Outdoor Activities ...
As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).
When in Ruby, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Ruby and the surrounding area.
- Weather ...
- Before heading outdoors, you should check the weather:
- The National Weather Service forecast for Ruby
- Astronomy & Satellites ...
- Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
- To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Ruby:
- 38.504291, -77.515540
- Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
- The Heavens-Above Website, centered on Ruby
- Bird Watching ...
- We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
- The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Stafford County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
- eBird sighting report for Stafford County
- Since Ruby is near Fauquier County and also Prince William County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
- eBird sighting report for Fauquier County
- eBird sighting report for Prince William County
- Waymarking ...
- Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
- Waymark.com
Communities Also Named Ruby ...
We found 32 communities that share the name Ruby.
Within Virginia, the name Ruby is unique.
Beyond Virginia, we know of another 32 communities that are located throughout in the United States and Canada. Of these 32 communities, 31 are located in the United States and one is in Canada.
- Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
- Alabama
- Cullman County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Alabama community of Ruby [Cullman County].
- Walker County
- This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Alabama community of Ruby [Walker County].
- Alaska
- This Ruby lies 3,504 miles [5,639.1 km]<3> to the north northwest of the Ruby that is located in Stafford County.
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Gunnison County
- This Ruby is located in Gunnison County and lies 1,587 miles [2,554 km]<3> to the west of the Ruby that is located in Stafford County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Gunnison County community of Ruby.
- Mesa County
- This Ruby is located in Mesa County and lies 1,681 miles [2,705.3 km] to the west northwest of the Ruby that is located in Stafford County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Mesa County community of Ruby.
- Pitkin County
- This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Colorado community of Ruby [Pitkin County].
- Georgia
- Irwin County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Ruby [Irwin County].
- Jones County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Ruby [Jones County].
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Harper County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Ruby [Harper County].
- Sedgwick County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Ruby [Sedgwick County].
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Copiah County
- This Ruby is located in Copiah County and lies 847 miles [1,363.1 km]<3> to the west southwest of the Ruby that is located in Stafford County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Copiah County community of Ruby.
- Leflore County
- This Ruby is located in Leflore County and lies 782 miles [1,258.5 km] to the west southwest of the Ruby that is located in Stafford County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Leflore County community of Ruby.
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Ontario
- This Ruby lies 485 miles [780.5 km]<3> to the north of the Ruby that is located in Stafford County.
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Washington
- Benton County
- This Ruby is located in Benton County and lies 2,169 miles [3,490.7 km]<3> to the west northwest of the Ruby that is located in Stafford County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Benton County community of Ruby.
- Okanogan County
- This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Washington community of Ruby [Okanogan County].
- Pend Oreille County
- This Ruby is located in Pend Oreille County and lies 2,081 miles [3,349 km] to the west northwest of the Ruby that is located in Stafford County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Pend Oreille County community of Ruby.
- Whatcom County
- This community is historic and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Washington community of Ruby [Whatcom County].
- Wisconsin
- Alabama
Curious and Interesting Names Near Ruby ...
As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.
- Apple Grove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Apple Grove have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove
- Apple Grove is located in Stafford County
- Eagles Nest
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Eagles Nest have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagles Nest
- Eagles Nest is located in Stafford County
- Hunters Pond
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hunters Pond have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Pond
- Hunters Pond is located in Stafford County
- Ivyglen
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south) - Kings Crest
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Kings Crest have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Crest
- Kings Crest is located in Stafford County
- Lake Arrowhead
(Less than 2 miles to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lake Arrowhead have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Arrowhead
- Lake Arrowhead is located in Stafford County
- Old Homestead
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Old Homestead have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Homestead
- Old Homestead is located in Stafford County
- Red Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest) - Rolling Hills
(Less than 2 miles to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rolling Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolling Hills
- Rolling Hills is located in Stafford County
- Rosedale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest) - Roseville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south) - Roseville Heights
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Roseville Heights have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville Heights
- Roseville Heights is located in Stafford County
- Continue List (4 more) ...
- Seven Lakes
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Seven Lakes have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Lakes
- Seven Lakes is located in Stafford County
- Skidmore Corner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Skidmore Corner have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skidmore Corner
- Skidmore Corner is located in Stafford County
- Skywoods
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast) - Walnut Ridge
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Walnut Ridge have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Ridge
- Walnut Ridge is located in Stafford County
- Seven Lakes
How Far From Ruby to ...
We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Ruby to various places of note, such as the White House.
With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Ruby and extending to:
- Stafford, which is the Seat of Stafford County, lies just to the Southeast.
- Richmond, which is the State Capital of Virginia, lies 66 miles [106.2 km]<3> to the south (S). If you could walk a straight line from Ruby to Richmond, with an average speed<5> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take three full days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take about three full days.
- The White House (Washington, DC) is 37 miles [59.5 km] to the northeast (NE). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take less than an hour, a buggy would take just about two full days and walking would take over two days.
- The shortest distance<6> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,934 miles [9,549.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
- The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,639 miles [10,684.4 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<8>
- The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,516 miles [7,267.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<9>
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Ruby. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for Stafford County: www.co.stafford.va.us/
The official website for State of Virginia: https://www.virginia.gov/
Footnotes ...
| <1> | If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer. Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name. Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time. Also keep in mind that Ruby could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out. |
| <2> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Ruby, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Ruby) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Ruby. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 38.5043, Longitude: -77.5155 In this case, the coordinates for Ruby have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). |
| <4> | The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required. |
| <5> | While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day. |
| <6> | The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Ruby to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East. |
| <7> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 308.195 degrees. |
| <8> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.726 degrees. |
| <9> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 305.064 degrees. |