Blue Ridge Outdoors March 2024 by Summit Publishing

MARCH 2024

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On the Fly

Fishing Tips from Trout Guides

RESPONSIBLE RECREATION

How to Minimize Backcountry Impact

DIRT KING:

ELITE ULTRARUNNER LUKE PAULSON

+ OCONEE ADVENTURES + APPALACHIAN BOULDERING CENTER + GEAR FOR SPRING FLY FISHING

185 KING STREET

PISGAH CLIMBING SCHOOL

THE SUNSET MOTEL

Join us for live music, house brews and food in Brevard’s backyard. Visit our website for event listings, menus and tickets.

Experience Pisgah National Forest’s premier rock climbing. With a variety of climbing options suitable for all skill levels, we can personalize your family’s next adventure.

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SYLVANSPORT

DAVIDSON RIVER OUTFITTERS

D.D. BULLWINKEL’S

The award-winning VAST redefines the modern travel trailer experience. Visit us in Brevard, NC or online to see our full line of campers, trailers, and outdoor gear.

The area’s oldest and largest Fly Fishing Outfitter, offering a full guide service, instruction, tying sessions and all of the supplies to make your next trip a success.

D.D. Bullwinkel’s Outdoors & Moose Tracks Footwear is your local go to for gear, apparel & footwear. Serving as WNC’s destination for the outdoors for 30 years.

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OUT OF THE ORDINARY INTO THE WILD From epic adventure to intimate getaways, your next trip to Brevard will take your breath away.

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ON THE COVER

CONTENTS

PRESIDENT BLAKE DEMASO b l a ke @ b l u e r i d g e o u t d o o r s . c o m E D I TO R I N C H I E F J E D D F E R R I S jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com P U B L I S H E R L E A H WO O DY leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com

March 2024

D E PA R T M E N T S

A S S O C I AT E P U B L I S H E R K AT I E H A R T W E L L katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R M E L I S S A K E N N E L LY m . ke n n e l l y @ b l u e r i d g e o u t d o o r s . c o m

7 | FIELD REPORT

A unique bouldering gym opens in Bristol.

E D I TO R I A L & P R O D U C T I O N S E N I O R E D I TO R W I L L H A R L A N will@blueridgeoutdoors.com

10 | FIELD NOTES

G E A R E D I TO R D O U G S C H N I T Z S PA H N doug@elevationoutdoors.com

A look at one of the most sweeping outdoor recreation legislation packages in history.

D E S I G N E R / A R T M A N AG E R REBECCA CENCEWIZKI art@blueridgeoutdoors.com

61 | THE OUT AND BACK

C O N T R I B U TO R S

In the outdoor industry, good names set the trends.

L AU R E N S T E P P M A R Y B E T H S KY L I S MIKE BEZEMEK

63 | THE GOODS

C O P Y E D I TO R S JULIA GREEN, ROBERT MCGEE

Gear for spring fly fishing.

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS

66 | TRAIL MIX

AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E B U C K B R I C E buck@blueridgeoutdoors.com

New tunes from Taj Mahal and Phosphorescent.

AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E H A N N A H C O O P E R hannah@blueridgeoutdoors.com A D V E R T I S I N G C O N T E N T C O O R D I N ATO R

PHOTO BY NICK CARTER

DAV E S TA L L A R D G R A H A M AV E R I L L N OA H P O U LO S

AN ANGLER CASTS IN A STREAM IN VIRGINIA'S GEORGE WA S H I N G T O N N AT I O N A L F O R E S T. PHOTO BY ALAN DOWNIE

A M A N DA L I V E R E T T E

amanda@blueridgeoutdoors.com

B U S I N E S S M A N AG E R M E L I S S A G E S S L E R melissa@blueridgeoutdoors.com D I G I TA L M E D I A O N L I N E D I R E C TO R C R A I G S N O D G R A S S webdir@blueridgeoutdoors.com

12 | ONE FLY TO FISH

C R E AT I V E C O N T E N T M A N AG E R

Blue Ridge guides share secrets for success when it comes to catching spring trout.

S H A N N O N M C G OWA N

shannon@blueridgeoutdoors.com C I R C U L AT I O N I N Q U I R I E S circulation@blueridgeoutdoors.com

22 | ANSWERING NATURE’S CALL

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertise@blueridgeoutdoors.com

SUMMIT

When you’ve got to go in the backcountry, follow these eco-friendly tips.

PUBLISHING

30 | TRAIL TROUBADOUR

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

GOT A STORY IDEA OR COMMENT? submit@blueridgeoutdoors.com B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F L U K E PA U L S O N

977 SEMINOLE TR PMB294 C H A R LOT T E S V I L L E , V I R G I N I A 2 2 9 0 1

F E AT U R E S

A reunion with an old hiking partner helps a musician find his way.

44 | OCONOEE ADVENTURES

There’s much to explore in an underrated part of the South Carolina’s Upstate.

52 | DIRT KING

Meet the South’s new top ultrarunner.

RISE ABOVE THE EVERYDAY.

A getaway to Kentucky oﬀers all kinds of opportunities to escape the everyday world.

Cliﬀview Resort, Campton

kentuckytourism.com MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

SOUTH CAROLINA

connect with OldeEnglishDistrict.com

FIELD REPORT

ASCEND

BOULDERING BUSINESS After developing routes in central Appalachia for a decade, four buddies opened Bristol’s first climbing gym to draw more climbers out to their lines. BY SUZIE HODGES

WHEN FOUR LONGTIME FRIENDS— Aaron Parlier, Brad Mathisen, Jesse Cheers, and Matt Kyle—head into the backcountry of central Appalachia to develop climbs, they look for certain sandstone. Mathisen says it’s like porcelain, with a sheen to it. The good sandstone is usually lined with white and pinkish-orange bands. This rock is hard, with unique little features made better by the cold. “The rock just feels sticky,” he says. “You’ll slap onto something, and it’s like Velcro.” Most sandstone is not good climbing rock. But those creamsicle shades, according to geologists, may give away an exception—a stable sandstone that contains pure quartz cemented with silica and iron oxide. These contents help create physically hard and chemically stable rock that holds up well against weathering. Developing this rock feels like a treasure hunt, Mathisen says. To reach it, the team bushwhacks past walls of puffy-petaled rhododendron and mountain laurel, poison ivy, and ground nests of yellow jackets. Then, they find lines, clean them, climb them, clear them for legal land access, and share them. “It’s fun to do the initial development and have your special moment with your friends that found the area,” Mathisen says. “You’re doing the work and putting up first ascents and climbing things that have never been climbed before. But the long-term reward is seeing other people out there, and they're having that same experience.”

With no interest in keeping good sandstone a secret, last year Kyle, Cheers, Mathisen, and Parlier opened the Appalachian Bouldering Center in Bristol, Tenn. The gym owners’ top priority is to cultivate community in a warm and inviting space. The second is to get that community outside, to the places the four friends have explored for years, like Grayson Highlands State Park, the Guest River Gorge, and Breaks Interstate Park. “We have these great areas, but we haven’t had a hub for people,” Cheers says. “Now, we’re hoping this gym can be that hub. There’s all this great outdoor climbing. Get into it here. We’ll tell you about spots.” Inside the Appalachian Bouldering Center, a handful of scattered rocking chairs face the gym’s boulders. The walls are mostly steep with a touch of slab, which matches the ratios of nearby boulders at Grayson Highlands State Park. Parlier, the first of the four to get into development, started climbing at the well-known Virginia park. He grew up less than half an hour away and returned to the area after serving in the Army abroad, using bouldering as a form of therapy. After sharing more than 400 of the climbs he developed at Grayson Highlands on Mountain Project, Parlier put 350 of them into a climbing guidebook for the area alongside publisher Dan Brayack. Mathisen, Cheers, and Kyle credit Parlier for getting them into route development over the past decade. The four, who live scattered

A P P A L A C H I A N B O U L D E R I N G C E N T E R ( T O P ) WA S O P E N E D B Y A G R O U P O F F O U R C L I M B I N G B U D D I E S , I N C L U D I N G B R A D M AT H I S E N ( B E L O W ) . A L L P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F A P PA L A C H I A N B O U L D E R I N G C E N T E R O W N E R S

around Appalachia in Abingdon, Bristol, and Boone, now have hundreds of boulder problems and sport routes between them, with more in sight. Mathisen is focused on Breaks Interstate Park, for which he’s written a guidebook. With development of a new crag just getting started, he foresees the addition of 80 to 100 routes. In 2014, Mathisen and Parlier founded the Central Appalachian Climbers Coalition to work with officials and landowners to secure access to newly developed climbing areas, which can cross over a “patchwork” of property types, Parlier says, like private and public

land, state and national forest, and wilderness. “We saw where the area could go if climbing ever caught on,” Mathisen says. “We needed an organization to protect and promote access in the region.” Protecting access means passing on knowledge of how quickly it can slip away, Parlier says, which may not be top of mind at all modern gyms. “Now, you’re getting into climbing in an indoor environment away from the elements, with predesigned routes that are color-coded or taped with little grade tags, and you can just belly flop onto these giant memory foam mattresses,” he says. “There’s

MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

FIELD REPORT

CLIMBING

T H E O W N E R S O F A P P A L A C H I A N B O U L D E R I N G C E N T E R S E T T H E G Y M ' S R O U T E S T O M AT C H L I N E S T H E Y D E V E L O P E D I N C L I M B I N G S P O T S A R O U N D C E N T R A L A P PA L A C H I A . H E R E , A A R O N PA R L I E R C L I M B S S A N D S T O N E N E A R K E O K E E .

no impact whatsoever. Then, you can pick up your phone, pull up Kaya, tap on a little icon, and be guided, Pokémon Go style, through the forest.” What’s missing there is mentorship, Parlier says, which he hopes new climbers can find at the Appalachian Bouldering Center. Mathisen, Cheers, and Kyle aim to be a source of information by pointing people to local boulders and sport routes, offering introductory climbing

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

classes that cover outdoor ethics, and co-hosting local climbing and stewardship events with the Central Appalachian Climbers Coalition. “You can foster a way more robust and way more excited community if you have people climbing indoors and outdoors, even if half of their time is spent inside,” Parlier says. Kyle and Cheers have sensed excitement about the arrival of Bristol’s first climbing gym from locals since day one. Last year, climbers they knew and people they

had never met showed up to help move building materials when the gym was still under construction. “That’s how people are, though, in Appalachia,” Kyle says. “I hope that’s how we are as a business.” Mathisen hopes so, too. “I love the Appalachian culture that's built up around family, pride of place, and a slower pace of lifestyle that is not focused on pure productivity, but is based on relationships,” he says. “We’re owners of the gym, but we’re very prominent in the daily

operations, in the community of the gym, because those qualities of Appalachian culture, we want to be qualities of the climbing community as well. So that it's not just about how hard you climb. Did you have a good time? Did you enjoy the people you were with? Did you make new friends? I think that's what ultimately keeps most people in climbing. It's obviously tons of fun, personally rewarding, and challenging. But it's the friendships and the bonds you make.”

FIELD NOTES

PUBLIC LANDS

MORE TO EXPLORE

One of the most sweeping outdoor recreation legislation packages in history advances to House floor BY E R I C J . WA L L AC E

OUTDOOR RECREATION GOT A huge shot in the arm in late January as the bipartisan House Committee on Natural Resources voted to pass the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act out of committee by unanimous consent and on to the House floor. The sweeping legislative package is filled with provisions that aim to dramatically enhance access to federal lands and the range and quality of visitor experiences. It would provide funding to overhaul outdated infrastructure, reduce overcrowding, boost broadband connectivity, improve access for those with disabilities, create greenspaces in disadvantaged urban communities, streamline permitting processes for guides, and create more long-distance mountain biking trails. “Exploring the great outdoors is part of the fabric of this nation and our identity as Americans,” said House Natural Resources Committee chair, Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), in a statement supporting the bill. “This committee is focused on advancing policy to improve access to our natural resources as well as supporting conservation and innovation, [and] I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance these bills through the Senate and into law.” EXPLORE is a companion to America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA), which is currently in the senate. The groundbreaking package of about 20 bills stems from lawmakers’ close work with what may be the most diverse array of outdoor recreation and conservation-based organizations ever assembled. Contributors and endorsers include the Outdoor Alliance, Outdoor Industry Association, American Alpine Club, American Hiking Society,

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

America Outdoors, REI, Patagonia, American Sportfishing Association, International Mountain Biking Association, Motorcycle Industry Council, and dozens more. Outdoor Alliance senior policy manager Jamie Ervin helped craft recommendations for the legislation and says, if passed, “every facet of EXPLORE would be a big win.” That said, three bills are major headliners.

Biking on Long Distance Trails Act

BOLT would require federal land management agencies to designate at least 10 existing trails as official long-distance routes, identify another 10 for consideration, then work with groups like the International Mountain Biking Association to develop and promote them. Iconic rides like Arkansas’s Ouachita National Recreation Trail, the Maah Daah Hey trail in North Dakota, and 3,083-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail were earmarked for fast-tracked recognition.

Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act

Climbers have a cause célèbre in a bill Ervin says “would ensure safe and sustainable access on federal public lands across the country, and create national guidelines around how climbing gets managed in wilderness areas.” Namely, it would correct confusion around recently updated guidelines and legalize fixed anchors at storied climbs like Yellowstone’s El Capitan or Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. It could also provide funds for new infrastructure like parking areas, maps, and signage at popular climbing destinations like North Carolina’s Linville Gorge Wilderness.

PHOTO BY BRICE SHIRBACH

Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act

Ervin says the Outdoor Alliance and its allies have prioritized work on SOAR for more than a decade. The landmark bill would update permitting guidelines and streamline application processes for guides and outfitters on federal lands. It would also make it easier for conservation nonprofits and other groups to get special use permits that help them introduce people in disadvantaged areas to the outdoors. “Right now, the process for outfitters to obtain the permits they need to do things like lead hikes or whitewater rafting trips on federal lands is cumbersome, outdated, and unnecessarily complicated,” says Ervin. So much so that it’s putting operations out of business, stymying new business development, and creating an access bottleneck for introducing people to wild spaces.

In moving the bill forward, the House Committee on Natural Resources cited record-high rates of more than 168.1 million people—or 55 percent of the U.S. population— participating in outdoor recreation in 2023 and the $1.1 trillion economic impact that participation generated. “There’s been rapid growth in outdoor recreation, and therefore, a need for public land improvements in terms of how recreation is managed and protected to address the increased demand,” said Outdoor Alliance vice president of policy and government relations, Louis Geltman, in a statement. The EXPLORE Act helps provide a solution for increasing access and managing this new level of use, and “we’re thrilled that it’s advanced. But the voice and continued support of the outdoor recreation community will be imperative to moving this package along.”

Plan your next adventure at a Virginia State Park.

VIRGINIA

STATE PARKS

800-933-PARK (7275) | www.virginiastateparks.gov

NEW RIVER TRAIL

| Know Before You Go — Recreate Responsibly

D O N C A M E R O N I , O F B R O W N T R O U T A D D I C T I O N , F I S H E S A R T I C U L AT E D S T R E A M E R S F O R B I G B R O W N T R O U T O N P E N N S Y L VA N I A’ S C L A R I O N R I V E R . H E C AT C H E S H I S L A R G E S T T R O U T S T R I P P I N G K E L L Y G A L L O U P PAT T E R N S D U R I N G H I G H WAT E R S A F T E R H E AV Y S P R I N G R A I N S . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F D O N C A M E R O N I

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

If You Had Just One Fly for Spring Fishing Trout Guides Give Up Their Confidence Patterns BY NIC K C ARTER

ONE-FLY CHALLENGES ARE FLY FISHING TOURNAMENTS THAT limit anglers to a single fly they select prior to competition. It’s an interesting concept. Fly fishing, at its core, is a practice of observation and adjustment on the water. Fishing just one fly throws all of that out the window. There’s a reason most fly fishers carry numerous fly boxes with hundreds of flies in dozens of different colors and patterns. It’s the same reason our packs are stuffed with the tools and materials to switch rigs quickly and cover the entire water column in different ways. The best anglers observe what’s going on around them and continually adapt. Solving the riddle of what and how the fish are eating at a given moment is intrinsic to the sport, and it changes continually based on a host of factors. In a one-fly challenge, the angler is tasked with making an educated guess and sticking with it. If the fish aren’t eating what you’re throwing, you’re in for a long day. Lose that one fly, and you’re done. Still, we all have our confidence rigs. This is what you tie on at the truck before walking down to the river to begin fishing. So BRO decided to survey guides from around the region to ask them what they would tie on if they could only fish one fly for trout this spring. The result is a good list of productive flies for springtime casting across the Blue Ridge. Use it as a shopping list, and you’ll be ready to adjust on the water and catch trout wherever you are in whatever conditions. MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

A P P A L A C H I A ’ S O N L Y N A T I V E S A L M O N I D , T H E B R O O K T R O U T, I S A N EXTREMELY OPPORTUNISTIC AND AGGRESSIVE FEEDER. BROOKIES JUMP ALL OVER DRY FLIES IN SPRING, AND THEY’RE ALSO SUCKERS FOR BRIGHTLY COLORED AND FLASHY NYMPHS. PHOTO BY JENNIFER SHEFFIELD

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Parachute Adams

Dane Law, with Southeastern Anglers, instantly knew his answer. “Parachute Adams,” he said. “It’s not one particular thing; it represents a little bit of everything that’s buggy in the spring. It’s a caddis. It’s a mayfly. It’s an ant or any little bug that’s fallen in the water.” Spring means dry flies to many anglers, and the Parachute Adams is a classic dry fly that’s a variation on the even more classic Adams. Classics become classic because they work. The first Adams was tied by Leonard Halladay as a general mayfly imitation in 1922, according to fishing historian Paul Schullery. Halladay tied the fly for his buddy Charles Adams (hence the name), who first fished it successfully on Michigan’s Boardman River. Since then, it has become a staple in just about every dry fly angler’s box, regardless of where they fish. Southeastern Anglers primarily guides on the Hiwassee in Tennessee and the Cumberland in Kentucky, but Law said he’d choose a Parachute Adams anywhere, from big rivers to small headwaters. “It’ll work anywhere in spring,” he said. “I was in Patagonia last year in the season I equate with spring down there, and I was drifting an Adams in an eddy pool.” The Parachute Adams is dark gray with a hackle wrapped horizontally around a vertical post near the head of the fly. Its body sits in the surface film below a leggy-looking halo of feather. It’s intended to mimic any mayfly, and it does that well in different sizes, but its profile is just downright buggy. It could be any bug, and hungry trout can’t resist eating it. The parachute—the vertical tuft of white calf’s hair—is highly visible, which makes it an enjoyable dry fly to fish, especially in small sizes, low light, or rough water where it’s difficult to track your drift. www.southeasternanglers.com; (770) 655-9210

S P R I N G T I M E B R I N G S T H E E M E R G E N C E O F M A N Y I N S E C T H AT C H E S , E S P E C I A L L Y O N T H E R E G I O N ’ S H I G H - E L E VAT I O N F R E E S T O N E S . A P A R A C H U T E A D A M S I S A G E N E R A L M AY F L Y P AT T E R N T H AT I M I TA T E S A W I D E R A N G E O F S P R I N G I N S E C T S . P H O T O S B Y N I C K C A R T E R

THE FLY FISHING CAPITAL

of the South

FlyFishingCapital.com MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

Mini Sex Dungeon

When spring rains bring high water to Pennsylvania’s Clarion River, Don Cameroni, of Brown Trout Addiction, will be out there chucking streamers. His favorite may be Kelly Galloup’s Mini Sex Dungeon. “Browns are a predator fish,” he said, “and the way it moves imitates a good baitfish.” Baitfish—like chubs, fatheads, and shiners—are what big brown trout eat to fatten up after the rigors of the fall spawn. Cameroni said they “put their belly back around the middle of March,” and it’s due to a high-protein diet of smaller fish. While nymph rigs usually get the nod on low water, when fish are more nocturnal and skittish, Cameroni breaks out his streamer box on high water, especially for two or three days of falling water after a heavy rain, when he said the fishing can be crazy good. His box is full of Galloup patterns, and in the right conditions they produce his largest trout of the year. The Mini Sex Dungeon is a 2.5-inch version of the original Sex Dungeon, which can be tied to 4.5 inches or longer. Be sure to include the term “streamer” if you Google it. Like all Galloup streamers, the Mini Sex Dungeon is designed to swim. It’s an articulated fly, meaning it uses two loosely connected hooks to form a segmented body that snakes through the water on retrieve. Honed over a decades-long obsession with streamer fishing, Galloup’s flies and tactics offer good ways to get the attention of the largest trout in the river, and Cameroni is hunting browns in the mid- to high-20-inch range. www.browntroutaddiction.com; (814) 512-7891 S M A L L E R F I S H M A K E U P M U C H O F A L A R G E B R O W N T R O U T ’ S D I E T. A M I N I S E X DUNGEON HAS A JOINTED BODY AND SWIMS JUST LIKE A BAITFISH ON RETRIEVE. PHOTO BY NICK CARTER

BOUNDLESS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE, EXPERIENCES THAT YOU’LL NEVER FORGET.

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Sob-Czech, Olive

The effectiveness of Euro nymphing has taught a lot of fly fishers that putting a fly on a fish’s nose with a natural-looking drift is far more important than matching any particular hatch when it comes to nymphing. A heavy jig-style nymph sinks into the strike zone quickly, and if it looks buggy there’s a good chance a trout will eat it. Ernie King, of Fish Tales Outfitters, said he doesn’t really know what the Sob-Czech is supposed to mimic. “It just works,” he said. “It’s nothing fancy, just a hook with some dubbing and thread and a pink collar,” he said. “It’s a very simple fly and it works. It’s my No. 1 selling fly through spring up to early summer.” Online descriptions of this nymph say it mimics grubs and larvae without indicating exactly what aquatic insect it’s imitating. In the mountains of western North Carolina, where King does most of his trout fishing, an olive-colored body is the ticket, perhaps because bluewinged olive mayflies are prevalent in all stages of life in spring. The bright pink collar is what fly tyers call a “hot spot.” Its purpose is to catch a fish’s eye to lure it in for closer inspection of the buggy-looking body. King said he enjoys fishing a blue-winged olive dry fly in spring, but when he wants to catch good numbers of fish, he nymphs. In sizes 14 to 18, a Sob-Czech is very versatile. It works for stocked trout as well as wild fish, and it’s a go-to pattern on popular delayed-harvest fisheries. On the larger Cullasaja or Nantahala tailraces, it can be fished deep or shallow as part of a long Euro-nymph rig. On small higher elevation streams or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it can be fished under an indicator or as a dropper, and it’s deadly when tightlined through short, fast runs. www.fishtaleswnc.com; (828) 421-0732 A B A S I C E U R O - S T Y L E N Y M P H PA T T E R N , T H E S O B - C Z E C H I S E X T R E M E L Y E F F E C T I V E F O R A W I D E R A N G E O F WAT E R S A N D C O N D I T I O N S . I N O L I V E C O L O R , I T I S A G O - T O F L Y F O R N O R T H C A R O L I N A A N G L E R S , A N D T H E P I N K C O L L A R I S E N O U G H T O D R AW A T R O U T ’ S EYE WITHOUT MAKING THE FISH SUSPICIOUS. PHOTO BY NICK CARTER

Over 1,000 wild places to explore to your heart’s content. Explore the Wild is your online tool to find the best public lands in Virginia to hunt, fish, boat, paddle, view wildlife, hike and go primitive camping!

Visit dwr.virginia.gov/explore to discover new opportunities today! MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

CDC Pheasant Tail Jig Nymph

The Pheasant Tail Nymph is one of those iconic flies that’s spawned new variations from fly tyers for more than a century. The variation Nick Seacrist fishes most in spring is a jig-style Pheasant Tail, and it has all the bells and whistles. Seacrist guides with Mossy Creek Fly Fishing in Harrisonburg, Va. Shenandoah spring creeks are his home waters. “When that thing gets wet, it just looks like so many aquatic insects that it works anywhere,” he said. “And with that jig-style hook, it gets down quick without hanging up on the bottom as much.” The Hot Orange Bead Jig CDC Pheasant Tail Seacrist prefers for brook trout bears about as much resemblance to the original Pheasant Tail as the name does. The original—developed by English chalk stream angler Frank Sawyer at the advent of modern nymphing—was simply pheasant tail fibers, copper wire, and a hook. The version Seacrist fishes for brookies has a bright orange tungsten bead on a 90-degree jig hook. Along with the pheasant tail and copper wire, this fly features a soft hackle collar and a little bit of flash to draw attention. Brookies are notorious suckers for bright and flashy patterns. They must feed opportunistically in the relatively sterile high-elevation streams where they live. For rainbows and browns, Seacrist is more likely to fish a standard CDC Pheasant Tail Jig Nymph. It’s the same as the “hot head” version except the tungsten head is copper-colored instead of orange. Both nymphs sink quickly in the short runs of Virginia spring creeks. The jig-style head forces the hook point to ride upward in the water, which means it can be fished along the bottom of a stream without hanging up as much as a traditional-style bead head nymph. Mossycreekflyfishing.com; (540) 434-2444

SO, What are you waiting for?

www.VisitSoSi.com

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

F R O M TA I L WAT E R S T O H E A D WAT E R S , A P H E A S A N T TA I L N Y M P H I S A C L A S S I C P AT T E R N T H AT F L AT- O U T P R O D U C E S . T I E D O N A J I G - S T Y L E H O O K , I T G E T S D O W N I N T O T H E S T R I K E ZONE QUICKLY WITHOUT HANGING UP ON THE BOTTOM. PHOTO BY NICK CARTER

WHERE THE CITY VIBES AND THE FISHING THRIVES Fish the South River’s catch and release trout waters in the heart of Downtown Waynesboro

PLAN YOUR FISHING GETAWAY

ELEVATE YOUR

ADVENTURE BLOWINGROCK.COM MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

Walt’s Worm

Easy-to-tie flies can be the best flies, especially for guides who spend hours tying only to watch clients decorate the trees with their labors. Walt’s Worm just might be the world’s best guide fly. It’s an extremely effective nymph pattern that’s inexpensive to tie and can be whipped out by the dozen in short order. Brian Largent, of Precision Fly and Tackle in Mount Holly Springs, Pa., said you can catch fish anywhere in springtime with a handful of Walt’s Worms and Pheasant Tails. He primarily fishes freestone streams for wild brown trout but said Walt’s Worm catches trout wherever they swim. “There’s a lot of bugs hatching in spring, and it’s a very general pattern that imitates a lot of them,” he said. “It’ll work just about anywhere you take it. If there are trout in the water, it will work.” Pennsylvania tyer Walt Young developed Walt’s Worm in the 1980s to mimic crane fly larvae for his home state’s famed spring creeks. However, these waters are loaded with vegetation that’s home to all sorts of aquatic life. Walt’s Worm is so simple and so general that it could represent a range of edible subsurface critters to a trout, whether it’s a scud, shrimp, caddis, mayfly, or cress bug. “It’s a simplified version of a Hare’s Ear,” said Largent. “It catches fish, and it’s very easy to tie.” Walt’s Worm can be tied with or without a bead head and with or without a few wraps of lead-free wire. From there, it’s nothing more than some Hare’s Ear dubbing wrapped around a hook. Precisionflyandtackle.com; (717) 486-4646

Elk Hair Caddis, Tan

WA L T ’ S W O R M ( T O P ) I S A S E A S Y T O T I E A S I T I S E F F E C T I V E . I T ’ S S O S I M P L E T H AT T R O U T M I G H T M I S TA K E I T F O R A N Y T H I N G T H AT ’ S E D I B L E U N D E R T H E S U R F A C E . ( B E L O W ) I N SPRING, YOU’LL LIKELY SEE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF CADDISFLIES BOBBING AROUND IN THE AIR ANYWHERE YOU GO. EVERY FLY FISHER SHOULD CARRY NUMEROUS SIZES AND C O L O R S O F E L K H A I R C A D D I S AT A L L T I M E S . P H O T O S B Y N I C K C A R T E R

The Elk Hair Caddis is another classic pattern that was developed in Pennsylvania. It catches trout anywhere you take it. It was first tied in the 1950s by Al Troth, and it mimics a caddisfly, one of spring’s primary food sources for trout. Jeff Durniak, of Unicoi Outfitters in the north Georgia mountains, said he would choose a size 16 tan Elk Hair Caddis if he had to choose one dry fly for spring. He said they get a lot of caddis hatches in April and May, and that it also works very well as an attractor pattern even when there isn’t a hatch occurring. The thing about caddisflies is there’s likely to be one species or another popping off sporadically or in a full-fledged hatch at different times of day throughout spring. Even when there aren’t real bugs on the water, trout in most streams and rivers are tuned to look for caddisflies. There are also a lot of different ways to fish an Elk Hair Caddis. “Try dead drifting, but if that doesn’t work, try casting it downstream and skitter it,” Durniak said. Mature caddisflies bounce around on the surface when they’re trying to break through the surface film to lay eggs. Durniak said seeing this activity should prompt you to give your fly a little action. “Skitter it and let it drop, skitter it and let it drop,” he said. The technique is one of the few times you’ll ever “work” a dry fly for trout. Lift your rod tip and wiggle it to make the caddis skitter across the surface. Then drop the line on the water and let it drift briefly before skittering it again. An Elk Hair Caddis also floats like a cork, so it’s easy to see, and it works very well as what Durniak called an “indicator with a hook in it.” Drop a nymph below an Elk Hair Caddis for a deadly dry-dropper rig in shallower streams or shallow riffles. Or fish it in tandem with a second dry fly. You give the fish two different options, and the big, flared, elk hair wing is easy to spot on the drift. It can help you keep track of where your second fly is. www.unicoioutfitters.com; (706) 878-3083 Nick Carter is author of “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” It is available on Amazon or by contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

RON AND BETSY FROM RON SPOMER OUTDOORS

ELIZABETH DOUVILLE AND JOHN DOUVILLE

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BEYOND THE BLUE RIDGE

LURED BY THE SOUTHFORK IN SWAN VALLEY, ID

With fly-fishing access on the Southfork of the Snake River and three pristine Wyoming Rivers, The Greys, Green, and The Salt, this off-the-beaten-path fishing destination is calling. Swan Valley is known for serenity and solitude, or what may be referred to as “fishing without the crowds” for brown, rainbow, brookies, and the largest river population of iconic Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Set your hook from the banks or adrift on a boat, guided by locals who are intimately connected to the bite and the art of a day on the water. Natural landscapes untouched by large developments create a true outdoor experience on the other side of the Tetons from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Dark skies and bright big stars beg for fish stories around an outdoor fire at night, while the comforts of down-home hospitality at River Retreat Lodge will make you want to stay forever in one of

the best-kept secrets in the West. Anglers love the Southfork for its dependable and stellar dry-fly fishing, so it is no wonder Hyde Drift Boats and Clackacraft are both headquartered minutes from here. The Southfork tailwaters are sourced from the bottom of Palisades Reservoir, which straddles the Idaho-Wyoming border, and the area offers four-season fly-fishing. Yes, snowshoeing into the backcountry to catch and release among snow-covered banks is some of the most satisfying angling ever experienced. Swan Valley’s playground welcomes all experience levels of casting and setting the hook. Its scenic landscape and trophy trout will make you want to keep its secret, too.

into Swan Valley. Or, fly to Idaho Falls, ID, and rent a car for an easy 40-minute ride into Swan Valley. Coming soon (June 5, 2024), you can fly direct from Charlotte to Jackson Hole on American Airlines! WHERE TO STAY

Discover River Retreat Lodge, welcoming guests year-round with complimentary breakfast and access to the region’s top guides and flyfishing packages. Unwind in spacious suites, perfect for relaxing after a

day on the water or traveling with fellow anglers. Enjoy the ambiance of a large great room featuring a fireplace and pool table, with beer and wine available for purchase. Indulge in culinary delights at Swan Valley View Restaurant conveniently located onsite. 2024 FLY FISHING EVENTS

May 23-27, 2024: Angling for the Perfect Cast Retreat. September 19-23, 2024: Angling for the Perfect Cast Retreat.

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INSIDER TIPS:

• •

•

The best fishing is from late spring to late fall. This four-season destination is within sixty minutes of three winter ski resorts - Kelly Canyon, Grand Targhee, and Jackson Hole. Take advantage of a day on Palisades Reservoir or hike Falls Creek Falls - an easy hike for all with a magnificent 60-foot waterfall. Visit RiverRetreatLodge.com for fly fishing packages and information.

SMITH MOUNTAIN L AKE COMMUNIT Y PARK

HOW TO GET HERE:

Fly direct on Delta Airlines, Atlanta to Jackson Hole, and rent a car for an easy 60-minute ride MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

B L U E R I D G E H I K I N G C O M PA N Y I N T R O D U C E S B E G I N N E R S T O L E AV E N O T R A C E P R I N C I P L E S . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F B L U E R I D G E H I K I N G C O M PA N Y

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Answering Nature’s Call Everyone's gotta go. So here are best practices for relieving yourself in the woods. BY L AUREN S TEPP

LNT IS A LEARNING PROCESS. PHOTO COURTESY OF WHITE BLAZE OUTDOORS

AS THE OWNER OF BLUE RIDGE HIKING company, a guide service based in Asheville, N.C., Lindsey Barr spends a lot of time teaching adults how to potty. More specifically, she teaches adults how to potty while adhering to Leave No Trace (LNT) principles. “We host a weekly Zoom call for hikers on upcoming backpacking trips, and part of that call is talking about the ‘Three P’s’ (i.e., pees, poops, and periods),” Barr explains. “Our hope is that having this conversation well before hikers hit the trail will take away some of the anxiety around using the bathroom in the woods.” Here are some important guidelines she shares during these restroom rundowns to help aspiring adventurers feel comfortable and minimize environmental impact.

How to Pee Outdoors

Going for a wee. Having a tinkle. Making

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

water. Whatever you want to call it, pee happens. And you should be prepared for when it does.

Step 1: Pack Your Potty Kit.

Barr recommends all hikers pack a “potty kit” before setting off for the forest. This kit should include a trowel (for poop purposes), hand sanitizer, and a small plastic baggie. Though you can pack toilet paper, you may opt for an antimicrobial pee cloth instead (more on this later). Barr keeps her potty kit in an easily accessible pocket of her pack, away from other trash and food. If you steer clear of scented products, the kit doesn’t need to go in the bear bag at night.

Step 2: Find Your Spot.

Maybe you chugged a liter of freshly filtered water. Or, maybe you sipped one too many campfire whiskeys. Either way, the pee-pee dance is real.

Before you wet your shorts, Barr suggests you find a secluded spot at least 200 feet (or 70 big steps) away from a water source, campsite, or trail. Though 200 feet may seem arbitrary, this is an LNT standard to help mitigate water contamination, soil disturbances, and other issues.

Step 3: Stand or Squat.

It’s now time to do the deed. “If you stand to pee,” says Barr, “going in the woods is going to be basically the same as going at home.” If you squat to pee, grab hold of a tree and get down low. The lower you are to the ground, the less likely you will splash on your shoes and pants. As Barr explains, urination devices can be super helpful for the squatters among us. “There are a lot of different styles on the market, but generally, they look like a forward-facing funnel,” she says.

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Visit the Patrick County Visitors Center at 126 N. Main St, Stuart, VA

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MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

Some Folks Call it Spring, But ‘Round Here It Goes By

StRipeR SeAsoN

When Striped Bass head upstream out of Buggs Island Lake to spawn along the Upper Staunton River in Campbell County Virginia, the fishing goes from great to simply EXTRAORDINARY

Outdoor Guide Available at campbellvirginia.com/get-outside

A N O R T H C A R O L I N A H I K I N G G U I D E T E A C H E S U S H O W T O P O T T Y R E S P O N S I B L Y. PHOTO BY THE AUTHOR

If you opt for a pee funnel, practice your aim in the shower before your trip. Once on the trail, rinse the device with clean water after each use and allow it to air dry.

Step 4: Choose Your T.P.

After peeing, you can shake dry, use a big leaf (avoid poison ivy, obviously), or wipe with toilet paper. If you wipe with T.P., pack out the soiled paper in a plastic bag. Alternatively, you can use an antimicrobial pee cloth—Barr’s T.P. of choice.

How to Poop Outdoors

Let’s face it: Going “number two” outside is a bit more nervewracking than peeing. But “it’s a lot easier and less scary than people think,” Barr assures.

Step 1: Dig a Cathole.

Just like with peeing outside, pooping outside requires that you pack a potty kit and then find a spot at least 200 feet away from a water source, campsite, or trail. However, before you pop a squat and do the doo, you must use a trowel to dig a cathole at least six to eight inches deep and four to six inches in diameter. Since this may take some time, don’t wait until your chorizo chimichanga or second cup of gas station coffee has reached a crescendo.

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

“ H I K E R S S H O U L D A L WAY S C H E C K T H E R E G U L AT I O N S F O R T H E I R S P E C I F I C A R E A B E F O R E H I T T I N G T H E T R A I L , ” S AY S L I N D S E Y B A R R , O W N E R O F B L U E R I D G E H I K I N G C O M P A N Y. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F B L U E R I D G E H I K I N G C O M PA N Y

Pro Tip: According to Barr, the soil microbiome in the Southern Appalachians is adequate to break down solid human waste. But in super rocky, arid places or times in which the ground is frozen, hikers may need to pack out their excrement using a human waste bag. “Hikers should always check the regulations for their specific area before hitting the trail,” Barr advises.

Step 2: Poop and Cover.

After digging a cathole, it’s time to, ahem, drop your load. Once you’re done, throw in a handful of soil and give it a stir with a sturdy stick. This speeds up the decomposition process. Next, use your trowel to cover your waste with dirt. Be careful not to contaminate your trusty tool with feces.

Step 3: Pack Out Your T.P.

Once your booty is wiped, place the soiled toilet paper in a plastic baggie. If the idea of locking eyes with poopy paper turns your stomach, opt for an opaque bag.

Step 4: Sanitize Your Hands.

A small squeeze of biodegradable soap and water will work. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer will suffice, too.

MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

. l e e R

Rest. Come to reel in the next catch. To cast a line in the cool streams that have coined our region “The Birthplace of Rivers.” But when you’re ready for the rest, discover lush state parks, quaint mountain towns and dark starry skies.

PocahontasCountyWV.com 304.799.INFO (4636)

Spring inspires growth in all things. Including you. For a century, people have explored legendary Kentucky State Parks to feel more revitalized and alive. Remarkable vistas, untrampled trails and quaint lodging awaits you. Plan your amazing getaway now at parks.ky.gov.

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Come to reel, stay for the rest.

( L E F T ) U S I N G T H E B AT H R O O M O U T D O O R S I S N ’ T A S S C A R Y A S Y O U T H I N K , S AY S L I N D S E Y B A R R . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F B L U E R I D G E H I K I N G C O M P A N Y ( R I G H T ) C A M P I N G I N N O N - D E S I G N AT E D A R E A S C O U L D C A U S E H A B I TAT D E S T R U C T I O N . PHOTO COURTESY OF WHITE BLAZE OUTDOORS

Responsible Recreation How to Manage Your Period Outdoors

According to Barr, there are lots of myths about having your period in the woods. “We even occasionally hear from clients that certain dates won't work because they're expecting to have their cycle, and they've heard it isn't possible to manage their cycle on a backpacking trip,” says Barr. “And that absolutely isn't true.” Menstruating on the trail just requires a bit of forethought. If you use pads or tampons, for instance, those will need to be packed out. If you use period underwear, those will also need to be packed out. If you use a menstrual cup, you will need to clean your hands, remove the cup, and then empty the contents into a cathole. Next, rinse the cup with potable water and reinsert. “Then,” says Barr, “fill your cathole like you would when you go number two.”

For more advice on minimizing our impact in the backcountry, we chatted with Justin Harris, owner of White Blaze Outdoors in Abingdon, Va.

the forest. “It didn’t seem like a big deal,” he admits. But after studying biology at Emory & Henry College, the Virginia native realized his foible. “Biodegradable or not, food is still going to entice wild animals,” he explains.

Tip 1: Only Camp in Designated Areas. Wildlife managers carefully select campsites. If you go rogue and pitch a tent elsewhere, you could unknowingly cause habitat destruction. “Even if you have to hike a little further or backtrack, it’s important to always stay within designated camping areas,” Harris advises.

Tip 3: Educate Yourself. From group size limits to campfire regulations, there can be a lot to learn when recreating. According to Harris, it’s our responsibility to understand any rules that may be in place to protect a particular ecosystem. “Do a little homework before you head into the woods,” he says. “And if you choose to go with a guide service, don’t be afraid to ask questions you may think are embarrassing or stupid. We love to help people learn.”

Tip 2: Pack Out All Trash. Growing up, Harris thought little about tossing banana peels or apple cores into

MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

ALL PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

Trail Troubadour

A reunion between A.T. thru-hikers puts a Virginia singer-songwriter’s struggles into focus BY ANDREW MARSHALL

THE FIRST TIME I MET WILL Overman, he was swaying in the back of a musty bus with a dozen other people, one protective hand resting on a smallish guitar wrapped in a homemade case. He was, as everyone on the bus was, on his way to begin a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. A few days later, I met Overman again. I stumbled out of the Maine woods to find him hunched over his guitar, picking out the opening notes of a song while the mingled odors of trail life—woodsmoke, noodles, and honest human funk layered over the green, spruce-needle scent of the forest—wafted around a campsite. “Here we go,” I thought with the misguided snarkiness only a 26-year-old can muster on command. “Jack Johnson. Dispatch.

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

‘Hey There, Delilah,’ by the Plain White T’s as a follow-up. Especially if any ladies walk by.” But when Overman opened his mouth, what issued forth was a soulful, shockingly rich rendering of a song I didn’t recognize—because Overman had written it himself. The song wasn’t perfect, but it was powerful. The work of a young artist searching for his way. Everybody in camp stopped to listen while the trees creaked in the wind overhead. “This kid,” I amended to myself with a dash of chagrin, “is going places.” Twelve years later, after recently turning 30, on the other side of a divorce, occasionally in therapy, with a freshly dropped live album and a new studio EP

in the works, Overman’s certainly going places—but he’s doing it the hard way. His new single, “Virginia is for Lovers,” is a radio-ready earworm that earnestly captures the affection and frustration someone can simultaneously feel for their longtime home. It’s an era where it’s never been easier for an artist to gain a following from his living room (or the woods near his house, as the inescapable Oliver Anthony recently made clear). But Will Overman doesn’t roll that way. A grudging and reluctant user of social media, he spends the bulk of his nights gigging and the bulk of his days driving to gigs. So going places—literally—is half his job description, even if those places tend to be smallish

venues scattered from Columbus to Virginia Beach, western North Carolina to southern Maine. And if the other half of his job is TikToking and Instagraming, well, that’s one of many prices to be paid in 2024. *** “Um, where should I grab to shut this door?” I ask Overman from his van’s passenger seat. The handle is missing, as is much of what one might call “the door itself.” The van’s name is Kacey, in honor of Kacey Musgraves. It’s big and green and smells like multiple dudes call it home, because they do. Overman has stopped mid-tour at my cabin on the fringes of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to chat and take a hike in the woods we last visited together over a decade ago.

“Oh, just. Here,” he says, indicating a flimsy lip of plastic where the door assembly meets the window. I hesitate, worried that a hefty pull will rip the thing off its hinges and bring Overman’s burgeoning career, which he’s advancing inch by inch almost entirely by exhaustive touring in Kacey, along with it. But our luck holds and the door shuts, however tenuously. Overman slams Kacey into gear. But before we hit the trail, the old Southern gustatory gods must be appeased. We stop for biscuits, gravy, country ham, and grits at a breakfast joint straight out of Overman’s oeuvre. It’s Appalachian, intimate, and nameless other than a painted window promising fried chicken. Overman slides into the

booth across from me, rocking a black hoodie, a shock of dark hair, and a mustache that hovers somewhere between rural towtruck operator and Brooklyn-based graphic designer. The warm air is redolent with notes of black coffee and hot grease. It's the perfect spot to talk about songwriting. Overman’s music to date is highly autobiographical and story-based, but also deeply rooted in place. It evokes misty American highways, dingy, ill-lit bars, and crumbling buzzard-filled farmhouses. Rolling fields with mountains rising above, a single fence snaking over the rises. He loves his home state of Virginia with a fierce devotion bordering on the religious.

And how to classify Overman’s style? It’s been a struggle. “Appalachian John Mayer is what we’ve settled on,” Overman tells me over a rapidly shrinking plate of gravy-soaked biscuits. I start to chuckle until he flashes a rueful smile at the description, and the 60-something waitress walking by with a stack of dirty dishes does a double take. Okay, Appalachian John Mayer it is. But backroads and women are the subject of a thousand Americana songs. It’s that voice—a voice now enriched by time and experience and Overman’s turbulent twenties—that sets him apart. That and his way around song construction. Overman’s specialty as a writer is wedging

poetry into typical Americana and alt-country subject matter, then topping the whole thing off with tried-and-true songcraft sharpened by a brief stint writing production music for NBC promos. “Catchy chorus, verse, catchy chorus, bridge, near out,” Overman says. “I like writing catchy songs. I'm not afraid of it. I love Tom Petty because [he] just gives you what you want. If it works, it works.” *** One thing that didn’t work was Overman’s marriage. Dissolving it was his choice. She kept the dog, he left with serious doubts about the viability of long-term romantic relationships. This matters because the vast bulk of Overman’s songs prior to that moment were about

MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

OVERMAN HAS A MOMENT OF REFLECTION IN THE WOODS.

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

his girlfriend, later his wife. One of Overman’s recent albums, The Winemaker’s Daughter, is entirely about her—or about Overman in relationship to her. So how does a man who’s been writing about the same person for so long move on? The same way everybody does. One shuffling step at a time, eyes locked firmly on the horizon. One thing thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail teaches you, it’s exactly that kind of bullheaded perseverance. “I promised myself I wouldn’t write a divorce album,” he tells me as we crunch through the thick layer of burnt umber leaves that litter the forest floor. Another thing thru-hiking teaches, your problems don’t go away just because you walk 2,000 miles. Eventually, you have to deal with them, albeit usually skinnier by 30 pounds or so. And so despite Overman’s wishes, he did make a divorce album. And a post-pandemic album, an “I’m in my early thirties album,” and an “I live

on the road” album. The new songs have a bite. They’re a little grimy, a little gritty. Crafted not in the quaint, sun-drenched Virginia farmhouse setting of Overman’s married years but in the gas stations, green rooms, and country grocery stores of his most recent half-decade— years he calls the hardest of his life. Nobody except 18-year-olds or the very naive think talent and hard work equals inevitable success. Overman was both back in those Maine woods. And he’ll admit it. But the road-weary man hiking with me through the park is neither. And he knows further success isn’t guaranteed, no matter how many miles he racks up on Kacey’s odometer. I ask him what percentage of “making it” is down to blind stinking luck. “A pretty large percentage,” he answers. “More than half?” I ask. There’s a long pause. “I’d like to say that I have enough hope and optimism to believe that

it’s less than half,” he hedges. “You’d like to believe, or you do believe?” A second, longer pause. “I don’t believe it’s more than half. But it’s damn near close,” he finally says. There’s something uniquely difficult about the liminal space Overman currently inhabits, trapped between complete anonymity and widespread recognition. Just a fraction more success and he could breathe, with no further need to supplement his meager musician income with dishwashing jobs between tour legs. A fraction less and he could go do something else—something easier—with a clean conscience, knowing he gave it his all. But for now, he’s stuck squarely in the middle. For what it’s worth, it’s a better place than most aspiring musicians ever reach. After all, Overman has a per diem to buy his biscuits and gravy, and how many singers out there on the road can claim that?

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STILL AND TUMBLING WATERS IN DAWSONVILLE, GA

Pack up your fishing gear and head down to the foothills of Northern Georgia to discover luscious streams and bountiful lakes. Dawson County has everything an angler needs for the fishing trip of a lifetime! LAKE LANIER

Whether you prefer your bass spotted or striped, you’ll never have to worry about catching one on Lake Sidney Lanier. Referred to by locals and anglers as simply “Lake Lanier”, it shares around 50 milesworth of shoreline with the southeastern border of Dawson County. This 38,000acre lake is great for fishing, boating, and camping, and is home to 16 species of game fish like largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and striped bass. The lake has also gained a reputation for its intense spotted bass fishing! AMICALOLA CREEK AND THE ETOWAH RIVER

As the waters warm up and the fish become more active, the Blue Ridge and Southeast regions offer some of the best rivers, streams, lakes, and seas for your next fishing expedition. Explore top spots and connect with outfitters, guides, and local experts to enhance your experience. Be sure to check with local locations for any guidelines before traveling and keep this guide handy for future trips!

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Journey to the northern corner of the county to catch some trout and experience roaring waters. Derived from the Cherokee word for “tumbling water,” Amicalola Creek is a large, river-like body of water that flows southward from the Blue Ridge Mountains into the Etowah River. Thanks to its miles of long pools, deep pockets, fast riffles, and wadable waters, you will never run out of excellent fly fishing spots. From

nymphs to midges, any fly you choose will get the trout biting! Swap out your fly fishing gear with heavier rods and larger flies on the Etowah River. With over 75 native fish species like redeye bass, spotted bass, and bream, there is something for every angler. Be sure to stop by Georgia’s tallest cascading waterfall in nearby Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge for a thrilling encounter of tumbling water, or cast a line in the stocked reflection pond at the base of the falls! AN OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST’S PARADISE

Home to the North Georgia Premium Outlets, Dawsonville offers outdoorfocused shopping with stores like Orvis, Columbia, Eddie Bauer, and The North Face. Just five miles from downtown, Atlanta Motorsports Park features the world’s most unique kart racing track with karts reaching speeds of 55+ miles per hour! For outdoor enthusiasts, Etowah Valley Sporting Clays provides premier sport shooting facilities with onsite rentals and lessons. Dawson County is a true sportsman’s playground!

DestinationDawsonville.com LOCAL “LURE”

Legend has it that a chicken truck crashed over Lake Lanier in the 1980s and onlookers claimed to have seen catfish as large as 12 year old boys snacking on the unfortunate poultry. With the current flathead catfish record on the lake at over 51 pounds, and the chance of exceeding 100 pounds, perhaps you can catch one of these giants!

CAST ON THE COAST OF VIRGINIA’S EASTERN SHORE With its vast stretches of coastline along the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, Virginia’s Eastern Shore offers anglers a wealth of fishing opportunities. From surf fishing along pristine beaches to exploring the brackish waters of tidal creeks and marshes, this region is a haven for fishing enthusiasts. BEST OF THE BAY

Take in the calm waters of the Chesapeake Bay at the Cape Charles Fishing Pier. Here, anglers can expect to reel in a variety of fish such as flounder, croaker, puppy drum, rockfish and speckled trout. The town of Cape Charles purchased a license to cover those fishing from the pier, so individual licenses are not necessary! Additional saltwater and freshwater fishing opportunities are abundant at Saxis Wildlife Management Area. As one of the region’s most pristine marshlands, the area is bordered by the brackish waters of Beasley Bay, Pocomoke Sound and Messongo Creek, and several smaller fresh water creeks. These waterways

are teeming with largemouth bass, crappie, white perch, and catfish, offering anglers a diverse range of fishing experiences.

Your first time on the shore, it’s best to go out with a local expert to take you into hard to reach areas for the best fishing! Head out with a charter captain like DayTrippers or Cape Charles Fishing Adventures and spend some time on the Barrier Islands after you’re done with fishing for the day. A DAY ON THE SHORE

While you’re ashore, don’t miss exploring the quaint towns along the Shore, brimming with local shops, eateries, and entertainment. Indulge in fresh-caught seafood delights at Ray’s Shanty,

renowned for their delectable drum ribs. For a refreshing drink, head to Cape Charles Brewing Co, or savor the flavors of the region at Chatham Vineyards. Take in the breathtaking view from the overlook at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and drop by the Eastern Shore of Virginia Welcome Center for a warm reception. If you can’t get fishing off your mind, there are plenty of tournaments in Onancock, Chincoteague, and Wachapreague that occur throughout the year! VisitESVA.com

EXPERT KNOWLEDGE:

Teaser’s Sportfishing, who operate out of Wachapreague, encourage visiting anglers to capitalize on late spring fishing opportunities. May and June are ideal times for fishing offshore due to the warm water eddies circulating through the canyons. The temperature changes and bottom surface structure and depth changes cause bait to congregate, attracting large numbers of fish. Consider taking an off-shore fishing trip with Teasers Sportfishing to find the best spots to reel ‘em in! Ray from Ray’s Shanty also recommends fishing for drum and flounder to experience local catches. They start migrating along the shore in spring and are available through summer.

DISCOVER THE ATLANTIC

Stay at the Key West Cottages and fish right off the dock in the Chincoteague Bay, on the opposite side of the Chesapeake, and next to the broad Atlantic Ocean. There are plenty of fish in the sea, literally! The deep waters of the Atlantic present opportunities to catch species like Spanish mackerel, shark, big eye, bluefin, billfish, white and blue marlin, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna with mahi. The tides have a big impact on fishing and boating in this area, so always be aware of when the tide is coming in and going out. MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

A FOUR-SEASON FISHING EXPERIENCE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY, VA Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Franklin County, Virginia offers a fishing paradise with picturesque lakes and meandering rivers. The breathtaking scenery and charming southern Virginia ambiance will leave you yearning to return time and time again. FRANKLIN COUNT Y TOURISM

FISH THE RIVERS, RUNS, AND LAKES IN HARDY COUNTY, WV Kayaking, canoeing, or floating? Spinning or fly fishing? Hardy County, WV offers a haven for anglers. Fed by PREMIER LAKES flatwater floats or seasonally rapid rivers, cold water discharge from FRANKLIN COUNT Y Philpott Dam, this river stretches as well as lakes and mountain runs waiting The second largest TOURISM to be fished. 31 miles, offering premium brown freshwater lake in Virginia shares Tributaries wind down the mountain and rainbow trout waters. its water with Franklin County, and slopes feeding Hardy County’s five rivers to For the latest in baits and techniques, not surprisingly, makes for an excellent offer some of the best paddling and fishing gear up at local outfitters like SML fishing spot! Smith Mountain Lake is a in West Virginia’ Potomac Watershed. Fed Tackleshack or Captain’s Quarters. 20,600 Acre Impoundment and is Virginia’s Looking to fulfill your boating needs? Check by the North Fork and South Fork, the premiere bass and striper fishing lake. South Branch of the Potomac River is out the newly opened Rock Outdoors. Anglers have the opportunity to catch 10+ a favorite whether fishing or floating the There are also numerous outlets to rent pound largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, river. The Trough, a historic six-mile gorge, a boat at Smith Mountain Lake, or you trophy-sized striped bass, and crappie. With features towering rock walls that can only can book a charter with one of the many abundant recreational activities, the lake be accessed by water or train. Known for talented fishing guides. serves as both a top-notch fishing spot and a its great bass fishing and abundance of vacation destination. rainbow, brown, and brook trout, you can SMALL-TOWN CHARM For a quieter experience, head to also watch bald eagles soaring overhead. the deep clear waters of Philpott Lake. Hanging Rock is a popular spot for To complement your fishing adventure, This 2,900-acre reservoir’s undeveloped casting along the 30-mile Lost River, which head to the Booker T. Washington National shoreline invites fishermen and women Monument to learn about the significance of disappears underground at Lost River Sinks to reel in catfish, bass, and walleye with and reemerges as the Cacapon River. this historic figure. Or, head to Bridgewater picturesque views of the surrounding Plaza for shopping, dining, and entertainment Flowing northward through two more landscape. It is one of Virginia’s premier counties until it meets the Potomac River, options. During the summer, catch a walleye destinations! the Cacapon offers excellent paddling world class performance at the Coves opportunities. Its tributaries, renowned Amphitheater, or visit the charming Town of A UNIQUE TROUT FISHERY for brook trout habitats, include the Rocky Mount just 20 minutes away. Franklin nearby Warden Lake, known for its easily County and Smith Mountain Lake are home Renowned as one of the to many unique lodging options ranging from accessible fishing. North River originates Commonwealth’s most unique trout mountainside cabins to lakefront condos and at 3000 feet, traversing the northern edge fisheries, the Smith River, as endorsed by of Hardy County before converging with everything in between. the Department of Wildlife Resources, is VisitFranklinCountyVA.com FRANKLIN COUNT Y TOURISM

PHILPOT L AKE & OVERLOOK

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

the Cacapon. Like many other mountain streams and man-made lakes in the area, North River is regularly stocked. Fishing enthusiasts frequent Upper Cove, Kimsey Run, and Parker Hollow Lakes, with Parker Hollow’s submerged trees providing excellent fish habitat. The 17-acre Rock Cliff Lake at Trout Pond Recreation Area offers a tranquil setting for canoeing, a beach area for swimming, and incredible fishing from the river’s tree-lined shore or by boat. Channel catfish, largemouth bass, and trout are regularly caught at Rock Cliff. While night fishing is permitted there are special boating and fishing limit regulations. Nearby is Trout Pond, at times not more than a large puddle, it is the only natural lake in West Virginia. Check out Breezewood Adventures where you can rent kayaks and canoes for paddling or fishing the South Branch. They also offer a variety of river trips with shuttle service and host private camping trips featuring water-front sites, river access, and adventure activities. So, come for the day but plan to stay the night. You can find a complete list of accommodations, restaurants, and shopping, plus river access points and trail maps at VisitHardyWV.com. WHAT A CATCH!

FISH FINDS:

Events: Find your way to one of the many Franklin County fishing events like Bass Pro Shop’s/ U NBass F ATour, C T ! taking Cabela’sFBig place May 2Hill - 5,Brewing and theCo. King Scuffle Kat Signatures Catfish serves a tastySeries oatmeal stout Tournament, from paying homage to October the Dick & 11 -Railroad. 12. Willie

In 2020, at Hardy County’s Warden Lake, John Miller reeled in the longest grass carp ever recorded in West Virginia. This colossal fish measured 54.75 inches and weighed 67.4 pounds, surpassing the previous length record of 53.1 inches set by Zach Adkins on January 3 of the same year.

LAKEBOUND FISHING IN MILLEDGEVILLE, GA Welcome to Milledgeville, where the serene waters weave tales of angler’s triumphs and the Southern charm adds a delightful touch to every fishing expedition. Nestled in the heart of Georgia, Milledgeville offers a diverse array of fishing opportunities, from tranquil lakes to winding rivers. Whether you’re seeking the thrill of reeling in bass, the patience-testing pursuit of catfish, or the excitement of landing panfish, Milledgeville’s waterways provide a haven for anglers of all levels. FROM THE BANKS TO THE PIER

Encompassing 15,300 acres of winding coves and several vast stretches of open water, Lake Sinclair is home to some of Georgia’s most popular fishing waters. Anglers from all over cast a line in the hopes of largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, and crappie taking their bait. Created by Georgia Power in 1953, Lake Sinclair is two hours southeast of Atlanta making it easy to access for fishing, tournaments, swimming, boating, and camping. Discover Central Lake Sinclair’s charm at T. D. Cheek Fishing Pier—an enchanting series of docks extending over the lake.

This year-round, free public fishing pier offers more than just a fishing spot, with shoreline access, fish attractors, and convenient parking, creating a haven for passionate anglers and a tranquil setting for casting lessons. Head southeast to Rocky Creek, a Georgia Power Park, for a day-use access with a boat ramp, picnic area, walking trail, and fishing banks. During peak season, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the park expands offerings, including a shaded pavilion, vending machines, restrooms, grills, a swimming beach, playground, and an extra fishing pier—all for a nominal $5 parking fee.

ON THE WATER

Lake Sinclair ensures accessible water adventures with multiple boat ramps and nearby marinas. For a nominal $5 parking fee, visitors can launch their boats at most ramps. Sinclair Marina, the lake’s oldest, recently underwent a significant renovation, welcoming visitors to enjoy the water. With year-round boat rentals and a full-service fuel dock, Sinclair Marina is your gateway to a delightful time on the lake. No boat? No problem! Anchors Marina, Sinclair Marina, Sinclair Wild Watersports, H2O Adventures, JereShai, and Twin Lakes Jet Ski will rent one to you by the day or half-day. If you are unfamiliar with the lake, Milledgeville

offers a digital map to locate the best fishing spots on the water, and the best techniques to use. APRÈS ANGLING

Milledgeville is the small-town Georgia experience you have been waiting for! Take a self guided historic walking tour through the vibrant downtown district, grab a Georgia brew, or shop at the many boutiques for the latest trends and southern decorations. For a historic stay, consider the Inn on North Jefferson—an iconic bed & breakfast in the heart of downtown. If lakeside tranquility is your preference, explore a diverse range of vacation properties catering to both couples seeking a getaway and families planning a larger

vacation. So, head to the banks, cast your line, and let the currents of Milledgeville guide you to memorable catches and Southern hospitality. VisitMilledgeville.org WHAT A CATCH!

Lake Sinclair is home to trophy-sized fish. Here are some of the largest caught in its waters, according to Georgia Outdoor News: • Largemouth Bass: 13-lbs., 2-ozs., Jimmy Edge, 02/10/90 • Blue Catfish: 60-lbs., 7.8-ozs., James Rowland, 06/16/23 • Flathead Catfish: 39-lbs., Tommy Spell, 07/19/22 • Warmouth: 12-ozs., Christopher Leverette, 02/22/23 Who knows, maybe you could become the next local-legend!

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NAVIGATE THE SHORE IN NEWPORT NEWS, VA Perched along the scenic shores of the Virginia Peninsula, Newport News entices anglers with its diverse range of fishing opportunities. Whether you’re casting a line from a serene pier, navigating the winding waterways by boat, or simply immersing yourself in the natural beauty of its coastal landscapes, Newport News promises unforgettable moments for seasoned anglers and beginners alike. KYLE L AFERRIERE

A REEL ADVENTURE IN SOUTHAMPTON, VA

CHOOSE YOUR SPOT

From tranquil freshwater ponds to expansive tidal rivers, this waterfront city offers a rich collection of fishing spots waiting to be explored. Start out your fishing escapade on the James River for some saltwater action. With easy access from piers in the city at Denbigh Park, Hilton Village, King-Lincoln Park, Monitor Merrimac Overlook, and the James River Pier in Huntington Park, anglers can delight in a variety of fish to catch like croaker, striper, rockfish, and flounder. Newport News offers freshwater fishing at Lake Biggins in Huntington Park, Harwood’s Mill and Lee Hall reservoirs, where anglers can target bass, bluegill, and yellow perch. Mariners’ Lake is perfect for bass, white perch, and yellow perch, especially with a simple setup of a fat worm on a small hook. Boaters can launch from Leeward Municipal Marina,

Huntington Park, Peterson’s Yacht Basin, or Denbigh Boat Ramp. Boat rentals are available at Newport News Park or Harwood’s Mill reservoir. REST UP TO REEL MORE IN

For the times you are off the water, Newport News has an abundance of options for things to do! With its extensive outdoor recreational activities, lively entertainment calendar, countless dining options, and its Toast the Coast: Beer, Wine and Shine Trail, Newport News will make your next fishing trip a memorable one. Looking for a place to rest between fishing trips? Newport News has you covered with options ranging from 188 campsites at Newport News Park to awardwinning hotels. Leeward Municipal Marina offers overnight slips for boats up to 43 feet, featuring full-length finger piers and amenities like electric and water hookups.

Newport-News.org

Nestled in the vast farmland and lush pine trees of southeast Virginia, Southampton County is an angler’s paradise. Situated conveniently between I-95 and the enchanting Great Dismal Swamp, this destination invites visitors from far and wide to cast their lines into tranquil waters, promising an abundant catch of diverse fish species. THE RIVERS RUN DEEP

To ensure a high catch count, head to the local rivers! The upper Nottoway River boasts abundant red-breast sunfish, smallmouth bass, and Roanoke bass. Below the Route 619 bridge, as the river slows, deepens, and meanders through swamps in the Coastal Plain, anglers encounter a diverse range of species, including bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie, and blue catfish. Spring unveils a prime opportunity to capture the migration upstream from North Carolina, featuring blueback herring, American shad, striped bass, and white perch. The Blackwater River truly lives up to its name, as its dark, tannin-stained waters welcome a spring symphony of striped bass, river herring, and shad runs. Enjoy angling for redbreast and redear sunfish during this lively season. Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, flier, blue catfish, and chain pickerel thrive in these waters. In the lower main stem, common bowfin and gar offer thrilling

FISH FACTS BLUEGILL PHILPOT L AKE & OVERLOOK

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

• Bluegill earn their name from the bluish hue adorning their cheek and gill cover. These fish boast aFdistinctive U N F A Cdeep, T ! slabsided body structure with a petite mouth. Scuffle Hill Brewing Co. • Bluegill are known as colony spawners, serves a tasty oatmeal stout where groups of 50 or more males paying homage to the Dick & collaborate to build their nests in a Willie Railroad. single location.

KYLE L AFERRIERE

opportunities for quick and rewarding angling. Get ready for the excitement of landing hard-fighting bowfin and trophysized specimens like blue catfish. FAMILY-FRIENDLY FESTIVITIES

After a rewarding fishing expedition, indulge in the unique flavors of Virginia’s specialty crop. Savor the goodness of Belmont Peanuts & Deli and Gurganus Peanut Outlet, offering delectable peanuts and homemade preserves. Take a delightful break at Parker’s Peanuts or Feridies the “Peanut Patch”, where their cafe and gift shops await to enhance your experience. Enjoy family horseback riding at Ballyshannon Equestrian Center, Graz’n Acres Therapeutic Riding Center, River Birch Farm, or Tidewater Horse Trail. If you’re up for some speed, catch a drift event at Southampton Motor Speedway, and recharge at Pino’s Italian Restaurant in Courtland for another day of fishing!

VisitFranklinSouthamptonVA.com KYLE L AFERRIERE

FISH FINDS

• Fishing Supplies: Blackwater Outfitters and Southampton Outfitters • Unique Keepsakes: Along the riverbanks, anglers may find shark teeth, whale bones, or other fossils from ages long past. • Shellcrackers: Just use your nose! Oftentimes you can smell their fishy aroma from a distance, making it easier to know where to cast.

LET IT FLY IN BRISTOL, TN/VA Fast cars, country music, and fishing are a way of life in Bristol, Tennessee & Virginia. Offering some of the best fly fishing in the world, this charming region invites anglers to enjoy scenic views, entertaining excursions, and an unforgettable outdoor experience like no other. WORLD-CLASS FISHING

Fly fishers will delight in the South Holston River, which is 60 to 100 yards wide and a nationally recognized trout fishery. The tailwater of the South Holston River emanates from the South Holston Dam, and the deep, oxygen-rich water of South Holston Lake keeps it cool enough so that fishing conditions are excellent all year. Boasting nearly 10,000 wild brown trout a mile, the world-class fishery produces rainbow and brook trout, striped, smallmouth, largemouth bass, walleye, pike, muskie, and carp. In other words, it’s a fly fisherman’s paradise. During non-generating hours, fly fishermen and fisherwomen can wade about 85 percent of the river, another benefit for those who prefer it over casting from a boat. Anglers of all proficiencies can fish the SoHo as the river ranges from easy to difficult depending on the

type of fish you’re after. The South Fork Holston River is also home to an annual spring migration of white bass, while the Spring Creek embayment on South Holston Reservoir is one of the bestknown waterfowl birding sites in East Tennessee.

with views of the weir dam, wildlife encounters, and a front-row seat to fly fishermen in action. South Holston Lake is also among the top lakes in Tennessee and the Southeast for boating activities and smallmouth bass fishing. Nestled on the cusp of the Appalachian Mountains, this 7,589acre lake straddles the TennesseeVirginia border, embraced by the Cherokee National Forest. PLAY AND STAY

No trip to Bristol is complete without a visit to one of NASCAR’s most famous racetracks! Bristol Motor Speedway is a great option for those looking to do something between trips to the river. Vibrant Downtown Bristol also offers

plenty of activities for the whole family, including specialty stores, dining establishments, breweries and distilleries, antique shops, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum! For fishing enthusiasts seeking an immersive experience on the SoHo, South Holston River Lodge beckons with all-inclusive packages. Indulge in professionally guided fly fishing excursions, unwind in luxury riverside accommodations, savor delectable cuisine, and more. Conveniently situated just half a mile below the dam, the South Holston River Fly Shop, and Mountain Sports Ltd. stand ready to provide outfitting and guide services to enhance your angling adventure.

LOCAL “LURE”

So, how good is the fishing on the SoHo? Brad Pitt, star of the 1992 fly fishing film, “A River Runs Through It,” has been seen on numerous occasions waist deep, and casting a line in various spots along the river. Rumor has it that Pitt has embraced the local scene in Hickory Tree, even acquiring a 50-acre property with lake frontage. If you aren’t lucky enough to catch a fish, maybe you can catch a glimpse of a world famous actor!

ExploreBristol.com

A DAM GOOD TIME

The monumental earth and rockfill South Holston Dam, standing proudly at 285 feet, spans 1,600 feet across the South Fork Holston River. Completed in 1950, this engineering marvel offers a panoramic view of the lake and valley, creating an awe-inspiring backdrop for memorable photos. Explore the network of trails near the dam, originally carved by avid anglers drawn to the area’s allure. Offering ADA accessibility at key points like the fishing pier, overlook, paved trail, picnic spots, restrooms, and the visitors center, the 1.8-mile Osceola Island Loop Trail beckons

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SO MUCH TO FISH IN SOSI, VA Home to rolling hills, abundant forests, and scenic riverbanks, SoSi (Southside), Virginia is located along the Dan River, which flows over 214 miles from Virginia to North Carolina. Surrounded by additional waterways of the Pugh, Roanoke, and Staunton Rivers as well as Smith Mountain and Leesville Lake, you can see why we’re hooked on SoSi!

ALL YOU CAN CATCH IN ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS, VA With about 50% of its land area covered by national forests and boasting numerous lakes, rivers, and streams, Alleghany Highlands, Virginia promises an unforgettable fishing adventure. ALL WATERS LEAD TO

The Dan River, fed by five main tributaries—Smith, Mayo, Sandy, Hyco, and Banister—hosts a variety of fish species including largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish, making it a prime spot for catfishing. Kayakers, canoe fishermen, and small boat enthusiasts often enjoy one-way float trips along this scenic route. Stay informed about fishing regulations on the Dan at https://dwr.virginia.gov! Experience fishing in Pittsylvania County at Lake Burton, a 76-acre reservoir, and Leesville Lake, a 3400-acre impoundment. Bass harvesting is prohibited at Lake Burton, ensuring their preservation, while Leesville Lake offers diverse catches including largemouth bass, white perch, bluegill, and redbreast sunfish. Amenities include boat ramps, picnic areas, fishing piers, and a marina, with camping available for a memorable night under the stars. SO MUCH TO DO, SO MUCH TO SEE

With over 1000 acres of parks and 13 miles of riverwalk trails, outdoor adventure awaits, with fishing opportunities aplenty! Discover the serene charm of Wayside Park in Hurt, nestled beside the tranquil waters of

Sycamore Creek, complete with its picturesque LOVE sign. Nearby, Angler’s Park lives up to its name with a boat ramp, river access, and ample picnic shelters, perfect for fishing enthusiasts. Families seeking more aquatic fun can head to Smith Mountain Lake for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. Need to find the best fishing gear? Bullseye Tackle Fishing Outlet in Chatham and Laid-Back Fishing Innovations in Ringgold have all you need to get on the water. Gretna native, Joey Thompson, is also known for his handmade fishing lures, sold nationwide! POST-FISHING

Wine and beer aficionados can savor local beverages alongside live music at Ballad Brewing, 2 Witches Winery and Brewing Co., and Homeplace Vineyard. Indulge in SoSi’s dining delights with options like El Cazador, Me’s Burgers and Brews, or River District Golf & Social. Families can enjoy activities at Owen Farm Tours or Funky Fleece Farm, while children can learn about water exhibits at the Danville Science Center before their first fishing expedition. Go see SoSi for an unforgettable outdoor adventure!

VisitSoSi.com

PHILPOT L AKE & OVERLOOK

WHAT A CATCH!

Leesville Reservoir, a portion of Leesville Lake, has the Virginia state record for largest Striped Bass at 53 lbs. 7 oz.

FUN FACT!

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Scuffle Hill Brewing Co. serves a tasty oatmeal stout paying homage to the Dick & Willie Railroad.

TEEMING WITH TROUT

Throughout the year, the Alleghany Highlands offers a haven for fly fishing enthusiasts, boasting an abundance of wild, naturally reproducing trout alongside statestocked counterparts. Venture into pristine waters to reel in trophy-sized trout, or test your skills against the spirited smallmouth and largemouth bass that thrive in local waters. With 43 miles of undeveloped shoreline, Lake Moomaw beckons boating enthusiasts and anglers alike to its tranquil waters. Whether kayaking or cruising, fishing opportunities abound, catering to a diverse array of fish species. Nestled within Douthat State Park, Douthat Lake offers tranquil fishing with non-motorized boats, stocked with trout and boasting bass and panfish opportunities in the fall. Boat rentals are available, with excellent hiking and biking trails for outdoor enthusiasts to explore. Flowing from Lake Moomaw’s dam-fed waters, the Jackson River is an ideal trout fishing destination, recognized as a Blue Ribbon Trout Fishery. Explore its scenic beauty along the Jackson River Scenic Trail, with bike rentals available from Alleghany Outdoors. The Cowpasture River also

offers a picturesque setting for paddling and fishing. While water levels may decrease in late summer, it remains a scenic and enjoyable destination. For an exclusive angling experience, consider Escatawba Farms, a private fly fishing venue with limited access. A TOUCH OF CULTURE

For a delightful dining experience immersed in the outdoorsy ambiance, look no further than Jack Mason’s Tavern. With its onsite brewery, it’s the perfect spot to savor a delicious lunch or dinner while enjoying the rustic charm of the region. If you’re craving more craft brews, venture over to Nowhere Brewing Co. in Covington for a taste of their unique creations. Indulge in live entertainment and delicious cuisine at The Rail Bar & Grille, featuring weekend performances in the warmer months. Cliff View Golf Club, Inn & Brewhouse is right on the Jackson River and they offer a great dining menu, right in the heart of the outdoor rec scene. Don’t miss the iconic Humpback Bridge and majestic Falling Spring Falls, showcasing the Highlands’ scenic beauty. And for a touch of culture and history, catch a show at the Historic Masonic Theatre.

VisitAlleghanyHighlands.com LOCAL EXPERTS

• Wesley Hodges, founder of Wesley Hodges Fly Fishing & Bird Hunting, is a valuable resource for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. • Derek Barr, owner of Escatawba Farms, brings expertise in fly fishing. • Jon Fitzgerald, owner of the Evergreen Inn, offers freelance guiding experience and intimate knowledge of the area.

PEACEFUL SPOTS IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA

There is an abundance of opportunities to fish in Prince William County, including peaceful streams, stocked lakes, and expansive rivers. Whether you’re setting out on the water or fishing from a pier, the beautiful and scenic surroundings will surprise you while you’re just outside of Washington D.C. LAKES AND PARKS

At Lake Ridge Marina, anglers can target channel catfish, northern pike, and white perch. Bring along your own boat and easily launch it from their ramp, with a motor limit of 10 hp. The marina offers a variety of amenities including concessions, bait, boat rental, and safety equipment. It’s a favorite spot for families, individuals, scout troops, school groups, and even business outings. Whether you prefer fishing from the bank or a boat, both options are available with valid licenses. Locust Shade Park presents anglers with abundant opportunities to hook trout, largemouth bass, and crappie. The park’s charming eight-acre pond is regularly stocked with trout

from November to April, while springtime brings the lively addition of channel catfish. Beyond fishing, this expansive 400-acre park offers a plethora of recreational activities to enjoy. From swinging for the fences in the batting cages to perfecting your putt on the miniature golf course, there’s no shortage of entertainment. Explore scenic hiking trails, play a game on the tennis and volleyball courts, or simply unwind at the picnic pavilions. Featuring a fantastic 300-foot ADA-accessible fishing pier, Leesylvania State Park is situated on tidal shores of the historic Potomac River, and is great for largemouth bass fishing! Rent a canoe or kayak, or take a guided fishing trip out on the water for an unforgettable experience.

FUN ON LAND

Nestled within Prince William County lies the crown jewel of Northern Virginia’s greenspaces, boasting vast expanses of natural beauty and recreational opportunities. Embark on an adventure along miles of winding trails, perfect for both hiking and biking enthusiasts. But the allure of Prince William County extends far beyond its natural wonders. Discover the Steins, Vines, and Moonshine Trail, a delightful journey showcasing over 25 breweries,

wineries, and distilleries. Delve into the annals of history as you explore Prince William County’s storied past, where echoes of the American Revolution and the Civil War resonate through significant sites and landmarks, or immerse yourself in the nation’s heritage with a visit to the renowned National Marine Corps Museum. Prince William County truly offers a tapestry of experiences, seamlessly weaving together outdoor adventure, cultural exploration, and historical discovery. VisitPWC.com

EXPERT OPINION

Avid sportswoman, angler, and writer for Sporting Classics Daily, Gabriella Hoffman, shares why she enjoys fishing at Locust Shade Park and Lake Ridge Marina in Prince William, VA. “I like how close in proximity these fishing opportunities are to me in Northern Virginia. I can just hop in my car, drive down 95 or Highway 1 and boom, I’m at either of the two locations. I’ve always been eager to find outdoor recreation opportunities close to the city, and Prince William County certainly provides that. It can be challenging for us city folks to get outdoors, but Northern Virginia - including PWC - is full of hidden gems close to the city.”

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DIVERSE FISHING IN CHARLOTTESVILLE AND ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VA Wrangle in sizable smallmouth bass on the largest river in Virginia, the mighty James, and cast a line on the local Rivanna. Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer diverse fishing environments for everyone to enjoy!

THE RIVANNA AND THE JAMES

Flowing through Charlottesville and Albemarle County, the Rivanna River teems with warm-water fish species like smallmouth bass, sunfish, and crappie. Thanks to the efforts of the Rivanna Conservation Alliance, visitors can safely fish, swim, float, or wade in these waters. If you seek guidance, Albemarle Angler offers classes, fly-tying clinics, and guided fishing trips across Virginia. The Thomas Jefferson Chapter of Trout Unlimited provides educational programs in cold water conservation, and provides access for anglers with physical disabilities. Other local options like Great Outdoor Provision Co., Public Lands, and Orvis are also ready to assist you in getting on the water! Bordering southern Albemarle, and just a 30-minute drive from the city center, is the James River. This historic river commonly yields large smallmouth bass, catfish, and even muskies. The town of Scottsville offers a public boat ramp and even more adventures for the family to enjoy! Complement your fishing experience at Scottsville Museum by

learning how the town used the James River to transport Virginia’s agricultural riches, or get hands-on experience by taking a batteau ride down the river with James River Batteau Company.

`LOCAL STREAMS, LAKES, AND RESERVOIRS

Access Shenandoah National Park from Sugar Hollow Reservoir, tracing the Moormans River for excellent trout fishing opportunities. Alternatively, explore the many lakes and reservoirs like Lake Albemarle or South Fork Rivanna River Reservoir by boat for even more fishing fun. Recognized as Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year, immerse yourself in nature near wineries on the Monticello Wine Trail. Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer diverse lodging options, from luxury resorts to charming inns and B&Bs. After fishing, unwind with a stroll along Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall for delicious bites and brews!

VisitCharlottesville.org/fish

FISH FACTSREDBREAST SUNFISH

• The Rivanna River teems with these fish, offering superb ultralight-tackle opportunities. • Fly anglers favor them during winter for their tendency to strike moving flies more readily than bluegills in colder waters.

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

EXPLORE THE WILD WITH VIRGINIA DWR Discover over 1,000 wild places to explore to your heart’s content! Explore the Wild is your online tool to find the best public lands in Virginia to fish, hunt, boat, paddle, view wildlife, hike and go primitive camping. Plan your next fishing adventure with the Explore the Wild app, which lets you search waterbodies by species and proximity. Virginia’s state freshwater fish, the brook trout, inhabits highelevation mountain streams, requiring pristine water quality and habitat. Their beauty, coupled with the scenic rivers they inhabit, makes them a top target in the state. They can be found in Shenandoah National Park’s streams, especially in spring. Bass enthusiasts can explore warm water lakes, rivers, and streams teeming with healthy largemouth and smallmouth

bass populations. Smith Mountain Lake is ideal for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and inland striped bass. Don’t miss the chance to float down the Shenandoah, James, or New Rivers for smallmouth bass as well. Those seeking big catfish should focus on Virginia’s tidal tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay, where blue catfish, some exceeding 100 pounds, offer a unique trophy fishery. Smaller “eater-sized” blue catfish are also excellent table fare worth sampling. There aren’t many places in the country where you can fish for native brook trout and in a matter of three hours be fishing the Chesapeake Bay for cobia and redfish. Given the unique array of opportunities, planning your trip in advance ensures you’ll experience the best Virginia has to offer. Explore the Wild is the perfect planning tool for the job!

DWR.Virginia.gov/explore START EXPLORING

Use the link or scan below to plan your VA fishing adventure!

FISH FACTS BROOK TROUT

FISH FINDS:

Hidden Gem: Nestled beside

• Unlike other trout species, brook trout lack teeth on the roof of their mouth. • Despite their name, brook trout are actually a type of char. • They are most active during the serene hours of dawn and dusk.

THE RIVERS RUN THROUGH PATRICK COUNTY, VA Five rivers rise out from Patrick County, Va., flowing into two major watersheds. Every river or stream in the county originates from within its borders. This dynamic creates wading opportunities for anglers that can’t be found everywhere. The Dan River begins on the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains with first-class rainbow, brook, and brown trout. The North and South Mayo River are frequently stocked with brown and rainbow trout. The Smith River can be accessed at Historic Jack’s Creek Covered Bridge. Nearby is Rock Castle Creek with pickerel and sunfish. The Ararat River rises up near historic Laurel Hill and contains native and rainbow trout.

Fairy Stone Lake at Fairy Stone State Park offers largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, and bluegill. Neighboring Philpott Lake offers excellent bass, walleye, crappie, and catfish opportunities. Talbott Dam and Townes Reservoir offer many angling possibilities from shore, as well as from hand-carried boats and canoes. While you’re here, experience the flavors of Patrick County with a local farm-to-table dining experience at Pickle & Ash. Enjoy Blue Ridge wines at Stanburn and Villa Appalaccia wineries. Immerse yourself in 5-star luxury at Primland Resort. There’s so much to discover. Find yourself here in Patrick County, Va. VisitPatrickCounty.org

CAST A LINE IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA Virginia is for fishing lovers, and the Blue Ridge Highlands of Virginia boast the state’s finest freshwater fishing experiences. The four-county region surrounding Mount Rogers offers a diverse range of angling opportunities, from stocked ponds to exhilarating float trips. Whitetop Laurel Creek near Damascus provides 10 miles of pristine pools and pocket water, renowned for its rainbow and brown trout, with occasional brookies. Accessible via the Virginia Creeper Trail, this spot offers secluded angling sections. For exceptional smallmouth bass fishing, head to the North Fork of the Holston at Saltville. Despite historical mercury contamination, the required catch and release procedure now means that the river offers unparalleled three-pound-plus

smallmouth opportunities, and is ideal for kayaking or wading. Hidden Valley Lake, near Abingdon, is a scenic 61-acre impoundment within the Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area. Offering a variety of fish species like largemouth bass, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, black crappie, channel catfish, and northern pike, and surrounded by lush landscapes, it’s also a popular elevated destination for hiking, climbing, and wildlife photography. Families can enjoy fishing with kids at spots like Rural Retreat Lake and Trout Pond near Wytheville, or the popular Hungry Mother State Park near Marion, with its 108-acre lake. FishBlueRidge.com

FISH FACTS CHANNEL CATFISH

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• The most numerous species of catfish in North America. • Has taste buds distributed over the surface of its entire body • Though uncommon, can possess recessive alleles causing a lack of pigmentation, called albinism.

Use Bryson City’s new website, FlyFishingCapital.com, for the latest fly fishing information and resources like local maps, expert tips, and to find a local guide to take you out on the waters.

FIND YOUR FLOW ON UPPER JAMES trout streams like Roaring Run RIVER WATER TRAIL stocked Creek, Jennings Creek, and North Creek, The largest River in Virginia is also one of the best for fishing! The Upper James River spans 64 miles through Botetourt and Rockbridge counties before continuing its journey to the coast, and is designated a Virginia Scenic River by the Department of Conservation & Recreation. Flowing through the Blue Ridge Mountains and the southern Shenandoah Valley, the Upper James offers stunning scenery with mountain vistas, rocky cliffs, and lush farmland. Its class I and II rapids attract paddlers, tubers, and anglers alike. The river is home to diverse species like smallmouth and largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, and various sunfish species. A constellation of

Route 603, Fox Creek in Grayson County is a tranquil valley stream intersected by the Appalachian Trail at Fox Creek Horse Camp. Here, amidst the stunning scenery of Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, you’ll find serenity and adventure intertwined.

and the Maury River converge into the Upper James River, creating havens for trout fishing enthusiasts. Numerous local guides offer tailored excursions, ensuring an unforgettable experience. Indulge in a plethora of options for postfishing relaxation. Explore the quaint charm of Buchanan, Daleville, and Fincastle in Botetourt County, or venture to Lexington, Buena Vista, and Glasgow in Rockbridge County, each adorned with distinctive shops and delectable eateries. Enthusiasts of craft beverages will delight in the array of breweries and wineries in both counties, promising a perfect blend of leisure and outdoor adventure. UpperJamesRiverWaterTrail.com

EXPLORE THE FLY FISHING CAPITAL IN BRYSON CITY, NC As the “Fly Fishing Capital of the South,” Bryson City is the perfect destination to drop your line. Located in the midst of natural mountain streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Nantahala National Forest, Bryson City’s trout-filled waters are some of the best in the country. The Tuckasegee River, or the “Tuck,” has a delayed harvest section for catch and release trout fishing. The surrounding terrain is loaded with freshwater creeks and watersheds, including 2,910 miles

of wild trout streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Catch some trophy-size brown and rainbow trout in Deep Creek, or explore the trout-filled waters of the remote Hazel Creek and Eagle Creek. A short distance from all of the lakes, rivers, and streams is the charming downtown Bryson City that has multiple breweries, restaurants, and shops. Several outfitters offer guided trips and top tier advice for a perfect DIY day on the water. ExploreBrysonCity.com

MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

A M O U N T A I N B I K E R R I D E S O N T H E F A S T- G R O W I N G N E T W O R K O F T R A I L S I N A N D A R O U N D S O U T H C A R O L I N A ' S O C O N E E S TAT E PA R K . A L L P H O T O S B Y T H E A U T H O R

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Up and Coming Oconee A historic corner of the Appalachian Mountains in South Carolina is a hidden gem for outdoor adventures. BY MIKE BEZEMEK

MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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IT WAS GETTING DARK WHEN I built my tent at Oconee State Park. My headlamp beam swung around the walk-in site, illuminating trees that cast long shadows across the quiet woods. While the campground’s drive-up sites were half full, this isolated tent area seemed completely empty. Kinda creepy, I thought, as I hustled to and from my truck, setting up. It was a Tuesday night in early October, and this was uncharted territory for me—where the southeastern corner of the Appalachians overlaps with the northwestern corner of South Carolina. I’d dropped by the area years before to kayak the Chattooga, but otherwise I didn’t know what to expect. This would be my first stop on a three-week road trip full of mountain biking, gravel cycling, and whitewater kayaking. Despite a wide range

of familiar places falling along the route, I decided to take a chance on somewhere new. Studying the map, I spotted an enticing name I vaguely recognized: Oconee. Last year, my buddy Boberts had enjoyed camping at the state park and riding a partly completed mountain bike park nearby. Plus, I recalled something about naturalist William Bartram exploring the region during the late 1700s, when the Cherokee roamed these mountains. With limited time to plan, a quick online search confirmed that the campground connected directly to several bike trails. Then I called up Boberts for beta. After some trail talk, I asked if his visit included any of the historic sites I was researching. “Um no,” he said. “Mostly because I don’t care about historic sites.” “Got it.” I laughed, knowing that’s not really true. “Guess I’ll just go see what’s there.”

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Cherished memories abound in the moments spent in mountainous Allegany County, the Mountain Side of Maryland. From alpine-forested trails running alongside mountain streams and the mighty Potomac River to the Great Allegheny Passage, C&O Canal Towpath, and walks down historic Main Streets, there are countless hidden gems waiting to be discovered and explored. THE TRAIL STARTS HERE.

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Stumphouse Mountain: A Bike Park and an Unfinished Tunnel The next morning, I geared up for a full day on the bike. A backpack and two small bikepacking bags held repair kit, first aid, camera, food, and water. Then I rode circles around the campground, trying to find the trailhead. At one point, a maintenance man led the way in a speeding golf cart to the park’s Oconee Trail. After circling a pleasant pond, I ended up right back at my campsite. At least now I was oriented. I found my way to the Ross Mountain Passage, a five-mile section of the Palmetto Trail, and turned south. This was my fourth section ride on this partially completed longdistance hiking and biking route, which runs for hundreds of miles across South Carolina from the coast to the mountains. Singletrack led to a gravel road which led to the paved Ross Mountain Road and one very aggressive pit bull-lab mix. The snarling dog blocked my way, so I snapped the brakes and tried to make friends. “Do you like sticks?” I asked

innocently, gently plucking one from the shoulder. The reply to my toss was an impulsive YES. But as the stick landed in yellow grass, the chasing dog halted and changed his answer to a furious IT’S COMPLICATED. The dog charged after me, but I was already gone. Reaching an intersection a few miles later, I realized I’d missed the passage cut-off, and it was now behind the aggressive dog. Luckily, I only had to backtrack a half-mile to a brand-new gravel parking lot, with all 40 spaces empty on this Wednesday morning. Through gaps in the trees, I could see the smooth dirt and snaking berms of a freshly groomed trail. Stumphouse Mountain Bike Park did not disappoint. I started on the intermediate Boundary Trail, where I met a friendly local rider who explained the current trail system was 10 miles, and another 10 was almost complete. The system is a mix of trails, from beginner to advanced, from flow to technical, and I enjoyed bombing down the advanced Flow Trail, which had some great drops and jumps.

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Coming out near the southern edge of the park, I detoured to the historic Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel. Like the trail system, the tunnel is part of Stumphouse Park, which is maintained by the nearby city of Walhalla. Tunnel construction began in 1856, with the goal of cutting a mile through the mountain for a railroad linking the port of Charleston with Knoxville. After three years, work had progressed only a quarter mile into the bedrock at a cost of $1 million. As the Civil War loomed, the project was abandoned. Today, visitors can explore the dead-end shaft on foot. I regretted not carrying a lock, given bikes aren’t allowed. I leaned mine against a bench, and hoped for the best as I walked inside. A couple wearing headlamps was returning, shining eerie beams of light through the darkness. Afternoon was about biking the rest of the park. I rode the 1.5mile Stumphouse Passage, my fifth section on the Palmetto, to the lower loop on Boundary. This led to two parallel downhill trails conceived as a dual slalom course. As I descended the finished trail, I glimpsed workers and backhoe operators from Black Diamond Designs building

the second trail. My final lap took me past the shimmering Walhalla Reservoir. The foliage was beginning to turn, with pockets of yellow, orange, and red. A combo of Lake Loop and Entry Loop was mellow fun, and I encountered just the second biker I saw all day. A great park, and I look forward to returning when all 20 miles are complete.

Walhalla, S.C.: A Developing Mountain Town

My visit was a quick one with just two nights to explore the mountain town of Walhalla. The first night I dropped by Trailhead Tavern, a popular bar and grill just off the main drag. Over a beer and burger at the quiet bar, I chatted with the staff about the region. They confirmed something about Oconee I was beginning to suspect. There’s an early-fall low season here, much like other parts of the mountains. It’s the period in late September and early October when leaves begin to change but the trees remain mostly green. A scenic time after Labor Day when families have returned to their schoolyear routine. College kids are back in class. And leaf-peeping road tourists

are in a holding pattern, waiting for the colors to peak. This is one of my favorite times for adventures. On my second night, I stopped by the Garage Tap Room. There were only five of us, including the friendly owner, and everyone recommended an impressive bourbon barrel-aged stout. Over pizza, I learned that two microbreweries will open in Walhalla in the near future. Eventually, it was just the owner, his lifelong buddy, and me talking about the potential of the area. “Let’s go to Last Chance,” suggested the friend. “You wanna go with us to a biker bar?” asked the owner. “Everyone in town heads up there. You can hear what’s happening from the horse’s mouth.” We each hopped into our pickups and drove up the mountain to the local dive. Sure enough, I was soon introduced to a dozen friendly residents eager to share the skinny on their up-andcoming town. The mountain bike park was being built to bring in adventure-travelers and help create businesses and jobs for younger townsfolk. The next step

was figuring out more lodgings for visitors beyond Airbnb rentals and the aging state park, where I stayed in a campground built during the Great Depression. “What about some type of glamping resort?” I asked. “Canvas tents, yurts, huts, camper hookups?” At one time, someone explained, there had been talk around the quaint downtown about some kind of towering hotel with boutiques on the first floor. The word boutiques made us all shudder. “By the time you come back it might be completely different,” mused another fella. “You may just want to move here.” “I do already,” I said, and we all laughed and clinked bottles.

An Adventure Ride to Oconee Station

On my last day, I rode north on Ross Mountain Passage. Down in a creek gulch, I walked a side trail to an old waterwheel. Built by the CCC in the 1930s, it produced electricity during the construction of the state park. Soon I continued riding on the 3.7-mile Oconee Passage, which became my sixth section completed on the Palmetto Trail.

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Earlier in the visit, I’d stopped by the visitor center, where one authoritative staffer had lectured that bikes are not allowed on the trail from the state park to Oconee Station. That is emphatically incorrect, but the staffer refused to discuss the matter. So I returned when she wasn’t there and spoke with a younger staffer who agreed they are allowed. Such misinformation is common in many upand-coming places, where new users like mountain bikers begin exploring in ways that were previously assumed to be impossible or forbidden. While there are a few hike-only trails clearly marked around the area, the three Palmetto passages I rode on my visit are each open to bikes. It turned out to be a great ride, taking me over Oconee Mountain on roughly the same forested path that William Bartram followed in 1775. Near the crest I spoke with a retired couple, two of only four hikers I saw that day. At the bottom, I walked the short creekside trail to Station Cove Falls. Then I backtracked out to the road to reach my destination. Oconee Station State Historic Site is a small park with a short nature trail and two historic structures. One is a stone blockhouse built in 1792, which

served as a military outpost for seven years. The larger brick building was a private home and trading post built in the early 1800s. Of course, neither of these buildings was here when Bartram came through. Instead, he passed the ruins of the Cherokee lower town of Oconee, which was abandoned during the 1750s. Inside the William Richards House, I met an enthusiastic young ranger who had recently become the site manager. She described big plans for the park, including expanding the trail system. Then she shared something extraordinary. “We recently acquired the site of Oconee town,” she explained. “We’re working with the tribe to turn it into an archeological park.” The long-term plan, in the five- to 10-year range, includes interpretive trails leading from the visitor center to the adjacent townsite. A great piece of news, and yet another reason to keep an eye on this developing area. When I met up with Boberts the following weekend, I shared the photos and a positive trip report. Not just about the new bike trails but the historic sites, as well. “That all looks awesome,” he said. “I need to go back there.”

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MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

Dirt King Q&A with Elite Ultrarunner Luke Paulson BY WILL HARL AN

ASHEVILLE’S LUKE PAULSON IS ONE OF THE country’s top ultrarunners, but you wouldn’t know it. Humble and unassuming, Paulson squeezes in training while working full-time in digital advertising. On weekends, he quietly crushes the country’s toughest trail races. Paulson has won the Shut-In Ridge Trail Run, Grand-further Mountain Run 25K, Stump Jump 50K, Mount Cheaha 50K, Mount Taylor 50K, Yamacraw Trail Runs (50K), and the 40-mile Mount Mitchell Challenge. He finished third in the JFK 50 Mile, and last year, Paulson tackled his first 100-miler—the Leadville Trail 100 Run— and placed second. Paulson still finds time to give back to the running community. He is race director for the Flying Squirrel 10-Miler in Asheville each spring, and this year, he is bringing indigenous Tarahumara runners from the Copper Canyons of Mexico to participate in the race. Paulson talked with BRO about motivation, mountain running, and memorable moments, including mile 94 of Leadville. BRO: What was your early running career like? LP: I started running cross country in middle school. I wasn’t a standout. I was middle of the pack in high school. As part of our training, our team would drive out to Uwharrie National Forest and race the eight-miler, and I loved it. In my early to mid 20s, things started to click. I don’t think my running body fully matured until my 20s. I also started to run every day and log regular 50-mile weeks. I just stuck with it consistently, and I started getting faster and stronger. Things also shifted mentally. I started to feel fast. As I have gotten older, I also have become mentally tougher. I could push up the hills harder and tolerate more.

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BRO: Was there a breakout race or memorable moment? LP: Back in 2017, I was living in Durham and started to run some trail races. I surprised myself a little bit at the Eno River (Run) 11-miler. I have never been into fancy running gear, but I was wearing a cotton shirt. I had not taken my training or the race very seriously, but I went out and won it. BRO: Your first race when you moved to Asheville in 2018 was Shut-In. How did that go? LP: It was perfect running weather: 30s and sunny. I knew there were several top runners that would be tough competition, including Jesse McIntyre from Charlotte and Shiloh Mielke, who had won Shut-In before and set the course record. I managed to stay ahead of Shiloh, but Jesse went out hard and opened up a big lead. He gapped me early on, but I started to see him ahead of me at Ferrin Knob about halfway through the race. The second half of the race has some rocky, technical sections, and I slowly closed the gap. I was worn out and he was more worn out, and I passed him just before the final climb at Highway 151. I made the 151 climb without getting passed and ended up winning with a time of 2:22. BRO: You have also won the Mount Mitchell Challenge 40-miler. What was that like? LP: It was wet, crummy weather, but I had an absolute blast. I led the whole race, but less than a mile from the finish, I missed a turn and got lost. I was running around downtown Black Mountain trying to find my way to the finish. I ended up going to the running store downtown and asked the woman working there how to get to the finish, and she pointed me in the right direction. Mount Mitchell was also the most soreness

I have felt after a race. The downhills destroyed my legs. BRO: What has been the highlight of your running career so far? LP: Leadville. It was my first 100 miler. I trained for eight months to prepare. The race is in Colorado at 11,000 feet of elevation, so I went out to the area three weeks early to acclimate. I started the race at a decent pace, running from the back, slowly picking off runners ahead of me. There were physical and emotional peaks and troughs along the way. Halfway through the race, there is a 12-mile stretch of trail that was fully exposed to the midday sun. That was one of the low points for me. Several other runners dropped out there. I kept pushing through toward the next aid station at mile 62, which was filled with hundreds of spectators, including my family and crew and pacers. That was a big boost. I moved into third place, and I caught the second-place runner at mile 94. I spotted his headlamp a few hundred yards ahead, and it was game on. I surged past him and held on in those final miles for second place in 17:47. BRO: Where are some of your favorite places to train? LP: Bent Creek is my go-to during the week. If I have time to splurge on a weekend, I’ll head for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It doesn’t get any better than the Smokies. There are hundreds of miles of incredible trails, and I have only explored the North Carolina side of the park. BRO: What is your approach to nutrition? LP: I have always eaten pretty clean, but I never paid close attention to how much protein I was consuming until I started becoming more

A S H E V I L L E ' S L U K E PA U L S O N H A S W O N B I G R A C E S I N T H E B L U E R I D G E R E G I O N A N D B E Y O N D . ( A B O V E ) P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F PA U L S O N ( R I G H T ) P H O T O B Y M I S T Y D AW N

competitive. In the leadup to Leadville, I increased my consumption of protein, which has helped me train and recover better. For me, the protein comes from chicken, whey protein powder in smoothies, fish, and eggs. I like to cook, so it’s fun for me to incorporate protein creatively into my meals. BRO: How do you balance elite competitive running and a full-time job and everything else? LP: I work full time, but I am able to work from home, and that is part of the reason I took the job. It gives me the flexibility to build my schedule around my training. Running at this level requires me to make sacrifices. I sometimes have to prioritize my training over other aspects of my life, and that can be tricky. I am not sponsored. I am certainly open to it, but I have never really sought it out, either. I am also aware that sponsorships can be a slippery slope. It would be cool to have a brand to wear and represent, but it can also take away from some of the core reasons why I run. BRO: What are some of those core reasons why you run? LP: Running brings me a lot of joy. It clears my head. The physical side of pushing myself can be terrible in the moment sometimes when I’m deep in the pain cave. But somehow I like it, not in a masochistic way, but in a way that challenges me. The harder I push for something, the sweeter it is in the end. I can say that about a lot of things in my life. One of the hardest things I have worked for is running. To see that hard work pay off is really rewarding. Another big reason I run is to get out on the trails. For me, it’s not the competition, it’s not the trophies or free shoes. It’s for those mental and physical benefits. It’s going out there and being on the trails, connecting with friends and the natural world. The trails are where I feel at home. I especially love trail running in this region. Being in the mountains, with the scenery and the changing seasons, brings me a lot of joy.

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OUTDOOR HAPPENINGS The top outdoor races, festivals, events and experiences in the Blue Ridge and Beyond. Check out some of our top picks here and online at blueridgeoutdoors.com

March 2024 VIRGINIA CREDIT UNION RIVER CITY HALF & 5K March 9 Richmond, Va. Richmond is gorgeous and this brand-new half & 5k will show it off like never before! The courses are rich in architecture, river views, outdoor gems like Pony Pasture, and more! The beautiful campus of University of Richmond will host the Post Race Festival, featuring Hardywood craft beer! SPORTSBACKERS.ORG

TOUR DE POCAHONTAS MOUNTAIN BIKE RACES March 16 - 17 Pocahontas State Park, Va. Come enjoy up to three events! XXC, XC and Time Trial over two days riding the beautiful trail of Pocahontas State Park. RUNRIDERACE.COM/EVENT/TOURDE-POCAHONTAS-MOUNTAIN-BIKERACES/

DOGWOOD ULTRA MARATHONS March 23 - 24 Twin Rivers State Park, Va. This race features a 3.4 mile loop and a 10 mile option is available for those who don’t want to run the entire 12, 24, or 36 hours. VIRGINIAADVENTURES.COM/RACE/ DOGWOOD-ULTRA-MARATHON/

April 2024 DMV ADVENTURE RACE April 6 Leesylvania State Park, Va. Four and 12-hour adventure races set in the heart of the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Racers will explore multiple waterfront areas along the Potomac by mountain bike, trek, and paddle while attempting to locate as many as checkpoints as possible before time expires! REV3ENDURANCE.COM/DMVADVENTURE-RACE

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The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger is celebrating its 25th year on April 20! Whether you're in pursuit of a 6.2-mile PR or prefer a casual stroll, we guarantee costumed runners, live bands, porch parties, tree-lined streets, historic homes, stunning architecture, and more! SPORTSBACKERS.ORG

FOOT LEVELERS BLUE RIDGE MARATHON April 20 Roanoke, Va. The bucket-list road race in the heart of Virginia's Blue Ridge. Elevation gains, beautiful views, radically welcoming race fans, and epic finish line fun. Choose your adventure: Foot Levelers Full or Half Marathon, Anthem Star 10K, Freedom First Team Relay, Carilion Children's Family 1 Miler, and Blue Ridge Double Marathon. BLUERIDGEMARATHON.COM

May 2024 SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE TRIATHLON May 4 Smith Mountain Lake State Park, Va. Staged out of Smith Mountain Lake State Park, this triathlon has mountain views and fun courses. The swim features a sandy beach start and a crisp, clear lake. Biking and running courses are rolling, but not too challenging. COMMONWEALTHGAMES.ORG/ SPECIAL-EVENTS/TRIATHLON

MIDDLE MOUNTAIN MOMMA May 5 Douthat State Park, Va. Offers a challenging Civilian Conservation Corps built singletrack unlike anything you've ever ridden. There are classes for the whole family including 41, 21, 11, and 5.5-mile races for all ages and skill levels. BIKEVA.COM/MOMMA/INDEX. HTML

LEAF GLOBAL ARTS RETREAT May 9 - 12 Black Mountain, N.C. LEAF Retreat is an intimate, family-friendly gathering of just 1,500 attendees. "Old School Magic and Happiness" is how people have described LEAF Retreat since its inception in 2021, with space to kick back, relax, play, camp and connect with global arts, music, culture, and nature – it’s super sweet. THELEAF.ORG

USA CYCLING PRO ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP May 14 - 19 Charleston, W.Va. The USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships is USA Cycling’s premier annual road event and will serve as a qualifying event for the U.S. Olympic Team in 2024 and 2028. Competitions will include the Individual Time Trial, Criterium, and Road race disciplines

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June 2024

24 races. 13 parks. 11 disciplines. Countless adventures. Taskinas Creek 1/2 Marathon .............June 2 York River State Park Seven Bends Adventure Race .............June 8 Seven Bends State Park High Bridge Time Trial ..........................June 9 High Bridge Trail State Park Poca Go! .................................................June 15 Pocahontas State Park Night Train Ultra Marathon.............. June 22 High Bridge Trail State Park Guts, Gravel, Glory ................................ Aug. 4 Pocahontas State Park Odyssey Trail Running Rampage .............Sept. 7 Douthat State Park Shenandoah River Adventure Race ........ Sept. 7 Shenandoah River State Park Shenandoah River Aquablaze ............. Sept. 8 Shenandoah River State Park Powhatan 10 Miler................................ Sept. 21 Powhatan State Park New River Trail Challenge ................ Sept. 21 New River Trail State Park High Bridge 5K and 1/2 Marathon ............ Oct. 5 High Bridge Trail State Park Pocahontas Trail Fest ............................... Oct. 6 Pocahontas State Park Fall Foliage Adventure Race .................Oct. 19 Mason Neck State Park

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DOMINION ENERGY RIVERROCK May 17 - 19 Richmond, Va. From music to trail runs, bikes to beer, SUPs to pups, and climbing to kayaks, Dominion Energy Riverrock draws thousands of visitors and outdoor enthusiasts to the downtown riverfront in Richmond, Virginia every May. Don’t miss the Nation’s Premier Sports and Music Festival! SPORTSBACKERS.ORG

ROOSTER WALK MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL May 23 - 26 Axton, Va. The annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival is held each Memorial Day weekend in the beautiful rolling foothills of Virginia with 50+ bands across 6 stages, plus top-notch food, family fun, craft beer, and numerous outdoor adventures. On-site camping is included. Join us May 23 - 26, 2024! ROOSTERWALK.COM

VALLEYFEST 2024 May 25 Massanutten Resort, Va. Exciting annual event on the slopes of Massanutten Resort. Event features bands, beer & wine, food vendors and arts & crafts vendors. Early bird tickets available March 15-April 15. Kids 10 and under are free! MASSRESORT.COM/VALLEYFEST

ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS OUTDOOR EVENT SERIES June 8, June 29, August 17 Alleghany Highlands, Va. Don’t let the peaceful mountain views and pristine rivers and lakes fool you, we have a strong competitive spirit. This summer, it’s GAME ON. We are home to three of the most action-packed outdoor events in the MidAtlantic. Whether you run, bike, swim or all of the above or simply enjoy great competition, don’t miss out on the fun. It’s uniquely Alleghany. VISITALLEGHANYHIGHLANDS.COM/ THINGS-TO-DO/EVENTS/

RED WING ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL June 21 - 23 Mt. Solon, Va. The Steel Wheels present the 11th annual Red Wing Roots Music Festival. Join us for three days, five stages, and 50 bands! The towering limestone chimneys provide a spectacular backdrop for you to lounge in the Music Meadow listening to great music in the great outdoors. REDWINGROOTS.COM

July 2024 4848 FESTIVAL July 18 - 20 Snowshoe Mountain Resort Snowshoe, W.Va. Voted Best Festival, 4848 features 2 stages, 20 bands, 3 days and nights of live music, crowd performers, scenic-lift rides, lake, beach and more! Lineup includes Greensky Bluegrass, The Flaming Lips, St Paul & the Broken Bones, Molly Tuttle and more! Join us for your festivacation! 4848FESTIVAL.COM

For a full list of races, visit www.dcr.virginia.gov/advseries 56

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D, VA

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August 2024 VIRGINIA BEACH 10 MILER August 31 - September 1 Virginia Beach, VA Celebrate the end of summer at the Chartway Virginia Beach 10 Miler. The weekend offers a Kids 1 Miler, 5K, 10 Miler, and “Live the Life Challenge” along with a J&A Racing infamous beach party featuring cold beer and live music. It’s more than a race, it’s a celebration. VB10MILER.COM

October 2024 CRAWLIN' CRAB HALF MARATHON October 5 - 6 Hampton, VA Scurry to Hampton for 13th running of the Crawlin’ Crab Half Marathon presented by Bon

Secours. The scenic course is fast and flat with beautiful water views- not to mention, an epic festival-feel post-race celebration. The Crawlin’ Crab Half Marathon Weekend is the perfect place to run, crawl, and SHELLebrate. CRAWLINCRABHALF.COM

November 2024 LEAF GLOBAL ARTS FESTIVAL October 17 - 20 Black Mountain, N.C. Visit the LEAF Global Arts Festival to connect to the world and each other through live music, dance, performance arts, healing arts workshops and practitioners, the longest continually running poetry slam in the world, mountain drum circle, and so much more! Familyfriendly and held at historic and inspiring Lake Eden. THELEAF.ORG

Reoccurring ALLIANZ PARTNERS RICHMOND MARATHON November 16 Richmond, Va. Whether you take part in the marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, or 8k, Richmond provides phenomenal course support, great fall scenery, and awesome finisher swag. The marathon is a top 25 Boston Qualifier, and the course is mostly flat with some rolling hills— perfect for first-timers. SPORTSBACKERS.ORG

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THE OUT AND BACK

TRENDING

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

BY G R A H A M AV E R I L L

I RECENTLY SAW A FRIEND walking up the street in my neighborhood with a loaded backpack on his shoulders. He was in workout clothes and sweating hard. I asked him what he was doing and he smiled and said, “Rucking! Have you heard of it?” I had heard of it. “Rucking” is the latest fitness craze to hit adventure sports, where athletes don heavy packs and walk around for an extended period of time. If that sounds familiar to you, that’s because it’s exactly like hiking, only take away the pretty views and add a heart rate monitor. Oh, and give it a badass name. That’s the secret to turning something that’s been around forever into marketing gold. Name it something cool. In this case, the name (rucking) is borrowed from the military, where soldiers wear super heavy packs and set out for a day of misery as a way of getting used to carrying heavy things and being miserable. Now weekend warriors are rucking up and down the suburbs like weary soldiers. Never mind the fact that my 14-year-old daughter also lugs around a 40-pound backpack all day everyday while going to school—the name is cool and it has its own setting on my Garmin watch, so let’s start a YouTube channel and launch a glossy Rucking Monthly magazine. This isn’t the first time an old, relatively tame activity has been reborn thanks to a new moniker. Remember when “car camping” was that thing you did when you weren’t in good enough shape to go backpacking? A few years ago, somebody decided to rename that decades-old activity “overlanding,” and all of a sudden car camping is the most badass thing you can do over a weekend. I’m not pointing fingers here; I personally spent a small fortune overhauling our

old 4Runner with top-of-the-line overlanding gear designed to do the exact same thing I had been doing in that same 4Runner for years with just a flimsy family tent and leaky cooler. Have you heard of “forest bathing?” It’s all the rage in the wellness community right now. Let me describe “forest bathing” for you: It’s when you sit or stroll for an extended period of time in the woods, letting the energy of the natural world wash over you. If you’re of a certain age, you might recognize this activity as “getting high.” These days, you can pay some faux shaman from L.A. hundreds of dollars to lead you on a forest bathing journey, and he doesn’t even supply the weed. Never underestimate the power of a name. Take a tiny ski hill with a solitary double lift, call it “boutique,” and we’ll fall all over ourselves for a season pass. Hell, “camping,” might be one of the oldest examples of this marketing trick. People had been sleeping outside for centuries—in fact, our ancestors worked really hard to develop societies with roofs and walls, but give it a new name and some dedicated gear and all of a

sudden, people with perfectly good homes think sleeping outside is a wonderful idea. I mean, the difference between getting kicked out of the house by your wife and living the dream is whether or not you call it “vanlife.” I’m not taking a nap, I’m doing a “recovery session.” I’m not just walking my dog through the neighborhood while carrying a cup of coffee and listening to a podcast, I’m “mushing.” See, I have my heart rate monitor on! This is a workout! The possibilities of renaming mundane activities are endless. One of my favorite things to do is ride my bike to a series of bars for cold beverages and snacks. It’s definitely not hardcore; I’m consuming more calories than I’m expending. Traditionally, we call this adventure a “pub crawl,” but that name lacks the “je ne sais quoi” to earn it its own hashtag. So, what could we rename it so that the New York Times will call it a hot new fitness trend? Let’s see…there’s a progressive nature to the activity…What about “progging?” After a little online research, I’ve discovered that “prog” is British slang meaning “to search or prowl about, as for plunder or

food; forage.” That sounds spot on, and I like the foraging association, because these pub crawls have that feral sort of aspect to them. But “prog” is a little weird, and there’s the whole ‘60s progressive rock thing. We might be onto something with “prowl,” though. It sounds tough, it’s fun to say, and it’s almost a portmanteau of pub crawl! To prowl about. I like that. To prowl. Prowling. It’s not a pub crawl, it’s prowling. I’m going on a prowl. “Dudes, saddle up for a prowl!” With a bit of luck and some magic from the outdoor industry marketing machine, prowling will find new life as a fitness trend and you’ll listen to a four-minute segment about the health benefits of prowling on NPR. Maybe bike manufacturers will even make prowl-specific bikes with built-in cupholders on the handlebars and lane-assist tech that keeps you from swerving on your ride home. And maybe my wife will have more respect for this particular pastime of mine. “Honey, I’m not just racking up bar tabs at a series of watering holes, I’m prowling. It’s a thing. Look it up.” #prowl

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THE GOODS

ORVIS

F LY F I S H I N G

TIGHT LINES It’s time to get out on the streams and creeks seeking big trout in the wild. Here’s the gear to help make it happen.

YAKODA

BY D O U G S C H N I T Z S PA H N

REDINGTON

PATAGONIA ALPACKA

Korkers FLYLOW

KORKERS

Alpacka

Rendezvous Light, at just 10 pounds, and packing down to a very manageable 20 inches by 9 inches, this two-person packraft is your ticket to fly-fishing adventure without the hassle of dragging in a drift boat or canoe. Once on the water, it hauls up to 800 pounds of people and gear and it handles quite well in the current, making it possible to cast as you go or stop and wade along the way. $1,700; alpackaraft.com

Redington

Field Kit Trout Want to get in on the fly fishing game but not yet ready to plop down big bucks for the gear? This all-in-one set gives you rod, reel, and line (plus a soft case to hold it all) at a nice price. And don’t think this setup is not ready for prime time. The 9-foot, 5-weight rod features medium action that can help a beginner get the feel for casting, but it’s still responsive enough for experienced anglers, too. That means you can keep using it even as you upgrade to higher-end models. $390; farbank.com

Orvis

Helios D 9’ 5-weight Fly Rod Outfit When you are ready to pay for an outfit that matches your evolving skills on the river, invest here. This nifty package includes a buttery 9-foot, 5-weight Helios D rod, which has the finesse to land dries exactly where you want them, whether casting close or across the stream, as well as the backbone to deliver light streamers into deep pockets. A Mirage LT II reel is up for any fight and PRO Trout Textured fly line and backing seals the deal. $1,656; orvis.com

Smith

SMITH

Guide’s Choice Good shades are mandatory when fly fishing, and not only do the slick Guide’s Choice protect your peepers from the harsh glare of sun on streams, they also improve your ability to see fish (and strike indicators) in the water. Credit that super power to the ChromaPop lens, which is both polarized to see through surface glare and makes colors “pop” so you can make out that rainbow hovering above the river rocks. $215; smithoptics.com

Flylow

Phil A Shirt The folks at Flylow put the fun in mountain sports and this fish-pattern shirt gives you a bit of river style (we can’t confirm it helps catch anything). It’s made of 100% cotton and will stay light and cool when the sun beats down on the river. $40; flylowgear.com

Korkers

Swift Sandal We are big fans of wet wading in the summer, when all the extra bulk of boots and neoprene is just too hot and, frankly, unnecessary. Korkers already designs some of our favorite big-time wading boots and they scored with these light sandals that include an interchangeable sole system to switch from traction to felt, depending on the river bottom conditions. That makes them comfy even when you are not fishing, too. $120; korkers.com

Patagonia

Men’s Swiftcurrent Expedition Zip-front Waders and Forra Wading Boots Built for long days in cold water and harsh elements, these smart, sturdy waders can handle everything from Alaska to North Carolina in the winter. The outstanding front pockets hold all the gear you need to have on-hand, and the suspenders are easy to adjust to the perfect fit. Pair them with the new Forra boots, which are comfier than your old wading boots and provide all the Vibram traction you need to clamber over rocks and wet trees. $799 waders, $299; boots; patagonia.com

Yakoda

Convertible Utility Pack This soft pack can ride at your hip or over your chest and holds all the flies, tippet, indicators, and other stuff you will need to adapt to hatches and the ever-changing particularities of trout. The pockets are easy to access and customize to your kit, and the built-in tippet holder makes it simple to tie on in a hurry. $172; yakodasupply.com

MARCH 2024 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

THE GOODS

SUSTAINABILITY

EASY BEING GREEN It makes sense that outdoor brands are at the forefront of developing products that go easy on the environment. Here are some of or favorite brands making a difference.

RECOVER BRANDS ARC’TERYX

PACT PATAGONIA

BY D O U G S C H N I T Z S PA H N

NEMO

Recover Brands

Eco Button Down Shirt Recover Brands is doing the supply chain right, keeping everything from growing and sourcing to manufacturing and marketing within a 250mile radius of its Charlotte, North Carolina, headquarters. But the real selling point is just how good apparel, like this soft button down made from post-industrial cotton and postconsumer plastic, feels when you slip it on. $50; recoverbrands.com

Houdini

W’s Outright Houdi Swedish brand Houdini has been committed to sustainable materials and manufacturing from the get go and continues to push the possibilities of what can be done to create technical outerwear that doesn’t cause harm to the environment. Built with Polartec Power Stretch Pro Light fabric and bolstered by a microfleece lining that pulls moisture away from the body, this hoodie is ideal for hikes and camping trips. It’s also Bluesign vetted, meaning it has passed the strictest guidelines of sustainable manufacturing and ethical work conditions. $230; houdinisportswear.com

Cotopaxi

Teca Fleece Pullover Utah-based Cotopaxi has continued to put sustainability at the forefront of its manufacturing efforts. It achieved 100% carbon neutral status in 2023 for the second year in a row, taking stock of all its carbon emissions and setting goals to reduce them, specifically in the supply chain, which accounts for 95% of CO2 output. And the cozy Teca fleece doesn’t just feel good when you sit in front of the fire or walk the dog in the woods, it's made from the brand’s repurposed fabric, which has kept over 1.8 million pounds of what could have been waste out of landfills. $100; cotopaxi.com

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Nemo

BUFF

Buff

HOUDINI

Lightweight Merino Buff, which found fame on the first episodes of “Survivor” and has grown into a (outdoor-loving) household name, won an Outdoor Retailer Inspiration Award for its company-wide dedication to sustainability. It has recycled 41 million plastic bottles into its products, most of which are manufactured at its headquarters in Barcelona, Spain. Plus, it eliminated 11 tons of plastic waste in 2022, thanks to a packaging redesign that got rid of extra junk. The Lightweight Merino Buff gives all the temperature-regulation benefits and soft feel of merino while relying on an all-natural material. $30; buff.com

Patagonia

Women's All Seasons Hemp Canvas Bib Overalls No outdoor company has made a bigger splash on the national scene when it comes to sticking to sustainable ethics in business and manufacturing than Patagonia. To that end, the company wants to encourage consumers to do the most sustainable thing they can and buy apparel that lasts and doesn’t end up in the landfill. That said, it continues to innovate with fabrics to ensure its products do last longer. Made from a blend of industrial hemp, recycled polyester, and organic cotton, these overalls show off the company’s commitment to better material. Hemp requires far fewer resources than many other crops and lasts longer. Plus, the brand has been involved with efforts to bring industrial hemp growing and manufacturing back to the U.S. $119; patagonia.com

COTOPAXI

Coda Nemo’s genderless, mummy-style, ultralight Coda sleeping bag is already impressive, because it provides so much warmth in a 1-pound, 7-ounce package. But the real revelation here is that the entire thing is fully recyclable when the sad day comes when it can no longer be used. Even better, Nemo has partnered with its ethically sourced down supplier Allied Feather and Down in the RENU:TRACE program, so when the down is recycled it can continue to be proven to come from ethical sources. $390; nemoequipment.com

Arc’teryx

Beta Lightweight Jacket A big change is coming for all outdoor apparel manufacturers, as the use of harmful PFAS materials in waterproof/breathable membranes is being banned across the globe. Arc’teryx partnered with Gore to use the new ePE membrane, which forgoes PFAS but still provides the ability to shuck off the elements without sweating you out. Bonus, the new design in the Canadian brand’s trustworthy Beta Lightweight Jacket is lighter than ever, tipping the scales at just 10.6 ounces. $500; arcteryx.com

PACT

Pact Lite Bathroom Kit While exploring the outdoors, you must properly dispose of your poop. It’s one of the easiest things you can do to make outdoor recreation more sustainable. PACT makes that easy with this simple kit that includes a shovel, biodegradable wipes, and tablets to help speed up the breakdown process. Get one of these for backpacking and day hikes. $35; pactoutdoors.com

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RELAX

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TRAIL MIX

FRESH TRACKS

TOP TUNES FOR MARCH Our Favorite New Music from the Blue Ridge and Beyond BY JEDD FERRIS AND DAVE S TALL ARD

EVERY MONTH OUR EDITORS curate a playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South. In March we’re highlighting new tunes from Phosphorescent and Will Overman.

PHOSPHORESCENT

“Revelator” After six years, Phosphorescent is back with new music. The longrunning project of Nashville (by way of Alabama) tunesmith Matthew Houck will release a new album, “Revelator,” on April 5. The title track is a reflective folk-rock tune about drifting through the phases of a longterm relationship, with meandering pedal steel and idyllic strings that match the mood of the lyrics. – J.F.

THE COAL MEN

“Black Cat” The Coal Men, fronted by long time singer/guitarist Dave Coleman, return with their first record in nearly eight years. “Black Cat,” the first single from “Everett,” is named for the 1950s upright piano used by Coleman to add textures and tones to the trio’s groovy swagger. It growls out a becareful-what-you-wish-for warning to anyone considering an impromptu, and potentially combustible, liaison. Over a droning bass line, Coleman intones that something that seems so right at the time might turn out to be so, so wrong. – D.S.

DAVID NANCE & MOWED SOUND “Mock the Hours” If you dig the retro fuzz and choogle-rock of Neil Young and Crazy Horse or Creedence Clearwater Revival, you need to check out David Nance. His 2020

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

album “Staunch Honey” was a gritty set of revivalist gems, and now he’s back with a self-titled effort with his band Mowed Sound, which came out last month on Jack White’s Third Man Records. Standout track “Mock the Hours” is a raw rocker, with jangly guitars and a stomping rhythm that sounds like it belongs on the FM dial in the 70s. – J.F.

ROSALI

“Rewind” When they’re not focusing on their own music, Nance and his band provide backing for singersongwriter Rosali Middleman, who performs as Rosali. After getting established on the Philadelphia music scene, Middleman has recently made some big moves, relocating to North Carolina and signing with the venerable indie label Merge Records. “Rewind” comes from her Merge debut, “Bite Down,” which comes out on March 22. First single “Rewind” is a jangly garage-rock song that builds in intensity, as it’s guided by Rosali’s classic voice, which evokes the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde. – J.F.

THE TAJ MAHAL SEXTET

“Queen Bee” Taj Mahal descended upon The Church Studio, the Tulsa, Oklahoma, haven of his friend and fellow icon, the late Leon Russell, to record a 10-song set in front of a live audience in August of 2022. “Queen Bee,” a song he learned from the legendary Mississippi John Hurt and originally recorded in 1977, attests that the performance was a spiritual experience. Joined by bluegrass heavies Rob Ickes on dobro and Trey Hensley on guitar, the 81-yearold Taj Mahal holds court, his resonator guitar and raspy vocals as sharp as ever. – D.S.

THE STEEL WHEELS

“Easy On Your Way” A wise man once said that the only words of consolation the grieving really want to hear are, “I can bring her back.” Our deepest sympathies, offered with the best of intentions, fall well short of that. The Steel Wheels tackle love and mourning, inspired by the all too real sorrow

ROSALI WILL RELEASE A DEBUT ALBUM ON MERGE RECORDS ON MARCH 22. PHOTO BY ASIA HARMAN

experienced by fiddler Eric Brubaker after the loss of his young daughter, on “Easy On Your Way.” The reality is that there is no right thing to say in those most despairing moments, but the band offers healing through song, which seems like a step in the right direction. – D.S.

WILL OVERMAN

“Virginia is for Lovers” “Virginia is for lovers, but I hate it tonight,” sings Commonwealth troubadour Will Overman in the chorus of his new single, an easygoing country-rock song about conflicted feelings after a breakup. With callouts to the Potomac and Shenandoah, Overman clearly has affection for where he lives, but heartbreak has a way of souring the setting, so returning to some

memories of his favorite places is bittersweet. – J.F.

CHARLIE PARR

“Portland Avenue” During a 20-plus-year career, Charlie Parr has become known for his masterful take on country blues, powerfully delivering songs that swell around his crafty guitar fingerpicking or clawhammer banjo stylings. A first time listen to “Portland Avenue” might be pleasantly jarring, as Parr is backed up by a full band. Electric guitar drenched in reverb, pedal steel, organ, and piano, along with a rock-solid rhythm section, deftly support Parr’s bluesy tenor vocals. While unexpected, the sonic pivot is bound to be well appreciated. – D.S.

To hear these songs and more, follow the Blue Ridge Outdoors’ Trail Mix playlist on Spotify.

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P L A N Y O U R F I S H I N G A D V E N T U R E T O D AY. VISITCHARLOT TE SVILLE .ORG/ FISH

Cast your line in Charlottesville & Albemarle County! With pristine rivers, streams, and bodies of water, the Charlottesville area is the perfect place to find your next big catch. Combine it with more than 40 wineries, craft breweries, delicious eats, and comfy places to stay, for an ultimate fishing excursion. 68

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