Nancy Brauer

Geology for the masses

// August 29th, 2012 // Blog

If you’re in the New River Valley or Roanoke area and enjoy geology or just being outdoors, I’m leading a FREE geology walk along the Huckleberry Trail through the VT YMCA Open University. It’ll be on Sunday 10/28 from 1 pm – 3 pm. Here’s the writeup.

Huckleberry Trail Geology Walk

Stroll two miles of the Huckleberry Trail from the New River Valley Mall through the Coal Miners Heritage Park and learn about the geology under your feet! We’ll cross three faults and outcrops with rocks from 500 million-year-old shales through 300 million-year-old coal beds. Barring torrential downpours or snow, the walk will be rain or shine. Wear comfortable shoes and, if you wish, bring your camera, a sturdy bag for rock samples, and your curiosity. Nancy Brauer is a Jill of all trades with a Master’s degree in geology from Virginia Tech. FREE

Sunday, October 28, 1-3pm

Start at trailhead at NRV Mall parking lot, ends at the Coal Mining Heritage Park parking lot in Merrimac

If you’d like to get a crash course in the geology of the New River Valley, consider signing up for the Backyard Geology class I’m teaching earlier in October. It was really well received when I taught it in the spring.

Backyard Geology

Thanks to the Pulaski and Salem Faults crisscrossing the New River Valley, there’s a wealth of geology in our backyards. After a brief overview of the kinds of rocks in our area, we’ll talk about how they got here and how they affect where we live, work, and play. Nancy Brauer is a Jill of all trades with a Master’s degree in geology from Virginia Tech. She’s a freelance programmer, graphic designer, and writer who flexes her geology muscles when hiking. $30

Date/Day/Time/Location: Wednesdays, 10/10-10/24, 6:30-8pm, Y Center Conference Room (1000 N. Main Blacksburg)

See the VT YMCA’s Open University page for online registration and the link to the fall course catalog.