St. Mary’s Wilderness Area
Near Rockbridge/Augusta County Line
By Tommy Stafford
6.4.23 8:03 PM
Ground crews have made it to scene of the plane crash.
6.4.23 7:50 PM
Virginia State Police helicopter pilots are trying to direct ground crews into the crash scene. It will take a lot of time. Very remote. Very overgrown.
6.4.23 7:44 PM
Here’s what we know as of this hour. The plane crash site has been located by aerial crews. It is very remote. Generally speaking it is near the St. Mary’s Wilderness Area Swimming Hole. Ground crew with Augusta Rescue and other agencies say they can see smoke and some fire where the crash site is.
A Cessna Citation crashed into mountainous terrain near Montebello, VA around 3:30 PM ET on June 4. The aircraft took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, TN and was bound for @LIMacArthur in New York. The FAA and @NTSB will investigate.
“At 3:50 p.m., Virginia State Police was notified of a possible aircraft crash in the Staunton/Blue Ridge Parkway region. Search efforts are still underway by state and local law enforcement. Nothing has been located at this time. State police is unable to fly the area due to fog and low clouds within the mountains.
Corinne Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police
Updated: 6.3.23 – 11:20 AM with assailant information from VSP.
“The Virginia State Police investigation continues into a fatal shooting in Amherst County Thursday afternoon (June 1, 2023).
The sheriff’s office initially received a 911 call from a landowner near the intersection of Route 60 and Sandidges Rd. about a male trespasser. Prior to the sheriff’s office arriving, the trespasser left the property and drove to the intersection of Route 60 and Sandidges Rd. The trespasser, later identified as Daniel S. Meadows, 40, of Amherst, Va., then stopped his pickup truck at the intersection. The same landowner called the sheriff’s office again to report Meadows acting very erratically while loitering at the intersection.
At approximately 2:40 p.m., the Amherst County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on scene and approached Meadows. Meadows pulled out a machete and confronted the deputy. The deputy shot Meadows.
Despite life-saving efforts administered to him at the scene, Meadows succumbed to his injuries. His remains were transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner for examination and autopsy.
The sheriff’s deputy was not injured during the incident.
Once the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office concludes its investigation, the investigative findings will be turned over to the Commonwealth’s Attorney for review and adjudication.
Corinne Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”
Original Post 6.1.23 6:36 PM
At the request of the Amherst County Sheriff, the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office is investigating a shooting involving an Amherst County Sheriff’s Deputy.
The sheriff’s office was responding to an emergency call concerning a man demonstrating erratic behavior while outside a pickup truck near the intersection of Lexington Turnpike/Route 60 and Sandidges Rd. As the sheriff’s deputy approached the man around 2:40 p.m. Thursday (June 1, 2023), the adult male pulled out a machete and confronted the deputy. The deputy shot the individual.
Despite life-saving efforts administered to him at the scene, the male succumbed to his injuries.
The sheriff’s deputy was not injured during the incident.
The incident remains under investigation at this time.
Corinne Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police
Near Woods Mill
Route 29 Northbound
Nelson County, Virginia
A Semi hauling a large piece of equipment blocked Route 29 northbound early Wednesday morning. This marks at least second time in less than 24 hours that a mishap of some kind has blocked portions of Route 29. On Tuesday accidents had traffic stalled in the general vicinity.
An additional accident had Route 29 southbound blocked Wednesday morning just inside Albemarle County close to Caul’s Grocery.
As of 8:35 AM all traffic was flowing normally along US 29.
“I was 11 years old. I was helping my grandfather on Sundays, often on as a teenager, but I was pretty much a stone mason since I was 14. I was actually in Colorado when they started building this in 93-94. I came home spring 94 and started helping.” That’s how Danny Watson says he got his start in the family hardware business. From the ground up.
Photo courtesy of the late Richard Moore collection : Construction crews pour concrete for the new Wintergreen Hardware Store back in 1994. The original hardware store got its start in the old Valleymont Grocery location that is near Blue Ridge Pig. It was relocated to its current space in the mid 1990s.Photo By Hayley Osborne : Generations of the Watson family have grown up in Wintergreen Hardware. Danny’s daughter Noel sits with her dad out back on a couch in 2015. Danny also has two sons that grew up there as well. Max, and Juddy.
Danny’s dad, Bob Watson, had a foot in business even before the current location. He was in the new store only 3 years when everything changed. “October 20th, 1997. So that was a huge shot. It was like a massive heart attack. You know, widow maker. He never knew what hit him. He was gone in minutes too. Nine o’clock in the morning.” Danny vividly remembered the day, and the time.
Above listen to Danny talk with Tommy about he and his mom’s decision to finally sell the decades old family run hardware store.
“Bob ran a very small True Value in Valleymont when my Daddy was still proprietor. I would be remiss by not mentioning that this was Bob Watson’s dream and he was himself a hardware franchise. The epitome of a Master Jack of all Trades. Not to mention the quintessential salesman. Many of our current customers followed him down the hill. Sadly, he died three years after we opened. And, that’s when Danny stepped up to the plate,” says Lyna Watson, Danny’s mother and widow to Bob Watson.
“We closed down for a week something and then, yeah. It was like all on me then,” Danny continued.
Photo By Tommy Stafford : Not only did Danny’s kids grow up in the store. So did ours and countless others. That’s Danny holding our daughter Peyton. To her right is Brian Kidd. This was his final day on the job after years working in the store. This was a going away party for him on September 17, 2011. Brian was one of dozens that worked in the store over the years.
“I love being here. And I love seeing everybody and I love helping solve the problems. It’s been a good gig. It’s been good to me and the family. It’s been good for me, like personal growth wise. But my help’s getting older. My mom, you know, she did 30 years at UVA and she’s done 25 years here. Overlapping. She deserves to have a break, and I can’t do it without her. I’m on two years straight of seven days a week.” And Danny says that’s much of the reason he and his mom finally made the decision to sell.
It’s hard to find Jacks of All Trades these days who also excel in customer service. There are no more Jimmy Campbell’s, Mr. Customer Service. There are no more Danny Watson’s the P.T. Barnum of Hardware. I needed to retire from my second tenure of thirty years. Essentially, it was time. What will I miss most? Well, if I miss the people it will be my own fault because we’ll still be here in the ‘Ford,” Lyna tells me.
Photo By Yvette Stafford : Many may remember Danny from our fix it series in the early days of the printed magazine. His “Dan-Dan The Wrench Man” column was a big favorite. April 12, 2005
So now you know the history and why the Watson’s decided it was time to exit the stage. Enter Jackson Cox.
Photo By Tommy Stafford : The new faces of what will be called Wintergreen Hardware & Garden Center. (L to R) Hanna Knopp, Jackson Cox, and Lee Cummings will be the new players at the familiar hardware store in Nellysford, Virginia. Jackson recently completed the purchase of the store and the adjoining property, with the exception of the old packing shed out back which Lyna says she kept. Jackson has already been clearing out the old space to make room for new plans.
“I Just decided to do it. Danny and I had been friends from the past six years just living over here and coming down there. Shoot, I was down here a couple times a week. It was a necessity for me, so I knew it was a necessity for everybody else. I wanted to save it and see it not be turned into something we didn’t need around here,” Jackson tells me.
Jackson Cox standing near the entrance of Wintergreen Hardware holding new plans for the interior of the store. Behind him is where Lyna’s old office used to be. Jackson recently tore it out to make room for other improvements coming down the pike. Friday – May 26, 2023.
Jackson says the store is in the exact right place, it just needs a new start. “So, when we were looking at this, I mean, the store, it’s an awesome store. Great location. It just needs a once over, needs everything touched. It fills the needs, but it could be a lot more. I knew that I couldn’t do it myself. And through reaching out to a couple other companies, there are different distributors that were more motivated than True Value to help us get this place up and running. One of their main competitors, who we chose. It’s an unbranded Ace, which is great. Emory-Jensen is the inside distribution. Right. And so we’ll get the pull from Ace’s catalog without having to have a big Ace brand on the store.”
Jackson says the store’s footprint wasn’t quite big enough to be a full blown Ace, but this allows him to pull from their inventory and update the floor space, cataloging, inventory and more.
Photo By Tommy Stafford : Hanna Knopp throws some demolition material on a forklift driven by Jackson’s cousin, Lee Cummings. Friday – May 26, 2023
Jackson says some major improvements are on the way in the very near future. “Ace is gonna come in here on June 19th with six guys for 10 days, take all the inventory outta the store, restock it. We’ll have over twice the inventory that we have now. And it’ll all be modern. It’ll be brand new. We’re putting in seven foot shelves that get here on Wednesday. I’m gonna take the existing shelves, put two rows out back for a lawn and garden section, some fencing material. Um, but we’ll be selling off some of the very old shelves. Some of ’em are from the seventies, and getting rid of ’em. But yeah, basically the idea is all new shelves, all new inventory tags on everything, everything in the store has a sticker on it. Everything matches the computer for the first time in 20 years. So, that’s the kind of advantage starting from scratch with Ace. Leveling it out. They’re gonna count everything for me, put it all in a point of sale system.
Photo by Tommy Stafford : Danny Watson of the original Wintergreen Hardware founders waits on a customer Friday – May 26, 2023. Danny says he’s not going anywhere immediately. He’ll still be around to help in the transition. Then he’s taking some much deserved time off. He’ll still be around Nellysford and will be helping Jackson out as needed in the future.
Jackson got his background in the hardware and construction business from his dad. He owned a sawmill company in Churchville. He said he’s also bringing a good selection of lumber back to the hardware store as well. “I will be stocking Weyerhaeuser lumber. We’ll have standard 2X4, 2X6, 4X4, everything. Ace is gonna allow us to bring in plywood, drywall, all of all the dimensional cut lumber that we need without having to get it from an outside supplier. That’s how Danny was having to do it. And it just it wasn’t as easy. We’re gonna be bringing a lot of wood here. We need it.”
Photo by Tommy Stafford : A closer look at the new plans for the Wintergreen Hardware & Garden Center in Nellysford. May 26, 2023
Jackson says he’s applied for a Stihl dealership as well with hopes of nailing that down in the near future.
Jackson says his cousin Lee Cummings along with Hanna will be his right hands. “I was the conservation technician for National Bridge Sloan Water Conservation District, Rockbridge County. Before then I was with the United States Navy building operating bases overseas. Right before that I was a landscaper,” Lee tells us.
Hanna Knopp on the other hand says this isn’t anything new for her. “Yeah. I grew up on a farm. So, you know, not a stranger to hard work at all. We actually have a little small kind of mini farm right now. We completely gutted that house and we’ve redone it and done a lot of work there too. So I’m not, not afraid of getting my hands dirty.”
Jackson says though he’s making some pretty ambitious changes, he’s not forgetting what he must be a caretaker to the legacy started here.”Really this is the first time since it’s founding that it’s really started over. Since it was built here, this is really the first time it’s gone through this kind of change. It’s never changed hands. And the land has been in their family for about 240 years. It was deeded to the brothers after, the Revolutionary War Times in 1780s. It’s amazing that this property was the first time that deed had ever been changed you know. Recorded in a different name.”
Danny tells us some strange things happened right as the store was closing to its new owner and the transfer was completing. “On the exact day of the change, this carrier pigeon showed up on the parking lot and hasn’t left. I really believe that’s my late dad Bob coming by to check it out.
Photo by Tommy Stafford : Our son Adam on the parking lot of the hardware store, Friday – May 26, 2023, checking out the pigeon Danny says may be the spirit of his late father. Bob Watson only got to work in his newly built store for 3 years before dying suddenly from a heart attack.
Danny says he’s working on some new enterprises and he will be looking after some of the family’s nearby properties in Nellysford. So he’s not going far away.
Lyna says it’s all bittersweet. But there are parts she won’t fret over. “What will I not miss. Bad economies, which equals worry, worry, worry. Danny having to work 7 days a week. The store is the heart beat of Nellysford. Wishing Jackson much success. Looking forward to new adventures as I move onto the next chapter of my very blessed life.”
One final question many have asked. Will Mr. Jimmy Campbell be staying on? Jackson thinks, yes, he wants him to stay and he thinks he may be reconsidering his retirement from the store once it sold. We vote yes! Stay on Jimmy!
“The Virginia State Police is seeking the public’s help with locating the vehicle responsible for a fatal pedestrian crash in Augusta County Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
At 9:49 p.m., Trooper J.T. Lotts responded to crash on Parkersburg Turnpike at Pine Tree Lane. A 42-year-old male pedestrian was struck by a vehicle traveling east on Parkersburg Turnpike. The striking vehicle then fled the scene. At this stage of the investigation, the suspect vehicle is believed to have been a maroon or red truck or SUV. The vehicle will have damage to its right front headlight, front turn signal, and/or both.
The pedestrian died at the scene.
Anyone with information about the suspect vehicle and/or its driver is encouraged to call the Virginia State Police at 434-352-7128 or #77 on a cell phone or by email at questions@vsp.virginia.gov.
The crash remains under investigation.
Corinne Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”
In a release to media organizations and on social media, Nelson native and sheriff candidate, Mark Embrey, announced his pick for chief deputy should he be successful in his November 2023 election. As we told you in this story (linked here) Embrey made his candidacy for sheriff official back on March 16, 2023 before a crowd of supporters in Schuyler, Virginia.
Below is the official announcement released by the Embrey campaign late in the day on May 23rd. In the release, Glenn Phillips, is named as Chief Deputy should Embrey be successful in his bid for Nelson County Sheriff. Phillips is well known across the law enforcement community having most recently served as the director of the Skyline Drug Task Force.
The election for Nelson County Sheriff is held on November 7, 2023. Several other local office elections will be held on that day as well.
As of 9:30 AM Wednesday morning, 5.24.23, current incumbent Sheriff David Hill has not filed a petition for re-election according to our phone call with Nelson County Election Registrar, Jackie Britt. When Hill does file or officially announce we will publish that update.
UPDATED : 5.25.23 10:15 AM : After our story published on May 24th at 10:09 AM we were told and have confirmed that incumbent Nelson County Sheriff David Hill went to the election registrar’s office shortly in Nelson and filed his petition for re-election during the early afternoon. In our 5.25.23 phone call to Registrar Jackie Britt she confirmed receiving the filing petition.
The deadline for filing in that race is 7PM – June 20, 2023.
Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC), is a 2023 Spotlight on Excellence Award winner.
The Spotlight on Excellence Awards are an initiative of the Council of Rural Electric Communicators (CREC) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The program recognizes a body of outstanding work produced by electric cooperative communication and marketing professionals from across the country. The 18 categories reflect the wide scope and valuable contributions of co-op communicators today.
This year, the Spotlight on Excellence committee saw more than 600 submissions across eight categories. Firefly entered into five separate categories and received gold awards in three of them.
Firefly won a gold award for “Best New Photo” for their submission titled “Going to Great Heights.” The winning shot was taken by Firefly Digital Marketing Coordinator, Marci Malinowski, from atop Wintergreen mountain. The photo features a Firefly fiber technician inside a lifted bucket truck, surrounded by breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Firefly also took gold in the “Best Special Publication, Small” category for two installation brochures for new customers. The brochures introduce new customers to their fiber broadband and/or Voice-over-IP (VoIP) service(s) and answer common questions that previously would have required a phone call or email to the customer service team.
A marketing effort for Firefly’s fourth birthday won gold for “Best Wild Card.” The campaign featured Firefly’s mascot “Flash” in a birthday hat with balloons celebrating the company’s fourth anniversary. The birthday banner was shared on the company’s home page, across social media channels and by email where current customers were asked for testimonials on how fiber broadband has changed their lives.
The gifts poured in with one customer sharing, “It sounds like embellishment, but Firefly has changed our lives. Internet service is a necessary utility for life in the 21st century, much like electricity was in the 20th. We take for granted electricity today, but once upon a time electric cooperatives took up the cause of bringing electricity to rural people. I am so grateful that CVEC saw the need for someone to do the same with Internet service and acted upon it.”
With awards, an upcoming fifth anniversary in July, and tens-of-thousands of happy customers, it seems Firefly has much to celebrate.
###
About Firefly Fiber Broadband
Headquartered in Palmyra, VA, Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. Firefly offers lightning-fast internet via fiber to the premise that is reliable and priced fairly with no hidden equipment costs or special introductory pricing that increases the base cost of phone or internet later. Firefly has no contracts, no data caps, or slowdowns, and offers symmetrical upload and download speeds. Firefly Light offers 100 Mbps for $49.99; Firefly Flash offers 1 Gbps for $79.99, and Firefly Voice is $34.99 with a $5.00 discount when bundled with the internet. For more information, visit www.fireflyva.com/rise.
Kicks Off Summer Travel Season
VDOT provides traffic and travel information to plan ahead
RICHMOND, Va. – Each year, Memorial Day weekend is a busy travel time for motorists making their first warm-weather weekend getaways to the beach, the Blue Ridge or beyond. To help travelers spend more time at their destination than in traffic, the Virginia Department of Transportation will be suspending most highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, May 26 until noon on Tuesday, May 30.
While lane closures will be lifted in most locations, motorists may encounter semi-permanent work zones that remain in place during this time. Check VDOT’s Weekly Lane Closures and Travel Advisories for the latest travel alerts in your area and around the state.
Additionally, VDOT offers several resources to help plan travel ahead of time.
TRAVEL TRENDS MAP HELPS PREDICT PEAK CONGESTION
Based on historical data, VDOT’s online, interactive travel trends map shows peak congestion periods anticipated on Virginia interstates during the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend holiday period. While it cannot precisely predict when congestion will occur this year, it can help motorists avoid travel when roads have historically been busiest.
Based on the historical data:
On Interstate 95 northbound, heavy congestion is expected on Friday and Saturday between Fredericksburg and the D.C. line and on Monday between Richmond and Northern Virginia.
On Interstate 95 southbound, congestion is expected between the D.C. line and Richmond on Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday and Monday in Northern Virginia.
In the Hampton Roads area, congestion is also likely, especially on Interstate 64 approaching the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel eastbound on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and going westbound on Friday and Monday.
On Interstate 81 northbound, pockets of congestion may appear on Monday between Roanoke and Winchester.
PLAN AHEAD WITH VDOT 511: REAL-TIME TRAFFIC INFO AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
VDOT’s free mobile 511 app offers information about construction, traffic, incidents and congestion as well as access to traffic cameras, weather, EV charging stations and more. Use 511’s “speak ahead” option to alert you to incidents on your route.
Traffic information is also available at 511Virginia.org or by calling 511 from any phone.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE (HOV) SCHEDULE AND OTHER INFORMATION
All rush-hour tolls on the 66 Express Lanes Inside the Beltway will be lifted on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29.
Find directional schedules for the reversible Interstate 95 and 395 express lanes, and information for the 495 Express Lanes at www.expresslanes.com.
HAMPTON ROADS HOV SCHEDULE, TUNNELS AND OTHER INFORMATION
I-64/I-264/I-564 HOV Diamond Lanes and 64 Express Lanes – HOV restrictions and Express Lanes tolls will be lifted on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29.
Travel to Virginia Beach – Peninsula traffic to Virginia Beach is encouraged to use the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) as an alternative to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT). If traveling to Virginia Beach, take I-664 south to the MMMBT. Then take the Portsmouth/Norfolk exit (exit 15A) to I-264 east to Virginia Beach.
Travel to Outer Banks – Traffic to the North Carolina Outer Banks should use I-664 and the MMMBT as an alternative to the HRBT to save time. From I-664 south, take the Portsmouth/Norfolk exit to I-264 east (exit 15A). Continue on I-264 east through the Downtown Tunnel and take the first exit to I-464 south (exit 8). From I-464, continue south onto the Chesapeake Expressway (Route 168). Continue south on Route 168 to the Outer Banks.
Note: Motorists should be advised of potential lane closures and truck traffic restrictions on the Chesapeake Expressway (Route 168) due to recent damage sustained to the bridge. Travel updates for the Chesapeake Expressway bridge can be found on the City of Chesapeake’s website atwww.cityofchesapeake.net/3171/Rt-168-Bypass-Bridge-Updates
STAY SAFE
Do your part to make travel safer for all:
If you plan to drink, have a designated driver
Don’t drive distracted, and speak up if someone else is doing so
Buckle up and ensure children and car seats are secured
Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you
Use your signals for lane changes and turns
Cars can heat dangerously fast on hot days: don’t leave children, elderly persons or pets in parked cars for any amount of time
For questions or to report hazardous road conditions, contact VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation-Richmond
A Virginia natural area preserve near the West Virginia border featuring old-growth forests has doubled in size with funding support from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has expanded Chestnut Ridge Natural Area Preserve by purchasing 775 acres of land, bringing the size of this preserve in Giles and Bland counties to 1,596 acres.
“With this expansion of Chestnut Ridge Natural Area Preserve, we are protecting core forest habitat for native plants, natural communities and animals in the Central Appalachian region,” said DCR Director Matthew Wells. “This addition also protects a ConserveVirginia land conservation priority, including a scenic corridor and 1.5 miles of riparian forest along Dry Fork, a native trout stream.”
Virginia’s natural area preserve system was established to protect habitats for rare plants and animals as well as the state’s best examples of natural communities. A natural community is an assemblage of native plants and animals that occurs repeatedly on the landscape under similar ecological conditions.
The original Chestnut Ridge preserve has an outstanding example of a Central Appalachian Chestnut Oak-Northern Red Oak forest with old-growth characteristics including individual trees over 300 years old. Two additional natural communities have been documented on the newly acquired portions of the Chestnut Ridge preserve, both of which are among the best of their types in Virginia. These include Central Appalachian Montane Oak-Hickory Forest Central and a globally and state imperiled Central Appalachian Mountain Pond.
“Our protection work to expand the amount of forest land and natural communities in and around Chestnut Ridge will go a long way to ensuring that the existing old-growth forests in the heart of the natural area preserve remain undisturbed and resilient,” said Jason Bulluck, director of the Virginia Natural Heritage Program at DCR, which manages the state’s 66 natural area preserves. “The entire area is classified as an ‘outstanding’ ecological core – the highest possible ranking in the Virginia Natural Landscape Assessment.”
The preserve, originally 233 acres, was established in 2006 with an open space easement and natural area deed of dedication recorded by the former landowners through a grant from the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation. In 2020, the first preserve expansion occurred through DCR’s purchase of additional forested areas lying to the north and the south.
The name of the preserve is a nod to the American chestnut, a formerly significant component of the forest here. Once an integral part of forests throughout the Appalachian region, this species has been decimated everywhere by the chestnut blight fungus, but, with the development of novel genotypes, may someday be restored across its native range.
As DCR’s ownership began only in 2020, resources have not been made available for public access facilities, parking areas nor established trails on the property.
Funds for the latest acquisition were awarded through VOF’s Forest Community Opportunities for Restoration and Enhancement (CORE) Fund, which was established to mitigate for forest fragmentation caused by the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
Three Ridges Touring, a premier outdoor guide company based in Nelson County, Virginia, has received a $4,230 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) Marketing Leverage Program (MLP) for its “Find Your Adventure” marketing program. This award is part of more than $3.2 million in grants given by VTC to 236 local and regional tourism marketing programs across Virginia to increase visitation and revenue for the state’s localities through tourism.
Travel confidence is increasing in this post-pandemic era. As a result, more couples and families are seeking unique and memorable experiences in the mountains. Three Ridges Touring specializes in curated outdoor tours tailored to clients’ ideal adventure, whether they seek thrills, restorative connections, or grounding experiences. Clients can choose from hiking, trail running, mountain biking, and backroad bike touring adventures designed for their skills and needs. Three Ridges Touring operates under permits with the US National Forest Service and National Park Service/Blue Ridge Parkway to provide clients with an unparalleled experience where adventure knows no bounds.
Three Ridges Touring Owner and Lead Guide Laura Wolf is passionate about sharing outdoor experiences with adventure seekers. “I find joy in the simplicity of being out in nature, and I’m dedicated to helping others experience that same sense of wonder and connection.” With extensive knowledge of the local landscape and a team of expert guides, Three Ridges Touring is committed to unforgettable experiences that showcase the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Three Ridges Touring is taking adventure to new heights by partnering with Love Ridge Mountain Lodging and The Indigo House B&B. “Together, we are elevating the outdoor experience and creating unforgettable memories in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains that will last a lifetime,” says Wolf of the partnership.
Nelson County Director of Economic Development and Tourism notes, “Three Ridges Touring is a valuable partner of Nelson Tourism. Laura participated in the Drive Outdoor strategic planning with Virginia Tourism Corporation and continues to help the County expand its presence in the outdoor recreation industry by helping families find their adventure.”
Virginia entities partner to apply for funding using the hub and spoke tourism partnership model. Partners may include Virginia cities, towns, counties, convention, and visitors’ bureaus, chambers of commerce, other local or regional destination marketing organizations, private businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events, and other tourism-related businesses. “VTC’s tourism marketing and sponsorship programs are designed to increase visitor spending by leveraging limited marketing dollars, to stimulate new tourism marketing through partnerships, and to extend the “Virginia is for Lovers” brand to drive visitation,” said Rita McClenny, VTC President and CEO. More information on VTC’s Marketing Leverage and Regional Marketing Programs can be found at vatc.org/grants.
