Share the Road

Host, Tom Ewing , a Professor of History at Virginia Tech, presents the introductory episode for the Bike 76 VA podcast. As indicated in this episode, Bike 76 VA explores a history of Virginia which is diverse in stories, equitable in thinking about opportunities and challenges, and inclusive of perspectives. Each episode is based on original research using source materials from the era as well as historical analysis from scholars and public historians. The work of local historians provides some of the sources and analysis, thus indicating how these episodes build on the work of community members. Yet this podcast differs from many local histories by situating individuals and families in the broader trajectories of American history over more than five hundred years. This episode, which connects a historic building to a farming community to Indigenous foot paths to a Bikecentennial rider is illustrative of how each episode makes connections between a specific location and broader historical themes.The location for this episode is an intersection in Montgomery County, just over 350 miles from the starting point in Yorktown and 200 miles from Breaks interstate park, where westbound riders enter Kentucky.