and kids breathing a sigh of relief and jumping for joy.

But after a few days, without fail, the “I’m bored” comments typically start to surface. We are here to help fill your warm weather months with fun, family-friendly and diverse activities—many of which can be enjoyed in the off-season as well! From historic destinations to breathtaking views, check out these 11 recommendations in our LL Fun Guide.

The Bower Center for the Arts
Join Us for a Summer of Creativity & Fun! Looking for an ARTVENTURE this summer? The Bower Center for the Arts is offering a perfect summer outlet for children and adults to expand their imaginations and artistic talents with a full line up of fun-filled Art Camps and classes beginning in June. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to express your creative spirit!
Visit bowercenter.org for details.

Clayton Nature Center
In 1998, Bedford businessman Boyd Claytor gave his beloved 500-acre Cloverlea Farm to Lynchburg College for the study and appreciation of nature. He envisioned the beauty and wonder of his iconic property to be available to everyone for evermore. Under the steady stewardship of the University of Lynchburg, the Claytor Nature Center is a conservatory of scholarship, the University’s Blue Ridge Mountain campus. But every visitor knows this beautiful sanctuary by their own experience. To many visitors we are a place with premiere breathtaking views of the Peaks of Otter. Others are blessed with lasting memories of joy from their weddings, engagements, celebrations, and holiday gatherings at Cloverlea Farmhouse and Gardens. Photographers and artists render incredible vistas in their media of choice. By day, children and families delight in our natural play area, Otter Space. Hikers and walkers wander over trails, along the Big Otter River, through forests, past ponds and pastures. Local school children engage their minds and senses in experiential outdoor environmental education, nature programs, and summer camps. Birders and other enthusiasts of fauna and flora scan the grasslands and forest for their quarry. By night, community groups of all ages partake of picnics, bonfires, and camping, or cozier overnights in the farmhouse or Eco-Lodge. And the Belk Observatory opens its telescopes to the grandeur of the night skies. Day or night in all seasons, the Claytor Nature Center opens in each of us remembrance of our connection to each other and to the heavens and Earth.
For more information visit www.Lynchburg.edu/claytor.

Imagination Station
We are keeping little minds growing and creating through art. Masterpieces will be made on different canvases, ceramics, glass, tiles, or wood, while learning to use a variety of mediums. These consist of but are not limited to acrylic, watercolors, oil pastels, gesso, charcoal and much more. Pack a NUT-FREE lunch with a drink and get ready to create.
Visit imaginationstationstudios.com for more information.

James River Association
Find enjoyment and education on the James River at James River Adventures! Lynchburg’s riverfront outfitter is your gateway to the beautiful scenery and solace of our local waterways. Trip opportunities include kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, tubing, and – new for 2021 – historic batteau rides!

Additionally, James River Adventures will be running outdoor recreation camps during the months of June and July for 4th – 8th graders. Campers will enjoy both water and land-based activities in a fun and collaborative environment!

The best part? By supporting James River Adventures, you’ll be helping to keep the James clean and healthy by supporting the James River Association, the only non-profit organization solely dedicated to protecting the entire James River and connecting people to it.
Find your adventure at www.jamesriveradventures.org!

James River Day School
For a summer filled with adventure and learning, kids can join a summer enrichment course at James River Day School. Designed and taught by James River’s incredible teachers, these classes for rising K-8 students are open to the public. Experiential learning drives these engaging summer programs, making the learning hands-on and fun in topics such as Summer STEAM Challenges, LEGO® WeDo, digital photography, nature, basketball, and Crazy 8s math camp, among others. With a wide range of topics from academics to art and on to athletics, James River has summer fun opportunities sure to excite your child.
Visit www.jamesriverdayschool.org/summer to learn more about what is available and to sign up.

LCA Theatre Camp
The LCA Theatre Camp will meet for two full weeks from July 5 through July 16. This comprehensive theatre camp is open to students who will be entering the second through the ninth grades. Campers will attend sessions in the areas of makeup, costuming, choreography, musical theatre, improvisation, characterization, acting and theatre. Each child will have the opportunity to take part in a Camp Cabaret or One Act production, where they will memorize lines and demonstrate their skills on the final day of the theatre camp. At the end of camp, various awards will be presented to campers who have distinguished themselves in various areas.
For more information or to register go to payit.nelnet.net/form/UcmOBqFr.
For additional information, email Ray Jones at LcaTheaterDepatment@gmail.com.

Lynchburg Parks & Recreation
The City of Lynchburg Department of Parks and Recreation offers a variety of services and activities to residents and visitors. We maintain 17 parks, which offer organized and open areas for recreation, enjoying a picnic, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, and children’s play. Over 40 miles of our trails wind through Lynchburg and are suited for a variety of activities.
For more information visit lynchburgparksandrec.com.

Natural Bridge Zoo
Natural Bridge Zoo is the wildest place in the state of Virginia, full of fun and excitement for any age and allows you to get up close and personal with a wide variety of rare and endangered animals. Stare into the eyes of a huge white tiger, feed a giraffe, hug a llama, have a pararkeet land on your hand in parakeet landing. Experience an elephant ride by looking at the world from a different view point while feeling the gait of the elephants walk (offered scheduled days and time).

See a wide variety of beautiful birds, colorful goats, monkeys, deer, mountain lions and many more. Spend a wonderful day at the Natural Bridge Zoo creating lasting memories with the whole family.
Visit naturalbridgezoo.com for more information.

Patrick Henry’s Red Hill
Patrick Henry’s Red Hill is the final home and burial place of Founding Father, American Revolution hero, and five-time Governor of Virginia, Patrick Henry. Visitors can tour Patrick Henry’s reconstructed home, kitchen, and blacksmith shop, as well as his original law office and family gravesite along with other structures. This summer, come walk numerous trails around the property, pack a picnic lunch to eat outside, and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of over 1,000 of Patrick Henry’s original acres.
Red Hill is open year-round but offers special events throughout the warmer months including an Independence Day Celebration, Lantern Tours, Star-Gazing Nights, and Living History Days. Plan your visit to Patrick Henry’s Red Hill, a place he called “the garden spot of the world,” this summer!
Visit redhill.org for more information.

Putt-Putt Fun Center Lynchburg
Every summer has its own story. We hope you’ll choose to make lasting family memories at Putt-Putt Fun Center™ where cool activities abound for all ages to enjoy!

Feel the Breeze
Jump into the driver’s seat and zoom around our track for a rush of pure adrenaline. We have karts for single riders, as well as karts that can accommodate a parent and child.

Get Wet
A cool splash on a water ride is a great way to beat the summer heat. Battle it out with friends during a whirling, twirling and wet ride on
our bumper boats equipped with water cannons.

Indoor Fun
Escape the heat and challenge friends to a game of laser tag. Guaranteeing nonstop excitement, our laser tag arena is the only two-story arena in Lynchburg. With neon lights and dark colors, our arena is the place to escape sunburn and see who really the ultimate champion is.

Be Cool
Our arcade is the place where “cool” kids hang and parents come to “cool” off. Test your gaming skills with all sorts of arcade games from classic air hockey to our Typhoon Roller Coaster simulator. After you’ve won all the points you can, turn them in at the redemption counter for awesome prizes.

Loop the 18
Our two 18-hole Putt-Putt® Golf courses are the perfect way for the family to stay active, on their feet, and soak in the Vitamin D. You may even get lucky and ace your shot on our skill-based par 2 courses!
Visit PuttPutt.com/Lynchburg to start the fun!

YMCA
The YMCA of Central Virginia is committed to providing access to life-changing programs to everyone in our community. We offer a variety of inclusive programs, classes, and services. We bring people together to develop strong, positive relationships, healthy habits, and lasting memories. From summer camp to senior activities – we are your mission-driven community-focused non-profit, committed to building a better us. Visit ymcacva.org for more information.

Humans have been living in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains for thousands of years, yet most of the stories we know about our local heritage tend to begin in the 18th century when a teenager named John Lynch started a small ferry company, helping travelers from local colonies cross the James River.

But what did life look like before Lynchburg grew into a city?

If you were standing at the top of Lynchburg’s Monument Terrace way back then, what would you see? What would you smell? Who would be there? And, most importantly, what would you eat? This story is an imaginary culinary tour of the place we call home.

Meet the Monacans
Picture multiple rows of corn growing as far as the eye could see in the fertile ground on the banks of the James River over by Percival’s Island, almost like a wide fence. Not the large sweet corn variety we are used to today, but a smaller more grass-like ancestor called maize. Vines of beans may have been climbing up the corn stalks and squash plants were growing on the riverside, protected by the wall of corn.

The long, winding garden did not need a fence. Children armed with pebbles would keep rabbits and squirrels away, and if a hungry deer would be foolish enough to approach the crops, it may not have lived long enough to take a bite. The deadly arrow from one of our area’s first permanent inhabitants, the Monacans, would have killed it instantly.

In 1605 when British explorer Captain John Smith surveyed our region for the first map of Virginia, he identified five Monacan villages in the area between Lynchburg and Natural Bridge. As many as 25,000 members of the Monacan tribe called the area home at that time. Sadly, their numbers were decimated when the British settlers arrived, mostly from disease they brought with them. The lands of the Monacans were taken over during those years as well.

Thanks to the Monacans’ skills in making clay pots and building sophisticated woodstoves, you would be smelling a bubbling stew of squash, corn and beans if you lived in the area back then. A bone from a deer helps make a tasty stock, but the meat is from a freshly caught rabbit. The rest of the deer is hanging in the smokehouse for preservation. The stew will be served with a bread made from acorn flour mixed with a little wood ash from the fire—a natural form of baking soda.

West African Influences
Fast forward to the 1730s and the view has changed dramatically. The Monacan lands in the Lynchburg region have been taken over by European (mostly British) settlers, and there are green rows of tobacco growing as far as the eye can see. Stately plantation homes are earning a reputation for their “Southern Hospitality.”

The food you are smelling is being prepared by the plantation’s cook, typically an enslaved black woman who survived the long journey in chains from West Africa. She is literally bound to the fire as she prepares a sweet potato and peanut soup with corn bread in the plantation kitchen. Kitchens often had a dirt floor and an open-flame hearth—and housed the cook’s living quarters.

The first slaves are said to have been brought to Jamestown by the British from West Africa in 1619, although the industrial-scale slave trade came decades later to support plantation farms. We don’t know exactly when the first enslaved Africans were brought to Lynchburg, but considering there was direct access to Jamestown via the James River, they likely came early in the 17th century.

Chef and food historian Michael Twitty in his book The Cooking Gene explains that, “The American plantation wasn’t exactly the quaint village community you saw described in your history textbook. It was a labor camp system for exiled prisoners of war and victims of kidnapping.”

The African cooks brought both skill and taste to America. Black-eyed peas, okra, peanuts, and sweet potatoes were all new flavors they integrated into the fare of European favorites, essentially giving birth to what we today call Southern cooking.

Our Founding Foodie
Founding father Thomas Jefferson may have been known as the “founding foodie” because of his passion for fine foods and drink, but at his retreat home on the Poplar Forest plantation just outside of Lynchburg, the fare was surprisingly simple. When he famously stated that “Lynchburg is the most interesting place in the state,” he probably was not talking about the culinary scene.

Locally grown vegetables with a side of chicken was often served at 3 p.m. as the main meal of the day at Poplar Forest. And although the kitchen garden was the size of a football field, Jefferson complained in letters that his beloved peas didn’t grow well there and all they had was “spinach and scrubby lettuce,” as he put it.
Martha Jefferson inherited the plantation we know as Poplar Forest from her father, and Thomas himself started visiting Lynchburg after his presidential term had ended in 1809. It was much larger than the site we know today, and Jefferson added even more land over time. At one point this tobacco farm stretched all the way to today’s Jefferson Forest High School, or 5,600 acres to be exact.

Jefferson did not have an ice house at Poplar Forest, so his enslaved cook, Hannah, was not able to make his favorite treat, which was ice cream. However, archeologists have found pieces of what appears to be a serving glass for wine jelly at Poplar Forest, another favorite of Jefferson’s. What is wine jelly, you ask? Well, it’s similar in texture to what we call Jell-O today, but it’s made with fortified wine and milk.

Step back in time and taste some of our Virginia heritage recipes, adapted for our modern palates!

APPETIZER
West African Peanut & Sweet Potato Soup
This is a family-friendly yet flavorful soup that’s easy to make. For the best result, look for sweet potatoes with red flesh. The peanutty goodness comes from peanut butter and for optimal flavor, go with either fresh ground or “natural” creamy peanut butter.
SERVINGS: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
3 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (and more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Serve with fresh cilantro, chopped and a few drops of olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced onion, brown sugar and salt and cook until the onion is starting to turn brown, about
5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander and cayenne and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the chicken broth, water, peanut butter and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and turn to low and let cook for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft.

Pour the soup into a food processor and blend slowly and carefully until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Ladle into bowls and serve with cilantro and a splash of olive oil.

MAIN COURSE
Braised Rabbit with Mushrooms
In addition to being farmers, the Monacans knew how to hunt and live off the land. Deer was the most common menu item, but smaller game such as squirrel and rabbit was also common and easy to trap. If you are new to cooking rabbit, this is an easy way to get started. Much like chicken, rabbit doesn’t have a very strong flavor so the key to a good rabbit recipe is to pair it with other flavorful ingredients, in this case the mushrooms and roasted garlic.

Rabbit is available from the Forest Farmers Market (look for Rainbow’s End Farm) as well as from Fresh Market in Lynchburg. However, if you are not in the mood for rabbit, regular chicken (dark meat) works well as a substitute in this recipe.
SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 rabbit (3-4 pounds)
2 heads of garlic (don’t worry,
it will not taste garlicky!)
1 pound of mixed mushrooms, sliced
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock (or even better, rabbit stock!)
3 large shallots, diced
1 large parsnip, diced large
(sub for carrots if preferred)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2+2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut up the rabbit and season pieces liberally with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Be sure to use all parts of the rabbit in the stew; you can fish out ribs and spine before serving but keeping them in during braising since they add valuable flavor.

Slice the top third off the two garlic heads and drizzle with olive oil.

Wrap heads loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes, or until cloves are soft and brown. Set aside to cool.

Add the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large Dutch oven or saucepan and brown the rabbit pieces on all sides, a few at a time. Take your time to develop proper browning because this is a key step to build flavor in the dish. Remove the rabbit from the pot.

Sautee the onions until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have released most of their water, about 5-7 minutes. Add the wine and let cook for 2 minutes while scraping the bottom of the pot. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves into the pot and stir to dissolve.

Add back the rabbit and add thyme, parsnip, water and stock to the pot and simmer for 90 minutes, or until the meat is starting to fall off the bone.

Time to thicken the sauce. Carefully fish out all of the rabbit. In a small bowl, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Add the flour paste to the braising liquid and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Add back the rabbit.

Serve on its own or with a side of rice. Sprinkle some chopped parsley on top for garnish and enjoy!

DESSERT
Thomas Jefferson’s Wine Jell-O
This is a modern adaptation of an old recipe for wine jelly, attributed to Thomas Jefferson. It’s a refreshing dessert with a pungent wine flavor and a small serving goes a long way. Keep in mind that since the fortified wine is not boiled, the alcohol is still there—so eat responsibly! Worth noting: This recipe calls for regular gelatin packets from the grocery store, but Jefferson’s cook actually used the hooves from a calf and boiled them to extract the natural gelatin for this dessert.
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 packet of gelatin
3/4 cup fortified wine (Madeira)
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
1 lemon, juiced and strained
3 tablespoons sugar
1 pinch salt

DIRECTIONS:
Soak the gelatin in the water and let sit for 3 minutes. Add the milk to a bowl with a pouring spout, then whisk the gelatin, sugar and salt into the milk until completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice to the wine and then whisk the wine mixture into the milk mixture.
Pour into individual serving glasses, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2-3 hours or overnight. Grate a little lemon zest on top and serve!

SPECIAL THANKS: Thank you to the following for their help with this feature: Vicky Ferguson, Sally Latimer and Jennifer Austin from the Monacan Indian Nation; the Stocker family of Rainbow’s End Farm; Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz, author of Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine; and Gail Pond, manager of collections at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest.

Lynchburg Living Editor Shelley Basinger: Heather, your cookies and other baked goods are certainly eye-catching! When did you first develop a passion for baking?

Heather Sollers: As a child, I used to love making recipes from my mom’s cookbooks and surprising my family. I started off with small snacks, then meals, and, eventually, baked goods. I also remember making chocolate chip cookies every year with my family at Christmastime and everyone sharing cookies they had made after Christmas Eve dinner. This is a tradition I continue with my own family. I have five kids ranging from ages 6 to 20, three girls and two boys.

SB: At what point did your baking turn into more of an artform?
HS: I first tried my hand at making more complicated, artistic cakes for my daughters’ joint birthday party back in 2005. I made a princess castle cake for my then four-year-old and a 3D baby sitting on a cloud for my then one-year-old. After my son was born in 2011, I made my first decorated sugar cookies—a flower cookie pop bouquet for the nurses.

SB: When did you officially start up your business, Creative Confections by Heather?
HS: I actually had a completely different job when we lived in New Jersey. I went to mortuary school and became a funeral director and only baked cakes and cookies on the side. In March of 2014, my husband was transferred and we moved to Lynchburg. Later that same month, I had my daughter and made cookies to thank the wonderful nurses at the Birth Center. A year later, I did the same when I had my son. The nurses quickly spread the word about my cookies and that’s when my business really started. In 2016, I created my LLC, got my business license, and became a state-inspected manufacturer.

SB: What types of techniques do you use?
HS: For the most part, I’m self-taught. While there are a number of ways to ice and decorate a cookie,
I use royal icing because it is easy to work with, dries hard, and is extremely versatile. With it, I am able to decorate with the wet-on-wet technique to create various designs, and when the icing is dry, I can layer it, airbrush it, do brush embroidery, hand paint, and use edible markers to add small details. I am always experimenting and learning new techniques.

SB: Do you have any favorites you’ve created?
HS: One of my favorites was a three-tier, ’80s-themed cake that I made for an E.C. Glass reunion a few years ago. I love everything ’80s!
My most memorable cookies would be the “Riverdale” cookies from 2017. They were my first to go viral, shared by Archie Comics and Seventeen Magazine, among others. That was pretty exciting!

SB: Likewise, what are some of the most unique requests you have received?
HS: Every year, usually for Halloween or Christmas, my husband’s cousin comes up with some crazy idea that she wants me to turn into a cookie. We’ve done everything from zombie snowmen to creepy dolls and scary nuns. But, I love the challenge!

SB: You’ve been baking for the Craddock Terry Hotel since 2016. How is that going?
HS: I started off making the red shoe cookies then quickly added many other items. Currently, I make all of the enhancements, custom orders, and the food items in their gift shop. I also bake custom items and treats for Shoemakers and Waterstone, and for the City of Newport News.

SB: What do you love the most about what you do?
HS: I love that I have a unique outlet for my creativity that also contributes to the memories of someone’s special day or event. I love the excitement my customers have when they are ordering and then when they see their cookies for the first time. I also feel very blessed to be a volunteer Sugar Angel for Icing Smiles. Through Icing Smiles, I am able to share my gift by providing dream cakes, celebration cakes, and cookies for families who are impacted by the critical illness of a child. Seeing the excited, appreciative smiles when a child receives their cake or cookies is something that I will always remember.

19th Century Engineering Feat on Display

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel” is an apt metaphor as the world slowly emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s also literally true for visitors to the Blue Ridge Tunnel between Afton and Waynesboro.

The restored Blue Ridge Tunnel opened to the public Nov. 21, 2020 and has been a popular hiking destination ever since, with more than 35,000 visitors by mid-March.
Visitors can see all the way through the dark tunnel to the other end, but need flashlights or headlamps to make their way through the nearly mile-long tunnel.

There are two trails to the tunnel (see sidebar on page 122), but parking is very limited so it’s best to avoid weekends for now.

Maureen Kelley, director of the Nelson County Visitor’s Center, said they are working on expanding parking on both sides, but when they began planning the $5.4 million restoration 20 years ago, they had no idea what a destination the area would become.

“When this was engineered in the early 2000s, we had only two wineries,” Kelley said. “We knew it was going to be popular, but, wow!”

She added that the opening couldn’t have come at a better time with the pandemic forcing people to spend more time outdoors. Current regulations ask visitors to wear masks if they are closer than six feet to others.

The tunnel itself took eight years to build, from 1850 to 1858, 700 feet beneath Rockfish Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an engineering feat envisioned by Claudius Crozet, a French immigrant who designed the tunnel and was its chief engineer.

While the tunnel is cool—literally an even 50 degrees year-round—the history of the tunnel and the manpower required to create it are the real story. Many say the workers’ toil and loss make the tunnel a sacred place.

The tunnel took about 800 mostly Irish immigrants, who literally left blood and bones inside, eight backbreaking years to build. In an era before dynamite, workers had to pound star drills into solid rock and then fill holes with volatile black powder and fuses. Once the powder detonated, the blast filled the work area with heavy debris.

Cave-ins and unpredictable blasts caused injuries, and at least 14 Irish died in the tunnel. About 190 workers and their family members died from injuries and infectious diseases, such as the 1854 cholera epidemic. Crews on either end toiled to achieve 19 to 20 feet of progress per month.

When the 4,273-foot Blue Ridge Tunnel was completed, it was North America’s longest railroad tunnel and remains the longest constructed with black powder.

Because the tunnel was unable to accommodate larger trains, it was closed in 1944. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway replaced the 86-year-old Blue Ridge Tunnel with an adjacent tunnel at a slightly lower elevation, which visitors can see is still in daily operation. CSX Transportation donated the Blue Ridge Tunnel to Nelson County in 2007.

That gift launched a regional public-private partnership, the Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel Foundation, composed of representatives from Albemarle, Augusta, and Nelson counties and the City of Waynesboro, as well as several local and state agencies.

For nearly 20 years the groups worked to restore the tunnel as a community landmark and recreational and educational resource. One of the biggest hurdles was stopping the flow of water seeping into the tunnel. Visitors are still greeted with a small waterfall flowing down the rock near the eastern entrance.

Crozet had predicted that the Blue Ridge Tunnel would be finished by 1853, but the unexpected hardness of the rock, especially greenstone on the east side, turned out to be an almost unbeatable opponent.

While the Irish workers, many escaping the Irish potato famine, were grateful for their $1-a-day jobs, they stopped work after cave-ins to protest the danger. Crozet hired about 50 local enslaved African Americans, who had laid the track to the tunnel, to help.

Renting out enslaved workers was a common practice at the time, but to protect their investments, the owners made it clear that their workers would not do the blasting. They cleared flooded ditches, repaired grades, helped build culverts, split stone into ballast, spread ballast, and otherwise readied the Blue Ridge Railroad for traffic. Two enslaved men died from a runaway railcar accident on the Blue Ridge Railroad line in April 1854. A third died in a handcar accident the following month, and the enslaved workers were withdrawn from the site.

None of the many hundreds of Irish men and 65 boys employed on the Blue Ridge Railroad could have accomplished their brutal work without the support and labor of wives, daughters, sisters, aunts, and grandmothers. The women gave birth in primitive conditions, swept shanty floors, gathered firewood, drew water from the springs, cooked, and sent their loved ones off every morning, not knowing if they would return.

Meanwhile, local citizens—most from Augusta County—petitioned the Board of Public Works three times in 1857, insisting that the Virginia Central Railroad finish the passage. Upset by criticism of his management, Crozet found employment elsewhere and formally resigned in January 1858.

The Blue Ridge Tunnel opened to traffic three months later on April 13, 1858. Though Crozet was not among the dignitaries who rode the first train through the passage, his professional expertise and visionary leadership were essential to the Blue Ridge Railroad and other lines built across Virginia in the 1840s and 1850s.

After strolling through the tunnel and imagining the death-defying work required to build it, visitors have a variety of nearby options. They can quench their thirst and hunger at numerous local breweries, wineries, distilleries, and restaurants along Routes 151 and 6 in Nelson County or in Waynesboro.

The tunnel is located near the conjunction of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Shenandoah National Park, with hiking on the nearby Appalachian Trail or at Crabtree Falls.
For a selection of four itineraries with other sights of interest, visit nelsoncounty.com.

Go Deeper
Check out a new documentary, “The Tunnel,” produced by Ellen Casey Wagner and Paul Wagner, which debuted March 17 on American Focus YouTube.

Over the past decade, but more so in the past five years, we have watched my mother-in-law slowly progress through the devastating stages of Alzheimer’s.

While there were plenty of benchmarks that gradually revealed her decline, cooking was one of the top indicators—long-time family recipes that usually didn’t need to be referenced became overwhelming and confusing.

In an effort to preserve her cooking legacy, and other family recipes as well, my sister-in-law compiled some well-known favorites into a cookbook by scanning in original, handwritten recipes. How special it is to flip through and see these weathered, yellowed, sometimes barely legible pieces of paper sharing Southern dishes, including my favorite: the Mayonnaise Cake, a to-die-for chocolate cake that tastes nothing like mayo, by the way.

Not long after receiving this cookbook as a gift, Taste contributor Mikael Blido pitched the idea of “Heritage Recipes” in Central Virginia. My nostalgic soul said absolutely, yes—what a creative concept for our annual Food Issue.

Of course, he proposed to go much further back than my “Family Recipes” cookbook, to the roots of Central Virginia’s ancestors. The amount of time Mikael spent reading history books, interviewing local experts and even experimenting in the kitchen was absolutely incredible. Starting on page 96, learn more about how three groups of people from our region’s history ate back in the day, culminating with Mikael’s modern spin on a 300-year-old meal.

Fast forward to the 20th century, and “going out to eat” became a part of mainstream culture. Tying in with our nod to the past, we wanted to spotlight homegrown restaurants that have been a part of the city’s dining culture the longest. In “Legendary Eats,” we’ll tell you about four spots that have been serving hungry guests for about 335 years combined.

All restaurants, old and new, need our support as we continue to recover from the ongoing pandemic and its restrictions. This year marks the 10th anniversary of our Lynchburg Restaurant Week, a time for local restaurants to showcase their best dishes. We have 13 restaurants on board this time; several just opened their doors this year. Check out their menus starting on page 86 and make it a point to support these small businesses June 12-19.

Whether you are making Great-Great-Grandma’s famed chicken and dumplings or heading to that quaint diner where you remember eating as a kid, I think we can all agree that food—both the preparation and enjoyment of it—is not only a big part of who we are today, but it also connects us to our past.

For my mother-in-law, that past is slipping away, but we find some comfort in knowing that even when her mind is gone, we can still celebrate who she once was with a savory slice of Mayonnaise Cake.

All My Best,
Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

Get to know your heart rate to improve your health and fitness journey

Walk into almost any gym, or even simply stroll the mall, and you’ll spot a very familiar accessory in our 21st-century world—the Apple Watch. Just a quick glance down at your wrist can tell you how many steps you’ve taken, how many calories you’ve burned, how long you slept last night and your heart rate at any given time. The last of these may be one of the most unsung metrics of health and fitness.

By definition, your heart rate, also known as your pulse, is the number of times your heart beats per minute. You have a “resting” heart rate when your body is in a complete state of rest, an “active” heart rate when you are moving, and a “max” rate that you would reach at the peak of an intense workout.

“Knowing your ‘normal’ resting and active heart rate can be important to signify if there are any heart or other health conditions that need to be addressed, especially as we age,” says Tasha McConnell, M.S., certified personal trainer and head trainer at Burn Boot Camp Lynchburg. “A good time to check your resting heart rate is right after you wake up from a good night’s sleep and before you get out of bed.”

The American Heart Association defines anywhere from 60-100 beats per minute to be a normal resting heart rate. “There are some experts that believe 50-70 is actually a better ideal resting rate. Keep in mind a healthy heart rate will vary from person to person and depends on the situation,” she says, adding that factors such as stress, anxiety, hormones, medications, supplements, and fitness levels are all variables.

Once you know your resting heart rate, you will want to start keeping track of where that number is when you are exercising. “Knowing your max and active rate can help you understand how hard to push during a workout,” McConnell says.

Calculate your max heart rate first to act as a benchmark.
“Generally, you will take 220 minus your age. This is an estimate
and it will vary person to person,” McConnell says. “A good goal in terms of health and fitness would be to stay at about 85% of that number during intentional exercise.”

So for a 35-year-old woman, your max heart rate would be approximately 185. During a workout, staying around 157 beats per minute would show you are pushing yourself hard enough and optimizing your workout.

Keep in mind that your max heart rate is not a number you want to sustain for long periods of time. McConnell says not only is it difficult, it could be dangerous, with symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness and chest pains likely for an average, healthy person.

“These would all be warning signs to slow down,” says McConnell. “Your body is wired for survival and would warn you if it sensed something wrong.”

Your watch won’t tell you to stop—that’s up to you! It’s also important not to take the numbers too seriously. According to McConnell, the accuracy of fitness trackers is often debated. “They use a green LED light that can monitor blood flow through the wrist. Blood flow at the wrist is said to be slower versus near the heart,” she says, but counters that fitness trackers can be a useful tool for fitness to act as a baseline for users.

When all else fails, get your heart rate—resting, active or max—the old-fashioned way. Find your pulse at your wrist or neck. Count the beats for one minute or, if you are short on time, count the beats for
15 seconds and multiply by four.

One of photographer Brianne Friberg’s favorite backdrops is Downtown Lynchburg. “I love the varied architecture and unique photo opportunities it provides,”
she explains.

Last year, as part of a weekly photo challenge group called 52Frames, she recruited two friends—dancers Adell Ehrhorn and Ronnie Brady—to run around downtown and create a few magical dance shots. “We had to wait out a brief, but strong, rain storm, which allowed for a perfect ‘Singing in the Rain’ vibe with the wet sidewalks,” she says.

Photo by Brianne Friberg

We want to see your “Perspective” of greater Lynchburg. You don’t have to be a professional! Send photos to shelley@lynchburgmag.com or use the hashtag #lynchburglivingmagazine on social media.