VA Creeper Trail--Southwest VA.

[squirrell]

We just got back from spending 5 days in a rental house on the VA. Creeper Trail--unbelievable vacation! We rode "down" the mountain 2x, then rode the Damascus to Abingdon part 2x, plus I rode solo several times on different parts of the Trail. All total, I put in 115 miles of cycling in 5 days and had a blast!

If you're out near South-west VA, you've got to take in the Creeper Trail.

Just about the most fun you can have on a bike!

It's a Rails to Trails path open to hikers, cyclists, and horse riders. Tons of old Trestles to ride over, gorgeous scenery along the way.

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll135/shorerider_2008/PIC00053.jpg

The first 18 miles is downhill, and the first 8 miles of so of the Trail, you almost don't have to touch your pedals, just fly down the hill on the Trail. We hit top speed of 20.5mph at one point--without pedaling! Oh yeah, what a blast
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll135/shorerider_2008/PIC00062.jpg

Then the next 17 miles, if you want to ride it, is a slight incline towards Abingdon, and I mean slight. I saw one little girl with training wheels riding it!

Check it out if you've get a chance. :D

[Blueberry]

Ditto that - I have family in the area and have done the White Top - Damascus leg many times. Are your photos from the 2nd leg? They don't look familiar...

Just watch out in the fall - the "leaf peepers" are out in full force and looking at everything but where they're going:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[pardes]

That sounds like such fun! I'm going to bookmark it for future a trip.

If a little girl with training wheels can do the incline then so can I!

Love photos!!!!! I would probably travel back on forth several times on that trestle. A few times to experience it and a few times to photograph it.

[Blueberry]

pardes-

It really is downhill from White Top to Damascus. My dad (who hadn't been on a bike in 10 years and is in really bad shape) did it without a strain.....

With all the riding you're doing, you'd be able to ride up and then ride back down:)

CA

[pardes]

White Top to Damascus it is!!!!! Now I just have to figure out how to get me and the bike there since I've permanently parked the car. (This is half the fun....forcing the issue of commuting by parking the car with no excuses.) Then I have to find a place for my two furbabies to board....since I have NEVER left them yet. They could be snotty and be jealous of the bike but they seem to understand....and besides they always have fun at night going through the panniers to look for treats.

[divingbiker]

White Top to Damascus it is!!!!! Now I just have to figure out how to get me and the bike there since I've permanently parked the car. (This is half the fun....forcing the issue of commuting by parking the car with no excuses.) Then I have to find a place for my two furbabies to board....since I have NEVER left them yet.

Hmmm...you've got me thinking. Maybe we could figure out when, then you could find your way down here to Maryland (train?) and we could drive to where the trail is.

Theoretically, your dogs could stay here, since I have a pet sitter who stays at my house when I am away. If they got along with Ruby (9 year old deaf cocker) of course.

It's worth thinking about...

[pardes]

Holy Mackeral! What an incredible offer. My furbabies don't travel well and are a bit neurotic....not something I'd foist on your dear Ruby. I can board them here.

However meeting up with a TE'er for a ride I could actually do (all downhill) is very tempting. Let's think about it for a future trip! You get us to the trailhead and I'll spring for a cool place to crash for a night. They have some lovely cabins in the area. Obviously.

There are a few places that sleep 4-6. Maybe some other TE'ers (downhill specialists like myself or Thunder Thigh speedy weedies) would care to join us.

[Becky]

Holy Mackeral! What an incredible offer. My furbabies don't travel well and are a bit neurotic....not something I'd foist on your dear Ruby. I can board them here.

However meeting up with a TE'er for a ride I could actually do (all downhill) is very tempting. Let's think about it for a future trip! You get us to the trailhead and I'll spring for a cool place to crash for a night. They have some lovely cabins in the area. Obviously.

There are a few places that sleep 4-6. Maybe some other TE'ers (downhill specialists like myself or Thunder Thigh speedy weedies) would care to join us.

Pardes, if you find a good place to board the kids, could you let me know? I have yet to cut the apron strings (so to speak), and board our fur-kid, but I'm always looking for local recommendations from trusted folk.

Creeper Trail sounds like a cool place! To those who have ridden there before, what sort of bike works best? HT mountain bike? Hybrid/cross? Road bike with touring tires?

[pardes]

Alas, you need a second mortgage to board fur-kids in northern Delaware. There are a lot of places listed but none that I know of personally, that I trust.

Kirkwood Animal Hospital at least has the vets on the same property in case of emergencies but though I'd used them for decades as vets, after they were bought out by VCA, they are less user-friendly and more commercial.

There are a lot of private pet-sitters in the area and there is a boarding place that the DuPont executives use but who can afford it and do you really want your furkid learning expensive habits from their campmates? (But Mommmmm, I really NEED an Armani raincoat!)

Yes, we do have to cut the apron strings, don't we? The only time my babies have been away from me was when the house burned to the ground a few years back and they spent a week in oxygen tents in the vet hospital. I visited them every day and the staff cried to see the four of us huddled on the floor hugging each other.

The only thing saved from the fire was my dogs. Thank God. Lost all my cameras, computers, lost my Trek bike but all I cared about was the dogs. God Bless the neighbor and the firemen who kicked down the door and rescued them!

As for what bike to use on the Creeper Trail. Apparently a young kids used a bike with training wheels so I think our options are open.

[Becky]

Yeah, so I've heard. $30/night or more. But Cody's worth it to me. We don't have human kids who need tuition and new clothes every 3 months, so I don't mind spending some money on him. (Now, remind me that I've said this after our next trip to the vet.)

We do use VCA Newark as our "normal" vet- maybe I should call Kirkwood. I agree about the cost and commercialization of VCA, and I keep grumbling about switching vets. However, I like the docs and they've given us a break on ER charges in the past because we're regular clients. Fortunately, our ER visits have never been really serious, just expensive.

Oh my goodness! You and your poor furbabies! What a horrible thing to go through....so glad that you all made it out ok. Stuff can always be replaced...lives cannot.

[divingbiker]

The only thing saved from the fire was my dogs. Thank God. Lost all my cameras, computers, lost my Trek bike but all I cared about was the dogs. God Bless the neighbor and the firemen who kicked down the door and rescued them!

Wow, glad you all made it out safely!

How many dogs do you have? When I had 3 dogs, it made sense to have the pet sitter because it was more than $20/dog to board them at the kennel. Now that I only have one dog, it makes no financial sense to pay $60/day for the pet sitter, but it's so easy (no dropoff or pickup). Also, since my dogs lately have been elderly with high-maintenance health issues, my favorite kennel (where the dogs sleep on couches and run and play with other dogs all day) doesn't want to deal with them.

[squirrell]

The photos are from the Damascus to Abingdon leg--that's the slight incline I mentioned. I didn't try to bike back up to White Top but probably could have--just not enough time to do everything!

I wouldn't use a road bike--it's a good trail but no paving (yea!). Some areas are very rocky with some pretty good size ruts.

There's a little grill in Abingdon about 1/4 mile from the Trail (hang a right when you come to Abingdon and you're there in about 2 mins.) that is fantastic! They're got the best paninis I've ever had and my DH flipped over their green chili soup with turkey.

And these are only 2 of the Trestles--there's like 40-some of them on the whole Trail.

We rented a place called South Fork. Two bedrooms and a sleeper sofa--full house-great kitchen. AND ACCEPTS PETS! They even have a doggie door and fenced yard. My 16 yr old Lab loved it--and made friends with the horse in the yard next to it. Cost is $125 a night--cheap I thought. Fully outfitted kitchen, too. Here's a link to their site--http://vacreepertrail.us/southfork/

Oh, and the house is RIGHT on the Trail! You can see it on the right on top the hill--this is taken from the Trail.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/2766586050_d049c6b924.jpg

[Blueberry]

As long as you have about 32c tires (when the trail is mostly dry), you'll be fine. Mountain bikes are usually what folks ride - I've ridden my mountain bike with slick tires, DH has ridden his Trek 730 (hybrid) - next time I go, I'll probably either ride my cross check or my touring bike (more comfy). It's basically packed, crushed gravel. Lots of bridges, etc.

CA

[Grits]

I know we all want to ride our own beloved bikes, but when I went a couple of years ago, taking my own bike wasn't an option for various reasons, so we all rented mountain bikes from a local shop. A hybrid would do fine. There are a lot of businesses there that cater to the Creeper Trail cyclists by renting bikes and hauling you up the mountain so all you do is ride down! Fun, fun, fun. Not challenging, but fun.