Side trips
Virginia Creeper Trail
Where: Abingdon to Whitetop
When: Year-round
What would Lance do? Would Lance Armstrong thumb a ride on the shuttle up to Whitetop Station, hop on his bike and cruise straight down to Damascus, the hippest little outdoors depot on the Virginia Creeper Trail?
Or would Lance even think twice about attacking the steep 18-mile grade, reaching the summit triumphantly, then taking his victory cruise toward the cool little restaurants at the bottom of the mountain?
Or catching a play at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon? Or camping beneath the stars? Or waking to a home-cooked breakfast at a B&B?
You could also hike or ride a horse, which are great options. You can’t, however, take a train because the aptly named, slow-rolling Virginia Creeper hasn’t topped this mountain since 1977. In its place, the 33.4-mile trail runs from Abingdon to the North Carolina border, crossing the Appalachian Trail near Damascus and bringing thousands of nature lovers, bikers and through-hikers to Southwest Virginia.
It’s the kind of place Lance would love.
Contact: (276) 676-2282 or go online to abingdon.com/tourism.
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Birthplace of Country Music Alliance and Museum
Bristol, Va./Tenn.
The U.S. Congress proclaimed Bristol the Birthplace of Country Music in 1998, and we won’t argue with the designation, especially since the city was the location of a series of historic recording sessions in 1927 that shaped the sound of country music.
The ’27 Bristol sessions produced by Ralph Peer for RCA Victor boasted the likes of the Carter Family, Jimmy Rodgers, the Stonemans, Henry Whitter and other musicians from the region. The Carters and Rodgers gained their first fame from the sessions and went on to influence a generation of singers, songwriters and musicians.
The BCMA’s museum includes much historic memorabilia, including instruments, records and photos from the area’s musical past. Its unglamorous location in the Bristol Mall should not deter you from checking out the displays. Soon, the museum will move to an old downtown building near where the famous recordings were made. The building that housed the makeshift recording facility no longer stands, but a monument marks its location on State Street.
The BCMA sponsors many musical events, including Thursday night shows in the mall. The Rhythm and Roots Reunion is held the third weekend in September and brings more than 100 acts to town.
For more information, go online to birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
On the dial ...
WGOC (640, AM)
Blountville, Tenn.
Tim White is a talented guy. He's a musician, singer, artist and, every afternoon from 3 to 7, a DJ who plays nothing but bluegrass over WGOC. White was an early proponent of the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance in Bristol, and he painted a lovely mural downtown that commemorated the historic 1927 RCA Victor recording sessions. The station also broadcasts the 'WGOC Pickin' Porch' every Thursday from the Bristol Mall.
WETS (89.5, FM)
Johnson City, Tenn.
East Tennessee State University's public radio station carries bucketsful of rootsy music and news programs. The 'Roots and Branches' program each weekday afternoon from 12:30 to 4 features new and classic bluegrass and folk recordings.
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