Blue Ridge Outdoors February 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

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BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

Best of the Blue Ridge —10TH A N N UA L REA DERS ’ CHOICE AWA R DS—

NEW RIVER GORGE BECOMES NATIONAL PARK

When Can Races Safely Return? + STE V E E AR L E ’ S TRI BU T E TO H IS LAT E S O N

PANDEMIC SKI SEASON New Running Gear

Get Back to reconnecting

Return to the tableside where you can sip a well-crafted libation, dine on chef-prepared cuisine, and raise a cheers to reconnecting with great company in the mountainside.

Visit MDMOUNTAINSIDE.COM to learn about our Mountain Maryland Tap & Pour Tour.

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WINNER! 2021

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RUNNER UP 2021

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Waynesboro, Virginia

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Mad Anthony Mud Run

The River Burger Bar

Blue Ridge Bucha

Join us for the 10th Anniversary of the Mad Anthony Mud Run. Choose to participate in-person on February 27th or virtually with course access leading up to the race. The mud run is part of the Run the Valley Race Series that consists of a variety of races throughout the year. You can get details about this year’s mud run and our other races online or by following us on Facebook.

Set in the heart of downtown Waynesboro, this new, upscale burger bar has made a big splash in the Shenandoah Valley restaurant scene already with their creative Certified Angus beef burgers and appetizers.

If you’re not looking for a traditional burger, they also have a variety of tasty salads and wraps, plus vegan and vegetarian options.

This Certified Organic kombucha made from pure Blue Ridge Mountain water is infused with the finest Organic and Fair Trade ingredients to create refreshing and unique flavors. Every part of the process—from brewing to bottling to flavoring— is done completely by hand in their Waynesboro, Virginia brewery and taproom, the first of its kind in Virginia.

runthevalley.com

theriverburgerbar.com

blueridgebucha.com

Best Western Plus Situated in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, our beautiful mountain views create a perfect backdrop for any getaway! Enjoy comfortable, recently updated accommodations, our indoor saltwater pool and complimentary breakfast buffet.

Our pet-friendly hotel is located just minutes from Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

bwwaynesboro.com

Basic City Beer Company

Fly Fishing Guide

Located in a former industrial complex that once housed Virginia Metalcrafters, Basic City Beer Company utilizes a natural spring to pump a million gallons of artesian water for use in the brewery’s award-winning beers which are served across one of the largest singlepour zinc bartops in the country or outside on picnic tables. (Pets are welcome!)

Pay a visit to Tommy Lawhorne, co-owner of South River Fly Shop, who has spent over 20 years learning the trout and smallmouth bass waters of Virginia and loves to share that knowledge with other fly fishers.

Visit Tommy and his partner Kevin Little at the South River Fly Shop for all of your fly fishing needs, including gear and guide services.

basiccitybeer.com

southriverflyshop.com

Located at the intersection of Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian Trail, Waynesboro is Divinely Placed Among the Adventure, whether your tastes run toward biking, hiking and scenic drives, or paddling and fly fishing in the trout-stocked waters of the South River. Plan your trip at visitwaynesboro.net

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Destination Bedford and Smith Mountain Lake:

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T H E B E ST O F T H E B LU E R I D G E !

Filled with WAVES & WONDER

Smith Mountain Lake offers countless ways to create unforgettable memories in all four seasons. Plan your visit today!

visitsmithmountainlake.com

America’s favorite scenic drive on one side and Virginia’s most stunning lake on the other, everywhere in between is an outdoor adventure dream come true. Picture yourself hiking, biking, paddling, camping or reeling in a trophy catch.

———— Where Ordinary Ends... ————

Bedford Begins.

DestinationBedfordVA.com 877-447-3257 | #DestinationBedfordVA

———— Congrats to our Best of the Blue Ridge Winners... ————

WINNER - Best ADA Accessible Experience in the Blue Ridge - Peaks of Otter - Abbott Lake Trail · WINNER - Best Lake in the Blue Ridge - Smith Mountain Lake RUNNER UP - Best Locally Made Gear - Blue Ridge Overland Gear

DESTINATIONBEDFORDVA.COM

ON THE COVER

CONTENTS

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

7 | QUICK HITS

A S S O C I AT E P U B L I S H E R K AT I E H A R T W E L L katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com

The Green River Race gets streamed online and the New River Gorge becomes a national park.

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

11 | PERSPECTIVE

T R AV E L E D I TO R E L L E N K A N Z I N G E R ellen@blueridgeoutdoors.com

What a mountain biker learned when she started riding singletrack at 278 pounds.

C O N T R I B U TO R S G R A H A M AV E R I L L NICK CARTER BETTINA FREESE E R I C J. WA L L AC E

33 | GOODS

Get outfitted with running gear for the new year.

Getting the family to the slopes can be a bummer, but it’s always worth it in the end.

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS S E N I O R AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E

M A R T H A E VA N S

martha@blueridgeoutdoors.com

35 | TRAIL MIX

AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E TAY LO R L E A L taylor@blueridgeoutdoors.com

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

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D I G I TA L C O N T E N T S P E C I A L I S T

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

shannon@blueridgeoutdoors.com D I G I TA L M A R K E T I N G I N T E R N

BRENNA TURPIN

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

200 DISTRICT DRIVE, UNIT 8 ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28803

For the tenth straight year, our readers pick their favorite races, faces, and places in the region.

28 | PANDEMIC WINTER

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

PHOTO BY CORY SCHOFF

©2021 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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

12 | BEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE

Event directors and athletes share their outlook on competition safety in 2021.

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

GOT A STORY IDEA OR COMMENT?

F E AT U R E S

26 | RACE REPORT

PUBLISHING

submit@blueridgeoutdoors.com

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New tunes from Lucero and Langhorne Slim, and Steve Earle’s tribute to his late son.

B U S I N E S S M A N AG E R M E L I S S A G E S S L E R melissa@blueridgeoutdoors.com

An avid skier finds solace at local slopes, despite the strangeness of COVID-19 safety protocols.

36 | DEEP DARK SKIES

Stargazing in the Blue Ridge is a transcendent experience.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BALEGGA

34 | THE OUT AND BACK

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

SUMMIT

February 2021

D E PA R T M E N T S

C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R L AU R E N WO R T H lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com

D O U G S C H N I T Z S PA H N ASHLEY STIMPSON MIKE BEZEMEK DAV E S TA L L A R D

R O A N M O U N TA I N S TAT E PA R K , P H O T O

BY JARED KREISS, WINNER OF OUR 2 0 2 0 C O V E R P H O T O C O N T E S T.

GET TO THE HEART OF IT travelwv.com

304.264.8801

QUICK HITS

WHITEWATER LIVESTREAM

STREAMING THE GREEN Viewed Online for the First Time, the South’s Iconic Class V Paddling Race Expands Its Reach

BY MICHAEL WELCH

“YOU SEE THAT?” ASKS GREEN RIVER

Narrows Race event organizer John Grace, during a Zoom interview a week after hosting what’s known as the “largest extreme kayak race in the world.”

Squinting at my computer screen, I can just make out a dot a few pixels wide perched on the tip of a finger.

“That’s a tick head,” Grace says.

In a normal year, sweeping up after the annual fall Southern paddling race means Grace grabs a forgotten koozie or picks up the occasional piece of trash. But back in November—during the anything-but-normal-year that was 2020—he found himself bushwhacking through the Green River Gorge, schlepping a 3,000-foot roll of fiber optic cable and hundreds of pounds of video equipment, as well as a few ticks.

For the last 25 years, whitewater paddlers have come from around the world to western North Carolina to race the steepest mile of the Green Narrows.

The rugged rapids always give boaters big challenges, but 2020 brought a whole new set of obstacles to navigate.

After putting on a successful mountain bike race in the Green River Game Lands in July, Grace was cautiously optimistic that the whitewater event could happen in November. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is the primary custodian of the game lands, and according to Grace, “They stressed the importance of adhering to state mandates and social distancing but overall were supportive of the race happening.”

Coronavirus restrictions hadn’t been too difficult to manage for a small local bike race, but the Green Race has grown considerably from its humble roots. With nice autumn weather on race day, it’s not uncommon to see several thousand spectators lining the banks along the

A PRODUCTION CREW HAULED COMPUTERS INTO THE REMOTE GREEN RIVER GORGE TO LIVESTREAM THE ANNUAL RACE. PHOTO BY MARC HUNT

river’s most iconic rapids. This popularity is part of what makes the event so special, but it was also going to pose a major public health problem. “As fall got closer, we started looking at our options, and spectators were obviously the biggest problem,” Grace acknowledged.

“On a normal year, people are in there right on top of each other for at least three hours. It was a tough call, but with less than two months before the race, we decided to do it without spectators.”

Grace has pondered the idea of a Green Race livestream for almost a decade, but previously the cost and logistical challenges have deterred him.

In 2020, giving people the opportunity to experience the event from their homes felt more important than ever.

To help cover some of the overhead, he decided the race would be offered via a pay-per-view format. “Once we made the decision, we started scrambling to get everything dialed.”

After a successful backyard equipment check, the event crew hauled computers, cameras, tripods, and cables into the gorge, plus a generator to power it all. A second check happened the weekend before the competition, with a small group of paddlers sprinting the course at 200% flows in a practice event dubbed “The Running of the Bulls.”

The race theme was “The Show Must Go On,” and athletes wore numbered bibs designed to look like medical scrubs. In true 2020 style, the livestream website crashed 10 minutes before reigning

champ Dane Jackson was scheduled to leave the starting line. “One of the plugins that we updated on the website to the most recent version had locked up and caused the site to go down,” says Grace.

“We reinstalled the older version and it was back up in 15 minutes.”

Clearly nobody told Jackson about the technical difficulties—the Tennessee native would go on to win his fourth race, setting a course record of 4:02.3.

Despite the hiccups, streaming the race allowed people from around the world to participate in an event that’s become a staple of the competitive whitewater paddling scene. The coverage also piqued the interest of a few media companies curious about adding the race to their sports rotation, but Grace isn’t so sure the event needs television producers in charge.

“Every year, more and more people are interested in the Green Race, and that’s great,” he says. “But I’m fine with a more organic, gradual growth versus some exponential increase in exposure that totally transforms the character of the event. I’ve been racing the Green for a long time, and paddling up to the starting line still hits you the same way every year. I would never want to sacrifice that for a show.”

While Grace isn’t ready for the Green Race itself to transform, the event has left an indelible mark on whitewater paddling. In the early 2000s, brands were pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into freestyle kayaking and

canoeing, and rodeos were taking place around the world. Grace approached a billion-dollar brand and asked for a $500 sponsorship for Green Race T-shirts and other expenses. “Long story short, they said no because they thought a race down these rapids wasn’t a good idea,” Grace says.

He did it anyway, and it caught on.

As competitors got better and faster, companies like Dagger and Liquidlogic began to design prototype boats that would help their athletes bring home a win on the Green—designs that would eventually go into production for the masses and fuel increased enthusiasm for speed on the water. “Now, you’ve got Class V races around the country like the North Fork [Payette], and races on more intermediate runs like the Ocoee are getting triple-digit participants.”

The race has also influenced paddling styles and how boaters train.

“The Green Race has given normal, class V kayakers a season where they actually train and get super fit, but it also makes you better year-round,” Grace adds. “You have to learn to carry speed, minimize corrections, and shut everything out but the river.”

Perennial competitors look forward to finding flow as they navigate the turbulence of the Green River, and Grace is confident that the Green Race will continue to provide that opportunity year after year. “The Green Race is like death and taxes,” he says. “It’s there, and it’s going to happen.”

FEBRUARY 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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Maryland Coast Bike Festival S AT U R D AY, M AY 8 T H , 2 0 2 1 Join us on one of the three amazing routes exploring Maryland’s scenic coastal region. The event also offers the opportunity to perserve this pristine coastal environment.

Start, finish and celebrate at the waterfront festival in Ocean City’s famous harbor.

MARYLANDCOASTBIKEFESTIVAL.COM

QUICK HITS

NEW NATIONAL PARK

NEW RIVER GORGE BECOMES OUR NEWEST NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE West Virginia Recreation Staple Designated Country’s 63rd National Park B Y S H A N N O N M C G O WA N

THE NEW RIVER GORGE AREA OF WEST

Virginia is a well-known adventure hotspot. It holds coveted climbing crags, world-class whitewater, winding

singletrack, a range of hiking trails, and the iconic New River Bridge. Regional outdoor enthusiasts have long known how special this place is, and now it's getting the broader recognition it deserves. The New River Gorge National River is being upgraded to a national park and preserve.

Commonly referred to as the "New," the 73,000 acres of rugged canyon terrain was designated as a national river in 1978, making it one of four of America's national rivers. The area will be managed as a national park in a similar way as it’s currently being managed as a national river. The biggest difference will be an upgraded gold standard of land protection, which will help river advocates when fighting for clean water and ensure access to the various recreational activities the area offers. It will also make the area one of only five of the National Park Service's national park and preserve combos, with the other four being in Alaska.

The designation is not only great for conservation. It will also spotlight West Virginia’s recreation opportunities, which are driving a post-coal economy in the Mountain State.

A result of the COVID-19 economic relief bill passed late last year, the newly designated New River Gorge National Park will be composed of four areas, totaling approximately 7,021 acres, including the Lower Gorge, Thurmond, Grandview, and Sandstone Falls. The remaining 65,165 acres of the rugged canyon will be designated a national preserve to allow for backcountry hunting. The bill also allows the National Park Service to buy nearly 4,000 acres from neighboring landowners to potentially improve public access to the area and add to the preserve.

S A N D S T O N E FA L L S I S A S C E N I C G E M F O U N D I N WEST VIRGINIA'S NEW RIVER GORGE. PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

FEBRUARY 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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escape to Adventures on the Gorge SHOP THE ADVENTURES ON THE GORGE TRIPLE PASS AND LODGING GIFT BOX AT T H E S U M M I T G E N E R A L S TO O R E Includes one night in the popular Outback cabin with a private deck and hot tub and two passes of two full days of your choice of activities. Gift box will include a gift certificate, amazing merchandise from Blue Ridge Outdoors and Adventures on the Gorge and delicious local provisions.

SUMMITGENERAL.STORE/COLLECTIONS/EXPERIENCES

This is Lynchburg.

Runner Friendly City Each September, Lynchburg welcomes thousands of runners from around the globe to challenge themselves on the demanding and scenic Virginia 10 Miler course. To warm up for the event, come any time for a fun run on our 40 miles of forested urban trails, then fuel up with a pint at one of our local breweries and tasting rooms! #travelconfidently

lynchburgvirginia.org 10

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Use your camera phone to scan the QR code to learn more about the Virginia 10 Miler

PERSPECTIVE

MTB COMMUNITY

PEDALING BLUE RIDGE SINGLETRACK AT 278 POUNDS

THE AUTHOR ON ONE OF HER REGULAR RIDES IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR.

BY LAUREN STEPP

PITCH PINE ROOTS GRAB MY FRONT TIRE

like the wet, wanting fingers of some woodland monster. The whole bike stutters, for a few seconds caught in the beast’s slick embrace, before inching uphill. A switchback scabbed with granite looms, and I shift down to quiet the white-hot pain flickering in my legs. I live in the granny gear. I have no shame.

At 5’7" and 185 pounds, my interpretation of mountain biking is unabashedly labored. I lack the V02 max and bulging, ogle-worthy quadriceps of my singletrack counterparts. I show up to Brevard’s rowdiest trails in size 12 hiking pants and a flea market T-shirt, a discounted hardtail stuffed not so elegantly in my van. (To seasoned riders, this is like bringing a dull spork to a gunfight.) I then start a crawling ascent, pit-stopping in the bramble to let other bikers pedal ahead.

I have never been fast. In first grade, I weighed 105 pounds—more than twice that of my classmates. I was asthmatic, ruddy-faced, and quiet. My gym teacher at the time, a pot-bellied man with a gray braid down to his waist, thought it was a good idea to have us kids run laps in single file. There were two rules to this Draconian exercise: no passing and no walking. So, when a tinny Gwen Stefani blasted from the boombox, I willed my body to move and to move fast. But my legs soon cramped and the procession of six-year-olds bottlenecked. Little boys sneered, goading me to quicken my shuffle.

By ninth grade, I had ballooned up to 240 pounds. My weight yo-yoed from there—20 pounds lost, 35 pounds gained, 50 pounds lost, 80 pounds gained. When I moved back to my sleepy-eyed hometown after college, I weighed 278 pounds. I wore size 24 pants to my first job interview.

But I saw my future when I returned home. My mom, always a heavyset woman, felt a tightness in her chest one day. She drove herself to the hospital where doctors found blood clots in her

lungs. Her health moldered quickly after that. Specialists kept spewing off prognoses: pulmonary hypertension, cardiomyopathy, renal failure, endometrial cancer. At 54, she could barely walk to the bathroom. Disease anchored her to an unmade bed.

My mother’s immobility stirred up a sleeping giant—my primal need to move. And biking, for whatever reason, seemed the easiest way to do that.

Maybe it’s because pedaling is made out to be so natural. Just like riding a

bike. Maybe it’s also because the rabbit hole of YouTube had directed me to a shaky, five-minute clip of bikers gliding down the absolute gnar of Pisgah’s Farlow Gap. Just like riding a bike.

Impressed and overconfident, I bought my first hardtail from an 80-yearold lady named Casper. If Casper thought it odd for a nearly 300-pound woman to buy her rusted Trek with a faded “Bike Punk” decal, she showed no signs of it. A dainty cloud of essential oils, she floated into her garage for a

hex key, raised the seat, and sent me on my way. I instantly careened down a beginner’s trail on the Henderson County side of DuPont Recreational Forest, slamming face-first into a tree. A limb left a bloody kiss on my neck. Rocks purpled my shins. The handlebars tweaked my wrist. It was awesome.

The next two years were a blur of rock gardens and hip jumps. Besides a short transition period between Casper’s hand-me-down—a spooky hunk of metal that left me bruised and limping—and my current Rocky Mountain, I have hit some kind of trail every weekend. Even when COVID-19 shut down public lands, I piecemealed a 15-mile loop through downtown Hendersonville. Gravel grinds, breezy downhills, speed bumps for air. Those few hundred escapades revealed a community that could care less what you weigh, though I lost almost 100 pounds by joining it.

A few months after I started riding, I found myself chugging up the final leg of Ridgeline Trail, a six-mile loop in DuPont that finishes with a famously flowy descent. I wheezed like the Big Bad Wolf, my tires moving five feet backward with each pedal stroke, or so it seemed. As I was about to spit out some colorful language—bikers are the new sailors—a commotion erupted from the picnic shelter overlooking the trail.

It took a second to realize that a group of bikers were ballyhooing for me.

“Just send it!” screamed one. “Push up that thing!” yelled another. They were genuinely stoked.

After we bombed down the mountain together, one of the riders sidled up to me. “It’s cool to see another female mountain biker. Give me a call whenever you want to hit the trails,” she said. I logged her number in my phone and nodded, a little dumbstruck. When did I become a mountain biker?

Now, I don’t want to give the wrong impression. If the demographics of western North Carolina’s mountain biking community are shifting, they are shifting slowly. Most folks I encounter are skinny-waisted white dudes on astronomically expensive rigs. But there is an unspoken agreement that we all belong—that we’re all out there to send it in whatever way we can. And that is pretty bike punk, if I say so myself.

FEBRUARY 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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2021

Best of the Blue Ridge Adventurers of the Year Best Fly Fishing Guide

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

Our Tenth Annual Readers’ Choice Awards

O

ur region is full of amazing places, friendly faces, challenging races, and awe-inspiring wideopen spaces. During a long period of uncertainty, we’ve had time to pause and appreciate the things we love about Appalachia and the culturally vibrant surrounding states. With that in mind, we’ve once again tallied reader votes to present the tenth annual Best of the Blue Ridge awards, which highlight your favorite athletes, adventures, events, scenic spots, and small businesses in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Read on to discover more about the very best our region has to offer.

PEOPLE ADVENTURERS OF THE YEAR

Kim and Claude Walker (Tenn.)

Despite both working essential jobs in the middle of a pandemic, Kim and Claude Walker dedicated their spare time to building up Abundant Life Adventure Club and providing a safe environment for people to get outside. “We’re exposing people and ourselves to a whole bunch of places and things that we wouldn’t normally see,” Claude Walker said. “It’s not

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

just the amount of places we go. It’s the quality of places we go.” Outings range from hikes at nearby parks to kayaking, ziplining, and horseback riding excursions.

In just two seasons, the club has grown to over 180 members. The outings have become so popular that the Walkers went from hosting meetups once a month to hosting an activity almost every weekend, sometimes two at a time. “It’s not what we set out at all to do,” Kim Walker said.

“But we feel like we’re here to serve our community, and that’s what they needed to cope with what was going on in their lives. A lot happened with the pandemic, politically, socially, loss of family members, loss of jobs. A lot of people needed ways to escape and heal.”

The Walkers embody what it truly means to be an adventurer, seeking out new experiences for themselves while creating a welcoming space for others to join.

REGIONAL ATHLETE

RUNNERS-UP

RUNNERS-UP

Jen Garrison (N.C.) Clark C. Jackson Sr. (Va.)

Carla Williams (Va.) Ayesha McGowan (Ga.)

Tina Parsons (N.C.)

North Carolina’s Tina Parsons is a multisport competitor, always striving for a new challenge. After her first Spartan race in 2015, she was hooked. “While I thought I was in shape as an athlete, I quickly was humbled,” Parsons said. “After that first race, I had a goal to work for. It made my training more meaningful and I pushed harder than before.” Today, you can find her competing in some of the toughest obstacle race courses and ultraruns across the state and country, including taking first in the 2019 Spartan North American Championship Race in her age group.

One of Parsons’ favorite places to train is Stone Mountain State Park, a five-minute drive from her house with several trail options. “There’s no easy run there,” she said. “The climbs at Stone Mountain never get any easier nor do the views ever get old.”

FLY FISHING GUIDE

Debbie Gillespie, Davidson River Outfitters (N.C.)

After years of competitive mountain bike racing and working in the biking industry, Debbie Gillespie said she finally found what she was meant to do with her life when she took up fly fishing. “It slows you down a little bit and makes you focus on your surroundings,” she said. Six years ago, Gillespie made it official when she started working as a guide on the rivers of western North Carolina. Most days in 2020, Gillespie’s busiest year as a guide yet, you could find her floating the Davidson River or leading more experienced anglers on the native trout streams off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

RUNNERS-UP

Tommy Lawhorne, South River Fly Shop (Va.) David Stelling, High Country Guide Service (N.C.)

L E F T: F L Y F I S H I N G G U I D E D E B B I E G I L L E S P I E . P H O T O B Y D AV I D C A N N O N P H O T O G R A P H Y | R I G H T: K I M A N D C L A U D E WA L K E R O F A B U N D A N T L I F E ADVENTURE CLUB. PHOTO BY TYRE GRANNEMANN

RAFT GUIDE

Tristan Moore, ACE Adventure Resort (W.Va.) For the last three seasons, Tristan Moore has been leading whitewater rafting trips down the New and Gauley Rivers for ACE Adventure Resort. He said he comes back year after year because of the epic whitewater and the community of guides he works with on the rivers. Pillow Rock, a rowdy class V on the Upper Gauley, is Moore’s favorite rapid to run.

RUNNERS-UP

Lorhan Tiger, Nantahala Outdoor Center (N.C.) Matt Zickafoose, Adventures on the Gorge (W.Va.)

ENVIRONMENTALIST

Gene Kistler, Water Stone Outdoors (W.Va.)

Since moving to Fayetteville and opening Water Stone Outdoors in the 1990s, Gene Kistler has been an active member of the New River Gorge climbing community and a proponent of trail development in the area. He helped found the New River Alliance of Climbers to help preserve climbing access and responsible management of the area. As with any kind of advocacy or conservation work, Kistler said it's not just the individual effort but the coming together of an entire community that makes progress possible.

in-person interactions and activities, she relied on an online community of photographers and outdoor enthusiasts to help her think outside of the box and grow as an artist. You can most often find Restivo hiking in Linville Gorge with her camera in hand. “The Gorge is where I sneak off to get a little bit of peace,” she said.

W. Curry Photography (Va.) Douglas Hurdle (N.C.)

FOOD PERSONALITY

Ashley Cuoco (Va.)

Ashley Cuoco wears many hats in the kitchen—cook, photographer, stylist, and editor—as she creates dishes and captures the essence of a well-loved meal. Much of her blog (ashcuoco.com) focuses on the relationship between people, food, and hospitality. “I like to think of it as much more than just service or entertainment,” Cuoco said. “It’s an attitude of the heart, something you can bring with you wherever you go. Food can be an offering, a gift—and the sharing of a meal a great unifier.”

Cuoco’s favorite dish to make is fresh pasta, which, she says, is much easier than you might think and very much worth the effort. “Oftentimes, especially with food, it’s the process—the molding and shaping of something—that really brings out its beauty,” she said.

RUNNERS-UP

Forest, DuPont State Forest, and Ride Kanuga, recommends lessons to riders of every skill level to get the most out of their bikes.

Lewis Rhinehart, Secret Sandwich Society (W.Va.) Johnny Shaw, Mountain Mama’s Kebab Shop (Va.)

RUNNERS-UP

BIKE MECHANIC

Peter Hufnegal, Miller School (Va.) Aaron Saft, MR Runningpains (N.C.)

RUNNERS-UP

Brian Bell, Keep Virginia Cozy (Va.) Ida Swenson, Virginia Master Naturalist Program (Va.)

BREWER/WINEMAKER/DISTILLER

Oscar Wong, Highland Brewing Co. (N.C.)

Not long after retiring to Asheville in the 1990s, Oscar Wong partnered with an award-winning brewer and Highland Brewing was born. In building up the company, one of the South’s pioneering craft beer outposts, he sought to create a business that was truly a part of the local community. “It’s not just the product anymore,” Wong said. “People don’t buy something just because it’s voted as being the best. To really continue to support a business, there has to be a human connection. That’s something we strive to achieve as much as possible.”

At Highland Brewing, this is seen in their community partnerships, sustainable business practices, and the smiling faces in the taproom.

RUNNERS-UP

Derek Hornig, Basic City Beer Co. (Va.) Chris Ewok Carswell, Moonshiners (Tenn.)

PHOTOGRAPHER

Leslie Restivo (N.C.)

Although she’s been a landscape photographer for years, Leslie Restivo said 2020 was a year she really turned to the outdoors for refuge. As COVID-19 limited

OSCAR WONG IS A PILLAR OF THE ASHEVILLE CRAFT BREWING SCENE. PHOTO COURTESY OF HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Best Brewer

RUNNERS-UP

Youngblood Haske, Youngblood Bicycles (N.C.)

Bikes have always been a part of Youngblood Haske’s life, from riding for transportation, fun, and competition to working as a bike messenger and bike mechanic. After briefly trying a different career path, he realized bikes were really what he loved and decided to open his own shop in 2006. “The folks that I meet in the bike shop or out riding are so happy to be doing what they’re doing, whether we’re fixing their bike or they’re a new beginner to riding,” Haske said. “It’s fun to share that passion with people.”

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Miriam Salloum, Runner’s Mechanic Physical Therapy (N.C.)

For Miriam Salloum, treating a running injury is about more than just rehabbing and strengthening the muscles. Her whole runner approach, looking at everything from gait analysis to psychological and emotional factors, helps runners examine the ways in which their patterns may lead to inefficient movements and repetitive injuries.

RUNNERS-UP

Curtis Shaver, Peloton Station (Va.) Max Hammer, Hammer Cycles (W.Va.)

SPORTS DOC

Shanna Powell, EndlessBikeGirl MTB Skills (N.C.)

Whether it’s working with new riders on the basics of mountain biking or teaching a group skills clinic, Shanna Powell is most at home helping riders feel more confident, safe, and efficient on the trails. “I really love seeing people do the thing that three minutes ago they told me they couldn’t do,” she said. “It’s one of the best feelings to show someone the power that they have in them that they didn’t know they had.”

Powell, who operates in Pisgah National

Outdoorsy Diva

Lauren Gay started Misadventures of an Outdoorsy Diva as a blog, writing about her personal adventures, as well as tips for traveling and getting outside. She decided to expand the brand with a podcast to reach a new audience and uplift other voices in the outdoors. As with all of the work she does, Gay hopes listeners see themselves in the stories she tells and know they have a place in nature. “I want people to be inspired to live their whole entire, very best lives,” she said. “Even though I may seek to highlight particular voices, our stories are still very common and very human.”

RUNNERS-UP

GJBeat Broken Ground

SOLO MUSICAL ARTIST

RUNNERS-UP

Eric Magrum, University of Virginia (Va.) Scott Eutsler (Va.)

COACH

PODCAST

Bob Wilder, University of Virginia (Va.)

In addition to serving as the chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UVA, Dr. Bob Wilder also serves as medical director of the Runner’s Clinic, team physician for Ragged Mountain Racing, and medical director for several local races.

RUNNERS-UP

Aaron Vaughn, Mountain Area Family Health Center (N.C.) Mark Rodgers, Virginia Tech (Va.)

Darby Wilcox (S.C.)

Through her raw and emotional lyrics, Darby Wilcox seeks to build community and make people feel welcome with honest messages about the complexities of life. “I value intimacy and connection,” she said. “I love a big bright stage, but, I’m just as happy in a small, intimate setting whether it be a campfire or a house show.”

Touring regionally since 2005, some of her favorite memories are playing the Albino Skunk Music Festival in upstate South Carolina and Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard, N.C. Be on the lookout for Wilcox’s latest EP coming out in 2021.

RUNNERS-UP

Morgan Wade (Va.) Andrew Alli (Va.)

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Best Educational Outdoor Recreation Progrram

Best YouTube Personality

BAND

Chad Nickell & The Loose Change (Va.)

Playing at venues and breweries across the Virginias, Chad Nickell & The Loose Change get crowds going with a range of original Americana ballads, honky tonk hits, and pop-rock anthems.

RUNNERS-UP

The Kind Thieves (W.Va.) Frog & Owl Revival (N.C.)

INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT

Roam Outdoors

Roam Outdoors started as a way for creatives to connect and share information in a supportive environment. Since their first in-person meetup two years ago, the group of outdoor enthusiasts and photographers have formed bonds that are bigger than an Instagram account. “What is unique about this group is the wide range of shooting styles and experience,” the group said, in a statement. “Seeing how other people shoot has opened our eyes to look at scenes with a different perspective than we typically would on our own. We all learn so much from one another in so many ways, even beyond photography.”

Check out their feed @roam_outdoors_ for inspiring images of the Blue Ridge.

scratch, Jenvey knew he wanted to document the entire process online, from the pouring of the concrete foundation and installing windows to breaking down the cost of supplies and adding insulation.

“The online community might as well be a real community right in front of you,” he said. “The back and forth questions and remarks people make, the emails I get showing me their project they’ve built, it’s pretty fun.”

Since he completed the cabin in December, you can now follow along on Woodness Goodness as Jenvey renovates a 1970s horse trailer into a mobile bar.

RUNNERS-UP

Peyton Love (W.Va.) Miranda Peterson, Namaste in Nature (N.C.)

BUSINESSES RAFT GUIDE COMPANY

Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City, N.C.)

No matter what adventure level you’re looking for, the Nantahala Outdoor Center offers a variety of rafting and float trips on the Nantahala, Ocoee, Chattahoochee, Chatooga, and French Broad Rivers to fit your idea of an adventure.

RUNNERS-UP

RUNNERS-UP

Experience Charlottesville Booneview

ACE Adventure Resort (Oak Hill, W.Va.) Rivanna River Co. (Charlottesville, Va.)

YOUTUBE PERSONALITY

ZIPLINE

Graeme Jenvey, Woodness Goodness (Va.)

Growing up in a lumber family, Graeme Jenvey began working with wood at a young age. A video producer by trade, he started Woodness Goodness to showcase DIY tutorials for building furniture pieces.

When he decided to build a cabin from L E F T: O N H I S W O O D N E S S G O O D N E S S C H A N N E L , GRAEME JENVEY BROKE DOWN EACH STEP OF B U I L D I N G A C A B I N F R O M S C R AT C H . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F J E N V E Y / R I G H T: T E E N S TA K E T O T H E O U T D O O R S T O L E A R N A VA R I E T Y O F L I F E S K I L L S .

PHOTO COURTESY OF ADVENTURE TREKS

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

The Gorge (Saluda, N.C.)

Starting at the edge of the Green River Gorge, this aerial adventure spans 11 zip lines over 1.25 miles as you fly above the treeline and descend into an old growth forest.

RUNNERS-UP

Navitat (Asheville, N.C.) Adventures on the Gorge (Lansing, W.Va.)

SPA/WELLNESS CENTER

Eupepsia Wellness Resort (Bland, Va.) Located right on the edge of Jefferson

National Forest, Eupepsia offers a relaxing sanctuary in the Blue Ridge Mountains with personalized retreats tailored to your needs. On the property you’ll find a wellness spa, fitness facilities, and a vegetarian restaurant.

RUNNERS-UP

The Spa at the Grove Park Inn (Asheville, N.C.) Salt Cave and Spa (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.)

CLIMBING GUIDE COMPANY

Blue Ridge Mountain Guides (Nellysford, Va.)

With the help of these AMGA guides, take your climbing skills to the next level with gym to crag courses, trad leading, private guiding, and ice climbing instruction.

The company takes climbers to some of the best rock the East Coast has to offer, with guided trips available in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Hampshire.

RUNNERS-UP

New River Mountain Guides (Fayetteville, W.Va.) Fox Mountain Guides (Brevard, N.C.)

CLIMBING GYM

The Riveter (Fletcher, N.C.)

From a lead-only climbing cave and autobelays to a bouldering area and dedicated kids’ space, there’s something for every climber in the Riveter’s 16,000-square-foot facility. The fitness studio also includes hangboard and pulley systems to help strengthen your limbs.

RUNNERS-UP

Rocky Top Climbing (Charlottesville, Va.) Climbmax (Asheville, N.C.)

EDUCATIONAL OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAM

Adventure Treks (Hendersonville, N.C.) Adventure Treks takes teens on inspiring outdoor trips while helping prepare them to take on life’s toughest challenges.

Young adventurers can choose duration, from a few weeks up to a gap semester in western North Carolina, to focus

on leadership skills, communication, and community building, as well as an introduction to hiking, backpacking, biking, paddling, and wilderness first aid.

RUNNERS-UP

Sugar Hollow Day Camp (Crozet, Va.) WVU Tech Adventure Recreation Management Program (Beckley, W.Va.)

ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Keep Virginia Cozy (Richmond, Va.) and Southern Environmental Law Center (Charlottesville, Va.)

Keep Virginia Cozy is a volunteer group dedicated to helping clean up the commonwealth. Between their monthly Trashy Tuesday meetups and other cleanups, the organization has removed more than 45,000 pounds of trash from Virginia parks, trails, waterways, and neighborhoods since 2017.

In this tied category, readers also recognized the Southern Environmental Law Center. Whether it’s going to court to stop industrial chemical pollution at the source, helping to preserve public lands and wildlife habitat, or looking to the future of renewable energy sources, the SELC’s team of more than 80 attorneys works to protect the people and places across the region that we love.

RUNNERS-UP

Wild Virginia (Charlottesville, Va.) MountainTrue (Asheville, N.C.)

LOCAL GEAR COMPANY

Eagles Nest Outfitters (Asheville, N.C.) The company that created your favorite hammocks for chilling in your backyard and sleeping under the stars is headquartered in the Blue Ridge Mountains. ENO’s lightweight systems are designed with comfort and adventure in mind.

RUNNERS-UP

Blue Ridge Overland Gear (Bedford, Va.) Diamond Brand Gear (Fletcher, N.C.)

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RUNNING STORE

RUNNERS-UP

Ragged Mountain Running Shop (Charlottesville, Va.)

Every foot is unique, and the staff at Ragged Mountain Running Shop makes sure you get the shoe that works best for your gait.

The personalized attention ensures your feet are happy, whether it’s during a walk around the neighborhood or the race that’s been on your bucket list for years.

Riveter (Fletcher, N.C.) Carolina Bound Adventures (Bryson City, N.C.)

OUTDOOR CLUB

Trail Sisters (Asheville, N.C.)

Trail Sisters is a place for women to come together and find camaraderie in the outdoors through trail runs, hikes, and community service.

Best Outdoor Start Up

RUNNERS-UP

RUNNERS-UP

Fleet Feet (Various Locations) Jus’ Running (Asheville, N.C.)

Abundant Life Adventure Club (Nashville, Tenn.)

Keep Virginia Cozy (Richmond, Va.)

OUTDOOR SHOP

BIKE SHOP

Blue Ridge Cyclery (Charlottesville, Va.)

Second Gear (Asheville, N.C.)

Help your used gear find a new home, while also picking up a few things you might need for your next outing from Second Gear. One percent of sales from the consignment shop go back into the Asheville community.

With two convenient locations, Blue Ridge Cyclery can handle all of your bike needs for a day out on the road or the trail. Bring in your bike for a tune up, dial in your fit for ultimate performance, or rent a bike while you’re in Charlottesville.

RUNNERS-UP

Walkabout Outfitters (Va.) Great Outdoor Provision Co. (Va./N.C.) CBD COMPANY

Asheville Hemp Farms (Asheville, N.C.)

Set in downtown Asheville, this shop sells a variety of hemp and CBD products, from edibles and topic balms to hemp flower and tea blends.

RUNNERS-UP

FLY FISHING OUTFITTER

Fly Fishing the Smokies (Bryson City, N.C. and Gatlinburg, Tenn.)

Let the guides at Fly Fishing the Smokies take care of all the details with guided wade and float trips on the Tuckasegee, Nantahala, and Little Tennessee Rivers, as well as the trout streams of the Great Smoky Mountains.

RUNNERS-UP

Shenandoah Hemp Supply (Waynesboro, Va.) Albemarle Hemp Company (White Hall, Va.)

SKI RESORT

Snowshoe Mountain Resort (Snowshoe, W.Va.)

There are endless ways to experience winter at Snowshoe with 60+ trails and five terrain parks, plus epic night skiing. When you get off the slopes, explore more of the area with off-road adventures, snowmobile tours, and tubing.

RUNNERS-UP

Davidson River Outfitters (Pisgah Forest, N.C.) Albemarle Angler (Charlottesville, Va.)

RESORT

The Omni Grove Park Inn (Asheville, N.C.)

The Grove Park Inn features five-star accommodations, a variety of dining options, an extensive spa, and easy access to outdoor activities, all in Asheville’s surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.

RUNNERS-UP

RUNNERS-UP

Wintergreen Resort (Nellysford, Va.) Beech Mountain Resort (Beech Mountain, N.C.)

Fort Lewis Lodge (Millboro, Va.) The Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.)

Best Outdoor Shop

BUDGET-FRIENDLY LODGING

Adventures on the Gorge (Lansing, W.Va.) and Basecamp at Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City, N.C.)

Adventures on the Gorge has a lodging option for every travel budget and vacation style, from platform tents and RV sites to bunkhouses and cabins with a jacuzzi on the porch. Book a room in the off season for even better deals with less crowds.

Located on the Appalachian Trail and Nantahala River, lodging Basecamp at NOC starts at just $39.99 a night. The hostel-style bunkhouses are perfect for families and large groups with special accommodations available for A.T. thru-hikers.

RUNNERS-UP

Beech Grove Cabins (Roseland, Va.) Best Western Plus (Waynesboro, Va.)

OUTDOOR START UP

Black Girls Hike RVA (Richmond, Va.)

Since Nicole Boyd and Narshara Tucker started Black Girls Hike RVA last May, they've hosted meetups across Virginia to connect women of color with nature and each other. “While we started this as a hiking group, it’s becoming much more than we thought,” Tucker said. “We’re glad that we started the fire and sparked a lot of people to think about hiking.”

What started as a Facebook group and an Instagram account to promote hiking in Richmond quickly reached people across the country. “We’re confident women,” Boyd said.

“But we didn’t expect it to grow this fast.”

In 2021 and beyond, the two friends and colleagues are looking forward to holding more events to connect youth with the outdoors.

T O P : N A R S H A R A T U C K E R , L E F T, A N D N I C O L E B O Y D H I K E N AT U R A L B R I D G E S TAT E P A R K . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F B L A C K G I R L S H I K E R VA | B O T T O M : C O N S I G N Y O U R G E N T L Y U S E D I T E M S AT S E C O N D GEAR. PHOTO BY ERIN MCGRADY

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Sycamore Cycles (Hendersonville and Pisgah Forest, N.C.) Motion Makers Bicycle Shop (Asheville, Cherokee, and Sylva, N.C.)

MIND/BODY STUDIO

Asheville Community Yoga (Asheville, N.C.)

At Asheville Community Yoga, there is a class for everyone from gentle flow to core strengthening. Plus, they are currently offering virtual classes you can take from the comfort of your home.

RUNNERS-UP

Fly Dog Yoga (Charlottesville, Va.) New River Yoga (Fayetteville, W.Va.)

EVENTS MUSIC FESTIVAL (OVERALL)

FloydFest (Floyd, Va.)

It doesn’t get much better than 100 bands on nine stages over five days. FloydFest is a celebration of all things music and mountains, also featuring outdoor adventures, delicious food, and activities just for kids.

RUNNERS-UP

Front Porch Fest (Stuart, Va.) LOCKN’ Festival (Arrington, Va.)

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FESTIVAL

Front Porch Fest (Stuart, Va.)

Gather the whole family for a weekend of music and art at the Front Porch Fest. Grab a single day ticket or plan to camp out for a few nights to get the most out of your family time. The kids will love making crafts and marching through the festival grounds with band members.

RUNNERS-UP

FloydFest (Floyd, Va.) State Fair of West Virginia (Lewisburg, W.Va.)

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ROWDIEST FESTIVAL

RACE MISSED MOST IN 2020

This Grateful Dead-centric festival takes place at the scenic Infinity Downs Farm, featuring a wide range of jam bands and roots music acts.

The Blue Ridge Marathon began in 2010 as a way to highlight the outdoor recreation opportunities in the Roanoke area. In 10 years it has become a full weekend affair with six events and over 3,500 runners. With little time to adapt the event last April, race organizers canceled what would have been the tenth anniversary race, although competitors could choose to virtually complete the distance they signed up to run.

Julia Boas, events director for the Roanoke Outside Foundation, said almost a third of race participants chose to donate their race entries instead of running virtually or deferring to 2021. “I do think that speaks to the people and how committed they are to the race and to the foundation,” she said. “We got a lot of supportive notes and people writing about how important they think everything we’re doing is.”

Boas said they are planning to hold the race in person for 2021 with a more high-tech virtual option, possibly including elevation gain requirements.

LOCKN’ Festival (Arrington, Va.)

RUNNERS-UP

Gauley Fest (Summersville, W.Va.) FloydFest (Floyd, Va.)

WEIRDEST FESTIVAL

Roadkill Cook-Off (Pocahontas County, W.Va.)

In the Roadkill Cook-Off, chefs compete to create the tastiest and most unique dishes using animals found on the side of the road.

Wandering from stall to stall, you’ll come across dishes made with squirrel, snapping turtle, deer, and bear.

RUNNERS-UP

Bigfoot Festival (Marion, N.C.) Virginia Faery Festival (Stuart, Va.)

MUSIC FESTIVAL MISSED MOST IN 2020

FloydFest (Va.)

An annual tradition for many looking to gather around music and friends, FloydFest was sorely missed this summer.

But don’t worry. The festival producers are optimistic about 2021 and already announced the lineup for July 2021, which includes the Avett Brothers, Sturgill Simpson, and Old Crow Medicine Show.

RUNNERS-UP

Front Porch Fest (Va.) Rooster Walk (Va.)

RUNNING EVENT (13.1+ MILES)

Blue Ridge Marathon (Roanoke, Va.) Between the beautiful scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the block party-like aid stations, the Blue Ridge Marathon is more than just a race. It is a celebration of community and runners testing their limits together on a tough course.

RUNNERS-UP

Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon (Alleghany Highlands, Va.) Moonbear (Danbury, N.C.)

RUNNING EVENT (LESS THAN 13.1 MILES)

Blackwater Canyon Half Marathon (Thomas to Parsons, W.Va.)

Run the Blackwater Canyon and Allegheny Highlands Trails as you descend about 1,300 feet on a rail trail. Made up of paved and natural trails, this point-to-point half marathon will test your endurance as you move through the scenic Monongahela National Forest.

RUNNERS-UP

Asheville Turkey Trot (Asheville, N.C.) Rabid Squirrel (Danbury, N.C.)

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

COSTUMED EVENT

Stuart Spooktacular (Patrick County, Va.)

Animal Upper Gauley Race (Summersville, W.Va.) Alpine Loop Gran Fondo (Harrisonburg, Va.)

This annual Halloween event features candy, games, inflatables, a giant movie screen, and, of course, a costume contest.

This event is perfect for the whole family as the community and local businesses come out for a spooky night of fun.

TOUGHEST RACE

RUNNERS-UP

RUNNERS-UP

Blue Ridge Marathon (Roanoke, Va.)

There’s a reason the Blue Ridge Marathon earned the nickname “America’s Toughest Road Marathon.” Over 26.2 miles runners face more than 7,430 feet of elevation gain and loss, crossing Roanoke Mountain and taking on the challenging hills of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

RUNNERS-UP

Blackwater Canyon Half Marathon (Thomas to Parsons, W.Va.) 7 Sisters Trail Race (Montreat, N.C.)

MUD RUN/ADVENTURE RACE

Mad Anthony Mud Run (Waynesboro, Va.)

At the Mad Anthony Mud Run, be prepared for ankle-deep mud as you take on obstacles and challenges that will get your clothes dirty and your heart pounding.

RUNNERS-UP

King of the James (Richmond, Va.) The Search for Tola Mufu (Danbury, N.C.)

TRIATHLON

Ironman 70.3 Virginia Blue Ridge (Va.) In 2021, the Virginia triathlon will move from Williamsburg to Roanoke where competitors will swim Carvins Cove Reservoir, bike part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and run the Roanoke River Greenway.

RUNNERS-UP

THE "COOKING WITH CHANDRA" SEGMENT HOSTED

BY CHANDRA PUCKETT DURING THE FRONT PORCH F E S T VA R I E T Y S H O W. P H O T O B Y C H R I S T I N A S WA N S O N

Best Virtual Event

Blue Ridge Marathon (Roanoke, Va.)

New River Trail Challenge (Max Meadows, Va.) Lake Lure Sprint Triathlon (N.C.)

The BIG What? (Pittsboro, N.C.) Mad Anthony Mud Run (Waynesboro, Va.)

RUNNERS-UP

James River Batteau Festival (Amherst County, Va.) Rooster Walk Float Trips (Martinsville, Va.)

FLY FISHING EVENT

Greenbrier River Fly Fishing Classic (Lewisburg, W.Va.) Break out your flies for this smallmouth bass fishing event on the beautiful Greenbrier River. Tournament entries support Project Healing Waters and the Greenbrier River Watershed Association.

RUNNERS-UP

BIKE RACE

Virginia Fly Fishing and Wine Festival (Doswell, Va.) We’re So Fly Festival (Bath County, Va.)

If you love mountain biking, this festival is the place to be for a weekend full of group rides, competitions, skills instruction, and trail work all taking place on Canaan Valley’s legendary terrain.

VIRTUAL EVENT

Canaan Mountain Bike Festival (Canaan Valley, W.Va.)

RUNNERS-UP

Tour de Valley (Waynesboro, Va.) Storming of Thunder Ridge (Lynchburg, Va.)

CLIMBING EVENT

Craggin’ Classic (New River Gorge, W.Va.)

American Alpine’s Craggin’ Classic is a great way for climbers to come together at a world-class destination. Celebrate all things climbing with clinics taught by professional climbers, stewardship projects, film showings, and stories around the campfire.

RUNNERS-UP

Boulder Bash at Riverrock (Richmond, Va.) Deep Water Solo at Tuck Fest (Charlotte, N.C.)

PADDLING EVENT

The Green Race (Henderson and Polk County, N.C.)

Year after year paddlers from around the world try to post the fastest time on the rugged Green River. The brutal course is less than a mile long, but challenges expert paddlers as they take on class V rapid after class V rapid through the tight narrows.

Front Porch Fest Variety Show (Va.)

When festival organizers had to cancel Front Porch Fest 2020 due to COVID-19, they knew they wanted to find a way to honor the spirit of the festival. Since all proceeds from the festival go to the Patrick County Community Food Bank and Caring Hearts Free Clinic, they also wanted to provide some much-needed support to organizations doing important work during the pandemic.

From there, the idea for the Front Porch Fest Variety Show was born. “I wanted it to be the strangest, wackiest, but most wholesome thing that people could see on a livestream,” team member Christina Swanson said.

The eight-hour show, modeled after the classic telethon, featured everything from musical guests and comedic skits to hoop tutorials and cooking segments.

“What was really magical about the whole thing is that we were able to still bring some of the Front Porch Fest experience to life and to provide some joy to folks,” said festival co-founder Sarah Wray.

At the end of the day, the event raised over $4,500 for the two organizations.

RUNNERS-UP

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Live from the LOCKN’ Festival site (Arrington, Va.) Summer Games, The Rabid Squirrel (Lewisville, N.C.)

We Inspire, Guide, and Equip Outdoor Adventure!

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An Outdoor Lover’s Paradise!

Book Apple Ridge Farm for your next family gathering, corporate/program event, wedding, getaway, group outdoor adventure, hiking, and more! Offering peaceful mountain trails and views, team challenge courses, pool, athletic courts, and field, picnic areas and more!

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this well-stocked Charlottesville bottle shop and eatery.

RUNNERS-UP

Trager Brothers Coffee (Afton, Va.) Buchi Kombucha (Marshall, N.C.)

RUNNERS-UP

Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint (Multiple Regional Locations) The Bier Garden (Asheville, N.C.)

DISTILLERY

Silverback Distillery (Afton, Va.)

The lineup at Silverback Distillery features distinct, flavorful spirits like their honeyliqueur infused Blackback Rye Whiskey and butterscotch Blackback Bourbon.

PIZZA

Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie (North Garden, Va.)

From a classic pepperoni to a specialty pie, the mouthwatering pizza at Dr. Ho’s will have you coming back time and time again.

Try something new, like the Annie Oakley with spicy buffalo chicken, pineapple, and jalapeno peppers or the Bellisima with country ham, arugula, and lemon vinaigrette.

RUNNERS-UP

Smooth Ambler Spirits (Maxwelton, W.Va.) Virginia Distillery Co. (Lovingston, Va.)

SPIRIT

Contradiction, Smooth Ambler Spirits (Maxwelton, W.Va.)

Best Non-Alcoholic Beverage

FOOD AND DRINK VINEYARD/WINERY

Veritas Vineyard and Winery (Afton, Va.)

Surrounded by rolling hills with the Blue Ridge Mountains rising in the distance, sit back and relax with a glass of wine at Veritas. With a wide range of red, white, and sparkling wines, try a flight of four or order a glass of your favorite. Spread out on the lawn, reserve a fire pit, or grab a bottle to go.

RUNNERS-UP

Biltmore Estate Winery (Asheville, N.C.) Afton Mountain Vineyards (Afton, Va.)

WINE

Crosé, King Family Vineyard (Crozet, Va.)

Touted as a rosé for all seasons, King Family’s Crosé is a crisp, Merlot-based wine that pairs well with light dishes and stands well on its own.

RUNNERS-UP

CIDER

IPA, Bold Rock (Nellysford, Va.)

Made with a blend of five hops, the India Pressed Apple is a refreshing cider where tart apple flavors mix with sweet notes of passionfruit, grapefruit, and citrus.

Grapefruit Hibiscus, Potter’s Craft Cider (Charlottesville, Va.) Elderberry Infused Hard Cider, Hawk Knob Cidery and Meadery (Lewisburg, W.Va.)

BREWERY/BREWHOUSE

Blue Mountain Brewery (Afton, Va.)

Kick back in the shadow of the Blue Ridge at Blue Mountain’s scenic brewpub in central Virginia for cold beers on tap and high-quality food. Visit on a Saturday for a complimentary tour of the brewery to see how the magic gets made.

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Basic City Beer Co. (Waynesboro, Va.) Highland Brewing Co. (Asheville, N.C.) BEER

CIDERY

This classic Virginia pale ale is a mainstay at Blue Mountain Brewery for those looking for a hoppy brew with citrus and floral hints.

As Bold Rock has grown into one of the region’s most popular hard cider companies, they’ve expanded their selection of craft beverages to include hard seltzers, canned cocktails, and hard tea and lemonade. Visit one of their tasting rooms in Virginia and North Carolina or pick up a six pack from your local grocery store.

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Hawk Knob Cidery and Meadery (Lewisburg, W.Va.) Potter’s Craft Cider (Charlottesville, Va.) B L U E R I D G E B U C H A O F F E R S A VA R I E T Y O F K O M B U C H A F L AV O R S , M A D E I N V I R G I N I A . P H O T O

BY CARY CONWELL

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Full Nelson, Blue Mountain Brewery (Afton, Va.)

Defiant, Blue Ridge Distilling Co. (Golden Valley, N.C.) Rye Whiskey, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company (Purcellville, Va.)

CANNED COCKTAIL

Gin & Tonic, Devils Backbone Brewing Company (Roseland, Va.)

This modern take on the traditional gin and tonic is ready to drink wherever your adventure leads you with a crisp, citrus taste in a refreshing can.

Get Bent Mountain IPA, Parkway Brewing (Salem, Va.) Bask DIPA, Basic City Beer Co. (Waynesboro, Va.) BEER LIST

Beer Run (Charlottesville, Va.)

You can’t beat the selection at Beer Run. With thousands of choices in cans, bottles, six packs, beers on tap, and growlers to go, everyone can find a brew to enjoy at

FARMERS MARKET

Nelson County Farmers’ Market (Nelson County, Va.)

With pre-order pickup and onsite vendors, the Nelson County Farmers’ Market adapted this year to safely enable visitors to get the freshest produce and local products.

Charlottesville City Market (Charlottesville, Va.) Roanoke City Market (Roanoke, Va.)

POST-ADVENTURE HANGOUT

Blue Mountain Brewery (Afton, Va.)

Located just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail, Wintergreen Resort, and miles of trails and waters, Blue Mountain Brewery offers an inviting and laid-back atmosphere where you can get off your feet with a delicious meal and well-earned brewski.

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Belle Isle Blood Orange, Belle Isle Moonshine (Richmond, Va.) Bold Fashioned, Bold Rock (Nellysford, Va.)

BEER/WINE/SPIRITS TRAIL

Nelson 151 Trail (Va.)

Featuring six wineries, three breweries, two cideries, and a distillery, the Nelson 151 Craft Beverage Trail in Nelson County, has a little bit of everything. Set in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, you’ll find an abundance of opportunities for fishing, hiking, biking, and skiing, with easy access to places to kick back and relax at the end of the day.

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Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co. (Asheville, N.C.) Pies N’ Pints (Various Locations)

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Claret, Veritas Vineyard and Winery (Afton, Va.) Riesling, Shelton Vineyards (Dobson, N.C.)

Bold Rock (Nellysford, Va.)

Most of the straight bourbon whiskies blended into the Contradiction are aged for more than nine years, with only the finest grains sourced and mashed into one delicious bottle. This bourbon works well when you’re making an Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

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Mountain Maryland Tap and Pour Tour (Md.) Virginia’s Blue Ridge Cheers Trail (Va.)

NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

Blue Ridge Bucha (Waynesboro, Va.) Grab your reusable bottle and fill up on your favorite handcrafted kombucha flavor from Blue Ridge Bucha. Their menu includes delicious blends like black raspberry and jasmine grape that will awaken your taste buds.

Devils Backbone Brewing Company (Roseland, Va.) The Hub (Pisgah Forest, N.C.)

BURGER

Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint (Multiple Regional Locations)

Spread across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, you’ll find delicious burgers at every Jack Brown’s, with toppings that go beyond lettuce and tomato, like mac n’ cheese, peanut butter, and spinachartichoke dip.

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Jim’s Drive-In (Lewisburg, W.Va.) The River Burger Bar (Waynesboro, Va.)

COFFEE SHOP

Trager Brothers Coffee Roasters (Afton, Va.)

Get your morning started or add a pep to your afternoon with a cup of coffee from Trager Brothers, a certified organic and ethically sourced shop with a range of blends to fit your palate.

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The Wild Bean (Lewisburg, W.Va.) Farmhaus Coffee Co. (Waynesboro, Va.)

#BestoftheBlueRidge

Congratulations to these #UniquelyAlleghany places, people and events.

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Plan your Uniquely Alleghany getaway at VisitAlleghanyHighlands.com

WINNER! 2021

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#DouthatStatePark

WINNERS:

RUNNERS UP:

Douthat State Park for Best State Park

Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon for Best Running Event (13.1+)

Chad Nickell & the Loose Change for Best Band

Jackson River Scenic Trail for Best Running Trail

Lake Moomaw for Best Place to Stargaze

W. Curry Photography for Best Photographer

George Washington & Jefferson National Forest for Best National Forest

Falling Spring Falls for Best Overlook

540-962-2178 · 888-430-5786 #UniquelyAlleghany

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THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR US! WINNER! 2021

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FEBRUARY 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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IN

VIRGINIA

FEB 1

MARK YOUR

CALENDAR

Registration Opens Join the Challenge by signing up at keepvirginiabeautiful. org anytime from Feb 1 through March 31.

Shiver in Virginia Kick-off Event FEB 27

Kick off your personal mission challenge with a beautiful activity such as a walk to pick up litter with your family or prepping your garden for Spring plantings.

DO BEAUTIFUL THINGS! MAR 1-31

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WINNER! 2021

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WINNER 2019

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Find out more at keepvirginiabeautiful.org

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A safe, month-long, statewide beautification effort that improves YOUR community

Each day is a new chance to perform an act that will make Virginia cleaner and greener and also enters you to win great prizes! A cool app tracks our progress and highlights Virginia gems across the state.

Thank You for voting us Best Bike Shop and entrusting us to provide you with the tools and service to keep you riding all year long

Blue ridge North 257-B connor ave | Charlottesville, VA (434) 995-2453

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Blueridgecyclery.com

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Blue ridge downtown 722 preston ave | Charlottesville, VA (434) 529-6514

AFTON, VA AND EAST STROUDSBURG, PA WWW.SBDISTILLERY.COM

FESTIVAL FOOD

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Blue Ridge Pizza Co. (Charlottesville, Va.)

Raven’s Roost (Blue Ridge Parkway, Va.) High Point City Lake (High Point, N.C.)

In between sets, there’s nothing better than a wood-fired pizza pie fresh from the oven. Keep an eye out for the Blue Ridge Pizza Co. food truck at your favorite local breweries, vineyards, and regional festivals.

CAMPSITE/CAMPGROUND

Best Birdwatching Spot

Devils Backbone Camp (Roseland, Va.)

Nestled in the valley just a few miles from the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway, Devils Backbone Camp, adjacent to Devils Backbone Brewing Company, is perfectly located near adventure and craft brews. Whether you’re looking for a full RV hookup or primitive tent site, you’ll be close to the action in a fun and relaxing camping environment.

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Maple Doughnuts, Highland County Maple Festival (Highland County, Va.) Sugar Shack (N.C.)

RESTAURANT

Blue Mountain Brewery (Afton, Va.)

From simmering chili in a beer-based broth and nachos overflowing with black bean and corn salsa to smoked pulled pork on a fresh roll, tastes and sights unite at Blue Mountain Brewery for a delightful dining experience.

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Secret Sandwich Society (Fayetteville, W.Va.) Curate (Asheville, N.C.)

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Adventures on the Gorge (Lansing, W.Va.) Roan Mountain State Park (Carter County, Tenn.)

CLIMBING CRAG tofu, mushroom potato, lump crab, and jerk chicken. Pair your meal with a fresh lime margarita and Mexican chocolate pot du creme for dessert.

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BIKE PARK

FARM-TO-TABLE

Local Roots (Roanoke, Va.)

The ingredients at Local Roots are carefully selected by the guiding principles of sustainable, organic, local, and ethical, leading to seasonal dishes inspired by the farms of southwest Virginia.

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The Shack (Staunton, Va.) Stardust Cafe (Lewisburg, W.Va.)

ICE CREAM

Homestead Creamery (Wirtz, Va.)

Get a taste of the Homestead Creamery’s award-winning ice creams at the Farm Market in Burnt Chimney or at a local grocery store, including flavors like peanut butter and double dark chocolate to fruity delights like lemon crunch and blueberry pomegranate.

Thunderbird Taco (Lewisburg, W.Va.) Alex’s Taco Truck (Waynesboro, Va.)

Road Hog’s BBQ (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.) Paulie’s Pig Out (Afton, Va.)

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The Blue Ridge Pig (Nellysford, Va.)

With all of the meats smoked on site, the Blue Ridge Pig is a must try for all barbecue lovers. Whether you order a classic pulled pork sandwich, rack of ribs, or turkey croissant with the works, you’ll see why locals keep coming back for more.

VEGETARIAN MENU

The Wild Bean (Lewisburg, W.Va.)

BRUNCH SPOT

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You can sleep in and still enjoy Sunday brunch at the French Goat, the perfect way to start off your day with seasonal omelets, prosciutto benedict, or french toast served with a side of cheese grits and potato hash.

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The Little Grill Collective (Harrisonburg, Va.) Sunny Point Café (Asheville, N.C.)

BURRITOS OR TACOS

White Duck Taco Shop (Multiple Regional Locations)

Load up your tacos with just about any kind of filling, like Korean beef bulgogi, banh mi H A N G I N G R O C K R A P T O R O B S E R VA T O R Y I S A D E S T I N AT I O N Y E A R R O U N D . P H O T O B Y C H A R L I E KAHLE

Snowshoe Mountain Resort (Snowshoe, W.Va.)

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BARBECUE

Kline’s Dairy Bar (Multiple Locations) Blue Cow Ice Cream (Roanoke, Va.)

The French Goat (Lewisburg, W.Va.)

Sandstone Falls Boardwalk (New River Gorge, W.Va.) Roan Mountain Gardens Upper Trail (Pisgah and Cherokee National Forest, N.C./Tenn.)

In the warmer months, the slopes of Snowshoe Mountain offer an extensive trail system of berms, jumps, drops, and epic flow. Whether you’re a pro or a first timer, a downhiller or cross country speedster, there are more than 40 trails and 1,500 vertical feet of descent for multiple days of world-class riding. Test your skills at the site of the 2019 and 2021 Mountain Bike Cup Finals, including a pump track, multiple skills development areas, and a drop park.

Hit up the Wild Bean for a vegetarian breakfast or lunch, featuring dishes like the fakin’ bacon BLT, blackened tofu on whole wheat, a barbecue seitan sandwich, and black bean burger.

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Seneca Rocks (Monongahela National Forest, W.Va.)

Laughing Seed Café (Asheville, N.C.) Juice Laundry (Charlottesville, Va.)

DESTINATIONS

Ride Kanuga Mountain Bike Park (Hendersonville, N.C.) Bryce Resort (Basye, Va.)

BIKING TRAIL

Greenbrier River Trail (W.Va.)

Once a part of the C&O Railway, this rail trail runs 78 miles as it parallels the Greenbrier River from Caldwell to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park with numerous access points. Bikers can ride for a few hours or a few days past small towns, over 35 bridges, through two tunnels, and into a National Radio Quiet Zone.

Abbott Lake Trail (Peaks of Otter, Va.) At just under a mile, this paved loop encircles Abbott Lake for stunning views of the Peaks of Otter. Through a woodland forest and open field, this is a great stop for a scenic outing or a picnic by the water.

There is a wooden bridge section, but at four feet wide it will accommodate a wheelchair or stroller. Located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are countless other accessible overlooks with mountain views and waterfalls to experience.

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Linville Gorge (Pisgah National Forest, N.C.) Hanging Rock State Park (Danbury, N.C.)

HIKING TRAIL

Appalachian Trail (Georgia to Maine)

Hikers from around the world will recognize the iconic white blaze marking the Appalachian Trail as it winds through the mountains 2,180+ miles from Georgia to Maine. With options to hike for a few hours or a few months, you’ll experience a wide variety of terrain, ecosystems, parks, and wildlife along the way.

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Greenbrier River Trail (W.Va.) Crabtree Falls Trail (Nelson County, Va.)

INSTAGRAMMABLE SPOT

McAfee Knob (Catawba, Va.)

A bucket list stop on the Appalachian Trail and part of Virginia’s Triple Crown, McAfee Knob offers breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys from the recognizable ledge.

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Sandstone Falls, New River Gorge (W.Va.) Humpback Rocks, Blue Ridge Parkway (Va.)

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ADA-ACCESSIBLE EXPERIENCE

Rising 900 feet above the North Fork River, you’ll have a bird’s-eye view from the towering Tuscarora quartzite formation, featuring multi-pitch routes for climbers of all abilities.

Virginia Creeper Trail (Va.) Carvins Cove (Va.)

KID-FRIENDLY ADVENTURE

BIRDWATCHING SPOT

Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory (Monroe County, W.Va.) Built in 1956 as a fire tower, the Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory offers outstanding 360-degree views of Jefferson National Forest and is one of the best spots around to view migrating hawks, eagles, falcons, and osprey.

Continue your exploration of the area on the nearby Allegheny Trail.

ACE Adventure Resort (Oak Hill, W.Va.)

There’s something for the whole family at ACE Adventure Resort, from overnight whitewater rafting trips to a waterpark, zipline, mud obstacle course, and paddleboarding.

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Virginia Creeper Trail (Va.) Virginia Safari Park (Natural Bridge, Va.)

FEBRUARY 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST KID FRIENDLY ADVENTURE for 2020 & 2021!

+ TRISTAN MOORE, BEST RAFT GUIDE 2021 + NICK PARSONS, BEST RAFT GUIDE 2020

Explore our nation's newest national park, The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, with ACE Adventure Resort. ACE offers guided rafting trips for all ages, the only ziplines with Gorge views, a waterpark, private rental cabins, and more!

Plus, kids ages 6-9 raft FREE! Hover your smartphone camera over this QR code to LEARN MORE!

ACEraft.com

800-787-3982

LAKE

Best Place to Stargaze

Smith Mountain Lake (Va.)

With 500 miles of shoreline, there are endless boating and fishing opportunities at Virginia’s second largest body of freshwater. Smith Mountain Lake State Park offers cabins and campsites, miles of hiking trails, and a public beach for a full weekend of fun.

RUNNING TRAIL

Greenbrier River Trail (W.Va.)

With several access points and campsites along the 78-mile path, the Greenbrier River Trail makes for a scenic run through the woods of West Virginia. The rail trail is fairly flat as it follows the river, but does provide some areas of elevation change.

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Fonta Flora Trail (N.C.) Jackson River Scenic Trail (Va.)

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Summersville Lake (W.Va.) Nantahala Lake (N.C.)

SKI RUN

Cupp Run, Snowshoe Mountain Resort (Snowshoe, W. Va.)

NATIONAL FOREST

Pisgah National Forest (N.C.)

In the mountains of western North Carolina, Pisgah National Forest is an oasis filled with unforgettable experiences around every corner. Whether you’re looking for rugged singletrack, thrilling whitewater paddling, towering waterfalls, or scenic byways, this national forest has it all.

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George Washington and Jefferson National Forest (Va.) Monongahela National Forest (W.Va.)

Featuring a 1,500-foot drop over 1.5 miles, experienced skiers and snowboarders will enjoy the black diamond Cupp Run, designed by Olympian Jean-Claude Killy.

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mix of easy access to outdoor adventure, a vibrant arts district, and a booming craft beer scene.

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NATIONAL PARK

Roanoke, Va. Fayetteville, W.Va.

Frequently topping the most-visited national parks list, Great Smoky Mountains is a scenic wonderland no matter the time of year. Walk through blooming wildflowers, hike among the changing leaves, and view the signature foggy mornings that give the park its name.

PLACE TO RAISE AN OUTDOOR FAMILY

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (N.C./Tenn.)

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Shenandoah National Park (Va.) Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (W.Va.)

OVERLOOK

Waterrock Knob (Blue Ridge Parkway, N.C.)

Located at milepost 451.2 on the parkway, you’ll have 360-degree views of the surrounding mountain chains from Waterrock Knob, making it a must-see stop no matter the time of day.

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Lover’s Leap (Meadows of Dan, Va.) Falling Spring Falls (Alleghany Highlands, Va.)

PET-FRIENDLY ADVENTURE

Hungry Mother State Park (Smyth County, Va.)

Located on a picturesque lake, this is a quiet getaway with plenty of space to wander the trails during the day and curl up by the fire at night with your furry friend by your side.

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Mountains-to-Sea Trail (N.C.) Bluestone State Park (Summers County, W.Va.)

PLACE FOR OUTDOOR SINGLES TO LIVE

Asheville, N.C.

In the mountains of western North Carolina, Asheville provides the perfect

Roanoke, Va.

Voted a Top Adventure Town by our readers for the second year in a row, Roanoke has a wide variety of recreation opportunities to enjoy as your kids grow up. Start them out on the paved greenway trails that connect downtown, the river, and local parks before moving them up to hiking on the A.T. and mountain biking at Carvins Cove.

Cliffhanger, Wintergreen Resort (Nellysford, Va.) Diamond Jim, Massanutten Resort (Massanutten, Va.)

STATE PARK

Douthat State Park (Va.)

Take in the beautiful mountain scenery and calming waters of Douthat State Park, one of the original Virginia parks built in 1936.

It features 43 miles of hiking and biking trails, boat rentals, lake fishing, and scenic camping.

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Blackwater Falls State Park (W.Va.) Elk Knob State Park (N.C.)

SUMMIT

Mount Rodgers (Va.)

work your way up to the technical prowess required at Timberjack.

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Wintergreen Resort (Nellysford, Va.) Beech Mountain Resort (Beech Mountain, N.C.)

URBAN PARK/GREENWAY

Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail (Va.)

One of the original and most successful railsto-trails projects in the country, the Virginia Creeper Trail has left a lasting impact in the world of transportation and outdoor recreation infrastructure. Running 34.3 miles from Abingdon to the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, the trail attracts hikers, runners, and cyclists from around the world.

It has also led to an economic revitalization for the nearby towns with bike shops, shuttle services, and restaurants opening to accommodate visitors.

Long before Lisa Quigley joined the Virginia Creeper Trail Conservancy, her youngest child learned to ride a bike on the trail. Now as executive director of the conservancy, she helps ensure others will be able to enjoy the trail for years to come.

When the trail closed down for five weeks last spring due to the pandemic, Quigley said their office received more than 1,100 calls from people wanting to get out on the trail. Even with the closure, the trail saw about a 30-percent increase in trail users for 2020 as people turned to local outdoor recreation as indoor activities were shut down. “We realized what an integral part of people’s lives the trail actually plays,” Quigley said. “We knew it but to see it in action was pretty awe-inspiring.”

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Hike to the highest point in Virginia from Grayson Highlands State Park or the A.T. to view thick spruce forests, blooming wildflowers, and wind-swept grassy balds on the way to the 5,729-foot summit.

Lewisburg, W.Va. Charlottesville, Va.

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PLACE TO STARGAZE

Looking Glass Rock (N.C.) Pilot Mountain (N.C.)

Whitewater fanatics from all over the world flock to the Gauley every fall for some of the best whitewater releases around. For six weeks starting the weekend after Labor Day, the river’s 26+ miles of whitewater are chock full of more than 100 class III, IV, and V rapids and epic scenery that gives families in rafts and adrenaline junkies in kayaks big thrills.

Green Bank Observatory (Green Bank, W.Va.)

Step into the world of radio astronomy at the Green Bank Observatory with state-ofthe-art telescopes as researchers dive into black holes, universe expansion, and all that we do not yet understand.

SWIMMING HOLE

Devil’s Bathtub (Scott County, Va.)

The emerald waters of the Devil’s Bathtub make for a refreshing dip in the summer heat. Be prepared with sturdy footwear for more than a dozen creek crossings and a rocky trail on the hike to the swimming hole.

PLACE TO WATCH THE SUNSET

Dolly Sods Wilderness (Monongahela National Forest, W. Wa.)

Make your way to the highest plateau east of the Mississippi to take in the mountain views, sandstone boulders, and dazzling colors as the sun dips below the horizon at Dolly Sods.

WHITEWATER

Gauley River (W.Va.)

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New River (W. Va.) Nantahala River (N.C.)

Blue Bend (Greenbrier County, W.Va.) Skinny Dip Falls (Transylvania County, N.C.)

WATERFALL

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Mount Mitchell (Burnsville, N.C.) Lake Moomaw (Alleghany Highlands, Va.)

Roanoke Greenway (Va.) Swamp Rabbit Trail (S.C.)

TERRAIN PARK

Snowshoe Mountain Resort (Snowshoe, W.Va.)

Home to five terrain parks, Snowshoe offers the perfect environment to hone your freestyle skills. The Progression, Whitewater, and Evolution parks will help you get a feel for the features before you

Blackwater Falls (Davis, W.Va.)

Several access points and an observation deck allow visitors to view the cascading Blackwater Falls as the water drops 57 feet into a class V river from a variety of angles.

The amber waters are tinted by the tannic acid released from fallen hemlock and red spruce needles.

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Crabtree Falls (Nelson County, Va.)

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Humpback Rocks (Blue Ridge Parkway, Va.) Raven’s Roost (Blue Ridge Parkway, Va.)

R E S E A R C H E R S U S E R A D I O WAV E L E N G T H S T O S T U D Y T H E U N I V E R S E AT G R E E N B A N K O B S E R VAT O R Y. P H O T O B Y G B O P R S P E C I A L I S T J I L L M A L U S K Y, N S F - G B O

Cascade Falls (Giles County, Va.)

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__ he weather was terrible, the kind that makes an already tough 100 miler absolutely hellish. But when Jenny Bonner thinks back to that race in 2016, she doesn’t focus on the muddy trails or the burning tension in her muscles as she fought her way uphill. She remembers the group of runners—all of them struggling to make the cut-off time—she formed a pact with them to stay together, providing support and encouraging words on the challenging Grindstone 100 course.

The runners had never met before, but they traded layers to stay warm and timed snack breaks to stay on pace. “There’s something about climbing mountains and exchanging life stories during those kinds of adventures,” Bonner said. “Every race provides an opportunity to connect with a stranger.”

But these spontaneous bonds were largely lost last year.

Racing in 2020 looked wildly different as event directors and competitors scrambled to adapt in the midst of a global pandemic. As permits were pulled and events went virtual, some people missed having a goal to work towards. Others missed the competition, trying to beat personal bests and keep up with fellow runners.

But mostly, they missed the people.

“When I walk into a packet pickup, it’s like going home for Thanksgiving,” Bonner said. “When you don’t have the camaraderie of those shared miles with your friends, it’s harder to find the motivation.”

Racing INTO 2021

How Event Directors and Athletes are Preparing for Another Uncertain Season of Competition

GOING VIRTUAL Although virtual races have been around for years, their popularity exploded in 2020. “They’re a great way, even post-COVID, for those who are tight on time or finances and aren’t able to travel to an in-person event,” Bonner said. “They’re a great way for people to feel like they’re a part of the running community.”

The accessibility of these virtual events attracted new participants across the country as outlets to help them stay active while following social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders.

Layla Doman, a triathlete and competitive cyclist, participated in virtual multisport events like the Virtual Run and/or Bike Across Maryland and the Atlantic Coast Virtual Challenge. Although she hasn't trained or competed in swimming since last March, these challenges helped Doman keep up with her running and cycling. “The run is my least favorite,” she said.

“Being on a training plan helped me to be consistent with running and enjoy running a lot more.”

Toward the end of the year, Doman started joining group cycling rides where everyone could spread out while still enjoying each other’s company. “I definitely came to embrace cycling a lot more,” she said. “It was already my favorite of the three disciplines but it became my solace for sure.”

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L E F T: G H O S T T O W N T R A I L C H A L L E N G E PA R T I C I PA N T S H A D T O F O L L O W STRICT COVID GUIDELINES. PHOTO BY CORY SHOFF R I G H T: M E M B E R S O F B L A C K M E N R U N C H A P T E R S A C R O S S T H E C O U N T R Y C O M P E T E D V I R T U A L L Y. P H O T O B Y D I WA N G VA L D E Z

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Still, Doman is looking forward to competing in person again with her race day cheer squad supporting her at the finish line. “There’s nothing like knowing that somebody recognizes you and your effort,” she said.

In addition to giving people outlets to race, virtual events were a way to build community online as everyone struggled with the effects of the pandemic.

Rafael Ortiz, national co-captain, director of marketing, and team captain for Black Men Run, said running took on another level of importance for members of the Black community during the country’s reckoning with racism in 2020. “We provided a safe place for us to deal with the emotions of COVID disproportionately affecting our community,” Ortiz said. “We also held forums to process how we felt about the racial division and civil unrest that resulted from the unjust killings of Black men and women, especially Ahmaud Arbery, who was also a runner. Our group became more intentional about our mission. We wanted to make sure that every time we laced up our shoes, we remembered it is a privilege to run.”

Every year, the organizers of Black Men Run choose one marathon to serve as their national meetup. With 55 chapters across 30 states, it’s a chance for members from all over the country to gather, compete, and uplift one another. Unable to meet as planned at the Detroit Free Press Marathon last year, the organization instead created their own virtual race series to fill the gap. Ortiz said they were able to get more participants as a virtual series since travel logistics and timing affect how many people can attend an in-person event.

Instead of just one event, the series consisted of four distances spread out over several weeks.

“Participants liked it because it allowed them a chance to get some miles in, rest, and then prepare for the next race,” Ortiz said. “They didn’t have to do all distances in one weekend or over three or four days.” Most of the members who participated completed all four distances, starting with 2.5 miles and working their way up to a 15K. Despite the success of their virtual event and others across the country, Ortiz doesn’t think in-person events are going anywhere, especially with so many people missing cheering crowds and the camaraderie of congregating with large masses of runners. “You can’t really duplicate the competitive aspect of seeing a person in front of you and chasing them down,” he said.

“Even if you run with a small group of people, there’s nothing like running with large crowds and hearing the cheering. From that standpoint, I don’t think we will go to a virtual experience forever.”

A NEW SET OF RULES Despite limits on group gatherings and pulled permits, some smaller in-person races were able to take place in 2020. Ryan Roma, co-owner of Dirty Bird Events, said the pandemic hit at a particularly challenging time as the spring is usually when registrations are coming in so

“They’re never going to forget that year that they had to wear a mask,” Lusk said. Series organizers are planning for the 2021 season to include the new guidelines and regulations that were developed last year.

For Lusk, the pandemic has demonstrated how important local trails are and the need for continued maintenance. “A lot of these new users that we’re seeing, people that might pick up running as a new hobby because the gyms were shut down for so long, I’m hoping it’s pushing them to get out, use the trails more, and to see the value in the trails,” she said. In Cambria County, Lusk said they saw an over 200-percent increase in usage on some of their trails.

LO O KIN G A HE A D

they can submit the paperwork for permits. “Revenue dried up pretty much in a week,” he said. “A lot of race directors and companies didn’t know whether their race was going to go on. Many don’t even now.”

Most of Roma’s events are off-road with smaller fields of runners, so it was easier to stagger start times and spread out competitors on the trails. Still, Roma said they only saw about half the participation they usually get for their eight events. Those who did participate were eager to compete in person, even if it meant no hugging at the finish line or extensive sanitation procedures. “Whatever we asked them to do, they were so responsive,” Roma said. He sees smaller races returning to somewhat normal this year with a dedicated group of people working behind the scenes, but he’s looking forward to when a regular race day party atmosphere can return.

The pandemic also affected nonprofit organizations who rely on race entries and sponsorships to fund their programs. All proceeds from the Cambria County Trail Race Series in Pennsylvania, for instance, help the Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority fund trail maintenance and beautification projects that grants don’t typically cover.

Co-Race Director Caytlin Lusk said they canceled their first event of the 2020 season because restrictions and protocols seemed to be changing almost daily. With too many unknowns, they had no other choice. They postponed their second event, the Ghost Town Trail Challenge, from June to August to allow more time to come up with a plan. “We’ve never been so prepared in our lives,” Lusk said. “It really got us, as race organizers, on our toes. It was a wake-up call making sure that we are addressing every need to the finest point possible.”

Runners were asked to wear their masks at least 200 yards into the race until they could maintain six feet of distance. Aid stations consisted of single-serving snacks and drinks. When they finished, runners were asked to quickly collect their medals and head to their cars.

As a new year begins, many in the industry are still unsure when races will fully return to previous capacity.

Although COVID-19 vaccines have brought hope to many, the end of the pandemic is still a ways off.

With a year under their belts putting on virtual races, changing race day to fit protocols, and adapting to new restrictions, event directors and athletes are cautiously optimistic about what racing in 2021 will look like. Roma said they are confident they can pull off inperson events but are waiting to open registration for Dirty Bird Events, since they need approval from cities and municipalities to hold races. “As a race promoter, you can do everything you can to safely do it, but if you’re not allowed to, you’re not allowed to,” he said.

After almost a full year of living in a pandemic, competitive athletes are ready for a return to their favorite starting lines. Frankie Gerloff, coach and head of Virginia Capital Fitness who works with runners every year to help them train for half and full marathons, sees a comeback on the horizon, even if virtual races and timed runs are still part of the broader competitive scene as events attempt to return.

“There’s going to be a level of innovation and creativeness that’s going to happen in putting on races,” Gerloff said. “I think that you’re going to see more 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons offered in the third and fourth quarter of 2021 and into 2022 to regain some of that lost capital that’s happened.”

But Gerloff cautioned that an overabundance of races post-pandemic could hurt the industry in the long run. “There has to be a level of smart financial decisions that are made so that you’re not oversaturating it,” he said. “When you dilute a particular market area having all of those races, everyone’s going to lose. It has to be done intelligently.”

Runners like Jenny Bonner are using caution when signing up for races that are scheduled in 2021. While monitoring the uncertainty of the pandemic, she’s planning to focus on small, grassroots races and hold off on registering until the event dates approach. “I know that a lot of people are super frustrated with races getting canceled and losing whatever financial investment or training investment that they’ve put into that,” Bonner said. “But these event organizers are doing the best that they can. They’re weighing the same things that we’re weighing in our minds.”

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H I TTING THE LO CA L SLO P ES DURI NG THE PA NDEMIC O FFE R S R E LATIV ELY LOWR I S K WINTE R F U N—B U T IT ’ S A L I TTLE WE IRD. B Y E R I C J . WA L L A C E

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naking through the switchbacks of U.S. 250 into Virginia’s Highland County and the snow-strewn Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia brings an unfamiliar apprehension. My kids and I are headed to Snowshoe Mountain Resort for the opening day of ski season. In years past, the sight of powder-dusted trees and pastures evoked giddy anticipation—but the uncertainties of hitting the slopes during the pandemic undercut our festive spirit.

“We’ve been working overtime to get information out there so visitors know what to expect and feel confident they’ll be safe,” says Morgan Mowbray, marketing manager for Massanutten Resort in Virginia.

But issues like last-minute executive orders from the commonwealth’s Governor Ralph Northam around capacity limits for slopes and restaurants, surging U.S. infection rates, restrictions on exchange-student workers, and other problems have required ongoing adaptation.

Though virtually all U.S. resorts have core safety protocols in place, “this is so unprecedented, and there

are so many variables, nobody’s operating at anything close to ideal efficiency right now,” says Kenny Hess, Massanutten’s director of sports. Ski area administrators have chosen “to err on the side of safety and make adjustments as we go along.”

Questions about related ambiguities have inspired my family’s (mild) anxiety. While I’ve read, explained, and prepared for Snowshoe’s myriad COVID policies, experiencing them is another matter. Like, will restricting lift rides to groups of friends and family yield untenable wait times? If so, should we bring lightweight masks to switch into before entering said lines? Then there’s the room’s raging elephant: Will fellow skiers comply with wearing masks and observing social distancing? If they don’t, what will staffers do about it? The list goes on.

Truthfully, these worries are mostly back-of-mind: I don’t believe I’m putting my family at risk or risking bringing the virus home to others. After months of virtual schooling, limited activities, and redundant neighborhood hikes, we’re itching for something more adventurous. And medical experts seem to agree snow

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Skiing During S COVID-19

sports are a great outlet.

“Skiing in itself is such a low-risk activity, and it’s a low transmission activity,” says Darcy Selenke, medical director of public health in Grand County, Colorado.

“People naturally socially distance when they ski. It’s pretty hard to ski consistently within six feet of anybody.”

Avoiding indoor areas and attending close-to-home resorts with strict safety standards renders the activity about as risky as visiting a grocery store.

Still, as veteran season pass holders, we can’t help but wonder how things will play out on-the-ground.

T

he first visible sign of difference arrives about 20 miles from the resort as we pass through the town of Green Bank, where roadside billboards read, in all caps, “MASK UP!” The second comes in the Top of the World parking lot, which services two rental shops, an eponymous hotel, and the Soaring Eagle lift.

It’s around 11 a.m. on a Friday with excellent conditions and not only are back rows mostly empty, numerous spots are available near the slopes. Families and groups of friends huddle around tailgates with popup tables, lawn chairs, and coolers, getting dressed and eating snacks.

“We’re encouraging [day visitors], whenever possible, to [put on snow gear] in their cars,” says Snowshoe digital marketing manager and spokesperson, Shawn Cassell. The same goes for eating. While some on-mountain restaurants are open, they’re operating at about 50 percent capacity, with outdoor patio space restricted as well. Takeout or packed lunches are thus strongly encouraged.

Overnight guests are being asked to treat their room like a mini-lodge for off-slope entertainment, dressing, and eating meals.

“The goal is to minimize indoor traffic and preclude congestion,” says Selenke, who consulted with Winter Park Resort about pandemic safety protocols last fall.

She points to a case-study of a March 2020 superspreader event at an Austrian ski area, where some 6,000 new virus cases in 50 countries were linked to slope-side parties. Social gatherings, not skiing, were responsible for spreading the virus.

Hess, the Massanutten snow sports manager, says applying the above strategy to rental facilities has been one of his biggest challenges. Most resorts, including Massanutten, have sought to curb crowding through digital reservations, additional rental sites, and modified fitting and pickup procedures.

“This is an area where we’ve really had to get inventive,” says Hess. Like many smaller resorts, Massanutten has just one on-mountain rental shop; pre-COVID, heavy weekend foot traffic was normal.

But with lift tickets now being sold exclusively online, Hess’s team has added digital rental services to better anticipate demand and arrival times. New outdoor check-in areas equipped with automated fitting machines help maintain social distancing and reduce indoor exchanges dramatically.

At Snowshoe, my kids and I observe new distancing systems while taking a pre-slope bathroom break. Signs near entryways assert mandatory masks and outline one-way traffic patterns through hallways; arrows and lines taped on floors act as guidelines. Rental shop employees stand behind plexiglass barriers while

customers wait in taped-off areas spaced eight to ten feet apart. Hand sanitizing stations are situated at every doorway and intersection. The number of tables in a sports bar type eatery look to have been reduced by about 80 percent. But for spotting a couple and a family in ski gear—both cordially averting masked faces from us as we pass—I’d be inclined think it was the offseason.

H

itting the slopes brings a pleasant surprise. The usual herd of skiers and snowboarders clogging the intersection of lift exit and rental shop entry is thin and widely dispersed. Instead of say, 50 to 75 people mulling about, there are 20 to 30 tops. This is the result of state-imposed capacity limits.

After opening on December 19, “lift tickets more or less sold out through most of the holiday season,” says Hess. But that statement comes with a caveat: To ensure safety, Massanutten has voluntarily limited slope access to around 1,200 people at any given time, including season pass holders. In 2019, that number averaged around 2,500.

Accordingly, we find the skiing to be fantastic. While green trails aren’t exactly lonely, largely untrammeled snow along off-piste edges implies significantly fewer riders. We carve up banks, slaloming through trees and hitting drops that excess traffic typically render impassable or too dangerous to attempt. The effect is amplified along blue trails and black diamonds. Here, it feels like a non-holiday Tuesday—there’s tons of room for high-speed carving and no worries of getting t-boned by errant beginners.

Approaching the lifts, however, brings a jolt. The

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FEBRUARY 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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lines look huge. Meanwhile, I’m forced to follow my kids, who’ve made the mistake of zooming right in.

After so much exertion, we’re breathing heavy, which creates moisture inside our balaclavas. Though the wait isn’t actually all that long—six feet of distancing, fewer lanes, and no singles line has created the illusion of queuing up for a Disney World thriller on a Saturday—wet masks are itchy, hot, gross, almost unbearable. I maneuver into a lightweight cloth replacement (which isn’t easy); the kids complain, but stick it out. We make a future rule of pulling down masks for at least 100 yards of air-drying followed by a pause to catch our breath before entering lines.

Surveying the scene, it’s definitely weird. Ropes are taped to indicate safe distances in lanes. Masked lift attendants monitor the area, barking, at intervals, “Masks over the nose or we have to close!” Chatter is

drastically reduced among groups and more or less nonexistent between strangers. Everyone seems to be gritting their teeth against the discomfort.

But soon enough the chairlift whisks us up and away and masks come down. The crisp cold fresh air and beautiful mountain landscape hits us like a shot of raw joy. My kids agree: The experience justifies the inconvenience.

Back at the top, we v-line for the terrain park.

There, lift lines are much shorter and our new pre-queue strategy makes waiting infinitely more bearable. Traffic at the park’s entry proves heavy, but groups behave respectfully, maintaining distance and dispersing across the slope to wait before dropping in. And while that does create some added confusion, in terms of the virus, it leaves me confident about my family’s safety.

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SUMMITGENERAL.STORE 30

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

PHOTO COURTESY OF MASSANUTTEN RESORT

A

s of the time of writing in January, my kids and I have spent eight days at Snowshoe and one at Massanutten. Overall, I’ve been inspired by how well skiers and snowboarders have adapted to rules that help to ensure safety—and an ongoing ski season.

While we’ve witnessed occasional problems, ski patrollers and lift attendants have been quick to diffuse them.

In one case, a family argued against donning masks in line so they could more easily share a hot chocolate.

In another, a pair of college-aged season pass holders responded to requests to mask up by proclaiming the virus was “fake news.” Staffers instructed the former to cover their nose and mouth or forfeit lift tickets. The latter were given facial coverings and told to choose between wearing them or getting banned for the season.

“We’re taking safety extremely seriously,” says Cassell, adding that cameras have been installed at various lifts and are being monitored by state lawmakers to ensure compliance. Too many infractions could force the resort to shut down. “But that’s not really the point,” Cassell continues. “This is people’s health we’re talking about here. The stakes are too high to [tolerate negligence].”

Luckily, says Hess, the vast majority of visitors are following the rules.

“For this to work, it’s got to be a partnership,” says Hess. Trying to run a ski resort during a pandemic is exhausting. He looks forward to when the weather is once again his biggest worry. In the meantime, “if we work together, I feel confident we can keep everyone safe and do our part to ensure the slopes stay open through the winter.”

That time you discovered what it feels like to be awestruck.

Let the moments begin.

Come experience the fun and unexpected wonders of springtime in Chesapeake, Virginia. Take in the beautiful panorama as you paddle through Lake Drummond in the heart of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Treat the crew to a classic camping adventure at Northwest River Park and Campground – complete with campfires, kayaking, winding trails and wildlife encounters. And savor the pleasures of discovering Chesapeake’s one-of-a-kind breweries and eclectic eateries. Plan your springtime getaway today at VisitChesapeake.com.

OUTDOOR

Happenings brought to you by

Winter Bike Jam at Bryce Resort End of Feb. (TBD - based on weather) | Bryce Resort, Basye, Va. In case you’ve been missing your local bike park, Bryce plans to hold its annual bike race on snow at the end of February. With 2020 came the addition of the first ever “mini avalanche.” The fun continues for 2021! bryceresort.com

Richard T. Trundy Memorial Sugar Cup Competition Sunday, March 7 | Sugar Mountain Resort, Sugar Mountain, N.C.

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A giant slalom competition for participants with an intermediate or above ability level.

One hundred percent of the entry fees go to the American Cancer Society in memory of Sugar Mountain’s former director of operations, Richard T. Trundy. skisugar.com 540.856.2121 | bryceresort.com

The 2021 Martinsville Half Marathon & 5K Saturday, April 3 | Martinsville, Va. Starting at the Martinsville YMCA, runners will enjoy a scenic course through Uptown Martinsville and along the paved Dick & Willie Passage Trail. USATF certified half marathon course. milesinmartinsville.com

Park to Park Half Marathon Saturday, April 24 | Waynesboro, Va. Save the date! The Park to Park ½ Marathon is being held on April 24, 2021 in Waynesboro, Virginia. This race will offer both in-person and virtual options. Check out RuntheValley.com and follow them on Facebook to find out when registration will open and how you can participate. runthevalley.com

Alleghany Highlands Outdoor Event Series Saturday, May 8 + Saturday, June 5 + Saturday, August 7 (Multiple locations)

REACH THOUSANDS OF OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS

May 8th: Agony in the Alleghanies Gran Fondo — One of the most scenic century rides on the east coast. granfondoalleghany.com June 5th: Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon — A Boston Marathon qualifying race that runs adjacent to the emerald waters of the Jackson River. jacksonrivermarathon.com August 7th: Lake Moomaw One Mile Swim — Hosted on Lake Moomaw’s scenic mountain waters. lakemoomawswim.com

Maryland Coast Bike Festival Saturday, May 8 | Ocean City, Md. Join us on one of the three amazing routes exploring Maryland’s scenic coastal region. The event also offers the opportunity to perserve this pristine coastal environment. Start, finish and celebrate at the waterfront festival in Ocean City’s famous harbor. marylandcoastbikefestival.com

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THE GOODS

NEW RUNNING GEAR

RECOVER BRANDS WOMEN’S SPORT V-NECK

BODY MOVIN’

HOKA ONE ONE SPEEDGOAT 4

With spring on the horizon, it’s time to hit the ground running.

Here’s the best gear to keep your stride right.

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

BALEGA HIDDEN COMFORT

SALOMON XA 15

ON RUNNING CLOUDFLYER WATERPROOF ALTRA OLYMPUS 4

ROARK ALTA 5"

Road

On Running Cloudflyer Waterproof

Designed for long miles, this slick road shoe is just the ticket for trail runners who want to cross-train on pavement and gravel (and vice versa). Stylish and soft, the shoe offers plenty of stability on hard surfaces and a sure fit up top thanks to a comfy tongue. With a wind- and rain-proof membrane, the waterproof version proves worth the extra cost when you are getting in shape during the sloshy, wet days of spring. $180; on-running.com

Trail

Altra Olympus 4

The latest take on the big, cushy Olympus, this cruiser— which tips the scales at a respectable 11.6 ounces in the men’s shoe—is all about comfort. Altra is known for

its zero-drop sensitivity, and roots found in the Southern this shoe retains that wilds. The latest nimbleness while version features adding enough a roomier toe cushion to suck box, too, Looking for more local up the hits on which will gear? Check out our the gnarliest help keep exclusive roundup of trails. And your little of Best of the Blue an improved piggies Ridge Goods picks on mesh upper from getting blueridgeoutdoors.com. breathes better smashed. than previous $145; versions—a plus when hokaoneone.com you are rocking a shoe with this kind of heft. $169; Socks altrarunning.com Balega Hidden Comfort

Peaks

Hoka One One Speedgoat 4

Here’s a shoe for those who like to push themselves on long runs up ragged peaks all over the Blue Ridge. Weighing in at 10.8 ounces, the Speedgoat provides Hoka’s renowned plush feel and plenty of stability thanks to a Vibram Megagrip outsole that sticks to the wet rocks and

The right socks are the secret weapon in your trail running gear kit. As the name implies, these socks keep your feet secure in your shoe, helping to prevent blisters and rubbing and suck up sweat and smell. Based in both the Blue Ridge and South Africa, Balega is a conscious company making products in factories that do their best to lower impact on

the environment and uplift employees. $14; balegasocks.implus.com

Shorts

Roark Alta 5"

Roark’s new Run Amok apparel collection adds a cool look to your trail duds with funky, fun, athlete-inspired designs. These minimalist trail running shorts serve up plenty of stretch and dry in a hurry and include two well-hidden stash pockets. $69; roark.com

Top

Recover Brands Women’s Sport V-Neck Based in the Blue Ridge and making strides to support local businesses during the pandemic, Recover Brands is focused on sustainability.

Made from 100-percent recycled materials this versatile women’s sport top (look for the men’s version

too) can wick moisture and breathe like a champ, making it a feel-good choice in more ways than one for a wide range of trail outings. $25; recoverbrands.com

Pack

Salomon XA 15

Long adventure trail runs require emergency gear, layers, water, and food, and the right pack is key to hauling the stuff you need without cramping your style or causing injury. At 15 liters, this light (12.3 ounces), unisex pack can hold the essentials in a compact bundle. It comes with soft flasks in the mesh straps and compresses and rides close to the torso with just enough play in the system to keep it from annoying you as you move.

Bonus: It works just as well on hiking and biking outings. $170; salomon.com

FEBRUARY 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

33

THE OUT AND BACK

EARNED TURNS

SKIING SUCKS. AND I LOVE IT. B Y G R A H A M AV E R I L L

MY TOENAIL SHOULD FALL OFF ANY

day now. The big one on my right foot.

It’s black and pearly white and I know I’m going to lose it because the same thing happens every ski season. It’s because my ski boots are too tight and too loose at the same time, so when I hit a jump and don’t land just right, my big toe bashes into the front of my boot. And this happens over and over all winter until the toenail is beaten into submission and falls off.

Losing a toenail is just one reason why skiing sucks. Don’t get me wrong, I love the sport. It’s one of my favorite pastimes, right up there with skinny dipping and eating food. But it’s the worst. Just a miserable experience.

First you have the injuries. Annoying ones like the toenail thing, but then weird ones like how I almost sliced my ear off during a crash (somehow my head landed on the edge of my ski), and the serious ones, like when my buddy dislocated both shoulders and got a concussion while trying to hit a tabletop (his landing didn’t go as planned).

The injuries are dramatic, but they’re not the worst part of skiing. The worst part of skiing is the preparation. The logistics. Getting ready to ski is the DMV line of adventure sports, especially when there are kids involved. Holy shit, getting kids ready to ski is more difficult than child birth.

Have you ever tried to get a family of four out the door for a day on the local ski hill? There is nothing in this world harder. Summiting Everest without oxygen is a walk in the park compared with trying to get two kids to put their damn socks on at 7am as you’re rushing to try to get first chair. Do you know how many times I have to yell at my kids to put their socks on in this situation? On average, seven times. Seven. The socks alone is a 30-minute process and that’s just one layer they have to wear. There are 36 other layers we have to deal with.

And don’t get me started on the ski boots. Putting my kids’ feet in their boots in the parking lot of the resort is easily the most challenging aspect of an already difficult process. Children are too pure-of-heart to understand

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

that ski boots aren’t supposed to fit and that if they’re comfortable, they won’t work right. So, there’s resistance and crying until the child finally just goes limp, resigned to suffer but unwilling to aid in that suffering. I imagine putting ski boots on small children is what really terrible people have to do over and over in hell—a punishment reserved for the worst of us, murderers and van lifers who stage fake Instagram photos.

Once the boots are on, we can begin the death march to the lift line.

Of course, we had to park at the last parking space in the lot, the one farthest from the resort, because it took so long for my kids to get their damn socks on.

Still, I consider myself lucky because I didn’t have to park in the auxiliary lot— the one down the street that requires taking a shuttle to the resort. Adding the shuttle to the mix takes the whole process over the edge. If I roll up to the ski slope and it’s an auxiliary lot/shuttle situation, I just turn around and go home.

It’s not worth it. We’ll spend the day watching cartoons in our ski socks.

BUT WE SCORE A SPOT, SO THE DEATH

march entails my kids clogging through the icy lot, falling often because walking in ski boots is actually more technically difficult than skiing the hardest black

diamond. Meanwhile they carry their skis and poles cradled in their arms, like haphazardly gathered firewood, dropping a pole every three feet. I don’t know why they can’t carry the skis on their shoulder.

I’ve showed them how to do it. I even put the skis on their shoulders and we start walking, but when I turn around, they’re holding the gear in their arms. “Because it’s easier, dad.” Then they drop a pole, lose grasp of the rest of their gear when they bend over to pick up the first pole, and we have to start the process all over again. This dance happens seven times between the car and the lift line, and it has me fantasizing about taking up a sport that requires less logistics, something like pickleball where you just show up to a tennis court with a tiny racquet and play. I don’t think you even need to wear socks to play pickleball. That would significantly reduce the yelling.

And yet, as soon as we hit the snow and the lift takes us to the top of the mountain, I forget all about how difficult it was to get there. Even though every two hours of skiing requires roughly six hours of logistical hell, it’s totally worth it. That’s what’s so amazing about skiing: It sucks, but I still love it. The overpriced lodge food, the death march, the kids complaining, the expensive lift tickets, black toes and frozen fingers…it’s worth

F O R M E R S TA F F E D I T O R G R A H A M AV E R I L L I S B A C K TO SHARE THOUGHTS ON ADVENTURE (AND MISADVENTURES) IN HIS NEW COLUMN, THE OUT AND BACK.

it for a handful of perfect runs down a snow-covered slope.

And listen, the mountains we ski here aren’t as grandiose as the mountains out West, but can we all take a moment to appreciate the miracle that is skiing in the South? The fact that these resorts can keep snow on their slopes while operating in what is essentially a temperate rain forest that is trending warmer year by year is nothing short of black magic. Every ski resort employee deserves a golf clap for making it happen winter after winter.

The least we can do is show up and introduce the next generation to the delicate balance of misery and joy that is skiing. Personally, I’m grateful for the opportunity to suffer through this hell all winter long. Consider me #blessed.

As I write this, there are two snowflakes on my phone’s weather app at the end of the week, which means we might have the best conditions of the season ahead. I’m psyched beyond belief at the prospect of fresh powder, and I can’t wait to lose a toenail and yell at my kids to put on their damn socks.

TRAIL MIX

TOP TUNES

MUST-HEAR NEW MUSIC FROM THE BLUE RIDGE AND BEYOND B Y J E D D F E R R I S A N D D AV E S T A L L A R D

EVERY MONTH OUR EDITORS CURATE

a playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South.

In February we’re highlighting new tunes from Lucero, Langhorne Slim, and the Milk Carton Kids, plus the return of Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians, and Steve Earle’s tribute to his late son. To hear these songs and more, follow the Blue Ridge Outdoors’ Trail Mix playlist on Spotify.

Aaron Lee Tasjan “Computer of Love”

Nashville tunesmith Aaron Lee Tasjan continues to view roots music through kaleidoscope eyes in “Computer of Love,” a trippy exploration of the disorienting nature of social media interactions delivered through an upbeat arrangement that mingles zany psychedelic folk with a dreamy rock hook. “My little avatar/I’ll never know who you are,” Tasjan sings in the chorus, which has an enchanting melody despite its cautionary message about disingenuous online personas.

The track comes from his new album “Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!,” which was produced by Greg Lattimer and will be released February 5. — J.F.

The Milk Carton Kids “Michigan”

Few folk duos create evocative harmonies like the Milk Carton Kids. The duo, Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, deliver on “Michigan” from their new live recording, “Live From Lincoln Theatre.”

A heartbreaking tale of soldiering on while shouldering the weight of the past, the song is deceptively simple in its structure. Just two guitars and two voices weave beauty and burden together, leaving the listener with a palpable sense of the narrator’s pain.

It’s a familiar struggle bound to resonate with all who hear it. — D.S.

Lucero “When You Found Me”

Memphis roots-rock stalwarts Lucero went to the famed Sun Studio in their hometown to record their tenth studio album, “When You Found Me,” which was released late January. The title track is a reserved, slow-burning detour from the band’s usual distorted charge.

Among plaintive acoustic guitar lines, frontman Ben Nichols tempers his hearty growl and earnestly narrates a message of redemption following a long period of self-destruction. — J.F.

Langhorne Slim “Panic Attack”

Indie-folk singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim gets candid about his mental health struggles throughout his latest album, “Strawberry Mansion,” which was released at the end of January.

Slim wrote this jangly earworm following a titular episode, and although his tune’s melody is catchy and pleasant, there’s a vulnerable ache in his voice as he empathetically sings: “To my friends in the same position / I wish there was a cure / But I know that life’s worth living / It’s the only thing worth living for.” — J.F.

A.J. Croce “Nothing From Nothing”

Don’t let the somber horns opening “Nothing From Nothing,” A.J. Croce’s take on the legendary Billy Preston’s soul jam, lull you to sleep. What follows is a rollicking ramble, with Croce’s artful piano and a spunky horn section driving this soulful roller coaster to crescendo after crescendo. Croce gives a glimpse into his private life at the piano on his latest record, “By Request,” delivering versions of seminal tunes by, among others, The Faces, Allen Toussaint, and The Beach Boys, that shaped the talents of this masterful pianist and vocalist. — D.S.

Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians “My Power”

Edie Brickell went radio silent for over a decade. Now, she and her band are back with their second record in three years. “Hunter & The Dog Star” continues Brickell’s tradition of creating groovy, conscious, relevant songs. “My Power,” the first single, flows around a heavy, almost-ominous bass riff, wide-open electric guitar chords, and a percussive, organ-driven rapture, all the while punctuated by Brickell’s

playful yet empowering vocals. It is, undeniably, a song for the new year, punctually arriving as we all look to reassert a little control over our own realities. — D.S.

Steve Earle and the Dukes “Harlem River Blues”

Steve Earle memorializes his late son, fellow prolific songwriter Justin Townes Earle, who passed away last August, on his new album, “J.T.” In the fall, Steve and his longtime band the Dukes quickly recorded a batch of Justin’s best tunes, including a gritty, gospel-hued take on the younger Earle’s well-known staple “Harlem River Blues.” It’s a drifter’s anthem with a tragic ending, but the interpretation is celebratory and soulful; a fitting farewell to a troubled artist who leaves behind a prolific body of work. — J.F.

In The Pines “Welcome To Your Mind”

Self-described neo-psych rockers In The Pines have a firm grip on the garage rock vibe on their latest single, “Welcome To Your Mind.” A mashup of sixties era psychedelia and nineties grunge, this Cincinnati-based quintet drenches hallucinogenic, Billy Corganlike vocals and a punchy backbeat with fuzzed out guitars. Their new record, “Slow Blink,” is out now on Soul Step Records, an Ohio-based indie label known for featuring noteworthy bands and amazing vinyl pressings. — D.S. L A N G H O R N E S L I M R E L E A S E D H I S L AT E S T A L B U M , " S T R AW B E R R Y M A N S I O N , " AT T H E E N D O F J A N U A R Y. P H O T O B Y H A R V E Y R O B I N S O N

DARK NIGHT RISES THE TRANSCENDENCE O F A R OA D S I D E PI S S

BY WILL HARLAN

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painted with stars. I was awestruck.

There were uncountable suns spinning across the vast void. My knees buckled at the immensity of it.

Before that moment, I was a suburban kid who was afraid of the dark. Now I was a child of the universe. I craved the darkness and its constellations of light.

Since then, I have been chasing the darkest, deepest skies to stargaze. It is the perfect companion to any outdoor adventure. After exploring a wild, remote trail or mountain by day, I hunker down at night to soak in the stars.

Winter is the best time for stargazing, especially in the South, because the nights are long and the skies are more clear and crisp. Yes, it can get cold, but it’s a great excuse to snuggle up with

someone beneath the stars.

The night sky in winter also offers some of the most jaw-dropping celestial wonders: 1. The next supernova? The star Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion could explode any day. It would be the first supernova to be observed in over 400 years. A supernova is the explosion of a massive star that can create black holes and create all of the elements in the universe—and in our bodies. We are made from the exploding guts of supernovae.

2. An ancient vision test: The Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters, is a cluster of young stars. Legend has it that if you can see five of them distinctly, your eyesight is normal; if

you can distinguish all seven, you have eyesight fit for a warrior.

3. A stellar nursery: hundreds of baby stars are being born in the Orion Nebula, which appears as a fuzzy patch beneath Orion’s diagonal threestar belt.

4. The North Star - and the next North Star: Polaris, the bottom handle star of the Little Dipper, is currently the star closest to the Earth’s North Pole. But because the Earth wobbles on its axis, in 2,000 years the North Star will be Errai, a double star in the constellation of Cepheus and the only known binary star with an orbiting planet.

5. The brightest star in the sky: Sirius—

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

M

y life changed forever at a rural exit along Interstate 44. I was seven years old, and I had to pee. We were on a long drive to visit my grandparents, and I had downed a Mello Yello just before we left. I couldn’t hold it any longer.

But it was late at night, and we were in the middle of nowhere. So my dad pulled off at the next exit ramp. The graveled shoulder crunched beneath the tires as he slowed to a stop. Hastily, just before my bladder exploded, I swung open the car door, pulled down my pants, and arced my stream into the tall grass.

And that’s when it happened: I looked up. For the first time in my life, I saw a night sky filled with starlight. The black canvas of night had been splatter-

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the Dog Star—is part of the constellation Canis Major, one of Orion’s hunting dogs located just below and behind Orion in the night sky.

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You’ll also see some non-stars. Five planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—are visible with the naked eye. Meteors are constantly showering the earth: over 200 tons of cosmic rock and debris falls to earth each day, most of it the size of sand grains. You likely washed stardust out of your hair this morning.

The International Space Station orbits at 220 miles above the Earth and is visible with the naked eye. It reflects sunlight as it orbits the Earth at a speed of 17,000 miles per hour, and it appears as a faint start moving quickly and steadily across the sky. The International Space Station has been continuously occupied by astronauts from around the globe since 2000.

Private and commercial satellites are increasingly crowding the night sky.

Most of the 6,000 satellites orbiting earth are not visible (and 60 percent are defunct), but SpaceX has already launched 300 satellites and plans to launch 12,000 more as part of its StarLink system to enhance broadband internet coverage. Amazon, UKbased OneWeb, and several Chinese companies have similar plans. That means the night sky could soon be cluttered with tens of thousands of satellites visible with the naked eye.

GO STARGAZE

Where are the best places to stargaze?

Any remote landscape far from city lights will work. The South is also home to several International Dark Sky Parks dedicated to protecting their night skies from light pollution.

CHERRY SPRINGS STATE PARK, PA.

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Due to its exceptionally dark skies, Cherry Springs State Park is one of the best places in the eastern U.S. for stargazing. Located deep in Susquehannock State Forest, the Park’s Astronomy Field offers unobstructed 360-degree views of the night sky.

MAYLAND EARTH TO SKY PARK & BARE DARK SKY OBSERVATORY, N.C.

Six miles west of Spruce Pine, N.C., and surrounded by Pisgah National Forest, this dark sky park is protected

by Mayland Community College, which recently opened a new public observatory with a roll-off roof that features two telescopes for public viewing.

PISGAH ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (PARI), N.C.

Nestled in the Pisgah National Forest near Rosman at a former historic NASA facility, PARI is one of the darkest spots in the East. Its two radio telescopes also require a cell signal-free setting, so the remote mountain site is especially quiet and remote.

STAUNTON RIVER STATE PARK, VA.

Along the banks of the Dan and Staunton Rivers, this small state park features campgrounds, historic cabins, and abundant outdoor adventure.

RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY PARK, VA.

This seven-acre park is just a few miles east of Shenandoah and the Appalachian Trail near Chester Gap. The Park serves as a mini gateway into the Virginia Blue Ridge and is one of the darkest remaining areas in the Eastern United States.

OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE / STEPHEN C. FOSTER STATE PARK, GA.

The Okefenokee is the largest wilderness in the East and shelters the Okefenokee Swamp, the largest swamp in North America and one of Georgia’s Seven Natural Wonders. Due to this protected status, the Okefenokee remains one of the oldest and most well preserved freshwater areas in America.

Soak in the dark skies while listening to the bellows of alligators sliding through the blackwater.

MUST-SEE METEOR SHOWERS

As Earth revolves around the Sun, it passes through streams of leftover debris from comets. Comets are dirty snowballs orbiting the sun that leave behind a dusty trail of rocks and ice. When Earth passes through these comet debris fields, showers of pebbles and small rocks glow with light as they streak through our atmosphere.

The Earth regularly passes through the orbits of comets around the same time each year.

LYRIDS: APRIL 21-22 ETA AQUARIDS: MAY 4-5 PERSEIDS: AUGUST 11-12 ORIONIDS: OCTOBER 19-20 LEONIDS: NOVEMBER 16-17 GEMINIDS: DECEMBER 13-14 URSIDS: DECEMBER 21-22

Plan your next outdoor adventure around these upcoming cosmic fireworks displays.

Faery Festival

Stuart Spooktacular

Front Porch Fest

Congratulations to the Stuart Spooktacular, Front Porch Fest, and Virginia Faery Fest!!

Some of Patrick County’s finest We’re excited to have these winners in our county. A few other things awaiting you are picnics at a covered bridge or along the Blue Ridge Parkway, canoe rides, traditional mountain music, artisan studios, local wineries, bed and breakfasts, camping, hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. From the rugged outdoors to 5-Star luxury, there is so much to discover in Patrick County.

www.visitpatrickcounty.org

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Adventure

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2021 Virginia Association for Environmental Education Virtual Mini Conference Series!

We’re Going Virtual in 2021!

Registration now open!

February 20th Winter in the West

July 17th Summer on the Shore

Focusing on the Appalachian Plateau, Blue Ridge, Valley, and Ridge Regions

Focusing on the Eastern Shore & Tidewater Regions

May 22nd Spring Social & Silent Auctions

October 23rd Fall in the Piedmont

Join us for our week-long virtual silent auction, culminating with the social event of the season!

Focusing on the Piedmont Region

Register at vaee.wildapricot.org/VAEE2021

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The 11th annual Miles in Martinsville is April 3rd, 2021!

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RIDGELINE CRAFT BEVERAGE TRAIL

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a cool place to play!

Boat. Float. Hike. Bike.

Located in the Upstate of SC in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Oconee County, SC invites you to get out outdoors and safely enjoy our fresh Air, clean, clear and cool rivers, lakes and waterfalls. Snuggle up in your Private cabins or lake front Airbnb.

If you enjoy the outdoors, you will love Oconee SC!

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#showcvillelove Charlottesville businesses need support right now more than ever before. That’s why Charlottesville Insider is joining with Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine and C-VILLE Weekly to sponsor the Show C’ville Love Gift Card Giveaway. Each week starting February 14, we’ll be giving away two $100 gift certificates to a Charlottesville business of the winners’ choice. It’s easy to enter for a chance to win, and here’s how you do it: Post photos on Instagram and Facebook doing the following things and use #ShowCvilleLove.

Tag the local business and location if applicable.

Exploring the outdoors | Eating at a local restaurant | Picking up curbside | Shopping or visiting a local business Participating in a class (outdoors/social distancing or virtually) | Visiting outdoor breweries/wineries etc...

Staying in a Charlottesville hotel or other lodging | Doing something nice for someone (Showing some love) Anything else you love to do in Charlottesville

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

#showcvillelove

700 Miles of Trails to Explore.

Exploring mountain bike trails, racing to the coast or paddling through crystal clear springs is an everyday occurrence in Tallahassee, Florida!

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We’re

LEADING THE WAY because of you

SouthernEnvironment.org

©Alina Zubanova

From all of us at SELC, thank you for your support and voting us Best Environmental Organization four years in a row