SALEM AND A QUICK LOOK AT ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

Paul receives periodic emails from West Chester University, our alma mater.  Recently, we got a message that their women's softball team qualified for the NCAA Division 2 College World Series.  As it turned out, the games were being played in Salem, VA, a town about a 90-minute drive from Hillsville.  We thought it might be fun to see the Rams in their first-ever appearance in this event.

We headed north from the resort to I-81 and turned towards Salem.  As we entered I-81, we encountered a long line of motorcycles heading in the same direction.  It turns out that we entered the interstate in the midst of the southern route of the Run to the Wall, one of three motorcycle caravans heading to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC.  The group we encountered began in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, and happened to be passing through Virgina this day.

The motorcycle convoy stayed in the right hand lane while other vehicles passed on the left.  It took us a good 30 minutes to pass several hundred cycles as they made their way to honor their comrades who died during the Vietnam conflict.  There were local folks on many of the bridges waving to the cyclists as they rode by, a very patriotic sight to see.

We arrived at the Moyer Softball Complex in Salem to see these logos on the data sign outside the front gate.

   










The field was adorned with championship banners  . . .

and the stands were full; thanks to about 5 or 6 bus loads of elementary school children attending as part of a field trip.  Otherwise, these smaller schools would have played in front of maybe 150 fans.

West Chester scored first with a home run in the top of the 4th inning only to end up on the short end of a 5-1 score.  The Rams did win their next game before losing a 2nd game in the double-elimination tournament.

We explored Salem and nearby Roanoke during the remainder of the afternoon.  Yes, we found a small craft brewery and enjoyed a cold beer.  This was not a photo opportunity since the "tasting room" was in the back of a warehouse.  We were the only people there but got to learn some of the history of Roanoke from the bartender.  Did you know Roanoke was the railroad capitol of the south, and several railroads called Roanoke home including the Norfolk and Western RR and the Virginian RR?

Why have we become such craft beer fans?  The answer can be found in this sign which was in the restaurant where we had dinner.

In the early evening, we headed off to see the Salem Red Sox, the advanced single A farm team of the Boston Red Sox.  The better players from this team will eventually move up to play for the Portland Sea Dogs, the team we watched last summer.  The Salem Red Sox call Lewis Gale Field home, an impressive looking stadium as you enter. 

The stadium was generic on the inside and not very full of fans.  The view of the Appalachian Mountains in the distance did enhance the experience, though.

Paul got to meet Mugsy during the game.

The Salem team played poorly this night.  Twelve of their 27 outs were by strikeouts and the Sox only managed 2 hits in the entire game, losing to the Winston-Salem Dash.    

We had a fun filled day and were ready to begin work again the next day, with over 100 check-ins for the Memorial Day weekend.