Time to work off the candy - On Sunday take in the fall colors with a hike to Dragon's Tooth on the Appalachian Trail. When you're done, head to the Used Outdoor Gear Yard Sale and free zip line rides at Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing.  Who knows, maybe you'll find that piece of gear you didn't even know you needed, but you'll also get to ride the longest zip line in Virginia.

Last week left to experience the Roanoke Mountain Campground. The campground closes 11/1.  My family and I stayed there a few weekends ago and it was incredible.  There were only about 4 other campsites occupied - what a hidden gem.From the campground you can easily access some of the best hiking trails in Roanoke including the trails at Mill Mountain, Explore Park, and the Chestnut Ridge Trail.

Go Hiking!- Earlier this fall we compiled a list of the Top 10 Hikes in the Roanoke Region.  Now, they (and a few others) are Here for your convenience! You will be able to download directions, map, and tips, Click Here>>>

Brief closure at Cascades
One of the more popular day-hike destinations in the region will be temporarily shuttered soon.

The U.S. Forest Service plans to close the Cascades Recreation Area in Giles County on Nov. 2 for a reconstruction project on the parking area, which is prone to flooding. The planned reopening is Dec. 17.

A contractor will install a larger culvert at the lower end of the parking lot, then resurface the parking lot in a project paid for with funds from the economic stimulus package. Timing is actually about as good as it could be for a temporary closure of the Cascades area, falling between two busy seasons. The area is extremely popular during the fall foliage season, which is peaking now, and is also a popular hiking spot during frigid winter spells when sub-freezing temperatures turn the falls into a gorgeous natural ice sculpture.

Stimulus money will also be used to fund upgrade and repair work on the two trails to the falls.
That work is scheduled to begin after Jan. 1.

Patterson Creek update
To repeat information published recently in our news briefs section, the Forest Service has reopened the road along Patterson Creek in Craig County. The area, site of several well-established annual deer camps, had been closed while the Forest Service repaired damage from illegal off-road vehicle use.

How cool! The folks at Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing are giving away free zip line rides!

What: Outdoor Gear Yard Sale. Check out great deals on used outdoor gear and other equipment! (backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, kayak, canoes, bikes, and more). Click here for a sample list. Have some outdoor gear you want to get rid of? Bring it along and you can sell it too.

When: Sunday November 1 (11am-4pm). Zip Line rides are from 1-4pm.

What else: Enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch ($7 per person, Kids 12 & under eat free). Hike the trails, fish in their stocked pond, rent a canoe, and more!

Where: Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing is located just outside New Castle. Click here for driving directions.

The Roanoke Region's latest outpatient medical clinic features a giant cooling system - 25,000 square feet of sedum plants on the roof.

As Carilion Clinic transforms from primarily a hospital-based provider to a clinic model similar to the Mayo Clinic, the new five-story building provides offices for a host of specialists located near each other and the latest diagnostic equipment.



Carilion is in the process of applying for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council and expects that status to be granted within the next year.

The clinic was built on previously developed land, reducing the need to clear new space. Overall, the building is designed to use between 18 and 28 percent less energy than similar structures.

In addition to the "green" roof, the clinic features:

• Easy access to a downtown trolley network and greenways for walking or biking.
• Limited exterior lighting.
• Use of plants that don't need irrigation.
• Low-flow faucets and toilets.
• No CFC-based refrigerants used for air-conditioning.
• Reduced air contaminants with low- or zero-volatile organic compounds.
• Locally manufactured construction material.
• Recycled steel, concrete, doors and more for construction.
• Use of green cleaning products. Roanoke Region of Virginia

Join us as we take our bikes to the streets in Roanoke's Night of the Living Dead.

Come dressed as a zombie, the more bloody and disturbing the better. Freak bikes, tall bikes, and mini bikes welcome.

Leaving promptly from the CarLess Brit Museum at 6:30pm, we will make our way to the Civic Center to participate in Sponsor Hounds production of Michael Jackson's "Thiller."