Saturday, February 4, 2023
No Result
View All Result
SUBSCRIBE
The Chimney Rock Chronicle
26 °f
Broadway
40 ° Sun
45 ° Mon
44 ° Tue
54 ° Wed
58 ° Thu
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Pickup Locations
  • Columns
    • All
    • Book Notes
    • Eating Well in the Real World
    • Fishing with Mike
    • From the Potting Shed
    • Fulks Run Follies
    • Gobbler Sports
    • Handy with Randy
    • Headlines from Plains Museum
    • Hiking With Ray
    • Local Business
    • Local Legends
    • Musings from the Woodpile
    • Personal & Professional Development
    • Randy's Ramblings
    • Reflections from a Fuller Life
    • Sarah's Recipes
    • The Gospel Vault
    • The View From Here
    • The Wandering Wilkins
    • When This You See
    Photograph of Ronnie Fulk

    Fulks Run Follies

    Floating in pool

    The Wandering Wilkins

    Dog in woods

    Hiking with Ray

    Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

    Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

    Breakfast Pocket

    Sarah’s Recipes

    Bass Fishing with Mike – December 2021

    Bass Fishing With Mike

    Photograph of Wes Dove

    It’s Not You, It’s Me

    Gospel Vault

    Gospel Vault

    Fair and Tender Ladies book cover. By Lee Smith

    Book Notes – Classic Southern Novels

    From the Potting Shed – December 2021

    From the Potting Shed

    Randy image

    Randy’s Ramblings

    Handy With Randy

    Handy With Randy

    The Midnight Ride of Paul Reve …the Moose Hunter

    The Midnight Ride of Paul Reve …the Moose Hunter

    Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

    Continuity for Off Broadway Players

    Hiking with Ray

    Hiking with Ray

    Trending Tags

    • Entertainment
      • All
      • Festivals
      • Kids Activites
      • Music
      • Off Broadway Players
      • Sports
      • Upcoming Events
      Kansas

      Hunting for the Lesser Prairie Chicken in the Cimarron National Grassland

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Bass Fishing with Mike – December 2021

      Bass Fishing With Mike

      A Spinning Demonstration

      A Hidden Gem in Plain View

      Rounding the Bases

      Rounding the Bases

      Local Scouts Learn Flag Folding Procedures

      Local Scouts Learn Flag Folding Procedures

      The Midnight Ride of Paul Reve …the Moose Hunter

      The Midnight Ride of Paul Reve …the Moose Hunter

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Continuity for Off Broadway Players

      Rounding the Bases

      Rounding the Bases

      • Off Broadway Players
    • History
      • All
      • Bev's Historic Notes
      The Chimney Rock VFW Celebrates 75 Years of Service

      The Chimney Rock VFW Celebrates 75 Years of Service

      HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

      Highlights from the Plains District Memorial Museum

      Bad Roads

      Revolutionary War Service

      Mattress Shopping

      Retta’s Column

      HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

      Headlines from PLAINS DISTRICT MEMORIAL MUSEUM

      The Miller Family of the Genoa Area

      The Miller Family of the Genoa Area

      The Lantz Family

      The Lantz Family

      Timberville Historic Notes

      Timberville Historic Notes

      Evaline, Dorcas, and Mae

      Evaline, Dorcas, and Mae

    • Our Sponsors
      • Advertising
    • Home
      • About Us
      • Pickup Locations
    • Columns
      • All
      • Book Notes
      • Eating Well in the Real World
      • Fishing with Mike
      • From the Potting Shed
      • Fulks Run Follies
      • Gobbler Sports
      • Handy with Randy
      • Headlines from Plains Museum
      • Hiking With Ray
      • Local Business
      • Local Legends
      • Musings from the Woodpile
      • Personal & Professional Development
      • Randy's Ramblings
      • Reflections from a Fuller Life
      • Sarah's Recipes
      • The Gospel Vault
      • The View From Here
      • The Wandering Wilkins
      • When This You See
      Photograph of Ronnie Fulk

      Fulks Run Follies

      Floating in pool

      The Wandering Wilkins

      Dog in woods

      Hiking with Ray

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Breakfast Pocket

      Sarah’s Recipes

      Bass Fishing with Mike – December 2021

      Bass Fishing With Mike

      Photograph of Wes Dove

      It’s Not You, It’s Me

      Gospel Vault

      Gospel Vault

      Fair and Tender Ladies book cover. By Lee Smith

      Book Notes – Classic Southern Novels

      From the Potting Shed – December 2021

      From the Potting Shed

      Randy image

      Randy’s Ramblings

      Handy With Randy

      Handy With Randy

      The Midnight Ride of Paul Reve …the Moose Hunter

      The Midnight Ride of Paul Reve …the Moose Hunter

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Continuity for Off Broadway Players

      Hiking with Ray

      Hiking with Ray

      Trending Tags

      • Entertainment
        • All
        • Festivals
        • Kids Activites
        • Music
        • Off Broadway Players
        • Sports
        • Upcoming Events
        Kansas

        Hunting for the Lesser Prairie Chicken in the Cimarron National Grassland

        Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

        Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

        Bass Fishing with Mike – December 2021

        Bass Fishing With Mike

        A Spinning Demonstration

        A Hidden Gem in Plain View

        Rounding the Bases

        Rounding the Bases

        Local Scouts Learn Flag Folding Procedures

        Local Scouts Learn Flag Folding Procedures

        The Midnight Ride of Paul Reve …the Moose Hunter

        The Midnight Ride of Paul Reve …the Moose Hunter

        Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

        Continuity for Off Broadway Players

        Rounding the Bases

        Rounding the Bases

        • Off Broadway Players
      • History
        • All
        • Bev's Historic Notes
        The Chimney Rock VFW Celebrates 75 Years of Service

        The Chimney Rock VFW Celebrates 75 Years of Service

        HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

        Highlights from the Plains District Memorial Museum

        Bad Roads

        Revolutionary War Service

        Mattress Shopping

        Retta’s Column

        HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

        Headlines from PLAINS DISTRICT MEMORIAL MUSEUM

        The Miller Family of the Genoa Area

        The Miller Family of the Genoa Area

        The Lantz Family

        The Lantz Family

        Timberville Historic Notes

        Timberville Historic Notes

        Evaline, Dorcas, and Mae

        Evaline, Dorcas, and Mae

      • Our Sponsors
        • Advertising
      No Result
      View All Result
      The Chimney Rock Chronicle
      Subscribe
      Thank you to our Sponsors! Thank you to our Sponsors! Thank you to our Sponsors!
      Home Columnists

      Fulks Run Follies

      Ronnie Fulk by Ronnie Fulk
      February 1, 2022
      in Columnists, Columns, Fulks Run Follies, Ronnie Fulk
      Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

      February, the little short month that has the president’s birthday’s holiday in it. George Washington, William H. Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan all had February birthdays. Now that history lesson is over, and on to the next history lesson. February, still cold, still short days, what to do in February?

      For the 1960’s generation, sleigh riding and ice skating, of course. For me personally, I lived on Red Hill Road and had one of the best sleigh riding hills around but being an only child and no one my age in walking distance to help make a track, I actually don’t remember sleighing down that hill. But in Fulks Run there were several “hot spots” for community sleigh riding.

      I have heard stories about the Genoa Road track. This was on the first steep hill when you drive onto Genoa Road. The downside to this track was it was on a state-maintained gravel road and a person had to be careful or they would pick up so much speed you could shoot off over a steep bank, or hit a steep bank on the other side of the road, that is, if you didn’t hit an oak tree! And if you were blessed enough to make it to the bottom, then you had a strenuous, long walk back to the top of that hill.

      Another very popular track was also on a paved state-maintained road, but you were on a high hill, and you could see for a mile if a car would be coming. This track was located on Third Hill Road, and the starting point was in front of the Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church. Yes, down that hill past Turner Run Road you would go, and fires would light the way.

      Now also a popular hill was “Grandma Ritchie’s Hill”. This was the hill across from the driveway of Custer’s Junk Yard behind the white house. You see Grandma Ritchie owned that house and field, and her grandchildren invited all their friends for the big night. Seemed like most events happened at night. I suppose it added a little more danger, and the others could not tell if you wiped out at the bottom. Also, there was a big bonfire to light up the starting area and to warm by. From the top of that hill was a good incline which made that a fast course. And of course, the youth would gather and burn rubber tires in addition to the bonfire to illuminate the track. They would be arrested now if they tried that, air pollution you know.

      Another spot was at Richard Cooper’s home. Preparing the tracks and making ready the fires, and knowing Richard, all were welcome and treated wonderfully. Now another very popular sleigh ride spot at an individual’s was Jim Custer’s home down what is now Opie Lane, which could also be accessed by the Holler Road. And if you knew Jim and Polly Custer, like Richard’s, the hospitality was hard to beat. Before the event Jim even went up on the hill and cut the trees to make a steeper longer ride, and then made a track that would assure good speed. He would also cut wood and make bonfires to light the rider’s way.
      Also a person had donated a hood off of an old pick-up truck. Down that hill they would fly and at a certain point that truck hood would hit a patch of solid ice that would send it into a spin like a top. And on one occasion thank the Lord for a big tree or the three, yes, three riders may have gone into the creek! And then to top off a perfect night of sleigh riding Polly would heat a huge pot of water to make hot chocolate for all.

      And lastly, another popular spot was Garnett Turner’s front yard. The way I understand, he would go out and make a path and THEN WATER IT DOWN to make a track of solid ice. From the starting point in front of Garnett’s home, the rider could at times travel all the way to the bottom of the hill ACROSS Hopkins Gap Road and end up in, at that time, Davey Fawley’s yard!

      I’m also sure the youth of Bergton and Criders had their hot spots for sleigh riding.

      Now for ice skating, I know of the pond below the bridge at Garnett’s store, and down the Hollow Rd was a nice sized pond that the Genoa youth would use. I guess one of the more popular was the skating spot behind the Body Shop on 259.

      They would make a fire on the ice with wood, and as the story goes, the ice was so clear you could look into the water and see the fish swimming around. And it was a large area you could use for skating.

      Sadly, the days of the community ice skating and sleigh riding are long gone, most likely never to return. The days of texting, video games, and computers have replaced these events.

      For many, I hope this brings back fond memories, for those that were fortunate enough to be raised in a small rural community, where everyone knew everybody, no one was a stranger or treated as such. For those that participated in these types of fun outings, I’m sure even today you can remember a certain thing that happened that still brings a smile. And some night when you drive by the Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church, stop and listen, you might, just might hear a long time ago echo of a young person yelling, GET OUT OF THE WAY BUD, GET OUT OF THE WAY!

      Until Next Time
      Believe It Or Not
      Ronnie Fulk

      Ronnie Fulk

      Ronnie Fulk

      Born and raised in Fulks Run and graduated from Broadway High School in 1975. Worked at Macs Superette from the age of nine where most of my stories were heard. Co-owner of M & R Feed and Hardware in Fulks Run until 1985. In 1985 started working at the United States Postal Service in Harrisonburg Va until 1993. Then assumed the roll of Postmaster of Quicksburg VA until 2013 when I became Postmaster of Fulks Run VA until my retirement in 2014. Finished my full time working career at Central Valley Truss in Fulks Run, retiring from full time employment October 2021. Since 1999, I occasionally fill the pulpit in local churches. Married to Cammie Anderson for 41 years, and we have two adult daughters, Rebecca and Sarah.

      Next Post
      It’s Musical Season!

      It’s Musical Season!

      Popular Articles

      • Rounding the Bases

        Rounding the Bases

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Gone, But Not Forgotten

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • The Old Inn At Mauzy

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Handy With Randy

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Continuity for Off Broadway Players

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • The Blessing of the Pure in Heart

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Fulks Run Follies

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Eldon Layman: Retired Educator and Book Creator

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Unique Retreat on the Creek

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Highlights of The Plains District Memorial Museum

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • About Us
      • Advertising
      • Contact
      • Pick Up Locations

      © 2021 The Chimney Rock Chronicle - Website & E-Commerce by Bare Web Design, Broadway Va.

      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • Columns
      • Entertainment
        • Festivals
        • Kids Activites
        • Music
      • History
      • Sports
        • Thank you to our Sponsors!
        • Advertising

      © 2021 The Chimney Rock Chronicle - Website & E-Commerce by Bare Web Design, Broadway Va.