Here's the weekend rundown of local fun for those in and near Blacksburg this weekend (July 14-16th).
Note: Tonight's Friday Night Outdoor Concert has announced that it will proceed as planned as of 4:52 PM.
1. Sinkland Farms 2023 Annual Sunflower Festival Sinkland Farms, Christiansburg Friday, July 14, 2023, 4:00 - 8:00 PM, Saturday, July 15, 2023 and Sunday, July 16, 2023, 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Fridays: Adults: $10.00, Kids Ages 4-12: $8.00, Seniors, Military & First Responders: $9.00, Children 3 & Under: Free Saturdays & Sundays: Adults: $12.00, Kids Ages 4-12: $10.00, Seniors, Military & First Responders: $11.00, Children 3 & Under: Free Sinkland Farms presents the 3rd Annual Sunflower Festival over three weekends every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting on Friday, July 14, 2023 through Sunday, July 30, 2023. Enjoy three weekends jam-packed with activities, music, food, and fun for the whole family with eight acres of 200,000 sunflowers and 20 different varieties. The festival also includes the area's most noted arts & crafts vendors and pop-up boutiques featuring both hand-made goods, direct sales and retail outlets. Kids zone includes the New MEGA Slide, zip-line, giant slides, a barrel train ride and fun games. For kids there will also be baby farm animals, touch a tractor, and face painting. Plus, enjoy live music with adult beverages on the terrace and food trucks on-site. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=697250
2. Summer Arts Festival Friday Night Outdoor Concert with Root Down Henderson Lawn, Virginia Tech Friday, July 14, 2023, 6:00 - 7:30 PM Admission: Free The Summer Arts Festival continues their Friday Night Outdoor Concerts with Root Down. Root Down is a jazz band based in Blacksburg, VA that often diverges into funk, blues, soul featuring talented local musicians including Justin Craig. Bring your chairs and/or blankets. In the event of inclement weather, this event will be canceled. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=709650
3. Virginia Hollow in Concert Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg Friday, July 14, 2023, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Virginia Hollow is a mixture of Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Indie, and Rock. A singer-songwriter band that performs songs written by lead singer Carrie Hinkley, along with an occasional handpicked cover or two. Virginia Hollow is a band and a sound born from the hills, valleys and mountains of Appalachia. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715395
4. Spring Fed Roots Trio in Concert Preston's at The River Course, Radford Friday, July 14, 2023, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Spring Fed Roots performs music rooted in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, nourished by the waters and inspired by the beauty. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715486
5. 2023 Art At The Market and Breakfast at the Market Market Square Park, Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Admission for Art at the Market: Free Breakfast At The Market: $10.00 per plate Downtown Blacksburg Inc. and the Blacksburg Farmers Market presents the 2023 Art At The Market. Celebrate Blacksburg's vibrant arts community by participating in this year's Art At The Market. Enjoy art from over 20 local artists in this juried art show featuring art from a wide variety of mediums. Art booths are $40.00 per spot. Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. will also be serving breakfast, juice, and mimosas ($5.00 each) at the annual Breakfast At The Market event from 8:30-11:00 AM. The cost is $10.00 per plate and can be purchased in advance or at the event. Breakfast includes eggs with veggies or country sausage, breakfast potatoes, fruit and orange juice. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=709520
6. Saturday Yoga on the Lawn Alexander Black House & Cultural Center, Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 9:30 - 10:30 AM Admission: Free The 2023 Summer Arts Festival presents Saturday Yoga on the Lawn. Join them for easy flow yoga on the lawn, a great start to your weekend. Please bring your own yoga mats. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=709643
7. Free Adult Yoga Class with Sweetgrass Yoga Christiansburg Library, Christiansburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 2:00 - 3:00 PM Admission: Free Christiansburg Library presents a Free Adult Yoga Class with Sweetgrass Yoga. Enjoy a well-balanced class that covers both the way to do each pose and the way to move in and out of each pose with lots of opportunities to modify. Please bring a mat if you have one. The class is free though registration is required to ensure there is enough space for everyone. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=714941
8. Summer Arts Festival Free Classic Movies: The Sting Lyric Theatre, Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 3:00 - 5:10 PM Admission: Free The 2023 Summer Arts Festival continues their Free Classic Movies series featuring "The Sting". "The Sting" is a 1973 comedy, crime drama starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Robert Shaw. The film is rated PG. Movie Synopsis: Johnny Hooker, a small time grifter, unknowingly steals from Doyle Lonnegan, a big time crime boss, when he pulls a standard street con. Lonnegan demands satisfaction for the insult. Two grifters then team to try and pull off the ultimate con. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=709647
9. Music and Hotdogs Prices Fork Grange, Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 4:00 - 8:00 PM Admission: Free Local musicians, Leroy and his New River Valley Group, will be playing a variety of music including bluegrass, country, and gospel along with Bob Chew who is a local musician performing classic country, western swing and cowboy tunes. Bob plays the steel guitar among other instruments and singing both as a solo artist and in a variety of bands including Swingfest, The Dirt Road Kings and The Hayriders. There is no cover charge, but donations appreciated. Hotdogs, drinks and desserts will be available for purchase. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715340
10. Caribbean Steel Drums with Ray in Concert Rock House Marina, Pulaski Saturday, July 15, 2023, 4:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: Free Join us on the waterfront at Claytor Lake for live steel drum music with Ray. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715404
11. Two Year Anniversary Celebration with Live Mariachi Band El Ranchero (Prices Fork), Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 4:00 - 8:00 PM Price depends on food and drink item(s) purchased. Celebrating two years at their Prices Fork Road location in Blacksburg. Enjoy a live mariachi band while dining with tequila, tacos and more. Offering indoor dining, outside on the patio, or available for takeout. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715507
12. Floyd County Humane Society Fundraiser with Virginia Hollow in Concert Outerspace, Floyd Saturday, July 15, 2023, 5:00 - 8:00 PM Admission: Free The Floyd County Humane Society will be setup with all sorts of fun prizes, dogs and more. Virginia Hollow will perform from 6:00-8:00 PM. Virginia Hollow is a mixture of Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Indie, and Rock. A singer-songwriter band that performs songs written by lead singer Carrie Hinkley, along with an occasional handpicked cover or two. Virginia Hollow is a band and a sound born from the hills, valleys and mountains of Appalachia. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715480
13. John Hildreth in Concert Moon Hollow Brewing, Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 6:00 - 8:30 PM Admission: Free John Hildreth is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist based in Southwest Virginia performing throughout the New River Valley and beyond. His live shows combine virtuoso, aggressive acoustic deep-tissue and finger-style guitar with folk, rock, pop and 80s cover songs and eclectic originals. In addition to solo performances, he also tours and performs with contra dance band Dot Dot Dash as well as The Completely Smashed Irish Band. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715499
14. Strange Meeting in Concert Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Strange Meeting is a trio based in the New River Valley which plays improvised music in a jazz, rock and funk style. The band was formerly known as The Peter Golladay Trio. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715396
15. Bunco in Concert Brick House Pizza, Radford Saturday, July 15, 2023, 7:00 - 10:00 PM Admission: Free New band Bunco makes their New River Valley debut. Bunco is a new collaboration of seasoned and greatly talented musicians playing a unique blend of blues, funk, rock and soul from Virginia's Blue Ridge. Bunco is comprised of band members Dan O'Donnell, Travis Holland, Thor Haines and Dana Robertson. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=709695
16. MLB / USA Baseball: Elizabethton River Riders vs. Pulaski River Turtles (Agriculture Night) Calfee Park, Pulaski Saturday, July 15, 2023, 7:00 - 10:00 PM General Admission: $5.00, Seniors Ages 65 & Older: $1.00, Kids 6 & Under: Free Grandstand: $11.00, Reserved Seating: $12.00, Party Zone: $12.00, Club Seating: $15.00 The Pulaski River Turtles MLB / USA Baseball's Appalachian League team hosts the Elizabethton River Riders as they continue their 2023. It's Agriculture Night with a petting zoo along with the Beef and Ag Night River Turtles Jersey Raffle. The annual Hagan Cattle Company beef raffle drawing will be held during the game. Raffle tickets are $5.00 and will be sold all season long at the information tent. Two winners will receive a $250 beef certificate to the Hagan Cattle Company. Tickets can be purchased at the gates on game day or online. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=708735
17. Movie Night On The Lawn: Top Gun: Maverick Chateau Morrisette, Floyd Saturday, July 15, 2023, 7:30 - 9:45 PM Admission: Free Bring your blankets, your picnic baskets and your well-behaved and leashed dogs, and join Chateau Morrisette on their restaurant lawn. Popcorn will be available and our bar will be open. Note: Food from bar will not be available. "Top Gun: Maverick" is a 2022 action drama rated PG-13 starring Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly and Miles Teller. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715457
18. Berkshire Choral International Festival Concert Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 7:30 - 9:00 PM Adults: $15.00, Youth Ages 3-17: $5.00 The Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts is hosting the Berkshire Choral International Festival culminating in their concert. Over 100 singers are preparing a concert of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana," as well as Brahms' "Schicksalslied" (Song of Destiny). The chorus is comprised of over 100 singers, including several Blacksburg Master Chorale members, along with guest soloists Anna Schubert (soprano), Daniel Rich (baritone), and Arnold Geis (tenor). Jenny Wong, assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, will be the guest artistic leader. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715471
19. The Lazy Man Dub Band featuring DJ Ruby Star in Concert Dogtown Roadhouse, Floyd Saturday, July 15, 2023, 8:00 - 11:00 PM Advance Tickets: $15.00, Day of the Event: $20.00 Join Sky High Reggae as they host the Roanoke Virginia based roots reggae artists Lazy Man Dub Band. The Lazy Man Dub Band came together in Fall of 2007 by a happy set of fortunate circumstances. Starting with Roanoke, Virginia, the band has been laying down the jams all across the state and leaving in its wake an exploding fan base. Constantly evolving as a group, Lazy Man relentlessly experiments with their sound, by bringing new and different arrangements to the table each night. No two Dub shows will leave you feeling the same. Roots Reggae & Dub selecta DJ Ruby Star kicks off the evening when the doors open. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715474
20. Mountain Metal Four Band Concert with Dying Oath, Auditory Dysmorphia, The Wrath of Autumn & Lo The Milk Parlor, Blacksburg Saturday, July 15, 2023, 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM Admission: $10.00 Appalachian Audio presents a Mountain Metal Four Band Concert with Dying Oath, Auditory Dysmorphia, The Wrath of Autumn and Lo. Dying Oath is a female fronted Metal/Metalcore band from Southwest Virginia. Auditory Dysmorphia is a brutal, hardcore, with hints of punk, thrash, sludge and stoner metal based in Roanoke, VA. The Wrath of Autumn is a four-piece deathgroove band based in Southwest Virginia. Mixing elements of metal, hardcore, dubstep, electronic and rap, Lo brings together a sonically different sound from a multitude of influences from Roxboro, North Carolina. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715506
21. July Blacksburg Vintage Market Market Square Park, Blacksburg Sunday, July 16, 2023, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Admission: Free The Blacksburg Vintage Market hosts their July Vintage Market. Vendors will be selling all things vintage from clothes, jewelry, vinyl records, and more. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715500
22. National Ice Cream Day Celebration with $2 Ice Cream Scoops Sugar Magnolia, Blacksburg Sunday, July 16, 2023, 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM $2.00 Ice Cream Scoops Enjoy $2.00 ice cream scoops all day long for National Ice Cream Day. And, enter to win a year of free ice cream. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715425
23. Phone Security Workshop Southpaw Cafe & Community Space, Blacksburg Sunday, July 16, 2023, 1:00 - 2:30 PM Admission: Free This is a free workshop on phone security. Come by and learn how to set up a burner phone or how to construct a Faraday bag. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715427
24. Sustainable Blacksburg July Garden Tour Two Blacksburg Locations, Blacksburg Sunday, July 16, 2023, 2:00 - 5:00 PM Admission: Free Sustainable Blacksburg presents their July Sustainable Garden Tour at two private Blacksburg locations the Monti / McLellan Garden and the Keciorius Garden. The Sustainable Blacksburg nonprofit community organization is sponsoring free self-guided tours of local gardens showcasing sustainable gardening and landscaping practices, including reduced lawn area, native plants, wildlife-friendly plantings, food production and upcycled garden décor. The Monti / McLellan Garden (1090 S. Jefferson Forest Lane): In just 5 years, the homeowners have created an incredible certified habitat for birds, bees and butterflies. The Keciorius Garden (1306 Greendale Drive): In this fairly new garden, the homeowners grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers, striving to be pollinator friendly and avoiding chemicals. Rain barrels and drip irrigation conserve water. All tours will last from 2:00-5:00 PM and visitors can drop in anytime during the tour timeframe. The tours are self-guided, but the hosts are present to answer questions. Light refreshments will be served. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=715430
25. Sunday Mountain Music Series with Kat Mills Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke Sunday, July 16, 2023, 4:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: Free Kat Mills performs soul folk music to soothe you and is based in Blacksburg, VA and tours throughout the East. She is a writer, singer, guitarist and seeker rooted in GenX habits, nodding and winking to 60s and 70s troubadour traditions, and openly commenting on the aches and triumphs of the moment. Any way you hear it, Kat's powerful vocal range, vintage Martin guitar, and mystic vibes combine to produce a clean honest sound that leaves audiences wanting more. Kat Mills believes in the power of folk music, now more than ever, to transport and transcend. Stop by Salt Pond Pub every Sunday starting Memorial Day weekend through August for live music and delicious food & drinks. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=708596
Have a great weekend and thanks for reading!

For anyone who stayed in Blacksburg for Fall Break and is looking for ideas and things to do, you're in luck because there is an absolute plethora of local events you can enjoy in Blacksburg and across the New River Valley.
Here's a Rundown with 34 of the Best Events: 1. 2022 YMCA Book Fair YMCA at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg Friday, October 7, 2022, 12:00 - 6:00 PM, Saturday, October 8, 2022, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Sunday, October 9, 2022, 12:00 - 5:00 PM Admission: Free Among the many volumes of books that will be available at the YMCA annual (except for COVID_19) Book Fair there will be a collection of books of local origin, authors and interest. There will literally be thousands of books for you to peruse at the very best prices around. Proceeds from the Book Fair support the Y’s cause of strengthening communities. Daily the Y touches 300 individuals, children, Virginia Tech student volunteers, gardeners, health seekers, Open University Students, shoppers and artisans. Their programs nurture the potential of kids, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families within the New River Valley and demonstrate social responsibility. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678816
2. 2022 Sinkland Farms Pumpkin Festival Sinkland Farms, Christiansburg Friday, October 7, 2022 - Sunday, October 30, 2022, 4:00 - 8:00 PM (Thursdays & Fridays) and 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Saturdays & Sundays) Thursdays & Fridays Admission: Adults: $12.00, Seniors, Military & First Responders: $11.00, Children 3 & Under: Free Saturday & Sundays Admission: Adults: $15.00, Seniors, Military & First Responders: $14.00, Children 3 & Under: Free Sinkland Farms continues their 31st Annual Sinkland Farms Pumpkin Festival. Enjoy six weekends, jam-packed with activities, music, food, and fun for the whole family. Saturday is Super Hero Day Costume Costume Contest. Dress as your favorite comic character or super hero and enter the contest. Meet at the Ice Cream Shoppe at 2:00 PM and show off those super powers. Other activities include hayrides to a 10-acre pumpkin patch, make your way through the 5 acre corn maze, and visit with Sinkland's farm animals. Featuring Ride-a-Rescue horseback trail rides, pony rides, a huge kid’s zone with a barrel train ride, giant slide, kids zip line and many games. Everyone always enjoys Sinkland's entertainment such as blacksmith demonstrations, local live music while sipping adult beverages on the terrace. You can watch pig racing, try your luck at their Bad AXE Throw and feast with local food trucks. The festival grounds include the area's most noted Arts & Crafts vendors and Pop-up Boutiques. Sinkland has been voted the Best Pumpkin Patch in Virginia and Best Farm to Visit. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=662567
3. Collegiate Women's Volleyball: NC State vs. Virginia Tech (Dig Pink Game) Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Tech Friday, October 7, 2022, 6:00 PM Admission: Free Watch the Virginia Tech Women's Volleyball team compete against ACC conference opponent NC State. This is the annual Dig Pink! game for the season. Breast Cancer Survivors will be recognized during one of the set breaks. Enjoy pink themed games and decorations on the concourse. A Breast Cancer Survivor will do the commemorative first serve. Note: Parking fees on the campus of Virginia Tech do apply Monday-Friday from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. You can purchase a daily pass online. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678347
4. The Jared Stout Band in Concert Sinkland Farms, Christiansburg Friday, October 7, 2022, 7:00 - 11:00 PM General Admission: $15.00, Seniors, Active Military and First Responders: $14.00 The Jared Stout Band will be playing after the Pumpkin Festival into the night with food trucks and drinks on the terrace. Bringing the beat of the mountains to the rhythm of everyday blues, The Jared Stout Band is an alt-country powerhouse based out of southwestern Virginia. Formed in 2018, they became an area favorite winning the 2020 Rockn to Lockn competition. A highly versatile group that has the ability to take any stage and own it with their energetic mix of covers, mashups, and soulful originals. Note: The concert is separate from festival admission. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=662564
5. Haunted Experience: 2022 Hexed Haunted Attraction Hexed Haunted Attraction, Elliston Friday, October 7, 2022 and Saturday, October 8, 2022, 7:00 - 10:30 PM Standard Admission: $25.00, VIP Admission Line Jump: $35.00, Groups of 10 or more: $20.00 per person (online only) Parking: $5.00 (cash only) The Hexed Haunted Farm presents their 2022 Hexed Haunted Attraction every Friday and Saturday starting on Friday, October 7th and continuing through Saturday, October 29th. Experience five different attractions at one ticket price: Scarecrow's Harvest, The Witch House, Manner's Meats, 1984: All Hallow's Eve, and the Freakshow. Within these attractions, you will find immersive environments, special FX, film-level animatronics, and screams of the terrified. They are dedicated to to delivering our guests with entertainment and customer satisfaction that will last a lifetime. A Low Scare option is also available per group by purchasing the $5.00 Low Scare Pumpkin Necklace. The first person in the group should wear the necklace. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678822
6. Scary Movie Month: The Conjuring and Annabelle Starlite Drive-In Theatre, Christiansburg Friday, October 7, 2022 and Saturday, October 8, 2022, 7:00 - 11:00 PM Adults: $8.00, Children Ages 6-12: $5.00, Children Ages 5 & Under: Free Starlite Drive-In Theatre will be open for scary movies in October. Each weekend will have a different double feature during Scary Movie Month. "The Conjuring" is a 2013 horror thriller rated R starring Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga and Ron Livingston. Film Synopsis: Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. "Annabelle" is a 2014 horror thriller rated R starring Ward Horton, Annabelle Wallis and Alfre Woodard. Film Synopsis: A couple begins to experience terrifying supernatural occurrences involving a vintage doll shortly after their home is invaded by satanic cultists. Movies start shortly after sunset. Cash or card accepted. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=679161
7. Haunted House: Haunted Hillside Manor St. Albans, Radford Friday, October 7, 2022 and Saturday, October 8, 2022, 7:00 PM - 12:00 AM General Admission: $20.00, Line Jump Tickets: $25.00 St. Albans continues their 2022 Haunted House titled "Haunted Hillside Manor" every Friday and Saturday through Saturday, October 29, 2022. Visit one of Virginia's best haunted houses this Halloween season. Saint Albans Sanatorium is a historical facility that began life in 1892 as a Lutheran boys' school. The school closed in 1911 and reopened in 1916 as an institution to treat the mentally ill. After the closing of medical facility in the 1990s, the facility has been open to paranormal investigators and the general public. No one under 10 will be permitted to enter. There is limited onsite parking at the event. Onsite parking is park at your own risk and is dependent on weather as it is in a field. Overflow parking is located in the parking lot of Badcock Furniture and a free shuttle will be running from 7:00 PM until everyone is returned to their vehicles. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=679169
8. 2022 Newbern Fall Festival Newbern Volunteer Fire Department, Newbern Saturday, October 8, 2022, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, October 9, 2022, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Free Admission, $2.00 for parking The Newbern Volunteer Fire Department presents the 51st Annual Newbern Fall Festival. The annual festival will provide fun and interests for all ages and is an enjoyable, easy-going day for the whole family. Featuring lots of vendors, activities & entertainment including: Original Arts & Crafts, Fire Trucks at the Fire Station, Delicious Food & Beverage Vendors, Live Music, Fellowship, friends & much more! The Wilderness Road Regional Museum will be hosting many activities during the Fall Festival, including living history, heritage craft demonstrations including apple cider pressing, apple butter making, corn shelling, candle dipping, tours and much more. They will also have live music on the museum south lawn grounds both days. Parking is $2.00 per vehicle to support the Newbern Volunteer Fire Department. Parking will be available at each end of the town of Newbern, at the Farris Dairy and Tabor Field, and behind the Wilderness Road Regional Museum in the middle of town. Note: Traffic will be shut down to one lane through Newbern during the festival, only flowing from the Community Center to the Post Office. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678775
9. 2022 Radford Highlanders Festival Moffett Field, Radford University Saturday, October 8, 2022, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Admission: Free Radford University and the City of Radford present the 25th Radford Highlanders Festival bringing together Scottish Highland Games, Celtic music, massed pipe and drum band performance, Scottish clan march, sheepherding demonstrations, booths from craft and food vendors and family friendly entertainment for festival lovers of all ages. Music will be headlined by this year by Syr and House Of Hamill. SYR (sire) is a Celtic Folk-Rock band from Columbia, South Carolina. What started as a small traditional cover band has evolved into a serious endeavor with a unique blend of genres. Pennsylvania-based House of Hamill is a high-energy Irish and folk music trio. They are a fixture on festival stages across the United States and have shared their music and stories on the country’s premier folk stages. Whether a family’s background is of Scots-Irish origin or of other descent, the day always brings with it an air of excitement and anticipation. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678604
10. 2022 Hokie BugFest Squires Student Center, Virginia Tech Saturday, October 8, 2022, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Admission: Free The Virginia Tech Department of Entomology presents the 12th Annual Hokie BugFest. While this is mostly geared for kids, bug lovers should find plenty to enjoy. This year’s event returns to in-person and boasts over 30 exhibitors including Virginia Tech labs, area museums, community groups, and industry experts. Visitors will enjoy hands-on activities, working bee hives, a bug library, 3D insects, and plenty of live arthropods including scorpions, blue death feigning beetles, tarantulas, millipedes, hissing cockroaches and more bugs. Admission and parking is free. Buses welcome. A special pre-opening event is again being hosted for adults and children with mobility and other special needs from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678763
11. 2022 Pearisburg Scarecrow Festival Downtown Pearisburg, Pearisburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Admission: Free The Pearisburg Merchants Association presents the 7th Annual Pearisburg Scarecrow Festival. This fun, family friendly, fall festival features live music, vendors, kids fun and activities, food and more! The festival also features the annual Dog Show featuring dog tricks, costumes and more at the Giles County Courthouse lawn starting at 12:30 PM. And, there will be a car and motorcycle cruise-in. Make sure to walk around downtown to see the featured guests, the scarecrows, created by local businesses, organizations and groups, that will be displayed throughout downtown Pearisburg. After the Scarecrow Festival, bring a chair to Tazewell Street near the front steps of the Pearisburg Town Municipal Building for more live music from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM featuring the Crystal River Band and Attic Static. The Giles Rotary Club will also have a beer garden on Tazewell Street during this time. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678794
12. 2022 Paw Paw Celebration JBR Vineyards LLC, Pearisburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, October 9, 2022, 1:00 - 5:00 PM Admission and Paw Paw Tasting: Free Wine Tasting: $5.00, Glasses of wine: $5.00, Bottles of Wine: $10.00-$20.00 + tax Celebrate a great harvest of paw paws. Enjoy this only North American native fruit found only in Appalachia that just so happened to be George Washington's favorite dessert. Also, taste our 2021 wine vintage which is excellent. Note: Cash or check only at card service is unreliable due to limited internet access. Dogs and kids welcome. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678728
13. 2022 Blues, Brews and BBQ Alexander Black House & Cultural Center, Blacksburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 12:00 - 6:30 PM Admission: Donation of $5.00 Join the The Alexander Black House & Cultural Center in honoring & celebrating the history of New Town and St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall: Museum of African American Heritage. St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall is a nationally recognized historic landmark that once served as the social center of New Town, a neighborhood for African-American residents during segregation. The Blues, Brews, and BBQ event recalls some of the happier times in New Town, when friends and neighbors would gather for singing, dancing, community, and fellowship. This is an outdoor event featuring five outstanding bands: JoJo Stockton, The Woogemen, Lady D & Mi$$ion, The Blue Monday Band and headlined by The Billy Crawford Band. In addition to the music, enjoy food trucks, beer, ice cream and more available for purchase. Vendors include Bluegrass BBQ, Big Lick Ice Cream and Lil' Bit Corny. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=650693
14. Music at the Villa with Virginia Hollow Villa Appalaccia Winery, Floyd Saturday, October 8, 2022, 1:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free Virginia Hollow is a mixture of Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Indie, and Rock. A singer-songwriter band that performs songs written by lead singer Carrie Hinkley, along with an occasional handpicked cover or two. Virginia Hollow is a band and a sound born from the hills, valleys and mountains of Appalachia. Their performances and music take you on a journey fraught with raw emotions and stories of love, trust, betrayal and longing. Dogs and kids are welcome. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678793
15. Saturday Afternoon Music with Leslie Brooks, Wine and Beer New River Vineyard & Winery, Fairlawn Saturday, October 8, 2022, 1:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free Join New River Vineyard & Winery on the patio for an afternoon enjoying their wine, famous mulled wine (spiced warm wine), frozen wine slushies, handcrafted beer and music from Leslie Brooks. Leslie Brooks is a singer-songwriter, performing solo with guitar, playing jazz, folk, blues, rockin' country and popular favorites. She has played the best venues in a 16-state area, as well as in Norway and Monte Carlo. Opened for Heart, James Taylor, Bob Margolin and Willie Nelson to name a few. Guests can bring a blanket and chair, snack and/or picnic. Note: This event was originally scheduled for October 1st though was postponed due to Hurricane Ian. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678755
16. 2022 Blacksburg Food Cycle Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 1:00 - 4:30 PM Admission: Free The Blacksburg Food Cycle is a bike-powered food drive where participants bike around town to buy groceries for those in need with 100% of the donations benefitting Micah's Backpack and the Pulaski County Free Store. A Food Cycle is a food drive on two wheels. It’s like a bike race, charity event, and goofy afternoon of fun all rolled into one. Grab your bike and bike to grocery stores around town to buy non-perishable groceries for donation. Then take the Huckleberry Trail out to Rising Silo to drop-off your donations. The food cycle starts wherever you are at 1:00 PM on Saturday. Each participant gets their own shopping list on the day of the event. Once the items on your list have been purchased head to Rising Silo Brewery where your donated goods will be collected and prizes will be awarded including the heaviest load, best froggy selfie, Kroger Triple Crown along with a costume contest. Items on the shopping list are estimated to cost between $15.00-$30.00. Pre-registration is required. Note: Donations will also be accepted by car or other motorized vehicles however prizes are only for bicyclists. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678849
17. Spooky Adult Book Fair Moon Hollow Brewing, Blacksburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 3:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Join Blacksburg Books and Moon Hollow Brewing for a spooky-themed adult Book Fair and check out cool books, merch, and vibes to get you into Halloween mode. There will be raffle prizes, specialty seasonal beverages and new merch. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=662580
18. Rockin' Main Street Concert Series with Miller Holler and Merty & The Monumentals Downtown Christiansburg, Christiansburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 5:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free The Town of Christiansburg and the Christiansburg Parks & Rec continues their Rockin' Main Street Concert Series featuring music from Nashville's Miller Holler and Merty & The Monumentals. Attendees can purchase food and drinks from a selection of food trucks and wine and beer vendors. Patrons are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to sit and enjoy the live performances. Miller Holler is a country rock band with southern roots and a hunger for going against the grain and stirring up the music industry in Nashville, Tennessee. Merty & the Monumentals is a band of lifelong musicians from Salem, VA. They play just about anything to get you on the dance floor. The majority of music played is rock, country, blues, and R&B. An assortment of beer and wine options will be available for purchase at this event. Please bring your IDs if you would like to purchase beer or wine. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=662538
19. Blue Ridge Story Space's October Event: "Help!" The June Bug Center, Floyd Saturday, October 8, 2022, 5:30 - 7:00 PM Admission: Free The Blue Ridge Story Space presents their October Event with the theme "Help!". The Blue Ridge Story Space is comprised of folks who love telling and listening to stories. Tell a 5-7 minute story inspired by the monthly theme or just come to listen. Snacks and drinks available for purchase to support The June Bug Center. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678092
20. Free Concert with Marshall Page & Coal Mountain and Dixie Bluegrass Boys New River Community College (Dublin), Dublin Saturday, October 8, 2022, 6:00 - 8:30 PM Admission: Free New River Community College's Concert Series presents a Free Music Event featuring Marshall Page & Coal Mountain and the Dixie Bluegrass Boys. Marshall Page is an accomplished singer and songwriter performing bluegrass from Parrott Mountain, a small coal mining community in Southwest Virginia. The Dixie Bluegrass Boys is a traditional bluegrass style band that has been playing for more than 11 years in the Virginia and North Carolina area. The group performs old-time, country and bluegrass music for dances and concerts. Admission is free and all are welcome though donations will be accepted to help with travel expenses for the musicians. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678836
21. Craft Night: Hocus Pocus T-shirt Press and Viewing Party The Crafter's Corner, Christiansburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 6:00 - 8:00 PM Admission: $40.00 Join The Crafter's Corner for a Spook-Tacular Event where you will press your own Hocus Pocus t-shirt and watch the original 1993 movie. Each student will receive a transfer and t-shirt to press. There will be spooky snacks to enjoy with the movie too. "Hocus Pocus" was released in 1993 and is rated PG starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. Movie Synopsis: 300 years have passed since the Sanderson sisters were executed for practicing dark witchcraft. Returning to life thanks to a combination of a spell spoken before their demise and the accidental actions of Max, the new-kid-in-town, the sisters have but one night to secure their continuing existence. Admission includes two hours of instruction, transfers, t-shirt, movie and snacks. This class does require pre-registration by Friday, October 7th to guarantee a spot in the class. This class is open to all ages, however, children under 13 years of age will need to be accompanied by adult purchasing a ticket. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678851
22. 2022 Fall Colonial Ball Historic Smithfield, Blacksburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: $10.00 Historic Smithfield and The Inspired Scholar presents the Spring Colonial Ball. You are invited to step back in time for an evening of learning fun and easy dances of the colonial era at the Smithfield pavilion. Step out of the cares of the 21st century and re-create the grace of Colonial America to experience the pleasures of dancing in this historic period. No previous experience necessary as all dances will be taught. Colonial Era Costumes are welcome, but not required. Formal or semi-formal attire is welcome. Participants must be adults or teens, ages 18 or older. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678853
23. Zak Saltz Band in Concert Sinkland Farms, Christiansburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 7:00 - 11:00 PM General Admission: $15.00, Seniors, Active Military & First Responders: $14.00 Bring your lawn chair and dancing shoes to the farm after the Pumpkin Festival for the Zak Saltz Band. While defying traditional musical genres, the Zak Saltz Band (a/k/a "ZSB"), from Bristol, Tennessee & Virginia, may best be described as a bad ass, alt/outlaw country, southern rock & blues band that takes particular pride in putting on one hell of a live show, every time and at any place that they play. Note: Concert admission is separate from the Pumpkin Festival admission. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678847
24. NRV's Got Talent Show Grand Finale Pulaski Theatre, Pulaski Saturday, October 8, 2022, 7:00 PM - TBD Admission: $5.00 Enjoy the finale of the variety showcase of local talent featuring the final six contestants singing, dancing, drumming and flipping their out for the audience and the judges to see who will the grand prize and an opportunity to headline their own show at the Pulaski Theatre. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678797
25. Darrell Scott in Concert Floyd Country Store, Floyd Saturday, October 8, 2022, 7:30 - 10:00 PM Advance Tickets: $38.00, Day of the Show: $42.00 Darrell Scott became one of the more successful country songwriters of the late '90s and early 2000s, placing songs with the biggest names in country music, including several major chart hits. Garth Brooks, the Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and many others recorded his work. At the same time, he worked consistently as a studio musician and released a series of his own solo albums. He has collaborated with Steve Earle, Sam Bush, Emmylou Harris, Tim O'Brien, Dan Tyminski, and many others. The multi-talented Grammy nominee has also been a member of Robert Plant’s Band of Joy, won the AMA Song of the Year, named ASCAP’s Songwriter of the Year and a host of other accolades. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=651336
26. Hustle Souls in Concert Dogtown Roadhouse, Floyd Saturday, October 8, 2022, 8:00 - 11:00 PM Admission: $10.00 Hustle Souls is a high energy soul band based in Asheville, NC who are quickly growing in reputation from Tennessee to Washington, DC as one of the most exciting bands in the south. Four-part vocal harmonies and deep soul grooves, brilliantly voiced guitar chords, New Orleans trumpet, a slight southern twang and the most creative rhythm section seen in a long time. Hustle Souls create music that sparks nostalgia from Mo-town to the Delta but is undeniably fresh and new. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678103
27. Limbers in Concert XYZ Art Gallery, Blacksburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 8:30 - 10:00 PM Admission: $5.00 The Limbers are an indie rock band from Roanoke, VA. Cash and Venmo accepted. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=679180
28. Emo Night with Joey's Van The Milk Parlor, Blacksburg Saturday, October 8, 2022, 9:30 PM - 01:00 AM Admission: $5.00 Dress up and relive your middle school years as The Milk Parlor plays all of your favorite 90's and 00's pop punk and Emo songs. Joey's Van is a 90s and 2000s pop punk cover band. Doors open at 8:00 PM and the music starts at 9:30 PM. Must be 21 or older to attend. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678852
29. October Blacksburg Vintage Market with Music from Kat Mills Market Square Park, Blacksburg Sunday, October 9, 2022, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Admission: Free The Blacksburg Vintage Market hosts their October Vintage Market. Vendors will be selling all things vintage from clothes, jewelry, vinyl records, etc. Live music will be performed by Kat Mills weather permitting. Kat Mills performs soul folk music to soothe you and is based in Blacksburg, VA and tours throughout the East. She is a writer, singer, guitarist and seeker rooted in GenX habits, nodding and winking to 60s and 70s troubadour traditions, and openly commenting on the aches and triumphs of the moment. The Blacksburg Vintage Market is held at Market Square Park (same location at the Blacksburg Farmers Market) April through November on the second Sunday of every month from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678811
30. October Monthly Makers' Market The Artful Lawyer, A Fine Gallery Inc, housed at The Creekmore Law Firm, Blacksburg Sunday, October 9, 2022, 12:00 - 5:00 PM Admission: Free The Artful Lawyer, A Fine Gallery Inc, housed at The Creekmore Law Firm presents their October Monthly Makers' Market. The Artful Lawyers' new Monthly Makers' Markets are held on the first Sunday of each month from 12:00-5:00 PM, are an opportunity to bring local artists, craftspersons, and artisans face to face with potential buyers. Note: The event was originally scheduled for Sunday, October 2nd, but was postponed due to Hurricane Ian. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678771
31. 2022 Brewser Boot Camp Run Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, Blacksburg Sunday, October 9, 2022, 1:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: $25.00 Gaye Y. Whitaker Memorial Fund and Corona Seltzer presents the 4th Annual Brewser Boot Camp Run which is a two mile trail run with boot camp stations along the route. Awards will be given to top three fastest male and female and top team. The drill sergeants will be fun, motivational and encouraging. Stations will include exercises such as push-ups, burpees, sit-ups, jumping jacks, and some other surprises. Entry fee includes race registration, t-shirt, participation dog tags and one drink ticket. All proceeds benefit local New River Valley women battling cancer. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678393
32. Sip n' Stich Blacksburg Wine Lab, Blacksburg Sunday, October 9, 2022, 1:00 PM - TBD Admission: $30.00 This event is for all the knitters out there. Blacksburg Wine Lab will be tasting four delicious wines, specially picked for this event, along with knitting. The price is $30.00 per person which includes a knitting kit, wine tasting and pairing. Spots are limited. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=679153
33. 2022 Fire Prevention Week Open House Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department (Station #3), Blacksburg Sunday, October 9, 2022, 1:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free The Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department presents their annual Fire Prevention Week Open House. This year’s theme for Fire Prevention Week is: "Fire Won't Wait, Plan Your Escape". The open house is great for the kids offering tours of the fire trucks, light snacks, fire prevention items, the opportunity to use a real fire hose, and maybe even a visit from Sparky the Fire Dog. In addition, the Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department turns 100 years old. At the open house, you can view their oldest apparatus, Unit 1 (1941 Oren), and other historical items from our past. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=679153
34. Missy Raines & Allegheny in Concert Floyd Country Store, Floyd Sunday, October 9, 2022, 7:00 - 9:30 PM Admission: $17.50 GRAMMY® nominated Missy Raines was named 2021 International Bluegrass Music Association Bass Player of the Year, for the 10th time, more than any other bass player in the history of the organization. Missy Raines has proven herself without doubt as an iconic bluegrass instrumentalist. But with the success of her latest release, Royal Traveller, Raines has stepped into the spotlight as a songwriter and singer as well. With more than a nod to her deep bluegrass roots, Allegheny offers Missy fertile ground to bring a together a lifetime of traditional inspiration along with her unique approach to string band music. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=678804
For the full Weekend Rundown with 75+ events, check out: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEvents.cfm
Hope you have a great weekend and great Fall Break!

Prologue I vaguely remember asking tough questions about the church to my mother at a young age, but she knew all the apologetics well, or could make them up on the spot. I don't remember the exact questions, but I remember having questions even then.
One thing I can remember that really did bother me was the concept of the universe. This still bugs me. Why does anything exist at all? If there is a God, why does this God exist at all? Seems far simpler to me if there was just never anything. But that is more existential.
The First Serious Doubts When I was a young teen, going to one of my first youth firesides in 1990(ish), a member of the 70 came to speak to us. This guy said he was instrumental to getting the age lowered for young women to go on missions from 25 to 21. He said he was still trying to work on getting that age down to 19, same as the young men. I looked it up today while writing this - the change happened in the 60's, so he was bragging about his accomplishment 30 years later. wow.
This fundamentally altered my view of the church. What I thought was a god-directed organization was just as full of politics as any other. This made me view all news from the church in a different light, for the rest of my life. It may be why I could never blindly believe as much as other people seem to be able to.
Still, this wasn't enough to make me disbelieve.
The Temple I think the next hit to my admiration of the church came on my first time through the temple. Nobody would talk about the temple, but all the adults seemed very excited to have a new person go through. Everything was primed to be new and exciting. So then you get there, and you're ready for your exciting new name, and it's something boring like Aaron. There's an Aaron in my priests quorum and I don't like him much - why would I get such a boring, dumb, irritating name? Then there was the parka and the naked touching and the oil - just weird. So weird.
Then you get into the ceremony itself, and there's cosplay, and an insanely boring movie that repeats itself over and over. Not only that, it's simply the creation story they've already taught us a million times, in exactly the way mormons teach it, without any new doctrine.
Sure, they taught us some passwords and handshakes, but these seemed trivial/unimportant. Now the big reveal of the celestial room! And it's also kind of bland and boring - and I was quickly herded out by family that wanted to go eat.
So all in all, the Temple was only significant to me in the buildup, and the buildup was so great that it motivated me to try to enjoy it for years. But it was always, ultimately, boring
Book of Mormon problems that my teachers blindly ignore [In which I describe an issue I successfully petitioned to get put in the skeptic's annotated book of mormon]
Now I'm in the MTC, and I decide I better read this Book of Mormon thing all the way through. Finally. I'd been an avid reader all my life, and still go through manic reading phases every so often now. Something kicked in and I really, really got into the Book of Mormon story. I was soaking it up, reading through it all, but hit a big speed bump in 3rd Nephi.
Nephi is going all over the country baptizing people left and right, getting ready for Jesus to visit, there's several parts where he baptizes loads of people. Then Jesus comes and in 3rd Nephi 11:21. "21 And the Lord said unto him: I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven.."
Hold the fuck up. That's a continuity error. How can there be a continuity error in the most correct book on the planet?
I prayed hard on that, and got what I thought was an answer "Not to be known at this time"
I filed it away in my head and finished the book by the first couple of weeks in my mission field. (Arizona Tempe class of 96 woo!).
In my first area, when we were just chilling with a zone leader and were talking about the BoM for some reason, I brought it up. Hey, I found some kind of error in this book, look at this. I was laughed at. I was mocked. The ZL extremely sarcastically said he would have to leave the church now. It was made clear to me that trying to seriously engage the book of mormon with these people was not wanted.
A few months later, I mentioned it to a member I felt safe to bring it up to. Someone who had all kinds of books on the history of mormonism - He actually pointed me in the direction of some old apostle, I think Talmage, engaging with that error and doing some apologetics with it. Now I had just enough to forget about the issue. I do not think I ever tried to read the BoM all the way through again though.
Church Leadership
Through a variety of experiences, the way I saw my mission president running things, the crazy beliefs of some of my bishops, and seminary teachers, and stake presidents, led me to believe that church leaders were not highly inspired. Maybe that's who God wanted in those positions for some reason, but it was clear they were only doing the best they could, and not receiving much, if any, divine help along the way.
Politics/world events The church did not warn us in any way about 9/11. One would think that the church would have specific warnings for it's people, if not to save their lives, then at least to help us understand something was going to happen between two general conferences that was going to change everything in our country. But no. There was not a peep of warning.
Gay marriage. I could not find a valid reason in my head, or scripturally, to oppose gay marriage. But the church was opposing it harshly left and right, Hawaii, California, the church was going out of its way to intervene. There was a disconnect between what I thought was right and what the church was doing. This was verification of the last point for me... Leaders were not showing much inspiration at any level.
The End Even though I carried all of this in a giant puzzle in my head, I still thought that going to church was the thing God wanted me to be doing. I still had a firm testimony of the Book of Mormon and the History of the church, and somehow, that Gordon B Hinkley was a prophet of God.
Being a science fiction geek and picking up bits and pieces of evolution theory from different books, I thought I should decide for myself if that was true once and for all. Well, that didn't end well for my evolution-hating side. I read evolution: The Triumph of an Idea by Carl Zimmer and it convinced me beyond any doubt that evolution was true. This STILL didn't make me lose my faith right away. Several months later, I had an epiphany though, and realized that I now believed there is no God. I would say I discovered for myself that there is no God. This led to a brief period where I was an atheist but also a believer in the church - so then I started looking critically at church history and my mormon beliefs fell away more with every word I read. I wanted at that point to find something that could prove I was wrong about God - well, there might be something out there that would do it, but it wasn't anywhere in mormon history.

The season so far in review.
We. Are. In. The. Grand. Final. III

Round 1 vs Greater Western Sydney Giants

21st of March @ GIANTS Stadium
GWS (17.3 105) def. Geelong Cats (11.7 73)
Best on Ground: Duncan, Stewart, Ablett
Top Goal Scorers: Duncan (3), Hawkins (2).
A BREAKOUT performance from youngster Harry Perryman (GWS) and some ruthless finishing in front of goal has helped Greater Western Sydney begin its 2020 campaign with a 32-point win over Geelong.

Round 2 vs Hawthorn Hawks

12th of June @ GMHBA Stadium
Geelong Cats (17.6 108) def. Hawthorn Hawks (7.5 47)
Best on Ground: Selwood, Parfitt, Stanley
Top Goal Scorers: Miers (3), Ablett, Dahlhaus, Stanley, Atkins, Menegola (2)
GEELONG delivered a second-half masterclass to completely dismantle Hawthorn by 61 points at GMHBA Stadium.
Leading by six points at the main break, the Cats kicked 10 of the next 11 goals to celebrate Patrick Dangerfield's 250th AFL match with a 17.6 (108) to 7.5 (47) demolition.

Round 3 vs Carlton Blues

20th of June @ GMHBA Stadium
Geelong Cats (11.11 79) def by. Carlton Blues (12.7 79)
Best on Ground: Duncan, Dangerfield, Tuohy
Top Goal Scorers: Hawkins, Rohan (2)
Carlton broke through for its first win of the year in the unpredictable, topsy-turvy, unusual way that season 2020 almost warrants, holding on for a two-point victory over Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
The Blues led by 42 points in the third term and looked set to comfortably run away with the game, but were nearly overrun by last year's preliminary finalists, who booted five goals to none in the last quarter to almost snatch the win.

Round 4 vs Melbourne Demons

28th of June @ MCG
Melbourne Demons (6.8 44) def by. Geelong Cats (7.5 47)
Best on Ground: Guthrie, Menegola, Dangerfield
Top Goal Scorers: Hawkins, Fort, Duncan, Ratugolea, Dangerfield, Parfitt, Guthrie (1)
The Cats recorded a three-point victory, but Melbourne kicked three of the last four goals of the game and came close to stealing the points.

Round 5 vs Gold Coast Suns

4th of July @ GMHBA Stadium
Geelong Cats (13.11 89) def. Gold Coast Suns (8.4 52)
Best on Ground: Duncan, Hawkins, Menegola
Top Goal Scorers: Hawkins (3), Parfitt (2)
Gary Ablett was no standout in the Cats' champion's 350th game, floating between the forward line and midfield, but with his side's win against Gold Coast wrapped up late in the last quarter, Ablett still provided a memorable moment.

Round 6 vs Brisbane Lions

9th of July @ SCG
Geelong Cats (11.7 73) def. Brisbane Lions (6.10 46)
Best on Ground: Dangerfield, Menegola, Hawkins
Top Goal Scorers: Hawkins (3), Ablett, Rohan, Menegola (2)
Trailing by 10 points after a spluttering three-goal first half, the Cats bombarded Brisbane with seven unanswered goals in an extraordinary third term.
It started with Sam Menegola and Patrick Dangerfield in the midfield, while Gary Ablett produced his vintage best across half-forward and Tom Hawkins was involved in everything in attack as the Lions rolled over.
It landed the Cats the highest scoring quarter in the competition this season and propelled them to a victory at the SCG, leapfrogging the Lions into second place.

Round 7 vs Collingwood Magpies

16th of July @ Optus Stadium
Geelong Cats (5.5 35) def by. Collingwood Magpies (8.9 57)
Best on Ground: Dangerfield, Guthrie, Ablett
Top Goal Scorers: Clark, Guthrie, Rohan, Simpson, Tuohy
Geelong entered the clash at Optus Stadium as the competition's highest scoring team, but it was the Magpies who put on the afterburners, running away with the 22-point win in the final term.

Round 8 vs Fremantle Dockers

27th of July @ Optus Stadium
Fremantle Dockers (2.4 16) def by. Geelong Cats (6.12 48)
Best on Ground: Duncan, Guthrie, Tuohy
Top Goal Scorer: Hawkins (3)
It was wet, it was wild, and there was hardly a clean possession in sight. But for Geelong, its mightily scrappy 32-point victory over Fremantle represented a job well done. And a crucial one at that.

Round 9 vs West Coast Eagles

1st of August @ Optus Stadium
West Coast Eagles (11.7 73) def. Geelong Cats (10.4 64)
Best on Ground: Stewart, Duncan, Dangerfield
Top Goal Scorers: Tuohy, Hawkins (2)
Not even a week after bookmakers rushed once-struggling West Coast into premiership favouritism, Adam Simpson's men had to rally from 22 points down to clinch another victory.
Geelong looked on track for a mighty upset when Zach Tuohy kicked his side almost four goals clear early in the second half, only for the Eagles to slowly wear their rivals down.
New Coleman Medal frontrunner Josh Kennedy proved the difference, booting three of his four majors in a thrilling final term.

Round 10 vs North Melbourne Kangaroos

5th of August @ GABBA
Geelong Cats (13.12 90) def. North Melbourne (9.3 57)
Best on Ground: C.Guthrie, Miers, Hawkins
Top Goal Scorers: Miers (4), Hawkins (3), Z.Guthrie (2)
When Geelong needed a spark, the Cats turned to the shaggy-haired small forward, who was a key player in his side's 33-point win over North Melbourne.
Miers, in his inimitable style, booted four goals in an otherwise inaccurate display for the Cats.

Round 11 vs St Kilda Saints

10th of August @ GABBA
St Kilda (4.10 34) def by. Geelong Cats (14.9 93)
Best on Ground: Menegola, Hawkins, Dangerfield
Top Goal Scorers: Hawkins (5), Rohan (4), Menegola (2)
GEELONG has burst St Kilda's bubble, snapping the Saints' four-game winning streak with a 59-point thumping at the Gabba.
The victory has elevated Geelong past its opponents on the ladder into third place and right into the thick of the premiership conversation.

Round 12 vs Port Adelaide Power

14th of August @ Metricon Stadium
Geelong Cats (14.7 91) def. Port Adelaide (4.7 31)
Best on Ground: Hawkins, Dangerfield, Blicavs
Top Goal Scorers: Hawkins (6), Rohan (3)
TOM HAWKINS has put Geelong on his broad shoulders with a virtuoso performance to dismantle Port Adelaide by 10 goals at Metricon Stadium.
Hawkins kicked six goals and set up two others in arguably the most dominant power forward display this season against the competition leaders.

Round 13 vs Adelaide Crows

23rd of August @ Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Crows (5.7 37) def by. Geelong Cats (9.11 65)
Best on Ground: C.Guthrie, Steven, Menegola
Top Goal Scorers: Hawkins (3), Stanley, Duncan (2)
GEELONG has kept its top-two hopes alive with a 28-point win over Adelaide in round 13.
The scoreline was not indicative of the battle the Cats faced as the Crows trailed by just nine points heading into the last term thanks to a goal from David Mackay after the three-quarter time siren.

Round 14 vs Western Bulldogs

28th of August @ Metricon Stadium
Western Bulldogs (9.7 61) def by. Geelong Cats (10.12 72)
Best on Ground: Dangerfield, Stewart, Guthrie
Top Goal Scorers: Miers, Hawkins, Rohan (2)
FOR THE first time all season, the footy world had reason to doubt Geelong. Down 36 points to the Western Bulldogs at quarter-time on Friday night, you could be excused for wondering which of these sides was the team widely considered a genuine premiership contender.
Then you found out, for real, as the Cats swept the record books aside to record the club's biggest comeback victory from a first-quarter deficit since 1931 to leave a shell shocked Dogs side – and those sudden doubters – reeling.

Round 16 vs Essendon Bombers

6th of September @ the GABBA
Geelong Cats (17.6 108) def. Essendon Bombers (5.12 42)
Best on Ground: Menegola, Hawkins, Stewart
Top Goal Scorers: Hawkins (4), Miers (3), Bews, Blicavs, Dangerfield, Menegola (2)
GEELONG has flexed its premiership muscles while extinguishing the finals chances of an insipid Essendon with a 66-point romp at the Gabba. The Cats blew the game apart with five goals in the opening 13 minutes of the match and did not relent

Round 17 vs Richmond Tigers

11th of September @ Metricon Stadium
Geelong Cats (4.7 31) def by. Richmond Tigers (7.15 57)
Best on Ground: Stewart, Guthrie, Dangerfield
Top Goal Scorer: Ratugolea (2)
THIS felt more like a warm-up bout than the main event. But either way the result was clear: a knockout win for Richmond over Geelong in a game that mattered. With a top-four spot up for grabs, the Tigers pulled apart the Cats to record a 26-point win at Metricon Stadium.

Round 18 vs Sydney Swans

20th of September @ Metricon Stadium
Sydney Swans (9.9 63) def by. Geelong Cats (10.9 69)
Best on Ground: Menegola, Dangerfield, Guthrie
Top Goal Scorers: Dangerfield (3), Hawkins, Parfitt (2)
GEELONG needed a hero, and not for the first time the Cats turned to Patrick Dangerfield. Once again, he didn't let them down.
The Brownlow medallist and superstar midfielder was crucial to the Cats booking a spot in the top-four, dragging his side over the line against Sydney with a six-point win.

Finals Week 1 vs Port Adelaide Power

1st of October @ Adelaide Oval
Port Adelaide (9.4 58) def. Geelong Cats (5.12 42)
Best on Ground: Parfitt, Selwood, Dangerfield
Top Goal Scorer: Stanley (2)
The result was a dramatic reversal to the 10-goal hiding the Cats dished out to Hinkley's men seven weeks ago.
The Power are the first team into a preliminary final, courtesy of their first finals triumph in six long years, during which they were largely mired in mediocrity.
Tom Rockliff being arguably the best player afield fitted the night's events in the first final of a career 12 seasons deep. Rockliff and Sam Powell-Pepper were the hard heads in the centre, winning a combined 10 clearances.

Semi Final vs Collingwood Magpies

10th of October @ the GABBA
Geelong Cats (15.10 100) def. Collingwood Magpies (5.2 32)
Best on Ground: Dangerfield, Duncan, Stewart
Top Goal Scorers: Dangerfield, Hawkins (4)
PATRICK Dangerfield has dominated many big games and many finals before. But usually they haven't been from full-forward.
Dangerfield was the centrepiece of Geelong's semi-final slaughter of Collingwood, as the Cats booked a preliminary final berth against Brisbane with a 68-point trashing of the listless Pies.

Preliminary Final vs Brisbane Lions

17th of October @ the GABBA
Brisbane Lions (6.6 42) def by. Geelong Cats (11.16 82)
Best on Ground: Duncan, Stewart, Dangerfield
Top Goal Scorers: Rohan (3), Ablett, Hawkins (2)
THE GARY Ablett show will have a final act.
A Grand Final act, to be completely accurate, after the champion Cat helped steer Geelong to a commanding 40-point win over Brisbane.

Hi all, Im looking for some help. I am traveling to England in a few weeks and had planned on visiting the Triumph Factory in Hinkley. I did not realize that tickets for the factory tours would sell out in advance. Has anyone been there for a tour? Does anyone here work for Triumph? Is there anyway to get tickets at this point??
I was sooo looking forward to the tour, but we were finalizing our plans and werent able to nail down which day we could go until now.
Did i screw up beyond all hope??

Storm/Raider, The motorcycle comparison you didn’t know you needed.
Imgur A couple years ago I was hunting for a fast cruiser. A comfortable bike that had some special element of performance. I was looking at the new Honda Valkyrie, Victory Hammer, Yamaha Raider, Triumph Thunderbird Storm, and a Suzuki M109R. They are all quite different, so I wanted to find folks who had ridden and written about at least two of the bikes on my list. I live in Rural Oregon, meaning I couldn’t just zip around test riding the different models. The Internet would have to be where my testing occurred. But the Internet is like my mirror. I approach it with high hopes, and I’m usually disappointed :)
On the ‘net I found folk who had ridden or owned one of the bikes on my list and who had strong opinions about the other bikes (“I love my bike--it’s the best, and hate I the others--they all suck”), but I wanted a true side-by-side comparison. Never really found one, and I searched Internet forums, Reddit, motorcycle publications, you name it. I finally rolled the dice on a 2011 Triumph Thunderbird Storm, purchased off of Cycletrader.com at a dealership in New Mexico. My father owns a 2010 Yamaha/Star Raider. We have now put a fair amount of time on each bike. Here is my comparison, with my father’s impressions included:
The Walkup [img]http://i.imgur.com/deqjwaA.jpg[/img]
These are unique looking motorcycles. The Thunderbird Storm is unique due to its quirky engine configuration--parallel twin. The Raider stands out for its raked out front end and monster rear tire--a custom look from a factory bike.
What you see in pictures is what you get with the Storm. It’s a good looking bike, but not perfectly aligned with the Harley motif, which is part of what attracted me to it. The dual headlights look like the Fat Bob’s, but the look is traditionally found on Hinkley bikes, too. The motor is a big lump of a thing with polished fins--that don’t really serve a purpose: the bike is water cooled. The radiator is tucked in nicely though. In person, the thing that stands out more than in pictures is the fuel tank. It’s big. Really big and wide. It holds over five gallons of fuel, which is great. The thing is, the tank is so wide that your legs are splayed like you're riding a gynecologist's chair. We’ll come back to that when we get to ergos. Lights, blinkers and switchgear look good, but don’t have the quality feel of the Raider.
If the Storm were a person it would be a Crossfit dude wearing a tight v-neck sweater, some chinos, and goofy red shoes. The bike is muscular, masculine, and athletic, but different maybe just to be different.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/ycW55Z7.jpg[/img]
Pictures do not do the Raider justice. This bike turns heads. When we take both bikes out, people always seem to linger longer on the Japanese bike. The switchgear feels as good as any bike I’ve ridden. I’ve owned 12 different bikes: cruisers, sport tourers, sportbikes, standards, and nakeds. But nothing feels as solid or as smooth as the Raiders touchables. My 2005 Honda VFR800 was close-ish. The Raider’s 240 rear tire looks custom. It rides under the sleek rear fender perfectly. Dad’s bike is black with flat black pipes. There’s a touch of chrome and a touch of silver. It works. I’ve seen the Raider called “overstyled.” Maybe with the flashy colors, but not this bike. It might be overstylish. The raked out bike was big a few years ago (thanks American Chopper), and trends change quickly (remember the cafe racer craze?). But the truth is, a well-made bike will always be pretty. And the Raider has THE PRETTIEST MOTOR I HAVE EVER SEEN. Trendy forks be damned, that motor stops shows. It’s like looking at a picture of a beautiful woman in Parachute Pants. You may pause for a second, but you’ll see a sexy woman after a blink. And the Raider is sexy. That motor is sexy. The bike may not be at the forefront of a style revolution anymore, but it has the best elements of that movement.
If the Raider were are person it would be a handsome and super-muscular dude with a bushy hipster beard, a perfect undercut hairstyle, a blue flannel shirt, and lumberjack boots. The bike looks powerful, and trendy, but under it all, it’s flat-out beautiful.
The Ergos These bikes have quite different ergonomics. The British bike has foot controls that are not out too far. There is a reach to the bars, which are low and wide. I have two aftermarket seats, so I don’t know about stock, but I find my seats soft and comfortable. The only issue is the tank. The bulbous tank pushes your apart. It’s like riding a horse. To make matters worse, because the pegs aren’t foreword, the spread of your thighs forces your knees to flop out wide which causes your toes to want to point outward. It’s not cool. I don’t love forward controls, but they might help this bike. The reach to the low and wide bars keeps my upper body from being comfortable, too. I’m bent forward and can’t sit with good posture. It’s not a torture rack, but I need a break after an hour or so. Disclaimer: I’ve never ridden for more than 4 hours in a day, so I’m a bit of a wimp.
The Japanese bike has the lounger chair feel. I think Yamaha nailed the ergos. The forward pegs and narrowish bars don’t help make the bike feel like something you can toss through the curves, but dang it’s a comfortable bike. The stock seat is hard, but not uncomfortable. Think about it--the chairs at your high school were hard plastic and you could sit in those things all day without too much complaint. This seat hurts the hamstring/lower glute area after a bit, but nothing terrible.
The Motor Both bikes have been modded. The Raider has aftermarket pipes and a fuel controller. The Storm has Hog Slayer exhaust, decat, and aftermarket intake.
The Thunderbird sounds great. 270 degree crank helps the bike sound like a cruiser and not a sewing machine--which is what I hear with most parallel twins. The bike feels quite fast. It has a snap when you twist the throttle quickly. It makes peak torque at about 3k rpm. So you have to wind it up a bit. It doesn’t run out of breath as fast as the Star, but the Star doesn’t snap--it powers at the twist of the throttle.
The Yamaha motor works as good as it looks--that’s high praise, indeed. It pulls like a diesel engine from idle. Peak torque is at 2.5k rpm. The bike slams with a throttle turn. I can’t ride the bike without gassing it and idling it and gassing it and idling it. The exhaust has to be nearly twice as loud as the Storm. If you like loud bikes, the Star with a good pipe is the ticket.
I honestly can’t say for sure which bike is faster in a straight line. I think it’s the Star, but that might be the exhaust. I’m going to guess the Star would win 0-60 but lose in a quarter mile. Who knows. I think we need to go to the drags!
Handling and Wind Protection Up to this point you’ve probably been thinking, He seems to prefer the Star. And you’d be right. Up to this point.
It is on the curvy road that the T-bird shines. My father said the handling is more “instinctive” on the Triumph. I like that word. You’re not asking the bike to lean into a turn. You just come to the turn and the bike knows what to do with it. The 200 series rear tire doesn’t impede the flickability, the neutral pegs and wide bars really help to give the rider leverage to put the bike near the edge of its tires. Lean clearance is good-but-not-great. Peg feelers do their job, letting you know you’ve reached the end of the fun without scaring the crap out of you. I would venture the bike handles better than any power cruiser you could buy, outside of maybe the New Valkyrie (I LOVE that bike, but I wouldn’t call it a power cruiser). The Storm makes you want to get off the freeway and power through a bunch of curves like some kind of roadracing hero.
The Yammie handles way better than it should with those raked forks. It likes bends in the road--it just doesn’t really know it. You have to show it the bend and then you have to push it through. As much input as required from the rider in the turns, you’d think the bike was intimidating through them. But it handles predictably and without complaint. You just have to push the bike over. The bars and ergos and monster rear tire are all fighting against you, so you have to work, but it handles with aplomb all things considered. If I spent a day on the Yamaha without getting on my Storm I’d say the bike was an excellent handler. But every time I climb on the Storm after getting off the Raider, I’m reminded the the Raider is more suited to long straights. And on long highways the bike is the most planted motorcycle I’ve ridden. The long-and-low nature of it must be the reason.
Brakes Both bikes stop well for having more than 700 pounds to stop. Neither has ABS, so I can’t speak to that feature. I think the Raider has a stronger rear brake and the Storm has a stronger front, but it’s so close as to be something I’d have to work hard to tell for sure.
Conclusion Every time I’ve ridden both bikes one thought keeps coming back to me: I could own both and not feel like I had any real overlap. They are two truly different bikes. They are two truly awesome bikes. The Triumph Thunderbird Storm is definitely better when the road bends, and the Yamaha/Star Raider is clearly the winner in the I’m-riding-this-bike-across-the-state-starting-now category. I think my love of that Yamaha 1900cc motor, the quality of every component, and the supreme comfort of the bike would make it the winner of my personal comparison. However, the Storm is an absolute jewel and a very sporty handler with school-bully badass looks.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/eLAGNXM.jpg[/img]
I’m going to post this all over the web and try to answer questions as quickly as I can, so ask away, if you have questions.

In reading over a shop manual for Hinkley Triumphs (specifically a 96 Speed Triple) I see a section on the cam chain tensioner. I noticed there is no maintenance schedule for adjusting the cam chain tensioner, so I assume it is self adjusting. Am I correct in this assumption?

can anyone describe in detail the changes that occurred in reviving Triumph from its Meridan ashes in the form of the Hinkley bikes? I can't find any specifics and I'm kind of fascinated. Anyone feel like spilling their knowledge onto the internet? My bike is an '07 Bonnie Black, and I would particularly love to know how the last carbureted Bonneville compares in design to a Bonneville from, say, 1978. The more specifics the better.
Thanks.