Boogie Wrestling Camp 2002

For some time now since being reunited with Jimmy Valiant, I had wanted to make the trip to Virginia to see his home and wrestling camp. Recently, over the Labor Day weekend, my dream finally came true.

My son-in-law, Steve, and daughter, Teri, just recently moved from the hustle and bustle of the Washington D. C. area to the quiet life of Lynchburg, Virginia. Steve landed a super job as a chemist with a large concern that does a lot of pharmacy medicines. I am very proud and happy to have him as member of my family. Perhaps if he is reading this column, maybe he will bless me with a grandchild soon.

The afternoon of Thursday just didn't seem to get there fast enough as I got ready to make the first leg of the journey to Virginia. We traveled to just south of Parkersburg, West Virginia and stopped for the evening, as it was nearing 10 p.m. Cubby, my Sheltie and best friend, was finally making the trips with us instead of having to be sent to our friends' home while we traveled.

After a restless evening on a mattress that was very firm and Cubby barking at every person that passed by our motel room, we finally started on the last part of the trip. The miles started to click on by as we crossed a very mountainous area of West Virginia, and soon the familiar sign that read "Welcome to Virginia" came into view.

We made a few rest stops for Cubby to get out and stretch and run a little, as he was new to this traveling business. He had made short trips with us and did quite well in the past, but this was all new to him, and he was taking it very well.

Soon, we were on I-81 and proceeded south to the Natural Bridge exit, where I got off and started a journey into the Blue Ridge Mountains. The road was very steep and had plenty of curves in it. Nancy was not happy with the road, as she likes running the main highways at breakneck speeds with little or no discomfort to her. Some 25 miles later, we were on old Highway 29 headed south towards Lynchburg. It was a city that I had been in a few times during my wrestling career, but, as I got closer, it seemed that everything had gotten a lot larger than I remembered.

After a few wrong turns and detours, we finally made it to Steve and Teri's temporary home that they are in now. The company that Steve works for lent it to them as a refuge to use while they secured a home for themselves. On entering the huge home that has separate dwelling on the basement area for another person with the company, I was amazed at the size and down to earth qualities that the place had.

Cubby even had a dog run off the back deck and patio that was fenced off. He was in a world of his own. Teri has two apple trees at the rear of the property that are used by two groups of young deer and their fawns to feed at. It's really amazing the solemnity that is there in country living and the qualities that attach to it. Mother Nature sure had a good vision when she made Virginia. There is no other place like it in the world.

We spent the evening playing cards and eating pizza and sandwiches until none of us could hardly move. Saturday at 1 p.m., the lady that is helping Steve and Teri find permanent housing picked us up. Her minivan whisked us around Lynchburg to survey four houses that were the narrowed down choices that had been made of all the homes they had visited during the past month.

We returned to the house and bid farewell to the nice lady and ordered more food. A little later, we were playing cards and, suddenly, the evening was over with. Sunday, I awoke to birds chirping near the window of our bedroom and Cubby barking at them. I guess that he just wanted to be as much a part of the thing as everyone else.

We ate breakfast and, at 11 a.m., started out the door and down Highway 221 towards 460 and Interstate 81 South. It wasn't long before we were being passed by car after car with stickers and various signs on them of "Go Hokies." I knew that we were close to Virginia Tech, where Steve's sister is attending. I took the exit off ramp that said Shawsville and started south on 460, going some eight miles to the turn to go to the BWC. Some six miles later, after going through some more narrow and winding roads, I was at Boogie and Angel's place that sits on top of the Appalachian Mountains.

The buildings are very simple but well made of block and cement that will stand for many years to come. I parked on the steep incline that leads up to the camp area past "The White House" where Angel and Boogie live and proceeded to climb the rest of the way to the rock garden and wishing well and out buildings that encompass the camp area. Nancy, Teri and Steve waited outside for a few moments while I went inside to surprise Jimmy. I did not let anyone know that I was coming. I wanted to see the place as natural as it could be.

Jimmy was on the outside of the ring watching with a good eye as his students went through a very hard regiment of holds and maneuvers. His lovely wife, Angel, watched over everything in an elevated office area and concession stand. I went around the ring post and grabbed him by the ankle and pulled. He stepped down and looked at me with a puzzled look and then grabbed me in a big hug welcoming me. We went outside with Angel and said our hellos to Nancy, Teri and Steve. In Virginia, they do a lot of hugging especially in Boogie's Wrestling Camp ... everybody is a stranger there only once.

We were asked to come in to be introduced to the students and family and fans that were inside the building. Jimmy started to talk to the students about the old days and when he started in a territory run by the Original Sheik. He then mentioned that we had been friends for nearly 40 years and talked about things that meant a lot to him, that being closeness to the family of friends that made up our daily life in the early days in the business. How we would help each other out when someone needed it. How answering a question with an answer meant so much to us, and that he is still carrying on that tradition today. He also talked about the upcoming graduation of this year's group being a milestone 10 years of student and master teaching and learning experience.

He then asked me to do what I do best … talk. First of all, I thanked the students and family and fans that had come to be a part of the weekly workout sessions. I thanked Boogie and Angel for letting my family be a part of theirs and welcoming us with hugs. When I finished, one by one, the students and everyone else came forward and shook my hand and gave me a hug. What a RUSH!!!! I certainly hope that this is not the last time that I visit the BWC and the fun I had being there.

It seemed like the minutes turned into hours, and, soon, it was time for us to return back to Lynchburg, where Cubby awaited us with a lot of barking. We bid farewell to Jimmy and Angel. Arriving back at Steve and Teri's, we packed up our bags and readied ourselves for the next big day and the long trip back.

Waking at 5 a.m. and getting on the road by 6 was nothing new to us. We went north to Highway 29 and decided to take a different route. It turned out that Highway 60 was as full of curves as we encountered a few days before. I guess there is no real easy way to return to the Interstate without crossing the mountains the way that our predecessors did.

We made one stop in Williamstown, West Virginia on the Ohio border to go through the Fenton Glass Factory. If you are ever near Parkersburg, stop and take a look at this place, you won't be sorry. It's expensive but well worth the craftsmanship.

We arrived back at our family compound shortly after 4 p.m. and I was whipped doing all the driving. I had put nearly 1400 miles behind me but with lots of memories that will live with me forever.