For one group of retirees from the Roanoke area, nearly every Wednesday is trail day. They are part of a group known as the Midweek Crew, and are affiliated with Pathways for Greenways.

With its members ranging in age from the low 60s to 87-year-old retired art teacher Malcolm Black, the group has been at this for years, starting first with a concentration on the Appalachian Trail, then taking on some projects for the U.S. Forest Service. In recent years, they’ve become mercenaries of sorts. They are in high demand and get calls for their services regularly. Among the trails they’ve worked on are: Read Mountain, Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail, Green Hill Park, Fern Park, Mill Mountain, and Poor Mountain Natural History Preserve.

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