Current status: house renovations and 2 kids returning to the nest have us covered in drywall dust in very close quarters. Therefore we are currently too grumpy for visitors.

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We are empty-nesters who got together after our respective kids were grown, bonding over a shared love of the outdoors that we cultivate at every opportunity. We're both from Maryland - Laura from DC metro, Michael from Baltimore - and we're head-over-heels in love with Roanoke. It's a great place to live, work and play.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

We love spending time with interesting people who bring new perspectives and good stories to the table. We can show you around our sweet little city, leave you alone to chill with a book, or ask you to help move mulch around the yard. Depends on your needs/preferences and ours on a given night; we're pretty flexible.

We have recently combined two homes and have some renovations happening, so sleeping space is limited to couches and airbeds. Not ideal, but cozy. We can accommodate singles or a few folks for a night or two when schedules permit.

We reply to every request, so if you ask to surf with us and we say yes, please follow through and confirm/cancel in a timely manner. The line between being free-spirited and being flaky is where your actions affect other people.

Interests

Roanoke is a nice little city -- minutes from the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway and small enough to get around on a bike, but big enough to offer urban amenities. It's a great craft-beer town. We're on the busline but public transport is somewhat limited here; we can drop-off or pickup as needed.

• dining
• cooking
• beer
• vegetarian
• working out
• meditation
• music
• live music
• guitar
• cycling
• hiking
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Laura listens to the Dead/Springsteen/Wilco, now reading John Irving's "Avenue of Mysteries." Michael's favorite movie is "So I Married an Axe Murderer"; Laura loves him anyway.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Laura moved with her kids and dog to Roanoke with little more than a pushpin on a map to guide her. It was a tremendous leap of faith that pays dividends every single day. And Michael has jumped out of planes and raced sailboats on the Chesapeake. He spent his 50th birthday driving 160+ miles around a track. Laura thinks he does something amazing pretty much every day.

Teach, Learn, Share

If you want to stay with us, be kind, open minded and generous of spirit. Believe that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in [your] philosophy.

What I Can Share with Hosts

We haven't stayed with anyone yet but when we do, we can cook, share stories and gratitude, and be curious about your life/family/town/world.

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