Excursion

July 10, 2024, Excursion Schedule

Please make sure to bring your name tag and your five yellow tickets ($5 value each for dinner) on the excursion!

Kentland Farm and Mountain Lake Lodge (3 buses, a van, and two cars)

8:15AM

Meet in front of the Inn at Virginia Tech to start getting into the vehicles (you can get on any of the three buses, the van, or the two cars)

8:30AM

Leave the Inn

9:00AM

Arrive at Virginia Tech’s Kentland Farm (Kentland experimental aviation systems laboratory on Google Maps)

9:05AM

Learn about the history of Kentland Farm and some of the research going on at the farm today

9:35AM

Get back on the buses, van, and cars

9:45AM

Leave Kentland Farm

10:45AM

Arrive at Mountain Lake Resort (park at the Mountain Lake Outfitters parking lot)

11:05AM

Group A (see back of your name tag) will have a self-guided tour while group B will have lunch

12:00PM

Group B (see back of your name tag) will have a self-guided tour while group A will have lunch

12:55PM

Groups A and B meet up at the Hotel’s Veranda and walk back to the buses

1:15PM

Buses leave Mountain Lake Resort (bus H and the two cars for the Hikers and the two W buses and the van for the Wine tasters)

Hiking group (bus H and the two cars)

2:45PM

The hiker bus and the two cars make a pit stop at the public restrooms in downtown Floyd and pick up local guides Jane and Ken Cundiff

3:15PM

The hiker bus and van arrive at the Saddle Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway to walk, enjoy views, and learn about the local flora

4:15PM

The hiker bus and van leave the Saddle Overlook for the town of Floyd

Winery group (the two W buses and the van)

3:00PM

The winery buses and the van arrive at the Rocky Knob Visitor Center parking lot on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Who wants to walk to the Villa Appalachia winery (10-15 minute walk) will stay on the buses and the buses will continue to the Rock Castle Gorge Road intersection from where attendees start their walk. For attendees who prefer not to walk, the Buffalo Mountain Adventure bus and the van will shuttle people back and forth between the Rocky Knob Visitor Center and the winery (may have to wait a little since the bus and the van need to go back and forth a few times)

3:15PM

Wine tasting starts at Villa Appalachia

3:45PM

The Buffalo Mountain Adventure bus starts taking people back to the Rocky Knob Visitor Center parking lot

4:15PM

The wine tasting buses leave the Rock Castle Gorge Road intersection and the Rocky Knob Visitor Center parking lot

Town of Floyd (all 3 buses, the van, and the two cars)

4:45PM

Arrival in the town of Floyd and attendees walk to the Floyd Country Store

5:00PM

Bluegrass music Twin Creeks Stringband and dancing taught by Martha Spencer.

6:00PM

Attendees can eat using their five $5 coupons at the Floyd Country Store, Dogtown Roadhouse, Outer Space, and Pantoufle’s. Bistro (see map below) and shop for art and souvenirs

7:00PM

Live music (Band Bunco with a blend of blues, funk, rock and soul) starts at Dogtown Roadhouse for who wants to listen to music but attendees can also continue shopping, eating, and drinking anywhere else in town

~8:00PM

The first bus that fills up leaves the town of Floyd to return to Blacksburg (this does not have to be your bus; you can get on the bus when you want to return to Blacksburg)

~8:30PM

The second bus that fills up leaves the town of Floyd to return to Blacksburg

~9:00PM

The third bus that fills up leaves the town of Floyd to return to Blacksburg

~9:15PM

The van and cars leave the town of Floyd to return to Blacksburg

The vehicles arrive back at the Inn at Virginia Tech between 9:00PM and 10:00PM

Call 911 for any kind of emergency

Call Boris (will drive his car) at 540 585 5858 for any non-emergency question or problem