DATE: Friday, November 14, 1997             TAG: 9711120101

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   98 lines

TOWN TALK

Oprah's personal trainer and personal pal, Bob Greene, impressed the staff of Chesapeake General Hospital's new Lifestyle Health and Fitness Center in Western Branch.

Greene was on hand for the facility's Nov. 2 ribbon-cutting, signing copies of his new book, which he co-wrote with Oprah, ``Make the Connection.'' He also answered questions from the audience on personal health and fitness training.

``He really seemed very genuine,'' said Mindy Hughes, public-relations coordinator for the hospital. ``He answered questions well beyond the allotted time.''

Hughes said Greene was obviously very impressed with the new facility.

``He got his start at a hospital-based fitness center,'' said Hughes, who added that they would like to invite Greene back.

``He has a great sense of humor. I've already had inquiries from other groups that want to book him as a speaker.''

- Jennifer O'Donnell Show us the money

Virginia's gubernatorial election is barely over and already some are calling guv'elect James S. Gilmore III to make good on his ``No Car Tax'' promise.

On Nov. 5, the day after the election, the sign at the Knell's Ridge Car Wash, known to occasionally comment on events of the day, said it all.

It read: ``OK/YOUR IN/NOW DISAPEAR THE CAR TAX''

Naturally, the message would make most English grammar teachers faint, but we all get the idea.

- Eric Feber Biking from sea to sea

Several years ago, Douglas A. Connolly, a history teacher at Crestwood Middle School, and fellow teacher, Frank Duvall, took a 39,000 mile adventure.

The twosome had a close look at the mountains, towns, plains, canyons, rivers and people of America as they took their summer vacation on bike, pedaling from Seattle to Virginia Beach.

Their journal included details of a 42-mile climb through Washington Pass and descriptions of narrow valleys, incredible sunrises and sunsets and noisy moose and elk. On the first day of summer, they pitched a tent in a blinding blizzard. July is remembered for its endless miles across the Midwest plains.

Sometimes, they biked only about 14 miles before stopping to enjoy views or historic sites. Other times they rode as far as 70 miles before setting up camp.

They were overwhelmed with small-town hospitality, which often included homecooked meals and a night in a local home or church. Once, during a rainy siege, a friendly sheriff offered a dry jail cell, which they readily accepted.

They participated in a rodeo, Fourth of July in Missoula, Mont., and sandbagging the banks of the flooding Mississippi River along with thousands of other volunteers.

As the teachers pedaled across the Great Smoky Mountains, they knew they were headed home, and a couple of weeks later, they celebrated their return with a splash in the Atlantic Ocean along 21st Avenue in Virginia Beach.

Recently, Bill Connolly, Doug's father, was asked if his son had undertaken any more great adventures.

``Well as a matter of fact he has,'' said the father as he adjusted his cap and snapped his suspenders. ``He got married.''

- Susan Smith Great wax redux

Chesapeake military memorabilia collector David C. Riley turned part of the Chesapeake Central Library into a piece of World War I.

As part of its Veteran's Day observance, the library at 298 Cedar Road in Chesapeake displayed authentic equipment used by the Doughboys of the AEF (American soldiers, nicknamed Doughboys, were with Gen. John Pershing's American Expeditionary Force, the U.S. contingent that joined WWI in 1917).

Riley, who has been seriously collecting militaria for 15 years, constructed and set up a mock WWI bunker by the library's rotunda area.

``It represents the inside of a French barn or a dugout, used in the trench warfare of World War I,'' he said. ``With artillery being the big mass killer of troops during the war, men had to seek shelter and safety in trenches, some were as extensive as a 100 feet into the ground. This set-up took me a week to construct and about a day to set up.''

Riley, who is a member of the Hampton Roads Militaria Society, said he collects U.S. military memorabilia, mainly U.S. Army, from 1900 up to the Vietnam era. He also participates in various World War II re-enactments and events. He became interested in the hobby after his father showed him a bit of history.

``I was about 8 or 9 when I saw my daddy's uniform,'' he said. ``He was in the Army in Italy during World War II. After I saw his uniform hanging in his room, I was interested from then on. It kind of grabs you.''

Last Saturday and again on Tuesday, he manned a table at the Chesapeake Central Library with a full display of the rifles, hand guns, trench knives and other weapons used by AEF troops. Riley, a Vietnam veteran, said his displays help commemorate the 80th anniversary of America's entry in World War I.

``It was truly the first world war,'' he said. ``It began to include weapons of mass destruction including the machine gun, gas and massive use of artillery. And then, I thought it was time to emphasize something other than World War II.''

- Eric Feber

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