As it is the last weekend Buck will be visiting us, I stopped off for a couple of pictures on my way in to work a little...
The Mill Mountain Star is the iconic Roanoke "thing." Constructed in 1949, it is the world's largest freestanding illuminated star. I know an old guy who worked on the installation when he was a college student. The star is 88 feet tall. When illuminated at night, you can see it from pretty much all of the valley.
Opposite the star is an overlook. The picture does not do it justice, but old Buck enjoyed the view.
I was hoping to take Buck on a short hike on the AT, but it is not looking promising as he has to leave tomorrow. Tomorrow I will post some more personal pictures so you can see what his host family in Southwest Virginia looks like.