Blue Ridge Outdoors February 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

FREE!

BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

GO OUTSIDE & PLAY

the

DirtyDozen 12 Tough Events to Tackle in 2017

WHY I RUN

FOUR TOP ULTRAMARATHONERS SHARE THEIR SECRETS

OUTDOOR COUPLES:

Play Together, Stay Together

2017 BL UE RIDG

RACES &E EVENTS

25 COM TO CONPETITIONS EVENTSQUER AND TO ROC K S P ONS O R ED SEC TIO N p. 35

TREES IN TROUBLE | TRUMP AND THE OUTDOORS | HARD CORPS CYCLISTS

Brian Tinder

COMMAND THE TRAIL

2

Jordan Stutart

Suzanne Stoeer

The TERREX AGRAVIC offers protection on technical trails and beyond.

These lightweight shoes give you the endless energy return of boost™ for high-intensity, technical trail running and the Continental™ Rubber outsole provides extraordinary grip in any mountain conditions.

adidasoutdoor.com

© 2017 adidas AG

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

e p a c es to the woods & explore over 100 miles of trails

Morehead, an official Kentucky Trail Town, is the ideal destination for outdoor lovers. Nestled in the Daniel Boone National Forest, with Cave Run Lake near by, there are outdoor adventures on and off the water.

Over 100 miles of multi-use trails makes it easy to experience the beauty of northeastern Kentucky on foot, bike or horseback.

Call (606) 780-4342 for your FREE travel planning guide.

@moreheadtourism #more2morehead

Easily access the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail, which runs along Main Street or explore one of several trails that are located in or adjacent to downtown. Head out of town to Cave Run Lake and enjoy hiking, mountain biking, or water trails.

START PLANNING YOUR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE TODAY www.moreheadtourism.com

February 2017 CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

8 QUICK HITS

Another red wolf shot • Repair is radical • 9-year-old sets running record • Lost cat found 700 miles away

10 THE DIRT

Trump and the outdoors • Conservative outdoor caucus • Craig Dodson leads Richmond’s urban cycling squad • Hatfield-McCoy Marathon celebrates the region’s oldest family feud

21 FLASHPOINT

The South’s most iconic tree species—including ash, sycamore, and dogwood—are besieged by pests and disease. What does the future hold for our forests?

52 THE GOODS

Georgia running badass Erick White dishes his favorite trail gear.

54 TRAIL MIX

Raw and Sync—a double dose of Fredericksburg native Keller Williams.

COVER PHOTO BY

photo by JUSTIN COSTNER

FEATURES

25 DIRTY DOZEN

These twelve tough events should be on everyone’s bucket list for 2017. Do you have what it takes to tackle these challenges?

31 WHY I RUN

What drives record-chasers and elite athletes to go faster and farther? Four elite ultrarunners from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic share their secrets.

47 PLAY TOGETHER, STAY TOGETHER

Chris Olson and his wife lived in a tent together for an entire summer— and they’re still married. Here is their field-tested advice for outdoor couples.

JUSTIN COSTNER / INSTAGRAM.COM/J U STIN COSTN ER F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

5

PROTECTING THE SOUTH’S ENVIRONMENT through the POWER of the LAW

CONTRIBUTORS

BLAKE DEMASO

ED ITOR I N C H I E F

WILL HARLAN

will@blueridgeoutdoors.com PUBLISHER

LEAH WOODY

leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com A RT D I R E C TO R

MEGAN JORDAN

megan@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Editorial & Production JEDD FERRIS

S EN I O R E D ITOR

jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com TRAV E L E D ITO R

JESS DADDIO

jess@blueridgeoutdoors.com S EN I O R D E S I G N E R

LAUREN WORTH

lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER

PAIGELEE CHANCELLOR

paigelee@blueridgeoutdoors.com C ON T R I B UTO RS

MASON ADAMS, GRAHAM AVERILL, LAURA INGLES, WADE MICKLEY, DAVE STALLARD, JEFF KINNEY C O P Y E D ITO RS

JULIA GREEN, ROBERT MCGEE Advertising & Business SE N I OR AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E

MARTHA EVANS

martha@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E / D I G ITA L P U B L I S H E R

DUSTY ALLISON

dusty@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E

KATIE HARTWELL

katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com B U S I N E S S MA N AG E R

MELISSA GESSLER

melissa@blueridgeoutdoors.com CIRCULATION MANAGER

HANNAH COOPER

hcooper@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Digital Media CRAIG SNODGRASS

O N L I N E D I R E C TO R

webdir@blueridgeoutdoors.com D I G ITA L ME D I A S P E C I A L I ST

TRAVIS HALL

travishall@blueridgeoutdoors.com

SUMMIT

PUBLISHING

116 WEST JEFFERSON STREET CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22902 56 COLLEGE STREET, SUITE 303 ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28801

BlueRidgeOutdoors.com

©2017 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ENJ

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A DATE IN THE WOODS GO BAD?

Y

100% AMERICAN

EVANS PRATER I met a girl on Tinder and we decided our first meet-up should be to hike John's Rock. She was not my type.

Never go on a first date with a 40-minute drive each way and an hour hike.

US MATERIALS

WILL HARLAN I dragged my girlfriend on a long, brutal hike until she collapsed crying beside a creek. I was so blinded by my mileage goals that I missed the beauty right in front of me. Despite my selfishness, she still married me.

GORDON WADSWORTH On my second date with my wife, we did a night trail run on McAfee Knob.

I brought moon pies; she brought her pistol. Been just like that ever since.

US MANUFAC T URING

US WORKERS

AVAILABLE NOW Damascus - Midweight Crew

LYCRA® is a trademark of INVISTA

PRESIDENT

02.17

Comfort compression using LYCRA® Fiber provides comfort and minimizes foot fatigue.

Impact cushioning & ventilation zones provides extra protection and air flow.

Available in Men’s & Women’s.

M’s & W’s Damascus Mid-Weight

www.farmtofeet.com

STEVE YOCOM I once witnessed a couple who was out on their first overnight trip at Grayson Highlands. A nasty storm blew through there while they were on a day hike, and they forgot to stake their tent. It flew away like a kite.

JOHNNY MOLLOY Neither the raucous rapids nor waterside scenery on the Little River just outside the Smokies could keep the smile on the face of my date who paddled furiously the last 4 miles to get herself off the water and back to the city.

|

JENNIFER PHARR DAVIS On my first date with Brew (now my husband), we did a full day hike to Mount Mitchell, but when we got near the top, the summit was closed to repair the observation tower. When we got back down the mountain, my date had some horrible male chafing problems. Sooo romantic.

MASON ADAMS I once talked a former girlfriend into making a 20-mile day hike on the Appalachian Trail. The hike itself went well, but she lost a toenail the next day.

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

7

QUICK HITS

0 2 .17

BEYOND THE BLUE RIDGE

SHORTS

NINE-YEAR-OLD BOY SETS HALF-MARATHON RECORD Too soon? Caleb Barnes’ parents asked this question before letting their nine-yearold boy line up to run the Cambridge Half Marathon in Massachusetts back in November. After a thumbs up from the family pediatrician, Caleb ran the race and finished in 1:34:44. As reported by Runner’s World, the time was good enough to give the young runner the record for nine-yearolds. “I love running because it’s fun and it makes me feel happy,” he told the magazine.

As the son of two running parents, Caleb has been honing his stride since he was a toddler, finishing his first 5K at age 4.

During his first half-marathon he beat his dad by five minutes.

BLUE RIDGE BRIEFS

by JEDD FERRIS WORN WEAR TOUR HEADS FOR APPALACHIA If you’re lamenting the broken zipper on your favorite hiking pants this spring, fear not. Thanks to Patagonia’s Worn Wear Tour, you can fix your pants—for free—and even learn how to repair your own clothing, whether it’s the button of a jacket or the seam of a hat.

The Tour takes place inside a solar-powered camper van which travels the country with Patagoniaemployed sewing professionals aboard. The team works seven-hour days, fixing up to 100 garments a day for visitors, regardless of the item’s brand. Made from redwood salvaged from giant wine barrels and mounted on a ’91 Dodge Cummins, the mobile repair shop has stopped at retail stores, climbing gyms, and festivals.

It’s a party of sorts, complete with live music, food trucks, and more. Staffers also offer tutorials on how to repair items, whether on your own clothes or on recycled Patagonia gear.

Instead of throwing away items, Patagonia wants consumers to reuse, recycle and rejoice in the process.

The motto of the Worn Wear Tour is “Repair is a radical act.” Beginning February 16 at the College of Charleston, the Worn Wear Tour will travel on a 70-day tour this spring, stopping at five Southern colleges and universities.

—Anna Katherine Clemmons NEW LAW RECOGNIZES ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OUTDOOR RECREATION In December, former President Barack Obama signed the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016 with bipartisan support. Outdoor industry jobs like guiding, manufacturing gear, and outdoor retail will now count as part 8

of gross domestic product. Outdoor recreation has generated 6.1 million jobs and annually accounts for $646 billion in consumer spending. Many industry mainstays are optimistic that the documented economic contributions will lead to sensible polices that conserve waterways and public lands where recreation takes place. “We know that preserving our natural treasures isn’t just good for the environment; it’s also a smart move for state and local economies,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire in a statement.

“Policymakers need to see the full picture of the role that outdoor recreation plays in supporting jobs and economic growth, and craft policy accordingly.”

illustration by WADE MICKLEY

RED WOLF IN THE CROSSHAIRS An endangered red wolf was shot and killed on or around Dec. 19 and found Dec. 21 in Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). A reward of $16,500 is being offered for any information leading to an arrest.

Gunshot mortality is the leading cause of death for the endangered red wolf. “With fewer than 45 red wolves left in the wild, this loss is a huge blow to the species,” says Defender of Wildlife program director Ben Prater.

“The poaching of any wild animal is intolerable, but the intentional killing

WEST VIRGINIA GETS BIG BUCKS FOR TRAIL PROJECTS Late last year the Mountain State received $7 million for 54 trail projects through grants from the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives and Recreational Trails programs.

Notable efforts include construction of the eight-mile Cheat River Rail Trail, an extension of the Alum Cave Trail in Audra State Park, and $75,000 to develop the North Fork of the Blackwater Trail near Thomas.

Some urban path projects also got a financial boost. Charleston received $100,000 towards development of the Virginia Street West Bike Trail,

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

of one of the world's most endangered species is inexcusable.”

LOST ILLINOIS CAT FOUND IN RALEIGH A pet cat named Lazarus, who went missing from the small town of Fairfield, Ill. around Thanksgiving, was found 722 miles away in Raleigh, N.C., a month later. Lazarus was rescued by Annetta Hoggard, who took the cat to a veterinarian’s office, where it was discovered the farfrom-home feline had a microchip.

Hoggard contacted Lazarus’ owner, Roy Finley, who jumped in his car and drove to Raleigh to be reunited with his pet.

96-YEAR-OLD MAN SETS 5K RECORD 96-year-old Bob McAdam from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, finished his local Turkey Day 5K in 48:19, a world record for the 95 and older age group. McAdam was encouraged to enter the race by his retirement home’s fitness instructor, Gina Muaau, who noticed he was regularly on the treadmill. The World War II POW and former basketball coach at the University of Illinois is legally blind, so Muaau offered to help. "She said, ‘I'll be your eyes and run with you,’" McAdam told a local news station.

and the city of Bridgeport was given the biggest grant of the bunch, with $560,000 being awarded to build a bicycle-pedestrian path along Highway 58.

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

How to glean the best adventure beta from resident experts who keep it secret

P

FIND THE LOCAL WATERING HOLE

While this may not be the prettiest way to hear about the best-kept

experts. It’s evidence that you’re not just there to check it off your travel list. You are genuinely interested in the place they call home.

HIDE THE KIDS…OR AT LEAST PRETEND THEY AREN’T YOURS.

With the rise of local accommodations available (think Airbnb, Homeaway, or bed and breakfasts) across the country, why not spend your trip with someone who knows the local scene well? If they’re willing to open their home, they’re probably willing to share the cool places to explore nearby. After all, they want you to have a good time. My wife and I once chose to stay at a bed and breakfast rather than a mainstream hotel during travel between national parks. Not only did our innkeeper whip up some mean fruit crepes the following morning, she gave us directions for a hidden path to a lighthouse that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise. Stay with a local; live and play like a local.

"Those screaming monsters over there? Nope, they’re certainly not mine." My wife and I once sat peacefully, eating lunch at a cascading waterfall in the backcountry, only to have three screaming kids emerge from the woods to test the slide capabilities of the cascade.

Safe to say that the mood was quickly

by CHRIS OLSON lost. Hidden gems of a popular area are often coveted for their quiet, peaceful beauty, away from the crowds. Kids have a tendency to disturb this peace, and secrets hiding in the hills above no local wants to be known as the town, it might be the most effective. perpetrator who told a family of five Remember that time you texted your about everyone’s favorite summit spot, ex at 2am, declaring you still had trail, or swimming hole. If you want feelings? What about the after-work the best info, leave the kids in the car. party where your colleague shared his true feelings about the presentation?

DO YOUR HOMEWORK It’s a reality that you most likely Americans are frequently viewed as learned during your first years in dumb tourists when travelling abroad. college: people tend to share more Few U.S. travelers seem to spend when they’re drinking. If you want any time researching the culture, to hear about the coolest spots for language, or traditions of where adventure outdoors, head to where they are visiting. Whether the result the locals play indoors. They’re of an unintended insult or general likely to be sharing stories about cluelessness, they quickly lose favor their favorite places, and not exactly with the very ones most equipped to focused on who may be listening. help: the locals. Just as learning to say a phrase in the local language will do PRO TIP: This strategy should be when abroad, showing you’ve done carried out with caution to avoid some research on your adventure waking up the next morning with no options in an area will put you in recollection of any cool spots, areas to much better favor with the resident

LOCALS ONLY icture the last time you pulled into a new town, thirsty for adventure. After a quick snack at the local market, you ask the clerk for any cool swimming holes nearby.

They politely suggest the popular one that’s been written about in magazines for 10 years. It’s the same spot your coworker mentioned, and where pictures online showed lines of people that reminded you of a water park. The lingering smirk on their face, however, poorly hides the reality you both know: this isn’t the spot you’re looking for.

Here’s how to get the good stuff, even from locals who seldom share it.

explore, or answers as to why you’re sleeping in the grass next to the brewery.

STAY WITH A LOCAL

LEAD WITH CONVERSATION

I once walked into a bustling local outdoor store on the outskirts of Acadia National Park and struck up a conversation with one of the employees. After chatting about shore birds, tourists, and other island happenings for several minutes, I then asked about a place to go swimming. She grabbed a map, pulled me to the side, and noticeably dropped the level of her voice. She proceeded to point out a few of her favorite swimming holes, and a secluded beach that most tourists didn't know about. While standing there with the map, another customer bluntly asked the same question. She politely pointed out the park’s most popular place to swim, well known to most visitors, complete with changing stations, a lifeguard, and lots of people. She hadn’t mentioned it once during our previously uninterrupted conversation, and she didn’t mention it again once the customer left. In that moment, it became clear…I had just been welcomed to the local’s only club.

R I C H M O N D / VA B E A C H E D I T I O N F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

9

THE DIRT

0 2 . 17

TRUMP AND THE OUTDOORS

HOW WILL THE NEW ADMINISTRATION AFFECT YOUR FAVORITE PUBLIC LANDS?

by MASON ADAMS

M

any conservationists are fearing the worst.

Trump could be the most anti-environmental president ever to take office, and he will have the support of a Republican Congress.

The 2016 Republican platform, after all, called for the rollback of environmental regulations; expansion of fossil fuels; a prohibition against regulating carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas; transfer of federal lands to the states; limitations on the president’s ability to create national monuments; removal of species from the endangered species list; and withdrawal from multinational climate change agreements.

Trump is an avowed skeptic of climate change, famously tweeting in 2012 that climate change was 10

“created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” Most of his cabinet nominees are climate deniers. They include Rex Tillerson, the Exxon CEO nominated for Secretary of State, and Wilbur Ross, who owned the coal company that operated the Sago Mine in 2006 when 12 miners were killed as the result of an explosion and collapse, and who now has been nominated as Secretary of Commerce. Only one nominee acknowledges climate change: Secretary of Defense nominee Gen. James Mattis, who has long been a vocal advocate for the armed forces to shift from fossil fuels to clean energy.

AN ENEMY OF THE EPA TO HEAD IT

Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency is Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who sued the EPA over the Clean Power Plan and who wrote about climate change in a National Review op-ed, "That debate is far from settled. Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind.”

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

In a statement released after the nomination, League of Conservation Voters’ President Gene Karpinski compared Pruitt running the EPA to “the fox guarding the hen house.”

The conservative Heartland Institute cheered Pruitt’s nomination, however, as a sign that Trump’s administration “will finally rein in the runaway EPA— by withdrawing or rewriting those and other rules in a way that respects freedom and economic progress, or by deciding not to defend the rules in court.”

CLEAN AIR ROLLBACKS

Many of the climate-related rules put forward under the Obama administration, such as the Clean Power Plan, will likely be reversed under Trump. His election therefore sparked an upswing in the coal industry, as production roared back up after historic lows the last five years. It remains unclear whether the surge will result in many coal

miners going back to work as Trump promised during the campaign.

Natural gas remains a powerful competitor to coal, leading to the recent closure of many older coalburning power plants that are unlikely to reopen even under optimal regulatory conditions. Large-scale mechanization of the coal industry has also meant that companies can mine more coal with fewer workers.

The prospects of widespread rollback of environmental regulations carry implications far beyond the coalfields. Alan Rowsome, senior director of government relations for

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

YOU NEED IT, WE HAVE IT.

475 Westfield Rd. | Charlottesville, VA | 22901 | freestyleonline.com | 434.978.4091

THE DIRT

0 2 . 17

The Wilderness Society, foresees a pitched battle over regulations such as the Stream Buffer Zone Rule and Coal Ash Disposal Rule.

“If both the Republican Congress and the administration are committed to rolling them back, it will take all the work the conservation community and environmental community can do to keep them on the books.”

PUBLIC LANDS TRANSFERS?

Another potential flashpoint is developing over the management of public land. On this front, at least, there seems to be potential for a broader coalition of outdoor interests—and perhaps some room for optimism.

Some of that comes from Trump’s statements during the campaign, especially during an interview with Field & Stream in which he disagreed with calls from Ted Cruz and Cliven and Ammon Bundy for the federal government to sell off its land holdings. Trump said he didn’t like that idea, then added, "We have to be great stewards of this land. This is magnificent land. And we have to be great stewards of this land.”

For Secretary of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management, Trump has nominated U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana, who has a reputation as a defender of public lands. Zinke doesn’t exactly represent a home run—he’s got a lifetime score of only 3 percent from the League of Conservation Voters—but he is a sportsman with a reputation as a defender of public lands. Still, many groups remain concerned about the potential for sale of public lands.

“Though Trump has spoken out against federal land transfers, he's also made moves to walk back that commitment, and there are now very few checks and balances on proposals 12

WHAT CAN YOU DO? to transfer or sell off national lands,” says Tania Lown-Hecht, communications director for The Outdoor Alliance.

THE OUTDOOR BUDGET

Another concern involves the nomination of U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina as director of the Office of Management and Budget. The office’s link to the outdoors isn’t as direct as that of the EPA or Department of the Interior, but just as consequential, since it’s responsible for the flow of dollars to the agencies that manage federal lands and enforce environmental rules.

Mulvaney is a fiscal hawk, Rowsome says, and he could cut agency budgets to the point where they can’t staff visitors centers or patrol the land.

“It’s the quiet slow way to effect change if you’re not able to use the blunt instrument of a congressional bill or presidential rollback,” Rowsome says. “If you cut resources to EPA, they’re not out there enforcing regulations.”

Two other potential battles looming include a potential repeal of the Antiquities Act—a law dating back to President Theodore Roosevelt that allows presidents to create national monuments from public lands by proclamation—and the longrunning debate over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

IN THE FACE OF THESE LIKELY ASSAULTS, HOW ARE GROUPS PLANNING TO COUNTERACT TRUMP’S ANTIENVIRONMENTAL MOVES? The Sierra Club fired back in December by projecting a huge image of rising seas and the words “Don’t Trump the planet” onto the side of the Trump Building on Wall Street in New York City. The group has attracted more donors in the months since Trump’s election than in the previous four years.

The Sierra Club has also kicked its Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign into high gear. Sierra Club activists have helped organize and staff protest camps along the proposed route of the Sabal Trail Transmission, an oil and gas pipeline slated to cross through sensitive natural habitats in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

350.org hopes to turn out 500,000 or more supporters at the People’s Climate Mobilization, a march on D.C. scheduled for April 29. Climate activists are also ramping up efforts to get universities across the country to divest from fossil fuel investments. They organized student walkouts at college campuses across the country on January 23 “to resist and reject the climate denial” of the incoming Trump administration.

The Outdoors Industry Association plans to bring executives from member businesses such as North Face and REI to Capitol Hill.

“These businesses are in every state,” Wahl says. “They’re in red districts, blue districts, rural, urban. They’re the ones employing people and making communities better. They are the best advocates: a CEO meeting with their member of Congress is a powerful conversation.”

Trump ultimately might be exactly what the environmental movement needs. Memberships, funding, and influence swelled for green groups when another conservative Republican, George W. Bush, moved into the White House in 2000. Environmental groups leveraged this backlash to successfully lead the charge against the development of dozens of new emissions-spewing coal-fired power plants at the time, sparing the nation a huge carbon burden down the line. Activists hope to build on this type of strategy in leveraging the support of the vast majority of Americans for increased environmental protections.

“Now more than ever, we need to guard protections put in place for public lands, access to outdoor recreation, and access to beautiful places,” says Anthony Duncan, Mid-Atlantic regional director of IMBA. “We need to make sure they remain available for future generations.”

—Mason Adams and Roddy Scheer BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME FOR SECOND BEST

THE 30 SECOND TENTS PHOTO CREDIT: ADVENTURE DRIVEN, SETH JACOBSEN

With a reputation built on quality and reliability, Oztent has been the choice of adventures, helping create awesome experiences for over 20 years.

Find out more about the range at: www.oztent.us.

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

13

PHOTO / ŠPATITUCCI PHOTO

TALON | TEMPEST

The iconic series, updated.

Light, nimble and ventilated, this multi-sport chameleon features a redesigned AirScape™ backpanel to limit perspiration and a carry system that stabilizes loads during dynamic activities. A variety of volumes accommodate everything from minimalist day hikes to lightweight backpacking trips.

THE DIRT

0 2 . 17

OUTSIDE PARTY LINES

REPUBLICANS LIKE THE OUTDOORS, TOO, AND THEY ARE SETTING POLITICS ASIDE FOR THIS YEAR’S OUTDOOR RECREATION CAUCUS

by LAURA INGLES

I

nstead of meetings in a conference room, Virginia lawmakers are participating in a caucus spearheaded by outdoor enthusiasts from both political parties who believe strongly that outdoor recreation is a nonpartisan issue.

“Not only is it a way to interact with legislators in an outdoor recreation fashion and hang out with them and mountain bike or hike, but it could be a platform for outdoor recreation issues,” says Jasen Eige, a partner with McGuireWoods LLP Law Firm and one of the organizers of the caucus. “We wanted to do something fun with legislators that could actually be used to help inform them of outdoor recreation issues and topics and help promote the industry here in Virginia.”

A conservative who spent four years as counselor and senior policy advisor to former Governor Bob McDonnell, Eige considers himself “kind of a Teddy Roosevelt Republican when it comes to conservation and the outdoors.”

“I still feel like a bit of an outlier, especially among those that work in government,” Eige says, adding that he’s traveled to and explored enough outdoor-oriented mountain towns “to know that politically I’m probably not in the same boat as the people around me.”

But as far as Eige is concerned, it doesn’t matter who the guys up trail or in the next kayak voted for.

That’s precisely why he teamed up with Dominion Energy lobbyist Jim Beamer and the Nature

Conservancy’s director of legislative affairs Missy Neff Gould to create the outdoor recreation caucus.

“Virginia has some of the best outdoor recreational opportunities in the country,” says Beamer, a Republican and avid cyclist.

“Hanging around the Capitol, you run into folks who, while they may advocate for different issues, share a passion for Virginia’s natural resources, and the caucus was a way to support, promote and advocate for outdoor recreation.”

For Neff Gould, a lobbyist who is “more on the Democratic end of the spectrum,” the caucus is an opportunity to educate and inform.

“I don’t think anybody’s politics precludes them from being a lover of nature and the outdoors,” says Neff Gould. “We thought this was something that would allow legislators to join together around a shared interest and really help them learn about outdoor recreation opportunities they didn’t know existed in Virginia. There are so many

that, depending on what part of the state you’re from, you may not be aware of.”

The three organizers also recruited the help of two legislators: Senator Emmett Hanger, a Republican who visits state parks with his wife, and Delegate David Bulova, a Democrat who takes this three kids hiking and camping as often as possible.

“Appreciation for the outdoors cuts across party lines, and I was thrilled at the positive reaction we got when the caucus was first formed,” says Bulova. “One Republican legislator even sent me a picture of his well-worn hiking boots.”

Eige says he hopes even legislators who don’t consider themselves outdoor enthusiasts can still find value in the sessions. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, outdoor recreation in Virginia generates $13.6 billion in revenue, $923 million in state and local tax revenue, and 138,000 direct Virginia jobs.

“Some legislators from the

economic and tourism departments are starting to recognize it as a true viable industry,” Eige says. “Even if these legislators aren’t specifically interested in trail running, rock climbing or kayaking, they get that it’s good for their communities.”

Eige hopes it fosters thoughtful discussion and potential policy changes around things like roadside safety for cyclists and water rights issues for paddlers. At the end of the last legislative session, a group of caucus participants bundled up and spent a weekend afternoon together in the James River Park System in Richmond—they explored the trails, admired the water, enjoyed each other’s company, and talked about anything other than work and politics.

“I wanted this to be more fun and informative, and not just a hassle that they have to do,” Eige says. “The whole point is outdoor recreation, and having a bunch of meetings in the General Assembly building is not conducive to that.”

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

15

THE DIRT

0 2 . 17

BIG WHEELS

RICHMOND CYCLING CORPS: MORE THAN JUST A BIKING CLUB

by LAURA INGLES

I

t was a Sunday evening in 2011 when Craig Dodson’s phone rang.

On the other end was a high school junior named Chris, a rockstar member of the cycling team Dodson coaches. Earlier that month, Chris had become the first member of the team to log 100 miles in a day on two wheels. A lifelong resident of Fairfield Court, a public housing development with some of Richmond’s most violent streets and roughest schools, Chris was a standout on the team, a role model for the other kids and a strong athlete. But when he called Dodson that evening from the nearby Boys & Girls Club, it wasn’t to discuss training or any upcoming races. One of his best friends had just been shot and killed.

“I was like dude, stay there, I’m on my way,” Dodson recalled. “When I got there he was absolutely sobbing and I just held him and hugged him.”

That was the day Dodson realized he was starting to develop trust with his team. Since day one, Dodson knew the Richmond Cycling Corps needed to be different. At face value it was a cycling team for low-income kids, but it quickly became clear that in order to be successful, RCC couldn’t function like other afterschool clubs, or even other nonprofits.

He’s the first to admit that as a white, middle-class educated, professional cyclist, his plan to save the world one poor black kid on a bike at a time was perhaps a little short-sighted.

“I decided to use what I have in my toolbox, and it shouldn’t have worked at all,” he said. “The only thing that made this thing work or even be effective was common sense, and I’m just stubborn.”

That stubbornness came in the form of holding the kids accountable

16

no matter what. When members didn’t show up to practice, Dodson drove around the neighborhood until he found them. When they got suspended, he tracked them down with academic packets so they could stay on track. He drove them to and from school, took them to doctors’ appointments, bailed them out of jail and went with them to court.

“A lot of people just want to hear about the feel-good Walt Disney stuff on the bike, but the reality is it’s not always like that at all,” Dodson said. “I’m trying to re-engineer dysfunctional behavior and get these kids out of public housing.”

Dodson uses tough love both on and off the bike, and he pushes hard for his kids to stay active in the organization, even if their grades fall or they get into trouble at school.

If every other pillar in a kid’s life is dysfunctional—mental, emotional and social development, good decision-making, education—but he or she is doing well on the bike, why take away the one thing that’s working?

“This kid goes out in the rain and does hill repeats on the hardest hills

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

in the city for hours. He suffers on the bike and races at a super high level against the private school kids who have everything and he beats them,” Dodson said. “It’s working.

And if you take that away he’s just going to be back in the environment that’s causing the problem to begin with.”

According to Tawante Nash, a 16-year-old high school junior who’s been training and competing with RCC for about seven years, that determination to not let anyone slip through the cracks is what makes Dodson more than just a coach.

“He’s just like a father figure to everybody,” Nash said. “I think I’m the only one on the team that actually knows my father, and he works a lot, but Craig’s just like a second father to me. Anything I need I can just call Craig.”

As for the cycling itself, Nash was drawn to it years ago because it was unlike anything else he’d done. Like a lot of boys in his neighborhood he spent a lot of time as a kid playing pickup games of basketball and football, but the structure of a cycling team was a whole different ballgame.

MEMBERS OF THE RICHMOND CYCLING CORPS SADDLE UP BEFORE LEADING TEAM USA OUT TO THE 2015 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPENING CEREMONIES.

“It’s not like other sports,” Nash said. “You’re a team, but while you’re out there riding you’re on an individual bike, and you pedal yourself.”

RCC continues to evolve as both a cycling program and an outreach effort. Last summer the group launched The Kickstand, a bicycle rental and service shop that the kids help manage near the 52-mile Richmond-to-Williamsburg Capital Trail. The most recent development is a new headquarters, located just blocks away from Fairfield Court. The space will serve as “a powerful tool for our youth to gain the resources needed for their journey out of poverty,” giving the kids access to computers, laundry facilities, internet, a locker room and a comfortable lounge.

GET INVOLVED

For more information or to get involved, check out RichmondCyclingCorps.com

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

PLAY WILD, WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA

YOU’LL FIND IT HERE. Who says only adults can have snow days? Escape to our wild winter playground.

GoToWV.com | 800-225-5982 #GoToWV |

Snowshoe Mountain, WV

THE DIRT

0 2 . 17

FAMILY FEUD

THE HATFIELD-MCCOY LEGACY LIVES ON IN THE HEART OF APPALACHIA

by DANIELLE TAYLOR

T

he annual Hatfield McCoy Marathon may be the only race in the world that exists thanks to a stolen hog, a jilted lover, and a series of revenge murders.

Fortunately, the two families behind America’s most notorious feud buried the hatchet decades ago, and the people behind today’s HatfieldMcCoy events and attractions share the dispute’s history in good fun. “It’s all ancient history now,” says Natalie Taylor, executive director of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce based in Williamson, West Virginia. “The only thing people argue on now is the events of the feud itself.”

Ironically, the continuing legacy of the Hatfield and McCoy families’ well-known conflict, which threatened to tear this region apart in the late 1800s, may now be the area’s saving grace. With the region’s coal industry in a rapid decline, community developers and business leaders have drawn on this contentious past to attract tourism and fill the economic void.

The details of the longstanding conflict have faded and the facts of the matter depend on whom you ask, but the basics of the feud played out starting in 1865 at the easternmost tip of Kentucky and adjacent southwestern West Virginia, separated along the state line by the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River.

Conflicting Civil War allegiances, accusations of stolen property, illfated love affairs, drunken brawls, and a continuing need for vengeance spurred the dispute between patriarchs “Devil Anse” Hatfield and Randolph McCoy and their large extended families, which resulted in 18

multiple deaths on each side until they declared a truce in 1891.

Stories of the feud laid low for more than 100 years until revitalization efforts began capitalizing on Hatfield-McCoy history to boost the local economy.

In 1996, the West Virginia state legislature established plans to develop the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Area. In 1999, a federal grant from the Small Business Administration funded the Hatfield and McCoy Historic Site Restoration.

A group of local historians augmented these efforts by developing self-led driving tours of the area.

The following year, more than 300 miles of Hatfield-McCoy Trails opened up to the public, and community organizers kicked off the first annual Hatfield-McCoy Reunion Festival and Marathon in June to bring together descendants from both sides and introduce the public to this colorful slice of local history.

“It’s a reunion festival, but we want everyone to come and have a good time with it,” says David Hatfield, the festival’s director and a “second cousin a few times over” to Devil Anse. “We do feud site tours, sack races, pie-eating contests, and bike decorating. We also do genealogy to see if you’re related to the Hatfields or McCoys.”

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

However, the most popular event is undoubtedly the Hatfield-McCoy tug-of-war, which pits 10 members from each family against each other.

“We used to do it across the Tug River,” Hatfield says, “but the bank washed out, so we’re doing it on dry land with a swimming pool in between this year. Somebody’ll get wet, though.”

The Hatfield-McCoy Marathon has also evolved through the years and now features the full marathon, two half marathons (one in each state), and a 5K. It starts and ends in Williamson, West Virginia, and passes by several significant feud sites while also climbing more than 600 feet in one mile and traversing a swinging bridge.

Each runner gets assigned to the Hatfields or McCoys, and each group competes against the opposing clan for the fastest combined time.

“People get into theme, too— some run in overalls,” says Alexis Batausa, president of the Tug Valley Road Runners. "The family at water stop 10 all dress up as hillbillies and bring out mules and piglets, and there’s a sign for the world’s tiniest horse near mile nine that always stops people.”

Fortunately, these efforts to draw feud tourists seem to be working. The festival and the marathon occurred

on the same weekend for the first 15 years, but the conjoined event got so popular that area hotels couldn’t accommodate all of the attendees.

They now are held on two different weekends.

This year, the marathon attracted nearly 1,100 runners. The HatfieldMcCoy Trails now stretch more than 500 miles across multiple counties and attract tens of thousands of riders per year. Curious history buffs peek in during all seasons to explore sites tied to the intriguing story.

At the fourth gathering of the reunion festival in 2003, more than 60 descendants from the two clans signed an official truce as a message of reconciliation and goodwill, and evidence of the families’ cooperation can be seen all throughout the region. The Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce’s leadership boasts two Hatfields and one McCoy, and numerous weddings over the past century-plus have united the two families.

“We all want to preserve and promote our history, and we’re working together now,” remarks David Hatfield. “One good thing that’s come of all this is that the Hatfields and McCoys have really united to save our area.”

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

Let Yourself Go.

Winter hiking and cross country skiing awaken the senses.

The thrill of being outdoors in a canopy of trees with fresh snow is tantalizing . . . and it’s all just minutes from a university city that pulses to the beat of live bands and local brew pubs.

Hot Deals Cool Nights Book now for discounted room rates at

tourmorgantown.com/BRO 1-800-458-7373 F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

19

THE DIRT

0 2 . 17

EPILEPTIC THRU-HIKER

ALEX NEWLON OVERCOMES EPILEPSY AND THRU-HIKES THE AT

by ERIC J. WALLACE

I

n the spring of 2014, 28-yearold Alex Newlon headed for Springer Mountain determined to complete a northbound thruhike of the Appalachian Trail. A lifelong hiker, Newlon appeared the portrait of health—tall, muscular, young, always laughing and smiling.

However, compared to his thruhiking comrades, he was starting at a deficit: Newlon had epilepsy.

“I suffer from grand mal seizures, where you lose consciousness and fall to the floor while all of your muscles contract, causing you to shake and jerk uncontrollably,” says Newlon.

Despite taking preventative

medication and going almost two years without suffering an incident, in attempting to thru-hike the AT, he was risking his life. Dehydration, sleep deprivation, heat exhaustion, and strenuous activity were prominent triggers for seizures.

Newlon had been dreaming about an A.T. thru-hike since his days as a teenage Boy Scout. Sick of being identified by a condition he’d inherited through the hereditary diceroll, Newlon set out to claim his life as his own.

“Sure, I could have a seizure anytime, anywhere, my life is always on the line, no matter what. But I couldn’t let something totally random keep me from pursuing my dreams.

I wasn’t going to let epilepsy control and limit my life.”

From Georgia to the border of New York, Newlon did just that.

Then, with over two-thirds of the trail finished, he was struck by a seizure.

“Luckily, I was on my way down to a road crossing where the trail

flattens out and is less rocky. While I suffered a few scratches and bruises, it could have been much worse. Still, it left me feeling incredibly weak and disoriented. It took all of my strength to hike that last half-mile down to the road.”

Newlon had to end his thru-hike in late 2014.

That’s where the story could

have ended. But not for Newlon.

The next year, after working long hours, saving every penny he could, and launching a successful crowdsourcing campaign, he set out again from Springer Mountain, confident that, this time, he’d reach Katahdin.

“A lot of people didn’t get why I’d want to start from the beginning,” says Newlon. “But I knew if I didn’t do it that way, the itch to thru-hike the trail in its entirety would never leave me alone. I had to do the whole thing in one shot. Otherwise, it wouldn’t feel quite real.”

Newlon summited Katahdin this past September. Reflecting on his journeys, he says they were well worth it.

“I think epileptics are told much more often about what we can’t do instead of what we can,” he says. “I wanted to inspire others with epilepsy and show them that we are strong. I wanted to prove that we’re capable of doing anything in this life, no matter how difficult or strenuous our dreams may be.”

wispresort.com 855.990.0102 Deep Creek Lake, MD

Forecast: Heightened chance of adventure this winter!

Midweek Madness Lodging Package Starting at $84 pp 1- Night’s lodging at the slope-side Lodge at Wisp 1-Day Lift Ticket Based on availability, advance reservation and double occupancy. Valid Sunday thru Thursday, non-premium.

Monday Deal Days - Great for Beginners Only $49 Lift Ticket Equipment Rental 1-Hour Clinic Starting January 2, 2017. Not valid January 16 & February 20.

Skiing / Boarding 20

Snow Tubing

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

Ice Skating

Cross Country Skiing

Snowshoeing BlueRidgeOutdoors

Mountain Coaster GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

FLASHPOINT

0 2.17

DO YOUR PART

TREES IN TROUBLE

So what exactly can we do to help? Even without a forestry degree or experience as an arborist, here are a few ways you can contribute:

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR OUR FORESTS?

by LAURA INGLES

DON’T TRANSPORT FIREWOOD As appealing as it may be to dodge the cost of a bundle of logs by throwing some sticks from the backyard into the car before going camping, suck it up and pay the $10 at the campground. If EAB larvae live inside even just one piece of wood from your yard that’s moved to another location, they can emerge and infest the entire area, effectively spreading their destruction even farther.

I

t was the summer of 2013 when Erik Filep noticed the devastation. He and his wife were traveling from Central Virginia to Ohio to visit family, when seemingly out of nowhere the scene was completely different.

“One summer everything was fine, there was no noticeable damage,” said Filep, former owner of Filep Forest Management, a Virginia-based company that provides forest and wildlife management for landowners.

“Then the next summer when we went back up, driving the exact same route, there were just dead ash trees everywhere. It seemed very sudden.”

Of course, as a forester with more than 10 years in the field under his belt, Filep knew the ash trees’ demise was anything but sudden. In fact, those trees had probably been slowly dying from the inside out over the course of at least a couple years, thanks to a tiny insect called agrilus planipennis, more commonly known as the emerald ash borer (EAB).

Experts agree that EAB is the most destructive threat facing Southeast American trees today, and the ash is one of many Southern trees in trouble. The list of specific pests and diseases is lengthy, but the most significant threats affecting our forests fall into two categories: invasive species and climate change.

UNWELCOME GUESTS

Filep and other experts agree that invasive pests like EAB, a green jewel beetle native to eastern Asia that feeds on the leaves of green, white, black, and blue ash trees, are at the top of an ever-growing list of threats facing southeast American forests.

An increase in global trade has made it easier for insects to cross oceans and settle in the U.S., and those freeloading travelers making themselves at home in our forests are causing tremendous long-term damage.

“The Southeast has a very similar climate to a large portion of Asia, and more specifically, China, which makes it the prime habitat for species found there,” Filep said. “This includes invasive species such as kudzu, tree of Heaven, Asian longhorned beetle, Japanese stilt grass and wisteria.”

Rolf Gubler, a biologist who oversees forest health issues at Shenandoah National Park, noted that pests from other corners of the globe are able to thrive because there’s nothing here preventing them from doing so.

“Many pests do not have any, or enough, natural enemies or predators

FORESTERS INJECT PESTICIDES INTO THE ROOT SYSTEMS OF TREES IN ORDER TO FIGHT INVASIVE INSECTS LIKE THE EMERALD ASH BORER.

to keep them in check in their new location,” he said, naming the gypsy moth and universally detested stinkbug as two other invasive species that have spread with ease.

A green jewel beetle native to eastern Asia, the EAB is an invasive species in Europe and North America. After the females lay eggs, the larvae feast on the tree’s inner bark, hindering the flow of water and nutrients and ultimately girdling and killing the tree.

“Once the emerald ash borer infects the tree, it can take a while for the tree to die,” Filep said. “It’s very hard to notice that the tree is in trouble until it’s pretty much too late.”

The beetles arrived in the states

KNOW THE SIGNS If a tree in your yard is exhibiting signs of an infestation, contact an arborist immediately. They may not be able to save the tree, but if they remove it in time it could prevent further spreading.

Signs of EAB include serpentine galleries and D-shaped exit holes on the trunk, increased woodpecker damage, split bark and canopy dieback. Hemlocks infested by the HWA will have off-color needles that drop prematurely and white woolly egg sacs on the underside of twigs.

DONATE Organizations like the Hemlock Restoration Initiative, the Nature Conservancy, and the Shenandoah National Park Trust happily accept donations that go toward their research and efforts to combat threats like EAB and HWA. Also check out your local tree stewards.

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

21

FLASHPOINT

0 2.17

in the 1990s, likely on hardwood packing material in cargo ships or airplanes from Asia. Since landing in the midwest more than 20 years ago, the pest has made appearances in 28 states including Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, killing tens of millions of ash trees. Adult EABs can only travel about a half-mile from the tree they emerged from, but the insects spread farther when people transport infested firewood, nursery trees or logs to non-infested areas.

Native to Asia, the emerald ash borer is merely a nuisance to the ash trees over there and is typically found in low densities. But as an invasive species in the U.S., they are now considered to be the most destructive forest pest ever seen in North America.

Oak trees in the region are also threatened by a new pathogen.

Bot canker—caused by the fungus Diplodia corticola—was observed in West Virginia for the first time last fall. The fungus limits the ability of oak trees to access essential nutrients and water, ultimately killing them. So far, it’s affected only small numbers of oaks, but it has the potential to be widespread, especially as other environmental stressors weaken trees.

HAVE WE BEEN HERE BEFORE?

This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve watched as nearly an entire population falls victim to an invasive threat. According to Virginia Tech professor of forest biology John Seiler, the destruction of North American ash trees “could be the chestnut all over again.”

The chestnut was the sweetheart of American hardwoods. Wildlife and humans alike revered and relied on its sweet-tasting nuts that fell in the fall, and the tree was one of the most predominant species in Eastern forests. One in four trees in the East was a chestnut.

22

Today, there are almost no mature chestnut trees. The species succumbed to chestnut blight, caused by an Asian bark fungus beginning in the early 1900s. By the 1950s, billions of chestnut trees from Maine to Georgia had died slow deaths, permanently reshaping the forest landscape in the eastern U.S. Other trees like the red oak filled in its niche, but without the chestnut, Eastern forests produce less food for wildlife.

Should we try to stop the spread of invasive species and diseases? Virginia Tech professor of forest biology John Seiler said he is, generally speaking, in favor of human intervention.

Though he has yet to witness a success story, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t at least try. If humans are responsible for the infestation of a destructive, invasive species, Seiler believes we have a certain level of obligation to try to get rid of the threat or at least slow down the damage.

Filep agrees. “I think we have a responsibility, when we introduce something into the environment, it should be our place to try to fix it,” Filep said. “I feel that way about a lot of invasive plants, too. Almost all were introduced for erosion control, landscape trees, all sorts of idiotic

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

reasons that were well-intentioned but went horribly wrong.”

IT’S GETTING HOT OUT HERE

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, forests occupy about 740 million acres in the U.S., which is about one-third of the nation’s land area. And as global temperatures continue to climb, it becomes harder for those forests and their ecosystems to function and thrive. According to Gubler, trees adapted for northern climates that are found primarily on mountaintops are especially threatened by climate change.

“Examples at Shenandoah National Park include the balsam fir and Canada yew at high elevations,” he said. “As temperatures increase, trees adapted for northern climates that are found in isolated populations at the tops of mountains will eventually phase out.”

As global temperatures continue to climb, species either adapt or they don’t—some species will flourish and others will decline.

“The irony is that many of the invasives will just shrug their shoulders and be stronger, and many natives will have more trouble,” said

Mike Van Yahres, owner and operator of the 97-year-old Charlottesvillebased Van Yahres Tree Company.

The hemlock woolly adelgid, for example, a ruthless invasive pest that destroys Eastern hemlocks, is sensitive to cold temperatures.

Rising temperatures allow the small, aphid-like insect that sucks the sap out of hemlock and spruce trees, to travel farther and spread more indiscriminately, wiping out thousands of trees in its wake.

HEMLOCK, STOCK AND BARREL

Also native to Asia, the hemlock wooly adelgid was first reported in the U.S. in the 1950s near Richmond, Virginia.

According to Gubler, hemlocks are “sort of a niche species,” growing alongside streams and other waterways to create cool, dark microclimates. By 2003, he said, Shenandoah National Park had lost about 95% of its hemlocks, which made up about 0.5% of the forest cover.

“It’s hard to replicate when you lose those trees,” Gubler said. “There’s really no replacement conifer that comes in and takes over, so we’ve lost a lot of those unique microclimates.”

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

SHEN EAB Positive Locations 2012 - 2015 The good news is that a handful of the trees did manage to hang on, and hemlocks are easier to treat and more likely to recover than ash. The NPS’s suppression plan involves two systemic pesticides, both of which contain imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide that is highly toxic to aquatic insects and pollinators. When treating trees near bodies of water, they use soil injections of Prokoz Zenith, with imidacloprid as its active ingredient. Using one of these two systemic insecticides, Gubler said they’ve treated roughly 2,000-4,000 hemlocks per year since 2006 using soil injections, and there’s been a noticeable improvement.

“I think overall the outlook for hemlocks in the park is a lot better,” he said. “You can turn around a hemlock that’s 60 percent gone, whereas with the ash, the emerald ash borer gets under the bark layer and has a girdling effect, and you can’t bring that tree back.”

NATURE VS. NURTURE

A third generation arborist, Van Yahres is the grandson of a “tree surgeon” who was invited by the Garden Club of Virginia in the early 1920s to restore some of the historic trees at Monticello.

“In doing so he started working with the farms and estates in Albemarle and surrounding counties,” Van Yahres said. “He wanted to preserve their old majestic trees and he had the resources to do it.”

Van Yahres said he and his team are also some of the most “active environmentalists in what has historically been kind of a chemical industry.” His primary concern is that property owners will spray indiscriminately, killing the pest or disease in question but also eliminating other beneficial insects in the process.

“Historically when we intervene on things like this, we’re oversimplifying and the argument could be made that we make it work,” Van Yahres said. “Killing one bad thing in exchange for killing a whole

SHEN EAB POSITIVE LOCATIONS 2012-2015

NEXT IN LINE

! .

2012 Warren County

2014 North Entrance

! .! . ! . ! .

2013 Dickey Ridge Picnic Area 2014 Mile 7.5

2015 Matthews Arm

Ash and hemlocks aren't the only species of trees battling pests and diseases.

!

5

!

5

2015 Gravel Spring 2015 Headquarters

2015 Meadow Spring

!

5 2014 Jewell Hollow 2015 Pinnacles Research Lab

! .!

5 !

5 !

5

2015 Pinnacles Picnic Area

2015 Upper Hawksbill

2015 Big Meadows Picnic Area

!

5 !

5

!

5

2015 Big Meadows Campground

! . ! . ! . !

5

EAB Found 2012 EAB Found 2013 EAB Found 2014 EAB Found 2015 Park Boundary

!

5

2015 South River Picnic Area 1:400,000

Ü

Shenandoah NP Natural Resources UTM Zone 17N NAD83 Sources: Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ, USGS, Intermap, iPC, NRCAN, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri (Thailand), TomTom, 2013

lot of good things is not keeping the balance of nature.”

Take the gypsy moth, for example. Accidentally introduced in Massachusetts in the 19th century, the gypsy moth is known for its tremendous defoliation impact on hundreds of North American deciduous tree and shrub species including maple, elm, and oak.

The notorious hardwood pest has destroyed millions of trees since the first outbreak in 1889. Over the years, natural predators like stink bugs, parasitic wasps and flies, Calosoma beetles and small mammals like mice and chipmunks have contributed to keeping the gypsy moth populations under control between outbreaks.

“Now that it’s been here for a while, nature has come up with a

whole bunch of enemies of the gypsy moth, and it’s no longer as big of a problem,” Van Yahres said.

Nature is resilient, but the loss of a key species like the ash tree will diminish the health and productivity of the forest for millenia. Gubler leads a team of forest researchers on projects to treat individual trees throughout the vast Shenandoah National Park. He believes in human intervention, but at the same time he’s realistic about the current threats and how forests will adapt.

If you are looking at forests from a native species integrity standpoint, then the long-term outlook isn't great,” Gubler says. “The forest will still be green, but there will be less forest diversity and overall biodiversity as a result.”

TREE: DOGWOOD THREAT: Anthracnose fungus SYMPTOMS: Tan spots and premature abscission of leaves, cankers on twigs, succulent shoots at the lower trunk, spotted flowers

“Anthracnose attacks when conditions are just right, and 99 times out of 100 it’s a oneor two-year problem that goes away and the healthy trees survive,” said Van Yahres.

TREE: OAK THREAT: Sudden oak death, caused by plant pathogen phytophthora ramorum SYMPTOMS: Leaf spots, cankers on the stems, twig dieback

“It’s a very fast-moving disease.

Once it starts the tree can die within a couple days to a week. Literally a tree can be fine and then it’s dead,” said Filep. “Fortunately it has not been found in the east to my knowledge, but the entire eastern U.S. is in major threat territory for that.”

TREE: PINE THREAT: Pine bark beetle SYMPTOMS: Popcorn-sized lumps of pitch (or “pitch tubes”), S-shaped feeding cuts on the inside of bark, needle discoloration from green to brown

“The pine bark beetle came through with a vengeance 30 years ago or so, and it preyed on the weaker trees,” Van Yahres said. “From a forestry point of view the lesson is that when you plant too much of one kind of crop, it’s all susceptible to one kind of disease or pest. We don’t need to blame the pine bark beetle, we need to blame decisions made by people.”

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

23

.com TEL. 866-620-5752

WINTER ESCAPE S TAR TI N G AT

$

89

L

ooking for a good excuse to ramp up the training this season? Check out 12 of the toughest, oddest, oldest, weirdest, and wildest events throughout the region.

BEST FIRST MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE BIG BEAR ULTRA

BIG BEAR LAKE TRAIL CENTER, WEST VIRGINIA AUGUST 5, 2017

The Region’s Top 12 Races and Events

by JESS DADDIO

Situated near the Allegheny Highlands in the tri-state junction of West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the privately owned Big Bear Lake Trail Center is home to 50 miles of singletrack on its 5,000-acre property. The center exploded onto the mountain bike scene during the early 2000s when it served as a host for the 24-hour racing series, but its two-wheeled history dates back to the late ‘80s and the age of the Blackwater 100 motorcycle race.

The 10th annual Big Bear Ultra pays homage to the center’s storied past, with 40-, 20-, and now 10-mile courses that incorporate some of the original trails with more recent singletrack additions. The trails here wind through fern-carpeted forests and pass over rock-studded tunnels choked with mountain laurel. It’s a magical place, a classic example of West Virginia mountain biking, and the event itself, says Big Bear Lake Trail Center’s Recreation Land Manager Jeff Simcoe, will appeal to riders of every ability.

“Even the fastest people are still very encouraging,” says Simcoe of the race-day environment. “We’ve seen people team up and stay together to grind this long-distance race out.

There are certainly competitive riders, but it’s more about personal goals and finishing.”

Pennsylvania-based rider and writer Helena Kotala knows a thing or two about knocking out personal goals. Last year, Kotala signed up for the Big Bear Ultra Lite (20-mile course), unsure of what to expect— though an experienced rider, she’d never raced before and knew nobody

in the West Virginia mountain biking scene. Despite rainy weather and muddy conditions, Kotala came out first in her class.

“I think I was most surprised at how fun it was,” Kotala says. “I was also pleasantly surprised at how nice and supportive everyone was.

It was awesome to see such good sportsmanship and graciousness.”

To top it off, Simcoe and his crew do the post-race festivities right with a family-style cookout and party complete with local brews. With onsite camping available at the race start-finish line and plenty to do for the family, it’s more like a weekend getaway than a race.

MOST LIKELY TO DNF

BARKLEY MARATHONS FROZEN HEAD STATE PARK, TENNESSEE APRIL 2017

For a non-refundable $1.16 you can enter the toughest footrace in the history of footraces. You probably won’t get in the first time you apply (if you can even figure out how to do so).

You likely won’t get in the second or eighth time either, but consider this— in its 31-year history, only 14 people have ever finished the 100-mile partendurance, part-orienteering race.

With over 60,000 feet of elevation gain and a 60-hour time limit, do you really want to race Barkley anyway?

“If they do get entered, [the race director] Laz sends an email that says, ‘I’m sorry you’ve been accepted to the Barkley race which means you’re going to suffer unreal pain.

It’s going to eat you and spit you out, it’s going to humble you, it’s going to get your goat, you’re going to cry like a baby,’ and all of those things are true,” says 2001 Barkley finisher and ultrarunning legend David Horton.

Horton, who is well respected in the ultrarunning community

BEN KLIMER MAKING EASY WORK OF THE TRAILS AT BIG BEAR LAKE TRAIL CENTER NEAR BRUCETON MILLS, W.VA. photo by ANNIE SIMCOE

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

25

as director of his own line of ego-breaking ultra races, tried unsuccessfully for many years to complete the Barkley, which entails five 20-mile loops with 10,000 feet of elevation and a 12-hour time limit per loop. When he finally finished in 2001, he hadn’t just seen the edge of possibility—he’d jumped way the hell off it into the abyss without a parachute.

“It’s hell on earth,” Horton says.

“Every time you finish a lap, it’s about choosing to go back ‘out there.’ ‘Out there’ is difficult. You can’t imagine how slow you can go. Barkley slow is the slowest slow there is. It just bugs me to death when Badwater says they’re the toughest race. It’s a walk in the woods compared to Barkley.”

Which is why you won’t see Horton toeing the line at Barkley any time soon. But for Greenville, S.C.,based machinist Carl Laniak, Barkley is his everything. Laniak has started Barkley five times, but never finished.

His first attempt resulted in a “fun run,” two loops shy of the whole enchilada, but three out of the five attempts ended in RTC, or refused to continue.

“You fail spectacularly,” Laniak says. “Dead reckoning will only get you so far when it’s in the middle of the night and there’s fog and you can only see 15 feet in front of you and of course you’re tired and a lot of the terrain looks similar.”

Laniak’s been lost for three hours before. He’s seen other participants come in with a broken kneecap, punctured calf muscle, dislocated shoulder, to which Laz offered a roll of duct tape and a shoulder shrug.

Despite failing spectacularly for five years, Laniak has every intention of being back at it again later this spring.

“I would really like to not die without finishing the Barkley. There’s this part of me that wished I’d never gotten into it cause there’s always these other things I want to do, but I would love the luxury of finishing it,” he says, citing Barkley veteran Mike Dobies’ infamous quote, “Barkley is Laz’s sick joke and some of us like to take it seriously.”

26

MOST LIKELY TO [TEMPORARILY] LOSE VISION HELLGATE 100K

NATURAL BRIDGE, VIRGINIA DECEMBER 2017

With a distance of exactly 66.6 miles, you’d be right in assuming that this race is every bit as hellish as its name suggests. For 14 years, runners have lined up to start the Hellgate 100K at 12:01 a.m. Staying on course is not particularly challenging here— you need only follow the Glenwood Horse Trail from point A to point B. But the combination of a nighttime start, often brutal weather, and what Hellgate medical director Dr. George Wortley calls “Hellgate eyes” makes Hellgate no ordinary 100K. “Usually I have anywhere from three to five cases of Hellgate eyes,” says Wortley of the annual event.

“You can see a very slight cloudiness on the cornea,” but the runner, he says, can hardly see a thing. Just ask Bethany Patterson of Richmond, Va. Patterson won the Hellgate women’s division back in 2015, but she says her own experience with Hellgate eyes back in 2006 put her on the sidelines for a few years before returning to the race in 2014.

“If you stuck two cotton balls in the middle of your eye and tried to look through them, that’s what it was like,” Patterson says. “I literally could not see anything on the trail.”

“We have found people off the trail, wandering around, their vision is so poor,” Wortley says. “Another runner will have to lead them in like a seeing eye dog.”

That's exactly what Patterson had to endure before DNFing.

Fortunately, within a few hours, the cloudiness cleared up and she was able to see. But that whole not-beingable-to-see thing was unnerving.

Unnatural. So what causes it?

According to Wortley, it has nothing to do with cold temperatures—“It happens in years when the temperature is nowhere near freezing,” he says. The cornea isn’t frozen; rather it dries up. Remember

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

that 12:01 a.m. start? Nighttime trail running innately lends itself to intense focus, says Wortley. In fact, runners are so absorbed in maneuvering the technical leafstrewn trail that they don’t blink nearly as often. Add the wind factor and you have the perfect recipe for Hellgate eyes.

“It’s been my impression that if someone has had vision corrective surgery, they are about twice as likely as the average person to get it,” Wortley adds. So how to avoid it?

“Wear glasses or goggles and make a conscious effort to blink, blink blink.”

MOST LIKELY TO DOLE OUT A SLICE OF HUMBLE PIE SHENANDOAH MOUNTAIN 100

STOKESVILLE, VIRGINIA SEPTEMBER 3, 2017

What started out as a fun excuse to create a 100-mile, backwoods, mostly singletrack race with 13,000 feet of climbing in event director Chris Scott’s backyard has turned into something of a bucket list, test-yourmettle, mountain bike experience.

While some participants filter through, try it once, and never come back, there’s a dedicated group of

SM100 vets who come back year after year, despite the likelihood of getting shut down.

Just ask Sarah Temby from Ann Arbor, Mich. She’s been coming to the SM100 since 2010, when she volunteered while her then-boyfriend raced.

“Seeing everyone come through the aid stations excited, exhausted, happy, upset, the full range of emotions, well, the next year I decided to sign up and race it,” Temby says. “I had only been riding my bike for a year by then.”

Temby didn’t finish in 2011.

Nor in 2012…or 2013. In 2014, she returned to volunteer instead and wrap her brain around what it was going to take preparation-wise to cross that finish line. She upped her training, competed in a few other 100-mile events, tackled more technical terrain. Then, in 2015, she came back ready to race. She finished in just under 13 hours.

“I think my heart exploded when I crossed the finish line,” she says. “ I had been waiting for that moment for years and it felt amazing.”

“People underestimate what it’s like to sit in the saddle for 12 hours,” says SM100 director Chris Scott.

“It’s not just your legs pushing on the pedals. It’s your hands, your neck,

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

LONGESTRUNNING FOOT RACE (1ST PLACE) JFK 50 MILE

BOONSBORO, MARYLAND NOVEMBER 18, 2017

RIDERS SOAK THEIR COOKED LEGS DURING THE TRANS-SYLVANIA MOUNTAIN BIKE EPIC. photo by ABRAM LANDES

your back, your butt, the balls of your feet on the pedals, all of your contact points. You get ridiculously sore when you’re in contact with the same thing for that long.”

Paul Buschi of Charlottesville, Va., knows this firsthand. He’s been racing the SM100 almost as long as the event has existed—11 starts in the race’s 19-year history. Initially, Buschi was in it to win it. He was always at the head of the pack and has podiumed and placed in the top 10 a number of times. But he’s also DNFed, too. Like in 2003 when he broke his frame around mile 50.

“The frame just collapsed in on itself and I flew into the woods,” Buschi remembers. “I had to figure out how to put the bike back together.

Finally I realized it was pretty impossible. I walked the rest of the way to the aid station. If I was ever to win that race it might have been that day, too.”

Still, Buschi says, it’s all par for the course. Now, his focus at the SM100 is on having fun, eating pizza at the aid stations, and spending all day riding bikes in the woods with his friends.

The JFK 50 Mile, which was first held the year after Kennedy's asssassination, challenges runners to finish 50 miles in 13 hours or less.

The race honors the challenge of another legendary president, Teddy Roosevelt, who urged U.S. Marine officers to be physically fit enough to complete 50 miles of running in under 20 hours. Little did he know that he would spawn generations of runners to push those limits even further.

The JFK is now in its 55th year.

“How many races survive a half a century?” says race director Mike Spinnler. “Most races disappear after a decade. Human beings only live so long—most races die with their race directors.”

But Buzz Sawyer, the original JFK 50 Mile race director, foresaw that very truth. That’s why he plucked Spinnler, a longtime race participant and winner (’82 and ’83) to take charge on the event’s 30th anniversary.

“No matter how you look at it, the marathon distance is a daunting task,” Spinnler says. “You double that, and throw into it the challenge of the 13-mile section of the Appalachian Trail, and you get this 50-mile race. It’s achievable, but still, for the average person, the thought of finishing a 50-mile foot race is almost unfathomable.”

That doesn’t deter the 1,200 runners who make the journey to Maryland to compete in this historic race. In fact, for local Kimball Byron, running the JFK 50 Mile is an annual tradition, one he’s upheld since 1968 when he was just 12 years old.

Inspired by his father, who was one of the original JFK 50 Mile organizers, Byron has only missed the JFK 50 Mile once in 1985 when he was serving as a jet pilot in the Air Force.

Last November, Byron finished his

48th JFK 50 Mile at age 61.

“It’s about struggling,” Byron says of the race. “No matter what you get in life, the good things come with the struggle, they come with the challenge.”

Of course, Byron’s come a long way since that very first JFK 50 Mile at age 12 when he fell asleep under a lamp post in a woman’s front yard just three miles from the end. The lady graciously offered Byron a ride to the finish. When he told her what he was doing, she gave him a kerosene lamp instead. Still, his commitment to the event is a testament to the unity and longstanding camaraderie the race has provided its participants all these years.

“I did it myself when I was 12,” says Spinnler. “It wasn’t unusual, but here he is a half a century later still doing it. It’s just remarkable.”

LONGESTRUNNING FOOT RACE (2ND PLACE) PEACHTREE ROAD RACE

ATLANTA, GEORGIA JULY 4, 2017

In a close second for longest-running footrace, Atlanta’s Peachtree Road Race will be going into its 48th year, held annually on the Fourth of July.

Race director Rich Kenah says the event has become more than just a footrace—it’s what people in Atlanta do for the Fourth.

“There are families who have participated in the Peachtree for decades and it’s just a part of their holiday routine,” Kenah says. “That’s something we’re very proud of.”

The 10K race attracts 60,000 runners every year to downtown Atlanta. In addition to the sweltering heat of Georgia-in-July, runners will have to contend with a pretty hilly course.

“I’d be lying if I said the course was flat,” says Kenah. “The first two to three miles really are almost all downhill, and then you start climbing. Cardiac Hill is certainly not the steepest, but it’s pretty long and that’s what people have to prepare

for.”

Only finishers of the Peachtree will receive the race t-shirt, the design of which is not revealed until racers begin crossing the finish line.

Organized by the Atlanta Track Club, the event also affords the nonprofit a fundraising opportunity for its Kilometer Kids program, a free, running-based initiative aimed at getting kids in the community active.

MOST LIKELY TO CARN OUT GREEN RIVER GAMES WILDERNESS COVE CAMPGROUND, NORTH CAROLINA MAY 20-21, 2017

Dabblers unite in this one-of-a-kind multisport adventure race. Now in its fifth year, the Green River Games is one of the stoutest, most technical multisport events in the country, linking together an eight-mile paddle down the Green River (including the notorious class V Narrows section), an eight-mile mountain bike course, and an eight-mile trail run over the Green River Game Lands’ rough and rugged terrain. If the all-day-sufferfest doesn’t get you, the elements will.

“There are a lot of snakes,” says Green River Games director John Grace, “and more stinging insects than you can count. The trails are raw, steep, and rocky, just like the river. The place as a whole is harsh,” which is why even the most wellrounded adventuresport dabblers will incur some level of carn, be it a less-than-stellar line at Gorilla, or, as second-place women’s finisher Rebecca Cramer can attest, a broken collarbone.

“Every part of this race is technically challenging and it requires a different type of focus,” Cramer says. “Your focus on the river is different than your focus on a bike which is different than your focus when you’re running. In any other race, you might lose focus and it might not matter so much, but in this race, if you lose focus, you have the potential to crash.”

Back in 2015, just three miles

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

27

into the mountain bike portion of the race, Cramer did just that. The drop was hardly noticeable, that is, until the front wheel of Cramer’s bike crunched down and bucked her over the handlebars.

“I think they call that an ‘endo,’” Cramer says, laughing now. “I landed on my back and the force of the land broke my collarbone. For a minute I thought I could keep going, and then I was like no dude. It’s over.”

Cramer hiked out the remaining five miles with another racer and healed up in time to compete in the 2016 Games, at which she placed second in the women’s class and sixth overall.

MOST LIKE A SUMMER CAMP FOR ADULTS TRANS-SYLVANIA EPIC

SEVEN MOUNTAINS SCOUT CAMP, PENNSYLVANIA MAY 25-29, 2017

Want a good reason to play hooky for a week and ride your bike in the woods? The Trans-Sylvania Epic in central Pennsylvania is your answer.

Based just outside State College, Penn., this five-day stage race is unlike any other in that most of the stages start and finish right on site at Seven Mountains Scout Camp.

“It’s a really unique experience in the mountain bike stage racing realm,” says event director Mike Kuhn. “When you get to stay in one place every night, it lends itself to a very relaxed five days because you don’t have to move camp between stages. You don’t have to live out of a bag.”

Elite riders have come to the stage race from as far away as Australia, France, and South Africa, and the event also garners a lot of local riders, like Vicki Barclay, the U.S. National Singlespeed Champion in 2014. In 2015, she won the Trans-Sylvania Epic. Clearly, she’s not your average weekend warrior, but the atmosphere at the stage race, she says, is welcoming and supportive no matter the rider.

“The start line is always very fun 28

and chatty,” Barclay says. “The thing I like about the Trans-Sylvania Epic is that it recognizes all racers. It’s very laidback, and I feel like they really cater to everyone. People who enter stage races are going to be competitive in some way, even if it’s with their friends or if not that than with themselves.”

The stages alone will be enough to test riders on their personal goals.

Pennsylvania’s trails are well known to be extraordinarily rocky and technical. But if the experience is what you’re after, you’ll find a group of equally psyched racers ready to share in the adventure.

MORE-THANJUST-A-CLIMBING EVENT THE RUMBLE

LAKE LURE, NORTH CAROLINA JANUARY 15, 2017

In the dead of winter, most climbers hang up their racks. Not in North Carolina. For the past three years, The Rumble has taken place at Rumbling Bald in Chimney Rock State Park to celebrate the state’s yearround climbing resources and raise funds for both Friends of Chimney

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

Rock State Park and the Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC).

Though the first two years of the event were largely centered around the bouldering competition, this year, the climbers turned to stewardship of the area they cherish so dearly.

Last fall, Chimney Rock sustained wildfires that damaged over 3,000 acres of forest. Stewardship, says CCC Treasurer Will Goodson, was always a component of The Rumble, but with the recent wildfires, giving back to the land became the utmost priority.

“It’s gone from a climbing competition to an appreciation and recovery event that benefits the park," Goodson says. "Rumbling Bald is a crown jewel of the Southeast. This is bigger than all of us.”

This year’s trail maintenance day brought out dozens of people to clean up debris and clear trails from downed trees. Goodson hopes that the event will set a strong precedent for the CCC’s future interactions with Chimney Rock State Park, which at one time was entirely closed off to climbers. Climbers are now one the park’s main user groups, and Goodson wants the Lake Lure

THERE'S NOTHING EASY ABOUT THE BARKLEY MARATHONS, WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY ONLY 14 PEOPLE HAVE EVER FINISHED THE RACE IN ITS 31-YEAR HISTORY. photos by GEOFFREY BAKER

community to see that climbers care about topics that transcend climbing, such as economic development and environmental restoration.

MOST LIKELY TO HALLUCINATE TRANS NORTH GEORGIA ADVENTURE

SOUTH CAROLINA BORDER — ALABAMA BORDER AUGUST 19, 2017

Trans North Georgia Adventure (TNGA) founder David Muse would never think to consider himself the sole creator of this 350-mile long route. Maybe he doesn’t want the suffering of hundreds of riders on his conscience. While the presentday TNGA is certainly the result of many hard-working volunteers and a niche community of cyclists, Muse spent the better part of three years researching, driving, riding, and hiking through north Georgia, relying on his career experience as a freelance software developer to link

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

together this intricate network of trails long before a map existed.

“Of course, not even two or three months after I finished the route, the Forest Service published a very thorough map that, if I’d had three years earlier, I wouldn’t have had to do 80 percent of the research I did,” says Muse, laughing.

With the route connected, Muse had serious doubts about the ability to actually ride it all in one go. His first attempt ended just two days after it had began, but on his second attempt in 2010, he crossed the Alabama state line. The ride is certainly far from easy—there’s well over 56,000 feet of climbing along the 350-mile, mostly singletrack route. And with riders vying for the record Roswell, Ga., rider Eddie O’Dea set in 2013 at 39 hours and three minutes, the potential to lose a little bit of sanity during this sleep-deprived race is higher than ever.

“They’re literally another version of themselves,” says Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike Getaway co-owner Kate Gates of the TNGA riders.

Mulberry Gap is one of the final resupply points along the TNGA, located around mile 210. “We can be a saving grace depending on your mental state, or it can be dangerous because you can get comfortable here and get a shower and take a nice nap and be fed real food. The riders are mentally zonked and not thinking clearly. They just can’t function. It’s kinda scary.”

Eddie O’Dea has arguably experienced the worst of what the TNGA has to offer. In 2011, O’Dea was the sole finisher of the TNGA thanks to Tropical Storm Lee blowing through. “My entire body was like a body that had been floating in the river for too long,” O’Dea remembers.

He’s dealt with a seat post breaking just 100 miles in, bonking in the middle of the night in coyote territory, and riding for 10 hours without water during a dry year.

At the worst of it, over 24 hours into the ride, he’s even had mild hallucinations.

“I would start to see things, like a leaf on the ground, and think it was a crab,” he says. “Almost immediately the logical side of your brain is like, ‘that doesn’t make any sense there are no crabs in this part of Georgia,’ but that kinda stuff happened quite a bit.”

“It’s not a race, it’s an adventure,” says Muse. “Things are going to go wrong. If you finish it, it doesn’t just speak to your ability to ride a bike but to manage adversity.”

MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE ON A BIKE

CANAAN MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL CANAAN VALLEY, WEST VIRGINIA JUNE 15-18, 2017

Picture a bunch of adults who refused to grow up, riding around on bikes for four days straight. In a nutshell, that’s what you’ll get at this one-of-a-kind bike festival.

“It’s more organic. We don’t have any sponsors and demo trucks,” says festival founder Sue Haywood. “It gives the locals a chance to showcase their town and their trails and that can have a really positive, stimulating effect on any work that we do here for the trails or the biking community.”

The 9th annual Canaan Mountain Bike Festival kicks off Thursday evening with the weekly Ride at 5 (ish) with an optional timed Super D. Friday celebrates the lady riders, with an all-day women’s clinic headed by Haywood. In the evening, festivalgoers can “Run What Ya Brung” in the light-spirited, non-competitive trials. Saturday is filled with group rides ranging in length and difficulty and a party that raises funds for the Blackwater Bicycle Association.

Sunday is the don’t-miss bike hash, a two-wheeled rendition of the game Hare and the Hounds.

“The hash is a bike game like no other,” says Terri Souza.

Souza is one of the many attendees who makes the annual pilgrimage to Canaan Valley for the festival, and has done so for the past five years, despite hailing from Cape Cod, Mass.

“It is a festival that you truly don’t want to end and can’t wait until next year’s event,” Souza adds.

For Canaan Valley mountain bike racing veteran Roger Bird, those words ring particularly true. Bird now lives in Wisconsin, but a large majority of his nine-year professional cycling career was spent here in the valley.

“I’ve ridden all over the world. I’ve done races in France, Switzerland, British Columbia, and almost every state in the U.S. I always come back to Davis. I always come back to Canaan,” Bird says.

BEST EXCUSE TO RUN NAKED THROUGH THE WOODS FIG LEAF 5K

DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA APRIL 2017

If you’re prone to wild experiences and bucket list adventures, running naked through the woods during an organized event should be at the top of your list. Held on the grounds of Paradise Valley Resort and Club, a clothing optional resort in Georgia, this 5K has been going on for 19 years with astounding success. Our very own editor-in-chief Will Harlan bared all at the 5K a few years back.

“It’s amazing how much adrenaline you get from being naked,” he remembers. “Fear was just coursing through my veins. I probably ran my fastest 5K cause I was so jacked up and naked and nervous and embarrassed.”

What’s more, the race is held in early spring, which means chilly morning temps can certainly add to that embarrassment factor. In years past, race organizers have offered a modest fig leaf as a racing bib of sorts, but Harlan didn’t get that treatment.

Like a racehorse, his number was written right on his butt cheek.

“The flop factor is a serious concern for men and women,” Harlan says. “But post-race, it was completely normal. All of these people I’d seen at races for years were just buck naked in front of me talking to each other

about their upcoming race plans. It was hard with eye contact, because you wanted to stay focused on the person’s face,” but really, how often do you get the locker room experience in broad daylight?

MOST LIKELY TO SCORE A SIXPACK DEVILS BACKBONE MOUNTAIN CROSS BEECH GROVE, VA. APRIL 29—30, 2017

For 15 years, this gravel group ride (that’s right, it’s a ride, not a race) has been attracting over 200 riders to the mountains of central Virginia to partake not only in the stellar cycling but also its beer.

Longtime area cyclists Richard Pence and Anthony Bilotta, now in their 60s, know what a good course looks like—Pence organized the Virginia Cyclocross Series for 20 years while Bilotta started the Wintergreen Ascent and himself won the Virginia State Cyclocross Championships six times. The pair had been riding versions of this course with friends for 15 years before anyone thought to make an event out of it.

“We used to call it the Bourbon Ride cause we drank a lot of bourbon when we did it,” Bilotta says.

Now, riders indulge in locally crafted beer from Devils Backbone (the start and finish) instead of bourbon, but the spirit of the ride is still much intact. Participants can opt for the 63- or 35-mile option, over half of which are gravel roads totaling over 10,000 feet of elevation change.

To kick things off, riders tackle a 22 percent grade climb up Cub Creek Road just two miles into the ride.

But the free beer, community camaraderie, and suffer-for-a-cause mentality keeps riders coming back.

Proceeds from the event benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

HAVE AN AWESOME RACE IN YOUR

BACKYARD? Add it to our events calendar at BlueRidgeOutdoors.com/ Events-Calendar!

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

29

PHOTO BY CHRISTIN HEALEY

Tradition

discovers new paths on old mountains.

Bearfence Rock Scramble in Shenandoah National Park

Only two hours south of Washington DC, and nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville and Albemarle County VA, provide the perfect options for a weekend excursion. Join us as we celebrate the National Park Service turning 100 years old! As we look forward to the next 100 years, we invite you to explore Shenandoah National Park’s 500 miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as scenic kayak and fishing waters. Just down the road, explore the 30+ wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries along the Monticello Wine Trail. You’ll quickly discover why one day in the Charlottesville area just isn’t enough. Plan your next trip and request a visitor guide at visitcharlottesville.org/BROguide.

Where tradition is always new.

Running is...

WE ASKED FOUR REGIONAL LONG-DISTANCE TRAIL RUNNERS FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE TO FINISH THE SENTENCE “RUNNING IS…” THEIR ANSWER, AND MORE, IN THIS MONTH’S TRAIL RUNNING SPOTLIGHT.

by JESS DADDIO

MY HAPPY PLACE JORDAN CHANG BASE: Blacksburg, Va. AGE: 29 IF YOU’VE EVER FOUND yourself hiking on the Appalachian Trail near Catawba, Va., during a weekend, chances are you’ve passed

by Jordan Chang. Or, more likely, he’s passed by you. A Virginia Tech graduate and now Blacksburg-based physical therapist, the Baltimore native regularly takes the podium at a number of the region’s top races—last year, he won the Grayson Highlands 50K and in 2015, during his ninth running of Hellgate 100K, he finished third.

For Chang, these longer distance ultras are just a continuation of a passion that was planted long before he arrived in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, and long before

he knew what an ultra was. In high school, Chang ran cross-country and track all four years.

“I was pretty terrible,” he says.

“I was like a 16-minute, 5K guy.

Nothing stellar. I am not a naturally talented runner, but that’s the thing about running. If you put in the work, you’ll reap the benefits.”

So he put in the work. He kept running, despite being unable to make Tech’s cross-country and track teams. Instead, he turned his attention to the triathlon team and Tech’s then-budding ultra marathon scene. A long-distance rookie at best, Chang was undeterred by the mileage. If not the fastest runner, he was certainly the strongest of his fellow triathlon teammates. So in 2006, during the second semester of his freshman year, he ran his first ultra, the Holiday Lake 50K. “I had no idea what was going on,” he says. “I was wearing racing flats

and had a hand bottle. I went out fast like it was a marathon,” and when Jenn Shelton, the top contender in the women’s field, caught Chang just 10 miles into the race, he went faster. “I was just a teenager,” he remembers. “I was like, ‘I’m not going to be beat by a girl.’”

Chang kept the pace for well over 15 miles. It was a typical February day—cold, sometimes raining, sometimes snowing. Despite the race’s relatively flat course, Chang couldn’t keep stride. Jenn passed him.

He placed ninth in the men’s division, tail between his legs, ego limping behind.

“I crawled my way back to the finish line,” he says. “That was my first ultra, and I said, ‘I’m never doing another one.’”

Of course, once Chang swallowed his pride, he had a change of heart.

His performance at Holiday Lake made him want to run more, train

JORDAN CHANG DISCOVERED HIS LOVE OF ULTRARUNNING WHILE ATTENDING VIRGINIA TECH. NOW, AS DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, HE SERVES AS THE "TEAM DOC" FOR THE VT TRAIL AND ULTRARUNNING. photo courtesy JORDAN CHANG

more, see more. Since then, he’s run the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim in under 13 hours and placed tenth in the grueling Bear 100 in Utah. He’s a two-time Iron Mountain 50 Mile champion. He now works as the team doc for Tech’s ultrarunning club and wants these young runners to see, at heart, what running is all about.

“Running really taught me a lot of patience, especially ultrarunning.

It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight, or even in a year.

It’s something you build towards for months and years, but even then, the success is finding joy in what you do.

That’s why we do this. We do it for the love of it.”

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

31

HARD WORK DANIEL HAMILTON BASE: LaFayette, Ga. AGE: 28 FOR THE FIRST 11 YEARS of his life, Daniel Hamilton’s playground didn’t have swings or slides. There was no mulched area fenced in by watchful parents and seesaws. No, Daniel Hamilton had to do without the traditional sense of the word “playground.” But that’s okay. He had elephants and giraffes, lions and monkeys, and Africa’s highest summit, Mount Kilimanjaro, out his backdoor. For a child growing up in eastern Africa, the outdoors was all he had.

Which might have been his saving grace when his family uprooted their lives and moved to the quaint town of Franklin in western North Carolina.

“I was in trouble a lot at school,” Hamilton remembers. “I had played soccer a lot in Africa, so when I first got [to Franklin], I started running.

Once I started running, I stopped getting in trouble.”

And, once Hamilton stopped getting in trouble, he started to do better in school, in running, in life.

Suddenly, the prospect of college was on the table, a possibility he’d never considered.

“Running put pressure on me to rise to another level,” he says.

“I couldn’t always go out with my friends and do what I wanted to do, so I had to learn discipline really quickly. I started to do everything with purpose and it offered focus at a time when I really needed it.”

Hamilton went on to run the 1500 at King University in Bristol, where he received his degree in psychology.

When he graduated, he didn’t feel the supreme sense of freedom he was expecting. If anything, he felt fear.

IN HIGH SCHOOL, RUNNING KEPT DANIEL HAMILTON OUT OF TROUBLE. AS A HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND CROSSCOUNTRY COACH, HAMILTON IS HOPEFUL HIS OWN RELATIONSHIP WITH RUNNING WILL BE AN INSPIRATION TO YOUNGER GENERATIONS. photo courtesy DANIEL HAMILTON

32

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

“That transition out of college into the real world when you’ve been a collegiate athlete, it’s really hard,” he says. “A lot of mistakes post-collegiate athletes make are because they don’t keep running in their lives. They polarize against it. It wasn’t easy to keep running, because you don’t have the support system purely for running anymore. It’s like your four years are up, good luck.”

Recognizing not just the physical but also the psychological benefits running afforded him, Hamilton kept running and started signing up for races as a motivator. In 2014, he registered for his first-ever 50K, the StumpJump 50K in Chattanooga.

Surprising even himself, he won it.

The next year, Hamilton racked up even more trail time and more podiums—second overall at the Mountain Mist 50K in Huntsville, Ala.; first overall in the Mount Mitchell Challenge 40-miler; first at The Naturalist 50K where it all started in Franklin; and first again at the Lookout Mountain 50 Miler.

Hamilton’s now coping with some pretty big changes—in 2016, he married, became a father, and started a new job as a high school guidance counselor and high school cross-country and track coach. His relationship to running, it seems, has come full circle. From wayward student to collegiate athlete, racer, and now coach. If there’s one thing he wants his students to take away, it’s that running can be whatever you need or want it to be, if you’re willing to put in the work.

“I’m always wrestling with these feelings of inadequacy and need to achieve,” Hamilton says. “If you call those, say, my demons, running puts me right up against those. That’s why running is my best friend and my worst enemy. You get up every day and you work as hard as you can and sometimes things don’t work out, but that’s no reason to not go after something every single day like it’s your last day on Earth. Because sometimes things will work out and that is worth all those times things don’t.”

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

HOPE PHIL PHELAN BASE: Jacksonville, Fla., Linville Falls, N.C. AGE: 36 PHIL PHELAN WILL BE THE first to tell you that there was a point in his life when he had no faith. An alcoholic struggling to cope with his parents’ divorce, Phelan was floating in life, in work. The idea that his existence could serve some purpose was hardly a thought.

“When you have a dependency of that magnitude, you let everybody down around you,” he says. “You can say that you don’t, you can lie, but really and truthfully, you can’t lie to yourself.”

All of that changed in the year 1999. While the rest of the world was absorbed in the possibilities of mayhem and destruction at the hands of Y2K, Phelan was overwhelmed with peace and purpose in what became his terrestrial heaven, the

Linville Gorge.

“When I found Linville, that’s really when I started hiking,” Phelan remembers. “What drew me to Linville was the amount of virgin rock. It became apparent that that was some serious terrain.”

And that serious terrain presented a serious challenge. Though he’d primarily been a rock climber in the past, Phelan hung up his rack and strapped on a pair of boots. He was mesmerized by the Linville’s rugged trails, some of which had never been documented before. He started drawing maps and taking notes of his explorations in the Gorge, never thinking of it as anything more than a personal aide.

Then, in 2002, an idea started to take form. What if Phelan could hike PHIL PHELAN KNOWS THE LINVILLE GORGE BETTER THAN MOST. THAT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE HE'S MAPPED EVERY INCH OF IT AND HOLDS THE CURRENT SPEED RECORD FOR THE LINVILLE GORGE HIKING CIRCUIT. photo by NANNETTE WHITE

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

33

all of the Linville Wilderness in one concerted effort? It was something no one had ever done before, and he wasn’t entirely sure he could do it, or if he could, how long it would take. But in 2007, Phelan set out and completed the now infamous Linville Gorge Hiking Circuit, a 33.93-mile journey packed with over 16,000 feet of elevation, in just 23 hours and 10 minutes.

“I’m a firm believer that your mind will allow you to take you above and beyond,” Phelan says. “With speed records, it really comes down to: are you happy with where you’re at, or do you think you can do better? Is there something more than you think you have in the tank?”

Phelan knew he had more.

In 2013, he established another circuit, this time combining 161.2 miles of trails and over 62,000 feet of elevation between Grandfather Mountain, Linville Gorge, and Mount Mitchell. This circuit he completed in just four days, 23 hours, and 18 minutes. Two years later, Phelan set the self-supported speed record for the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive at 17 days and 16 minutes. Last year, Phelan attempted to establish a fastest known time (FKT) during his yo-yo thru-hike of the Florida National Scenic Trail, but was unsuccessful.

Now five years sober, Phelan looks at these long-distance trails much like his path to sobriety—inevitably hard, full of failure, but necessary.

Once one feat is accomplished, he says, there’s always another mountain to move.

“I don’t run from, I run for,” he says. “When I’m out there, it’s hard, absolutely. Have I cried? Absolutely.

You are going to get knocked down.

You know you’re going to fail. But you’ve got to go to the arena to fail.

Sometimes things don’t work out the way you want. Does that make you a failure? No, it does not. Sometimes things succeed. Does that make you a winner? No, it does not.”

Winning, in Phelan’s eyes, is more a measure of happiness and less about securing another FKT. Winning is 34

believing in yourself, no matter how small the accomplishments you make, no matter how slow the progress.

“As long as you can get out there and do something, if you can put one step forward, and maybe today you can only run a flat quarter-mile, if you just get up and start, that’s all it takes.”

MY CHANCE TO BE FREE MORGAN ELLIOTT BASE: Aspen, Colo., Asheville, N.C. AGE: 24 YOU’VE PROBABLY NEVER heard of Morgan Elliott. He likes it that way. Strong, slim, with a mess of unruly hair, Elliott exudes enthusiasm for life. Just a few years out of college, Elliott is relatively new to the world of ultrarunning.

He ran cross-country and track all throughout high school and during his time at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. But it wasn’t until May 2015 at the Quest for the Crest Race in western North Carolina that Elliott debuted at his first ultra.

Surprising everyone, he won with a time of 5:59.

“I chose that race because I felt like if I could do it, everything after that should feel easy,” Elliott says of the Quest for the Crest, a course that packs in over 11,000 feet of elevation

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

gain in its 33 miles. “It was kinda all or nothing for me when it came to picking my first ultra.”

That all-or-nothing attitude would go on to serve him well in 2016.

Despite his relatively newbie status, Elliott made a name for himself last year when he won the U.S. Skyrunner Series. It certainly didn’t come easily.

His first Skyrunner Series race of the year, Broken Arrow Skyrace in Lake Tahoe, seemed to have ended before it ever began. Elliott rolled his ankle just 10 days before the race, and the subsequent swelling prevented him from running for an entire week.

Then, on race day, things failed to improve.

“The conditions were swampy.

Anything that could have gone wrong went wrong—nutrition, altitude, got lost. It was the hardest race I have ever done. It put a bitter taste in my mouth about being out west and racing.”

So much so, in fact, that Elliott considered throwing in the towel then and there. Doubt set in. Despite having lived out of his car for an entire year around Asheville to train hard and save money to buy plane tickets to these Skyrunner events, he had failed. Although he was signed up for three more events, the next of which was the Audi Power of Four 50K in Aspen, Colo., Elliott was ready to back out altogether.

JUST OVER A YEAR INTO HIS ULTRARUNNING CAREER, 24-YEAR-OLD MORGAN ELLIOTT IS ALREADY A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, HAVING WON THE U.S. SKYRUNNER SERIES IN 2016. photo courtesy MORGAN ELLIOTT

“It totally deflated me,” he remembers. “When I came back to North Carolina, I was really bummed. It was a tough pill to swallow.”

Elliott’s mother gave her son the only advice she could—go to Aspen, forget about the race, forget about winning, and just have fun. Elliott was still hesitant about going. He decided to make a deal with himself.

If he placed in the top three in Aspen, he would continue the series.

If not, he would step down. Just days after that phone call with his mother, Elliott won the Audi Power of Four.

By the time Elliott crossed the finish line first at Flagstaff Skyrace 55K a few months later, the ultra community no longer saw him as just the shirtless kid with long hair.

He was stronger, wiser, more adept at handling the adversity inherent to running ultras. After spending a winter in Aspen training at altitude and teaching himself to ski, he’s ready to hit the ground running as part of Team Inov-8. He plans to run the Rut 50K in Montana later this year and defend his title as Skyrunner Series champion.

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

2017 RACE & EVENT PLANNER SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

UNITED AIRLINES ROCK ‘N’ ROLL WASHINGTON DC MARATHON & ½ MARATHON March 11, 2017 | Washington, DC

THE FOUNDERS SUMMIT AT THE TOM TOM FOUNDERS FESTIVAL April 13–15, 2017 | Charlottesville, VA

Toe the line on iconic Constitution Avenue and enjoy monumental views of historic landmarks as you shut down Capitol Hill and take to the streets. Celebrate Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series’ 20 Years Running and party post race with a headliner concert featuring The Family Stone.

The nation’s premier creative entrepreneurs convene at the Founders Summit to offer advice on starting anything, anywhere. Set amidst the 6th Annual Tom Tom-- 60+ bands, 200+ speakers, and dozens of creative events throughout the historic downtown-- get inspired to launch the next big idea.

RunRocknRoll.com/DC

TomTomFest.com

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL RALEIGH MARATHON & ½ MARATHON April 1-2, 2017 | Raleigh, NC

VIRGINIA’S OUTDOOR LOVERS EXPO April 22, 2017 | Radford, VA

FOOT LEVELERS BLUE RIDGE MARATHON, HALF MARATHON, DOUBLE & ANTHEM STAR 10K April 22, 2017 | Roanoke, VA Blue Ridge has earned its title as “America’s Toughest Road Marathon” by challenging runners with more elevation change than any road race. All distances are challenging on this mountainous course, but runners are rewarded with epic views, unparalleled support, music and beer at the festival finish.

BlueRidgeMarathon.com

Experience a spring race day in a city where southern charm meets sophisticated metropolis in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Take on the Remix Challenge for two days of running, three times the bling and a chance to see the capital city up close on foot.

The expo is dedicated towards raising awareness of the wonderful outdoor recreation opportunities in Southwest Virginia. Spend the day learning about new destinations to hike, bike, kayak, and talk to local businesses, clubs, and outdoor organizations about getting you on your next adventure.

RunRocknRoll.com/Raleigh

SWVAOutdoorExpo.com

DEVILS BACKBONE MOUNTAIN CROSS AND THE BLUE RIDGE METRIC April 29-30, 2017 | Beech Grove, VA A weekend of amazing cycling in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Start Saturday with a beautiful gravel ride with 63 and 35 mile options. An all paved 63 or 45 mile ride on Sunday with epic climbs and descents in the scenic mountains.

BikeReg.com/devils-backbone-mt-crossand-the-blue-ridge-metric

THIRD ANNUAL

PA RT OF T HE

APRIL 13—15, 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

featu

g rin

New Belgium Brewing

50 inspiring innovators.

3 transformative days.

Found Yourself.

Use code BROREADER to get 20% off your ticket

Hear how Kim Jordan turned a background in social work and a basement-based brewery into New Belgium Brewing Company, the nation’s eighth-largest brewer and an employee-owned sustainability superstar.

April 10—16, 2017 A weeklong celebration of artists, civic leaders, and entrepreneurs who shape communities across the nation.

60+ BANDS 200+ SPEAKERS $1M+ STARTUP CAPITAL

F u l l S c h ed u l e a t tom tom f es t. c om

2017 RACE & EVENT PLANNER SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Athletes and spectators alike love these annual competitions in the Alleghany Highlands. Pristine lakes and rivers and courses with stunning mountain views make these scenic races Uniquely Alleghany.

Don’t let the peaceful mountain views fool you.

This summer, it’s Game On!

May 6, 2017

Alleghany Highlands Big Bass Tournament

May 7, 2017

Middle Mountain Momma Mountain Bike Race

May 20, 2017

The Alleghany Highlands Triathlon

June 24, 2017

The Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k and 1 Mile Run

July 22, 2017

The Alleghany Gran Fondo Cycling Event

August 5, 2017

Lake Moomaw One Mile Open Water Swim

visitalleghanyhighlands.com/featured-events 540-962-2178 · 888-430-5786

Like us on

B LUE R IDG E OU TD OORS GUIDE TO 25 COMPE T IT IONS TO C ONQUE R & E V E NTS TO R O CK

31ST ANNUAL GREAT GREENBRIER RIVER RACE April 29, 2017 Marlinton, WV Grab your running shoes, bike, and boat and head to Marlinton, WV for the 30th Annual Great Greenbrier River Race. This 17 mile triathlon is for the old, young and the young at heart.

Online registration is available at TriStateRacer.com. Hope to see you there!!

31ST ANNUAL

GREAT GREENBRIER RIVER RACE

Wordpress.GreenBrierRiverTrail.com

APRIL 29, 2017

RUN, ROW, AND BIKE THIS 17-MILE TRIATHLON IN AND AROUND BEAUTIFUL MARLINTON WV Register online at TriStateRacer.com or call 800.336.7009 for more information.

Find us online at GreenbrierRiverTrail.com After the race, enjoy a great lunch and some rockin’ music!

ST. JUDE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL NASHVILLE MARATHON & ½ MARATHON April 29, 2017 Nashville, TN Run the Music City streets, voted the world’s #1 destination! Ready your mark on Lower Broadway and race past musical sites like the Country Music Hall of Fame, Music Row and renowned honkytonks. Be entertained by live music and the best crowd support every step of the way.

RunRocknRoll.com/Nashville

SPRING SHAKORI HILLS GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL OF MUSIC & DANCE May 4-7, 2017 Pittsboro, NC The 15th annual spring festival features over 40 bands on 4 stages. Located on 72 beautiful farmland acres in central NC, just down the road from Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Greensboro.

Local crafts, delicious food, kids’ activities, healing arts, music and dance workshops, environmental sustainability forums, camping, and much more in a family-friendly setting.

ShakoriHillsGrassroots.org

Back when they were known as merely upand-comers, country superstars Lady Antebellum entertained runners at the postrace concert held at the Sommet Center.

CELEBRATE 20 YEARS RUNNING

Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh extended the music beyond the course to make it a full weekend of music. Multiplatinum artist Gavin DeGraw kicked off the weekend with a special night concert at Red Hat Amphitheater.

Rock ‘n’ Roll comes to the capital city to kick off its inaugural year!

To date it’s the largest marathon event in North Carolina.

Joe Harris completes his 100th Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series race by completing the half marathon at Rock ‘n’ Roll DC. No one has run more Rock ‘n’ Roll events to date!

Almost 6000 participants took to the Start Line for the inaugural Country Music Marathon. Today, closer to 35,000 participate.

The Start Line moved to iconic Constitution Avenue.

USING CODE:

ROCKSPRING

MAR 11, 2017

APR 1-2, 2017

APR 29, 2017

M A R AT H O N | 1 /2 M A R AT H O N | 5 K | K i D S R O C K *

*Valid on all domestic spring 2017 marathon and 1/2 marathon distances only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Expires 3/1/17. KiDS ROCK in Nashville only.

2017 RACE & EVENT PLANNER SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Two Great Bike Rides in Beautiful Nelson County, VA

APRIL 29 AND

APRIL 30

DEVILS BACKBONE BREWING COMPANY

FRENCH BROAD RIVER FESTIVAL May 5-7, 2017 | Hot Springs, NC Kick off the spring outdoor season in the Appalachians at what will be an epic 20th annual French Broad River Festival. It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater and mountain bike races, hiking, kids village, camping and musical acts including Keller Williams, Larry Keel Experience, Keller & The Keels, Cabinet, Sol Driven Train, Snake Oil Medicine Show, Empire Strikes Brass and much, much more. What better way to enjoy spring in these mountains? Early bird tickets are available for a limited time.

FrenchBroadRiverFestival.com FREDERICK RUNNING FESTIVAL May 6-7, 2017 | Frederick, MD

REGISTRATION AT BIKEREG.COM/DEVILS-BACKBONE-MOUNTAIN-CROSS UNTIL APRIL 28 @ 4PM REGISTER FOR A WEEKEND GETAWAY CALL 800-282-8223

Tucked away in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., the Frederick Running Festival is one of the hidden gems of the running community.

Now in its 15th year, the festival features four races, which all finish at the Frederick Fairgrounds. Runners can experience a bigtime race with small town charm with off-site packet pick-up in the DMV suburbs. Choose between a half-marathon and two-person team relay on Sunday or the 5K and Kid’s Fun Run on Saturday. Or run both days and compete in the Nut Job Challenge. Part of the Maryland Double and the King Crab Challenge.

FrederickRunFest.com DELAWARE RUNNING FESTIVAL May 13-14, 2017 | Wilmington, DE The newest of the Corrigan Sports family of Running Festivals, the Delaware Running Festival is your next challenge. “The course has a lot of variety, and gives visitors a tour of many of the most interesting and beautiful parts of the city,” said one past participant from Pennsylvania. Choose from a full marathon, halfmarathon or 4-person relay on Sunday or the new 5k or kids fun run on Saturday.

DelawareMarathon.org

2017 RACE & EVENT PLANNER SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

S I G N U P F O R T H E O B S TA C L E C O U R S E R A C E

THAT REINVENTED THE 5K L E AV E Y O U R N O R M A L W E E K E N D I N T H E M U D F I N D A 2 0 1 7 L O C AT I O N N E A R Y O U AT W W W . WA R R I O R D A S H . C O M

EXPERIENCE AMERICA’S FRIENDLIEST MARATHON! RICHMONDMARATHON.ORG NOVEMBER 11 Featuring a downhill finish, post-race fun, and our 40th birthday party on the riverfront!

WEST BROAD

HONDA

Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, and its service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ®ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

B LUE R IDG E OU TD OORS GUIDE TO 25 COMPE T IT IONS TO C ONQUE R & E V E NTS TO R O CK

MUD ON THE MOUNTAIN May 13, 2017 | Seven Springs, PA Mud on the Mountain offers athletes a chance to get down and dirty atop the beautiful Laurel Highlands. The seven mile mud run course winds its way up, down and through some of the most challenging terrain in Pennsylvania.

Recovery Party in the Foggy Goggle.

7springs.com/events/mud-on-the-mountain

TOUR DE BLOUNT May 20, 2017 | Townsend, TN Set your wheels in motion for the 26th annual Tour de Blount on May 20, 2017. Cycle through the rolling landscapes in the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and take in all the beauty this ride has to offer.

Facebook.com/TourDeBlount

BALTIMORE 10-MILER June 3, 2017 | Baltimore, MD Now in its 10th year, the Baltimore 10-Miler has become an annual rite of summer for the local running community. The scenic trek starts and ends at the Maryland Zoo and includes runthrough visits of Druid Hill Park and around Lake Montebello. Finish with one of the best post-race parties around with live music, watermelons, cold towels and complimentary beer. Also receive one of the coolest race premiums in the industry. Leg # 2 of the King Crab Challenge. Register early to avoid sell-out.

Baltimore10Miler.com

BIKE VIRGINIA TOUR June 23-28, 2017 Ride this fun-filled bike adventure for training or the ultimate way to unwind. Route choices 10-100 miles daily, 400 miles total. Camping, hotels, live music, great food, history, scenery, & new friends. 30th anniversary year. Weekend, 6 Day or Weekday options. Team discounts.

BikeVirginia.org

2017 RACE & EVENT PLANNER SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BATH COUNTY TRIATHLON MOOMAW MADNESS June 24, 2017 | Warm Springs, VA Nestled in the Virginia’s Western Highlands, Bath County is one of the hidden gems of TriAdventure. The Bath County Triathlon includes a 750 meter open water swim, 20k bike loop and a 5k run on closed roads. Awards and post race meal will be provided.

TriAdventure.com THE JACKSON RIVER SCENIC TRAIL MARATHON, HALF MARATHON, 10K, 5K AND 1 MILE FUN RUN June 24, 2017 | Covington, VA This event has something for everyone! With the completion of the certified course, this year offers a full Marathon. The trail follows an old railroad bed of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The course has a smooth crushed gravel surface and is mostly flat.

RunSignUp.com/Race/Events/VA/ Covington/JRSTHalf

HOPS IN THE HILLS CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL- A CELEBRATION OF FERMENTATION June 24, 2017 | Maryville, TN Come try some of the best craft beer that Tennessee and regional brewers have to offer.

Hops in the Hills is taking over Downtown Maryville! Stroll through the streets of our historical downtown, meet and talk with the actual brewers…Bonus…The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be your backdrop.

It’s a Celebration of Fermentation.

HopsintheHills.com WATOGA STATE PARK MOUNTAIN TRAIL CHALLENGE 5K & HALF MARATHON RACES August 12, 2017 | Marlinton, WV Beat the heat! It’s cool in the mountains. Come to beautiful Pocahontas County, WV, for a tough half marathon or a beautiful 5K on historic park trails. Both races start and finish at Watoga’s Beaver Creek Campground. Early morning start times plus well-marked trails and a post-race

luncheon make for a great time!

WatogaFoundation.org/Race THE 8TH ANNUAL FESTY EXPERIENCE October 6-8, 2017 | Arrington, VA The 8th Annual Festy Experience takes place October 6-8, 2017 in the Blue Ridge Bowl at Infinity Downs Farm in Arrington, VA. The Festy combines world class Americana/Bluegrass music and Craft Food/Beer with a very family friendly outdoor experience. Camp for the weekend or come for the day!

TheFesty.com THE BALTIMORE RUNNING FESTIVAL October 21, 2017 | Baltimore, MD 17 years and running and this one keeps getting better! With five distances to choose from, and all runners snagging a great Under Armour shirt and an amazing medal, this is one you can’t miss.

Highly motivated runners can earn extra swag by completing the Maryland Double or the King Crab Challenge by running in other Corrigan Sports races. Sign up fast before it sells out!

TheBaltimoreMarathon.com

May 20, 2017 See beautiful Blount County in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

am www.facebook.com/tourdeblount

2017 RACE & EVENT PLANNER SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ANTHEM RICHMOND MARATHON, HALF MARATHON & 8K November 11, 2017 | Richmond, VA Our scenic course showcases some of our city’s favorite attributes. With street art and river views, historic architecture and beautiful parks, runners are treated to a unique and unforgettable tour of Richmond that ends with a downhill finish and post-race party on the riverfront!

FRANKFORT, KY STRIDERS SERIES 2017 Check out all dates and locations online!

WATOGA STATE PARK

Frankfort wants to help motivate the running community to participate in local races, support business’ and charities, and stay active! By completing races on this calendar you can receive goodies to use at the series celebration!

Just register and complete as many of the races as possible! Happy running!

FrankfortStriders.com/Strider-Series-2017

RichmondMarathon.org

MARTINSVILLE EVENTS Martinsville, VA

WARRIOR DASH Check out all dates and locations online!

Throughout the year, Martinsville-Henry County, Virginia has a variety of competitions for racing enthusiasts to enjoy. Whether you run, bike, or paddle, we have an event for you!

Warrior Dash lets you do something different with your weekend. It’s the obstacle course race that anyone can start and everyone can finish.

This 5K run allows you to conquer 12 worldclass obstacles and an ice cold beer (or two).

VisitMartinsville.com

WarriorDash.com

Half Marathon & 5K

August 12, 2017

watogafoundation.org

VISITFRANKFORT.COM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Friday, MARCH 17 SATURDAY, MARCH 25 SATURDAY, APRIL 1 SATURDAY, APRIL 15 FRIDAY, APRIL 21 SATURDAY, APRIL 29 SATURDAY, MAY 13 SATURDAY, MAY 27 SATURDAY, JUNE 3 SATURDAY, JUNE 24

BE MY STRIDER 3K RUN FOR THE GOLD 3K SALATO RUNNING WILD 4 MILE TRAIL FIND THE FRIDGE 8K TRAIL DAPHNE’S LEGACY 5K PRO.ACTIVE FOR LIFE 5K TFCA GLO RUN 5K WORLD VISION 6K FOR CLEAN WATER UNITED WAY 3K FUNNEL CAKE 5K RIVER BLAST RIVER RUN 3K

FRANKFORTSTRIDERS.COM Don’t forget these great Frankfort, KY events: Saturday, June 24 Frankfort River Blast Festival Sunday, September 10 Josephine Sculpture Park Fall Arts Festival sunday, october 15 Canoe Kentucky Paddlepalooza

SATURDAY, JULY 8 THURSDAY, JULY 27 FRIDAY, AUGUST, 18 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27 Thursday, November 23 Sunday, december 3 Thursday, december 21

THE VIEW: TRAIL HALF/QUARTER/5K TO BE FRANK 5K UNITED WAY KICKOFF 5K LET’S PLAY 3K FCHS TRAILS FOR TAILS 5K KY HISTORY HALF BLACK CAT CHASE 5K Thanksgiving walk of awareness Frankfort frosty 5k Jingle bell 3k

VISIT GLASGOW

great live music

lives on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall 110 East Main Street Charlottesville, VA 22902

OPEN 24/7/365 4 BARREN RIVER LAKE 4 MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK 4 BRIGADOON NATURE PRESERVE 4 HISTORIC PLAZA THEATRE 4 SOUTH CENTRAL KY CULTURAL CENTER 4 KENNY’S FARMHOUSE CHEESE 4 FORT WILLIAMS, A CIVIL WAR FORT 4 FARMERS MARKETS 4 ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

www.visitGlasgowBarren.com

BLIND PILOT PAPADOSIO WITH JAW GEMS WHO'S BAD THE ULTIMATE MICHAEL JACKSON TRIBUTE 3WV WELCOMES ZOSO THE ULTIMATE LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE THE CADILLAC THREE MOON HOOCH SLEIGH BELLS WITH TUNDE OLANIRAN SIRIUSXM JAM ON PRESENTS GALACTIC WITH CON BRIO HITKICKER 99.7 PRESENTS ELI YOUNG BAND LOCAL NATIVES

FEB 6 FEB 9 FEB 11 FEB 16 FEB 18 FEB 28 MAR 1 MAR 16 MAR 17 MAR 21

1-800-264-3161

W

Your Adventure in Laurel County

hether you enjoy riding your bike in the cycling capital of Kentucky, hether you enjoy riding your bike in the cycling capital of Kentucky, hiking in the Daniel Boone National Forest, boating on the stunning beauty of hiking in the Daniel Boone National Forest, boating on the stunning beauty of Laurel River Lake, or attending one of our many special events, your outdoor Laurel River Lake, or attending one of our many special events, your outdoor adventure awaits in London-Laurel County. Centrally located along I-75 and adventure awaits in London-Laurel County. Centrally located along I-75 and the Hal Rogers Parkway in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest, the Hal Rogers Parkway in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest, Laurel County is conveniently situated within a short drive to many of Laurel County is conveniently situated within a short drive to many of Kentucky’s finest attractions!

Kentucky’s finest attractions!

800-348-0095 • www.laurelkytourism.com 800-348-0095 • www.laurelkytourism.com

London-Laurel County Tourism • 140 Faith Assembly Church Road • London, KY 40741 London-Laurel County Tourism • 140 Faith Assembly Church Road • London, KY 40741

46

venture in

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / R I C H M O N D / VA B E A C H E D I T I O N

JOHNNYSWIM

THURSDAY, MARCH 23

103 S. 1st Street Charlottesville, VA 22902

MARGARET GLASPY WITH BAD BAD HATS SPAFFORD PWR BTTM WITH MAL BLUM AND THE BLUMS AND NAKED GIANTS THAT 1 GUY STRAUN SHIELDS WITH DILLINGHAM AND JEREMY MOORE MARGO PRICE COLONY HOUSE WITH DEEP SEA DIVER RIVER WHYLESS CHICANO BATMAN WITH 79.5 AND SAD GIRL

SURFER BLOOD APR 22

FEB 8 FEB 12 FEB 15 FEB 20 FEB 22 FEB 25 MAR 5 MAR 7 MAR 24

PENNY & SPARROW MAY 2

For full calendar listings visit: SPRINTPAVILION.COM - JEFFERSONTHEATER.COM - THESOUTHERNCVILLE.COM

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

by CHRIS OLSON

T

here we sat, huddled together at the newest brewery in town, first time together in months. With a slideshow of photos at the ready, I couldn’t wait to hear what intrigued my friends the most about our summer of adventure.

Would it be the unforgettable seaside climbing, from which we lived minutes away? Perhaps they’d want to learn our ‘secret spots’, discovered from living, and playing in a well known national park? Or maybe it would be the laughable details surrounding how I had just spent every Saturday evening of summer wearing a Bigfoot costume, in exchange for free camping? Four months, and a deluge of topics from which to choose, led to a few moments of silence before, “So…you lived in a tent all summer with your wife?…And you’re still married? How did you guys not kill each other?”

“Yeah”, said another friend. “I mean, my wife and I live in a 1,400 square foot townhouse and sometimes we

just need our own space. How does that work in a tent?”

It became apparent that the most interesting feature of our summer in Acadia National Park was, simply, the fact that my wife and I had survived each others’ company. I went home that night pondering an aspect of adventure that I’d never given significant thought to before: sharing it with someone you love.

It wasn’t hard to recall memories so intertwined with this unique dynamic of exploring outside alongside my better half. There was the time my wife and I disagreed on where to set up our tent, while on a windswept coast in Newfoundland. I vowed for the epic spot, perched atop the

signature 80-foot cliffs protecting the coast beneath us, while she argued for the wind-sheltered site 100 yards back. We went with the former, and I got some incredible pictures as a result. We also got no sleep, and ended up moving the tent to her spot, in the dark, at 3am, because things were whipping so badly out of control. In case you were wondering, the eye roll of an angry woman can, indeed, still be seen in the dark of night.

I began to see why it was such a topic of intrigue for my friends.

Unlike peanut butter and jelly, or rice and beans, love and adventure don’t always mix. In fact, that controversial pair of words likely just gave you either immense joy or left you cursing

It became apparent that the most interesting feature of our summer in Acadia National Park was, simply, the fact that my wife and I had survived each others’ company.

the invention of so called two-person tents (honestly, do they actually test these things with full size human beings?). It’s not hard to see why finding a partner with whom to share your adventures is such an elusive feat. After all, in order for it to work, a lot has to go your way, in a world where it often does the opposite.

Weather changes, gear fails, bodies get dirty, muscles get tired, opinions differ, and tempers get short. It may not sound like a recipe for creating love, but when done correctly, sharing your world of adventure with a romantic partner can give you both immense satisfaction. Difficult to describe, and even harder to replicate, the feeling of walking through wild places with the one you love will forever be with you.

Of course, just as likely a scenario when you set out with your dear amore is that your once sacred weekend adventure is now filled with life-sucking arguments and bickering.

Tread carefully, my friend. It’s not all

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

47

February Special FREE SHIPPING WHEN YOU BUY A PRINT SUBSCRIPTION & A SHIRT!

is for

g n i n n Ru Winter

gear up at: 48

SHOP.BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

crozetrunning.com 434-205-4452 facebook.com/crozetrunning @CrozetRunning

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017 R I C H M O N D / VA B E A C H E D I T I O N

run better. walk better. live better.

SELECT “FEBRUARY SPECIAL” AS SHIPPING METHOD AT CHECKOUT.

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

sunshine and rainbows, and there will probably be times when you wish you were alone. Finding the right person is the biggest hurdle, but if love is in the air, and you’re set on bringing it with you on your next adventure, here is some advice from my own experiences to make it a success.

#1

KNOW YOUR PARTNER’S LIMITS

YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME GOALS or comfort levels on a trip or in certain environments.

That’s okay, as long as you understand the difference from the start. I know my wife skis slow (sorry babe, it’s true), would rather leave her climbing harness at home, and thanks to a crying fit of terror in Kolob Canyon, Utah, is terrified of mountain lions. In the same way, she knows how much I struggle with camp dishes, and how swimming in the ocean freaks me out (have you seen the size of marine animals?), despite her complete comfort with the notion. Although being outside your comfort zone is often part of the allure, we both try to remain aware of how far past that line we might be getting for the other.

Difficult to describe, and even harder to replicate, the feeling of walking through wild places, with the one you love, will forever be with you.

#2

FLIP FLOP THE LEADER

UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED by your partner, you shouldn’t always be the one leading, whether selecting the day’s goals or actually out on the trail. My wife and I will often alternate who sets the day’s objectives. This can be as simple as selecting what we’re doing, or more complex, involving the overall feel of the day (i.e. ‘I’d like today to feel relaxed’). Often, while hiking, my wife and I will flip flop who’s up front. This is a great way to ensure that neither of us are always second to that amazing view around the bend. We both maintain that feeling of discovery and setting the pace, with neither subjected to the backpack in front view for too long.

#3

SHARE CAMP CHORES

YOU’RE TIRED, YOU’RE HUNGRY, the sun is going down, and all you want to do is sit still, while your partner sets up camp. If the hike has revealed that you never want to see this person again, then by all means continue with this brilliant strategy. Otherwise, get up and do something! Maybe your ‘never ever’ chores are things that they don’t mind doing, and vice versa.

If you both dread the same chores, alternate who has to do them. As long as you are contributing in some way, you’ll avoid the sour mood created by a partner who was just forced to do all the work at the end of a long day.

#4

MAINTAIN YOUR OWN SPACE, HOWEVER SMALL IT MAY BE

WHETHER IT’S A SADDLE BAG ON A BIKE, a vestibule in a tent, or the lid of a backpack, you should always keep an area to which only you have access. People need their own space, even in the healthiest of relationships and the smallest of spaces. A lot of it just comes down to organization, but it’s also a mental boost. I’m a lot happier knowing I can find my chapstick, headlight, or whatever it may be without having to dig through my wife’s gear too.

#5

DON’T FORGET ABOUT HYGIENE

BABY WIPES, A CLOTH WITH CLEAN WATER, AND A TOOTHBRUSH can go a long way towards happily inhabiting a small space with someone else. This should apply whether you’re thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail or just looking to transform your tent into a love shack on the next car camping trip.

Admittedly, it will never be the same as a hot shower at home, and if you’re not at least a little dirty, then you’re not trying hard enough. Just keep this in mind: love and adventure can be a wild mix, but you’ll have a lot more fun together if it doesn’t always smell like one.

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

49

WHAT’S NEW AT THE NEW

by JESS DADDIO

THE NEW RIVER GORGE AREA IN SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR ITS OUTSTANDING WHITEWATER AND CLIMBING SCENE. BUT WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THIS RECREATION HUB?

F

ayetteville, W.Va., as a recreation destination is old news. Paddlers have frequented the New and Gauley rivers since the dawn of the rafting industry in the mid-‘60s. Climbers have been racking up routes nearly as long, with development spiking in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

The quality of those natural assets is not lost on the recreation community. The New and Gauley rivers both regularly find their place on top 10 lists of the best whitewater runs in the world. Big projects from professional climbers the likes of Chris Sharma have put the New’s sandstone cliffs in the international spotlight.

But some worry that the worldclass whitewater and climbing isn’t enough. The rafting industry in particular has seen a steady decline in customer numbers over the past 15 years. In 1996, over 250,000 guests rafted with a West Virginia outfitter on the New, Gauley, Cheat, Shenandoah, or Tygart rivers. In 2013, that number dropped to just over 112,000 rafters.

Still, dollars spent on outdoor recreation remain a huge part of the 50

economy here. In 2006, America Outdoors released an economic impact study of the New River Gorge National River on the four-county region. The study concluded that visitors who came for a recreational experience on the river annually spent more than $130 million. A year later, Gauley Fest published its own economic impact study, which found that the 3,500 festival participants funneled over $1 million back to the local economy throughout the twoday event.

Recognizing an opportunity, the non-profit New River Gorge Trail Alliance (NRGTA) wants to create a network of multiuse trails spanning over 300 miles across six different counties, ultimately connecting Fayetteville to Canaan Valley.

“We already have the natural resources, and we already have population centers close by. We just don’t have enough recreational infrastructure,” says NRGTA volunteer Steve Jones. “Whitewater and climbing are not enough. You need something that’s dynamic, and mountain biking is one of the fastest growing adventure sports.”

Jones is one of the key grant

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

writers for the NRGTA, comprised of over 20 organizations and businesses, ranging from the park service to the county government. Last September, the non-profit secured a $140,000 POWER grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, which will pay for the planning needed to construct 150 miles of connective trails to pre-existing rail-trails and singletrack systems. Jones says the energy for the project, and the funds, are all there. The timing feels right.

The challenge will be keeping the momentum in years to come.

“It takes long-term energy, not just short bursts,” says Jones. “We’re talking multi-year commitment. It’s a pretty mature process. It’s not just a group of people going out for a few weekends scratching some dirt.”

Fortunately, the New River Gorge Area has a dedicated core community, like New River Bikes owner Andy Forron. Born and raised just up the road in Summersville, Forron is deeply entrenched in the biking scene both as an individual and as a business owner.

He was thrilled by the number of tourists and locals who began exploring the Arrowhead Trail System when it was built in the New River Gorge in 2011. Forron is confident that this extended network of rideable trails will sustain that interest and begin to address some of the larger issues facing the region, namely health and employment.

Between 2007 and 2011, 34.4 percent of Fayette County residents

photo by CHRIS JACKSON

did not engage in physical activity, which might explain the 33.4 percent obesity rate. Couple that with alarming trends in drug overdoses, consistently poor-ranking educational institutions, and an unemployment rate of 10.6 percent, and you have what many consider a recipe for disaster. Or, as the NRGTA sees it, a stage for change.

NRGTA President Bill Wells believes this expanded trail system will foster small business growth throughout the region and also improve quality of life for residents.

Continually improving quality of life, he says, should attract larger industries to the area, which could help fill the void left by the declining coal industry. As the semi-retired Vice President of United Coal Company, Wells is well aware that the average $15,000 salary of most seasonal recreational jobs is not enough to sustain former coal miners used to a $60,000+ paycheck.

Construction has already begun on the four-mile Fayetteville Recreation Trail. If the NRGTA’s POWER implementation grant is approved, construction on the 150 miles of connector trails will begin this summer with a 30-month timeline for completion.

WANT TO LEND A HELPING HAND?

Become a NRGTA member and stay in touch with upcoming trail maintenance events at Facebook.com/NRGTA.

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

17th Annual • Visit our new expanded location at Meadow Events Center off Interstate 95, near Richmond, VA • Admission includes wine tastings from Virginia’s best vintners • Extensive children’s program with free instruction • Boy Scouts can earn their Fly Fishing Merit Badges • New Indoor “Kayak Testing Pond” Try before you buy!

2017 SPEAKERS Lefty Kreh • Wanda Taylor • Bob Clouser • Beau Beasley Dave Whitlock • Brian Okeefe • Oliver White • Ed Jaworoski Rocky Rockwell • Blane Chocklette • Joe Mahler • Captain Gary Dubiel Cory Routh • Al Alborn • Patrick Fulkrod • Walt Cary Greg Senyo • Christie Rother • Jon Hooper • Bessie Bucholz Kiki Galvin • Colby Trow • King Montgomery

Daily Admission $20 • 9am-5pm www.vaflyfishingfestival.org

THE GOODS

FEETURE ELITE MERINO ($16.99) I like the slim, snug feel of these socks, and they don’t rub or chafe on my ankle. There’s no toe seam, and the Merino wool wicks pretty well.

0 2 . 17

NEW KID ON THE TRAIL

COLUMBIA MONTRAIL CALDONADO II ($120) A featherweight 10.4 ounces, these nimble trail shoes are quick and responsive on technical terrain. Completely redesigned, the Caldonado II features an easy-fit, fully integrated tongue and a seamless toe cap.

Built for speed on rugged trails, these shoes offer a fun, fast, fluid ride.

ERICK WHITE’S GO-TO GEAR

by GRAHAM AVERILL

E

rick White wasn’t always a long-distance runner. The 23-year-old Philadelphia native grew up playing soccer and running the 800 on his school’s track team, but after moving to Atlanta in August, he discovered his love (and talent) for running distance. This year, White won the StumpJump 15K, a fast, technical trail race on Lookout Mountain outside of Chattanooga, and placed fourth overall at the Georgia Marathon.

It was White’s first time running a marathon, and the finish earned him the chance to compete in the Boston Marathon in the fall.

The StumpJump win was just as surprising to White. “I hadn’t raced on trails in years, and then it was all singletrack so there’s no room to maneuver,” White says. “The terrain was so different than most races— rocky, trails that aren’t well defined.

Honestly, I’m surprised I didn’t get lost.”

White, who races for Front Runners, Atlanta’s LGBT running club, is still getting used to running in the Southern heat. But he’s enjoying exploring Atlanta’s surprisingly robust trail scene.

“Running is such a great way to relieve stress. It’s so meditative, and you can always find a good group of people to run with.”

We asked White to detail the gear he relies on during his runs.

Here’s his minimalist take on running gear.

52

UNDER ARMOUR NO BREAKS ($60) I’m always looking to cut weight, so I usually run without a shirt, and I prefer wearing split shirts.

In the winter, I run warm and I can handle the cold pretty well. But if it’s really cold, I make sure I have tights on my legs to keep them warm. I like Under Armour No Breaks tights. These have built-in briefs, a key pocket and just enough compression in the fabric.

GEL BLOCKS ($2.79) Obviously, food is important on longer runs. I like those Clif Gel Blocks. I can manage to keep a few of them in my shorts while I’m running.

Sometimes I keep it simple with oranges and bananas too, for the electrolytes. Those Sport Beans do well too. They’re quick and easy and I can get them down without too much effort.

THE MARATHON STICK ($31.95) I always bring The Stick to roll out my legs before and after the run. I think it helps with recovery after a long run.

MORE GEAR

MIZUNO WAVE RIDER 20 ($120) I have to run in these. I have a light pronation, and these provide good stability. They’re lightweight, but really soft. And they make a waterproof version now.

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

SHOWERS PASS CROSSPOINT HARDSHELL GLOVES ($95) These are the gloves you want for winter adventure in the mountains. Waterproof, rugged, and durable, they can handle rip-roaring snowsports action or burly winter summits. Yet they are also flexible and maneuverable, providing outstanding dexterity. Most importantly, they keep digits toasty warm even on frigid nights in the backcountry.

AFTERSHOKZ TITANIUM TREKZ HEADPHONES ($130) Lightweight and sweatproof, these wireless bluetooth headphones use bone conduction technology and an open-ear design to provide stereo sound and crystal clear communication while still allowing you to hear your surroundings safely.

BlueRidgeOutdoors

Electric KNOXVILLE XL-S ($120) These lightweight, full-coverage frames are built for performance.

Polarized polycarbonate lenses protect from UV and blue light, and the scratch-resistant, hydrophobic lens coatings hold up well on rugged backcountry outings.

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

TRAIL MIX

0 2 . 17

Keller Williams is covering a lot of ground throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions this winter and spring. He’ll team with up Leo Kottke for a series of Shut the Folk Up and Listen duo shows at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, N.C., on February 16, the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, N.C., on February 17, the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C., on February 18, and the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Ga., on April 7. He’s playing solo shows at the Bright Box in Winchester, Va., on March 3 and at the Harvester Performance Center in Rocky Mount, Va., on March 4.

He’ll also bring new band KWahtro to the VA Beach Funk Out in Virginia Beach, Va., on May 20.

A DOUBLE DOSE OF KELLER WILLIAMS

ADVENTUROUS TUNESMITH DROPS TWO NEW ALBUMS

by JEDD FERRIS

T

hroughout his lengthy career Keller Williams has proven to be prolific and musically fearless—a singer-songwriter constantly evolving how his songs are presented. Starting as an acoustic troubadour more than two decades ago, Williams has consistently tested the limits of what a single musician should be able to do, and at the same time he’s juggled fronting a variety of bands that cover a wide range of genres, from funk to reggae to bluegrass. Late last month the Fredericksburg, Va.,-based, multifaceted tunesmith released two new albums, Raw and Sync, his 21st and 22nd overall efforts, that showcase both his solo and collaborative sides.

Williams emerged in the latter part of the 90s, a shaggy troubadour fresh off a Grateful Dead tour with fast hands on his six- and 12-string axes and a notebook full of quirky tunes. In a then-flourishing jam band scene long on psychedelic solos but short on lyrical enlightenment, Williams turned heads with his engaging chill-dude anthems— crafted not in the poetic style of Robert Hunter, but more like an observant, goofy comedy writer, documenting the mundane around him, creatively not taking himself too seriously.

He started building a loyal fan base as a dynamic solo act. At first he just relied on his nimble-fingered, percussive guitar work, which he’s declared was developed based on the style of late new age folk hero Michael Hedges, who died in a car accident in 1997. But as the years went on, Williams started adding 54

toys to his sonic arsenal—hand drums, bass and additional strings, even plastic tubes—and expanding his acoustic-based songs through onthe-spot, live digital looping.

Raw takes Williams back to the sound of his early days—just guitar and voice—before he became a one-man band blending strings and tech-savvy tricks into his self-dubbed “acoustic dance music.” Williams was inspired to make the stripped-down record after playing some split-bill shows with idiosyncratic fingerpicking wiz Leo Kottke, who gets a direct shout-out through the inventive instrumental “Thanks Leo.” While, overall, Raw has a primitive feel, like a collection of demos, it offers an entertaining sketch of Williams’ versatility.

Another wordless offering, “Ticks Be Told,” is more relaxing than the aforementioned Kottke homage.

Williams also showcases blues basics to declare he won’t be denied a good night of dancing in “Right Here,” and comical speed-folk is used to recount the tale of Kings of Leon quickly ending a concert after being showered with pigeon poop in “Short Show.”

The album’s lone cover, “Return to the Moon,” strips indie rock duo EL VY’s electro-pop cruiser down to its tuneful core.

Williams can certainly harness the value of barstool heart, but he’s also never been one to shy away from playing with others. He spent a long

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

stretch of time regularly opening for veteran jam outfit the String Cheese Incident, who backed Williams on his 1999 album Breathe. In 2007 he enlisted a cast of his favorite musicians, including banjo master Bela Fleck, conscious hip-hop MC Michael Franti, and Grateful Dead singer and guitarist Bob Weir, to assist with his ambitious, if a bit disjointed, guest-filled effort, Dream.

Currently Williams shuffles his touring schedule between solo gigs and fronting a variety of different side bands. He often gigs with his hard-hitting funk crew, More Than a Little, or in projects with bluegrass greats, including Larry Keel, the Travelin’ McCourys, and the Infamous Stringdusters.

In Sync, Williams showcases yet another band, KWahtro, a jazzminded acoustic quartet featuring a line-up of seasoned pros: Veteran guitarist Gibb Droll, who’s played lead for Bruce Hornsby and Marc Broussard, versatile drummer Rodney Holmes, best known for his work with Santana, and go-to New York City bass ace Danton Boller. The group places Williams’ songs in the realm of airy fusion rock—propelled by tight grooves that also leave room for wide-open solos and on-a-dime time signature shifts. The songwriter’s sense of humor is intact in the Bebop-driven “Missing Remote” and the colorful hip hop-hued funk jam “Watchoowantgurl.” The equally

hashtag-ready “Hategreedlove” delivers a more seriously toned unifying message within its Afrorock bounce.

Sync closes with the quartet burning through “Running on Fumes,” a tune Williams recorded all by his lonesome on his third record, 1998’s Spun. It starts as a silly song about being a musician on the road, beginning with the line, “More than often I drive so much, it’s like my ass is my feet,” and featuring Williams waxing poetic about Mountain Dew and Waffle House stops as ways to stay awake at the wheel. But as the song progresses he gets more contemplative, singing: “I love it when it all runs together/ You gotta think about where you’ve been/All of the places and the weird looking faces/I love it when it never ends.”

Even with a free-flowing mind, Williams knows when it’s time to ride alone and when it’s best to play with friends.

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors

TESTED TOUGH WHERE WE PREFER TRAILS OVER TREADMILLS.

When you rethink an icon, you don’t mess with what makes it the smoothest ride on the trail. You focus on increasing support, comfort and flexibility with our patented FluidFoam™ and FluidGuide™ technologies. The Caldorado II is tested tough so you can focus on what’s important, getting out on the trail whenever you can. We know why you put in the miles, because Nothing Beats a Trail.

Caldorado II

F E B R U A R Y 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

55

When the road to happiness isn’t plowed.

Introducing the all-new 2017 Subaru Impreza. With standard Symmetrical All-Wheel ®

Drive, up to 38 mpg,* and available EyeSight Driver Assist Technology.† And it retains its value ®

better than any other vehicle in its class according to ALG.** More than a car, it’s a Subaru.

Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru. ††

Impreza. Well-equipped at $18,395.

Subaru, Impreza, and EyeSight are registered trademarks. *EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2017 Subaru Impreza CVT non-Sport sedan models. 2017 Subaru Impreza CVT Sport sedan shown is rated at 36 mpg hwy. Actual mileage may vary. † EyeSight is a driver assist system that may not operate optimally under all driving conditions. The driver is always responsible for safe and attentive driving. System effectiveness depends on many factors such as vehicle maintenance, weather, and road conditions. See Owner’s Manual for complete details on system operation and limitations. Please remember to turn off EyeSight when going through a car wash. **ALG is the industry benchmark for residual values and depreciation data, www. alg.com. ††MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Retailer sets actual price. Certain equipment may be required in specific states, which can modify your MSRP. See your retailer for details. 2017 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport sedan shown has an MSRP of $24,145. Vehicle shown with available accessories.

56

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / F E B R U A R Y 2 017

BlueRidgeOutdoors

GoOutAndPlay

BlueRidgeOutdoors