A few weeks ago I received a comment from a reader who lives up North and is considering moving to Roanoke. They asked me to write about Roanoke and what I think about living here. What are some of the pluses and minuses of Roanoke? What to expect and what not to expect? And, overall talk a little about the quality of life here.

With the next few posts I’ll do my best to answer these questions from my perspective, and generally so that they can apply to all ages. These posts hardly aim to cover everything about Roanoke, and I encourage you to leave comments below and add your own perspective. 

When I think about Roanoke there are a couple aspects that come to mind which I believe are a large part of the ambiance of the city. I say and know this because when I have on occasion traveled elsewhere, these are the aspects I noticed the most as missing from daily life.

Mountains

The mountains provide a background to just about everywhere I travel around town. They are always off in the distance, sitting quietly while providing scenery and a sense of protection.

As the season changes, so does the mountain’s foliage. I’m partial to the green that begins to appear in the Spring. Of course the pure white from after a moderate snowfall is quite a sight also.

Beautiful Mill Mountain as Seen from the Elm Avenue Intersection with Route 220/I-581 (5-18-08)

When I travel to other places I often feel like something is missing. At first I can’t put my finger on it, but then I realize: I have grown accustomed to the mountains. To me, a city seems much more vulnerable without them.

The mountains have become a part of my life as a Roanoke citizen, and I tend to prefer it that way.

Trains

I’m not sure if there is a spot in Roanoke that can escape from the sound of a train whistle. From my house in the City I occasionally hear the sound, as well as the gentle roaring of a train passing by along the tracks.

The railroad system in Roanoke as seen from a bridge on 10 Street SW

The railroad is very much a part of Roanoke. And if you are a Roanoke resident it will be difficult to avoid crossing a set of tracks from time to time.