All across Appalachia, there are examples of a growing outdoor economy.
Damascus, Virginia hosts thousands of bicyclists a year who whiz downtown on the local rail trail, the Virginia Creeper. Colorful characters include a man who cycles with his pet macaw so he can feel the breeze through his feathers.
Darnell Farms in Bryson City, North Carolina hosts a Strawberry Jam Festival every May. Guests pick their own berries, listen to live music, and watch the mule team farming demonstration.
In Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania a global producer of rock-climbing gear, Organic Climbing, employs 31 people at its state-of-the-art solar-powered sewing factory, located on a reclaimed coal strip mine.
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