Well, God willing, and my dumb *** can stay healthy for awhile, I’m headed to the game at Hurley on Nov 7. And I’m going to take a chance that I can dodge “Pretty” that Shades of Navy warned me about! The Comfort Inn in Grundy makes the most sense. Closest place to Smiley Ratliff Field for the late night run back to Grundy after the game.
We will just wander the area on Saturday. Any suggestions of something neat to see within 50 miles or so of Grundy? Two places I definitely plan to visit are Haysi and Burkes Garden. And of course Bowlings Place in Rocky Mount for a hot dog, if at all possible. And if my gut can handle it, a stop at Moore’s on 460 on the way home so my wife can finally see the store with the tree growing through the roof. And if I stop, it would be a sacrilege to not get a couple of hot dogs.
On.the way out, I’m going to stop and have lunch with some friends in the Martinsville area that I met at a Magna Vista game if 2014. Then on through Galax to ride by the house our daughter once owned.
If any of you are along this path and just want to shake hands and put a face to the name, that would be fun.
The Breaks Interstate Park, the “Grand Canyon of the East”. Especially if you’ve never been there. You could go to the Breaks, then drop down south to Haysi. There’s really very little to see in Haysi. The old high school was still standing when I was out there in ‘19, but it was in a very run-down state. My guess is by now it’s either been turned into some kind of senior housing facility, or has been razed. The field where the Tigers played is just down the road from the school.
Or, if you head back east from Grundy, you could take 83 and 16 to Tazewell. This would take you through War, which was were Big Creek High School (famed in song and story) was located. Big Creek is where Merrill Gainer (later of PH in Roanoke), Willis White (Salem),and Joel Hicks (Pulaski Co.) got their careers started. Big Creek is also where Homer Hickam of “Rocket Boys” and “October Skies” fame went to high school, along with his brother Jim, who was the head coach of Northside for thirty years. Sadly, the old school and field are both gone now. If you look on Google Maps, a large new structure (an elementary school perhaps?) stands on the old site, at the corner of Rocket Boys Drive and Center Street. Anyway, that route takes you right into North Tazewell, where you’re a hop, skip, and jump from Burkes Garden.
Burkes Garden is worth a visit if you’ve never been before. We used to go once a year, during our week-long visit to my grandparents in Tazewell. My granddaddy had a good friend who lived in the Garden. I remember heading back to Tazewell down that narrow, curvy road at night.
If your route from Rocky Mount takes you up 220 to 581, then west on 81, I live very near the exit 140 park-and-ride. It’s right beside the interstate. It’d be great to arrange a brief summit, if possible.
www.explorescottcountyva.org
