Retire VA 24 - 20

put your boat in the Roanoke
River, and Carvins Cove is open
to boats (bring your own or rent
one), as well.
Pete Eshelman of Roanoke
Outside says, " There are more
than 400 miles of hiking trails
within 25 miles of Roanoke. From
flat greenways that parallel the
Roanoke River to the more challenging
Appalachian Trail and
its iconic McAfee Knob, there is
something for every fitness level.
The beauty of Roanoke is that the
trails are all easily accessible. "
Don't know where to start?
Sandy and Phil Sheldon have moved from avid tennis players to frequent
pickleballers at the Salem YMCA.
THE PICKLEBALL CRAZE
In recent years, the pickleball level of popularity has reached the
" craze " state with courts popping up throughout the Roanoke Valley
and even a pickleball camp at Smith Mountain Lake. Most recently,
the YMCA of the Roanoke Valley announced it would include eight
new pickleball courts when it opens its new facility (a full Y without
the pool) at Tanglewood Mall.
The YMCA already has three facilities with pickleball courts in the
Valley (one each in Roanoke, Salem and Daleville). Performance
Pickleball recently announced that its second Virginia location (with
10 courts) is planned in Roanoke at the Spectrum Sports Academy.
There are also a plethora of both inside and outside courts, both
public and private, available to the interested, and you can find
out where and when you can play at playtime.org.
Pickleball offers a unique opportunity for players from late middle
age to deeply advanced age (players in their 80s are not unusual).
You can pick your opponents as well, and pickleball is a seriously
social activity for any age.
You can schedule a game at one of the many courts in the Roanoke
Valley at playtimescheduler.com. -DS
20
Retire-VA.com / RETIRE-VA 2025
" The Roanoke outdoor community
is extremely welcoming with
several groups you can join that
will have you hitting the trail
in no time, says Eshelman. For
the older community, Eshelman
recommends the Roanoke
Appalachian Trail Club and
the Roanoke Valley Hiking and
Adventure Group.
Asheville, North Carolina,
which has a shade more than 10
miles of greenway trails boasts
of its volume, which isn't even
close to Roanoke's. Most of the
Roanoke Valley Greenway trails
are easily accessible, hard-surfaced
(whether dirt or asphalt)
and relatively easy to walk or bike
at your own pace.
The Roanoke Valley and
vicinity are festooned with hiking
trails ending in waterfalls.
Among them are Roaring Run (an
easy mile that is breathtakingly
beautiful), Apple Orchard Falls,
Bottom Creek Gorge (with three
trails and a 1,000-foot waterfall
at its end), Cascade Falls,
Fallingwater Cascades, Stiles
Falls at Camp Alta Mons and Falls
Ridge. (Find your favorite at visitroanokeva.com).
I
http://www.playtime.org http://www.visitroanokeva.com http://www.visitroanokeva.com http://www.playtimescheduler.com http://www.Retire-VA.com
Retire VA 24

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