Cycling in Wintergreen Area ( Blue Ridge Pkwy)

Anybody has ever cycled in Wintergreen area ? We are planning to spend a
week there at beginning of May 2005, and I would like to have some hints
about temperature we can expect to have, area very hilly ? Do you have any
place to recommend to stay ? We hesitate between Ranoake, Wintergreen and
Luray , and would like to do loops ( 100 Kms + ) around the place where
we'll stay ... Any comments will be very appreciated.

Thanks,

Gilles

I don't know where you're from, the there are some pretty tough climbs
in the area, but definitely worth the effort. The Tour Dupont finished
a couple of times at Wintergreen and the climb from the valley road
(Rt. 151) on the east side of the mountains to the finish split the
peleton into little pieces over just a few miles. The climb from
Vesuvius to the Blue Ridge Parkway (Rt. 56 on the west side of the Blue
Ridge Parkway) is legendary among locals. Also check out Cold Springs
Rd and the climb up Rt 610 to Sherando. Not to forget the Blue Ridge
parkway itself and Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. In
short, great, tough riding.


gilles wrote:
Anybody has ever cycled in Wintergreen area ? We are planning to
spend a
week there at beginning of May 2005, and I would like to have some
hints
about temperature we can expect to have, area very hilly ? Do you
have any
place to recommend to stay ? We hesitate between Ranoake, Wintergreen
and
Luray , and would like to do loops ( 100 Kms + ) around the place
where
we'll stay ... Any comments will be very appreciated.

Thanks,

Gilles

In article ,
says...
Anybody has ever cycled in Wintergreen area ? We are planning to spend a
week there at beginning of May 2005, and I would like to have some hints
about temperature we can expect to have, area very hilly ? Do you have any

I don't know much about the cycling, but somebody else answered that
question. I can tell you about the weather, though. In May, it's
starting to warm up, though it's not yet summer-like. Definitely shorts
and short-sleeved jersey weather, though. If you are there a week, I'd
expect at least one day of rain, maybe more. I spent my honeymoon
camping in Shenandoah National forest for a week in mid-May, and got
rained on two days out of the week.

If you side-trip toward Williamsburg or Virgina Beach area, you can
expect pretty much summer-like temperatures, though it won't be as hot
as it gets later on from June through September. I spent 4 years there
in the Navy, and hated the weather by the end of the first year.


place to recommend to stay ? We hesitate between Ranoake, Wintergreen and
Luray , and would like to do loops ( 100 Kms + ) around the place where

If you get a rainy day, I'd strongly recommend taking in Luray Caverns!


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On 11 Mar 2005 10:50:18 -0800, "Ed Sullivan"
wrote:

I don't know where you're from, the there are some pretty tough climbs
in the area, but definitely worth the effort. The Tour Dupont finished
a couple of times at Wintergreen and the climb from the valley road
(Rt. 151) on the east side of the mountains to the finish split the
peleton into little pieces over just a few miles. The climb from
Vesuvius to the Blue Ridge Parkway (Rt. 56 on the west side of the Blue
Ridge Parkway) is legendary among locals. Also check out Cold Springs
Rd and the climb up Rt 610 to Sherando. Not to forget the Blue Ridge
parkway itself and Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. In
short, great, tough riding.

I can echo Ed's take. I used to camp frequently at the old Rt 56 KOA, and a
few times I considered jogging up the part of 56 from Vesuvius to the BRP,
but after previewing it in the car, gave up that notion. I'd imagine that
only the strongest riders should attempt it. Be careful. There a quite a
few drivers who think nothing of short-cutting the line around corners.
Ride on the road edge and be prepared to ditch. Scout the route first.

The route out of Sherando would, I think, be a challenge. It's got some
nice views of valley homesteads, iirc. That shows as "Mt Torrey Rd", going
to 610 at Reed's Gap on the map. Probably the easiest of these difficult
climbs.

Wintergreen is the road up to the ski resort. So that is also steep.

Riding on the BRP, or Skyline Drive (the name changes past Rockfish Gap)
would also be a challenge. If you are interested in rides there, check out
the books - there's one called 'Bicyclng the Blue Ridge (Parkway)' by
Skinner. It gives good detail and great tips. Surprisingly the guy and girl
who did the ride were quite normal looking and he was even a bit stout.
They must have been phenomenal riders, though, because they're not built
like athletes and did fully loaded unsupported touring. (pardon any
body-typing bias here). They did caution about the danger from cars and
trailers and RVs here. They seem to think they own the road and will drive
right over you. The book has a pretty hair-raising description riding
through one of the pitch-black tunnels. ;-)

Overall, though, I'd say that the rural roads in Central Va are no longer
suitable for cyclists and drivers. It was in the 60s and 70s, but there was
a building boom in the 80s and lots of houses and new roads added that feed
-into- these unimproved two-lane run-down blacktop country roads.

Where in the 70s you'd meet an occasional car (very few scattered lower
income houses), now you'll see them all too frequently. Though I still see
cyclists on the country roads, they're ones carefully selected for as few
as possible blind curves. That's what really puts the cyclists in danger -
too many people think "country road=road rally driving and me in a red hot
rod". A seasoned and bold attitude is needed I'd think to dare these
routes. I still see an occasional cyclist, and the Univ. cycling team rides
here. I think they shoot for non-peak hours, after 9 and before 4pm.

HTH

jj

In article ,
says...

....

Skinner. It gives good detail and great tips. Surprisingly the guy and girl
who did the ride were quite normal looking and he was even a bit stout.
They must have been phenomenal riders, though, because they're not built
like athletes and did fully loaded unsupported touring. (pardon any

Well, a 26x32 or x34 low gear will let most anybody climb most any hill
if they have enough patience Grin. Even a more-typical 30x32 low gear
(which a lot of touring bikes come with) will handle most hills with no
problem.

.....

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