Thanks for sharing. Kindof a derail, but wth....
I went to Radford University very close by, and hung out at Claytor Lake, right down (up?) from the shot tower.
This YT presenter drives all over SW Va. and documents towns. I've spent hours watching him drive through rural areas in Va./Wv.
Ironically, right after watching the shot tower video, YT algorithm suggested their video of Radford- So I fast forward to my college apartment. It's the second floor corner apartment to the far end of the building past the movie theater.
In the summers, we would hang out on the ceiling over the theater to keep cool (no AC) and everyone in the theater could hear us walking above them. Very special memories here.
If you had of driven by in 1991, I would have had a small hibatchi cantilevered off the second floor window, that was until the maintenance guy saw it and yelled at me. Since we had the corner apartment, we would jump out our apartment window across a 4ft wide walkway onto the rooftop of what is now "rileys sports bar" in the video. Back then it was "lucky's." Once on the roof, we could jump into the back area and avoid cover charges.
FWIW- The New river is PLENTY of rapids for me. No need for Gauley!
