About this item
Virginia's rail trails range from the popular path of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail to wilderness walks with wispy waterfalls. These lines pass scenes once viewed only by the eyes of train engineers or a few lucky passengers. Now those trails can be enjoyed by anyone looking for a scenic hike or relaxing bike ride or even those saddling up horses. From the sunrise side of the Eastern Shore to the setting sun at the Cumberland Gap, each trail, like the Virginia Creeper" or the "Dick & Willie," has a personality and grandeur all its own. Join author Joe Tennis as he explores restored train stations, discovers a railroad's lost island graveyard and crosses the commonwealth on its idyllic paths."A bibliography is included along with 26 maps, index, 84 black-and-white photos and illustrations plus a 16-page spread with 32 original color photographs.
About the Author
Joe Tennis grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he began writing while in elementary school - first a book on Elvis Presley, then a comical satire of his fellow fifth grade students.
He has since written thousands of articles for newspapers and magazines about places from California to Florida. But he has become best known as an expert on the history and folklore of Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina.
The author's latest book, "Along Virginia's Route 58: True Tales from Beach to Bluegrass" (The History Press, 2015) is a second edition of his earlier book, "Beach to Bluegrass" (The Overmountain Press, 2007) as well as a followup to his critically acclaimed "Virginia Rail Trails: Crossing the Commonwealth" (The History Press, 2014) .
"Along Virginia's Route 58" contains 58 strange stories following 500 miles of Virginia's longest road. And that's everything from a UFO at South Hill and sightings of Bigfoot in the Great Dismal Swamp to Nat Turner's Rebellion, the Hillsville courthouse shooting, the Wreck of the Old 97, the origins of country music and ghosts at haunted hotels.
Joe's work and interest along Route 58 has attracted widespread media attention and also inspired Virginia tourism leaders to create the "Beaches to Bluegrass Trail," linking Virginia Beach, Joe's hometown, with The Crooked Road region of Southwest Virginia, all along the U.S. Highway 58 corridor, the same path followed by the "True Tales from Beach to Bluegrass."
The Beaches to Bluegrass Trail also follows down many of the rail-trails Joe writes about in his 272-page "Virginia Rail Trails" book, a richly illustrated guide with historical photos, maps and a 16-page color insert.
The author's first book, 2004's "Southwest Virginia Crossroads," remains a definitive guide to the 17 counties southwest of Roanoke - a book now in its fifth printing and at place on the coffeetables of thousands of homes across the region. It features photos, maps, history, legends, and rare anecdotes collected over years of painstaking research.
Joe has also become known for his popular ghost tale books - "The Marble and Other Ghost Tales of Tennessee and Virginia" (Backyard Books) and "Haunts of Virginia's Blue Ridge Highlands" (The History Press) . Both are in multiple printings, and Joe has delighted thousands of adults and children with his tales of a smoking ghost in Honaker, Va., and the eerie Mountain Lake.
The author's most comical book is 2011's "Finding Franklin: Mystery of the Lost State Capitol" (Backyard Books) , a children's adventure novel that takes place in the three states that the author loves the most - Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina - and featuring a pick-your-own-plot format. The book is illustrat
