VAMT Day 6 - it is peak color on Little Mare Mountain Trail.

Matt Smith and Jason Mattis are enjoying ridgetop Singletrack on the Virginia Mount Bike Trail

The fall weather is dreamy on North Mountain.

Day #2 on the Virginia Mountain Bike Trail. Feeling good and lovin the trail!

Can't wait to see everyone as you join us over the next few days!
Shenandoah Mountain Touring

Virginia Mountain Bike Trail, day 2 on North Mountain is sooooo nice!

What a great back country bicycling experience!

Trail Improvement Project in the GW - Moving Forward! - Thanks USFS, SVBC, SMT, IMBA and Ironwood Outdoors

The North River Ranger District of the George Washington National Forest has partnered with Ironwood Outdoors to rehabilitate a portion of the Wild Oak National Recreation Trail, Bear Draft Trail and Shaffer Hollow Trail. District Ranger Elwood Burge is leveraging limited trail maintance funding that will end up quadrupling its value before the project is done. By the time the project is completed the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, Shenandoah Mountain Touring, the International Mountain Bicycling Association and other trail volunteer groups will contribute volunteer hours and provide financial assistance helping Ironwood Outdoors more the project forward.


The trail project is in Augusta County on Lookout Mountain which over looks the North River watershed in the George Washington National Forest. Stabilizing the soil on these mountain trails will improve water quality and provide a better recreational experience for all the non motorized trail visitors which consists of equestrians, bicyclists, hikers and trail runners. National Forest Trail Specialist Christian Canary said, "we are really excited to give the bicyclists' this opportunity to improve these system trails that they enjoy so much. Everyone will benefit from this collaboration"

Shaffer Hollow Trail and portions of the Wild Oak Trail are used in the upcoming Shenandoah Mountain 100 Backcountry Bicycle Event held on Sunday September 4th. The annual event is held the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. 2011 will mark the 13 edition of the event. The event is operated under a special event permit with the George Washington National Forest. The event brings over 2000 visitors to the Forest each year contributing over $500,000 annually to the local economy while leveraging hundreds of volunteer trail improvement hours associated with the event.

Shenandoah Mountain Touring, LLC

http://www.mountaintouring.com/

Sal came down to get in a HUGE climbing day, Leadville simulation training, what a beautiful day!

It was a great day of climbing. Up the long Union Springs climb with a bonus hot lap into Dunkle Hollow. It was amazing up on Shenandoah Mountain, the AC'ish cool breeze was blowing all day and the ferns were floating with a cool mixed light infused glow.


Nice work Sal Ruibal!

Thanks for training with SMT!

Birthday Adventure on Lookout Mountain

Yep, I am a summer solstice baby
some folks say that explains a lot about me
It is always such an energizing time for me!!

Thomas got me out early for a super worthy cause for our local club - SVBC
Check out the goodness on the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition Blog

Got up at 4:20 and split for the woods at 5:30 with Thomas and Winzey

Rode 2 miles up the mountain
Stashed the bikes
Put on the trail shoes and the bushwhacking clothes and starting walking the sidehill around Lookout Mountain
Amazing sights to be seen deep in the remote backcountry of the George Washington National Forest where only animals roam
Huge wonderful old growth oaks dominating the overstory
Cool sections of table mountain pine along rocky ledge noses jutting out into the skyline
Before dropping off to the North River Gorge far below
Super large school bus size boulders with the greenest of lichen, moss and ferns
Scree fields that open up the views over towards Little Bald Knob and Reddish Knob
Then we hiked back thought it again
Taking yet another amazing route that may have never seen humans before today
Saddled up on the bikes and cruised back down the mountain
Back at work....and feeling great about it!

From Lookout Mountain Trail Layout - SVBC RTP Grant #2

Lynn Trail switchback is reconstructed in the George Washington National Forest

First assess the worksite and make it a safe area to work
Make a plan that can be successfully completed
Start digging the foundation for the rock crib wall
After cutting the back slope
Spread the soil on the trail tread
Tamp the ground to compact the soil
Take a moment to appreciate your hard work that will last forever

Lynn Trail is the 2nd climb in the Shenandoah Mountain 100 bicycle route. It is one heck of a challenging trail to climb. The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition just reconstructed the rocky steep and very difficult to ride switchback about half way up the trail. Thanks to Ed Sutton of Trail Dynamics for coming out and volunteering with our local bicycle club. Trail Dynamics just finish the work on lower Wolf Ridge Trail which is the descent that bicycles use after the climb on Lynn Trail in the Shenandoah Mountain 100. The Wolf Ridge trail project was funded by a Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant that the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition was awarded. The grant is administered through Virginia's Department of Conservation and Recreation and funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The funds are from the estimated tax from fuel that is not used on our highways.

Bicycle Adventure on Virginia's section of the Great Eastern Trail

The Highland Retreat is a great HQ to base your Carr Mountain Trail Build day from

Always amazing in the Criders/Bergton area - Shenandoah Mountain is off in the distance

It does get quite narrow when the road turns into Fr. 232

A church is always a great navagational tool - almost always an icon on the map

This store on the corner is home to a wealth of local history and knowledge

Snake Hollow brings you up the backside towards Whitegrass Knob

This is actually the area where Chipper created his "Whitegrass" dream

Left turn is Fr. 232 - right side is a dead end

It is private property all around, but is the road?

Is this really the deal - help me out here?

Is this where the hostility comes from?

Thanks!

The Turners is on the right, please stay left on Fr. 232

Nice idea

This little bear likes it too!

Nice of the locals to make this warming fire for me

I am so excited that we have 150 miles of this amazing trail in Virginia's George Washington National Forest that is prime bicycle trail. Only a tiny section that is not currently open to bikes (7 miles) in the Ramsey's Draft Wilderness Area. Carr Mountain Trail is still yet to be finished. That is why I went out for this great ride on Carr Mountain's parallel route Fr. 232. It's a great ride up onto Shenandoah Mountain. We just have to sort the access issue. Yes, it may not be a United States Forest Service (USFS) access through-road for motorized users. But it is a access through-road for non-motorized users. Huge props to the Turners for keeping their nice section of road clean, and putting in the trash barrel. Looks like Mr. Bear
is checking it often. I am guessing it is some of the other neighbors that are putting up the threatening posts about access. Bummer! Time to get this straight because it could be a few years until the Carr Mountain trail takes us high and dry above these folks and their "private" road.

Todd Bauer is amazed as he rides the scenic Beards Mtn. Trail above the Cowpasture River just north of Douthat State Park

Todd Rolls the ridge

Jonathan Wheaton is digging the pristine singletrack

Larry Cautilli deep in the remote backcountry

Rich Cobb in the high meadows along Beards Mountain

Jason Stoner tends to his sheep from the river bank

A beautiful post ride swim!
Under this cool bridge

Misty in the deep clear cool water

MORE el Presidente' Jason Stoner brought his pals out for a sweet ride into the Beards Mountain Potential Wilderness Area. They rode from Douthat State Park north into the George Washington National Forest and along Beards Mountain before dropping off the east side to the swinging bridge over the Cowpasture River on the Walton Tract. What a great place to finish a ride!

Rode up Wolf and down Lynn - Sweetness!

Thomas, Tyler, and I got out to the woods to ride the sections that SVBC re-worked last weekend on Lynn Trail. We were also looking for SM100 trash that had ejected on the Wolf Ridge downhill 2 multi tools and a flatted tube was all we could find, not counting the regular trash we picked up like soda bottles and tin cans. The new sections on lower Wolf Ridge are riding really well. You can't even tell that 500 + riders had been on that section of trail 2 weeks ago. The upper pitches of Wolf are going to be a chore to maintain over the next few years because of all the dead trees.

SVBC 6 Pack Road Hollow

Jasper blasts past Kevin Sherman as Kevin crawls back up the trail

Chase shows some form

Rich Edwards is gettin' it

Matt Smith drops in on the Cake

Paul Hansohn is the 6 Pack Man for 2009!

Trailside BEAUTS!

Alex from Winchester

Emily is always looking smooth!

Dan the man!
Rolled the 29er Dualie
Kyle almost took him on the hardtail
Collin was rippin fast too
Carpenter choked...
Emily couldn't cover Whitney's moves
What a great trail
A great turnout with lots of new faces!