Wilderness Ride - question for Batbike

[Carlene]

Hey Fellow Virginia Ladies- I hope to see all of you at the WRR this year. I will be travelling from Buchanan/Tazewell Co. area and this is my 7th year doing this ride. It is the first organized ride of our season here and much anticipated after all the dreary weather. There are about 5 girls in our group but two have graduated on to the MOM ride on Sunday. I am just not there yet and have about 30+ pounds to lose before contemplating all that climbing. If anyone has any Q's about this ride, I can probably help.

You will love the ride, the scenery and the people. I hope you enjoy it. What other rides can you recommend in Central Virginia? We are doing Bike Virginia again this year and I am familiar with the ones in the Fall in Shenandoah.

[Batbike]

Hey Fellow Virginia Ladies- What other rides can you recommend in Central Virginia? We are doing Bike Virginia again this year and I am familiar with the ones in the Fall in Shenandoah.

Carlene -- I would like to recommend Lynchburg's Central VA Bike Festival, Saturday, May 5th. It is a FANTASTIC ride with 3 options, the longest being a metric century with a climb up Thunder Ridge, a 13 mile, 6% grade climb on the Parkway. If you want to avoid the long climb, there is a half metric route that is rolly to hilly and beautiful to ride! Entry fees go to cancer research. Once the link is up, I will post it. Only thing on web is last years info, but the routes will probably be the same, so you may want to look. It is a good ride --beautiful and challenging route, well supported, and all for a good cause!

[IFjane]

Bat - it's looking like our cycling group has voted to go to the Cap2Cap on May 5 so we won't be down there to do the Thunder Ridge ride. I do plan to come down there later in the month and ride it myself - how is the traffic on those roads (not counting the Parkway)? And....(here's the big question)....are you up to doing it again with me?

Still thinking about the Wilderness Ride....stay tuned.

[Batbike]

Bat - it's looking like our cycling group has voted to go to the Cap2Cap on May 5 so we won't be down there to do the Thunder Ridge ride. I do plan to come down there later in the month and ride it myself - how is the traffic on those roads (not counting the Parkway)? And....(here's the big question)....are you up to doing it again with me?

Still thinking about the Wilderness Ride....stay tuned.

not heavy traffic ... if you want to, you can start at base of Thunder Ridge at the James River (I think that is what it is called) Welcome Center o Parkway and climb, get to top and come back down! Depending on your climbing abilities, it takes anywhere from a little over an hour (fast) to a couple of hours to climb Thunder Ridge -- it is VERY doable, just long! I feel the average rec. cyclist probably does in 1.5 to 2 hours.

if you want to do it, i will do it with you! may even be able to get a few other folks to join us ... just never know ... believe it or not, there are people who actually LIKE to climb it -- over and over again! that's not me, but it doesn't mean i won't do it.