Written by Joe Frey

I was not always an outdoors enthusiast.  Sure, I loved being outside playing catch or going for a swim, but when it came to going on a hike to an overlook or kayaking in the bay I began thinking of excuses for why I “couldn’t go.” If I’m being honest it wasn’t for a lack of motivation, it just didn’t really sound fun.
Fast forward a few years and I am in high school.  I had various social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and noticed my friends posting amazing pictures and awesome things in the outdoors.  So that Christmas I asked for a GoPro.  An indestructible camera that magically motivated me to go explore and seek out the next post for my Instagram.  Many of you who are reading this may have experienced this same drive. I found myself seeking the next adrenaline rush simply to capture the video or picture.  Regardless of whether the desire was for status or for excitement, I wasn’t exploring to appreciate God’s incredible creation. I just wanted to snap the perfect photo.

Looking at the pictures I have taken over the years, it was clear that I broke many rules to capture more than a few of them.  I was oblivious to the “No Trespassing” and “Danger” signs that are posted, much like many other adventurers.  But why … Read More

Running through college
Written by Danielle Ledgerwood
We take pride in the fact that our Liberty Mountain Trail Series provides a way for new runners from the community to learn and gain a sense of familiarity with the sport of trail running. But we also love that the series gives Liberty students an outlet to use their competitive high school running careers in college.
At only 18 years old, Marina Iodice was our youngest LMTS finisher this past year. In her first year as a residential student at Liberty studying American Sign Language Interpretation, she ran all five races in our trail series in addition to Harvest After Dark, our short distance, Halloween-themed fun-run.

 
Her results in each of the 5 LMTS races were as follows:
Deep Hollow 5K: 4th in Female age group 14-19
Valley View 5 Miler: 3rd in Female age group 14-19
Reindeer Run: 3rd in Female age group 14-19
Arctic 5K: 4th in Female in age group 14-19
King of the Mountain: 5th Female in age group 14-19
 

Marina has been running for most of her life, and she started seriously competing around 5 years ago, when she ran track and field and cross country in high school. “I personally think running is fun,” she said. “What motivates me to run is the feeling of accomplishment after I finish a workout or race. I never found the time in college to … Read More

A family that runs together…
Written by Mike Ellsworth
 

Tina’s family moved to Lynchburg from Buffalo and knew that they wanted to connect to the University and the community.  They found that by running the Liberty Mountain Trail Series.  They also found a great new way to connect as a family.
Tina was new to running on trails, but not new to the sport.  She had been a runner for 36 years, but with easy access to beautiful trails, it was very quickly became habitual for Tina to hit the woods for those moments of peace.  “I like them better than just running on the flat road and pounding.  I enjoy it a lot more…”  She later mentioned how the quiet alone time that she spends on the trails acts as her downtime, where she makes time for prayer and peace.
Running for 36 years, Tina has always used running as an anchor to hold her life together.  Though she has always been a competitive and fast runner, it was always the joy of the run, not the outcome of the competition that she seemed to reflect on during our conversation.  “It has always been a quiet time for me” she says.  Through marriage, raising children, a move to Lynchburg and a battle with breast cancer, running has seemed to act as the consistent fuel to keep her connected … Read More

Written by Linda Galvez
 

“When an eighty-five pound mammal licks your tears away, then tries to sit on your lap, it’s hard to feel sad.”
Kristan Higgins (author, In Your Dreams)

As a pet owner, I’m always searching for dog friendly places to bring my best pal, Eli.
A little bit about Eli, he is a 92 lbs. “force of nature”, becomes friends with any human who pets him, and loves other dogs big and small. He fears nothing, but can also be the biggest baby in the room. Eli has extensive amounts of energy which when controlled can be so much fun, but when left to his own devices can be a terror. Which is why I have found training techniques which allow us to enjoy the outdoors in a safe and fun way! On my days off, I love coming back to Hydaway and bringing Eli with me to run trails or go swimming. We welcome all dogs at Hydaway and encourage all owners to be in control of their pets while visiting our facility!
Eli and I enjoy running Lake Trail, Trail Too Far, and Lasso and then jumping into the water to cool down after. When we’re not on Liberty Mountain, we enjoy driving to Black Water Creek Trail or Percival’s Island downtown. On nice cool days you can find us at any dog friendly restaurant … Read More

A Time to Connect
Written by Danielle Ledgerwood
 

Running, for Shelley, started after attending other races and watching a friend compete, so she decided to try it herself. She really enjoyed the environment at those events and knew that they’d help her to grow as a person, in more ways than one.  Shelley Stephens has now been an avid runner for 13 years.
“I’ve always been introverted and have kept to myself,” Shelley admitted. “I noticed that being around people with the same interests pushed me to talk to others.”
Her time spent running on the Liberty Mountain Trail System also helped her reconnect with her husband Mark after they divorced in 2000. They’ve used their time on the trails to spend time getting to know each other better and to listen to what the Lord is saying to them. Since then, they’ve been remarried for 11 years.
“We developed a bond, and I think he started to gain a certain amount of respect for me, seeing that I was really pushing myself.” Recently, 4 back surgeries have prevented her husband from running, but they can still hike and bike together.
 

Shelley has definitely been pushing herself. In the 2018-2019 Liberty Mountain Trail Series, she won the female master’s category at the Deep Hollow Half Marathon, the Arctic 5k, and King of the Mountain, plus a 3rd overall female finish at … Read More

Jumping Right In
Written by Mike Ellsworth
 

Talk about jumping into trail running!  Derek’s first experience with trail running was right on our home turf on the Liberty Mountain Trail System.  In December of 2017, Derek set out on the Deep Hollow course armed with a new Garmin watch and a Strava account.  He might have got a little lost and felt miserable for a few days, but the love for trail running was ignited and he ran the Deep Hollow Hal-Marathon the next October.
Derek ran Indoor and Outdoor track in high school right here at Jefferson Forest.  He was involved in short distances mostly, the 400M and less, as well as hurdles.  From there he went on to ran one season at Bridgewater College.  After that season he basically took a 13 year hiatus from the sport. Derek shared with me his thoughts on how he transitioned from being a competitive track sprinter into the trail distance runner that he is now.

“It is a different world.  I saw my competitive 7:30 half marathon pace drop to 8:30 overnight.  I though “Aww man, I’m going slow!”” was his initial response.  It really was a slow and steady transition for him.  In the beginning Derek had a great friend who was able to prepare him for success.  Derek remembers that “He set up a training sheet for me … Read More

Written by Hunter Steadman

 It’s no secret that Lynchburg has a lot to offer the outdoor enthusiasts in the area. The Appalachian Trail, multiple national forests and, Smith Mountain Lake are just a few attractions that are within an hour and a half from Lynchburg. Though the James River is right in our backyard, most people have never experienced it because we just don’t know where to start. Where do I go?  What do I do?  What do I need?  These are the questions that I want to help answer so that you can safely plan and execute your next adventure on the James River.
The Upper James River (Lick Run in Botetourt County to Lynchburg) offers a wide array of trips suited for paddlers of all skill levels. From long sections of flat slow-moving water which are ideal for fishing to class III rapids that can both fun and challenging to more experienced paddlers.
The Section from Buchanan to Arcadia is a 6 mile (2 ½ hours) float with good rapids and current. The trip includes three Class II rapids that can be challenging in higher water conditions (above 4 ft. on the Buchanan River gauge).  The ideal water level for this trip in 2 ft. -3.5 ft. The trip features some impressive mountain views and is fairly remote once you leave the Buchanan area. Remains of  … Read More

Written By: Jacen Hamilton
As cooler weather moves through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, outdoor adventurers congregate to enjoy a myriad of outdoor recreation opportunities within a stone’s throw of Liberty University. It is no secret that Liberty students enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, and many other outdoor activities as leaves begin to detach from tree branches throughout the mountains. Likewise, Liberty students thrive (and often times, survive) on an assortment of coffee products throughout the greater Lynchburg area.
What do coffee and hiking have to do with one another? I think that these two experiences, though very different, often prove to be mellow, smooth and warming.  They also both work together to bring community and encourage relationships.  I have shared memorable experiences and conversations over a cup of coffee and on trails.
So, for the first time, I have paired my experiences hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains with my Lynchburg coffee preferences to produce the official “Coffee Hikes” lineup.

Best Overall: Third Wave Coffee / Spy Rock
Coming in at the top spot, Third Wave Coffee located in Forest, VA boasts unbelievably rich coffee alongside a welcoming atmosphere. Third Wave’s top-notch customer service paired with an intense care for the art of coffee making brands this shop as the best coffee in Lynchburg. A large inventory of Third Wave’s premium coffee is ethically sourced from high altitude locations throughout the world. Likewise, Spy Rock provides hikers … Read More

Written by: Linda Galvez
Summer is by far one of my most favorite times of the year and there is nothing quite like a Virginian summer-time hike. There are several hiking trails within an hour of Lynchburg including Cole Mountain, Humpback Rock, Spy Rock and many others, we really are located in a great section of the Blue Ridge Mountains! This summer the Outdoor Rec department did not waste any time in scouting and planning new trips to these areas. One trip that stood out to me was a day-trip to the Moorman’s River.
The trip started off great, Lynchburg had just gone through several days of non-stop rain and we were excited to get outside. We started our hike from the second parking lot just beyond the Sugar Hollow Reservoir where the yellow-blazed trail begins. We came to the first crossing and it was completely flooded with what looked like class 3 rapids! We took a few minutes to assess the situation and after deciding we did not have the proper gear or experience to cross, we turned around and headed back to the parking lot.
We didn’t want to waste a beautiful day so we researched other hiking options that were nearby and wouldn’t take too long to complete. We headed 20 minutes west to Humpback Rocks near Afton Mountain. We chose the 1-mile loop as we were pressed for time … Read More

Go trout fishing at Hydaway and keep your catch!
Who- These catch-and-keep regulations apply to current Liberty students/faculty/staff and their approved guests (Please check-in with Hydaway staff during operating hours for guest day pass).
What- TWO daily creel limit, no minimum size. This means that each eligible fishermen can take two trout from the lake each day while fishing at Hydaway.  NOTE- only applies to Rainbow Trout located in the lake.
Where- The lake at the Hydaway Outdoor Rec Center.
When- Started on April 1st, 2018, lasting until May 19th, 2018
Why- Because…
LUOR has been excited since last November to provide true game fish in our lake.  We have enjoyed a season of catch-and-release where we have been able to offer a unique outdoor experience at Hydaway.  Typically, this can be a costly fish to angle and often requires a trip to mountain streams.  But, we stocked the lake last November and have enjoyed seeing trout being caught by students, staff, faculty and their families for the last 6 months.
But, Rainbow Trout can only thrive in colder water.  During the spring and summer months the lake will warm to a temperature that will not be able to sustain the trout.  So, we will be offering this one of a kind, catch-and-keep policy to help fish them out.  We hope to provide an opportunity for those anglers who have the desire to eat what they catch.  If cooking up a trout makes … Read More