New River Valley Magazine Sept-Oct 2022

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NEW RIVER VALLEY

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Blacksburg, VA 24062 o: 540-961-2015 nrvmagazine@msn.com www.nrvmagazine.com

PUBLISHER

Country Media, Inc.

Phillip Vaught

MANAGING EDITOR

Joanne Anderson

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Kim Walsh

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Dennis Shelor

WRITERS

Joanne Anderson

Emily Alberts

Jo Clark Becky Hepler

Nancy Moseley

Kameron Bryant

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kristie Lea Photography

Kevin Riley

Tom Wallace

Billy Bowling Photography

Nathan Cooke Photography

COVER PHOTO

Courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics

mMost of the children I know at my church are the ones I see in the library, and in late August, I met Andrew and Melissa Koser. They were with their four kids and mentioned going to Maine. Anything in New England gets my attention. We talked about our mutual love of autumn and mutual aversion to summer. Melissa commented: “No one ever asks how was your autumn?”

When the topic of home schooling came up, she told me they begin their school year July 1, so they can take off September and go to New Hampshire and Maine. After saying I hoped their lakeside cabin had a slamming screen door, I alerted them to one of the most fun experiences in Vermont – the floating bridge in Brookfield. Since Andrew is a civil engineer, he’d surely be interested, and there might well be some homeschool lessons.

The floating bridge was built in 1820 and has been rebuilt eight times. It’s 318-foot span on pontoons crosses Sunset Lake on Vermont’s route 65. It’s one of those experiences where you watch someone else do it before venturing forward. At least, that’s what I did. The vehicle drops a few inches, the tires get wet, and off you go with the float-y experience of, well, driving on a floating bridge! There’s nothing else quite like it.

You can find more than 100 covered bridges in Vermont and 7 in Virginia, two of which happen to be here in Giles County. And in this family of six, I found a home for four sets of cross country skis, boots and poles. They are outdoorsy folks.

Pasture Talk

her choice of lipstick, the result of five coats of Guerlain’s Rouge Diabolique. It's probably not a surprise that the first red lips appeared in ancient Egypt, then on geishas of Japan. Guerlain was founded in Paris in 1828 by a perfume inventor of the same name. It was 42 years later that the company made its first lipstick, inspired by a candle maker. They installed it in a case with a retracting mechanism and “Ne M’oubliez Pas” (French for “do not forget me”) was the first modern style of lipstick.

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George Eliot, pen name for the English novelist, poet, journalist Mary Ann Evans (1819-1880), once said: “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” It’s wonderful that someone would envision living in autumn all the time. Well, I can. Even Marilyn Monroe loved it, sharing: “Designers want me to dress like Spring, in billowing things. I don’t feel like Spring. I feel like warm red Autumn.” Maybe that’s related to

Dolly Parton relates: “Until I was a teenager, I used red pokeberries for lipstick and a burnt matchstick for eyeliner. I used honeysuckle for perfume.” How the creative mind can flourish without a trip to the cosmetic counter. Enjoy autumn … for all its wonder, color, home ‘n hearth emotions, crispy mornings and seasonal flair. And since we cannot fly like a bird looking for all the autumns, let’s enjoy the glorious one we have in the New River Valley!

Joanne Anderson jmawriter@aol.com

Approaching Art Like an Athlete

Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos by Meredith White Photography

“The movie Whiplash had a profound effect on me. A drummer considered excelling at his music to be analogous to an athlete for training and relentless dedication, even sacrifice, to attain one’s goals.

HHani Naji spends most all his mornings into the afternoon drawing at Mill Mt. Coffee & Tea in Blacksburg. His seat of preference is a far back corner wood bar stool at the left-side tip of the U-shaped counter. His drink of preference is coffee with a splash of milk, and he brings own coffee mug.

With music flowing into his head, his hands and arms move in what appear to be random horizontal, vertical and diagonal motions. Then a picture takes shape, often a face, often quickly, and you can be stunned into realizing that nothing about what he is doing is random.

Coming to America

As a child, Hani spent many of his mornings into the afternoon at a public library reading books about artists, drawing, painting, color, technique, style, art history, etc. He studied and learned all he could about great artists like Van Gogh, Gaugin, all the impressionists and more. He would read and practice every day.

To gain access to the coffee shop, Hani simply walks from the sidewalk into either of the two entrance doors. To gain access to the public library in his hometown, the port city of Basara, Iraq, the young boy would jump from building to building to get there, then enter through a bombed out section of one of the side or back walls. Walking on main streets or sidewalks was very risky, as errant bombing was the ever-present war zone setting for the entire first 19 years of his life.

Hani was drawing, painting and sketching every chance he could, in addition to reading and studying, when he left home for a refugee camp on the Saudi-Iraqi border. “It was in the desert and much more like a prison,” he recalls. For two years, the young man endured, with his sketch book in hand 24/7. A U.S. refugee resettlement program offered him an opportunity, and he landed in Roanoke at the age of 21.

“I applied to Virginia Tech, but without any formal documentation, I could not get in. So, I went to work in a factory nights and attended Western Virginia Community College. With that diploma, I was able to get accepted and receive my bachelor’s degree from VT in mechanical engineering with a minor in math. I taught myself Information Technology [IT] along the way,” he explains. He landed a government job in Washington, D.C., but did not enjoy the environment

as much as the New River Valley. He returned here and worked remotely.

Returning to Iraq

When the 2nd Gulf War began in 2003, Hani let it be known he could and would go with a U.S. defense contractor as an engineer to assist with damaged infrastructure and as an interpreter.

“Not much had changed,” he recalls. “Bombs still going off all over the place. Vehicles in front of or behind me blown to bits from IEDs. It was a challenging place to be, all over again.”

After five years of danger in his native country, Hani opened a U.S. company of his own as a defense contractor. He has helped with several key projects, and continues as a consultant for both the Iraqi and the U.S. governments. One current project is a new factory in the south of Iraq which will be solely managed and staffed by women.

Staying Always in Art Mode

“The movie Whiplash had a profound effect on me. A drummer considered excelling at his music to be analogous to an athlete for training and relentless dedication, even sacrifice, to

He splits his time between homes in Dubai and Blacksburg, having an art studio and favorite coffee shop in each place, with his passion for art having never left him.

attain one’s goals. I adopted that approach and began working even more intensively on my art.” He strives for perfection and can sweat while drawing just like an athlete training for the Olympics.

Hani works primarily with pen, color pencils and oil paints. His favorite pen, which he buys by the box is the Uni-ball Vision Rollerball pen with a fine point, 0.7mm. “I use one pen a day and like this brand is because it flows as fast as my hand.”

His penchant for being at Mill Mt. includes the casual atmosphere, great coffee, a competent, friendly staff and the energy of the entire place – people coming and going, coming and staying, coming and meeting and coming and seeing. He knows a lot about IT and AI (artificial intelligence) and pushes himself in his unique style for speed and precision to create art that no machine can ever make or replicate.

While Mill Mt. is his coffee shop and in-town studio of choice, Vivaldi is one of his favorite composers. It’s the music which drives the hands, Hani Naji insists. But with so much information on artists, art techniques, color, shading, perspective and composition packed into his head, clearly he has a comprehensive artistic storehouse from which to draw.

In addition to portraits, Hani has painted extremely large abstract paintings. But in some ways, upon examination, they are not abstract at all, but have color, style and composition that’s both meaningful and thoughtful. He also paints football, tennis and baseball players and games, exacting the energy of the players onto his canvas.

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“Geared Up”for Hokie Football

Text by Emily K. Alberts

HHave you ever had that nightmare where you’re back in grade school, and it’s the day of the big game, and you show up to the field without your mouth guard? Or you forgot your cleats? Or worse, you’re wearing the wrong color jersey! If only there had been someone (besides Mom, of course) looking out for the players, to prevent these anxiety-inducing situations.

Luckily, the Virginia Tech football team has Director of Football Equipment Services Stewart Carter at their service. He has been involved in ordering, inventory and maintenance of every single item of football equipment and attire more than three decades before coming here less than a year ago. Aside from the 120 players on the team, Stewart also outfits the trainers and staff -- including

student staff – bringing the total number of people relying on him to 200 or so.

“We have backups for our backups,” Stewart remarks on the extensive inventory. “Every piece of equipment is itemized, and every item of clothing is labeled with a heat press or label maker.” The team puts in orders with Nike a year in advance. When you’re dealing with more than 100,000 pieces of inventory, you can never be too prepared.

Hailing from Georgia Tech, Stewart was an offensive lineman in high school and vowed to remain part of football culture any way that he could. He was the head student equipment manager during the 1990 championship, when the Yellow Jackets won the national title. “It is a feeling like

none other, to be a part of something so much bigger than yourself,” he expresses.

After five seasons at Georgia Tech, Stewart went to Fresno State in California, where he met his wife, then made his way back to Georgia Southern, where he met Coach Pry. The two spawned a close friendship over their shared love of The Allman Brothers Band

“When Coach Pry invited me to work for him at Penn State, we packed our bags, though I never thought I’d live north of the Mason-Dixon line!” he laughs. All the more reason Stewart was eager to head down to Virginia Tech and follow Coach Pry once again. When it comes to game day attire, the Hokies are known for having an extensive wardrobe.

“Building relationships with the players and new staff members that I have been blessed to meet is my favorite part of the job,” he relates. “Introducing the guys to a new piece of gear that can better protect them now and keep them healthier for longer, whether it is a new helmet or pair of cleats, is vital to their success and the success of the program.”

The Hokies have SIX industrial washing machines for all their laundry. Each machine is about four times the size of a standard household washer, and everything gets washed after every use. Stewart’s attention to detail is exceptional. “We want to be sure that everyone supporting our student athletes exudes professionalism, both on and off the field. Whether it is our trainers, nutrition department, strength interns, sports science interns, recruiting interns

and others, we want to ensure we convey a unified presence.”

And with that presence comes a very real power. Under the right conditions, you can spot Lane Stadium from 25 miles away -- the tell-tale sea of orange and maroon on Hokie game day -- all the way from the top of Bald Knob Mountain in Newport, west of town in Giles County.

Emily Kathleen Alberts distinctly remembers pressing her tongue under her upper lip to fool the refs into thinking she had a mouthguard in during her high school field hockey days.

The only thing that is intentionally muddied is the ball. “To break in a new football, we use a special type of mud to reduce the slickness and help give the leather a more worn-in feel,” relates Stewart Carter. It is brushed with a stiff-bristled brush and treated with a leather conditioner, which makes it a lot easier for the quarterback to handle.”

VT Men’s Soccer Head Coach

~ Mike Brizendine

blurring the lines between career and family

Text by Joanne M. Anderson

Photos courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics

iThere’s an old joke that says watching soccer is like watching grass grow, except with soccer players in the way. The real joke is the absurdity of that statement because soccer –known as football everywhere outside the United States – is hands-down the most popular sport in the world.

In fact, Billy Beane, former professional baseball player, baseball executive, analyst and subject of the book Moneyball - made into a movie starring Brad Pitt - has stated:

Quite frankly, I can't get enough of soccer. I tell my jingoistic friends in the United States there's a reason why it is the world's No. 1 sport. The rest of the planet can't be wrong.

Virginia Tech’s Head Coach for the men’s soccer team, Mike Brizendine, grew up on the soccer field. Anything else he did, like kicking for his high school football team, was related to improving his own soccer performance. He attended James Madison University, where he developed a strong bond with Steve Draper who serves with The Navigators, a Christian campus ministry.

Soccer is a magical game. -- David Beckham

“We joke about having an arranged marriage,” Lucy reveals. “My parents, especially my dad [Steve Draper], counseled and shaped Mike into the man he became, unintentionally for me. We had met, but it wasn’t until I changed schools, and Mike heard I was bummed, that he called, perhaps to be nice to a friend’s sad daughter.” The couple married in less than a year and moved near Ferrum College when Mike took his first soccer coaching position. The following year, they relocated for his 3-year stint at Bridgewater College before settling in the New River Valley. After five years as the men’s assistant soccer coach, Mike was promoted in 2009 to Head Coach, and Lucy wept in the stands at the news. “God has been so good to us,” she says.

Virginia Tech Soccer

Coach Brizendine brought the team into the history books last year with its appearance in the NCAA Tournament setting a program record of five consecutive

trips to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championships. Additionally, Brizendine surpassed his predecessor for the most NCAA postseason appearances as a manager in Virginia Tech history. He has coached 22 players who have moved into playing professional soccer.

“We recruit in every way possible,” the coach explains. “We start with Virginia high school students and branch out from here, watching films, going to tournaments and making tons of phone calls. We travel all over, and recruiting internationally has been an enjoyable part of my job.”

Brizendine looks for good character and high academics in each potential player, while the players are lured with the ACC, a beautiful campus and wonderful people. One of the most challenging aspects for any coach is the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. “I find the ways I did things further and further away from what these young guys do. I am continually working on being able to connect with them, and I have many awesome guys

I enjoy being around.”

Family Life

Mike and Lucy parent three kids who all play or have played and enjoy soccer but express their individual personalities with other interests as well. “My wife probably knows more about college soccer than a number of college soccer coaches,” states Mike. “On days when we aren't playing, we enjoy watching games and knowing what's going on in other leagues.” Lucy and the kids are more often than not on the sidelines of home and away games. “I drive our van with the girls, and we stay with Mike at away games as often as we can,” Lucy says.

Outside of soccer, different members of the Brizendine family enjoy piano, swimming, track, backgammon, arts and crafts and all the New River Valley has to offer. “What’s not to like about this region?” Mike asks rhetorically. “It’s a beautiful place to hike, ride bicycles, visit great coffee shops, eat in fun places, and get involved in the arts.”

Their faith and church life are central in the family. “I want our kids to know about real life, the one that only God provides, and to not be deceived by what's going on in the world,” Mike explains. “We are raising our three daughters in a culture where there is so much pressure to conform, but we’re going against the current by doing a few things differently. Lucy and I are thankful that we're not navigating this life alone.”

Though there are three distinct roles in Coach Brizendine’s life – working man, family man, Godly man – he has intentionally blurred the lines. His family has space in his career. His work includes his wife and children. And God is ever-present wherever Mike is and in whatever he is doing.

Local Celebrities

student-athletes cash in under new guidelines

fFor years we've hung around sidelines, hoping to get a picture, a high-five, or even a signed ball from the star of the game. Afterward, we might head downtown to rehash the story over libations at the go-to college bar. Collegiate sports heroes have been dinner-table topics since their immortalization looked more like a black-and-white photo than a vexing TikTok trend.

Their local celebrity status always brought them plenty of fame, but unfortunately, no fortune. Now, thanks to the burgeoning "name, image, likeness" [NIL] movement, every student-athlete has the potential to earn income by selling the rights to themselves. If it sounds like a dicey playing field, it is ... kind of. In terms of life lived, the NIL space is just over a year old and a toddling work-inprogress, but many feel this has been a long time coming. After all, to profit from publicity is an existing right every ordinary citizen has, but one the NCAA didn't previously allow.

It's not quite as garish as Patrick Mahomes

bantering with "Jake from State Farm" or Tom Brady hawking Hertz car rentals. NIL looks more like fan-favorite Dax Hollifield, beloved Hokie linebacker, partnering with the Blacksburg Farmer's Market.

"NIL has helped us connect with the community more. I love doing this. I want to work hands-on with any partnership I deal with, that's what I'm about. That's what it will always be about, building relationships and trying to make both sides better," Hollifield offers.

Despite its infancy, the trajectory for NIL is big, it's lucrative and it's fast. And it's allowed for companies like Blacksburg's Triumph NIL to jump in and shape the opportunistic space for the strategic benefit of not only the athletes, but also the communities that surround them, at school and back in their hometowns.

At its genesis, Triumph NIL was the passion pursuit of Brenden Hill (former Hokie football great and professional brand strategist) in partnership with Jim Cowan (legal), Doug Hicks (sports communications and marketing), and Kevin & Robyn Jones of Joba, the area's premier marketing, design and communications studio. Kevin Jones,

Text by Nancy S. Moseley

Photos courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics

of course, being legendary Hokie running back in the early 2000s and first-round draft pick for the NFL.

The power of a team of people with the Hokie Nation at its foundation, cannot be undersold.

"That's a credit to Virginia Tech. Ut Prosim ["That We May Serve"] is real,” Hicks states. “It's about us giving of our experience and knowledge, but also it's about whether or not the athletes are giving back to the community and passing along something for the next generation of Hokie athletes. There's a piece of that in everything we do as well."

Lifted directly from the website: "Triumph works to collaborate with businesses, charitable organizations, and student-athletes to provide meaningful experiences for the greater good of all." Through what they call "creative activations," Triumph helps close the gap between studentathlete notoriety and corporation goals by leveraging the attention of an existing, excited and engaged fan base.

Athletes can make money with media and advertising contracts, selling signed merchandise, creating custom merchandise, making personal appearances, starting sports camps or, more philanthropically, being a spokesperson for a non-profit. They are not, however, allowed to get paid for performance and no quid pro quo allowed.

In the short term, athletes are navigating a pivotally busy time, carrying school and family and social responsibilities, all while trying to excel in their sport. Triumph's involvement allows them to focus on what's most important by heavy lifting the marketing negotiations and campaign executions. Hicks adds: "It's not always about the money. It's about allowing them to be at their best at the things that matter most."

Long term benefits of NIL will prove invaluable as student-athletes make the transition into the professional sect, either as a player, or as an employee. "We're helping them build not only a resume, but a personal profile to get a leg up on anything they choose to pursue after their collegiate playing career is done, to help them have some of kind of marketability that makes them a valuable asset to an organization. We're helping them establish their own small business," Hicks further explains.

Yet despite all the big business and money talk, it's still about fostering a connection, bringing those who live next door but shine under Hollywood lights, a little closer to home.

"It's really cool that fans get to see a side of studentathletes away from the field," Dax Hollifield concludes. "It used to be they only cared about how you performed on the field, and now we get a voice. We have an opportunity to express how we feel about other topics. They get to know us as a person, not just an athlete. It's really refreshing."

The next time you're out at that go-to college bar after the big game, pontificating the highlights, take a minute to pay attention to the commercials on TV. Your favorite player just might be hawking local Hertz car rentals. Or they may be at a table behind you, signing autographs for your children. Either one would be a pretty cool story.

Nancy S. Moseley is a freelance writer who grew up in Blacksburg reading Hokie headlines in the paper over breakfast before school. Now she can be seen hanging around English Field waiting to get her picture with a baseball player. Any of them will do, really.

Living SMALL in Style

Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos by Christy Wallace

IIn the late spring of 1982, The Holiness Tabernacle Church, on a whisker under half an acre in Blacksburg, sold for $500. It is uncertain from there when it was transformed from a small house of worship to a small house of living. “It had 11 different types of flooring when I purchased it in December of 2019, and it’s hard to determine exactly what might have been added on and which was the original church building,” explains homeowner Jessica Hotter. “I believe the master bedroom in the front was most likely the sanctuary, yet there are no remnants of this having been a church.”

With a backyard which closely borders a hill belonging to the next property, the outdoor space is a wood deck on the front, facing the street. However, it’s a short, dead-end street with protected woods on the other side of the 2-lane road. Several windows along the back frame

ferns, trees and wild grass. A decades-old bamboo stand borders one side, and this natural setting is as enchanting as the cozy interior.

The front door opens into a modern great room. Now here, great does not refer to size, but to the interior great room concept of an open space which serves multiple functions – like dining, relaxing, cooking, enjoying wine and entertaining. This great room is quite compact, yet offers all the amenities of an area with a larger footprint.

The newly-renovated kitchen sports an island with comfortable seating for four, white cabinetry, countertops and backsplash, modern long brass hardware and adorable open wine shelving on either side of the sink. The window over the sink does not have glass, but looks through to the extensive bank of windows along the back. Contemporary living room furniture is placed in a U-shape between the

back windows and a front bay window, welcoming in an abundance of natural daylight.

Surprisingly, this quaint 1,586-square-foot cottage offers three bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms. The master bedroom and bath belong to Jessica, and the other bedroom at the end of the same short hallway, along with the full hall bath, is occupied by her roommate and sister, Jocelyn. “After graduating from George Mason in 2018, I moved to the New River Valley for grad school at Virginia Tech,” Jocelyn relates. “Our dad retired to Claytor Lake, so I went to live with him. One experience sliding my car on ice in winter was enough for me to jump into Jessica’s little house in town.”

Jocelyn has completed her master’s degree and works in Schiffert Health Center on campus. Jessica finished both her undergraduate (class of 2016) and graduate degrees at Virginia Tech and is the Director of Brand Development and Trademark Licensing in University Relations.

The third bedroom belongs to the large, white dogs, which are not related. Jessica’s white German

Shepherd, Yeti, is 5, and she’s had him since he was 11 months old. Jocelyn moved in with her dog, Tahoe, an all-white husky she acquired as a puppy. The bay window cushion and view is also primarily theirs.

In case there’s not enough greenery outside the cottage, Jocelyn has quite the plant collection inside, resting on bookcases, hanging in windows, sitting on ledges. The pillow on her bed announces “Plant Parent”. Once the seasons change, they will not be without fresh greenery throughout the house.

In addition to some flooring changes, the kitchen renovation and driveway getting paved, Jessica upgraded the lights and mirrors in the bathrooms and painted the exterior. “I would like to replace some more floors and install an electric fireplace,” she states. “There’s something so peaceful about reading and drinking a glass of wine in front of a fireplace in winter.”

Seriously, there is something so peaceful about simply living in such a whimsical, well-ordered, cute and cozy cottage, framed with a whimsical, not-so-well-ordered, cute and cozy natural environment.

Suzuki's Flagship

V-Twin Cruiser and One Coolest Wife

Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos by Tom Wallace

When Amanda Menconi was 13 years old, she experienced her first motorcycle ride and from then on thought any gal riding one was the coolest chick ever. “I made up my mind around age 18 that I would own a motorcycle before I was 25, and I did,” she recalls.

After she met her husband Carlo, who grew up riding dirt bikes and motorcycles, she learned that his sister, Mary, secretly bought her husband a motorcycle as a surprise. “I I remember thinking that she is the

coolest wife in the world. So I decided I wanted to be in the ‘Coolest Wife in the World Club’ and began stashing some cash to the side.”

Carlo once commented if Amanda’s uncle wanted to sell his motorcycle, he would be interested. “My uncle’s motorcycle is not the prettiest thing in the world,” Amanda points out, “so I was curious what other motorcycle my husband might like and asked: ‘What’s your favorite motorcycle?’”

Carlo remembers the question.

“That was difficult to answer since there are several models I’d love to own. But what came to mind first was a cruiser. I’d had a muscle cruiser in the past, and I told her if I could get another one, it would be a Suzuki M109R. Amanda didn’t know what it looked like so we pulled up Craigslist and did a quick search for photos of that bike. A couple came up, but it was a red one that jumped off the screen. We ooh’d and aah’d for a few minutes and then she went back to working on something else. At least that’s what I thought.”

Several weeks later, Amanda called Carlo to come outside. He stepped in the yard just as a truck pulled up with a trailer and that beautiful, bright red, 2007 Suzuki M109R strapped on it. “After a trip around the block, I fell in love with the ride,” Carlo declares.

“At the same time, I knew it was going to need some work before it would be safe to ride much further.”

“Before I bought it, I asked the owner to make some videos of it running, since I couldn’t learn much by just staring at it,” Amanda explains.

“I knew Carlo could work on anything that needed attention.”

Among the tasks Carlo tackled fairly soon were:

Replace all fluids

Radiator flush

New spark plugs and fuel filter

Clean air filters

Replace tires

New brake pads front and back

Rotor replacement for rear disk brake

New brake line hoses, throttle, clutch cables

“When I noticed the engine vibrating hard at certain RPMs, I replaced the severely-worn front motor mounts. The engine would still backfire when decelerating due to an improper fuel map loaded on the computer. Since there were aftermarket pipes, I also did what is called a pair-valve block to correct the exhaust issue created from an incomplete pipe installation. I reached out to a fellow M109R owner in Florida who has a side business of re-mapping ECMs (engine control module). Given the list of modifications to the bike, he was able to reprogram a module to match the fuel/air ratios to smooth out the engine and eliminate backfiring.”

Once the mechanical and safety issues were resolved, Carlo addressed comfort. “The seat and rear shock combination gave a pretty jarring ride,” he observes. “The stock shock offered little to no adjustment, so I purchased an aftermarket rear shock that would allow for preload

adjustment. Combined with the new custom Corbin seat and backrest, that offered a much smoother ride. On colder days, the heaters I had installed in the seats come in handy. The rear seat and backrest meant my wife would be more comfortable on rides, too.”

The previous owners replaced the exhaust with custom, baffle-less pipes resulting in ear-splitting engine noise. For many riders, excessive noise is part of the excitement, but Carlo ordered compatible baffles for the pipes and successfully lowered the decibels to a more reasonable level. The final comfort modification was installing 3” risers for the handlebars which allowed the bars to sit further back giving Carlo a more comfortable riding position.

For his part, Carlo states: “Every time I ride, I think how lucky I am to have such an amazing wife. Just working on the bike has been a great getaway from day-to-day responsibilities. I have ideas for additional modifications and enhancements, but for now, I’m enjoying it as often as I can.”

Surely, Amanda Menconi has a secure place in the Coolest Wife in the World Club.

The Suzuki Boulevard M109R motorcycle was introduced in 2006 as Suzuki's flagship V-Twin cruiser.

Fuel capacity: 19.5 liter (5.2 gal.)

Weight: 321 kg (707 lbs) (dry)

Engine: 1783 cc (108.8 cu. in), 4-stroke, 2-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 54-degree V-Twin

Seat height: 705mm (27.8 in.)

Dimensions: L: 2450mm (96.5 in.); W: 875mm (34.4 in.); H: 1185mm (46.7 in.)

Class: Power Cruiser

One of the best attributes of the M109R is the large rear wheel. It gives the bike a very distinctive stance from other bikes. Motorcycle tires should be replaced every 3 years or less to be safe. The stock size for the rear tire is 240/40 R18. That’s nearly 9.5 inches wide. When I discovered I could safely install a 260/40 R18, I had to do it. That made the look even tougher increasing the width of the rear tire to over 10”.

- Carlo Menconi

“My husband works very hard all week, and I understand the amazing feeling of tension oozing out of every pore by getting on a motorcycle,” Amanda says. “He can get on it, veg out and feel like a kid again.”

Unexpectedly Retiring to the New River Valley

Text by Nancy S. Moseley Photos by Christy Wallace

When Joe Hotter was told 900 words - or thereabouts - were needed on his life for this article, he exhaled sarcastically: "Oh boy. We're in trouble now." But with the first question, his story began with gusto.

"I was born in Berlin, Germany. My Dad was in World War II and eventually became a spy," he pauses, "you could write 9,000 words on him!"

Hotter was six years old when the Berlin Wall went up down the street from home. When the family moved to Springfield, Va., he was 11, and the main thing he carried across the pond was not memories of oppressive communism. It was distinguishably awesome soccer skills.

"Coming from Germany, I actually knew how to play the game. I played in the first high school game in Fairfax County. I played every sport, but I was built for soccer and played 22 years." Hotter attended Virginia Tech after high school graduation, enrolling as a co-op student. He worked as a computer programmer for the CIA throughout his college years.

Not ready to enter the working world, he entered law school at William and Mary. He laughs about being the "Token Techie," since at the time (colloquially speaking), William and Mary only admitted one person from Virginia Tech every year.

Like many state school graduates, he left the rolling hills of higher ed for the traffic-lined streets of Northern Virginia, opening a law practice in Springfield. He married three years later and eventually became a daddy to four girls, one stepdaughter and one born with Downs Syndrome and a heart defect. Joelle passed away at 19 months old after an unsuccessful open-heart surgery.

"That was a turning point in my life. I lost interest in a lot of things." After several years of coasting complacently through the

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grind, he had two more girls, two years apart, Jessica and Jocelyn (who live in the house profiled on page 26.)

He took the resurgence of dad-life as a sign to make some changes. He quit his law practice and became a stayat-home dad for a year. "Then I realized that was way too much work. I needed to do something a little less stressful," Hotter laughs. So, he became an entrepreneur, first with a wildly successful business cleaning exterior surfaces of buildings like The Pentagon and major sports arenas. Next he co-owned a company that put in major sports and recreation fields, like Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Finally, he settled into financial consulting for several companies.

Ever a sports guy, he coached youth sports for 42 years. "I started out with youth football, which was all boys. Then I had girls, and I coached my daughters in every sport they played. That was probably the best time in my life."

NRV Retirement Surprise

Hotter began looking at houses in the New River Valley for the girls, even before it was certain that Jessica and Jocelyn might live here. Sometimes the best-laid plans become better-laid plans. After pulling into the driveway of a house on Claytor Lake, Hotter recalls saying: "I'm buying this house. I'm moving here. I had zero intention of relocating to the NRV the day before."

He moved lakefront within six weeks, knowing nothing about boating and with no desire to fish. Consultant

work allowed him flexibility and covid can be credited with easing him into a perfectly-timed retirement.

Hotter's lake compound has a main house and a guest house he rents through AirBnB, plus three boathouses and all the water toys - a jet ski, kayaks, paddleboards, a pontoon party barge and fishing boat.

The rental guest house, named "Quattro Doggos" for the collective number of pups the family has, is on the river side of the Lighthouse Bridge, a significantly quieter side of the lake. He jaunts into Blacksburg weekly to enjoy live music at The Farmhouse and, again, ever the sports guys, the array of exciting Division I sports. He attends a lot of basketball games, baseball games and girls’ softball. When asked if he has season tickets to football, Hotter laughs. "I have season tickets to the parking lot. It's the highlight of my year. I go to every tailgate. And then I normally walk downtown and watch the game on TV, even if I have tickets. It's more fun."

Perhaps it takes a bit of time and a bit of life experience to chase the more peaceful option, the one with less traffic, more downtime and better views. Perhaps it takes that one crossroads moment to be content settling on the quieter side of the lake. Knowing, all along, it's where you're meant to be.

Nancy S. Moseley is a freelance writer in Blacksburg. She is envious of those who live the lake life full-time and is already thinking of a time to book "Quattro Doggos" for a getaway. Too bad trading some of her season tickets wouldn't be a good deal.

Retire and Become a Travel Writer

are you looking forward to retirement? I did. There was a mental countdown that last year of school; 179 more days…98 …23 …1! I could hardly wait, but a friend asked, “If you retire, what will you DO all day?? You’ll be sooooo bored.” I tried hard not to explode with laughter — I was drinking wine at the time!

I knew I’d never be bored. I can spend 24 hours on Ancestry or entire days sitting on a rock and photographing wildlife. I happily sit on the beach and read. There are hundreds of places in the world to see. Retirement would finally give me the time to do things I wanted to do. A job was holding me back.

Do What You Love

Lots of folks look for a second career after they retire. It may be for money to fill the gap between social security and budgets or something to pass time. Many retirees take

classes, get part-time jobs or volunteer.

I love writing, photography, food, wine and travel. These meshed together in my mind—become a travel writer. I started planning and reading travel articles. I signed up for travel writing newsletters, took photography classes, and finally felt ready to contact an editor with an idea.

The First Step

To become a travel writer, you need to READ TRAVEL ARTICLES. Reading is how you understand the mechanics like the lead, sub-headings and the sidebar. It will help you distinguish between good and mediocre writing. Plus, you will realize that even those mediocre writers are placing articles, and you can write at least that well!

You must be computer literate. Take a class if necessary. Learn to type, save files, rename files — mundane things which are really important to a writer. AND you have

Text and photos by Jo Clark

to accept that you’ll never be paid what you are worth. You won’t get rich travel writing, but you will do awesome things, go interesting places and meet fascinating people.

The Viewpoint

Have an opinion! You can’t just say a place was nice and had good BBQ. You must be able to write that a place had The. Best. BBQ. in town! The meat was crusted with a bark filled with sweet heat from the dry rub and so tender it melted in your mouth—no chewing needed!

You don’t have to leave home – every town is a “tourist destination” for someone! You just have to give editors what they need. And that’s easy when you write about what you know. As you develop your skills and have published articles to your credit, you will be able to apply for “fam trips.” First, you will be invited to visit an area to learn more about it (become familiar). Then you’ll put your writing skills to work, telling your audience about the place. Finally, you’ll tell people where to play, stay, and what to eat (and drink!)

Pay Your Way with Benefits

Fam trips are wonderful, but they don’t happen all the time. You will pay for most trips, so plan accordingly. You go places that interest you, even if it isn’t free, and you look for stories along the way. I find myself writing about a place months later when an idea pops into my head. I always take plenty of photos, so I am ready to illustrate my work. You begin to travel differently—you have more exciting encounters when you are paying attention to a place’s sights, sounds, smells and tastes. You become a part of a place, giving you a richer experience.

There are advantages to having a travel writer and photographer business, like a legitimate excuse to write off a new camera or lens, travel costs, and tours as a business expense. Being a travel writer also gives you an excuse to talk to anyone and everyone—it’s called research!

Tips for Becoming an In-Demand Writer

When you create something, do your very best. Proofread, run spell check, read it aloud (your ears will catch errors your eyes and mind miss!), and have a trusted friend read it. Follow the guidelines of the publication you write for to the letter. Provide clear, publishable photos. Like “ready to wear clothes”, make your articles the perfect fit. When you become “the complete package”, editors will love you, and you will have a secure future.

Is Writing for You?

So—do you have what it takes? Maybe. Listen to yourself telling someone in your town where to go, what to order, and what to do after they eat. Have their eyes glazed over? Or are they smiling and nodding their heads? Maybe even taking notes. You may be on your way to becoming a travel writer!

I could write so much more—as a teacher, I’m just full of advice! But I’m off to Alaska tomorrow, so I gotta run! There are whales to see, mountains to climb, and dog sleds to ride!

Jo Clark had a slant toward marketing in her Radford University MBA program, taught marketing classes and had a marketing company. She has taken award-winning photographs since buying her first Minolta (film). So, it is no surprise selling travel is her second career! Follow her travels on Facebook at Have Glass, Will Travel. On Instagram, her screenname is JoGoesEverywhere (she sure tries!) And be watching for those dogsled photos!

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Rock Churches

Historic Blue Ridge Mountain Churches

Text and photos by Jo Clark

Reverend Robert Childress built churches—lots of churches and all but one from rocks in the 1.8-billion-year-old Blue Ridge Mountains. Isolated sections of Floyd, Patrick and Carroll counties conceal these stars in Bob Childress’ crown. The churches are designated Virginia Historic Landmarks.

If you spend time near Buffalo Mountain in Floyd County, you’ll hear tales of superstitions, bootleggers and feuds. And, maybe, the story of the man who moved mountain people a little closer to God.

Reverend Childress

Robert “Bob” Childress was born during an 1890 blizzard in Ararat in Patrick County. One of nine children, he was reared by dirt-poor parents in a one-room cabin in The Hollow, overlooking Buffalo Mountain.

His older brother encouraged Bob to attend school, and young Bob found he loved learning. However, when his beloved teacher married and left the mountain, his education abruptly ended.

Returning to high school nearly 15 years later, he sought a degree from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond. This stubborn man, husband and father of four persevered and graduated. He longed for a church in the mountains, but his only call came from a North Carolina church.

The night before his decision was expected, Dr. Clark of the Montgomery Presbytery offered Bob Childress a field on Buffalo Mountain in Floyd County. Dr. Clark told Bob:

“They’re shooting each other, they’re ignorant, they don’t have a chance, they have no schools or Sunday schools. There’s enough work to kill you, but we’ll furnish you a living while you’re at it.”

On June 3, 1926, the family moved back to Buffalo Mountain where Childress ministered to mountain people for 30 years. He built schools and churches, ultimately building six rock-faced churches between 1919 and 1950. This Presbyterian minister became the focus of The Man Who Moved a Mountain, a book by Richard C. Davids.

Bob provided practical help for the mountaineers, not just spiritual guidance. He routinely visited five to eight families a day; often leading prayer meetings in those homes. Since he had the only car on the mountain, he frequently transported people to doctors.

Childress knew the mountain people needed jobs to provide hope of a better life. Timber grew on the mountain, but it seemed impossible to make this a viable enterprise without roads. Bob took out a personal loan, bought second-hand sawmill equipment and put local men to work. Construction became his next goal, and Childress put men to work building churches so people wouldn’t need to travel far to worship.

A lack of building materials didn’t slow him down. He took advantage of the one thing the mountain had more of than trees: Rocks! On Sundays, his circuit tallied 100 mountain miles and four or five sermons. When the mountain was covered in snow, he traveled by horse and buggy or rode a more sure-footed mule. The mountain became more

Willis Presbyterian Church 1954

Slate Mountain Evangelical Presbyterian Church Founded 1932

Livestock, craft vendors, demonstrations, & more maze, pumpkins, fall festivities,

Pulaski's Annual Fire Truck & Fire Prevention Parade & crafts show, or trail all at Park

4 wineries in Pulaski County: Iron Heart Winery, JBR Vineyard, New River Vineyard & Winery, Spinning Jenny Vineyard

Enjoy a night of Crooked Road jams at the Pulaski Theatre

Fiddle, Banjo, & Dance Club presents monthly concerts

civilized, killings tapered off, and liquor lost its power over people, replaced by spiritual strength.

By the 1950s, Reverend Childress averaged 40,000 miles a year to minister to 14 churches, leaving his mark on the people and place he spent a lifetime loving—and a legacy of rock churches. When speaking upon his 1956 death, the Synod of Virginia stated: “Only eternity will tell the tremendous good accomplished in this unusual diocese.”

New River Valley Blessed withThree Rock Churches, Plus One

Buffalo Mountain Presbyterian Church is a beautiful fieldstone structure. It is acclaimed as one of the most picturesque rural churches in America. Three of Childress’ five sons became preachers, and after Childress’ passing, his son, Bob, Jr., became pastor of Buffalo Mountain, as well as Bluemont and Mayberry churches.

Childress was laid to rest in the rock-fenced Buffalo Mountain Cemetery, overlooking his church, his flock and the mountains he loved. It’s possible that Bob Childress is one step closer to his heavenly home from his heaven on earth— the mountain he moved.

Son Bryan served Stone Memorial Church in Marion. Still, he preached every fifth Sunday at his father’s Slate Mountain Church, tucked away behind Mabry’s Mill. Built in 1932, this church’s growth necessitated expansion in 1951.

Bob Childress, Jr., passed away in 2003. Today, the third generation of Buffalo Mountain Childresses conducts services from the pulpit where his grandfather and father ministered to congregations. Stewart Childress holds services at Mayberry Presbyterian Church at 9 a.m. and Bluemont at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday.

Willis Presbyterian was constructed in 1954, only two years before Reverend Childress passed away. The congregation has operated since 1939. Willis Presbyterian Church became the Interfaith Church of Willis in 1967, and in 2003, it was sold to Grace Baptist Church.

Indian Valley was constructed in 1946 and it is the only church founded by Rev. Bob Childress that is not covered in rock. The church is down narrow country roads

that wind between the hills. After retiring from his Marion church, Reverend Bryan Childress began to minister at this church.

Rock of Ages

The most fitting tribute to Bob Childress may well be this story related in The Man Who Moved A Mountain. He built so many rock churches that it became the source of local jest.

Dump Yeats’ son, Hassell, commented as they passed by a plain wood church: “Mr. Childress never saw this church.”

Puzzled, his father asked: , “How’s that?” Hassell replied: “He’d have rock-sided it afore now!” I can think of no more appropriate covering for a mountain church than the rock of ages.

Jo Clark has always loved rocks, and as we say in the South, she got it honest! She was raised by a woman who pulled rocks from the Floyd and Patrick County mountain waters while her husband fished for speckled mountain trout. www. HaveGlassWillTravel.com

• Buffalo Mountain, Floyd County, 2102 Childress Road, Willis

• Indian Valley, Floyd County, 942 Macks Mountain Road NW, Indian Valley

• Slate Mountain, Floyd County, 239 Rock Church Road, Meadows of Dan

• Willis, Floyd County, 5733 Floyd Highway South, Willis

• Bluemont, Patrick County, only church visible while driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway which is a good thing, since the GPS address will take you to a private farm/

• Mayberry, Patrick County, 1127 Mayberry Church Road, Meadows of Dan

• Dinwiddie, Carroll County, 2698 Homestead Road, Hillsville

Buffalo Mountain Presbyterian Church 1929

Wild Goose Christian Community Presbyterian 1920 The only Church not rock-faced.

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