After all of the rainfall we experienced here in Roanoke last week, the holiday weekend is shaping up to be much nicer.

This evening I took my bicycle and met a few friends down at the Roanoke River Greenway for a ride.

I brought my camera this time and snapped a couple photos of a small field which I thought gave off a nice glow with the last remaining sunshine of the day.

Dusk falls on glowingly on a small field of grasses right next to the pathway.

Looking the other direction. Wasena Bridge in the background, Roanoke River to the left, and the greenway to the right.

A series which briefly highlights area establishments.

First up is a rather obvious choice to get the ball rolling and to show you what I’m trying to do. The city’s newspaper, The Roanoke Times.

(Actually, I’ve heard the Times is no longer locally owned but I’ve always considered it the primary paper for our area.) 

Currently, I only have a small list so far of places to use in future posts, but I know there are dozens and dozens out there. I invite you to leave a comment below with any new ideas or suggestions.

Do you enjoy visiting a great local restaurant and want to spread the word?

Is there a local automotive repair business whose always done superb work with friendly service that you’d like to recommend, or vice versa?

Anything goes, as long as it’s considered a local place.

This is the first post of a new ongoing series I have been thinking about and decided to go ahead and give a whirl. Local businesses all together and individually also help to shape Roanoke each in their own way. And I want to start featuring them on this site, one at a time.

Some of them may or may not already have an existing website, and that’s OK, I’ll link to them. If they don’t have a website, then they’ll receive some space on Noke News for free.

This series will tie-in with an overall theme and goal for the site I plan to work towards to in the months ahead. More on that a little later.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Last week I wrote about moderately dry temperatures in the Roanoke area, and increasingly in the media I’ve heard the word “drought” thrown around. All the while in the meantime some of our fellow states in the southeast have been receiving multiple inches of rain.

Now, it’s our turn here in Roanoke.

As early as Monday evening I noticed the wind picking up and a slight cooling of the temperatures outside. And in the weather forecast, those typical 30-50% chance of precipitation days had changed to 100%.

And later in the afternoon yesterday the rain began.

Tropical Storm Fay has reached southwest Virginia, at least some substantial remnants of it. And, along with the storm is quite a soaking rainfall for the entire Roanoke Valley.

Until last night I had nearly forgotten what it’s like to be lulled to sleep by the constant and consistent, and suprisingly pleasant, sound of raindrops hitting the roof above.

And, I can almost hear a collective “sigh” from all of the area’s vegetation.

But, all of this rain does mean at least 1-2 more grass mowings are to be expected before the Fall…

I don’t know if it’s a Roanoke phenomenom, but as I remember we also did have them at various times in the house where I grew up across town.

Little  bugs in the likeness of a turtle but with an orange shell and speckled with black dots, commonly referred to as ladybugs.

They tend to appear without warning around my house occasionally throughout the warmer months, hanging out near windows or on the walls.

A couple have been residents in my house for a few days now.

I’ll let one go and take it outside, and either it finds it’s way back in or another one shows up to take the place.

I suppose they are harmless, I just wish they’d knock first!

Does anyone else ever find these little guys around your home from time to time?

Noke News explores parts of Roanoke by foot, equipped with a camera and a notepad, in hopes of learning something new. Perhaps you will too.

This is Part 10 in an Exploring Roanoke series that covers: the current (as of May, 2008) entire nearly 6 miles of the Roanoke River Greenway, Wasena Park, The Skate Park, Smith Park, Piedmont Park, and lots of scenery along the way.

(For a general introduction to the greenway system in Roanoke, you may want to first visit a previous post.)

Distance: approx. 2 1/2 miles

At the end of Part 9, we had just visited the last (Piedmont Park) of 3 Roanoke parks that rest adjacent to the Roanoke River Greenway.

Now, all that remains for the final leg of the journey is primarily in the way of beautiful scenery. 

Let’s finish the walk with these pictures:

Leaving Piedmonst Park and a final glimpse at Mill Mountain in the background.

Continuing on the way, led by fences on one or both sides throughout much of the pathway.

Looking ahead to the bridge at 9th Street S.E.

Walking closer to the bridge at 9th Street, S.E. with the Roanoke River just to the left. A guardrail has been installed for safety.

Passing under the bridge.

Once again decorative fences help guide the way.

The end is in sight, approaching the bridge at Bennington Street and 13th Street, S.E.

Walking under the bridge, then back up to the top.

The end (or beginning) of the Roanoke River Greenway.

That concludes the Roanoke River Greenway, about 5 3/4 miles (and 60 pictures altogether) of a very special and unique walkway I think we as Roanokers are fortunate to have.

I’ll end the series on a lighter note, in response to a question I’ve been asked. Yes, I did walk the entire pathway (from one beginning to the other, and back) in one afternoon in order for the pictures and overall weather setting to remain consistent throughout.

To say I was tired at the end is an understatement, but I hope all of the posts put together make for an entertaining journey that really only amounts to taking a walk down by the River.

Things have been busy lately and I nearly took the day off from posting today. But after thinking for a moment, I realized that I’ve taken many pictures around Roanoke in connection with this site.

And only a very small handful actually make the cut and end up becoming part of a regular post.

The rest of the pictures I archive and store for possible later use as references in future posts. Well, whenever I get the notion to call-in sick for the day, I’ll instead pull some of these photos out from the archives and post them in a similar fashion.

Approaching downtown from I-581/Route 220. Mill Mountain in the background and the Wachovia Tower on the right.

A view from Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial bridge downtown.

Over the past several weeks, and really throughout the current season, we’ve experienced relatively minimal amounts of rainfall around Roanoke. There was at brief downpour at my house (Virginia Heights neighborhood) late last week right about dusk, but other than that I can’t remember the last time we received a noticeable amount of rain in the area.

It’s probably been at least a few weeks or more.

And as a result I haven’t mowed my yard yet this month, and not for a good 30 days. The last time I did mow I think I nearly burned it out so I’ve been hesitant to mow again unless rain is in the forecast.

And, according to WDBJ7 on the 7 day Planner (8/20/08), a high chance  of precipitation is not expected for the next several days.

I have no research or stats to back this up, but it doesn’t feel like a drought out there. But, it’s certainly on the dry side.

What do you think?

Noke News explores parts of Roanoke by foot, equipped with a camera and a notepad, in hopes of learning something new. Perhaps you will too.

This is Part 9 in an Exploring Roanoke series that covers: the current (as of May, 2008) entire nearly 6 miles of the Roanoke River Greenway, Wasena Park, The Skate Park, Smith Park, Piedmont Park, and lots of scenery along the way.

(For a general introduction to the greenway system in Roanoke, you may want to first visit a previous post.)

Distance: approx. 1/2 mile

Last time in Part 8, we had just passed the landmark of the bridge on Walnut Avenue.

The next notable stop is for Piedmont Park, which isn’t too far ahead, but along the way the path itself is rather thoughtfully distinguishing.

A wooden fance acts as a guard rail as well as leads the way.

Just ahead is an intersection with Arbor Avenue.

A blockage parallel to the pathway marks an interesction with Arbor Avenue

After a short walk further we reach Piedmont Park, which directly borders the greenway.

I step slightly off the path to grab a picture of the main entrance to the park.

The entrance to Piedmont Park, the greenway runs in the background just behind the sitting space that appears to the left in the picture.) alt=

A Familiar Rumbling

Now back to the path and walking towards and alongside the park. I once again hear a familiar rumbling in the not to distant background.

As seen from the greenway path, a train passes by on the other side of the River.

And, there on the other side of the river I saw a train passing by. Roanoke’s heritage in the railroad industry means that just about anywhere you go in the City (even via foot on a greenway) you’re bound to hear or come into contact with a train quite frequently.

Piedmont Park

The greenway path runs alongside Piedmont Park to the left, and for slightly more wary travelers there’s a bench for brief resting.

Piedmont Park alongside the Roanoke River Greenway.

The large clump of trees in the background is of course Mill Mountain, and at this distance the Star is viewable even when not shining. I can only imagine the view at a little before dusk if walking along this way. (I’ll have to take that picture for a future post!)

Mill Mountain and the Star as seen from the Roanoke River Greenway.

Back to the path and walking again, there’s still a moderate way to go. And, I think next time I may finish up this Exploring Roanoke - The Roanoke River Greenway series primiarily with pictures and with a few notes along the way.