James Madison University - Bluestone Schoolmaam Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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like to go to Reddish Knob to get away- it ' s quiet, beautiful- very different from campus. -Lee Ann Wimer ■ Coleman like to go to Union Springs or Blue Hole and just hang out in the sun. -Rusty Howard OUTDOOR FUN As a break from campus, many students frequented the area ' s most popular spots. It ' s a Friday afternoon, thie sun is shin- ing, the leaves are beginning to turn colors, there ' s a slight chill in the air, and the JMU parking lots are unusually empty. Where hove they all gone? Cor by car they follow a narrow, windy road to the West Virginia nnountains. Route 257 takes students to a place hidden away in West Virginia . . . Reddish Knob. The drive there takes about forty min- utes and most of it is spent climbing uphill. When arrival seems most immi- nent, the climb continues still onward. It is a pilgrimage to the mountain top, said Julie Coin, Spring and Fall are the Knob ' s best seasons but students just can ' t seem to stay away, I ' ve been there every weekend for the past four weeks, came the enthusiastic response of one JMU student. But why all the excitement? As one student described the Knob , It ' s like they took a mountain, cut off the top and paved a parking lot. Actually that is all that is there, but perhaps that ' s why students love Reddish Knob so much. It ' s simple, it ' s natural and it ' s not man-made. The view is breath taking. . . all 360 degrees of it. The sunsets there ore beautiful and when the sun is setting, the moon is rising directly opposite of it. Many sunsets are accompanied by bonfires. Sometimes the crowd listens to mellow music, mills around and roasts hotdogs. Other times they play upbeat music, drink beer, dance in the parking lot, play hockey sack and bring their dogs. They always bring their cameras. Julie Cain best described the expe- rience, If you go up there and don ' t know anybody, it ' s OK. Everyone ' s friends up there . Reddish Knob is right- eous. It ' s spiritual and it ' s so beautiful that it ' s overwhelming, she said. After the sun has set and the fires ore put out, the procession down the mountain begins. But don ' t distress, they won ' t be gone for long. Next Fri- day they will return to their escape world of Reddish Knob. by RoseMary Cosby Enjoying a relaxing cruise on the Shenondoah River, two students explore nature from canoes. Tlie Shenandoati provides an excellent oppor- tunity for swimming, canoeing or just relaxing. 1 ' DImmIck 28 Outdoor Sights

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• ■i«jTm t% . -v ZanettI Graduation 27

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DImmick A great alternative to studying In ttie library, ttiese students read on ttie dock at Lake Shen- andoah. The lake Is a popular spot for local residents to fish. These swimmers prefer fresh water to the pool at Godwin Hall. The Rockingham County area has an abundance of outdoor recreation op- portunities. Outdoor Sights 29