Tom Angleberger

The New River Valley-based reporter answers your questions Mondays in his column, What's on Your Mind?

Recent columns

• Topping trees puts them at great risk
• A sweet taste of local history
• What did old railway station look like?
• And the answers just keep on coming
• Help me answer readers' questions
• Mountain road was closed recently

This is shaping up to be one of our most successful Ask The Readers features ever, with answers to nearly every question and even a bonus answer to a question I didn't ask.

Currently, it looks like the gold medal will go to reader Stuart Barbour, who has sent in answers for six of the questions. But I just got a voice mail from Peter Via about the canned ham spread, which brings his total up to five.

But Barry Albert, of Parrott, gets bonus points for documenting his answer to a question about the days when Roanoke had two-digit phone numbers.

Albert faxed me several pages from a 1911 phone book.

As he pointed out, it not only has some two-digit numbers, it also has some one-digit numbers. A "7" was all you needed to get through to the office of Roanoke Gas & Water Co.

But even in 1911, there were already a lot of four-digit numbers in Roanoke. So, except for 99 or so customers, the era of the one- and two-digit number was already over by then.

Just hanging out

We now have firsthand confirmation and photographic evidence that the wooden platform on Masons Knob in southern Roanoke County was used for launching hang gliders. Richard Cobb wrote in to say that he flew from the knob more than once in the 1980s. And he directed me to a picture of a launch on the Web site of the Southwest Virginia Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.

"Other popular sites at the time were Roanoke Mountain, Bonsack, and Twelve O'Clock Knob. The current site that is most popular in the Roanoke area is Eagle Rock, which is flown fairly regularly."

Access was one reason why Masons Knob lost popularity, he told me, and other readers backed him up. The road up the mountain was closed because it was too difficult to maintain, said one reader. Another said it was closed to vehicles because of people going up the mountain to have parties.

Ballyhack found

I wonder if those hang gliders could see Ballyhack from up there?

If so, they're doing better than I am. I've gotten so many slightly different answers to that question that I'm not about to go plant a Now Entering Ballyhack sign.

However, since reader Courtney Hayden says she's a Ballyhacker (or Ballyhackite?), I'll let her put the pin in the map:

"It is a small little community ... in Roanoke County near Mount Pleasant and the Explore Park. It sits right in the middle."

Meanwhile, I also heard differing theories on where the name came from. Take your pick between people named Hack, an Irish village/castle or a big fight that resulted in people being "hacked up."

Wherever the name came from, it will now live on as the trademarked name for a new golf course in that general area (find Thursday's Virginia section in your recycling bin to see a photo of that development and a map).

Interstate grill memories

Believe it or not, we actually found someone who has used those grills at rest stops.

"My family used to have 'reunion' breakfasts at the local interstate rest stop where we'd grill bacon, sausage, eggs, etc.," wrote Jeff Frontz.

Why on earth would they do that, you ask?

"It was a nice area, lots of trees, never had to worry about not finding an open grill, plenty of parking, etc."

Hold on, folks, here's the kicker: in high school and college, he would take his girlfriend there for cookouts.

Next week, get ready for a trip down memory lane as we get nostalgic about pizza, beer and Popsicles.

In the meantime, if you have a question that other readers may be able to answer, or just a regular question for me to research, drop me a line at whatsonyourmind@roanoke.com. Or, if you absolutely refuse to use e-mail, leave your question on my voice mail at 777-6476. Please be sure to speak clearly and tell me your answer first, then give your name, the spelling of your name and your phone number.

Look for Tom Angleberger's column on Mondays.