Because I’m a big dork, when I encounter Virginia place names that I’m not familiar with, I like to look them up on Google Maps and see how many times I have to zoom out until I recognize what part of the state that the place is. Sometimes there’s a highway or a river that allows me to round it down to a particular chunk of Virginia. Sometimes there’s a park or another town nearby that I can place. But sometimes I’ve got to zoom out an awfully long way before I can find something familiar to grab onto. My progress in the Commonwealth Quest has been helpful in getting to know Virginia better, but I think it’d take a lifetime to learn every nook and cranny.
Here are a few out-of-the-way places, by way of example.
How long did it take you to place them?
Depends on what you mean by “place them”. I had a pretty good idea on all of them except the campground one based on a few clues such as “neck” (had to be near a large body of water, GW Nat’l Forest (SW VA), Rt. 15 Central prob. S Central), “historyland hwy” which had to be somewhere near Williamsburg.. But it was fun.
Then you’ve already learned how to play the game, Robert. :) It took me months to figure out to use clues like “neck,” rocket surgeon that I am.
There’s a Tastee-Freez in Craigsville. For some reason, I love that little fast-food chain. I think it’s because they seem to be situated near my favorite mountain biking trails. After riding in Douthat State Park, you drive back to Cville through Craigsville, and a milkshake sure tastes great. There’s one in Churchville, too, near a lot of great trails.
Funny how my last comment mentioned three towns that all could be called “Cville”
“Rocket surgeon.” Ha. Love it and thank you. I am perpetuating that mini-meme as much as possible. Nice to see it here. Under the radar so far, but I see a big future in it. Way better than it’s most recent predecessor: FTW.
Craigsville was easy. I use the shooting range just up Rt. 42 from there for a lot of my classes. In fact I can even see the access road on there.
I’ve been on business trips that took me past Carrolton. Farnham has me stumped.
Those were good ones. Couple of them took me a minute, but the highways were a tip-off. Having visited every Virginia courthouse except two (Greensville and Russell) in the past 30 months, there aren’t many highways I haven’t traveled at least once.
Route 42 is a stunningly beautiful drive. If you ever have to travel to Abingdon or Bristol, and have the time, take 42 instead of 81. Well worth the extra hour.
Re the Commonwealth Quest… it seems a little odd to consider that someone has “visited” a particular city or county by simply being a passenger in a vehicle on a highway. But to each his own.
Jeez, that’s some serious driving. (I had to look up Greensville, only to discover that it’s a county, only to discover that I’ve been there repeatedly.)
I know you’re not a fan. :) But, hey, it’s just a game. Once enough of us hit every locality, then we’ll want to take it up a notch. I’m not sure that spending a night in every locality is viable (that would involve four and a half months of back-to-back hotel stays), but there’s got to be some kind of additional bonus round. Having a meal there? Strolling around at least X towns? I’m not sure.
Agreed on 42 being a beautiful drive. I rode my motorcycle from its northern terminus at Woodstock down to its intersection with US460 at Newport[1] one day during college. Wonderful way to spend a day….
[1] There’s a gap in 42 between Clifton Forge and New Castle; I wound up taking a back road through Oriskany.