The Warren County Balloon & Airstravaganza will be held Friday through Sunday at the Front Royal Airport. Activities include a balloon glow on Friday from 7-10 p.m.; gates open at 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and will include airplane rides, music, The Flying Circus.

Further information is available on the web: www.warrencountyairevent.com.

If, when it comes to cars, you think older is better, you might be at home in one of several classic car clubs in the area.

• Skyline Street Rods, organized in 1976, is open to residents with customs, classics or street rods. The club holds a show every year the fourth full weekend in June at the Edinburg Town Park. The club also participates in cruise-ins and benefits. The club plans picnics and get-togethers and promotes safe driving. The club meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the D.W. Hoffman Construction office on U.S. 11 across from A Way 2 Play. The membership fee is $20 a year.
• Valley Cruisers of Winchester, which organized in 1989, is open to all car enthusiasts. The group participates in cruise-ins, car shows and benefits. The club meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at Millwood Station Volunteer Fire and Rescue. The membership fee is $15 a year.
• Shenandoah Valley Mustang Club, organized in 1978, is open to all car enthusiasts. Most members are Ford or Ford Mustang owners. The club participates in four to five shows a year and holds a picnic and a Christmas banquet every year. Meetings are on the last Sunday of every month at 2 p.m. at Millwood Station Volunteer Fire and Rescue. The annual membership fee is $25 for a family. The club gives to charitable organizations. 662-0584 after 6 p.m.
• Yesterday's Cruisers Inc. is open to all car enthusiasts. The club meets the first Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m. at the War Memorial Building in Jim Barnett Park in Winchester. During the summer, the club meets at a park picnic shelter. Also during the summer, the club has a cruise-in the third Saturday of every month at Anthony's Pizza on Valley Avenue in Winchester. The club started the Apple Blossom cruise-in and the Apple Blossom Rock N'Roll dance. The club, organized in 1987, is the oldest cruisers club in Winchester. The membership fee is $20 a year. 667-5795
• Hoppers Auto Club, organized in 1959, has a limited number of memberships open for new members. The club meets the first Thursday of every month at its garage and club house on Va. 608, Bethel Church Road, in Frederick County. The club organizes two car show a year and participates in cruise-ins and other activities. The club participates in charitable work. New members are required to pay a $50 application fee. Membership is $10 a month to help maintain the clubhouse. 869-4289, (304) 263-2218 or 667-9082

Got a need for speed? An exciting day at the races is available at a few venues in the area.

• Eastside Speedway on U.S. 340 outside Waynesboro offers drag racing, go-cart racing and stock-car racing on weekends from March through November.


• On Friday nights until September, the speedway will open at 4 p.m. and begin drag races at 5:30 p.m.; from September through November, drag racing will be on Sundays at noon, opening at 10 a.m. On Saturdays, the speedway opens at 9 a.m., and go-cart races begin at 11 a.m. On Saturday evenings, the speedway will open for stock-car racing at 6 p.m., and races will begin around 7 p.m.


• Prices for adults are $12 for drag racing and $10 for go-cart racing and stock-car racing. Children ages 11 and under get in free. Concessions and camping are also available. 942-1219. www.eastsidespeedway.com


• Summit Point Motorsports Park at 2026 Summit Point Road in Summit Point, W.Va., north of Berryville offers a park-like atmosphere with three road-racing circuits. The park hosts cars, motorcycles and go-carts and offers free parking, camping and access to the pits. On-track events begin at 9 a.m., and off-track events start at about 5 p.m. Ticket prices range from $15 to $35 at the gate and $13 to $33 in advance. Season tickets are also available. Children 12 and under are admitted free with an adult. (304) 725-8444. www.summitpoint-raceway.com.


• Winchester BMX Racing takes place in Jim Barnett Park in Winchester near the second northern entrance to the park off Cork Street, past the baseball fields. A 1,200-14,00-foot-long dirt track is open for practice for BMX bikes only from dawn to dusk, coordinating with the hours of the park, and practice with a gate is available on Friday nights 6-8 p.m. Races under the lights are on Saturday nights at 6 p.m., April through October. Practices and admission for spectators is free. For participants, the price is $8. Concessions and bleachers are available, and spectators are invited to bring their own chairs. (301) 748-4906. www.winchesterbmxracing.org


• Winchester Speedway on Airport Road in Winchester offers fun for the whole family. Food is available for purchase. Small coolers are allowed, but glass bottles and alcohol are prohibited. Stadium seating is available, but visitors are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs or cushions, if desired. Camping is also available. The gates open at 4:30 on most regular race nights; hot laps are at 6:15 p.m., and races begin at 7 p.m. Times vary according to the event and holidays.


• Admission is $12 for the grandstands and $20 for pits entrance. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Ticket prices will vary for special events. 667-8143. www.winchestervaspeedway.com

Geocaching is an adventure game using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to find caches hidden around the world. Go to www.geocaching.com to find locations of caches in the area and rules for playing. Geocaching enthusiasts hide caches and post them on the Internet. Others then try to find them. Caches often contain a log book and rewards, according to the Web site. The general rule for participants is to leave a new reward in the cache if they take one, according to the rules. There are hundreds of caches hidden within 30 miles of Strasburg.

Discover the history and outdoor beauty that state and national parks offer throughout Shenandoah and Warren counties.

• Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive bring more visitors to Front Royal and Warren County than any other attraction. The park and drive extend 105 miles over mountaintops from Afton in the south to Front Royal in the north, and parallel a 101-mile segment of the Appalachian Trail.
  The park draws about 1.1 million visitors a year; last year about 375,000 of them entered at the Front Royal entrance on U.S. 340, about a quarter-mile south of town.
  The 197,000-acre park combines protected mountain land with lodging and trails and a wide variety of programs and activities throughout the year. The park's trails, varying from short walks to 12-hour hikes, intersect with waterfalls, streams, old home sites and scenic vistas. Wildflowers, more than 200 species of birds, white-tailed deer and black bears abound.
  Facilities along the drive include two lodges -- Big Meadows, at Mile 51, where one of the visitor centers is found, and Skyland at Mile 41.7. The Lewis Mountain cabins are at Mile 57.6 and the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center is at Mile 4.6. There are also restaurants, campgrounds, camp stores, and picnic areas.
  Admission to the park from March to November is $15 per car, $10 per motorcycle, $8 per pedestrian or bicyclist. From December to February, admission is $10 per car or motorcycle and $5 per pedestrian or bicyclist. An annual park pass is available for $30, and the "America the Beautiful -- National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass -- Annual Pass," which allows entry into any federal recreation area for a year, is $80, or $10 for senior citizens. Other passes are also available. (540) 999-3500. www.nps.gov/shen


• Raymond R. "Andy" Guest, Jr. Shenandoah River State Park, on U.S. 340 about eight miles from Front Royal, has 1,604 acres with more than five miles of frontage on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. An ideal setting for camping, hiking, fishing, picnicking or just relaxing, the park is within view of Massanutten Mountain to the west and Shenandoah National Park to the east.




• The park offers 10 primitive tent sites for campers and one group site that accommodates 30 individuals. Construction has begun on a new office/visitor center, which will house administrative offices and environmental education exhibits. A campground and cabin project is also under way that will add 34 water and electric campsites with a modern bath house and four camping cabins. Overnight cabins built with two, three and six bedroom facilities will also soon be available.




• Horseback riding trails are unavailable until contruction is completed.


• Admission is $3 on weekdays and $4 on weekends and holidays. 622-6840 or (800) 933-PARK. www.dcr.state.va.us/parks




• The Lee Ranger District, part of George Washington National Forest, is on historic land in Shenandoah and Warren counties that was originally surveyed by George Washington. The Lee Ranger district contains 190,000 acres and spans two states and seven counties. There are close to 400 trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders, as well as 36 miles of trails for off-highway vehicles.

984-4101. www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj

If tennis is your thing, you're in luck. There's a court nearby almost anywhere you find yourself in the Northern Shenandoah Valley.

Clarke County:

• The Clarke County Park, off Old Business Va. 7, west of Berryville at 225 Al Smith Circle, features six lighted outdoor tennis courts. 955-5140. www.clarkecounty.gov/parks


• Frederick County/Winchester:


• Jim Barnett Park, at 1001 E. Cork St., Winchester, features seven outdoor lighted tennis courts. 662-4946. www.winchesterva.gov


• John Handley High School, at 428 Handley Blvd., Winchester, features six outdoor unlighted tennis courts for public use.


• James Wood High School, at 161 Apple Pie Ridge Road, Winchester, features eight lighted outdoor tennis courts for public use.


• James Wood Middle School, at 1313 Amherst Drive, Winchester, has four unlighted outdoor tennis courts for public use.


• Millbrook High School, at 251 First Woods Drive, Winchester, features eight outdoor lighted tennis courts for public use.


• Senseny Road Elementary School, at 1481 Senseny Road, Winchester, has two unlighted outdoor tennis courts for public use.


• Sherando High School, at 185 S. Warrior Drive in Stephens City adjacent to Sherando Park, features eight lighted tennis courts.

Shenandoah County:

• Central High School, at 1147 Susan Ave., Woodstock, has outdoor tennis courts available for public use.


• Stonewall High School, at 150 Stonewall Lane, Quicksburg, has outdoor tennis courts available for public use.


• Madison District Park, behind the Old Edinburg Middle School off Stony Creek Boulevard, Edinburg, has two public tennis courts, with one lighted.


• Mt. Jackson's Town Park, at 326 Wunder St., features two tennis courts. 477-2121 or 477-2670


• New Market Community Park, at 9670 Cadet Road, features five lighted tennis courts. 740-3432


• The Shenandoah County Park is situated along U.S. 11 between Maurertown and Toms Brook and features two outdoor tennis courts.


• Strasburg Community Park, at 295 Park Road, has two outdoor tennis courts. 465-9197


• Strasburg High School, at 250 Ram Drive, Strasburg, has outdoor tennis courts available for public use.


• W.O. Riley Park, at 540 Park Ave., Woodstock, includes public tennis courts.

Warren County:

• Gertrude E. Miller Community Park, on Bing Crosby Road in Front Royal, features lighted outdoor tennis courts. 635-7750


• Chimney Field Park, on Commonwealth Avenue in Front Royal, features four lighted outdoor tennis courts. 635-7750


• Old Warren County High School, at 240 Luray Ave., Front Royal, has three unlighted outdoor tennis courts available for public use.


• Skyline High School, at 151 Skyline Vista Drive, Front Royal, has eight lighted outdoor tennis courts available for public use.

Town parks throughout the region offer the possibility of picnics, exercise and more.

Clarke County:

• Rose Hill Park, in downtown Berryville, offers a playground, basketball courts and a gazebo. 955-1099

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Jim Barnett Park, at Cork Street across from Daniel Morgan Middle School, offers picnic shelters, tables and equipment, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, baseball and softball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, a fitness par course, hiking trails, a track for miniature radio-operated cars, a BMX racing track, an arboretum, miniature golf, a playground, lighted horseshoe pits, the Rolling Thunder POW-MIA Memorial, a lake and shuffleboard courts. 662-4946. www.winchesterva.gov/parks.

  There are also the following neighborhood parks: Elk Street Park, with a playground and picnic shelter, on Elk Street; Friendship Park, with basketball courts, a picnic shelter and soccer field, at 623 N. Pleasant Valley Road; Frederick Douglas Park, with a baseball field, basketball court, playground and picnic shelter, at 598 N. Kent St.; North-East-South-West Park, with an open area, climbing wall and swings, at 501 Darrview St.; Overlook Park, with a picnic shelter, at 50 Montague Circle; Park Place, with an open area, playground, soccer field and walking trail, at 2024 Harvest Drive; Rolling Hills Park, with an open area, at 702 Kennedy Drive; Shawnee Springs Preserve Park, with wetlands and an interpretive site, at 301 E. Pall Mall St.; Tevis Street Park, with an open area, at 2644 Stonegate Drive; Timbrook Park, with basketball courts, a playground, gazebo, swings and a volleyball court, at 132 East Lane; Weaver Park, with basketball courts, picnic shelters, soccer fields and swings, at 167 Bruce St.; Harvest Ridge Park, with an open area and soccer field, at 805 Crestview Terrace; Whittier Park, with basketball courts, playground, picnic shelter and soccer field, at 900 Whittier Ave.; Green Circle Park, with an open space, wetlands and a one-mile trail, at Jubal Early Drive and Handley Ave. 662-4946. www.winchesterva.gov/parks



• Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve, at 1643 Meadow Branch Ave., enables you to observe wetland birds, rare wildflowers and wildlife. You can schedule nature walks and walk or bike the first mile of the Winchester Green Circle pathway. Parking is available at the Abrams Crossing commercial center on West Jubal Early Drive, and walking and biking to the preserve is encouraged. 662-4946. www.winchesterva.gov/parks.


• Stephens City's Town Commons has a shelter and a stage. The town park, behind Locust Street, has baseball fields. 896-3087


• Middletown Community Park, off Senseny Road, has shelters, a playground, swings and a baseball field. 869-3814



Shenandoah County:




• Mt. Jackson's Town Park, at 326 Wunder St., features a pool, a basketball court, two tennis courts, picnic pavilions, a playground, a volleyball court, a baseball field and a walking trail. 477-2121


• New Market Community Park, at 9670 Cadet Road, includes five tennis courts, six picnic shelters, three jungle gyms with swings, two baseball fields, a soccer field, gravel walking path and barbecue pit. 740-3432


• Strasburg Community Park, on Queen Street, features a pool, picnic shelters, tennis and basketball courts, soccer and baseball fields, beach volleyball, a playground and a boat landing with access to the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. 465-9197


• Woodstock's W.O. Riley Park, at 540 Park Avenue, offers tennis courts, basketball courts, picnic shelters, a playground, walking trail, beach volleyball, soccer fields and a pool. 459-3621


• Edinburg's Madison District Park, at 100 Park Road, has three picnic shelters, two tennis courts, two playgrounds, basketball court, softball field and a pool. 984-8521


• Warren County:
• Bowman's Park, on Luray Avenue in Front Royal, offers picnic tables and a botanical garden. 635-7819
• Happy Creek Trail, adjacent to Commerce Avenue in Front Royal, is designed for walkers, runners, bicyclists and hikers. It runs from Front Street on the north side of town to East Main Street on the southern end. 635-7819

Trails, clubs and events in many places around the Northern Shenandoah Valley for cater to the cycling enthusiast.

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Winchester's Green Circle will be several miles when completed. It now offers about 2 1/2 miles at the Meadow Branch subdivision off of Jubal Early Road.


• Valley Avenue in Winchester has a dedicated bike lane. It is intended to one day expand into Kernstown and Stephens City.


• Jim Barnett Park, at Cork Street across from Daniel Morgan Middle School, has a mile-long innerloop and another dirt path through the park.


• Frederick Douglas Park, at 598 N. Kent St., has a 1/3-mile path.


• Park Place, off Harvest Drive, has a 1/4-mile trail.


• Local touring and mountain bicycle enthusiasts have the support of the Winchester Wheelmen, P.O. Box 1695, Winchester, VA 22604, an organization that sponsors various levels of riding experiences throughout the year. www.winchesterwheelmen.org


• The Civil War Preservation Trust owns a three-mile trail where the Third Battle of Winchester took place. On Red Bud Road in northern Frederick County, the trail features interpretative signs.


• Sherando Park, at 185 South Warrior Drive in Stephens City, has a 2.45 mile trail that begins and ends at Sherando High School.

Shenandoah County:

• The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests have thousands of miles of roads and trails featured in guides available at local bike shops. 984-4101


• The Blue Frog Purple Dog sponsors a cycling event in Strasburg each year called "The Battle of North Valley's Hills." This year's event is Sept. 18-21. Participants camp at the town park and activities will begin and end at the Strasburg Theater on King Street. http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1598152

Warren County:

• A 11⁄4-mile trail meanders through Happy Creek Park. The trail begins on Main Street at the Happy Creek bridge.


• Mountain bikers can ride the many trails in the George Washington National Forest, located southwest of Front Royal.

Clarke County:

• The Clarke County Park, at 255 Al Smith Circle in Berryville, has a two-mile path. 955-514

0

A free pamphlet on fishing regulations and seasons is available and can be obtained at licensing agents, each county clerk's office, by writing or calling the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 4010 W. Broad St., Richmond 23230, (804) 367-1000 or at www.dgif.virginia.gov.

A health advisory, issued by the Virginia Department of Health, recommends against eating fish caught between the confluence of the Shenandoah River and the West Virginia line in Clarke County, and on the North Fork from the confluence of Passage Creek downstream, and on the South Fork from the Mountain Road bridge to the main stem. The advisory was issued in the 1980s for possible polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination on the bottom of the river and for mercury contamination. PCB is an organic, man-made carcinogen.

State residents age 16 and older are required to obtain a fishing license before fishing on inland waters, and non-residents over age 12 need a license. Anyone needing a license also needs to purchase a National Forest Stamp when fishing in waters within the boundaries of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, except on the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River. A separate trout license is required when trout fishing in designated stocked waters from Oct. 1 to June 15. Licenses are sold at authorized agents located throughout the region. www.dgif.virginia.gov

Frederick County/Winchester:
Three major parks in Frederick County, offering stocked trout lakes:

• Wilkins Lake, in Jim Barnett Park in Winchester, is open daily 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Sherando Lake, at Sherando Park on Va. 277 east of Stephens City, offers bass, perch and trout, and is open 8 a.m.-dusk.
• Clearbrook Lake, at Clearbrook Park on U.S. 11 north of Winchester, offers trout and perch and is open 8 a.m.-dusk.
• The Cove Campground in Gore offers fishing facilities. The fishing fee is $5 during the week, and $12 for adults and $6 for children under 12 on weekends. The facility's three lakes are stocked with various kinds of fish, and a fishing license is not required to fish at The Cove Campground. 858-2882
• Lake Frederick, maintained and owned by The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, is 117 acres near the intersections of U.S. 340, U.S. 522 and Va. 277, east of Stephens City at Double Tollgate. It is stocked with bass, perch, croppie, bluegill, redear sunfish, walleye and channel catfish.
• The lake opens an hour before sunrise and closes an hour after sunset. Boating is permitted only with electric motors. A boat ramp is on site, as well as a privately owned bait and tackle shop.

Two designated trout streams are also available:

• Paddy Run, on Va. 600 in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
• Hogue Creek, which runs perpendicular to Va. 679 and U.S. 522, northwest of Winchester. Trout fishing is permitted year-round.

Shenandoah County:
Access points for boats to the Shenandoah River are available at the following locations:

• Moreland Gap Road, between Interstate 81 and U.S. 11 at the Shenandoah Caverns exit.


• Chapman's Landing, near Narrow Passage on the west bank of the North Fork, accessed on Chapman's Landing Road off U.S. 11, 2 miles north of Edinburg.


• Strasburg Community Park, on Queen Street in town, along the river at the end of the park's right-of-way.


• Elsewhere in the county at low water bridges. Most of the river flows along private property, so permission to fish or access the river there must be obtained from the owner.

Virginia keeps the following Shenandoah County streams stocked year round:

• Big Stoney Creek west of Lantz Mill on Va. 675.
• Mill Creek in Mt. Jackson, off Bryce Boulevard.
• Paddy Run at Paddy Gap, off Zepp Road at the Shenandoah-Frederick County line.
• Passage Creek in Fort Valley's Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area, off Va. 678.
• Peter's Mill in Little Fort, Fort Valley, off Va. 758.
• Tomahawk Pond south of Orkney Springs on Va. 610, via Va. 263
• Upper Passage in Crisman Hollow, Fort Valley, off Va. 678.

Other areas to fish:

•

• Fort Valley Stables in Fort Valley offers catch and release year round, including mostly large mouth bass. 933-6633 or (888) 754-5771


• Orndorff's Rainbow Trout Farm, at 5140 Zepp Road in Maurertown also offers public fishing opportunities. The farm is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends March through September. 436-3384


• Murray's Fly Shop Guide Service offers fish guiding on the Shenandoah River and nearby tributaries. 984-4212

Warren County:
The North and South Fork of the Shenandoah River are among the nation's best for smallmouth and largemouth bass, rock bass, redbreast sunfish, bluegill, muskellunge and channel catfish.

•

• Trout and regular fishing is available along a mile stretch of stream in Front Royal's Gertrude E. Miller Park. 635-7750


• • The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries maintains a mile stretch of Passage Creek in front of the Front Royal Fish Cultural Station, 3957 Mountain Road in Strasburg. This area is a catch-and-release stream from Oct. 1 to June 1. The station is available to answer questions or for scheduled tours from 8:30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. weekdays for individuals and groups. The facility features a fish hatchery for walleye, smallmouth bass, channel catfish (seasonally) and some trout.

Hunting is one way many people choose to experience nature and bond with family and friends throughout the Shenandoah Valley.

A license is required to hunt, but before one may be purchased, a hunter-education course is required for first-time adult hunters and youths ages 12 to 15. A National Forest stamp is also required to hunt in the national forests and may be purchased along with the license. Residents age 65 and older do not need a stamp. Fees and restrictions vary.
A free pamphlet on hunting is available at most places licenses are sold, at the county clerk's office, at big-game checking stations throughout the area, by mail or by calling the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 4010 W. Broad St., Richmond 23230, (804) 367-1000, and online at www.dgif.virginia.gov.

For 2008-2009, the fall deer season (general firearms only) is Nov. 15-Jan. 3 on private land and Nov. 15-29 on national forest land; turkey season is Oct. 25-Nov. 7, Nov. 27 and Dec. 8-Jan. 3.

Written permission is required to hunt on posted private lands, and oral permission is required on non-posted lands.

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Hunting on public land is limited to the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, and is allowed on private land by owner permission only. Permission is required for hunting on posted and non-posted land.

Shenandoah County:

• Hunting in Shenandoah County is limited to the national forest and allowed on private land by owners' permission only.
  
  The following areas of the forest are suggested for hunters: Paddy Run, off Va. 55 in the northwestern part of the county and Strasburg Reservoir-Powell's Fort Valley camp area in the northwestern portion of Fort Valley, off Va. 771 and Forest Road 66.

Warren County:

• Warren County contains more than 6,000 acres of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, which span more than a million acres in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky.
  
  The forests are divided into seven ranger districts and one national recreation area. The county is included in the Lee Ranger District, with its headquarters at 95 Railroad Ave., Edinburg 22824.

  A National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of the forest may be purchased at the district office for $9.95. The map lists hunting, fishing, hiking and camping areas.

  Permits are required for resident and non-resident hunters and may be purchased from various licensing agents. In addition to hunting licenses, big-game licenses must be purchased to hunt deer, bear and turkey. Fees and restrictions apply.

  Hunting in the forest requires a National Forest Stamp in addition to the required state licenses. The forest can be accessed on Fort Valley Road. 984-4101. www.fs.fed.us/gwj/lee

• In addition to the forest, hunting is permitted on private land with owner permission and at the 4,000-acre Thompson Wildlife Management Area, which straddles the boundaries of Warren and Fauquier counties. The area is administered by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Guns and archery equipment are allowed in the management area only during hunting season.

Enjoy the sensation of skiing or tubing without the need for snow or water by going mountain tubing.

The first of its kind in the U.S., the summer mountain tubing run at Bryce Resort, off U.S. 263 West in Basye, is a waterless tubing system that takes riders on a thrilling 360-foot-ride down the mountain slopes without getting wet. Mountain tubing is part of the newly formed Adventure Sports, which also includes a climbing wall, Euro bungee jumping and a zip line mountain tour, which requires reservations.

Mountain tubing is available from June 10 through Aug. 31 this year, and admission is $10 per person. 856-2121. www.bryceresort.com

Sometimes people get the urge to sling a little mud. Two all-terrain vehicle complexes in the region offer the chance.

• MotoCove, at 980 Cove Road, Gore, has 35 miles of ATV trails. It's $25 per person per day. 858-2882. www. motocove.com
• The Taskers Gap/Peters Mill Run ATV Complex, in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, runs 34 miles. The complex is southeast of Edinburg, in the Edinburg Gap area on Va. 675. Participants must have a valid permit. A daily permit costs $5. Annual permits are $30. 984-4101

Flying can be made easy at a few airports in the area.

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Av-Ed Flight School Inc., at 615 Airport Road, offers airplane rides and ground and flight schools. 542-1123. www.av-ed.com

Shenandoah County:

• New Market Airport, at 59 River Road, has flight schools for recreational up to commercial piloting. 820-1525

Warren County:

• Cass Aviation, at the Warren County Airport at 229 Stokes Airport Road, offers private pilot training, multi-engine training, scenic flights, fuel and more. 635-3570

If you're looking to take a dip, a pool is likely a short distance away.

Clarke County:

• The Swimming Pool Complex, at 255 Al Smith Circle in Berryville, is open noon-6 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and noon-8 p.m. the rest of the week. 955-5140. www.co.clarke.va.us

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Jim Barnett Park, offers indoor and outdoor swimming pools, though the former is currently closed for renovations. The outdoor pool is open noon-6 p.m. every day. 667-2699. www.winchesterva.gov/parks.


• Clearbrook Pool, at 3300 Martinsburg Pike, five miles north of Winchester, is open noon-6 p.m. through Labor Day. Admission is free for children 0-2, $1.50 for 3-5, $2.50 for 6-15, $3.50 for 16-54 and $2.50 for seniors. 665-5678. www.co.frederick.va.us/parkandrecreation/Pool.htm


• Sherando Pool, at 185 South Warrior Drive in Stephens City, is open noon-6 p.m. through Labor Day. 665-5678. www.co.frederick.va.us/parkandrecreation/Pool.htm

Shenandoah County:

• Edinburg's Madison District Pool is open through Labor Day. Hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:30-6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3 for adults 18 and older, $2 for schoolchildren and $1 for preschool children. 984-8521


• Mt. Jackson's Town Pool, at 326 Wunder St., is open through Labor Day, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:30-6 p.m. Sunday. Fees are $2.50 for adults, $1.50 for children 5-11 and free for children 0-4. 477-2670


• New Market Community Pool is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. through Labor Day. Admission is $3 for people 12 and older and $2.50 for children 11 and under. Children 6 and under are free with a paying adult. 740-3432


• Phoenix Fitness & Aquatics, at 35 Brandy Court, Strasburg, is open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday. 465-9430


• Strasburg Community Pool, at 295 Park Road, is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; and 12:30-7 p.m. Sunday. Adults cost $4, students $3, and preschool children $2. 465-9197


• Woodstock's W.O. Riley Park, at Summit and Park avenues and Washington Street, has a pool open noon-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Friday; and 1-7 p.m. Sunday through Labor Day. Adults can enter for $4, schoolchildren for $3, and children 5 and under for $2. 459-3045

Warren County:

• The Claude A. Stokes Jr. Community Swimming Pool, at Gertrude E. Miller Community Park on Bing Crosby Road in Front Royal, is open noon-6 p.m. on weekends and noon-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free for children 0-2, $1.50 for ages 3-5, $3.50 for ages 6-17, $4 for ages 18-54, and $2.50 for seniors. 635-7750. www.warrencountyva.net


• The Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center, at 600 4-H Center Drive, is open through Labor Day while camp is in session. The pool is open noon-3 p.m. and 5:30-7 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and noon-7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Admission is free for children 0-2, $2.50 for ages 3-5, $3.50 for ages 6-17, $4 for ages 18-54, and $3 for seniors. 635-7171

One way to get acquainted with the sprawling beauty and rich history of the Shenandoah Valley is to read about it. You can find many of these books at the local libraries, and most of them can be ordered online, as well.

• "Best Easy Day Hikes: Shenandoah National Park," by Bert Gildart and Jane Gildart, is a handy guide that's small enough to fit in a day pack and features 28 day hikes in the popular park. The trails are listed by degree of difficulty, and each entry offers additional planning information.
• "Fishing the Shenandoah Valley: An Angler's Guide," by M.W. Smith, is a comprehensive guide to the valley's best fishing spots. The book aids readers county by county, describing the region's stocked and wild trout streams, stocked lakes and the Shenandoah River. It also offers trip-planning advice, from guide services and tackle shops to detailed descriptions of each species.
• "Frommer's Virginia: With the best drives & family excursions," by Bill Goodwin, provides information on how to find the best country inns, inexpensive to luxury accommodations and the best Virginia cooking, small towns, scenic drives and historical sites. It also offers trip-planning advice, from financial information to health and safety concerns.
• "A Guidebook to Virginia's Historical Markers," by John S. Salmon and Margaret T. Peters, combines the texts of more than 1,600 official state historical markers that have been placed along Virginia's highways since 1926, including ones that have since been removed, into a useful and informative guide.
• "Rediscovering America: Exploring the Small Towns of Virginia & Maryland," by Mary K. Burnham and William J. Burnham, offers details on these areas' islands, dining, shopping, accommodations and attractions, and includes maps. Margin icons allow readers to see at a glance where restaurants, hotels, beaches, attractions and other topics are outlined.
• "Touring the Shenandoah Valley Backroads," by Andrea Sutcliffe, offers 14 day tours of the entire Shenandoah Valley, from Harpers Ferry, W.Va., south to Lexington.
• "Trails in Southwest Virginia: James River to New River," by the Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech, provides detailed information on how to reach trailheads in the mountain areas between the James and New rivers, as well as descriptions of many other hiking trails. It also includes maps.
• "The Virginia Handbook," by Blair Howard, offers comprehensive coverage of the commonwealth for visitors and residents. The guide provides information on national and state parks, cities and towns. It also includes maps and photos.
• "Virginia's Historic Courthouses," by John O. Peters and Margaret T. Peters, features 140 color photographs of Virginia's courthouses and contains a wealth of social and architectural history about each.
• "The Virginia Landmarks Register," edited by Calder Loth, is a fully illustrated compilation of the commonwealth's buildings, sites and districts that the Virginia Board of Historic Resources has officially designated as historic landmarks over the past 35 years.
• "The Virginia Travel Guide for Persons with Disabilities," by Cheryl T. Duke, describes the accessibility features of attractions, lodging and dining establishments throughout Virginia. The guide, which contains information disabled travelers commonly have trouble obtaining prior to trips, is designed to meet the needs of mobility, visually and hearing-impaired travelers.
• "The Shenandoah Valley and the Mountains of the Virginias, an Explorer's Guide," by Jim Hargan, offers historical insight into the planning of excursions through the commonwealth. It also offers information about the nine national parks, providing the best access points and trailheads for kayaking, bicycling and hiking. It also includes a list of lodging options, dining reviews, maps and 75 black and white photographs.
• "75 Hikes in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park," by Russ Manning, outlines trails that lead past waterfalls and into canyons. There is also information about park history, plants, animals, geology and Skyline Drive, which winds through the park.
• "The Height of our Mountains: Nature Writing from Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley," edited by Michael P. Branch and Daniel J. Philippon, is a collection of nature writing from 70 authors from as far back as 1607, including John Smith, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Walt Whitman, Franklin D. Roosevelt and others. It also includes historical paintings, drawings, engravings and maps.

Marksmen can test their skills at several ranges offering a variety of facilities.

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• The Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center, in Front Royal, has an archery range that is open to the public. 635-7171. www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/northern.


• The Izaak Walton League, in Winchester, offers clay bird shooting and pistol, rifle and archery ranges for members only. 667-9134. www.iwla.org


• The Richard L. Mason Rifle Range, in Front Royal, is open to the public and offers outdoor and indoor pistol and rifle facilities in addition to muzzleloading and archery. 635-7171


• The Page Valley Sportsman Inc., in Luray, is a private range that offers trap and skeet shooting. 743-5570


• The Frederick County 4-H Shooting Education Club, in Winchester, is open to the public and has air-gun facilities. 888-4460

Add a new skill to your fishing repertoire by learning to fly fish.

• Murray's Fly Shop Guide Service, at 121 Main St. in Edinburg, offers fish guiding on the Shenandoah River and nearby tributaries. Every Tuesday and Friday, the shop also provides a stream report on the best places to fish for smallmouth bass and trout. 984-4212. www.murraysflyshop.com
• Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, at 1790-92 E. Market St. in Harrisonburg, offers a guide service on local waters, including the Shenandoah River. 434-2444 or (866) 667-9275. www.mossycreekflyfishing.com
• Shenandoah Streamers School of Flycasting, in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., offers one-, two- or three-day classes, which range from the basics of casting a fishing line to stream entomology. (304) 258-0191. www.shenandoahstreamers.com

The beauty of the valley isn't limited to what's on the ground or can only be seen during daylight.

• The Shenandoah Valley Stargazers meets periodically to stargaze and to discuss astronomy. The club also provides speakers to schools and other groups interested in learning about astronomy. The Stokesville Observatory in Mount Solon can be booked for private observing sessions for groups of up to 18 people. The club currently has 35 members. Telescopes will be available at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton on Aug. 2 and Sept. 5. Admission is free to the museum after 6 p.m. on those dates. A telescope clinic is scheduled for Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Stokesville Observatory. Members of the public are encouraged to bring their own telescopes to set up and show to the members. The club will also sponsor an open house, free to the public, at the Stokesville Observatory on Oct. 4 to celebrate Astronomy Day. 248-6293. www.valleystargazers.com
• The Shenandoah Astronomical Society meets at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. The meetings are open to the public. A monthly newsletter is also available online. The society hosts Public Astronomical Observing sessions at various locations in the surrounding area including Historic Long Branch in Millwood, and Shenandoah River State Park near Front Royal. Membership dues are $20 a year. http://home.att.net/~shenastro

At summer's end, it's a Northern Shenandoah Valley tradition for many to challenge themselves by navigating their way through a "maize."

Maize Quest at Bridgemont Farm, off U.S. 11 near Mt. Jackson, offers a corn maze that covers 14 acres and this year will have an Australian Outback theme. Participants have the option to spend about an hour on one part of the maze or up to three hours doing the entire maze challenge. Also available are a children's maze, built into the corn maze, and a rope maze. Maize Quest is open Aug. 30-Nov. 16. Hours are Fridays, 4-10 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sundays, 1-7 p.m. Prices are $7 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-12. Summer camps, group rates and extended hours are also available. 477-4200. www.getlostinthecorn.com