Packing for a Weekend Adventure

By Vanessa Park

So, you have decided to take an Excursion trip.  You have read our Lynchburg issue and have decided you would really like to see Sharp Top and experience Lynchburg's beautiful fall colors.  Your significant other is ready for a weekend away, you have made a fresh batch of our Best Ever Fall Trail Mix and you are looking forward to a weekend away outside.  But, other than clothes and toiletries, what should you pack?  Here, I will give packing tips for both those of you who will camp out and those of you who prefer the comfort of a hotel.

No matter where you are staying in Lynchburg, you will want to bring rain gear.  Lynchburg is beautiful, but known for having the occasional rainy day.  Secondly, be sure to use an online map service (such as Map Quest) to map out your route and to print directions for the places you know you want to go, this could include trails, restaurants and the locations of different events on our calendar. As you are planning what you will do, make a list of gear you might need (appropriate shoes for hiking, water bottles, sunscreen, etc.) and then use the list to pack your backpacks.  A packing list can save you from forgetting things and, in the end, save you valuable time and money on your weekend adventure!  If you plan on taking pictures, be sure to grab your camera and some extra batteries, just in case! Last, but certainly not least, grab the issue of Excursion Magazine featuring the place you're going.  Flip through it again in the car, and you may find something else you want to do or somewhere else you want to go! 

Did the Monacans Have a Secret Cave?

By Michael Johnson

A National Cave Research Association (NCRA) field director, Maureen Sanford, recently announced a previously unknown cave that was found in Monacan Park, off of US route 130 in Amherst County, VA.  This discovery was totally unexpected because the park had long been mapped.  Also, nothing in Monacan lore speaks of their using caves. 

This cave was stumbled upon by an area hiker, Randy Marsh, whose dog began chasing squirrels up a little stream that runs into the river.  The entrance was now exposed because of heavy rains in the area that dislodged a boulder.  Marsh immediately contacted NCRA, who sent Sanford to confirm the find.

The cave entrance had escaped detection not only because of the rock cliff, but the boulder itself was covered by thick brush and thicket.  Even Google Earth was not able to map it.  The NCRA now has laser-based measuring devices that are able to give dead-accurate measurements without over-estimation.  There results show a 60-by-300 feet cave.

Sanford is now exploring the cave with a team of Liberty University researchers, including undergrads.  If past history holds true, the cave should be mapped and accessible to cave explorers within the next 12 months.  This new cave offers irresistible inquiry into whether there are Monacan artifacts or even cave art.

Autumn is Awesome

This is another post by Excursion staff member Kelly Teufel.  Here, she shares her thoughts on Fall in Virginia and the city of Lynchburg. 

By Kelly Teufel

My experience of autumn in Lynchburg has been awesome. I am from West Palm Beach, Florida so I am used to beaches and 80-degree weather during fall. Excursion sent me to visit Lynchburg for a week and experience the area with our readers.

In Florida there are not any seasons it is just hot all the time. So the change was definitely needed and now, after living in Virginia for four years, I love seasons. Autumn is my favorite probably just because of what it brings and the holidays it leads to. In Florida its weird to carve pumpkins and drink hot chocolate. I just love that in Virginia, we have the opportunity to do the simple things like apple picking, pumpkin patches, festivals and hiking. 

When I think about these things I think of fall. I enjoy being outside and when you are outdoors in autumn the cool air is so wonderfully refreshing. I believe Virginia has made me want to keep living in a place where there is more than one season. Virginia has one of the best falls I have ever experienced.