What’s your problem with Lynchburg?
By Cody Gray on Nov. 05, 2007
What’s going on? Cody Gray here. For those of you who don’t know me, I will reintroduce myself. I am the afternoon host on the best rock station in town, and that of course would be 101.5/97.9 The Planet! Are you tired of hearing the same old rock songs day, after day, after day, after day? Well then you’re in luck! That’s why The Planet exists! We feature a HUGE rock library, playing thousands of songs without the same old repeats! So if you get a chance, I’d be honored if you checked out our radio station! Now that is out of the way, I have a question for you. What is your problem with Lynchburg?
I am a guy in my twenties living in Lynchburg and spend a lot of time out at concerts and bars and Hillcats games and just out enjoying life in Lynchburg. Of course, I am out doing live broadcasts and events with my radio station all over town too. So I get to meet a lot of people of different ages, backgrounds and opinions on life. But overwhelmingly, when I am out, it’s the people my age and younger that seem to have a total disdain for life in Lynchburg. I’ll be broadcasting live from a concert, and people who are our age will be so excited about seeing an up and coming band here in town. We will get to talking about the show and our favorite songs from the band in anticipation of hearing those songs from the radio up close and personal. Then, after that, the conversation usually turns to..."I just wish there was something to do in Lynchburg! I can’t wait to move out of here, because there’s just nothing to do!” Generally, I’ll smile and nod and that person will then turn around, go get in line for their show with a big smile on their face anticipating a great night of music. Do you see where I’m going with this?
I have lived in Lynchburg for most of my life and have constantly heard the complaints about Lynchburg being a terrible place to live as a young professional or teenager or college student. I actually used to buy into that argument/complaint. Then I really got to thinking about things, especially as the Central Virginia area continues to grow rapidly. Is Lynchburg comparable to New York City? Chicago? L.A.? Maybe even Richmond? Well of course not. One big difference is the huge population difference. With much bigger populations, naturally there will be a wider variety of things to do. But outside of going to Times Square, or Wrigley Field or walking down Ventura Boulevard, I’m not sure that I understand why people think their life is all of a sudden going to be so much more exciting when you add 3 million other people to the mix. I mean, here’s my basic question. Generally, what CAN’T you do in Lynchburg that you CAN do anywhere else?
Let’s look at it. Without mentioning bars or clubs by name, there are a lot of different places in town to go out with friends and get a drink and have fun. Is it a club with 5 different dance floors and a $20 cover charge? Well, no. Are there tons of really unique places to go hang out and places for people with different interests to go to? Absolutely! Just look around! It’s almost like young people in Lynchburg are just dying to find a reason to hate it here or to say there’s nothing to do. You can head over to Wyndhurst and have fun at a nice restaurant. You can also head down to Bedford Avenue and have one of the best times ever, in a place you never thought you’d hang out. We have a comedy club in town for goodness sake! Sure, it’s one night a week, but every time I have gone, it’s been awesome. Right behind the restaurant with a comedy night, you can dance to a DJ, or hear one of your favorite bands live in concert. Really, I could go on and on. And it’s not even all about watering holes and clubs!
How about the fact that we have Division 1 college athletics right here in Lynchburg? We have a minor league baseball team. Bowling alleys, ice skating rinks, more places to shop by the day. It’s a 30 minute drive to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a little more to one of the fastest growing and most desired places to spend time in the Mid-Atlantic, which would be Smith Mountain Lake. A couple hours to the beach, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Raleigh and Charlotte. Like NASCAR? We’re less than an hour and a half from one of the toughest and most historic NASCAR tracks on the Nextel Cup Circuit in Martinsville. And we can’t forget the excitement of a race in Richmond just a couple hours down the road. There’s nothing to do here?
I guess my basic point is that no matter where you live, the grass IS ALWAYS greener! I just want to encourage you to look around and see what’s right in front of you and things we all probably overlook. From time to time, I’m as guilty as the next. But if you want something fun to do, our area of the world is not a barren land! There’s so much to do right here in town, and even more to do within a short drive! To me, Lynchburg is the perfect location. You get the small town feel, but still get some big city perks. It’s central to so many things that are available to us in the state of Virginia and elsewhere. And I couldn’t think of a more desirable place to raise a family! That may be jumping ahead of things for some of you, but I think that’s something that needs to be considered when you’re deciding where you want to settle down.
Are we living in New York City, Chicago or L.A.? Of course not! And if that’s your desire, by all means, go after the place where you’ll feel at home. Just don’t overlook the home you already have and the fact that you live in an area that compares to no other place in the country for many reasons. That’s my two cents! You’re probably saying, “Cody! Do you live in the same town I do???!!!” That’s fine; I know not everyone feels the way I do about life here. But, I would definitely like to hear your thoughts on what would make life better for you in Lynchburg.
Either leave a comment here on the page or send me an email at . I would love to hear from you! Have a great week and I’ll see you on the radio, on The Planet from 2-7PM at 97.9 in Lynchburg and 101.5 in Roanoke. Be good and I’ll talk to you soon!
COMMENTS
I love Lynchburg and I, like you Cody, have lived here pretty much my entire life. I’ve also heard the exact same complaining and whining coming from the young crowd. “Lynchburg doesn’t have anything to do. I can’t wait to move out of here.” Waaah, waaaah, waaaaah!
I’m guessing these people have never heard of the Seven Hills Hash House Harriers (or 7H4). We are “a drinking club with a running problem.” We get together once, sometimes twice, a week and run a little, drink a little, and sing a bunch of stupid - yet fun - songs! (BTW...the hash is not to be confused with drugs as we do not promote or condone such activity.)
The 7H4 is part of a larger, worldwide drinking/running organization called the Hash House Harriers. There’s a Richmond Hash, a Charlottesville Hash, a Tidewater Hash, a DC Hash - there’s even a Tokyo Hash (like I said...worldwide baby).
So, the next time you think there’s nothing to do here in the Burg, call 582-8076 - our hash hotline number, find out when the next hash run will be and show up! You will meet tons of cool people, run through places you didn’t even know existed here in the Hill City, and you’ll have a brand new perspective and appreciation for our little corner of the world that we live in.
Lynchburg rocks!
For something to do in L’burg...go to:
http://www.7h4hash.com
582-8076
Cody, I enjoy your show. I was a little blown away the other day when I heard “Hope in a hopeless world"- by WSP and “Run like an antelope” - Phish. Not going to get that to many places outside of Vermont or Athens, Georgia. Keep it up!
I read your blog and I have this to say. I recently moved with my wife and two kids from Tampa, Florida. I lived there for 12 years and I spent quite a bit of time before that with the bands mentioned above, traveling a lot!
I am in my early 30’s and have to say that this is a great place so far for family. We feel safe and very secure with almost every place and everyone we have met. Tampa had just about anything you wanted to do. Clubs, bars (Ybor City), the beaches, good local cusine, professional sports, big east college, busch gardens, so forth and so on.....but it also had your share of problems that come with most cities that have all those things. In places like Tampa, you had to watch your back, lock the car doors on most streets at a light, ignore the choppers flying over head, constant traffic, rude and nasty prostitutes, wasted tax payer money on city council hearings about the strip clubs rights, high cost of living, poor job market, EXTREMELY crowded emergency rooms, over crowded public schools, lack of teachers to provide education,....I’ll stop but trust me, there is more.
I like this place. My wife and I have been to a couple of LU Hockey games and really enjoyed them, we’ve been to a couple of really good spots to eat - (the dish, and bull branch) The new brewery at the Cradock - good stuff. We’ve enjoyed the blue ridge parkway, the weather has been spectacular, Wine and garlic festival, the fourth of July celebration at LU was fantastic.
Look, I don’t know if I would have felt the same if I had been here in my early twenties, but apparently the place is growing constantly. Trust me, enjoy what we have here. You could go to a bigger city but I would be willing to bet that eventually, you’d come back.
Get out and enjoy what is happening here, you can drive within a 100 miles and get even more – as Cody mentioned. Before you know it, you’ll be starting a family and really appreciate what this place has to offer.
Another good rock show coming to Cattle Annies - Alter Bridge with Another Animal (which is a side project of God Smack).
I would have to say I agree 100%. There are plenty of things to do round here. If you run out of ideas, just go to a payphone and call a friend for goodness sakes. Some people are just whiners and complainers. They just want hair of their own to play with while on the phone.