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BY KATHERINE BROOKS

Special to The Farmville Herald

Staying on their toes at all times, the Grateful Boomers exercised their minds and bodies on two recent outings. First, a trip to downtown Richmond, stopping off at the historic Valentine Museum. The Valentine is a museum dedicated to collecting and interpreting Richmond’s history. And it’s certainly been around a while. It was founded by Mann S. Valentine II in 1898, hence the name, becoming the first museum in the city. 

The Boomers were there for an intriguing exhibit: Sculpting History at the Valentine Studio: Art, Power and the “Lost Cause” American Myth. They were lead by an engaging museum curator who encouraged audience participation amongst the group of 15. Just as a tip for anyone wanting to go, the Valentine charges no admission fee on Thursdays and free parking is conveniently located directly behind the museum.

And now, of course, let’s talk about the hiking. From the Valentine, the group changed from dress shoes to hiking boots and headed to hike the bucolic Three Ridges Wilderness in Nelson County. They tackled 6.2 miles with a 1,600 foot elevation gain, challenging out and back hike on the Appalachian Trail. How could one not get inspired by a hike that begins by crossing the Tye River using a wooden swinging bridge? The unrelenting climb northward provided expansive stunning views along with wildflowers just beginning to emerge and clumps of bloodroot visible. 

Remember Hurricane Camille and the destruction it brought to Central Virginia in 1969? This area was in the epicenter of the devastation caused when a front stalled there on the night of August 19 – 20, dumping more than 27 inches of rain in five hours. The earth has been healing itself ever since and damage is still evident in some places.

At the end of their hike, they were rewarded by relaxing on large warm rocks in the Tye River while chilling their sore legs in the icy water. Another day of gratitude for enjoying nature in the company of such good and fun friends!

WHO ARE THE GRATEFUL BOOMERS? 

And if you’re wondering who the Grateful Boomers are, they’re a group of friends from Buckingham County, all over the age of 60, who want to enrich their lives through both meaningful friendships and challenging outdoor adventures.

They believe that aging gratefully with a high level of curiosity about everything, will create the best environment to remain mentally and physically active. Collectively, the group’s interests run from biking to hiking, kayaking and photography to reading, knitting, gardening and travel. They hope that by sharing their adventures, the group will inspire others to do the same.