Mountain Orientation

Well after spending the last few days relaxing on the beach in Virginia Beach (and a quick trip into North Carolina's outer banks), we decided a trip to Charlottesville was in store. The last week has been exhausting, and living out of a hotel is certainly getting old. Dad and I have been running back and forth from Portsmouth to Norfolk to Virginia Beach, so a trip to the mountains sounded promising.

Since getting here, Charlottesville is quickly becoming one of my favorite places around. The University of Virginia boasts a breathtaking campus, as it is rich in history and culture. Charlottesville is a very vibrant town, and it seems to encompass the lifestyle of those living within its boundaries. It is a town with incredible character, and is very easy to fall in love with. I have a feeling that each time I visit, it is going to be harder and harder to leave.

However, most of the pictures posted here are from much smaller towns, including Lovington, Scottsville, and similar towns hardly appearing on the map. Many of the pictures are from orchards just off the highway, which happened to feature some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. The pictures hardly capture the depth of these orchards, but I promise their beauty does not fall short of my claim. (And just for the record, we only touched on the outskirts of the mountains. The Appalachians boast a whole different level of intensity further West of our expedition.)

As we drove through small mountain towns and passed by the incredible views, I began to wonder how differently people would view the world if they were able to experience these landscapes. There is not doubt in my mind that if all of America was like this, or at least all of America were able to experience it, our nation would be much more patriotic on the whole. I found myself to be overwhelmed by a certain pride for my country after learning of its beauty and purity.

Furthermore, the simple inspiration of these landscapes is powerful. As you drive through the mountains, orchards, and forests, the landscapes and their history seem to breathe life into you. With each town that we explored, I found myself desiring to see more. I began to realize that there is so much more to life than my troubles and everyday routine, and I've got to get out there and see it! I found myself wanting to live longer just so I could have more time to explore it all, in turn leaving me with a desire to live healthier. I figure, the healthier I am, the more life I have to breathe, the more of God's creation I get to see. It is a strange addiction and inspiration, but I am willing to bet you will find the same joy in your adventures.

My hope in sharing these pictures is that those not so close to the beautiful landscapes of our historic land would find inspiration in what I am sharing. Hopefully, it will open your mind not just to new images, but to new ideas and perspectives on life. This is a country worth exploring, one to be proud of, and it is up to you to live a lifestyle than will someday enable you to do so.

Civil War Weekend

Life continues to move at an incredibly fast pace, and I can confidently say this "immersion week" in Virginia has been an unbelievable experience. Over the past week, we have done and seen some spectacular things. However, I don't think any of them were approached with the anticipation of this next adventure. This time, we were going back in time to the most remembered era of American history - an event that defind Southern culture as we know it today. This weekend, AdventureVA was all about Civil War Weekend.

Civil War Weekend is an annual event hosted by Pamplin Historical Park in Petersburg, Virginia, and destiny had in store for Petersburg to be the soil for my first ever Civil War reenactment. After reading the book "Confederates in the Attic", there was nothing I wanted to do more since getting here than experience a hardcore Civil War reenactment. I had read about the legendary stories of the most "way hardcore" reenactor, Rob Hodge, and nothing was going to stop me from getting to Petersburg to embrace my Civil War craving.

Arriving at the park was at first a bit disappointing, however. There was a very small crowd, and the event looked more like a tourist act than it did the hardcore reenactments I had read about. The crowd was small, and the Confederate encampments were thin. The Union encampments were nowhere to be found.

We did end up seeing a demonstration, among a few other things. I don't need to go into extravagant detail of the day itself, but I do want to make note of the fact that there is a significant difference between a demostration and a reenactment. Demonstrations usually contain only a small handful of park rangers shooting a few cannons and guns. A reenactment contains sometimes hundreds of reenactors, from both armies, acting out a battle with the integrity of historical preservation in mind. So when you decide to take on your first Civil War experience, just make sure you are seeing a reenactment instead of a demonstration.

Reenactment versus demonstration set aside, the demo was still actually pretty cool. The park rangers-turned Confederate soldiers shot cannons and rifles, which was exciting in itself, and it left me salivating over the chance to see what a real reenactment would look like. Guess I will just have to do my homework next time... but you can bet this won't be the last time I'm drooling over a Civil War battlefield.

My favorite part of the day was when we went to see the 97th Regimental String Band play. They had a bass, guitar, mandolin, and banjo, and played traditional Civil War songs that were normally heard around Confederate camps. Now of course, I'm naturally going to love the string band more because of the mandolin. But these guys were more than just musicians, they were true Civil War entertainers. They acted quite well in character, telling a number of Civil War era jokes (OK, so they were kind of cheesy by today's standards) and keeping the mood humuorous. They also worked hard to encourage the crowd to sing along, as many of the songs were familiar. Overall, seeing these guys was a blast, the music was actually good, and I think walking away from the experience, I'm a little turned on to Civil War string bands. Maybe I'll try and catch another show sometime down the road...

Well after all the Civil War Weekend festivities came to a close (there were other things we saw, but again I'll let the pictures tell the story), we wandered to the more permenant exhibits at the park. The museum at Pamplin is actually outstanding, and free. There is a wonderful walk through tour in which you are given headphones, which auto-play audio narration in your ears when you walk up to certain exhibits. That way, you only hear the things you want to hear. The best part is, when you aren't listening to a narration, the headphones play the sounds of a Civil War camp, which really makes you feel like you have traveled in time. I had a blast just sitting around the exhibits, and the museum does an outstanding job of really making the tour an experience as opposed to a traditional history lesson.

The best part of the museum was a short part of the audio tour, in which you enter a virtual battlefield. You walk through what a haunted house type area, where you are walking through deep forest and into a battlefield in which the armies have engaged in combat. As you walk through this "haunted house," air cannons shoot at you, explosions go off, and the ground shakes. You can literally see the flash of a shot, feel the bullet whizz past your head, and feel the ground shake as men around you fall. I have never seen such an impressive exhibit of a battlefield, and this alone is worth your trip to Petersburg.

In conclusion, it was a fun day at Pamplin, despite the fact that the reenactment wasn't hardcore. The part was beautiful, well preserved, and very interesting and educational. And at the end of the day, I'm even more fascinated with Civil War culture. Just remember, Yankees beware: the war may be over, but Pamplin is still Confederate territory.

Old Crow Medicine Show - Norva

Old Crow Medicine Show : Live @ The Norva June 21, 2007: The barn is still burning from last Wednesday. I would have written my review earlier, but the coals were still hot and most of my days were spent daydreaming about my time at the Norva. In the midst of my awestruck imaginary recreation of my first ever OCMS show, I really had little time to sit down and tell you about it. But without further adieu, here is AdventureVA's account of an Old Crow Medicine Show encounter at the Norva. And I promise, that's the last time I'll speak in the third person.

Now let me start with the Norva, since not only was this my first Old Crow concert, but it was also my first time at the Norva. In fact, it was my first night in Norfolk altogether. But that's a different story. The Norva is a wonderful venue in downtown Norfolk, humble on the outside but a wonderland on the inside. The Norva was quite dark before the stage was occupied, but to my delight it was smoke free and decorated quite well once Old Crow came out. There are some tables and seating stage-left on the main floor, and an upper balcony with more of the same above. You'll find a couple of bars on both levels, but they were far enough off to the side that I never found them to be of any annoyance.

Before the show, people were very friendly and willing to chat mostly about Bonnaroo, Floyd Fest, and nearby venues. To my surprise, there seemed to be a fair number of people in attendance who were also there to see OCMS for the first time. The show itself didn't start until about 45 minutes after the scheduled launch, so we definitely had enough time to meet and greet. It was a late arriving crowd, which isn't something you really see happening back in the Midwest. It was a little frustrating, but the guys more than made up for their late appearance when their performance.

The show itself was honestly the best concert I have ever seen. In fact, in order to make sure I wasn't just on a high from the concert, I waited to contemplate my review until the buzz had wore off. Four days later, I still think it was the best concert I have ever seen. Check that, it was the best concert I have ever seen. Very much to my surprise, it even passed some great memories of classic and mind-blowing Nickel Creek performances.

The band's energy and enthusiasm was unbelievable, as they went from one song to the next without any hesitation. By time it was all said and done, I was honestly surprised that none of them passed out from exhaustion. The set list was one of the best I have seen from OCMS, including two full sets and a feverishly memorable encore. Some of my personal favorites included New Virginia Creeper, Are You From Dixie?, Wagon Wheel, Down Home Girl, and the Tell It To Me finale.

It is always hard to put a band's performance into words when it is as magical a show as the boys put on at the Norva, so let me take a moment to share my thoughts on the crowd at the Norva. For the most part, everyone was real nice and easy going. There was plenty of dancing, and no one seemed able to sit still at any time during the show. My only complaint was that by the end of the show, an army of sloppy-drunk high schoolers had pushed their way to the stage and proceeded to soak us all in beer while attempting to dance. Around the same time, someone also threw beer onto the stage at the band, and Ketch didn't seem to appreciate that. But all in all, the crowd was a shocking mix of people and ages, and was quite tolerable.

Gauging the reaction of more regular OCMS fans, it sounds like the Norva show was one of the finest of late, and I couldn't agree more. This was hands down the best concert I have ever seen, OCMS has probably surpassed Nickel Creek as my all time favorite band, and I must pass my enthusiasm on to you and recommend you find yourself an OCMS show and get ready for one of the best times of your life.

Visit the oldcrowfans forum for pictures and a set list of the magical night...

Williamsburg Road Trip

Well, what started as a slow morning ended up being a long day filled with sights and smells that have me excited and curious. It was another hot day in Norfolk, and I decided to first take on the sun by going to see the Norfolk Tides play AAA baseball. They were playing the Charlotte Knights, who feature White Sox players Brian Anderson and Scott Posednik, and it was a day game, so I figured it would be a good way to spend the day. I've got a few pictures from the game (including an action shot of BA popping up, enjoy White Sox fans), and some shots from the water taxi I took over to the stadium. For you urban adventure seekers finding your way to the southeastern corridor of Virginia, I highly recommend taking the water taxi from the Portsmouth waterfront to the game. It really just adds to the experience when you are taking a boat (which only costs $1 by the way) across the Elizabeth River to see the Tides play. Although, this afternoon the baseball game ended up being an afterthought in my Thursday edition of AdventureVA...

Later in the afternoon, we ended up driving to Williamsburg where we will soon take residence. We took the road less traveled on our way in, and the adventure paid off. We passed on a stop at Jamestown in favor of driving the Colonial Parkway to our front door, and came across some beautiful shoreline on the James River that I never knew existed. You will see pictued some shots from the shore and the historic forest around it. If you are taking a trip to Jamestown or Colonial Williamsburg, make sure you pull off the tourist path and drive the Colonial Parkway until you hit the James River because this might be one of the most beautiful stops I've seen so far in southeastern Virginia.

After our stop along the James River, we headed into Colonial Williamsburg for a bite to eat at Aroma's, a small college-style cafe on the campus of William & Mary. There are plenty of small joints like this place around the campus, and you're sure to find something you enjoy here. Save one stop at an old church and cemetery dating back to the late 1700's, we also passed on the tourist trip through Colonial Williamsburg this time in favor of taking an alternate trip back to Portsmouth. Once again, taking the road less traveled ended up being the prize of the day.

We headed over to a Ferry (pictured), which takes carloads every half hour across the James River in about 13 minutes. The Ferry launch can be found on most road maps, launches from Jamestown, and is FREE. When the day was all said and done, this was one of the coolest things I have done since getting here. We got out of our car and sat at the front of the ferry, just watching the shorelines in complete shock at the beauty of it all. The cool breeze was refreshing after a long hot day, and the views of the surrounding area were breathtaking. I'll let the pictures say the rest.

Once getting back on land, we took a few detours at a state park, plantation, and some random historical sites along the way. There was a vast difference from the Williamsburg side of the river, as this side was incredibly rural and poor. I didn't have any room left on my camera to capture the images, but I hope to return and bring you a glimpse of a whole different world apart from the riches of Williamsburg. It was southern, and it was poor, but it was beautiful and full of down home country smells.

Our unplanned trip to Williamsburg ended up being very productive and fun, and the beauty of it all is far beyond words. Hopefully this narrative gives a little background on the pictures posted, but I'm going to have to recommed you experience this one yourself...

Adventure Wisconsin

Well I haven't even been here for a full day, and I already have a camera full of pictures. The ironic thing is, this is day one in Virginia, and the very first thing I have seen was all about ... Wisconsin. The USS Wisconsin, that is.

I am staying right on the water in Portsmouth, across the river from Norfolk, and decided "the other side" would be my first destination. So this morning I walked down to the riverfront in Portsmouth, paid $1 to get on a water taxi (a large ferry, pictured), and traveled across the Elizabeth River to Norfolk. It is a beautiful yet haunting sight across this river, which features a skyline filled with huge ships under construction. There are cranes everywhere, and the size of these ships is mesmerizing.

Once I reached Norfolk, I headed over to the Nauticus, which is a naval museum featuring the USS Wisconsin. Eager to get on board the large ship, which is free admission I might add, I briskly worked my way through the museum and finally stepped out on a US battleship for the first time in my life. This thing is so huge, you almost start to forget you are on a boat. The pictures I took can't even do justice to just how large this ship really is. As I worked my around the Wisconsin, my imagination started to run wild and I could begin to picture myself working the ship in its heyday. It is quite a majestic feeling hanging on to the handrails, towering over the ocean, looking down at the water below. There is almost a retired romantic feel to the whole atmosphere.

After finally tearing myself away from the USS Wisconsin, I headed inside to discover some Virginia naval history. The Nauticus museum is actually incredibly entertaining, and seemingly more "hardcore" than your regular museum. I can get easily bored at the Smithsonian's in DC, for example, as it seems their goal is simply to entertain. Here, it was clear there was no messing around. I really appreciated the dedication to history at the Nauticus. I took a few pictures of some of my favorite exhibits, which was essentially all the Civil War stuff.

I am becoming feverishly interested in the Civil War, an interest that is being fueled by a book I'm reading titled, "Confederates in the Attic." This book has changed my outlook on history, and has opened my eyes to a world of people still fighting the Civil War today. As the Civil War naval history at the Nauticus whet my appetite for more and more, I have decided that soon I need to check out some Civil War reenactments, while tracing my blood line to the "War Between the States."

This afternoon I am keeping my eye on the storms hitting the East Coast right now, which ironically are the very storms that knocked out power at home in Wisconsin the day before I flew out here. If the rain passes, I hope to take a walk through the Portsmouth Historic district (I have here a few pictures I took while just passing by), followed by a stop at the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, also in Portsmouth. Although, regardless of the weather, tonight I'm going to see Old Crow Medicine Show at the Norva in Norfolk, which I have been looking forward to for months now...

Willis Prudhomme And Zydeco Express

The 2007 Chicago Blues Fest in Grant Park was an incredibly beautiful, four day festival filled with spectacular music and culture. The streets and stages were
absolutely packed, the weather was perfect, and the skyline backdrop was, as usual, breathtaking. Chicago is a great place to catch some live blues, and once again, this festival was no exception. I will let the pictures posted in my previous post speak for the festival vibe, because today you need to know about my top standout band for the 2007 Chicago Blues Fest.

My standout festival band from 2007 is Willis Prudhomme And Zydeco Express, who played at the Louisiana Bayou Stage. This band featured an Accordion, Bass, Guitar, Drums, and a Scrub board, which created an oddly addicting sound. It was not your traditional Chicago electric blues sound, but was full of energy, culture, and down right fun.

As I first approached the stage, which was decorated with a Louisiana-style backdrop, I was more curious than I was expecting to see a standout performance. However, the longer I stood and watched, the more I became enthralled with the atmosphere. It took only a few minutes to realize that Willis Prudhomme was not just putting on a show, he was creating an atmosphere. I couldn't help but fall in love with the vibe, and began to dance around a little myself. As the performance went on, I noticed people were beginning to pack in behind me as they fell into a similar groove.

One thing that really caught my attention was the amount of people dancing around this stage relative to the other stages. As much as I enjoyed the music, I also found myself spending a lot of time watching people dance. Even people just passing by the stage couldn't help but dance around as they walked past. I couldn't help but smile and laugh, and as these people were letting loose in the heat, I began to realize that this band was special. I thought to myself, "This is AdventureVA - this is the band I have been searching for."

It didn't take long to realize that the Louisiana culture was transcended through Willis Prudhomme and his music. Willis was not just showing his audience what Louisiana sounded like - he was inviting them to be a part of it in order to experience and enjoy it. His proposition was obviously appealing. At least for the time Willis Prudhomme And Zydeco Express was performing, I didn't just have to watch a concert, I could be a part of it.

Overall, the performance was enthusiastic and simply fun. Willis, who was on vocals, interacted with the crowd quite positively and was clearly having fun himself. I'm convinced that had not one single person showed up for their show, these guys were still going to have just as much fun and were going to jam just as hard. (And I must add, the woman making a guest appearance on the Scrub Board was gorgeous and fit right in on stage.)

This is a band that you might need to see live before falling in love with their album recordings, but I promise after seeing them in person, you will come back addicted to that Accordion sound and easy going Louisiana style. Needless to say, Willis Prudhomme's ability to transcend his culture, creativity, and enthusiasm through live music is an appeal to the AdventureVA lifestyle, and I recommend this band for a fresh and lively sound.

AdventureVA Musical Crash Course

As promised, I will be posting reviews of concerts throughout the summer with the goal of not only sharing my musical adventures, but also opening your eyes and ears to creative bands that you might not otherwise hear about. If you are tired of mainstream music and are instead interested in music with meaning, integrity, and culture, then I recommend keeping an eye on these reviews, as they should introduce you to some quality music. In fact, if you are someone who is appreciative of and interested in the quest for creative and cultural music, then I recommend bookmarking this site now because all summer long I will be conducting a search through the Appalachian Mountains for new talent and sounds.

AdventureVA is as much about a lifestyle of discovering and enjoying musical creativity as it is venturing into the wilderness to explore God's green beauty. The reviews and experiences posted here are not restricted to the Virginia region. Rather, they are dedicated to the diversity and creativity of musical culture from every corner of the globe. The goal of my search for new and culturally representative sounds is a rejection of the mainstream garbage we are spoon-fed through the media. My hope is that your eyes will in fact be opened to new ideas, sounds, and cultures through the appreciation of music, as you begin to tear away from the mediocrity of mainstream society and embrace the AdventureVA lifestyle.

Chicago Blues Fest

On Saturday June 9, we kicked off the summer concert season with a bang at the Chicago Blues Fest in Grant Park. The festival was a blast, the weather was perfect, the music was great, and the fans created a wonderful vibe. I'll be reviewing a few shows soon, but here are some pictures to enjoy in the meantime.

Trailhead

trailhead [treyl-hed]: the point at which a trail begins.

Welcome to Adventure_VA, the cyberspace trailhead to a lifestyle of adventure, integrity, and exploration. Here you can expect to find intellectual freedom and creativity, decorated with the documentation of life's adventures in the arenas of music and nature. The photos, journals, and thoughts recorded here are reflections of my own adventures, along with my friend Cain Anderson.

Adventure_VA stands for a dedicated lifestyle of adventure, with the intent to inspire and inform, all the while documenting the simple joys of music and nature. This summer will feature photos and trip reports from multiple camping and fishing trips throughout the Appalachian Trail, Great Dismal Swamp, and the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Furthermore, I will be sharing my experiences with a variety of blues, Americana, and bluegrass bands, highlighted by big names such as Nickel Creek and Old Crow Medicine Show.

For those unaware, my family is moving from Brookfield, WI to Norfolk, VA this summer. For many years I have dreamed of exploring the Appalachian Mountains and its old time southern culture, and this summer is my first real shot. Although I will be returning to Chicago in August to finish my senior year at DePaul University, we are leaving a lot of friends in the Midwest and I thought there is no better way to share my experiences in our new home than through this blog. So regardless if you are an old friend or a complete stranger, I invite you to share with me in this adventure that will surely extend beyond the borders of Virginia and begin to define a lifestyle known as Adventure_VA.