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PETE'S PICKS
Ahhh. Fall is officially here. The new chill in the air is my perfect excuse to put on a fleece jacket, while still wearing shorts. It's quite possibly my favorite time of the year. If you're looking for a new fleece, or any new piece of gear for that matter, check out Outdoor Trails 11th annual fall demo day and sale. See 25+ tents set up, test out a stove or water filter, and talk with reps from Kelty, Sierra Designs, Asolo, Patagonia, and more this Saturday (10 a.m.-5 p.m.). And Sunday you can take your new piece of gear out for a hike to one of my favorite places - Bottom Creek Gorge. The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club is leading a hike (1 p.m.) through Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve, which is a Nature Conservancy property tucked at the corner of Roanoke, Floyd, and Montgomery counties. If you can't make this hike, definitely add it to your bucket list. Get Outside!
Pete Eshelman
Director of Outdoor Branding
Roanoke Regional Partnership
  
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NATIONAL 'HIKING ADVENTURER' TO SPEAK IN ROANOKE TONIGHT
 Hear personal experiences from an Appalachian Trail women's record-holder during a talk Wednesday in Roanoke.
Jennifer Pharr Davis has hiked more than 11,000 miles on six continents and completed three thru-hikes on the Appalachian Trail. She will talk in detail about one of these hikes - alone from Georgia to Maine in 2005 - and how it changed her.
From that experience, Davis learned what she needed to hike the trail again in 2008 -- setting the women's record. She finished the trail (2,181 miles) in 46.5 days at an average speed of 46.9 miles per day and is still owns the overall speed record. She is also the current National Geographic Hiking Adventurer of the Year.
The talk begins at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Walkabout Outfitter's Valley View Mall location. Call 777-0990 to reserve your seat because space is limited.
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TRY A UNIQUE SPORT AT GO FEST
 There are some events that you will only find at the Roanoke GO Outside Festival.
So you want to make sure to be there for the free three-day event, Oct. 19-21 at River's Edge.
Here are three unique events that are sure to be a blast. And you can check out the full schedule on the GO FEST website.
"Huffy Toss" Challenge: Test your strength as you try to toss a bike and earn style points along the way. The winner is decided by an intricate point system, the main factor being distance the bike is thrown. Extra points are awarded for entertainment value, outfit, parts that fly off the bike, number of flips the bike does and more! Challenges Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 4 and 8 p.m.
Torpedo Challenge: Two to four riders hop on a bike to test their skills along an obstacle course. The top 16 times each day will move on to the finals and chance to win prizes. You can test your skills at any time; daily finals are Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Ultimate Air Dogs: In dock jumping, dogs sit on the dock with handlers and run and leap into the water to catch a toy. The sport is open to dogs of any size (from Yorkie to Great Dane) and breed. And you can test your dog's water-fetching abilities -- bring your dog and register at the booth, which will be open all weekend. Shows are Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., Saturday from noon-2 p.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the finals beginning at 3 p.m.
GO FEST
- Dates: Oct. 19-21 (gates open Friday at 5 p.m.)
- Location: River Edge Sports Complex, Roanoke
- Cost: Free
- Activities: Camping, free demos, pro athletes, climbing wall, music, disc golf, geocaching, kayaking, running and more
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PARKWAY APP COULD HELP YOU PLAN NEXT TRIP
 Planning to look at the fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway?
Download the new Blue Ridge Parkway Travel Planner before you leave. The app is free for both Android and iPhone users.
The app provides real-time and geographic-based information about points of interest along the Blue Ridge Parkway including historical information, lodging and camping options, major hiking trail descriptions, and visitor services.
The app can be a great tool for visiting new communities or exploring areas around where you live. Some of the features of the app include maps and navigation guides, gas and camping stops, information about popular hiking trails, wildlife information, and suggested itineraries. All of the information can be customized based on location using your phone's GPS.
Read more about the app >>>
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DON'T MISS THE LIVE MUSIC AT GO FEST
 There's only one place in the Roanoke Region where you can hear eight great musical acts for free in the same day - GO FEST! There will be something for every musical style and taste from the traditional African gospel sounds of Bukuru Celestin and Friends, the strings of Grass Monkey, Latin sounds of Chicha Libre, and the fun, riverboat steam style of Another Roadside Attraction. The tunes will be nonstop on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 1 p.m. until well into the evening. You can see all of the acts for free at GO FEST, Oct. 19-21 at River's Edge. Thanks to partners Music Lab at Jefferson Center and CityWorks (X)po Big Ideas for Small Cities for their support of live music. Check out the music lineup >>> GO FEST - Dates: Oct. 19-21 (gates open Friday at 5 p.m.)
- Location: River Edge Sports Complex, Roanoke
- Cost: Free
- Activities: Camping, free demos, pro athletes, climbing wall, music, disc golf, geocaching, kayaking, running and more
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UPCOMING EVENTS TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON
Visit The RoanokeOutside.com Calendar of Events for details on these upcoming events!
- Into the Darkness Trail Run - 10/20
- GO Outside Festival - 10/19-21
- Ultimate Air Dogs
- KEEN Recess is Back Photo Booth
- Gibbon Slackline Pro Team
- Jeff Lenosky Bike Trials Pro
- Sierra Nevada Torpedo Race
- Flyball
- Boat and Bike Demo Zone
- Huffy Bike Toss
- and much more...
- Peaks Run Century Cycling Challenge - 10/27
- Big Lick Vet Tails and Trails K9 5K - 11/3
- Roanoke Tweed Run - 11/3
- 2nd Annual Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra - 11/17
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Roanoke Regional Partnership · 111 Franklin Plaza, Suite 333 · Roanoke, VA 24011540.343.1550 X 104 · www.roanoke.org
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