PREVIEW By Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher
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elcome to the Mountains & iar with the Front Range. It is the first mountain range Valleys issue of Byways. viewed as one goes westbound across the Great Plains of Before we continue, let’s North America. As such, it was the first mountains answer the question you are undoubted- encountered by the pioneers in their trek west. The Front Range runs north-south between Casper, ly asking: Why publish a travel magaWyoming and Pueblo, Colorado and rises nearly 10,000 zine when no one can travel? feet above the Great Plains. Longs Peak, Mount Evans, Actually, in our view, this may be one and Pikes Peak are its most prominent peaks, rising over of the better times to publish a travel magazine. Rarely 14,000 feet along the Interstate 25 corridor. have our readers had as much time on their hands as they The peaks of the Front Range are some of the most do right now, to think of the future. To wonder where dominant in Colorado. And they form the backdrop to they might travel if only they could. A second answer is how travel decisions are actually two of Colorado’s largest metropolitan areas, Denver made even in the best of times. Most professional tour and Colorado Springs. Traveling east, the Roanoke Valley in Virginia’s Blue planners don’t see a magazine and decide to plan a trip to Ridge is situated on Interstate 81 in the heart of that destination next week. Maybe six months from now, Virginia’s western mountains. or even next year. And they will need more information European settlers first discovered the Roanoke Valley than what we provide. It takes a lot of research and hard over three centuries ago. However, it was not until the work to put together an itinerary. It doesn’t happen 19th century and the Age of the Iron Horse that the modovernight. Likewise, most consumers don’t read a travel article ern valley became an economic powerhouse. The Blue Ridge Parkway makes its way through the and say, let’s call and make reserheart of Virginia’s Blue vations. They may say, wow, what Ridge Mountains. At 469 a beautiful place, let’s think about miles, this scenic drive that for a future trip. winds along the Blue Ridge Whether it’s six months from Mountains and offers visinow, or next year, things are going tors the opportunity to enjoy to be very different than they are some of the best mountain today. views in the world. And if there is one thing that we The Green Mountains of can agree on, it’s that the demand Needles Highway in the Black Hills. Vermont are part of the for travel will be unprecedented Appalachian Mountain syswhen this pandemic is behind us. tem, extending for 250 miles north to south through the No one will want to stay home! state. Vermont not only takes its state nickname (“The So in the Mountains and Valleys issue we present some Green Mountain State”) from the mountains, it is named beautiful places to think about in the future. First stop is the Black Hills of South Dakota. with nat- after them. The Long Trail, a wilderness hiking trail, traverses the ural beauty and exciting adventure. The Black Hills rise state, while drivers set a slower pace on Vermont’s scefrom the Great Plains in western South Dakota and nic roads. Quaint towns, acres of farmed valleys, apple extend into Wyoming. orchards, covered bridges and specialty stores are prevaWith over five million acres of forest and mountain lent in the area. lands, the Black Hills offer rich western history, abunIn What’s Happening, we enter the world of espionage, dant natural beauty and exciting adventure. From four faces carved on Mount Rushmore to the cybersecurity, and surveillance at the International Spy The museum’s new Cathedral Spires of Custer State Park, from the other- Museum in Washington, DC. 140,000-square-foot purpose-built facility offers interacworldly Badlands in the east to Devils Tower in the west tive exhibits and the world’s largest display of authentic — the Black Hills of South Dakota are home to many spy tools and gadgets. truly monumental places. We hope you enjoy this issue of Byways. When we think of Colorado, we naturally think of the Rocky Mountains. However, far fewer people are familByways • 4
