The Best in the Business Share Their Stories

Tis the season for all things barbecue! And to get you into the grilling spirit, we caught up with a few of Central Virginia’s pros.
So pour yourself a cold drink and fire up the grill, as you read about how these guys got started and how they create such great tasting ’cue.

Benjamin McGehee
Benjamin’s Great Cows & Crabs

Benjamin McGehee, a Forest native, has been the proud owner of Benjamin’s Great Cows & Crabs in Forest for almost 15 years.
Ben is a self-taught pitmaster—he learned through a lot of experimenting, research, tasting, and trial and error. For his family, preparing high-quality barbecue starts at home.

“We raise purebred Berkshire hogs on our farm in Goode. We use the meat for sausage, country ham and barbecue,” he says. “It is important to me to know where the animals come from and what they’ve been fed their entire lives. This ensures ‘clean’ quality pork.”

Ben has smoked many proteins and vegetables over the years—everything from seafood to wild game. But he personally prefers to barbecue the “tougher” cuts because “it takes an art and science to achieve an enjoyable outcome.”

“I think barbecue has been around since people introduced food to fire. The game constantly is changing as people introduce new flavors and techniques every day,” he explained.

Ben says nowadays people are also using smoked meats and vegetables in every application from tacos and salads to sandwiches and even desserts. And while he has seen a lot of Middle Eastern and Asian flavors introduced recently, Ben says he has also noticed people going back to their roots and keeping things simple.

“Simplicity in preparation techniques, using local ingredients, and not over complicating the process. Low and slow works,” he says.

On The Menu
The menu at Benjamin’s is exciting to peruse each time I visit and it never disappoints. The smoked pork shoulder, smoked angus beef eye of round that is thinly sliced for the French Dip, the Country Ham and the Pork Chops are all popular choices.

If your mouth isn’t already watering, go ahead and dig into one of the many homemade sides. Pick your poison from Cowboy beans, Southern-style creamed corn, smoked greens, coleslaw, house made chips, or smoked Gouda mac-n-cheese.

If you can, and I recommend you do, save room for dessert made fresh daily and from scratch by Ben’s mom, “Mama Sue.” His favorites include the banana pudding, cobblers, pies and homemade ice cream.

Did You Know?
Ben is having another smoker custom made that will allow three times the production to help keep up with the growing demand for BBQ.

RUFUS RUCKER & Josh Read
Fifth & Federal Station

Fifth & Federal Station is the newest barbecue joint in town and is already making a name for itself by offering delicious food, creative cocktails, and a unique atmosphere.

One of the restaurant’s four partners, Josh Read, says he was first introduced to good, slow smoked barbecue about 15 years ago by Rufus Rucker in Amherst.

“I had tried barbecue in the past but none left an impression on me quite like his,” Josh explained.

Rufus is now the restaurant’s head chef and carries out Josh and the other owners’ culinary vision. At their restaurant, barbecue is a form of artistic expression.

“A properly slow smoked piece of meat fresh off the cooker is impossible to replicate in any other culinary form. Good, moist barbecue is an art form that can stand alone without the need to cover its rich slow smoked flavors with toppings and bread,” Josh says.

“It’s authentic—slow cooked, slow smoked. Great barbecue can’t be rushed,” Rufus explains. “A blend of unique spices gives my barbecue a one-of-a-kind flavor and sets it apart from all the others.”

They smoke pork, beef, wings…even their own aged White Vermont cheddar that comes on a Charcuterie Tray. All of their meats smoke anywhere from eight to 15 hours.

“We source our hickory wood locally and are looking into a few local providers for meat,” Josh says.

For those looking to improve their barbecue game, Josh says keep an eye on technology. “There are a lot of new inexpensive smokers and wireless tools that allow temperature controls and other gadgets that send data to your cell phone. They sort of fool proof the barbecue process so that you can turn it on and get a consistent result without watching it constantly,” he explained.

“There are a lot of new injectable flavor enhancing items that come out every year as well.”

On The Menu
The ribs and pulled pork are their most popular items, but the slow cooked beef brisket is starting to catch up. The Combo Platter is Josh’s favorite because it allows you to enjoy all of their meats.

On two recent visits, I had the pulled pork with a side of coleslaw, green beans and hush puppies. The pulled pork was second to none—served with the sauce on the side (AMEN!). The pork was juicy but then had bites of crispy, bacon-like textures throughout. The green beans had a little bit of a kick and the coleslaw was traditional and a nice cool accompaniment to the meal. Not usually a hush puppy kind of girl, I had no problem eating both of the two, dripping with honey, which came with my meal.

For your sweet tooth, the Bourbon Street Beignets with bourbon sauce and house smoked crumbled bacon on top is completely irresistible.

Did You Know?
Fifth & Federal is working on plans to build a stage for live music on their front yard.

Bill Dawson
Pok-E-Joe’s

Since 2011 owner Bill Dawson has been tucked into the Boonsboro Shopping Center serving Texas-style ’cue to guests at the bar, tables, and an outdoor patio.

Bill got his start in the barbecue world about 15 years ago creating all of his own recipes through a lot of trial and error. Then six years ago, he bought the restaurant from a man who trained him in Texas-style barbecue techniques. Since then Bill says he has “never looked back!” And business has been steady, if not booming.

“Barbecue definitely has a growing following of barbecue lovers!” he says.

For those who don’t know the difference, a Texas-style sauce is more tomato based than vinegar based, like you would see in North Carolina, and not as sweet as sauces from Tennessee or Kansas City. Bill says they smoke their meats, particularly beef brisket, which is a Texas favorite, using sweet hickory wood for up to 16 hours.

“What sets us apart is our attention to detail and staying true to our Texas barbecue roots, even though I do make a North Carolina sauce for those in the area that prefer the vinegar-based sauce,” Bill says.

His passion for his final product is evident as he kindly boasts, “We strive to simply have the best hickory smoked meats in Lynchburg. I feel that turning out great smoked meats is an art form and every step of the process affects the taste.”

On The Menu
My first experience eating at Pok-E-Joe’s was the night before Thanksgiving a few years ago. It was an odd night to go out to dinner and nosh on smoked meat, mac and cheese, and hush puppies but it was flavorful and memorable!

They smoke everything—from beef brisket to ribs and occasionally chicken (upon request).

“My favorite at the moment would be our burnt ends. They are smoked brisket, the point removed (it is marbled like a ribeye steak), seasoned once more and smoked for 3 more hours!” Bill explained.

Currently customers are ordering the brisket and pork most regularly. They are also delving deep into the macaroni and cheese, fresh hand cut flat fries, house made coleslaw, and hushpuppies.

When you finish up your sweet tea and brisket, the homemade banana pudding is the perfect finish to the meal.

Did You Know?
Pok-E-Joe’s has a food truck that can be found at Food Truck Thursdays and other local events around town.

One on One with Tuffy Stone
Let me introduce you to our favorite Lynchburg-bred BBQ celebrity in one sentence, straight from his website: “Tuffy Stone is a classically-trained French chef, television personality, and accomplished pitmaster who can be considered the most successful guy on the competitive barbecue circuit over the last few years.” He even has a new book coming out next spring.

Wow! Not to mention, he is incredibly nice and took the time to answer a few burning questions I had about cooking on the grill.

Rachel Dalton: First things first, do we need to have an expensive grill?
Tuffy Stone: It is not necessary to have an expensive grill to cook great food, because there are some well-made grills that do not cost a lot of money.

RD: So what does matter when buying a grill?
TS: What does matter is that you learn how to cook on your grill or cooker. If buying a gas grill, I recommend choosing one that has more than one burner and more than one gas control knob, so that you can cook using the two-zone method. This is where you have a hot zone and a cooler zone. This is great method for cooking meats that require a long time to cook to tender, such as a brisket or ribs. You can place the meat on the hot zone to sear or brown, and then move to the cooler side and continue to cook until tender with less worry of scorching. This is done on a gas grill by turning one burner on and cutting off the other. On a charcoal grill, you set it up two-zone by placing hot coals on half of the bottom and no coals on the other half.

When deciding on which grill or cooker to buy, you should take into consideration how much meat you will want to cook and pick one that has the capacity to handle that quantity.

RD: But what is your preference?
TS: I prefer to cook with charcoal and wood, not only because of the flavors I get but also because I enjoy the process. If you don’t want to tend a fire with your grill or cooker, then a gas grill or a pellet cooker might be a better choice for you and may cost a bit more.

My daily grill at home is the Primo Ceramic Grill and is very versatile, so I can grill and cook low and slow.

RD: Do you have any go-to marinades we can make at home for specific proteins?
TS: Marinades, mops, brines, and sprays are all great ways to add both flavor and moisture to meats when cooking on a grill or cooker. I really like to add moisture to meats like ribs, brisket or pork shoulder because they take so many hours to cook and applying a mop or spray helps the texture of the outside of the meat. A high-quality apple juice is what I often spray on my meats while they are cooking. Brines are a great way to bring flavor deep inside the meat and are flavored liquids that you soak your meat in. Brines contain salt so it is important to understand how long to soak your meat and how your other seasonings will work with your brine, so that you don’t create a product that is too salty.

RD: What do we need to remember with marinades?
TS: Many contain some type of oil like olive oil and some type of acid like red wine vinegar or lemon juice. Herbs and spices will also be a part of a marinade and with these mixed together provide a nice complementary flavor to meats, seafood and vegetables when marinated for a period of time and grilled. I am a big fan of soy sauce-based marinades, but watch carefully on the grill because they can burn if they are too hot for too long. One of my favorites is equal parts of soy sauce and Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine) with lots of chopped fresh garlic and black peppercorns.

RD: Oh! Thank you for sharing that! What about a dry rub?
TS: Dry rubs are pretty common for barbecue recipes and I often put dry rubs on pork shoulders, pork ribs, briskets and chicken. A key consideration for using rubs on meat is how long in advance of cooking do we apply [them]. Most rubs contain salt and given enough time, salt will cure meat. I want a rub to be on a meat long enough to develop a good flavor without curing the meat. Typically I let a rub sit on ribs for one hour before cooking and with big cuts of meat like a brisket or a pork shoulder, I season the night before cooking or seven to eight hours.

RD: Got it. When would you use a marinade versus a dry rub?
TS: I usually only marinate meats that don’t take a lot of time to cook on the grill. So steaks, chops, fish and chicken are great choices for a marinade.

RD: What are some things we can barbecue at home that aren’t “conventional”?
TS: I just finished a cookbook, which comes out next spring, and it includes grilled vegetables, seafood, game, pork, beef and poultry. I have a great grilled corn recipe and the char from the fire adds a nice touch. The most interesting thing we grilled for the book was probably grapes as part of a salad. They taste really good!

RD: Grilled grapes! They sound amazing! Can you share with us any other tricks of the trade?
TS: The “Texas Crutch” is a huge trick to making better barbecue. Once a meat like a brisket has cooked long enough to have a beautiful mahogany brown color with great smoke flavor, but is still not tender, you wrap the meat in aluminum foil or butcher paper and then return to the cooker, and continue to cook until done.

I usually cook a brisket or a pork shoulder for 4 hours on my cooker at 275 degrees and then wrap and cook until tender. This technique will help prevent over smoking and help produce a more moist product. This is great for better ribs as well. Two hours unwrapped at 275 degrees and two hours wrapped for large spare ribs.

RD: I am definitely trying this! Is there anything else you want our home BBQers to know about you or barbecue in general?
TS: I really could go on for days!

The true colors of a community can best be seen through the lens of its art. From murals to sculptures to giant mosaics, art speaks to the soul and communicates where words fall short. Outdoor art installations are cropping up all over Lynchburg to enhance its already picturesque and historic landscape. These outdoor art projects belong to everyone—creating a blossoming, dynamic cultural scene for all to enjoy. Here are some of the latest works of outdoor art around town.

Storm Drain Mural Project
The City of Lynchburg, in partnership with the James River Association and Skeo Solutions, launched its first-ever Storm Drain Mural Project in early 2017. A large storm drain located at the Fairview Heights Recreation Center on Campbell Avenue has been transformed into an inspiring, informative outdoor art installation. Artists were invited to submit storm drain designs to a panel of judges, then the public had an opportunity to vote for the top five finalists. Benjamin Brown’s design won, so he was commissioned to complete the project, assisted by Christina Ball.

Brown’s inspiration for the mural came from the James River. “Our theme was ‘It All Drains to the James’ and we had an actual storm drain on the mural site to incorporate into the art,” said Brown.

“We wanted to present a scene that looked like Lynchburg. Elements including the cityscape, wildlife, the storm drain, and—of course—the river were all intertwined to show that these seemingly distant real-life aspects of Lynchburg are in fact very much connected.”

Brown’s favorite thing about creating the mural was certainly the art itself, but also the interaction with the community throughout the process. “During our painting sessions, people would walk up and comment on the art, which opened the door for us to explain the theme and educate the community on why this was important.”

Brown was assisted in the mural project by Christina Ball, a self-taught Lynchburg native whose public art projects include the gymnasium mural at Leesville Elementary School, a veteran’s mural in Manassas, and volunteering for the Amazement Square mosaic wall in downtown Lynchburg.

“Lynchburg is home,” said Ball. “I’m inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds the James River and the importance of maintaining that beauty for years to come.”

As a painter, Ball appreciates the rhythm created by the flow and circular pattern of the river throughout the piece, including a vibrant blue that ties the mural together.

“My favorite thing about doing a project like this is that it’s fun and it’s great to work and collaborate with other artists,” said Ball. “Art is a way of giving voice to an important message.”

Brown and Ball completed the storm drain mural over the course of a month, clocking over 150 cumulative hours.

“I enjoy applying my art to as many situations as I can that inspire or educate others,” Brown commented. “Art is a soothing activity that I’m passionate about, and it was such a pleasure creating this mural.”

The Craft Crucible Building
Randy Smith is the owner of The Craft Crucible, a workspace and lumber shop, on Thurman Avenue in midtown Lynchburg. In late 2016, he approached Kimberly Gibson-McDonald, a cultural arts teacher at E.C. Glass High School, to ask if the art students could create some street art for his building. Knowing that an outdoor art project like this would enhance the midtown area, Gibson-McDonald eagerly accepted the challenge.

“I wanted an artistic style that would enable everyone to find success,” Gibson-McDonald recalled of her inspiration for the project. “Since I knew I’d be doing this project with introductory art classes, I immediately thought of the artist Keith Haring, his simplified graffiti figures, and his passion for creating community artwork with a message.”

The project, which took six weeks to complete, includes two 8×20-foot murals on the side of the building. “After we learned a little art history about Keith Haring, his artwork, and his motivation for creating large graffiti murals, students created their own murals using simplified Keith Haring figures,” said Gibson-McDonald. “These figures were in motion and had to visually express a theme of community.ˮ

The white spaces around the figures are filled with movement lines, doodles, and words that students created when prompted with the question, “What words would express how you feel about ‘Lynchburg’ or your ideal community?”

Gibson-McDonald’s favorite part of the project was watching the students work together to make one communal piece of art and displaying it in a public setting. “They do amazing artwork on a daily basis,” she said. “I display it in our hallways at E.C. Glass and the hallways at the school administration building regularly, but the general public misses out on the artistic talents of the kids in their community. Randy gave us a special opportunity to help bring art and beauty to midtown Lynchburg, and my students take pride in knowing that their artwork will be up for the community to see.”

“I truly believe that the display of art in the community brings us together,” said Gibson-McDonald. “The artist whose work is on
display is giving something to the viewer and that person takes that something, whatever it may be—a feeling, a memory, an idea—and
shares it with someone else. This begins a domino effect of communication, all starting with a piece of artwork.”

Craddock Terry Shoe
Homegrown artist Paul Clements is experienced with outdoor art installations around Lynchburg. His work includes the LOVE sculpture at Percival’s Island, the city skyline cutouts on the steps from Commerce to Jefferson Street, and his latest artwork—a giant shoe in front of the Craddock Terry Hotel.

“I realized that people really like photo opportunities and I thought that a giant shoe that could comfortably seat four people would be just that,” Clements recalled about his inspiration for the piece. “Being in front of the Craddock Terry Hotel, it just had to be a shoe.”

Clements enjoys the entire process of creating outdoor art, from concept to completion. “I enjoy when all of the planning is done and the project gains momentum. It’s like a book that I really get into and it engulfs me.”

The Craddock Terry shoe took six months to complete, from sketches to its installation in late 2016. “I came up with the idea, pitched it to the hotel, and when they agreed to it, I had to deal with the fact that I had absolutely no idea how to make it happen,” chuckled Clements. “I had never tried to recreate an existing object before. I was copying a 6-inch heel and it needed to be 8 feet tall, so I had to multiply everything by 16. It was like unlocking a new dimension for me.”

Conceptualizing and designing outdoor art is a process that Clements takes seriously. He is attentive to detail in considering space, aesthetic, lighting, structure and safety concerns. “I like to visit the site at various times of the day and night to see what happens there and I simply observe,” said Clements. “I ‘listen’ to the space and imagine multiple possibilities. Once the client and I settle on something, I spend a lot of time with structural and safety concerns before I begin. To make something appear to be simple is never simple.”

That apparent simplicity is the real beauty behind Clements’ work. He creates outdoor art that is thoughtful, detailed and rooted in community. “Every town has the same sort of buildings and stores, but not every community has a giant shoe, for example,” he noted.
“I enjoy seeing outdoor art change with the seasons, from being draped in snow to being surrounded by spring flowers. Public art belongs to everyone, and it’s a fun, surprising, inspiring addition to the landscape.”

An Appetizer Worth Sharing at Dish

When I first moved to Lynchburg after 10 years of wining and dining in Richmond, I worried I wouldn’t find the eclectic, quirky restaurants that seem to dot every street corner in my beloved capital city. Then I went to Dish. With varying daily specials, small plates that make sharing fun and a full bar, I knew I had found my spot.

Six years later, I am still bellying up to the bar at Dish at least once a month, and my order always begins with the pimento cheese.

Always.

I have heard of people fighting over secret pimento cheese recipes—this is one I would gladly step into the ring for. I can’t decide if it’s the salty, peppery, house made flat bread naan served alongside or just the heaping creamy sharp cheese mixture, but the whole thing is seriously delicious. Owner and Executive Chef Dave Ellis tells me the recipe is a blend he has worked with over the years, and I can confirm he has certainly perfected it.

When I asked Dave if he does anything else with his pimento cheese other than scoop it up with naan, he made my head spin by suggesting it could be baked with crab for a savory dip, used in a mac and cheese recipe or just piled high between two pieces of bread for a tangy, tasty sandwich. I plan to get a large order to go very soon and give one or two of these ideas a try at home.

Be sure to bring friends as the serving is generous; it also pairs well with their crisp rosé. And save some room because the pimento cheese is just the beginning of what is always a lovely meal at Dish.

Living in the Moment

He has a cave. She has a shed. Both have a sanctuary. A place of refuge—an oasis, retreat, hideaway. A place to call his or her own.

She sheds are a trendy thing, at least as far as vernacular, catchy phrases and marketing soundbites go. But language aside, the thing itself is as old as human history. When in the world haven’t women found a special place for escaping the demands and challenges of everyday life?

For Women and Budding Women
Oh, how memories flood back of times as a young girl in Richmond whiling away endless happy hours in a tiny, exquisite white frame, green-shuttered play house set among the daffodils and rose beds of my best friend’s mother’s backyard garden. Anne Gordon Harrison (double first name in traditional Southern style) and I fancied ourselves as two grown-up ladies hosting tea parties for our favorite dolls in this little organdy-curtained wonderland. A genuine English porcelain doll-sized tea set and miniature flower arrangements of forget-me-nots, candy tuft, and lily of the valley that we arranged ourselves in tiny glass vases completed the scene.

In our make-believe world, our dolls were our children—and we shared their, and our, innermost dreams and secrets. This was seven decades or so ago, and I can still retreat into those sweet innocent memories.

Was this play house a she shed? Absolutely—even if, as little city girls, we didn’t yet know the meaning of the word “shed.”

It was our happy place where imagination ran wild and we were free to be our true pretend-lady selves under Anne Gordon’s mother’s hawk (yet unobtrusive) eye.

A Place for a Poet
Reaching even further back in history, on Pierce Street in inner-city Lynchburg, the Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer, 1882-1975, created her own special she shed. Her backyard cottage, according to Jane Baber White, author of Lessons Learned from a Poet’s Garden, was a “charming, cluttered one-room sanctuary built for her by her husband Edward as a place where she could write.”

According to Jane White, Edward was industrious and imaginative in building the structure, using slabs of greenstone to make the chimney and floor. All materials were salvaged or gifts from friends and neighbors and ingeniously repurposed.

And they cleverly named her cottage Edankraal, which “combines Edward’s name with Anne’s to form a pun on the word Eden and the South African word for dwelling, ‘kraal’.”

Edankraal’s front porch was framed by trumpet vines supported by massive turned posts in aqua blue. And over time, her beloved garden, for which she is also famous, spread around Edankraal and overflowed with roses, bulbs, grapes, lilacs, poppies, peonies, rose of Sharon, daisies, phlox, coralbells and much more.

Edward and Anne’s hospitable home and garden of ever-changing seasonal color blossomed into an intellectual oasis for notable Black scholars and civil rights activists, including Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Dubois, and James Weldon Johnson. And when she could grab quiet moments amid all this intellectual stimulation, Anne would submit to the pull of her passion for gardening, then retreat to the solitude of Edankraal and draw from her garden inspiration for her poetry and musings:

Being a Negro woman is the world’s most exciting game of “Taboo”: By hell there is nothing you can do that you want to do and by heaven you are going to do it anyhow—We do not climb into the jim crow galleries of scenario houses we stay away and read I read garden and seed catalogs, Browning, Housman, Whitman, Saturday Evening Post detective tales, Atlantic Monthly, American Mercury, Crisis, Opportunity, Vanity Fair, Hibberts Journal, oh, anything.I can cook delicious things to eat…We have a lovely home—one that
money did not buy—it was born and evolved slowly out of our passionate, poverty-stricken agony to own our own home.Happiness
—Anne Spencer

Out of passion and love, Anne not only had her own home, but also her very own she shed. And it opened the spigot for her creative literary juices to flow.

Jean’s Sugar Shack
After reading my story in Lynchburg Living about my country cottage garden, a previously unknown-to-me lady named Jean Springer invited me to visit her own beloved country cottage garden in Amherst County. Recognizing that we were kindred garden spirits, I drove out Elon Road five or so miles beyond Woodruff’s Store to discover the spiritual soul of her lovely garden, a she shed she calls the Sugar Shack.

This she shed is a small space, but within its 8×10 walls are so many objects of memorabilia spanning generations of family and friendship that it’s almost impossible to take it all in. Dolls, baby clothes, shaving brushes, lace from a wedding gown, mini-quilts, toys from her childhood and much more. Every single item punctuates a story of a relationship she cherishes and memories of magnanimity. And every feature and flower that grace the Sugar Shack’s surrounding garden—the little waterfall and stream lovingly built by her grandson, a plaque, “Remembering Andy,” and a fabulous assortment of spectacular irises—has its own story of generosity of spirit.

Jean says she sleeps in the main house up the hill (well, most of the time), but her heart is always in the Sugar Shack. And she has even slept there with a passel of grandsons lined up like cordwood in a mini-loft that extends under the porch roof.

She shares stories of sleepovers with the kids, with checkers (no electronics allowed), night-time stories, round-robin bedtime prayers, and heart-to-heart talks after lights out, followed by crisp mornings with hot breakfasts of eggs, bacon and toast fixed on the hotplate. Adding a little stove for wintertime warmth, Jean has created cozy, intimate, and never-to-be-forgotten memories with grandma—coated with lots of grandma’s sugar—in the Southern colloquial sense of the word.

It’s Jean’s happy place, her joy, her gift to herself and to her family. It’s also her quiet place, and she makes time every day for the peace and tranquility it brings her, rocking on her porch or reading her Bible inside.

What’s the Purpose?
Women like Anne Spencer and Jean Springer have been creating their own happy places in their gardens since the beginning of time. Yet, she sheds as a named trend in pop culture are just now catching up with the well-established institution of man caves or other traditionally male pastime places.

Both reflect their owner’s purposes, needs, tastes and preferences. Some men prefer to be cocooned in a dark room with a comfy chair positioned for the best angle to the TV or lined with books. And others would rather have an entirely different set-up to suit hobbies such as woodworking or tinkering away idle hours. Their man caves are their very own space to suit their purposes.

As with men, women’s ideas for garden she sheds are as unique as they are themselves. The purpose, look and feel of Edankraal was right for Anne Spencer, and the Sugar Shack is right for Jean Springer. Others may prefer a pleasurable escape from everyday responsibilities in the form of a different kind of private place to meditate or entertain, enjoy arts or crafts or simply hang out.

She sheds may, of course, be multifunctional. My friend Clarkie Eppes and her husband Tom live in a charming renovated, expanded, and modernized 1930s log home on Fox Hill Road with beautiful landscaping, terraced gardens, and a spectacular view overlooking the James River. Her delightful she shed is a free-standing log cabin in the garden, most likely a garage originally, now converted to accommodations for living, sleeping, desk work, and dining—plus a bath and private terrace. It’s tastefully furnished with family antiques and collections and serves as a get-away for Clarkie. It also doubles/triples as a comfortable guest house for visiting grown children and short-term rental for UVA students doing rotations in family medicine in Lynchburg.

Creating Your Own
The first step after deciding on your purpose(s) is to see if existing space can be converted or adapted: a garage, tool or potting shed, a greenhouse, or kid’s play house. If not, you’ll want to explore options for a pre-fabricated, kit or custom-built structure. A simple Google search will bring up lots of options.

According to author Erica Kotite in her recently released book, She Sheds: A Room of Your Own, you can “plan on spending about $500-$1,000 to rehab an existing shed, $2,000-$5,000 to build a shed from a kit, $6,000-$15,000 for a more customized and pre-assembled kit shed and then $15,000-$35,000 for a top-of-the-line designed shed with installation and landscaping.” Of course, if you want marble floors and crystal chandeliers, you’re out of this range. Pricing is also affected if you want/need electricity, running water or appliances—or if you add HVAC and special insulation to create a multi-seasonal shed.

Next, decide on external visual appeal and internal décor. Do you want your she shed to have a consistent look with your house, à la Clarkie and Tom, or take a daring plunge and go for a big splash? If your décor style and budget say “no” to all new furnishings, why not scout around for early attic, late basement, flea market or consignment shop treasures that could be jazzed up with a fresh coat of paint? Are you yearning to have fun personalizing your space with a fanciful color combo or other touch of whimsy?

How does your she shed fit into your landscape and garden? You may want to add climbing vines or roses to surround the entryway, window boxes spilling colorful annuals, or whatever else works with your existing yard and garden design.

She Sheds Without Walls
Not all she sheds have walls. My own country cottage garden at our farm featured a gazebo that was my happy place. It was as much a she shed to me as any cleverly and artfully designed enclosed garden space. When there, I sat quietly surrounded by nature, and that was all the décor I needed. The rest of the world stood still.

I felt the cooling breeze from the mountains on a sweltering summer day as gaura danced and swayed along the fence line. I saw bluebird mamas and papas taking turns feeding their eagerly awaiting young and butterflies and hummingbirds flitting from flower to flower. I smelled antique roses and heard bees buzzing in droves on purple vitex spikes. And I savored the flavor of ripe homegrown tomatoes. It was my place of mindfulness.

It was there that I came to appreciate more deeply that my place of personal freedom and happiness can be a play house with Anne Gordon or a gazebo at the farm or even the garden bench under a canopy of viburnum at my new home at the Woodstock. A she shed in the form of a physical place can indeed provide peace and joy. As can the self-knowledge that comes from living in the moment.

Meet the Gardener
Susan Timmons served in the 1970s as Virginia’s first Environmental Impact Statement Coordinator, then Assistant Administrator and Acting Administrator of Virginia’s Council on the Environment and editor of The State of Virginia’s Environment. During that time she also served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Environmental Professionals and received the National Wildlife Federation’s Award for Environmental Communications. More recently, she worked in higher education and nonprofit management and, in retirement, she serves as a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Hill City Master Gardeners Association with a series of talks on “Gardens of the World.”

Spend a day at Smith Mountain Lake’s beloved wineries

There is nothing more relaxing than a sun-filled day at Smith Mountain Lake. Crisp breezes, cool water and boat-side ice cream all evoke a sense of calm to anyone who visits. As the weather cools down, you might be looking for ways to enjoy the lake off the water. Jump in your car (and make sure you have a designated driver), then use this guide as a reference to tour the lake area’s fantastic wineries.

White Rock Vineyard, Winery and Brew Haus
At the northernmost point of Smith Mountain Lake, near Roanoke, is White Rock Vineyard, Winery and Brew Haus. White Rock is the ideal place to visit if you have friends in your group who prefer hops over grapes. An incredibly unique location, the owners at White Rock make wine and brew beer, so visitors will find the best of both worlds—often picking up notes from the wine in the beer and vice versa.

Owners Greg and Michele Bublitz handcraft their wine and beer on-site, extracting the wine from the grapes of their own private vineyard. Those vines create an idyllic backdrop for the rest of the winery. When you visit, you’ll notice picnics propped up across the grounds or couples enjoying a tasting over a perfectly curated cheese board.

Ramulose Ridge Vineyards
Head south and you’ll find Ramulose Ridge Vineyards. Coveted for its wedding and event space, Ramulose is as aesthetically pleasing as its wines are delicious. Visitors who come to Ramulose should plan accordingly: You’ll want to relax here all day.

Owners Jim and Sandi Ramaker first started dreaming up the idea of Ramulose after a weekend getaway to Smith Mountain Lake, and they’ve been inspiring lake visitors ever since.

Just as White Rock offers both wine and beer to visitors, Ramulose offers unique pairings of its own. Each of their wines can be paired with a specific cigar, offered on-site at Ramulose. From full-bodied and strong Green PA Broadleafs paired with white wine to dark and smooth Maduros with red wine, visitors can sit outside and enjoy perfectly-paired smokes and sips.

Brooks Mill Winery
If you’re okay with a little drive, head to Brooks Mill Winery on the southwest side of the lake. Known for its inventive blends that utilize our area’s blackberry and fruit harvests, Brooks Mill Winery is a favorite among those who like to take delicious risks with their wine.

Brooks Mill Winery is the only fruit winery along the lake. For those wondering, “Aren’t grapes fruit?”, there are quite a few differences between traditional grape wine and fruit wine. Typically, fruit wine has a lower alcohol content, with the alcohol by volume (ABV) averaging around 11 percent versus wine’s 13 percent or higher. Fruit wine also tends to be sweeter than traditional grape wines—with the blends’ shape shifting and adopting the flavors of the fruits used to make them.

On-site Brooks Mill grows blackberries, blueberries, pears, apples, peaches and cherries.

Hickory Hill Vineyards
Return to the eastern side of the lake for a final stop before returning to Lynchburg. Hickory Hill Vineyards is Smith Mountain Lake’s oldest vineyard, which has become a staple in the SML and Moneta communities. All grapes are grown, harvested, crafted and bottled right on-site on Hickory Hill’s stunning grounds. However, Hickory Hill does have a working partnership with two other local vineyards, with an agreement to share certain varietals for a better product.

Hickory Hill’s past is rather storied—with tails of hurricanes and hail storms, infectious insects and trial wine blends. But despite some challenges, Hickory Hill has risen above to produce internationally ranked wine.

Visitors can enjoy a relaxing picnic on the grounds with a bottle of their favorite Hickory Hill blend, or they can even find out which is their favorite during a tasting. What’s more, visitors can get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the art and science behind making Hickory Hill’s award-winning wine.

Step Up Your Game on Game Day with Upscale Accoutrements and Recipes That Extend Far Beyond Burgers and Brats

It’s that time of year again—the smell of charred meat wafting through the air, the raucous crowds cheering on their favorite team, the temperatures slightly beginning to cool off. Then, as the clock strikes noon, you take a sip of your first socially acceptable day drink to kick off the unofficial start to fall: The parking lot tailgate.

Read on for recipes, tips and more to step up your game this year and take your tailgate over the top.

Spicy House-Smoked BBQ Wings
Recipe by Anne Leonard
There are regular wings, and then there are these wow-inducing wings that are sprinkled with a dry rub, fried, doused in a combination of three sauces, slow-smoked and garnished with toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Time: About 25 minutes total
Yield: A dozen wings
Ingredients
Dry rub
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Other materials
Wood chips
Foil
Sealable container
Wings
1/3 cup Peter’s Beach Barbecue Sauce
and Marinade
1/3 cup Tommy Bahama’s Blackberry
Brandy Sauce
1/4 cup A. Smith Bowman Barrel-Aged Bourbon Hot Sauce
1 dozen chicken wings, pat very dry
with paper towels
1/2 cup canola oil for frying
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp scallions, chopped

Directions
Mix all ingredients for the dry rub into a small bowl and season both sides of the wings.
In a separate bowl, combine and mix the three sauces. Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a toaster oven for about 2 minutes. Keep a close eye on them since they can burn quickly. Once lightly toasted, remove and set aside. Create a packet of wood chips. Lay out a piece of foil and place a large handful of chips in the center. Fold foil over on each side to seal in chips. Place wood chip packet in the center of the grill and turn on low heat.
Heat the canola oil in a pan on medium high heat until sizzling. Lay seasoned wings in a single layer in the pan (you may have to cook it in two batches). Fry for 3 minutes on each side or until browned and crispy.
Remove fried wings from oil and place in a sealable container. Pour in the sauce, seal the container, and shake to evenly distribute the sauce. Place wings in grill in indirect heat. Allow to grill for 8–10 minutes. Remove from grill, and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions to your liking.
You can also add more sauce on top after grilling if you prefer your wings extra saucy.

Sweet Potato Hummus
Recipe by Anne Leonard
Instead of playing up sweet potatoes’ earthiness with sugar, here, they’re accentuated with the tell-tale ingredients of hummus—tahini, chickpeas and garlic. But to raise the stakes, there’s a smidgen of smoked paprika, a dash of toasted walnuts and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes for that extra bit of heat.

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Yield: about 3 cups
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato, cooked and peeled
1/3 cup tahini paste
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
A generous dash of salt
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
A small handful of toasted walnuts
Pita bread, toasted and cut into triangles

Directions
Place all ingredients into a food processor, except for the walnuts and toasted pita bread.
Blend ingredients in processor until smooth and fluffy. You may have to stop and stir hummus with a spatula a few times to even it out. Place sweet potato hummus in a deep-dish bowl of your choosing, and drizzle olive oil as well as a light sprinkle of paprika and pepper flakes over top if you prefer.
Top with toasted walnuts. Serve hummus warm or cold with the toasted pita bread.

Bacon Bleu-Crab Dip
Recipe by Anne Leonard
This voluptuous crab dip boasts all the good stuff: bleu cheese, cream cheese, Chesapeake Bay seasoning and bacon, along with succulent blue crab, for a Virginia-centric dip that’s promised to please.

Total Time: about 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 cup crumbled bleu cheese
2/3 cup cream cheese, softened
3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Splash white wine
12 oz. blue crab meat (freshly picked or canned)
2 thick-cut pieces of bacon, diced
1 tbsp Chesapeake Bay Seasoning (or Old Bay),
plus more to garnish
Crackers or toasted baguette slices to serve

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Mix bleu cheese, cream cheese and minced garlic in a bowl. Add lemon juice, white wine and crabmeat to bowl; then mix well.
In a separate bowl, toss the bacon with the Chesapeake Bay Seasoning. In a frying pan on medium heat, fry bacon until crispy for about 6 minutes, flipping throughout the time. Remove bacon from the pan and blot with paper towels to remove excess oil. Add bacon to crab mixture.
Transfer crab dip to an oven-safe baking dish. Sprinkle Chesapeake Bay Seasoning over top. Bake for 25 minutes until slightly toasted on top. Serve immediately with crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Big Blue Mules
Yield: Approximately 16 drinks
Prep: 1 week for blueberry infused vodka; 2 minutes for mixing

Ingredients
2 pounds fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish
750 ml bottle of vodka
Ginger Beer (Q Drinks Spectacular Ginger Beer is super spicy and not too sweet, just how we like it)
Limes
Ice
Mint leaves for garnish

Directions
A week before game day, make blueberry-infused vodka. Add blueberries and vodka to a large container, and let set at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, until ready to use. Strain and discard blueberries.
In a Mule mug, add ice, and pour in 1 oz. blueberry-infused vodka. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lime, and top with ginger beer, Garnish with fresh blueberries, a lime slice and fresh mint.

Brown Sugar & Herb Rubbed Ribs
Recipe by Avenue Foods and Catering

Ingredients
1 tsp pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp onion flakes
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp rosemary
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp coarse ground pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 cups brown sugar

Directions
Mix all ingredients in blender then coat both sides of ribs. Pat the mixture into the ribs. Bake at 250 degrees for at least 4 hours or until meat pulls from bone. You can always bump up the temperature if you need ribs to cook faster.
These can be cooked the day ahead, wrapped in foil and reheated the next day for a tailgate. Reheat at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes then put in a cooler to keep warm until you are ready to serve. Enjoy!

Magnolia Foods Chorizo Black Bean Dip

Ingredients
1 pound ground chorizo, browned
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. salsa (any kind)
1 yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans, rinsed
8 oz. shredded cheese, cheddar
or Monterrey Jack
Green onions, finely diced
for garnish

Directions
Sauté diced onions and garlic in olive oil, add cream cheese and cooked chorizo (don’t walk away—keep stirring). Cream cheese should be smooth
and no lumps, add black beans, salsa and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish, top with diced green onions for garnish.
Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Five Ways to Take Your Tailgate Over the Top
by RACHEL DALTON

While everyone seems to have ideas on how to make their tailgate the best, we talked with a few local experts about ways to make your space the place everyone wants to be.

1. Plan ahead. Never was an awesome, monumental tailgate thrown together the night before. No way. An over-the-top tailgate requires precision, attention to detail, and planning. Send invitations (yes, you read that right) about a month ahead of time. Fall is a busy time for everyone so whether it’s a casual text or an Evite, people need to get this date on their calendar.

2. Gather the right equipment. Depending on the menu, there may be a need for some special pieces of equipment at your party. Make sure you’ve assigned who will bring a grill and a portable burner to your tailgate, Cissa Willman from Avenue Foods suggests.
Someone in the group should also provide tents for shade and protection from the elements. Other overlooked items include: fans, extra coolers, large/lidded plastic containers for bringing back used dishes, ice, plates, flatware, cups, aluminum foil, trash bags and bottle or wine openers.

3. Expand your menu. Skip the burgers and hotdogs this year and try Cissa’s suggestion of grilling quesadillas, sausages, pork tenderloin, kabobs, marinated flat iron steaks and custom pizzas.
You don’t have to bring a grill to be creative. Cissa says keep it simple with items that don’t necessarily have to be hot and can be easily transported in on ice. Some of her favorites are seared Ahi tuna, chicken salad, smoked salmon, assorted gourmet sandwiches and oysters.
If you don’t have the time or energy to prep your own spread, Adi McCauley of Magnolia Foods suggests many mouth-watering options from their catering menu such as their black bean & chorizo dip, sandwiches, appetizer platters, potato salad, pasta salad, quinoa, and chopped vegetable salad… you will be able to satisfy the pickiest palate in your crowd! Magnolia will package up any items for easy travel and provide a heat source with disposable chaffing racks, pans and fuel so all you have to do is chow down.
Round out every savory menu with a little sweet. Both Adi and Cissa say bars of any kind travel well; raspberry, lemon, brownies, Derby bars from Magnolia or cookies from Avenue Foods appeal to all ages at your party.

4. Stock a wide variety of drinks. Make sure to have plenty of water on hand. (Tip: freeze bottles the night before so they will stay cold and help keep other items cold.) Also include sparkling water, sodas and juice for your designated drivers, younger tailgaters and those who aren’t imbibing.
For the folks who do like to have a celebratory drink, you can’t go wrong with a great Bloody Mary. May we recommend the Texas Beach Bloody Mary mix made in Richmond and sold at Magnolia foods. One of the only vegan mixes on the market, it pairs well with vodka, ice and a large celery stalk. Another local option is T.C. Trotter’s Moose Mix, sold at Moose’s Café and other local businesses such as Pints O’ Plenty in Forest. It has a kick but is not too spicy, and the best part is this mix never waters down. To take things over the top, offer a Bloody Mary bar with accoutrements such as fresh horseradish, hot sauces, spiced shrimp, olives, pickled veggies and bacon. Mix it up with vodkas too, by offering citrus, spicy or any flavors you think will entertain your family and friends.
Aside from the Bloody Marys, choose an assortment of wine and beer, liquor and mixers. Adi suggests ordering a keg of local beer from Magnolia to add to the fun.

5. Create a game-winning atmosphere. Set the tone for a memorable day by providing a few activities such as a football to throw, corn hole boards, horseshoes and ladder toss.
Large helium balloons at your table are festive and help your friends find you in the crowd. To stand out from the crowd, Cissa tells me they always make sure to have the table decorated in their team colors. “Flowers or candles can fancy it up… flags are great as well!” she says.
Check your team schedules, invite your pals, and reach out to your favorite local Lynchburg caterers to help with the heavy lifting. Tag us in pictures from your over-the-top tailgates this fall with the hashtag #lynchburglivingtailgate.

Go Team!

Mark Your Calendars Sept/Oct 2017

The Rocky Horror Show: September 7-30
Head to the woods for this hilarious and wild performance by the Appomattox-based Wolfbane Productions. Described as “a loving homage to the classic B sci-fi film and horror genres,” this show will get you in the Halloween spirit in no time! Find ticket information at wolfbane.org.

Old City Cemetery Candlelight Tours: October 13-28
See the cemetery come to life—in a not-so-spooky way. Professional actors in period costume will pretend to be cemetery residents, telling true stories from local history. Tickets must be purchased in advance; visit gravegarden.org for more information.
Learn more about local cemetery history on page
50 in our feature
“Tombstone Tales.”

Sedalia Chili Cookoff: October 21
As the weather starts to cool down, stay warm at this fall festival that’s been going strong for 21 years. Teams will compete to see who has the best chili recipe. Find out how to enter your chili or buy tickets at sedaliacenter.org.

Local Openings & Closings

Hello! to James River Adventures in Madison Heights.

Hello! to Country Kids Consignment Boutique on Leesville Road.

Goodbye to the Zaxby’s location in Forest.

Hello! to Iron and Ale restaurant in Cornerstone.

Goodbye to Open Porch Café in Wyndhurst.

Hello! to Corner Burger in New London.

Hello! to Hippos, a family-owned restaurant in Wyndhurst.

Goodbye to the Baby Giraffe’s storefront in the Forest Square Shopping Center.

Hello! to Brother Jake’s Brick Oven Creations, a new food truck.

Hello! to Rolling Dough Cookie Company in Cornerstone.

Hello! to the new, bigger location of Bräuburgers in Forest.

Technology, Engineering and Art Converge in Vector Space/Hill City Keys Collaboration

Are you on team STEM or team STEAM? As STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and initiatives become more and more prevalent, many people have begun advocating for the inclusion of Art. As a librarian who conducts STEAM programs for children ages nine to 12, I fully support this inclusion and think that art often pairs seamlessly and effectively with STEM activities. Adam Spontarelli, who is an engineer at AREVA and the Director of Education at Vector Space, introduced a particularly exciting example of art meets STEM over the summer: a robotic arm that creates paintings according to notes played on the Hill City Keys piano at the Community Market.

The project, which went live in May and will continue through October, occurred to Spontarelli after a series of successful projects at Vector Space that linked technology, engineering and art.

“It has been an evolution of ideas, starting with an interactive Mario Kart game that we made at Vector Space that required the player to ride a bike and hit a target with a laser pointer,” he says. “Then we built a chalk drawing robot to compete in Amazement Square’s chalk contest. After this and a number of inspiring visits to Maker Faires throughout the country, it seemed like the next logical step was to combine these ideas of interactive technology and public art.”

Before debuting the project, Spontarelli worked for about a month writing the code and building the arm, which resides in the gallery at the Academy Center of the Arts. “Figuring out how to accurately detect a note being played was easier than expected, but getting access to a persistent and reliable network connection near the piano was significantly harder,” he says. “There were some network connectivity issues in the beginning that were fixed by deploying a mesh network of routers, an idea proposed by another Vector Space member, Kurt Feigel.” For step-by-step information about how the arm actually works, check out our diagram on the next page.

1. A computer installed inside the Community Market piano has a microphone that detects and records any sound it considers loud enough to be produced by the piano.

2.The audio recording is decoded into a series of frequencies so that the note being played can be determined. “For all the math fans, this is done by applying a Fourier transform on the data,” Spontarelli adds.

3. The note is passed through a mesh network of routers with an oversized antenna until it makes its way onto what Spontarelli refers to as “the White Hart’s generously shared network,” where it is then posted on the internet.

4. From its home in the Academy Center of the Arts, the robotic arm watches for notes to be played. “If it receives a B, the shoulder will move clockwise a few degrees, and a B# will send it counter-clockwise,” Spontarelli says. “A C will move the elbow, a D will pump a drop of the pink paint, an F for the green paint, and so on. So the result is predictable and repeatable, but randomized by the community’s interaction.”

5. When someone plays a note, a pump attached to the arm draws the corresponding paint color through the tubing and onto the canvas. Spontarelli checks on the canvases periodically and changes them out arbitrarily. “I’m open to suggestions about what to do with the paintings,” he says.

After brainstorming with the Academy for over a year about how to combine art and STEM topics, Vector Space was awarded a $1,200 grant from Lynchburg’s Arts and Culture grant fund to complete the project. Hill City Keys founder Libby Fitzgerald was excited about the project from the get-go and is happy to see even more participation since it launched. “Not only does the Academy welcome community collaborations of all kinds, but anything that increases opportunities for public participation in this public piano project is so welcome and something we’ve encouraged for the four years of its existence,” she says. “We often think of art and science as being two totally different fields that rarely intersect, but to see one possibility of how they can is quite thrilling!”

Spontarelli is also pleased with the participation rate and feedback thus far. “It has been great!” he exclaims. “I’ve received a lot of positive feedback and amused looks. As of right now (mid-July), the robot has received 66,059 notes from the piano.”

Before this particular project made its debut, Spontarelli had already seen the benefit of including art in STEM initiatives firsthand. “There’s something about art that captivates minds,” he says. “I can teach a student how to write their first computer program that displays a message on the screen. I’ve done it many times and the students are always unimpressed. I then teach them how to write code that turns on an LED. For some reason, even though the concepts are exactly the same—instructions are given to the computer to send a digital signal to a display—students are absolutely fascinated by the LED. And once they start making it change colors, they can’t contain their excitement.”

As is the case with most STEAM activities, the data collected from the robotic arm has produced not only answers, but also more questions. “As someone who loves data analysis, I can tell you that all of the data is interesting,” Spontarelli says. “But for those who enjoy a good mystery, it seems that every now and then, at any time throughout the day, a lone G will be played. Is there a bug in the code? Is there someone out there in Lynchburg who plays G every time they pass a piano? Or does construction equipment tend to make sounds that resonate at 3136 Hz?”

These and other questions lend themselves to further inquiries, interest and involvement in this and similar projects, much to Spontarelli’s delight. “Even as the creator, whenever I’m at the Academy checking on the robot and it suddenly starts painting, I still get excited,” he says. “I want to engage the community in a way that makes them think about what’s possible and to hopefully inspire someone else to create something different.”

After this particular project completes its run, Vector Space will continue to spearhead unconventional and exciting STEAM activities and events and to encourage community participation. “We’ve continued to make outlandish, interactive technological contraptions, and we have an ever growing list of ideas from mile long marble runs to light shows controlled by the public,” Spontarelli says. “All we need are more interested minds to come and help bring ideas to life.”

For more information about Vector Space, visit their website: vector-space.org.

From beginner to pro, some of THE East Coast’s best hiking destinations are just a short drive away

There is a wide world out there to explore, beyond the concrete jungles and fields of houses in suburbia. And while it would be a far cry into the wilderness to say that Appalachia is all there is to see, some of the best nature hikes are at the disposal of Hill City residents, if they but wander a bit from their own backyards.

The rewards are as bountiful as the trees and rocks through which one can journey—air so crisp and clean you could practically drink it, a melodious tranquility humming all about, chance encounters with intriguing critters, stunning views like master strokes across the horizon and a pulsing rush of energy through your body, reminding you of your connection to what’s around.

Pick any direction from Lynchburg and a worthy hike is not far off.

“There are hikes all over this place. They are so cool,” said Herb Vreeland, Outing Committee Chair for the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club (NBATC). “We live in an incredible place. It would be great to see more people take advantage of that.”

Below are some of the area’s must-see hiking attractions, from those that are relatively family-friendly to intermediate and more advanced challenges. (Some of Vreeland’s recommendations are starred for emphasis.) It should be noted, however, that the difficulty levels may be relative in some instances. Most of these hikes are found along the Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only footpath in the world.

As a friendly reminder, Vreeland said these trails are in the mountains.

“People have to understand, it’s not like walking in your neighborhood.”

For The Family

LIBERTY MOUNTAIN
The Liberty Mountain Trail System spans approximately 5,000 acres, featuring more than 50 miles of trails. Located off Candlers Mountain Road overlooking the university campus, this spot is an easy place to start for a novice hiker (though experienced ones have much to enjoy as well). Hikes range from beginner to intermediate.

For families looking to get started, the 0.6 mile 1971 trail is a fun hike starting at the Snowflex Centre and working its way up to the top of the monogram, where a gazebo provides rest and views of the city, the Blue Ridge and Liberty’s campus.

PANTHER FALLS
A short, muddy hike near Buena Vista (less than half a mile) has a refreshing payoff—a popular swimming hole. People jump from 10-foot rock shelves into a still pool below and enjoy the small streams that that meander through. Caution is advised when swimming; currents can be strong.

CRABTREE FALLS
In Nelson County near Charlottesville is one of Virginia’s bucket list hikes and one that is manageable for families to boot. The trip up is littered with sparkling cascades culminating at the top of the tallest vertical dropping waterfall east of the Mississippi. There’s a beautiful view at the top and enough space for a rest and family picnic before completing the approximately 3.5-mile journey. While this is true of all hikes, it is important to emphasize the importance of staying within the boundaries of the trail and to not wander past the warning signs.

*FALLING WATER CASCADES
Off the Blue Ridge Parkway toward the Peaks of Otter is a beautiful family-friendly hike with a lush backdrop of greenery and clear water splashing off rocks.

“It is incredible,” Vreeland said. “It follows the cascades all the way up on the trail. It is a loop hike, a really great hike for families.”

*MATT’S CREEK SHELTER
Just up the road from where 501 crosses the James River is the James River Footbridge. From there, Matt’s Creek Shelter is not far. It is a great place to stop for a lunch break halfway before completing an out-and-back hike—following a stream along the way—on the AT.

Step It Up

FLAT TOP/SHARP TOP
From Lynchburg, two of the most iconic peaks on the horizon are Sharp Top and its flat neighbor. Both of these Peaks of Otter overlooking Bedford County make excellent hikes for beginners and have amazing views from their apexes. While Sharp Top is often the more popular, Flat Top (which is across from Falling Water Cascades) is an equally worth-it hike and both are must dos for local residents.

*COLE/COLD MOUNTAIN
Both Cole and Cold are acceptable names for this Amherst County hike that is a must see.
“Did you ever see The Sound of Music?” Vreeland said. “It looks just like that. It is wide open. If you ever saw Cole Mountain, it would blow your mind.”

The trick, Vreeland explained, is getting to the trail head. One must be prepared to drive about four miles on a forest service road, Wiggins Spring Road. The drive will get bumpy.

But the payoff at the end of the hike (about six miles there and back) is a panoramic view unlike any other in the area.

“It really is like The Sound of Music,” Vreeland emphasized.

MCAFEE KNOB
Near Roanoke, this seven-mile hike is often started at a full parking lot. But McAfee Knob is popular for a reason. One of the best views to reward any hike, period.

*FLOYD FIELDS APPLE ORCHARD FALLS OVERLOOK

Another hike up on the Blue Ridge near the Peaks of the Otter, this eight-mile trek (or four-mile runaround, with cars parked at both ends) features passage under the Guillotine, an unbelievable rock formation.

“It’s right on the AT,” Vreeland said. “You go right under this big round rock that got stuck between two other big rocks. You literally go right between that thing as you go along; it is a beautiful rocky area. And you end up at the old Air Force Radar Station. It is quite an interesting hike and not a hard hike to get to.”

DEVIL’S MARBLEYARD
While the view from the top of this three-mile journey is impressive, this hike is
really about the journey itself. After about a mile and a half comes the marble yard, an array of giant boulders splayed across the mountainside. Rock-hopping is the most exciting part of this adventure.

Devil’s Marbleyard is best enjoyed in the spring or fall as it gets very hot in the
summer sun and snakes are more likely to be seen.

*PUNCHBOWL SHELTER TO PEDLAR RIVER DAM TO BROWN MOUNTAIN CREEK SHELTER
This is an eight-and-a-half-mile hike in Amherst County if you plan to park cars at both ends so you don’t have to retrace your steps. It is rich in history. Old stone hog walls are seen along the way, and remnants of homes long gone litter the wayside.

“They had an actual civilization up there. There are some walls left from the houses, there are a lot of foundations, chimneys,” Vreeland said.

Take It To The Limit

BIG ROCKY ROW
On the opposite side of the James River from Matt’s Creek is the strenuous, weaving hike to Fuller’s Rock that features 20 switchbacks. From Fuller’s Rock is a beautiful view over Big Island and the James River.

After completing that challenge, continue with about a mile of straight upward climbing. Altogether, this is about 11 miles of tough hiking. It can be done as a loop or an out and back.

OLD RAG MOUNTAIN
Amazing panoramic views are featured on this nine-mile loop in Shenandoah National Park that challenges with a one-mile rock scramble. But as one of the most popular destinations in the Mid-Atlantic, crowds flock to Old Rag.

THE PRIEST
Dubbed one of the most difficult hikes on the entire AT, the Priest, near Crabtree Falls, is a nine-mile trip that includes some of the steepest terrain in Central Virginia, upwards of 3,000 feet in elevation.

Connect with the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club on Facebook @NBATC.Hiker
or on their website NBATC.org.

Just the other day I was thinking about a good childhood friend of mine named Jacob. We started out in kindergarten together. I remember, since Jacob was Jewish, his mother coming to school to tell us how they celebrated Hanukah. We played dreidel games and ate potato latkes.

In sixth grade, Jacob was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

He missed a lot of school getting treatments that my parents told me made him feel really sick. At one point, he lost all of his dark brown hair.

Our group of friends got together, raised some money, then went to the mall to buy Jacob these cool toys we knew he’d like—gadgets that would make him smile when he felt bad. I remember the look on his face when we gave him everything. He was shocked and speechless, almost embarrassed by all of the attention.

I hadn’t thought of Jacob and his cancer in years, but he came to mind after I talked to Buck Walker on the phone this summer. Buck’s youngest son, Knox, is battling leukemia. He’s seven years old. Since August 2016, the Walkers have been traveling back and forth to UVA for his chemo treatments.

With a child of my own sleeping in the other room right now, I can only imagine how tough it is to hear that diagnosis then watch the painful side effects that follow. Then, all of the “what ifs” as you wait for test results to come back.

But the Walkers—wow—they impressed me with their outlook.

Their calm. Their faith in God to guide them. In fact, I spoke with three other people affected by cancer for this issue, as we chose to focus on oncology for our 1st Annual Lynchburg Living Top Docs issue. (Read all of their stories starting on page 66.) While cancer is scary and intimidating, I left each conversation so encouraged and inspired. I heard about the incredible doctors and nurses who helped them along the way, the support they found from family, and the strength they unearthed in themselves. Each person fought cancer… and came out on the other side an improved person, more grateful and more giving.

Maybe we should all live like we’ve beaten cancer. The world might be a better place.

By the way, Jacob beat cancer. And more than 20 years later, he has a pretty cool resume that includes Broadway, directing, producing, acting—you name it.

I can’t wait to find out where life takes Knox.

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com
P.S.: To my father in law, Larry, who has been fighting Acute Myleoid Leukemia this year, you’ve got this! I hope we hear the word “remission” very soon.