BIKING WITH A FAT BALD WHITE GUY

In September for the last three years, I have ridden in the Great Cycle Challenge to raise money for pediatric cancer research.  The Beau's Buddies team is riding in memory of our great nephew Beau Stanley who died before the age of three from neuroblastoma. 

We have pledged to ride 1000 miles and raise $5000.  To date we have exceeded our financial goal raising over $8000, but have fallen behind in our ride goal. Thus the trip to the 17 mile Virgina Creeper Trail by 7 members of our team 

The Creeper Trail is the abandoned railroad right of way of the Virginia Carolina Railroad which opened route from Damascus to Abington Virgina in the early 1900's and eventually expanded to a 75 mile route serving the mountain communities hauling ore and lumber. 

The locals gave the trail its distinctive moniker.  Virgina Creeper is the name of a mountain plant, but described the slow moving narrow gauge train as it struggled to haul cargo up the steep mountain passages.

We chose to shuttle from Damascus to White Top Station and ride down the mountain for 17 miles.  For the hardy riders, you can add another dozen miles from Damascus and ride into Abington...17 was enough for the Beau's Buddies Team! 

We used Sundog Outfitters in downtown Damascus...great group of hard working, pleasant and accomodating operators.  They shuttle hundreds of bikers a day providing bikes for those who show up without one, and smiling all the way to the bank.

Whitetop Station is 500 feet down the trail from the staging area where all the bikers are let loose from an endless caravan of vans pulling bike trailers.   

The trail is mostly crushed stone and is smooth enough for most folks.  There are nevertheless plenty of ruts and rocks to look out for.  From White Top Station for the first 5 miles or so, all we did was coast... yep check your brakes....you will use them a lot!

Not far down the trail we spotted a large collection of dismounted bikes scattered on both sides of the road.  We learned that this means there is something good to see...so we stopped too.  Not far from the trail was a scenic overlook, the first of many scenic wayside entreaties we took in. 

The Southwestern Virgina countryside is dotted with many such vistas.  There are small farms with large mountain pastures with picturesque barns, surrounded by the lush green Appalachian Mountains. If you have not visited this part of Virgina, you are missing out!

I lost count of the number of trestles we crossed, there must have been at least a dozen.  Each are picturesque and many are worthy of stopping for an extra look at the surrounding scenery.  But if you do, you best make sure that you check the traffic behind you lest you get run over!

The best thing about this trail besides the downhill run is the fact that there are countless places to pull off the trail and rest and/or sightsee.  The trestles provide this opportunity and rarely does the scenery disappoint. 

There are also several restored stations, a country store and a wonderful diner that broke up the ride for us.  

 

The Creeper Trail is a bike trail, but a bike trail like none other, for you have to stop and enjoy all the things you can see and experience.  We soon learned to stop and take our time and it was worth it.  Who could resist a cold bottle of pop at the country store?

About 10 miles down the trail, we stopped at Hellbenders Cafe. 

  

This roadside eatery has some of the tastiest hotdogs and the very best chocolate cake, served warm with a scoop of ice cream. If you stop anywhere...stop here!

But it is the creek that flows beside the trail that garners the most attention.  There is nothing quite like a mountain stream.  And for 17 miles we got to ride along beside one of the best. Its name is Whitetop Laurel Creek.  It is very pretty.

Scrambling down beneath the trestles provide some nice views of both the creek and the old railroad bridge. My favorite trestle was the last one. It is located about 2 miles from Damascus.  It is a suspension bridge.  Bike riders like to get up their speed and try to get air as they reach the end of the span, something that physics does not help the Fat Bald White Guy do. 

Whitetop Laurel Creek even has a waterfall! And if you follow the blog you know how much the FBWG jones after waterfalls. 

This small double cascade waterfall was very pretty, but like many of the attractions along the trail, this one garnered a lot of folks scrambling around ruining some of the best photographs.  But with the help of photoshop, I think I got one good one!

The only thing I can say bad about the Virgina Creeper Trail is that it is just too darn popular.  At times we were riding in a 20 bike peleton and had to stop just to find a gap in the parade of bikes.  Try to take this trail during the middle of the week, especially if you want to visit it during peak leaf season.   The access to the trail is a 9.  You have a long shuttle ride up a winding mountain road.  But our friends at Sundog can take care of you! 

 The trail is a 10...well maintained and marked with many rest stops with facilities scattered throughout.  The scenery is also a 9, only because you have to chose between a great bike ride and sightseeing.  This trail is rated 9+!

This is a bucket list adventure for you and your family.  My 7 year-old grandson made the entire trip with no problem.  Bike riders of all shapes and sizes were enjoying their trip down the mountain.  No bike, no worries, many shops in Damascus will rent you one.  As Salem would say..."This trail is not awesome, it is Awesome Possum!"

 But as much fun as we had today, we had to remember why we ride.  We ride because every day some family hears the awful news that their child has cancer....and every week 38 of these children will die. 

Beau Stanley, my great nephew was one of those children.  He died before the age of 3 in 2007.  We ride in his memory

The Great Cycle Challenge has over 40,000 folks riding over 2 million miles and raising over 12 million dollars for pediatric cancer research.   Take time to check us out at the Great Cycle Challenge.  We are Beau's Buddies.  A little bit helps a child with cancer alot.  Please do what you can! Follow this link:  Never Back Down  #BeausBuddies 

 

   BIKING WITH THE FAT BALD WHITE GUY!

Every September, the Fat Bald White Guy and his Faithful Hiking Companion put their hiking boots in the closet and bring out their bicycles....you see September is when the Great Cycle Challenge occurs...what is that?  

It is a nationwide effort to raise awarness for pediatric cancer.  We ride in memory of Beau Stanley, our great nephew who died before the age of 3 from neuroblastoma...Our team is named "Beau's Buddies".  Our team is going to ride 1000 miles and raise $5,000 for cancer research and along the way we hope to raise awareness of how underfunded pediatric cancer research is.  Check out our page: Beau's Buddies

Today we took off for the New River State Park in Virginia.  It is a linear state park encompassing an abandoned railroad right of way from Pulaski to Galax.  There are 57 miles of well maintained trails for hikers, horseback riders and bikers. For 37 miles the trail follows the banks of the New River.  We chose a 16.5 mile out and back from Ivanhoe to Foster Falls.  It was a pleasant 85 degrees with no breeze and except for the occasional biker blowing past us and the occasional horseback riders spreading poop along the trail, we had the trail to ourself.

Our trail started in the hamlet of Ivanhoe located in Carroll County Virginia...it was a challenge for Onstar to find it but the folks at Waze got us there without incident.  The park furnishes a nice parking area with a small charge.  The trail began at a trestle which crosses over the parking area.  It was the first of three wooden trestles we would cross.

Because the trail constructed on top of an old railroad grade is really is not very steep.  The first part of our trek was a 2 mile jaunt to the the New River Trestle.  Along a shaded path with a gentle incline, we hardly broke a sweat.  Stopping to admire the view from the New River Trestle, we dismounted and the FBWG began to take pictures. 

High above the ancient New River as it meanders northward to West Virginia, we could see for miles.  The clouds were great contrast to the green forests and the muddy river.  Still amid the stillness of the river, there was a wonderful reflection of the cloudy sky.

The old bridge was full of character too.  The knarly wooden structure was still as solid as the day it was built. Looking upstream, we got another stunning view.

Leaving the Trestle, the next stop was Austinville.  Named after the man known as "The Father of Texas", this Virginia hamlet is nothing to compare to the state capitol of the Lone Star State, but they do have something to brag about.  You see Stephen F. Austin was born there on November 3, 1793!  At the rest stop is a memorial to a man who made a bigger impact on the community. Deputy Cliff Dicker was killed in the line of duty protecting the community.   Just about a half mile north of Austinville, is one of the neatest features of the trail, a railroad tunnel blasted from the solid granite rock of the mountain.

   

 The tunnel marks the apex of the incline, the gentle decesent from there to Foster Falls took us underneath I-77 and brought us to Shot Tower State Park. I profiled this unique engineering marvel in another blog and if you bike this way, it is a great place to visit!  Next to the Shot Tower park entrance is an interestingly curved trestle that my Faithful Hiking Companion negotiated with ease.

A nice couple encouraged us as we stopped on the other side of the bridge contemplating how far Foster Falls was from this bridge and more importantly how steep the grade was.  Turns out Foster Falls is a bit more than one mile from this bridge and the gentle descent was a bit more steep but not enough to dissuade us from our destination.  I profiled Foster Falls in another blog as well.  Suffice it to say, it is a greatly overlooked scenic wonder not far from I-77.  Shame on you if you have not been there.  We made it straight away to the banks of the New where we dismounted and took a needed break, some 8 miles from Ivanhoe trailhead.  And we were immediately greeted with the best view of the day!

The New River is the second oldest river in the World and one of a very few that flows north.  At Foster Falls, the river crosses some rocky shoals that stirs the water into some small rapids.  The place we took our break was serene and shady and offered views both upstream and downstream.

There are a number of other very nice views but we were not there to sightsee again.  If you visit take time to meander on the river banks, the old river is alive and eager to please the kayaker, the tuber and sightseer.  Make a picnic and relax!

Have you fogotten why we are biking so hard?  Remember we are riding in the Great Cycle Challenge 2021, we ride to raise awareness of how pediatric cancer research has been ignored.  But thanks to the hard work of cancer researchers there have been great progress in the treatment of this disease.  Check out G$Money Gavin Hill
Gavin Hill has been successfully treated for neuroblastoma in part because of the money raised by the Great Cycle Challenge.  In just six years, folks have ridden over 25 million miles and raised almost $40 million dollars!  I hope you will check it out and do your part.  It's not too late to join Beau's Buddies and ride with us, nor is it to early to donate!  Follow this link to get involved:Great Cycle Challenge

The ride out to Ivanhoe was a bit more challenging.  There is a steady incline as you leave Foster Falls but it is very subtle.  After about four miles you realize you have pedaled the whole way.  I used my climbing gears and took it easy and we stopped a couple of times to take a quick drink but overall it was a lot easier than our normal trek around Salem Lake in Winston-Salem.  We stopped two miles from Ivanhoe to again take in the New River Trestle and took a couple of interesting phots facing south.

The Old Bridge served a mountain railway for decades and now serves as a scenic refuge for hikers, horseriders and bikers.  If you come this way spend some time here, the Old Bridge may speak to you.  The scenes sure spoke to me!

Rating this trail is very easy.  There are multiple access points to the New River Trail.  You can ride as much or as little as you like.  We chose the Ivanhoe to Foster Falls ride as it contained so many interesting photographic opportunities.  Access is definately a 10...scenary is a 9..I imagine in the fall it will be a 10+...the trail is well maintained and but for the occasional horse poop makes a smooth bike ride.  This trail is a 9+ biking trail...make it a bucket list ride!

 Custer State Park is known as the best state park in the nation...no doubt!  We visited there on the last full day of our trip to South Dakota and began the day with a hike around Sylvan Lake.  Then we proceeded to cross the highest peaks of the Black Hills on the Needles Highway and ended up driving through the wildlife area and scoping out a large herd of Buffalo. 

The Needles Highway is very similar to the Badlands, as everywhere you look there is a photograph waiting to be taken.  The views start as often stunning and soon become spectacular!

South Dakota Highway #87 is known as the Needles Highway trekking through Custer State Park, crossing the peaks of the Black Hills. Sylvan Lake marked the beginning of a 14 mile scenic journey to  Legion Lake.  The highway was completed in 1922 and gets its name from the distinctive granite spires that rise from the slopes of the mountains. 

Expect frequent stops as with a small bit of rock scrambling some of the most stunning views can be seen of the surrounding South Dakota Black Hills.

I really believe this is a stunning view but then I move around some rocks and I then think this is a better view...

Then I move again...and I just can't decide anymore which view I like the best, so I just post them all and let you choose!

At the peak of the road is a most unusual tunnel. It is named "Needles Eye" for good reason.  The tunnel has been carved through a solid granite rock needle wall.  It is big enough for one car...at a time...the size of a car in 1922 that is!

Surrounding the "Needles Eye" tunnel are many uniquely formed granite spires. These are the "needles" from whence the name of the highway comes. While waiting for the alternating one way traffic traversing the tunnel to subside, we went rock scrambling and found many opportunities to photograph these granite wonders.

The views from the needles perch on top of the mountain also is unique and spectacular.

The needles form a castle rock wall around the top of these Black Hill peaks which can be seen for miles. The Lakota Sioux believed these hills to be sacred and that the recreational use of these hills by State and Federal governments violate treaties promising these mountains to the native Americans.  Traveling through these Black Hills, I was ever mindful that mountains like these have souls. 

From the other side of the tunnel down a trail leading from the overlook, I was able to view the Needles Eye Tunnel from a distance and give the location some perspective.

As we left the peak of the Black Hills that are marked by the granite needles the road switch backed a few times and standing before us were the spectacular Cathedral Spires.

There is a large overlook which marks the trail head of the Cathedral Spires trail.  The Fat Bald White Guy was eager to take that hike but my companions were eager to find lunch...rain check!

In my blog on Mt. Rushmore I tell the story of how South Dakota state historian had the ridiculous idea of desecrating these geological masterpieces by turning them into sculptures of old west heroes.  Thank goodness Gutzon Borglum rejected this idea and found Mt. Rushmore as the site for his sculpture.

Further down the mountain at another overlook, the distant view of Cathedral Spires resemble a scene from Lord of the Rings.  With the graying skies surrounding the peaks, this photograph takes on the appearance of an oil painting.

My favorite picture.  The Fat Bald White Guy is admiring the view while trying to frame the perfect picture.  Thanks to Whitdawg for memorializing this special moment.  I am reminded of a favorite quote: 

If these mountains had eyes, they would awake to find two strangers within their fences, standing in admiration as a breathing red pours its tinge on earth's shores.  These mountains, which have seen untold sunrises, long to thunder praise, but stand reverent, silent, that man's weak praise should be given God's attention" - Donald Miller

Further down the road, we found a great place to eat on the shores of Legion Lake, then stopped at the Custer State Park Visitor Center.  We watched a great movie about the park narrated by Kevin Costner.  We also passed by the lodge which was once the summer White House for President Calvin Coolidge, marking that place for a future return visit.  

Then we took off for the wildlife loop with pockets full of apples for the wild donkeys.  Trouble is, all we saw were buffalo. A spectacular sight for sure!

Custer State Park is the best state park in the nation. It contains variety of scenery, great roadway vistas, numerous hiking trails and one of the largest buffalo herds in the world.  This is as much of a bucket list to visit as Mt. Rushmore.