Saying Goodbye to Virginia’s Blue Ridge: A Work Travel Retrospective

A few weeks ago I was on my final leg home from what may be my last visit to western Virginia for work. The project I’ve been assigned is wrapping up, and that fact is sinking in as I traveled home. It’s been more bittersweet than expected.

My work travel out east – while inconvenient at times – was often enjoyable. I’m going to miss it. What I’m most thankful for is that I got to see an interesting part of the country that I otherwise would have been highly unlikely to visit. Rural western Virginia (and neighboring West Virginia…don’t confuse the two) would not have been on my list of vacation spots. But they may now be at some point, as I left plenty on the table

A Hiking Failure

Nearly every time I was out in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, I told myself I’d be back to hike. But I never was able to pencil anything in. This fact alone necessitates a return visit. I was once able to hike in Zion National Park between project work responsibilities. Somehow, in many more visits back east than to southern Utah, I didn’t make any hiking happen in the lovely Blue Ridge Mountains.

The locals offered suggestions the handful of times I inquired. I considered both Cascade Falls and McAfee Knob. Dragon’s Tooth was another option a coworker of mine recommended. But nothing made it on the schedule. I was simply too busy every time I was out here.

You’d think I would have driven the Blue Ridge Parkway. That didn’t happened either. Nor did rafting on the New River, another idea proffered me more than once.

I should come back with the kids and tackle a couple of the highlight trails. McAfee Knob is certainly one of them. It may be the most well-known (or at least well-photographed) hiking spot along the Blue Ridge.

Still Finding Scenic Beauty

Even though I managed next to none of the touristy or outdoorsy stuff in the slightest, I still managed to make it to some wondrous corners of the world. I recall the first time I drove out through Warm Springs, all the way to Elkins, West Virginia. It’s a winding drive that takes longer than one would expect, given the distance. But it’s also filled with beauty, and worth the time.

Although no hikes made the to-do list, I could at least stop and admire places such as Falling Spring Falls along Highway 220 in Virginia. Still, five minutes on a roadside stop doesn’t do Virginia justice.

I remember my twice passing through Monterey, Virginia, a tiny blip in Highland County, the least populous in the state. It was one of those places I never would have expected to be. I loved being that far off the beaten path. Growing up near some especially beautiful rural roads, I enjoyed the different character of those in the Virginias.

I took a few detours to some historic spots, including the town of Cass, West Virginia. The heritage railroad town is a well preserved specimen of the early 1900s. A brief stop and walk was all I could manage. Time was always a constraining factor.

Some Enjoyable Eats

While there are chain restaurants galore, I managed to find some great spots to eat. I can still remember stopping at a tiny family-run hole-in-the-wall restaurant in rural Virginia. I completely forget where. Best I can do is gesture vaguely to the area north of Roanoke toward the West Virginia state line. It was somewhere off Route 220. They offered one of the most delicious pulled pork sandwiches I’d ever had. And the total damage – including an iced tea – came to barely over $6. Not bad, although that was admittedly a few years ago.

I’ve had some other great meals up and down the Blue Ridge. Some great places I’ve enjoyed while out here:

• The Happy Hog – Pearisburg
• Square 5 Public House – Blacksburg
• Waterwheel Restaurant – Warm Springs
• Mill Street Grill – Staunton

Look beyond the plethora of soulless chain options. There are more places I’ve enjoyed, but these make the shortlist. More broadly, you can read about my top dining over the past decade or so.

Seeing the Blue Ridge in All Four Seasons

Although I’m not sure if actually made it to Virginia in every calendar month of the year, I came close to it. I certainly saw the area in all four seasons. Intensely green in spring, oppressively muggy in summer, beautiful in autumn during the sliver of time where there’s color, to the dustings of snow in the winter, it was ever changing. As a Californian, I’m not used to the contrast.

I can remember a few lovely winter mornings. While things were a bit treacherous while it was actively snowing with wet, slick roads, seeing the ground covered with a white blanket was worth it.

The colors aren’t as brilliant in Virginia as in other places, but one could still appreciate autumn as well. I’m not sure what my favorite season is, except summer in the clear loser. Give me a coastal California summer instead.

Final Thoughts

The fact hit me that I’m likely more familiar with the area of western Virginia, especially near Blacksburg, than any other place outside my home state. It’s a bit odd, really. I got the point where having Siri blab at me was completely unnecessary. I could manage on my own.

That this may be my final time out in western Virginia is more bittersweet than I expected. My hope is to make it back. But there are so many other places to see in the country (and all over the world) that we’ll see if it happens.