A Weekend Trip to Va.

I drove up to my old college town - Radford, Va. - this past weekend to get fitted for a tuxedo (I get to play 'best man' in August).

It's been less than a year since I last saw Radford University but it seems like a whole lot has been going on in my absence.

Radford - and desolate Southwest Virginia in general - isn't the most metropolitan place to live. In fact, I'd say Shelby has a lot more going for it.

(Here's a shot of downtown Radford. What you see is what you get.)

It used to be I'd have to drive 45 minutes to Roanoke just to visit a Best Buy or Olive Garden (two of my favorite places in the world).

Now both are in Christiansburg, about 15 minutes away (Blacksburg, home of Virginia Tech is right in this same area).

There's also a new Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Panera, stadium seating movie theatre, Starbucks, Cold Stone...

And the Christiansburg Mall got a makeover.

I hope all those college students thank those responsible for not having to spend nearly as much gas money as I used to.