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I must be getting soft
Last Post 09/01/2016 02:58 PM by SideBy Side. 8 Replies.
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thinline
Posts:325
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| 08/22/2016 01:38 PM |
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Going on a fully-supported bike tour for five days in the Shenandoah area 9/5-9/9. In my defense, it will be a little over 300 miles if I do all the long options and 13,000+ feet of vertical. But, ohhhhh, big dinners, comfy lodging await at the end of each day. Breakfasts await each morning and lunches served up mid-day along the route.
The tour is based out of Staunton and we do one day on the Blue Ridge and stay in Lexington one night and I believe a town called Fort Lewis two nights (first night is in Staunton).
Anyone familiar with the area?
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 08/22/2016 03:36 PM |
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Next year you could do a fully supported tour tyet be a little less soft. Cycle Oregon. 7 days. 25-25,000' of climbing. Big dinners, everything toted for you, but you have to sleep in a tent (either your own or one of the rental tents that will be setup with your bag of gear inside when you pull into camp). And to keep you from getting too soft, your bag, the one they haul, cannot weigh more than 65 pounds. If you bring your own tent, this weight includes it.
I've never done the rental tents, I like being able to have some say over who is to be my neighbor. Plus I've gotten to pitch my tent in some pretty sweet places. The rental tents are set up condo-style, corner to corner. You have the same neighbors all week. But that 8 pounds of tent could go a long ways as additional clothes or perhaps a folding chair. (Yeah, you can save a lot of weight on the tent, but big enough to stand and dress in is a real luxury! I also like tents with flies that can shelter the bike. Nice to get on a dry seat after a rainy night.
Cycle Oregon has its luxuries. But you have to pick and choose!
Ben |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/22/2016 08:36 PM |
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Thinline, I know the area a bit. Long steep climbs, beautiful countryside. In Bath and Highland Counties, some of the roads are pretty high speed, less mellow than riding in VT. This is the one part of Virginia that has sugar maples - they make syrup there! If you get to Monterey, which is close to Fort Lewis, get pie at High's.
The BRP from mp 19 to 27 is some of the best in VA.
A bit further west is Snowshoe, which has A++ lift serviced gravity riding. They rent the appropriate bikes and body armor. Ton of fun.
Just east of Snowshoe is Greenbank, WV, home of a major radioastronomy site, including the worlds largest steerable dish. Just amazing to see.
Lexington is pretty and has their version of Middlebury College, but more conservative, very cute.
It's usually still pretty warm into early Sept.
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/23/2016 08:48 AM |
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| PS: Lexington also is home to the historic Virginia Military Institute. Don't want to disrespect any VMI fans out there. |
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thinline
Posts:325
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| 08/23/2016 12:56 PM |
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Ben,
That sounds like a fine adventure. Ya never know!
LSD, thanks for the insights. Here is the tour description.
http://www.carolinatailwinds.com/shenandoah.htm
Sounds like nights 3 and 4 will be decadent on the food. The lodging links are below the route description and if you go to the Fort Lewis Lodge page, then click on the meals link you'll see what I mean. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/23/2016 04:53 PM |
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The description is intentionally vague, but it looks like the route joins the BRP just past milepost 27, climbing up from Vesuvius on the trains America route. Very tough climb. If this is right, take a left rather than a right when u hit the parkway for a short climb to " big spy overlook". Walk up the short grass path past the apple tree to the left up to the bench and just enjoy the zen of a high mountain meadow. They mow it flat each fall but usually later than your trip.
Check out the falls at Yankee horse ridge at about mp 35. Short walk, well worth it. |
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Nick A
Posts:625
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| 08/28/2016 03:40 PM |
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Nah, nuthin' wrong with that. Riding is riding!
Nick |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 08/30/2016 12:14 PM |
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No not soft at all, as Nick said, riding is riding.
I did a fully supported ride a few years ago, five days, beautiful hotels to stay and sleep, and gourmet meals at the stops during the day, and amazing meals in the evenings, one of the best times my wife and I have ever had, and it was like 80 miles a day, but at a casual pace, so much fun |
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SideBySide
Posts:444
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| 09/01/2016 02:58 PM |
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I might be able to convince my wife to do that kind of ride.  It sounds like a lot of fun. |
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