Foamhenge

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Sorry, loyal followers. I am a couple of days behind in entries. Please look at the now completed Baltimore entry. All those photos now have explanations...

Wednesday September 16 I left Baltimore and headed for the mountains of western Virginia. I was on my way to see Davidson play Radford in a soccer match. But first a couple of other stops...

My first stop was in Chevy Chase, Maryland. I was hoping to see the World's Biggest Ball of Rubberbands, or at least it had been until 2006. But alas, it is now in storage.

Onward to Natural Bridge, Virginia, up in the Shenadoah Mountains. First stop: Foamhenge. A Styrofoam Stonehenge. How can you not stop?

I must admit that I was captivated by the beauty and mystery of these megaliths as I wondered about the ancients who built them. Oh, wait, Foamhenge was built by a guy named Mark Cline. He occasionally makes repairs due to vandalism and weathering.

Here I am squinting into the sun. Must be one of those equinox things.





I was incredibly bummed to find that Dinosaur Land was closed (only open weekends). It consists of fiberglass dinosaurs and life size Union soldiers built by the same Mark Cline that did Foamhenge. It's dinosaurs vs. the Union Army in an alternate universe Civil War! Apparently it shows great carnage. The War Between the States will never end in Virginia... Here is photo I nicked off the net.

On to the actual Natural Bridge. It is an enormous and breathtaking rock bridge. Great nature walk.










Apparently George Washington surveyed the bridge. His initials prove it.

On to Radford University, where I saw the Davidson soccer team defeat Radford 2-0. It has been eons since I have seen them play. I sat with the parents of sophomore Mark Millard and got some perspective on what it means to play college soccer today. I met Coach Matt Spears after the game, and hope to see him Friday when I am on Davidson campus.

Thursday September 17: Hickory, North Carolina, self-proclaimed Redneck Central, to see college friends Sarah Womack Parham and John Parham.