Walking Roanoke, Virginia

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Walking with the Walrus

ROANOKE VA USA 10 KM YRE
SATURDAY APRIL 11, 1998

by Kevin Shaw
Photos © Kevin Shaw, used with permission

Started a trip south and west on Friday April 10, heading to my folks in Crossville Tennessee, and mapped out a strategy to do a few year-round events while travelling. The first one was in Roanoke, where I spent the night on Friday. I have my faithful volksmarching dog India with me, and it was her first night out ever in a motel. She did fine. We headed into the city of Roanoke on a bright beautiful Saturday morning to do the Year Round event there. Directions in the Starting Point were fine, and we found the Visitors Center (Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau) in downtown Roanoke easily.
Start point- Roanoke VA YRE - Visitors Center,Downtown Roanoke
They have really fixed up the downtown area great. There is a Market Square, and an International Row of Restaurants that I just had to try afterwards- imagine finding a great Cuban restaurant in Roanoke! And run by a real Cuban and his family! The Visitors Center is right off Market Square, and while parking on this busy Saturday was a bit of a challenge, I eventually did find a good spot. I thought I forgot my camera, so I bought one of those one shot, throw away ones, after a bit of a detour to a drug store to find one.

The lady at the Visitors Center were very nice, and knew what I was there for as I walked up, since I had a volksmarching shirt on. They helped me out as much they could. The well-stocked Start box was in great shape, nicely organized, and after the necessary registrations and signatures were over, I was off on the trail. But not so fast, I had to go back to the car to get India since I couldn't take her in Revco nor in the Visitor's Center. Oh the travails of walking alone with a pooch! But I don't mind at all; India is great company!
We got the written directions and map and were finally off on our way. The directions were superb, and I really enjoyed this walk. The weather was great, Roanoke is a fascinating city, and the people are very nice.
After walking through the Market Square, where we were entertained by a street musician playing his tenor sax (I have a soft spot in my heart for sax players, since I was one in my youth- and this guy loved India!) and also where the street was lined with people and all sorts of interesting vendors selling their wares, we turned at the fire house and at a fountain on to less crowded Downtown city streets. At 3rd and Church we turned at the WSLS- TV 10 station building, a very distinct landmark.
We then transitioned into the Historic district on Franklin Road from the Downtown area. We passed numerous historic landmarks, churches, funeral homes(site of the first checkpoint) etc. along Franklin. We passed under the 220 highway bridge then over the Franklin Railroad bridge, where great views of the mountains to the south of the city, the Memorial Hospital and the Victory Stadium/ River's Edge Sports Complex were to be experienced. Also I also noticed a long, coal-loaded train sitting on the tracks. We turned on Reserve Road and checked out the sports facilities closer hand. Lots of photo opportunities of course. The wide open spaces made for continuous great views of the mountains and a good part of the city.

Roanoke Hospital, bridge over Roanoke River, right after Victory Stadium, Roanoke VA YRE - 4/11/98
We passed Victory Stadium, site of the second checkpoint, and after the parking lot, transitioned into another part of the walk after crossing over the Roanoke River on a pedestrian bridge. We followed the Roanoke River from that point on for several kilometers. At first we were on streets a bit away from the River, with sports fields on our left, but then we entered into Smith and Wasena Parks, which were really nice and got us much closer to the river. Lots of people recreating on this day, especially trout fishermen, as the Roanoke River in this area is a fully stocked official trout stream. People in full waders, in the middle of the rapidly flowing, clean river, trying to catch those elusive fish. The trail meandered across several spillways, which afforded more great camera shots.

India cooling off in the Roanoke River during the Roanoke VA year round event walk- 4/11/98
India cooled her feet off in the River briefly of course, but didn't try to catch any fish. She goes after sticks I thrown in the water for her, but so far I have made no attempt to teach her how to catch fish.

Old rocket in Wasena Park area, just before crossing over Roanoke River, Roanoke VA YRE - 4/11/98
After passing through Wasena Park, we re-entered city streets on Winchester Ave, although we traversed the other side of Wasena Park on Winchester. India met some canine cohorts out and about, but try as she might, she couldn't convince them to join her on the volksmarch. We looped under a bridge, then a few right turns had us right on that same bridge, and crossing back over the Roanoke River, and heading back into the historic district. Making a series of turns along several streets, the trail managed to skirt the border of park areas on this side of the Roanoke River, and some beautiful homes and the Highland Park Magnet School.
Turning on Walnut there at the school, we walked up a hill back to Franklin, where we turned left, heading towards the finish. However, we took a bit of a different route back, as we turned on Mountain Ave and the most significant hill of the walk, but one that at the top awarded us with a fine view of the city,and a steep downhill down to Jefferson. Jefferson took us into the Downtown area again after crossing Elm, but turning back onto Franklin Road we crossed over the Crestar Plaza, where many flower boxes were in bloom, and onto Williamson and two interesting fountains, both of which provided us with our third and fourth checkpoints, within a block of each other.

Fourth Checkpoint- Roanoke VA YRE - with India tied to the pole near Fountain, 4/11/98
After the fountain at the fourth Checkpoint, we crossed Church Avenue and back in the Market Place. I saw more interesting sights there that I missed on the first go around, plus of course more interesting, friendly people. The Old Market Building, where the International Food Court is located, was the old train station way back many, many years ago.
I had my car parked on the other side of this building, so I dropped India off there (making sure that the windows were as open as they could safely be), then headed into the finish. A different lady was there this time, and I wound up chatting with her for quite a while as I stamped my books, checked out some brochures, and finished up with my "administrative" duties. I noticed that I was only walker 28 for the year so far at this great event; come on now, get down here to this fine "Star City" and experience this top walk! Thanks to the Virginia Volkssport Association for hosting this volksmarch event again this year. It is an easy walk, an easy short interstate jog off I-81, a nice weekend destination from many big cities in the mid-Atlantic region- With Roanoke being just about halfway to my parents house in Tennessee, I surely will do this walk again in the not too distant future! Thanks again!