| People often pride themselves in having
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| | make it over the first mountain ridge;
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| "minds of their own"; but what about
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| | and incoming planes often passed-up
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| places? A good character study can
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| | landing, heading on to the next available
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| enthrall, mesmerize -- a strong portrayal
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| | landing field. Old-timers tell
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| of personality can stun,
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| | tales of the first airplane owners in
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| captivate, intrigue. But who says the
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| | the area. -- Often farmers or landowners
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| main character must be a person? Why not
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| | with a curiosity about piloting a plane,
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| let a bustling city, yarn-spinning town
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| | but completely untrained, they would
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| or lazy locale take center stage -- play
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| | purchase a plane, ask for directions and
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| the protagonist, and even tell a success
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| | general flying instructions; then get in
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| story?The Greenbrier Valley in
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| | the plane and fly home -- or at least
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| southeastern West Virginia, home to
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| | what they perceived to be home. Needless
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| old-time mountaineers, middle-class
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| | to say, some of them finally got there by
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| business folks, lawyers, academicians,
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| | another means of transportation, and much
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| and people of rather high net worth in
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| | later than expected. -- But well-wishing
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| search of some peace and quiet in the
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| | neighbors would leave lanterns burning
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| pure mountain air -- is a place of
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| | outside, well into the night, hoping to
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| simple, rare beauty with much to tell.
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| | bring each fledgling pilot down to earth
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| For this reason, it is also a haven for
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| | safely. Now, the modern Greenbrier Valley
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| creative artists. Writers, musicians,
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| | Airport near Lewisburg has capacity for
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| painters, sculptors, photographers, and
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| | large commercial jets, as well as small,
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| makers of crafts from the U.S. as well as
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| | two-engine models. And no one pilots
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| abroad come to experience the poignancy,
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| | without a legitimate license! (But the
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| joy, laugher and sorrow reflected in the
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| | fog and ice can still impede one's
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| local folklore, mountain music, and
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| | progress over the first mountain ridge on
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| breathtaking colors of hazy sunrise and
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| | snowy winter days. And sometimes you
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| brilliant sunset mixed with the vibrant
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| | decide this side of the mountain looks
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| hues of the countryside terrain.Just a
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| | good enough, change your plans, and stay
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| few years ago, a visit to the county
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| | home.)White Sulphur Springs hosts the
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| schools was a truly unique experience.
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| | Greenbrier Hotel with its healing natural
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| The student population was made up of
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| | springs water, golf and tennis and
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| town kids, kids from farms throughout the
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| | horseback riding facilities, cool rolling
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| county, and the children of families who
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| | grounds and tall, overhanging maples,
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| had lived sparse, but enduring existences
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| | oaks and evergreens that bow and lean
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| in sometimes isolated mountain regions
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| | close in the breeze -- a tease to the
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| for many years. Mountaineer customs were
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| | curious newcomer, full of questions and
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| different. Mountain language was fun --
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| | wishing the trees could talk. The
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| but it took some getting used to, and
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| | Greenbrier now sports a growing community
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| much was never explained, or left
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| | of elegant, luxurious new homes on the
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| unsaid. But, those shy, silent children
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| | well-landscaped site of its former golf
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| had much to tell. One current local
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| | course; while just a
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| resident, now a teacher in her 50's,
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| | hillside or two away, you can find a
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| remembers being somewhat in awe of one
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| | cozy, well-seasoned log cabin, a bit
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| quiet, wide-eyed boy who told of his
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| | worn, but still in use. And on the front
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| family's home being part wooden house
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| | porch is an elderly, white-haired man
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| with a red-dirt floor, and part cave; but
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| | playing banjo with his small
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| his older brother had recently installed
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| | great-granddaughter beside him, strumming
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| a color TV set. -- The teacher, then a
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| | the strings of a cherry wood dulcimer.
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| schoolgirl, was jealous
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| | While from the distant interstate, you
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| at the time, since her family still had
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| | hear faint, persistent rhythms of rock
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| a black-and-white TV at home.... Now the
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| | music and modern country songs
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| schools are large and consolidated, with
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| | drifting out from the open windows of
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| a quality of sophistication both built-in
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| | passing cars. And even the Greenbrier
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| and acquired.In years past, the railroads
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| | Ghost from centuries past comes forward
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| were still very important to the area.
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| | in time to make current appearances for
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| With regular and frequent stops at the
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| | delighted (and spooked)
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| Victorian style wooden stations in White
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| | audiences at the Greenbrier Valley
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| Sulphur Springs and Ronceverte, the next
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| | Theater productions!Yes, the Greenbrier
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| valley town to Lewisburg, they carried
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| | Valley has a creative mind of its own --
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| lumber, coal, cattle, produce and
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| | embracing the past, present and future in
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| passengers en route to neighboring or
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| | a single gesture, smile, word or glance,
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| distant locations. Residents say it was
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| | as it reaches out warmly to greet you.
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| always comforting to hear the train
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| | For, after all, an enchanted visiting
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| whistle, foggy on the misted night air --
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| | creative artist could become a productive
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| and much fun to get to take a trip in the
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| | artist in residence -- and the wind
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| jostling, clacking passenger cars. --
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| | whispering softly through the trees will
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| Last year, some visitors took Amtrak from
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| | try to persuade you so.Ellen Gilmer,
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| White Sulphur to New York, and while
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| | copyright Ellen Gilmer is a
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| waiting at the station for the train to
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| | writer-composer and artist who lives in
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| arrive, a group of well-dressed guests at
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| | New York City. Crystal Clear Artforms,
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| the
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| | her creative arts business,
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| Greenbrier Hotel were happily out on the
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| | is dedicated to the development and
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| tracks placing nickels and quarters on
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| | promotion of Thematic Arts (creative
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| the open rails, so the incoming train
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| | expression in multiple art forms).
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| could flatten the coins into pendants.
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| | Ellen's work includes copywriting and
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| (The onlookers' main concern was that the
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| | article writing, and she is a member of
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| train would flatten the guests, instead!)
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| | the Agora International Press Corps /
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| But, they all scurried back to the
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| | AWAI Travel Writers Group.
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| platform and safety, just in time.Braver
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| | She has published two books: La Belle
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| souls used to fly in small commercial
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| | Famille (a novel); and Free Style Run of
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| planes, or even two-or-four-seaters, from
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| | the Heart (a book of dramatic monologues
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| the small airport near White Sulphur and
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| | with songs). Both books were published by
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| the Greenbrier Hotel. The only problem
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| | The Pentland Press Ltd./ Carnegie
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| there was that on foggy,
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| | Publishing, England.
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| snowy or ice-coated days, you might not
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|
