Did you ever wake up to the smell of cow manure at 6:30 a.m.? How about getting out of school for the threat of 8 inches of snow only to find a dusting when you woke up? If these memories ring a bell, then you most definitely remember the weather forecast saying it would not snow, only to wake up to 20 inches on the ground and two weeks without school.
Growing up in the Shenandoah Valley was fun. It was slow-paced. Looking back, I do not know why we did half the things we did. Regardless, if you are from the Shenandoah Valley, specifically the Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg and Lexington areas, then you can most likely identify with the following things.
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Going to Klines
All Hail Klines. No ice cream will ever compare to the deliciousness that is Klines. Oh, and the barbecue is definitely bae. I still make a trip to Waynesboro every time I visit home.
Friday night football: the rivalries and the drama
A close second to the Super Bowl, folks in Augusta County give more attention to high school football than anything else on Earth. The rivalries go back generations. As a Riverheads kid, there is nothing worse than Wilson, Gap is always a good game, and Stuarts Draft is not even worth mentioning. If you missed the action on Friday night, you could always be sure to catch up on the drama Monday morning from the Staunton News Leader.
Homecoming and prom
Let's see how many of each I can go to so I can be better than you. Homecoming and prom are basically the Grammys and Emmys of the Shenandoah Valley. Do not forget to go to downtown Staunton and take your group pictures in front of the railroad tracks!
Hull's Drive-In
I am looking at you, Lexington. Going to the drive-in is basically the most romantic thing you could do for the love of your life. And seeing two movies for the price of one? You betcha!
JMU
Growing up near JMU exposed us to so many things. I know of a few who thought they were so cool when they tried to get into JMU parties (even though it never worked). A+ for effort, though.
County fairs and lawn parties
When the summer rolls around you know it is time for the County Fair! I was always excited to see what "big time" artist was going to come to the Rockingham County Fair. I also made it a point to see the pig races at least twice at the Augusta County Fair. You can't forget the lawn parties either. Stuarts Draft always killed it with their parade, and Bridgewater's carnival was probably the best in all of Rockingham County.
Haunted houses
Twizted Creationz and Fear Forest were always a must in the area. When Halloween rolls into town, people waited hours upon hours to see the same old haunted houses. I bet you still jumped when you saw that big clown though.
Charlottesville
Going to Charlottesville on a Saturday was a godsend. It was like leaving one world and entering a much fancier one. Looking back, I am not really sure why, but we really loved Charlottesville.
Blue Ridge Community College
Blue U! I went there, your cousin went there, everyone goes there. When you were in high school, the coolest thing you could do was dual enroll at BRCC. Getting out of class half a day to go to college was boss.
Sledding at Mary Baldwin
Everyone told you about how people died doing it, but you still did it. Flying down that hill with 70 other people alongside you was the most exhilarating thing you could do on a snow day.
Lifted trucks
Do I have to go into detail on this one?
Getting stuck behind a tractor
Every. Single. Day. Do not ever drive south on Route 11 early in the morning. Tractors are out and they will make you late to school. If I did not win an award for perfect attendance, I blame it on the tractors.
Hunting season
The first week of hunting season is the week of school that half of the class is missing, and rightfully so. In fact, most teachers excused missing class for hunting.
If any of these strike a chord with you, then chances are you are from the Shenandoah Valley. I would also take a bet to say that you smiled thinking about all the things you did on the back roads of Elkton, or that time you spent all night driving back and forth from Staunton and Waynesboro on Route 250. No matter what you have done or will do, the Shenandoah Valley has helped make you the person you are today. I know I am proud of that, and I am definitely proud to call the Valley my home!
