Blue Ridge Outdoors September 2015 by Summit Publishing

SEPTEMBER 2015

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September 2015 CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

8 EDITOR’S NOTE

18 ROCK OFF

Walk in the wildest woods

Tuning into music in the woods tunes you out of the experience, argues Jess Daddio.

9 FLASHPOINT A new national park proposal gains momentum in West Virginia

12 QUICK HITS Zipline legislation enacted after fatal accident • Carolina biker wins nationals • Lance controversy at Tour

28 TOP TROUT WATERS Expert angler Kevin Howell reveals his five favorite fly fishing spots in Appalachia.

38 WHEELS OF CHANGE

World Cycling Championships ride into Richmond • Six best warm beers

The two-wheeled economy has already transformed Appalachia. How will bikes shape the future of the Blue Ridge?

56 THE GOODS

47 ZERO/ZERO

14 THE DIRT

Fly guy Brown Hobson’s favorite fishing gear

Blind A.T. thru-hiker Trevor Thomas tackles his toughest challenge yet: helping more visually impaired kids explore the outdoors.

51 SEEING IS BELIEVING

58 TRAIL MIX Widespread Panic percussionist records new album in Asheville photo by STEVEN McBRIDE

COVER PHOTO BY

Asheville’s Jay Hardwig leads an outdoor adventure camp for blind children who use bat-like echolocation to navigate the trails.

56 HOME ON THE TRAIL Jennifer Pharr Davis crosses paths with un-housed hikers on the A.T. who spend more nights under the stars than most outdoor enthusiasts.

DEREK DILUZIO / DE RE K DIL UZ IO.COM

800-933-PARK (7275) | www.virginiastateparks.gov S E P T E M B E R 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

ORDER YOUR A.T. LICENSE PLATE AND SUPPORT THE

APPALACHIAN TRAIL!

CHATTER

PR ESI D EN T

BLAKE DEMASO

ED ITOR I N C H I EF

WILL HARLAN

will@blueridgeoutdoors.com PU B LI SH ER

LEAH WOODY

leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com A RT D I R EC TOR

MEGAN JORDAN

megan@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Editorial & Production JEDD FERRIS

SEN I OR ED ITOR

jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com

North Carolina Appalachian Trail

TR AVEL ED ITOR

SEN I OR D ESI G N ER

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) now has a specialty license tag in the state of North Carolina. By getting your tag today, you’ll help the ATC protect and maintain America’s Facts Favorite Long Distance Trail! The ATC will receive $20 annually for each AT plate purchased or renewed. How Much Does It Cost?  $30 Regular Appalachian Trail plate*  $60 Personalized Appalachian Trail plate* You are allowed four (4) spaces for a personalized message. __ __ __ __ 2nd Choice __ __ __ __ 3rd Choice __ __ __ __ 1st Choice Name (as shown on certificate of title): FIRST

MIDDLE

CITY

STATE

LAST

ADDRESS ZIP CODE

HOME PHONE

OFFICE PHONE

Current North Carolina Vehicle

 You must already have the vehicle registered in North Carolina.  You receive a FREE ATC Membership with the purchase of your NC AT Tag.  *The $30 or $60 annual fee is in addition to regular annual license fees you have already paid.  Personalized tags may be relinquished to someone else, but once a numerical tag expires without renewal, that number can never again be reissued.  If you change your mind, you can go back to a regular license plate at any time. There will not be a refund of unused portion of special fees.  Additional applications can be found online at

All proceeds received from each state will help manage and protect the Trail. _______________________ ____________________________________ PLATE NUMBER

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

TO ORDER, VISIT APPALACHIANTRAIL.ORG/PLATES ______________________ ____________________________________ DRIVER’S LICENSE #

JESS DADDIO

jess@blueridgeoutdoors.com

License Plate Application

YEAR

MODEL

MAKE

BODY STYLE

LAUREN WALKER

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PAIGELEE CHANCELLOR

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WILEY CASH, KY DELANEY, GRAHAM AVERILL, JEFF KINNEY, DAVE STALLARD JULIA GREEN, ROBERT MCGEE

C OPY ED ITORS

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Owner’s Certification of Liability Insurance I certify for the motor vehicle described above that I have financial responsibility as required by law.

Advertising & Business

Asheville, N.C. Office (828) 225-0868

FULL NAME OF INSURANCE COMPANY AUTHORIZED IN NC – NOT AGENCY OR GROUP POLICY NUMBER – IF POLICY NOT ISSUED, NAME OF AGENCY BINDING COVERAGE

______________________________________ _________________________________________ SIGNATURE OF OWNER

DATE OF CERTIFICATION

Mail your check or money order made out to NC DMV and application to: NC Division of Motor Vehicles, Specialty Plate Division 3155 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-3155

Thanks for your generous support of the Appalachian Trail! Questions about the NC AT License Tag can be directed to Leanna Joyner 828-254-3708.

www.appalachiantrail.org

SEN I OR AC C OU N T EXEC UTI VE

MARTHA EVANS

martha@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C OU N T EXEC UTI VE / D I G ITA L PU B LISHER

DUSTY ALLISON

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Charlottesville, Va. Office (434) 817-2755 AC C OU N T EXEC UTI VE

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AC C OU N T EXEC UTI VE / M A R KETI N G & PR

NICK NOE

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09.15

BAXTER VS. JUREK For all the hype and prep for this feat, maybe someone should have looked into rules and regs of the terminus park and found ways to be obnoxious elsewhere. —Dawn Sportsmanship. Obeying the law. Is this all now secondary to industry interests and bravado? —T Baum There are far greater threats to the natural world and conservation than Scott Jurek popping some champagne and chronicling his run on social media. —Tridentata Baxter State Park officials are making mountains out of molehills. Scott Jurek, on the other hand, made molehills out of mountains.

—Lee Redfern PHARR DAVIS STILL A CHAMP Jennifer Pharr Davis’s gracious, mature essay captured the spirit of the A.T. The fact that world-class ultrarunner Scott Jurek broke the record by only three hours highlights what an incredible athlete she is.

—Joe Endres OCOEE HELD HOSTAGE The TVA “owned” Ocoee River is the only river in the country that charges for water releases. It’s an outrage that the U.S. public has been extorted for ransom over water in this river since the early 1980s. Where is the compensation from the TVA to citizens for the theft of a public natural resource? —Barry

MELISSA GESSLER

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Digital Media CRAIG SNODGRASS

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MUSIC LOVERS’ LOVERS’ PARADISE PARADISE MUSIC

Hot Rize featuring Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers•Rubblebucket•Donna the Buffalo JD McPherson•Kinobe & The Wamu Spirit•Red Baraat•The Black Lillies•Preston Frank Big Mean Sound Machine•The Old Ceremony•& many more…

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MUSIC IN THE WOODS?

APPALACHIAN TRAIL Map Guide Series

Detailed maps ● “Must know” information ● Built for trail lovers

WILL HARLAN JOHN JETER The woods, to me, are God’s own cathedrals. I love listening to the wind through the trees, the birds, the entire chorus of Nature’s music. And I love listening to the people with me.

I run without earbuds. I prefer the symphony of the forest. But if I need some extra motivation deep into a 70+ mile run, I’m not opposed to cuing up the Rocky soundtrack on my iPod.

ALISHA EDMISTON RANDY JOHNSON Save the outdoors for outdoor sounds— the hiss of snow through spruces, a surge of breeze in the trees, or bird song.

EVANS PRATER I thru-hiked the AT with a small speaker and it made life so much more enjoyable. I always turned it down when I was near other people or at campsites and shelters.

The rhythm of my breath and sounds of my footsteps hitting the earth are all the music I need.

AVAILABLE THIS SUMMER!

13 detailed map guides covering all 2,180 miles of the iconic Trail. Appalachian Trail

DUSTY ALLISON If it’s loud enough to be heard and to affect other public land users, turn it down or leave it at home.

Available at NatGeoMaps.com and outdoor retail locations BRADLEY STULBERG I’ve been aided by Spotify’s “Endorphin Rush” playlist at the end of some long fast hikes and trail runs. I guess I’m OK with it—it keeps the bears away?

BERNARD ADELSBERGER If you have earbuds, then listen to what you like. Otherwise, allow the rest of us to enjoy the bird songs, rippling water, and ruffling breeze in the dwindling number of places where we can.

S E P T E M B E R 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

EDITOR’S LETTER

09.15

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

WILDERNESS HIKING CHALLENGE DARES YOU TO GET DIRTY

October 9 - 11, 2015

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ore than 550 hikers from 21 states have registered for the Dirty Dozen Wilderness Hike Challenge, cosponsored by Blue Ridge Outdoors and The Wilderness Society. The Dirty Dozen challenges participants to hike 10+ miles in 12 designated wilderness areas (for a total of 120+ miles) across the South. It’s not too late to get dirty. The challenge runs through September 30, 2015. The challenge was launched to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Wilderness Act and to encourage more outdoor enthusiasts to explore Southern Appalachia’s wilderness. Challenge participants have submitted reports from hikes in dozens of designated wilderness areas across nine Southern states. Here are a few of our favorites so far.

WILL H A R LA N

will@blueridgeoutdoors.com

“In every backpacking trip, there is always a moment I look for when I feel fully in the present, alive in all senses of the word, and at ease with the reasons I was once again out in the wild. On Raven Cliffs, I had my moment, and it was fantastic.” —Timo Holmquist, Raven Cliffs Wilderness, Ga.

“Beauty doesn’t always have to be grandiose. It can also be modest and quaint. Wilderness is not only for the superfit, the gear junkie, or the fearless explorer. It is there waiting for all of us.” —Olga Pader, Brasstown Wilderness, Ga.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on

the Dirty Dozen, and to see more photos and hike experiences, visit SoutheastWilderness50.org/dirty-dozen

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FLASHPOINT

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THE NEXT NATIONAL PARK? WEST VIRGINIANS RALLY TO PROTECT BIRTHPLACE OF RIVERS by DAREN DAHL

isiting the Cranberry Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest of southeast West Virginia is like going back in time. Ancient red spruce cast their shadows over mountains and ridges, peat bogs, and ice-cold streams teeming with native trout. The Cranberry Wilderness, which stretches over some 48,000 acres and sits in a pocket created by the convergence of Pocahontas, Greenbrier, and Nicholas counties, also happens to be the largest federally-protected wilderness area in the east. Hikers, campers, anglers, mountain-bikers, bird-watchers, tree-huggers, hunters, and others

some about its potential impact on the Cranberry Wilderness and the headwaters located there. While there are currently no plans on the table to frack inside this corner of the forest, there are several proposed interstate pipelines that would run through it. That has a diverse group of West Virginians worried—especially in the wake of the disastrous Elk River chemical spill in January 2014 that contaminated the drinking water for some 300,000 people near Charleston. What if something similar would happen in this area, which happens to be the headwaters of six major rivers—the Cranberry, Cherry, Gauley, Williams, Greenbrier, and the Elk?

“A shadow has recently been cast over this unique treasure: West Virginia’s natural gas industry is booming faster than people can make decisions about how to deal with it.” have mounted their excursions into the wilderness for years from nearby gateway towns like Marlinton, Richwood, and Lewisburg. But a specter has recently been cast over this unique treasure: West Virginia’s natural gas industry is booming faster than people can make decisions about how to deal with it. West Virginia is, after all, a literal mine of natural resources. It sits atop the prolific Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale. While coal has long helped fuel the state’s economy, it is the rise of fracking, or the extraction of natural gas, that has begun to worry

“The water people use downstream starts up in our mountains,” says Angie Rosser, the executive director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition and one of the leaders of a three-yearold proposal to turn the Cranberry Wilderness and thousands of acres surrounding it into a National Monument. That proposal, dubbed the Birthplace of Rivers National Monument, would add another 70,000 acres to the protected parcel for a total of nearly 120,000 acres. It’s being championed by a coalition of local politicians, hunters and anglers, S E P T E M B E R 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

FLASHPOINT

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mountain-biking and whitewater enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and others who, far from being anti-energy, are focused on preserving access to the wilderness for generations to come. “There are some places that should simply be off the table when it comes to development or heavy energy extractions, and this area should be one of those,” says Lee Orr, chairman of the West Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited.

WHAT IS A NATIONAL MONUMENT ANYWAY?

A national monument is a unit of the national park system that can be designated directly by the president. There are currently 117 national monuments in the U.S. spanning 30 states. The first one was Devils Tower in Wyoming, which President Theodore Roosevelt created in 1906 after the passage of the Antiquities Act, which gives the president the power to preserve landmarks or structures with historic or scientific interest. Most U.S. presidents have followed Roosevelt’s lead in adding to the tally. But it is President Barack Obama, who has created 19 monuments covering some two million acres, who is the current record holder. That’s given members of the coalition hope that the president, who created three new monuments as recently as July 2015, would look westward from D.C. to the country roads of West Virginia to create his next one. More realistically, the coalition hopes that their former governor and now senator, Joe Manchin, will step up to the plate since the U.S. Congress can also create National Monuments through legislation. But the path to getting from here to there promises to be a rocky one politically. For one, the decision to pursue the designation of a national monument has admittedly created 10

some confusion among locals about what a National Monument really is. While the state of Arizona has 30 of them, for instance, West Virginia has none. That’s led some residents to question whether the designation will somehow restrict activities like hunting and fishing or that sections would be paved under and turned into paid parking lots. Some of that mixup might result from a failed attempt by then Governor Manchin several years ago to create a National Park in a different part of the state—an effort that failed to attract the support of just about anyone. That might also explain why a common catchphrase among skeptics today is: “Why not just leave things the way they are?” Strangely enough, the goal of the Birthplace of Rivers coalition is, in fact, to do just that: to keep things exactly the way they are. That includes continuing to allow timber harvests within the boundaries of the proposed monument and ensuring that outdoorspeople of all types will continue to have access to the wilderness regardless of any political maneuvering that might occur in D.C. or Charleston in the future.

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / S E P T E M B E R 2 01 5

“We jumped on board in support of this monument a while back,” says Orr of Trout Unlimited. “It’s basically a name change. If angling or hunting would be restricted in any form, we would pull our support. This area contains some of the best native trout fishing anywhere on the east coast. Some people think that keeping a resource serves to protect it. We feel the monument designation would serve to promote the area, which could use an economic boost.” Indeed, an economic impact study commissioned by supporters found that designating the wilderness as a National Monument would attract some 42 percent more visitors from all over the country, create more jobs and lead to a net economic impact of more than $4.3 million a year. Those are encouraging numbers to John Manchester, the long-time mayor of Lewisburg, a town of 3,800 residents in Greenbrier County that sits just about 60 miles outside the proposed monument boundaries. Manchester says his town already serves as a basecamp for visitors who may want to relax in a comfy hotel bed or grab a hot meal at one of many restaurants that line Lewisburg’s downtown before heading into the

wilderness. He thinks the National Monument designation would spur even more people to visit his town and also to take advantage of the many outfitters who also make their home there. “There are clear benefits to the community both in job development and economic impact that would accrue from such a designation,” says Manchester, adding that the city council in Lewisburg has already passed a resolution in support of the Birthplace of Rivers proposal.

THE PATH AHEAD

Supporters continue to rally for the National Monument designation. They all share the hope that Senator Manchin will step up and sponsor the legislation needed to get there before it’s too late. “This is a special place,” says David Lillard, special projects manager for the West Virginia Rivers Coalition. “If ever there was a place that deserved to shine, this is it. Whatever else goes on, we have to protect this place. Let’s deal with the uncertainty of the future now. This would be a real shot in the arm for the state. We deserve this.”

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QUICK HITS

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BEYOND THE BLUE RIDGE

SHORTS

C OW B ELL END UR A NC E

Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken should be proud. The actors’ famed Saturday Night Live sketch that yielded the ubiquitous “More Cowbell” line has inspired a new world record attempt. The race director of the Cowbell Classic 10K and 5K in Royal Oak, Michigan, ordered 3,000 cowbells for attendees to ring in an attempt to break the Guinness World Records mark for the most people to ring a cowbell at once.

BLUE RIDGE BRIEFS by JEDD FERRIS N O RTH C A RO L I N A CYC L I ST W I N S N AT I O N A L MT B T I TL E

Cypress Gory of Brevard, N.C. won this summer’s Under-23 Cross Country Cycling National Championship. Gory, a successful collegiate rider at Brevard College, travelled to Mammoth Mountain, California, to win the big race, adding the victory to his four collegiate individual national championships. Gory won his most recent collegiate cross country championship closer to home last October at Beech Mountain.

LA NC E C H A R ITY R ID E C AUS ES C ONTROV ERSY AT TOUR

FATAL AC C I D E N T P RO M P T S Z I PLI N E L E G I S L AT I O N I N NO RTH C A RO L I N A

As ziplines become more popular around the region, lawmakers in North Carolina recently passed a bill that calls for the study of safety regulations. A few unfortunate accidents that resulted in fatalities prompted House Bill 39, “which increases penalties for the illegal operation of amusement devices and directs the N.C. Department of Labor to study the regulation of zipline operations.” In June a 12-yearold girl died after falling from a zipline at Camp Cheerio in Alleghany County, N.C. The girl was related to Rep. Ted Davis Jr., who first introduced the bill after an accident on an amusement park ride at a state fair. After the tragic loss of his fourth cousin, Bonnie Sanders Burney, he moved to add a provision for the zipline study, which is supposed to be concluded by February 1. 12

DE E R P OACHE RS B USTED A FTER SOCIAL ME DIA BRAGGING

There’s plenty of over-sharing online, and back in early July some vanity posting on Snapchat resulted in a quick bust after an illegal deer hunt near Parkersburg, W.Va. A West Virginia Natural Resources Police officer was sent three photos copied from the social media site. The pictures included images of a dead deer lying by a creek, a woman holding a gun, and man walking away from the camera. After the pics were posted to the NRP Facebook page, the suspects were identified quickly. “Within an hour we had the individuals’ names,” NRP officer John Casto told the Charleston Gazette-Mail. illustration by WADE MICKLEY

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / S E P T E M B E R 2 01 5

S H A R K -PROOF C AGES?

Summer 2015 will certainly be remembered for one thing— sharks. While many beachgoers became timid in the ocean after the widely publicized attacks, a couple from Richmond, Va., decided they wouldn’t be denied a swim during a trip to the Outer Banks. Scott and Sandi Bergman had an online moment when video went viral of the couple swimming in homemade cages around each of their bodies. According to a news story, lifeguards weren’t happy and told the couple it wasn’t safe to swim in the cages, but it turned out the whole thing was a spoof. The cages said were made out of PVC that was painted to look like metal, and the couple said they were just trying to bring a little humor to the shark hysteria.

Lance Armstrong was back in the news during this summer’s Tour de France when he participated in a charity ride that raised funds for leukemia research. The disgraced cyclist, who was stripped of his seven Tour titles after admitting to doping, followed the routes of stages 13 and 14 in the ride that was organized by retired soccer star Geoff Thomas. Although Lance is not banned from participating in charity rides, UCI President Brian Cookson voiced his disapproval in a statement: “I know that Geoff Thomas is very genuine in his charitable work. But I continue to believe that Lance Armstrong’s involvement in this ride is inappropriate.” Armstrong responded: “I don’t know Brian Cookson. I don’t know what his vision is for the sport. But I do know that me and Geoff riding in France for this cause is the least of his problems.” FLEX TIM E FOR R UNNING

The city of Green Bay is helping employees who are planning to run the Bellin Women’s Half Marathon this month. City workers who attend weekly Wednesday morning training runs can push the start time of their workday to 10 a.m. Green Bay’s Mayor Jim Schmitt is hoping this initiative will encourage better employee health and be an example for other employers to offer similar incentives.

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THE DIRT

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ROAD TO RICHMOND

NINE DAYS. 1,000 CYCLISTS. 450,000 ON-SITE SPECTATORS. 300 MILLION VIEWERS WORLDWIDE. ALL EYES ARE ON ONE CITY: RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. by JESS DADDIO

rom September 19 to 27, Richmond’s population will triple in size as cycling fans from around the world crowd the city for the UCI Road World Championships. The event is a milestone not just for Richmond but the United States as well—the last Worlds to be held on U.S. soil was nearly 30 years ago at the 1986 event in Colorado Springs. “That was before I was born,” says Team Cannondale-Garmin rider Ben King, a contender for Team U.S.A. “It’s a good opportunity for Richmond and especially good opportunity for me. I’m a very proud Virginian.” For King, who grew up riding the back roads surrounding Charlottesville, this year’s Worlds will literally be in his backyard. It’s a welcome change for King, who’s used to flying halfway around the world or across the country to get to any of the

cycling industry’s premier races. “Most of my European teammates and colleagues in the sport have been to California and Utah and Colorado, but the East Coast hasn’t had a big race for years. Richmond is putting itself on the map of cycling history.” “We’re all kinda looking forward to the fact that we don’t have to deal with the jet lag and the things we normally deal with over in Europe, like do I need to bring my own French press? Do I need to bring my own coffee? Do they even drink coffee? What about creamer?” That’s Andrea Dvorak, a Crozet, Va., local and rider for Team Exergy TWENTY12. Both Dvorak and King have home turf advantage going for them, and with impressive racing resumes to back it up, these two cyclists have high chances of representing their teams at the very least, if not their country, too.

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / S E P T E M B E R 2 01 5

MORE THAN JUST A RACE Though Richmond prevailed in the bidding process over candidate hosts like Muscat, Oman, and Quebec City, Canada, the city has some big shoes to fill. As the host for 2015 Worlds, Richmond will join the company of notable cities like Copenhagen, Florence, Melbourne, and Salzburg where cycling is as popular as football is in the States. So how will Richmond’s Worlds compare? “I think Richmond is going to stack up very well and far better than anyone realizes,” says Tim Miller, an avid cyclist, former road racer, and Richmond native. As Chief Operating Officer for Richmond 2015 Inc., the official organizing committee for Worlds, Miller has been involved with the event planning since the city placed its bid five years ago. “The Worlds event is not just about the bike race and we’re not

TEAM USA RIDE RICHMOND’S MONUMENT AVENUE. photo by JOSH LOPEZ

building an event that’s just about the bike racing fans.” Between daily live entertainment, kid-friendly activities, VIP party zones, and chances for the public to run or ride like the pros in “Conquer the Cobbles,” Miller says there will be plenty of ways for spectators to occupy their time in Richmond. What’s more, the region’s burgeoning craft beer and food scene is sure to satisfy even the most exquisite of palates. “In a lot of ways we have a great blank canvas to work with here,” says Lee Kallman, vice president DID YOU KNOW? Other than the Olympics, Worlds is the only other event in which cyclists can compete for their country.

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of marketing and development for Richmond 2015. “People all over the world are coming with their plane ticket and hotel reservation, but they couldn’t tell you where Richmond is on the map. They are going to come here with, at worst, a neutral expectation, and we’re gonna just blow them away.” Since age 16, King has raced all over the world, and he even spends half of the season training in Tuscany, Italy. But there is no place like home. “This is my favorite place to train,” he says. “It’s beautiful, first of all, and there are so many roads to explore that I can train 30-hour weeks and never ride on the same roads.” “You can ride for six hours and [not] go through a stop light or a stop sign,” Dvorak adds. “The only thing that stands in your way might be a cow that’s gotten loose.” International competitors likely won’t encounter any cows on the course, but they will face a technical 10-mile circuit (which elite men will have to ride 16 times, elite women eight) with sharp switchbacks and two steep

climbs just two miles from the finish. Fast, furious, and contained completely within downtown Richmond proper, the 2015 Worlds course will be one for the spectators. “It’ll definitely be a game of who has the best team plan and who can execute that plan the best on that day,” says Dvorak. “It’s a chess match of which nation has the best strategy.” Until then, Dvorak spends as much time in the saddle as she can, training with her Miller School students and Brazilian Worlds cyclists Marcio Oliveira and Pedro Martins. Though King did not return to this year’s Tour de France, he has been busy racing at the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of Austria, and the Vuelta a España and performs maintenance training in between travels to prepare for Worlds. Here’s to Team U.S.A. saying “Checkmate, World!” FOLLOW ALONG as Team U.S.A. fights for the rainbow jersey @richmond2015 facebook.com/richmond2015 @richmond2015

THE DIRT

09.15

MIND & MATTER

IN A RUT? SCIENCE SAYS NATURE CAN HELP. by BRADLEY STULBERG

ature is often the best medicine. Time spent in nature has a positive effect on mental health. According to recent studies from the University of Michigan and Stanford University, group walks in nature are associated with enhanced positive feelings, mental well-being, and lower rates of depression. Why? A 90-minute nature walk decreased neural activity in the part of the brain associated with rumination. Interestingly, a 90minute walk in an urban setting did not have the same effect. The research comes at a time when a marked increase

in urbanization has been paralleled by a marked increase in depression and other mental illnesses. Greg Bratman, the lead author on the study, suggests that “making nature experiences more accessible within urban environments could be a very useful resource for mental health.” In other words, protecting green space is about far more than aesthetic beauty—it’s about ensuring the health, vitality, and productivity of communities. As Cheryl Strayed suggests in the book and movie Wild, during periods of distress, “Put yourself in the way of beauty.”

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THE DIRT

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WARM BEER

SIX BEERS YOU WON’T MIND by BRYAN C. REED Craft beer and outdoor living are natural companions, except for one inconvenient truth: cold beer rarely stays that way after it leaves the bar or the fridge. So if you’re venturing outdoors, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be sipping brew at or above room temperature. We did the hard work of taste testing the following beers—and a bunch that didn’t make the cut—so you’ll know what to pack before a day on the trail or the river. 1. SHOWER BEER CHAMPION BREWING

Charlottesville, Va.

Perhaps the most refreshing beer on this list, Champion’s Shower Beer, a Czech-style Pilsner, boasts a light, subtle flavor with a smooth mouthfeel. With gentle notes of malts and citrus, it’s all too drinkable. Fortunately, at just 4.5% ABV, it’s also very session-friendly. And that bodes well for long nights around the campfire. Where many similarlystyled offerings lost their personality at higher temperatures, the Shower Beer kept its cool.

2 2. HIBISCUWIT RED BRICK BREWING CO.

Atlanta, Ga.

Red Brick’s 5% ABV Belgian-style wheat ale is brewed with hibiscus, orange peel and cinnamon, and that subtle spice helped the beer hold a refreshing, toasty flavor. The subtle spices gave the beer a satisfying complexity, but didn’t overwhelm. Warm, Hibiscuwit proved to be an easy-drinking and very refreshing choice. 3. GRATEFUL PALE ALE STARR HILL BREWERY

Charlottesville, Va.

Warm, Starr Hill’s Grateful Pale Ale holds its flavor well. A rich aroma yields a smooth, surprisingly

light taste without losing character. There’s enough flavor to appeal to fans of dank brews, but even our hops-averse camp buddy enjoyed the beer’s balanced taste and smooth finish. Where other pale ales and IPAs started to sour, Grateful stayed smooth and even picked up a richness that blander styles couldn’t offer, all at a perfectly sessionable 4.7% ABV. 4. LAUGHING SKULL AMBER ALE RED BRICK BREWING CO.

Atlanta, Ga.

Red Brick’s American-style amber ale is sweet, clean and malty at warmer temperatures. Neither too light nor too heavy, the Laughing Skull was a satisfying sip on a low-key afternoon. It kept a rich, but balanced flavor. The

beer held its carbonation, but didn’t foam over or run bitter; instead, it mellowed into a delightful and easy drinking (5.3% ABV) winner. 5. ESB FORTNIGHT BREWING COMPANY

Cary, N.C.

A favorite in or out of the cooler, Fortnight’s ESB held a rich, malty flavor with a clean sweetness and smooth finish that almost suggested a barleywine. Other ESBs in our test turned antiseptic, losing their flavor and finishing with a harsh burn, but Fortnight’s brew offered an impressive counterpoint. Its bold taste suggests an Imperial, but at a more manageable 5.5% ABV Fortnight’s ESB kept a balanced profile without sacrificing flavor. 6. KALDI IMPERIAL COFFEE STOUT QUEST BREWING COMPANY

Greenville, S.C.

At 8% ABV, the Kaldi bucks our trend for easily sessionable beers, but from the strong mocha aroma upon opening to its pleasantly bitter (and very noticeable) coffee taste and rich caramel after-taste, the imperial coffee stout felt like a drinkable dessert. Brewed with beans and cocoa nibs from Quest’s neighbors at West End Coffee Company, Kaldi boasted delicious flavor and an exquisitely smooth mouthfeel.

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PHOTO CREDIT: ADVENTURE DRIVEN, SETH JACOBSEN

ROCK OFF

REMOVE YOUR EARBUDS AND TUNE IN TO THE OUTDOORS

by JESS DADDIO

t was a cold day in January. A layer of iced-over snow coated the ground, stuck to windshields and trees. Every step was a slide, then a crunch. Even the air was frozen, apocalyptic in its stillness. I stepped into my cross-country skis, wary of what these polar conditions would mean for my amateur Nordic skills. A group of over 10 Canaan Valley skiers took the lead. I hung back. There would be no need for an audience to my flailing. Very soon we were climbing, away from the bustle of White Grass Touring Center, away from the tractor’s putter as it pulled cars from their icy tombs, and into the woods.

The silence was deafening. Like a giant wad of cotton, the snow-capped canopy muffled the wind and lingering traces of laughter down below. By then, our group had thinned, the faster ones up front and the novices, myself among them, slowly zigzagging our way up the freshly groomed trail. I stopped by a piece of PVC pipe that jutted from the mountain, gushing crystal clear water. A broken ski pole with a plastic bottle duct taped to the end hung beside it, and I filled it to the brim, downing the water in three large gulps. Looking around, I realized, unsurprisingly, that I was last. Being unfamiliar with the area, I quickened

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my pace uphill. Determination settled in. Head up, knees bent. I focused on my edges, my stride, my gaze. I tuned into the sound of my skis slicing through snow and my own heartbeat drumming, my shallow breaths moving in then out. The chatter of the group grew louder and as I crested a hill, some stragglers came into sight. They looked to be taking a break, so I bypassed them, not wanting to break the momentum I’d built. With a nod and a “fine day,” I pressed on, my skis following the tracks of those before me. Shuffle, shuffle, slide. Shuffle, shuffle, slide. I found a rhythm, my groove. I

felt like a pro—no, better than a pro. Once, mid-slide, I waved my ski poles up in the air, did a little jig, shook my hips, caring not in the least if anyone had seen. I cruised past one skier, then another. And then I rounded a bend in the trail. “T.N.T, I’m dynamite, T.N.T, and I’ll win the fight!” Startled, I looked around for the source of Bon Scott’s booming vocals. Another micro-pod of skiers had formed in the middle of the trail, supposedly waiting for the remainder of the group. Everyone talked and joked, seemingly unaware of AC/

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DC’s intimate performance. Then, a guy in a bright yellow parka skied away, exposing the source—a portable speaker, strapped to the outside of his pack. With every hit, the zippers clattered. Instantly, my mood deflated. It’s not that I’m opposed to AC/ DC or rock ‘n’ roll. I’m not a goody two-shoes. I know the lyrics to T.N.T. by heart, and, under the right circumstances, have been known to belt them out in public. But not here, not now. Not amid an ethereal forest in arguably the wildest place east of the Mississippi. This is not the first time I’ve encountered music in the woods. There’s always someone at a climbing crag or campsite blaring tunes on a busy weekend. Take a walk on any For some people, music motivates movement, but when it comes to recreating in the woods, should the tunes be turned down? Share your thoughts at BlueRidgeOutdoors.com or with #musicinthewoods WHAT DO YOU THINK?

trail and you’d be hard-pressed to pass a runner, or a thru-hiker even, without a pair of earbuds in. Normally, I’m unfazed by it. I grew up in an era of portable music systems, of Walkmans and iPods. Buying my very own portable CD player was of the utmost importance to my 10-year-old self. But about a year ago, I paddled down the New River Gorge with a group of friends, one of whom happens to be a professional kayaker. While the rest of us paddled along, telling stories and catching up, our pro was up ahead throwing cartwheels over waves and looping in the flow. When we took a break on the rocks below Greyhound Bus Stopper, someone teasingly made a jab at his last surf, but he never responded. In fact, he never showed signs that he had heard the jest at all, because he didn’t. “You okay?” I asked when he flopped down beside us. “What?” He pulled the earbuds

from his helmet. I didn’t bother repeating myself. I was livid. To me, wearing earbuds is a notso-subtle way of saying, “I’d rather be in my own world than share it with you.” Which is fine. Sometimes. When I’m running on a treadmill, or doing a kettle bell workout, completely bored out of my mind and feeling fat, slow, and sweaty, I’d rather be in whatever world AC/DC or, more often than not, G. Love & Special Sauce, can afford me. There are countless studies proving the psychological and physical benefits of working out to music which, in effect, is what our pro kayaking pal was doing while he cartwheeled downstream. But the whole reason I got into adventure sports goes way beyond the adrenaline, the novelty, the feelings of triumph and fear. It’s the people, first and foremost, that attracted me to the outdoors. Friends or not, when I pass others on the trail, I’m going to say hi and will take it personally if the

greeting goes unreturned. In an age of high-tech wizardry and individuality, our society is now more than ever sapped dry of connectivity to nature, to people, to ourselves. Tuning into music in the woods tunes you out of not only your surroundings but also the feelings that make us human: pain, fatigue, sorrow, even pride and joy. We are multitaskers, efficiency machines, desperate for a distraction. And while yes, I get that the sound of birds twitting in the trees is only nice for so long, we are all beginning to suffer from a deficit of quiet in our lives. What will happen when the silence is gone forever? John Muir once wrote to his wife that it is “only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.” So respect the wild. Respect the silence. Respect yourself and leave the tunes at home.

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TOP TROUT WATERS

EXPERT ANGLER KEVIN HOWELL REVEALS HIS FAVORITE FISHING SPOTS

by KEVIN HOWELL

From the Cherokee who lived and prospered in the mountains for centuries, to the modern angler who flies into Asheville in his jet from Miami for a weekend in the mountains, the Blue Ridge has always offered great fishing for trout. For years the trout fishing in the Blue Ridge Mountains was a closely guarded secret, not just by anglers, but the rough and rugged terrain of the region helped protect the fisheries as well. It was not until after World War II and the improvement of roads and infrastructure that the region began to grow in popularity. Today the Southeast is the fastest growing region for fly fishing in the United States. The Blue Ridge Mountains offer thousands of miles of trout streams, but these six favorites also offer some of the most consistent flows. And each of these streams is a springboard 28

for exploring more secluded creeks in the area. You may find a quiet new spot and maybe the greatest fish story ever told.

DAVIDSON RIVER PISGAH FOREST, North Carolina

The Davidson River has long been the flagship of freestone fisheries in the Southeast. Over the years I have seen dozens of native brown trout greater than 28 inches (eight pounds) caught from the river. The Davidson was the first stream in the southeastern United States to be designated as catch and release fly fishing only. It has produced the North Carolina State Record Brown Trout three times. Part of the reason for the Davidsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success is its insect population. The insect life in the Davidson has remained strong, with the exception of the green drake. The green drake population was one casualty from the 1995 flood that swept away the bridge at the Fish Hatchery and destroyed parts of Forest Service Road 475. The drakes

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were just beginning to show back up when our friends Hurricane Francis and Ivan came rolling through and flushed all of the drakes away again. Today the green drake population is slowly starting to rebuild. Even with the absence of the drakes, the caddisflies, stoneflies and other mayflies are doing well and offer consistently reliable hatches. The Davidson receives a lot of angling pressure, especially from May through early October. In the late summer months of July and August, anglers will also encounter a large bikini hatch (tubers - for those of you unfamiliar with this local river resident), especially on the lower sections of the river near the Davidson River Campground. The best fishing will be from late February through late June and again in the fall from mid-September through late December. For those who prefer some solitude, the cooler shoulder months of March and November offer some of the best fishing of the year and a lot fewer people. Anglers fishing the Davidson want to come prepared with a good

five weight fly rod with a matching floating fly line. Most fishermen prefer leaders from nine to twelve feet in length and that taper to a 5x tippet for the majority of the year and 6x for the summer months. Spring fishermen will want to have a good selection of nymphs along with some dry flies. During the summer months, the river is a great terrestrial fishery with beetles being the fly of choice. During the fall, a bright colored dry with a bead head dropper will usually find some good fish. Streamers will work especially well during times of high water or off-colored water. During the winter months, midges and small heavily weighted streamers will produce a lot of fish.

CATALOOCHEE CREEK

CATALOOCHEE VALLEY, North Carolina

Surrounded by the 6,000 foot peaks of the Balsam Range, Cataloochee Valley is one of the most remote and beautiful areas in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Due to

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its remoteness and the protection offered by the park, the rivershed did not suffer the deforestation and heavy logging that was so rampant in the Southern Appalachians in the early 20th century. To this day the extreme remoteness of the valley and creeks still helps protect it from major crowds of people. Cataloochee Creek runs for seven miles from the confluence of Palmer and Caldwell forks to its confluence with the Pigeon River in Waterville Lake. In addition to Cataloochee Creek, anglers should also spend some time fishing Rough Fork, Caldwell, Palmer, and Little Cataloochee Creeks all offer excellent dry-dropper opportunities. Most of the sections of these creeks will require some bushwhacking and walking back downstream to get to the access points. For the main river, anglers will want an eight- to nine-foot fly rod preferably in a 4-5 weight. Long leaders and an accurate cast will be needed also, not due to pressure but photo by KAMI SWINGLE

because of the crystal clear water and all of the time the fish have to inspect your fly. Cataloochee Creek will offer anglers opportunities to catch brown, rainbow, and brook trout. Those who venture below the Highway 284 bridge will also encounter smallmouth bass, some of which will reach three pounds or better. Anglers targeting the smaller streams will want a six- to eight-foot rod probably in a three weight. The brook and rainbow trout in the smaller streams will take almost any well presented dry on 5x tippet. The best months for anglers to venture into the valley are March to May and September to November. Anglers visiting in the fall need to be mindful of the Valley’s ever-growing elk herd. While no one has ever been harmed by an elk in the valley, they will sure startle an unsuspecting angler.

MOSSY CREEK BRIDGEWATER, Virginia

Mossy Creek is a world class limestone creek that flows from Mt.

Solon Virginia to the North River. Approximately half of the river’s eight miles are open to the public. The river is managed under special regulation from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Anglers wanting to fish the river will need to obtain a special permit from the VDGIF. Like most limestone streams, Mossy Creek has an extraordinary insect population and very reliable hatches. The river is open year round and winter anglers will even find some dry fly action in the form of BWOs and midges. Like most other limestone creeks, spring will bring hatches of sulphers, green and yellow drakes, caddis, and other mayflies. Summer will bring great terrestrial action to the river in the form of small hoppers and especially beetles and tricos of an early morning. Like its freestone counterparts, high water or off-colored water will bring large trout out from under the banks in search of food. During the high water, streamers will produce high numbers of trout along with some of the largest specimens in the river.

Anglers traveling to Mossy Creek will want to bring a large selection of rods ranging from three weights all the way through seven weights for the large nasty streamers. For most situations, anglers will want a good 4 or 5 weight rod and 6x tippet although picky fish and water conditions may dictate 7x and small flies. High water conditions will warrant a six or seven weight rod and 10- to 15-pound test tippet. Unlike some of the other streams in the area, Mossy Creek will fish well most of the summer due to the cool water spring that feeds the creek. Rainy and heavy overcast summer days will almost always trigger a good hatch of insects.

TOCCOA RIVER BLUE RIDGE, Georgia

The Toccoa is so beloved that it’s often referred to as the Trout Capital of Georgia. Cool water from the Blue Ridge dam provides a year round fishery in a state that has very few year-round cold-water fisheries. The Toccoa flows for 15 miles through

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north Georgia before crossing into Tennessee and forming the Ocoee River. For wade anglers, the only access points on the Lower Toccoa are Horseshoe Bend, Tammen Park, Curtis Switch, and Power House River Access. Due to the limited wading access, these four accesses can be rather crowded on nice weekends during the peak season. Anglers who want to float the river will find access a lot easier and will find it considerably easier to escape the crowds. Summertime will offer great terrestrial fishing and some sporadic hatches of caddis. During spring the river will come to life with hatches of mayflies and caddis flies. Anytime that the TVA is generating water out of the Blue Ridge Dam or in times of higher water, streamers will produce some larger fish. Streamers will also 30

WALKER PARROTT WITH A RAINY DAY DAVIDSON RIVER RAINBOW. photo by KEVIN HOWELL

work well in the fall when the trout are feeding up for the winter. The river is open and offers easy casting; anglers will want to bring a nine foot 4-6 weight rod. The fish on the Toccoa are not really leader shy and 9-12 foot leaders tapered to 5 or 6x tippet will work fine. A wellpresented soft hackle pheasant tail in size 16 will almost always produce some fish on the Toccoa.

south. Ellicott Rock, located beside the Chattooga River, forms the border between North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. From Ellicott Rock south, the river is the dividing point between Georgia and South Carolina. The river was one of the first to receive a wild and scenic designation, which has protected the river from a lot of commercial development. With all of section 0 lying in Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area, this section is accessible only to those brave souls who are willing to make the long hike into and then out of the wilderness area. Section 1 offers some remote stretches on the upper reaches, but Reed Creek downstream to the Highway 28 Bridge is one of South Carolina’s top delayed harvest streams. The river will fish well all year, but the delayed harvest section is best from late fall through late spring. The river offers decent mayfly hatches in the spring, especially Hendrickson’s and yellow drakes in the month of May. The best fishing this time of year often occurs from 4pm until it is so dark you can’t see. The delayed harvest section can get busy on the nice weekends due to the river’s proximity to Greenville, S.C., and Atlanta, Ga. Anglers will want a nine foot , 4-6 weight rod for the majority of the fishing on the Chattooga. Leaders tapered to 5-6x tippet and 9 feet in length will be more than sufficient. For those anglers fishing the delayed harvest section, your regular flies will work fine; for those who want to venture upstream into the wilderness area, be sure to carry along several heavily weighted nymphs like a Kevin’s stonefly or a sheepfly so that you can reach the bottom of the larger pools.

CREEK CHATTOOGA RIVER SENECA PENDLETON COUNTY, West Virginia CASHIERS, North Carolina / CLAYTON, Georgia / WALHALLA, South Carolina

The Chattooga River begins just south of Cashiers, N.C., and flows

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Seneca Rocks has always been a draw for rock climbers. Spruce Rocks National Recreation Area

and Monongahela National Forest offer anglers quality fishing for brown, rainbow, and brook trout. The towering rocks of River Knobs will offer one of the most scenic settings that anglers will find in the country. The North Fork of the South Branch forms high in the Alleghany Mountains. Anglers will find sections of the rivers that are classified as catch and release, while other sections have more liberal harvest limits. The best access is off of Highway 28/55 and near Spruce Knob Recreation Area. For those that are looking for some seclusion try staying at Harman’s North Fork Cabins and enjoy fishing their private stretch of the North Fork. Most fish in the North Fork Range in the 12-15 inch range although a twenty inch fish is not uncommon. Bring your favorite five weight fly rod and a good selection of flies. Streamers and nymphs will work in times of high water and in the deeper pools along 28/55, while dry flies and dry droppers will work better upstream. Anglers who prefer small streams should focus their efforts on Seneca Creek, which flows through Monongahela National Forest and enters the North Fork near the town of Seneca Rocks. The fishing in Seneca Creek is mostly pocket water fishing for smaller rainbows and native brook trout. This is a great place to use your Tenkara rod or enjoy a day with 7’9” 3 wt. fly rod and some fluffy dry flies. As the fishing in the region has become more popular, it is more important than ever that we as anglers protect the resource. When the water gets too warm to trout fish, then explore some of the great smallmouth bass fishing in the Blue Ridge. Whether you are fishing the Davidson in the winter or floating the Toccoa in July, enjoy your time out on the water. Kevin Howell is the owner of Davidson River Outfitters and is co-author of 50 Best Places to Fly Fish in the Southeast due out in 2016.

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TIGHT LINES

Fall 2015

The Blue Ridge region is an acclaimed blueribbon fishing mecca.

Serious anglers know that the cooler temperatures and changing foliage of fall usher in one of the best fishing seasons of the year. Whether you prefer to pursue wily trout in a cool mountain stream or you’re seeking lunker smallies from the bow of a drift boat, our annual Fall Fishing Guide will help get you there. Don’t let this small window of prime fishing weather pass you by. Read on for all the beta on the best fishing destinations, companies, and outfitters in the Blue Ridge!

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FISH. STAY. PLAY.

Fontana Dam, NC | FontanaVillage.com | 855-974-5302

FONTANA VILLAGE FONTANAVILLAGE.COM SET AMONG THE ENDLESS BEAUTY OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS in Western North Carolina, Fontana Village Resort is the perfect fall escape for outdoor adventure, relaxation, and family fun. Accommodations include The Lodge at Fontana Village, private cabins, and a riverside campground. Amenities include the Fontana Lake Marina, Wildwood Grill & Mountview Restaurant, a pool and lazy river, disc golf, and miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. From Fontana, anglers can access some of the Southeast’s premier wild trout streams, including Hazel, Eagle, and Twenty Mile Creeks with local fishing guide Steve Claxton. Fontana Lake fishing offers walleye, smallmouth, and largemouth bass.

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TIGHT LINES

Fall 2015

TENKARA USA TENKARAUSA.COM TENKARA IS THE METHOD OF FLY-FISHING IN WHICH ONLY A ROD, LINE AND FLY ARE USED. The reel is obsolete, unnecessary. A fixed length of line attaches to the tip of the tenkara rod, and you cast the fly to that pocket where the fish may be. Fly-fishing is simple and we want to show you how simple it can be. The simplicity of tenkara, a Japanese method of fly-fishing, has attracted the attention of those wanting a simpler way to fly-fish. Tenkara is a method that is minimalist by nature but also happens to be the most effective way to fish mountain streams. Tenkara is not just about the absence of a reel; it shows us a different approach to the sport. With few elements between you and the fish, tenkara can be interpreted as a philosophy that takes fly-fishing down to its

most fundamental level. With less gear there is more freedom to travel farther and add tenkara to other outdoor pursuits. After discovering tenkara in Japan, Tenkara USA founder Daniel Galhardo recognized tenkara as a perfect tool for mountain fishing and backpacking anywhere. Over the past few years heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worked to introduce the simplicity and portability of tenkara to anyone interested in fly-fishing. While the beauty of tenkara lies in its simplicity, its portability and speedy setup are equally as appealing to the outdoors enthusiast. Tenkara rods are telescopic and an 11-foot rod packs down into a mere 20inch case. Along with a spool of line, tippet and some flies, all you need for fly-fishing fits easily in a pack. Tenkara anglers take their rods on backpacking trips, climbing S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

adventures, mountain bike rides or casual hikes. You never know when you might find a stream that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to fish. The vision of Tenkara USA is to introduce tenkara outside of Japan and make flyfishing part of your outdoor pursuits. Founder Daniel Galhardo has spent months in Japan learning tenkara directly from the masters in Japan to ensure that Tenkara USA products and content are of the highest quality and remain true to the roots of tenkara. Tenkara USA is the first company to introduce tenkara outside of Japan since 2009. We make a full line of rods, lines, and flies to get you started. Check out our website for more information on tenkara equipment and how tenkara can fit in with your next adventure: www.tenkarausa.com

S e i r Sto worth telling

and Eric March

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e t a e r c

You love fishing, and we do too â&#x20AC;&#x201D; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been designing products for the great outdoors since 1968. So get out there and find your unforgettable adventure.

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TIGHT LINES

Fall 2015

PHOTOS: ERIC MARCHAND – ERICMARCHANDPHOTOS.COM

PELICAN SPORT PELICANSPORT.COM THE POPULARITY OF KAYAK FISHING, BOTH FLY AND SPIN, IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. More and more anglers of all skill levels are trading their motors for paddles and enjoying a whole new type of fishing experience. There are a myriad of reasons for this shift. It’s about the access to a wider range of rivers and lakes, the additional exercise that paddling provides, and the ecofriendly aspect of not using a gas-powered motorboat. Due to this growing demand, Pelican International recently unveiled the Catch 120, an all-new premium fishing kayak that will debut in 2016. Two years in the making, the Catch 120 promises to deliver the best value in its class. It’s the perfect option for highperformance kayak fishing without a budgetprohibitive price tag. The kayak is expected to retail for $750.

Pelican R&D set out to create a stable, extremely tough yet nimble kayak that anglers could customize to their individual personality and needs. While the base model includes several features that fishermen will appreciate, it also has a fair amount of real estate for boat owners to mount additional accessories. Available in spring 2016, this new tunnel hull boat features a wide, flat platform for stable stand-up maneuvering and fishing. The Catch 120 also boasts a comfortable Ergocast dual position seating system that is easily adjustable, foldable, and removable. Early response to The Catch 120 has been very positive; it has been put to the test by professional fishermen in tournament action. The new kayak was also heavily examined by both potential consumers and the media during ICAST 2015, the major annual fishing S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

tradeshow in Orlando, Florida. The buzz online has been outstanding. One popular element of the Catch 120 is its ample storage platform with bungee. Located in the stern of the kayak, the storage platform easily fits a large milk crate or other preferred storage boxes. Additional storage can be found in the bow of the kayak with a quick lock hatch. The Catch 120 has a 400-pound max capacity and weighs 69 pounds. The kayak is 11.8 feet long and has a 34-inch wide beam. Consumers will have two exciting new colors to choose from; lava or olive camo, both colors that are exclusive to Pelican. Retailers are already fielding questions about The Catch 120, and it hasn’t even been shipped out yet! Visit PelicanSport.com/en/catch-120 to watch the Catch 120 product video.

TIGHT LINES

Fall 2015

VIRGINIA STATE PARKS

FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE COAST, VIRGINIA IS BLESSED WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF GREAT FISHING. Whether you want to cast for native trout in the Blue Ridge or hunt monster striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay, some of the best fishing waters in the commonwealth can be accessed within many of Virginia’s 36 state parks. If you’re looking to catch native brookies, venture to the mountain creeks of beloved Grayson Highlands State Park in Southwest Virginia. You’ll find more trout streams in the national forest lands around Hungry Mother, Douthat, Natural Tunnel, and Shenandoah River State Parks. Tucked away in the Allegheny Mountains of western Virginia, Douthat also has a great put-and-take fishery in its lake as well as more than three miles of stocked creek waters, including a special section for kids.

When it comes to pulling bass out of big lakes, Virginia has plenty of scenic options. There is at least one state park on each of Virginia’s four major impoundments—Claytor Lake, Lake Anna, Buggs Island Lake, and Smith Mountain Lake. All of these lakes are famous for bass fishing, including striped bass, as well as their healthy populations of panfish. The big-lake parks offer camping, rental cabins, ample boat ramps, and loads of family activities. You should also bring your rod when visiting parks with smaller lakes. Most parks have plenty of fishing spots from the shore, and you can often rent a small boat or canoe during the summer and on weekends in spring and fall. Your whole family will enjoy relaxing on the banks, dunking worms for pansized bluegills and crappie at parks like Bear Creek Lake, Fairy Stone, and Holliday Lake.

DCR.VIRGINIA.GOV/STATE-PARKS

Moving towards the coast, boaters love Kiptopeke and First Landing State Parks because they offer direct access to the great fishing of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. On these waters anglers can cast for striped bass, flounder, spadefish, and cobia. Fishing opportunities are also plentiful in Virginia’s freshwater and saltwater tidal rivers. On the freshwater portion of the Potomac River, Mason Neck and Leesylvania State Parks provide boating access to some of the best largemouth bass fishing in the area, and York River State Park has a small public fishing pier along the saltwater portions of its namesake. These options are just a sample of the variety of fishing options at Virginia State Parks. For more information, including lodging availability, visit: dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/.

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GET YOUR FREE MAP! The Heart of Appalachia is teeming with great fishing spots that locals have always managed to keep a secret…until now. Inline image 3Fantastic fishing, exciting outdoor adventure, and relaxing scenic beauty await you in southwestern Virginia! Our pristine rivers boast numerous special regulation streams, five state record catches, and an unmatched variety of fish including rainbow, brown, and brook trout, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, largemouth bass, rock bass, redbreast sunfish, longear and bluegill sunfish, catfish, musky, and freshwater drum. The Clinch River, the most bio-diverse river in the Northern Hemisphere, flows through our region, offering 135 miles of the nation’s greatest concentration of rare and imperiled freshwater mussels, colorful minnows and darters, and excellent sport fish. Perfect for exploration during the crisp and cool autumn season, the Heart of Appalachia also has lots of ways to ELEVATE your heart rate after fishing, including hiking, biking, paddling, and ATV riding. Afterward, you can relax with mountain sunsets, scenic drives, wildlife watching, wineries, museums, shopping, and the music of the Crooked Road. So bring your buddies, your sweetie, or the whole family. Our region offers affordable furloughs with comfortable accommodations, charming and historic towns, and stunning scenic backdrops for your angling adventures.

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LET FRONT ROYAL OUTDOORS LEAD YOU TO THE ULTIMATE SHENANDOAH RIVER FALL FISHING EXPERIENCE. We offer self-guided canoe, kayak, raft, fishing kayak, and stand-up paddleboard trips on the South Fork of the legendary Shenandoah River. Whether you want to float lazily in a tube, cast in a fishing kayak or create a multi-day autumn adventure, we provide the expertise to help you plan the perfect getaway. Once you arrive at our office all details, equipment, and shuttle service are provided. Our river trips float north between Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park and the George Washington National Forest, offering the perfect opportunity to view the leaves changing in this treasured landscape. Anglers will find some of the finest smallmouth bass fishing in the MidAtlantic region through one of Front Royal Outdoors’ special trips for fishermen. Trip options include half-day, full-day, or multi-day excursions on the South Fork. As an authorized Jackson Kayak dealer, we sell the venerable brand’s full fishing kayak line, and for your convenience we also rent the Jackson Coosa and Cuda fishing kayaks. Bait and tackle are available as well. Come discover for yourself why the Native Americans referred to the Shenandoah as “The Beautiful Daughter of the Stars”.

BROOKINGS’ ANGLERS BROOKINGSONLINE.COM

At The Cashiers Crossroads Just a 3-hour drive from Atlanta!

Guides for first-time to experienced anglers -and everyone in between. Destinations include high elevation mountain streams, scenic tailwaters, private water for trophy trout, and intense summer-time smallmouth bass trips.

828-743-3768 | info@brookingsonline.com | BrookingsOnline.com Brooking’s is licensed to guide in Nantahala and Pigsah National Forests as well as Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

FOR MOST ANGLERS, FLY FISHING IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST CATCHING FISH. That is no different at Brookings’, where we pride ourselves on the long-lasting relationships we have made through angling. Founded in the mid 1980s, Brookings’ has become a staple of the western North Carolina fly fishing community and a hub for anglers everywhere. The western corner of North Carolina boasts some of the East Coast’s best fly fishing on incredible waters that range from high-elevation trickles to roaring tailwaters. In the fall, Brookings’ clients and guides can regularly be found enjoying crisp temperatures and vibrant foliage colors while casting on the Nantahala, Tuckasegee, Chattooga, French Broad, and Davidson Rivers, as well as countless smaller streams in Panthertown Valley and the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. With our full-service fly shop conveniently located at the intersection of highway 107 and highway 64 in the quaint town of Cashiers, we’re never too far from water and easily reached from upstate South Carolina, Atlanta, and Charlotte. When it comes to exceptional fishing, outstanding guides, and beautiful scenery, look no further than Brookings’ Cashiers Village Anglers in Cashiers, N.C. We look forward to seeing you in the shop and on the water.

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WHEELS of WITH THE DEMAND FOR TRAILS AND BIKEFRIENDLY FACILITIES ON THE RISE, SEE HOW THESE FIVE TOWNS ARE IMPROVING YOUR COMMUTE, HEALTH, AND BANK ACCOUNT ONE MILE AT A TIME. by JESS DADDIO

he rising sun hangs low in the sky, forcing you to squint from the glare. There’s a honk from behind. You nudge forward, brake, stop, nudge forward again. A red Mazda cuts you off, spiking your annoyance. You hit another red light. Another honk. An hour passes. Just beyond your windshield is a concrete circus, a parade of taillights inching along to hammers and drills that fire like gunshots from behind blaze orange barriers. The rhythmic beep of a dump truck in reverse pierces the disorderly day like a metronome. Your phone vibrates, reminding you of a meeting that will start, with or without you, in 15 minutes. Your exit is in sight, the dotted line to freedom within a few hundred yards, but you’re gridlocked in, surrounded on all sides by bumper-to-bumper traffic. You’re stressed, irritated, anxious. And it’s just 8 o’clock on a Monday. Sound familiar? If you’re like

three-fourths of the American population, this is the daily commute. Whether your drive to work is three miles or 30, on average, people spend just over an hour a day in the car. That number is on the rise, too. Back in 2001, researchers found that Americans spent 10% more time in their cars between the years 1995 and 2001 but traveled about the same number of miles. And that was only 15 years ago. Today, there are 2.28 vehicles per household, or about five vehicles for every four drivers, with 76% of the population driving alone to work. That means more cars on the road and more time in the car for you. In 2009, the IBM Corporation performed a study that concluded this increase in congestion is bad news for all—environmental impacts aside, 44% of drivers felt that traffic increased stress, 25% admitted to becoming angry, 16% said their commute negatively impacted their work performance, while 11% believed all of those effects combined made them lose precious hours of sleep. When you take into account that the average household annually spends three months’ pay on transportation, and that for every hour spent behind the wheel, your odds of being obese increase by six percent, it’s no wonder the majority of our population is strung-out, overweight, and late. How did things get so bad?

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fter World War II, the car became a symbol of American fortitude, of freedom and wealth and independence, as integral to the American Dream as the white picket fence. The government supported that vision, too, embarking on the largest public works project to date, the Interstate Highway System, which joined the nation in more than 40,000 miles of pavement. Since then, the country has continued that trend of development, creating over 22,000 new lane-miles every year since 1980. Our forefathers dreamed of a connected nation, an intricate web of roadways spanning the country. They achieved that dream, all right, but neglected to consider the implications of urban sprawl to the American people. In 2009, the nation unsurprisingly ranked the automobile as its most important possession with 88% of the population claiming it a necessity, not a luxury. Minimal public transportation opportunities have made owning a car imperative if you live outside of any major U.S. city and don’t work at or close to home. For just over a quarter of the American workforce making minimum wage, this means having a vehicle is not only a necessity but also a financial straitjacket. Today, upwards of 204 million cars are clogging your commute every morning. Considering there are just 318 million people in the country, it should come as no surprise, then, that the U.S. alone is responsible for a quarter of the world’s oil consumption.

s dismal as these statistics may sound, there’s a silver lining to it all—the tides are changing. Last year, the country consumed the lowest amount of fuel in 30 years and drove roughly six percent fewer miles than what was recorded a decade ago. While those numbers are on the decline, two new trends are starting to take root—an increase in households without cars entirely and an increase in bike commuting.

Perhaps it was the recession or more environmental awareness, the reality of student loans or maybe a simple generational shift in values. Whatever the reason, Millennials are moving to the city to walk more, ride more, and ultimately, drive less. As bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the Louisville Metro Department, Rolf Eisinger is being tasked with tackling this change in attitude. A former elite road racer, Eisinger says he was pleasantly surprised to see Kentucky’s largest city, which ranks 28th in the top 30 most populous cities in America, so young and active. “There’s always some kind of marathon or mini marathon or biking race going on downtown,” Eisinger says. “The Louisville Bicycle Club has over 1,300 active members and hosts rides every day of the year, most days more than one.” The biking culture isn’t new to the area. The Louisville Bicycle Club’s history stems as far back as the late 19th century when the club existed as the League of American Wheelmen. Yet since the year 2005, when the local administration hosted its first bike summit, the city’s two-wheeled scene has exploded. There’s a city bike team, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, plans for a 100-mile “Louisville Loop” park system, and in 2013, the city hosted the first World Cyclocross Championship to ever grace U.S. soil. Even the city’s namesake university has embraced the cycling culture, earning a silver level ranking for bike friendliness from the League of American Bicyclists. “It’s an eye-opening town to me,” says Scott Martin, Parks Director for The Parklands of Floyds Fork, “almost like a mirror city of Richmond except instead of a NASCAR track we have Churchill Downs.” That, along with a nationally recognized food scene, a vibrant bluegrass culture, and the world’s only Underground Bike Park. It’s no wonder the city is flourishing. The creation of more green spaces and

additional bike safe havens like the Parklands are boosting that drive, too. When completed, the Parklands will provide 4,000 acres, over 50 miles of linear trail experiences, and another world-class bike park to Louisville residents and visitors. And the interesting part? The park was entirely funded through private donations, all 130 million dollars of it. “And that was in the depths of the recession,” Martin adds. “It’s neat to see this population get out and get active. You don’t have to go to Portland or Boulder to do it. When you provide the infrastructure, even in the KFC belt, people will use it the same way they use it out West.” By “infrastructure,” Martin means bike lanes and neighborways, or “bike boulevards.” Louisville has installed over 40 miles of bike infrastructure during the past few years. In 2014 alone, the city put in five roadway reconfigurations, converting four lanes into two-lane streets with designated turning and buffered bike lanes. “I didn’t see as much bicycle riding as a form of transportation when I first moved here,” Eisinger says. “I feel like every year, there seems to be more and more of that.” That’s something which Atlanta native and Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association’s (SORBA) Atlanta chapter president Brett Davidson wishes his hometown had already addressed. Later this year, Atlanta will finally install over 50 bike share stations. Though locals overwhelmingly support the program, the milestone comes nearly three years behind some of the city’s southern counterparts, like Chattanooga and Charlotte. Remember the “snowpocalypse” of 2014? Atlanta, of all cities, could surely stand to lose a few cars from the commute, but concerns for safety have kept cyclists off the roads and in the woods for the last 15 years. “We have a great mountain bike scene,” Davidson says. “We have tons of great riders that travel throughout

the Southeast and race, but a lot of what they’re doing is leaving town. We’re just now getting to the point that people are realizing, hey, I don’t want to necessarily sit in my car and go an hour out to a trail system and back just to get a ride in.” Yet if you look at a map of Atlanta, that’s precisely what cyclists are being forced to do. The nearest mountain biking, Sope Creek, is at the outermost edge of Interstate 285, and it takes anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes just to reach its trailhead. Though completion of the BeltLine and in-town portion of the Silver Comet Trail will expand commuter cycling, Atlanta proper is still lacking legal singletrack. “We have a lot of wooded space in Atlanta that is run by the park system and doesn’t really have anything going on,” Davidson says. “This is a ball and bat culture and a rec center culture, so we’ve kinda had to sell outdoor recreation.” Those efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Earlier this summer, SORBA Atlanta received a $25,000 grant from REI to develop an in-town, beginner-friendly trail at Southside Park. It will be the first purpose-built mountain bike trail system in the city of Atlanta and easily accessible by bike. According to Davidson, the timing couldn’t be better. Just a decade ago, Atlanta was losing 500 acres of open space to development per week. Yet as more and more young professionals and families move within city limits, an increased interest in nearby recreational opportunities is putting pressure on Atlanta to change its thinking. “Atlanta’s a city that consistently reinvents itself every 20 years,” Davidson says. “Our symbol is a phoenix rising from the flames. We’re not gonna be the LA of the South. What people want closer to where they live is more of the incredible outdoor resources we already have in town.”

S E P T E M B E R 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

ust a couple hours north of Atlanta, the city of Chattanooga, Tenn., is seeing the impacts of investing in those outdoor resources. A quarter the size of Atlanta, Chattanooga has come a long way since being proclaimed the “dirtiest city in America” in the late ‘60s. “We want access to the outdoors for all,” says Philip Pugliese, Director of Chattanooga’s Active Living & Transportation Network (ALTN). “Having well over 100 miles of singletrack trails within 10 miles of downtown has created special opportunities for the community.” In 2011 and again in 2015, Outside Magazine’s readers voted Chattanooga as the “Best Town Ever.” The once-choking, polluted industrial pit is now known as the “Scenic City,” a hub for outdoor recreation. The city regularly serves as host for big-name events like the Volkswagen USA Cycling Professional Road and Time Trial National Championships and has even organized its very own century

ride for 28 years running, the 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge. Two years ago, the city’s Sports Committee signed a five-year contract with Ironman, and the first two years of Chattanooga’s triathlons saw such success that Ironman organizers decided last year to add an Ironman 70.3 to the city’s race repertoire. Additionally, Chattanooga is currently among the top three contenders to host the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championships. “The events that bring cyclists to Chattanooga, whether as a participant or a spectator, really give people an opportunity to see what the community has to offer,” says Pugliese. “People cycling are often seen as an indicating species of a community. If one can see families with children cycling safely through a neighborhood, that creates a sense of well-being, and a sense of that sends a subliminal message to the quality of life in that community.” People walking, jogging, riding bikes. That’s exactly what brought

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Tabi Cooper 800 miles south from Milwaukee to the city of Greenville, S.C. Cooper and her husband stumbled upon Greenville just a year ago, and, on a whim, decided to throw down some roots in the South. Cooper now runs Greenville Goods, a co-op style business that promotes all-things Greenville. “There is so much to do within just a short distance,” Cooper says. “Greenville is so easy to bike. You can just jump on a trail and ride up to the brewery or the Swamp Rabbit Café.” But Greenville as Cooper knows it is a little different than the city Boyd Johnson, owner of carbon wheel manufacturing company Boyd Cycling, moved to a decade ago. Though the area has always housed an avid road racing community, the opening of the Swamp Rabbit Trail in 2011 created not just another training route for those same road cyclists, but also a safe place to commute and an economic driver for local businesses. In the Greenville Health System’s Three Year Findings survey on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, businesses reported an increase in sales and revenue from as low as 10% to as high as 85%. “Downtown living is expanding like crazy,” Johnson says. “A lot of times towns will put in these types of trails and everyone uses it at first and then participation dies off. Now [the Swamp Rabbit Trail] gets busier and busier.” Johnson relocated his shop to a trailside warehouse just one year after the trail opened, but not for any hopes of increased business—after all, most walk-ins to his shop aren’t going to drop a grand on a set of carbon wheels for their commuter bike. But for Johnson, a father to a three-yearold girl who also likes to ride, the new site affords him the same safety and convenience that kept half a million people coming back to the Swamp Rabbit Trail during its inaugural year. “You have to play the hand you’re dealt, and fortunately, we got a good one,” says Mayor Wayne McCall of Travelers Rest, S.C., or “TR” if you’re

from the South. “We’re all about travel and trails and trees. Anything that starts with ‘tr.’” As Mayor McCall likes to say, Travelers Rest is “the front porch” of the Swamp Rabbit Trail. “It begins and ends here, whichever way you want to look at it.” In the last few years, Travelers Rest has made a near 180-degree turnabout, thanks in part to the opening of the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Not only does the rail-trail afford an active means of connecting TR to Greenville (a 20-mile ride one way), but it also provides businesses in this once sleepy southern town with a steady stream of visitors. From July 2012 to June 2013, tourists dumped $6.7 million dollars into the TR economy, helping to revitalize the town’s Main Street with new restaurants and mom-and-pop shops. “Back around 2001, the economy had passed us by,” Mayor McCall says. “We were just a suburb of Greenville. There was no reason for people to stay here. You couldn’t even buy a pair of socks.” Now, you can take a walk downtown and visit a beekeeping supplier, wine shop, moonshine distillery, brewery, even a canoe manufacturer (and yes, there is a place to buy socks). Retired road cyclist George Hincapie, mostly known as Lance Armstrong’s right-hand man, even decided to make Travelers Rest the setting for his boutique, the European-styled Hotel Domestique.

ut success for TR hasn’t come easy, and as Mayor McCall says, “it’s like catching lightning in a bottle. You have to hitch up to the start when it comes.” Take Chattanooga, for instance. Recognizing its potential within the context of recreational tourism, the city built trails and outdoor Do you bike to work? Do you have trails within riding or walking distance of your home? Visit BlueRidgeOutdoors.com and tell is about your hometown’s bike friendliness!

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infrastructure with the thought that the people will follow. Well, follow they did, and with more than just their bikes and running shoes. Remember that Ironman contract? The city estimates those events will bring in $8 million annually to the local economy—that’s $40 million over the course of the city’s five-year agreement. “If there were no bikes, this area would take a hit. At least 20%,” says Mike Goss, General Manager at Sirianni’s Café in Davis, W.Va. “Biking is an eight-month event. It’s not like skiing where you get three months out of it.” The quaint town of Davis has a long history of mountain biking, its reputation for gnarly singletrack tracing back to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, when the sport was new and endurance events were hot. Races like Granny Gear’s 24 Hours of Canaan and the Blackwater 100 annually drew 500 racers to Davis, which is just a few hundred shy of the town’s year-round population. “Bikers support a lot of these shops in town, and it’s not just the touristy bikers—it’s the people that live here and bike, too,” Goss says. Rob Stull is one of those area locals who reside and recreate in Tucker County. Earlier this year, Stull took over ownership of Blackwater Bikes, the bike shop in Davis that opened in 1982 at the peak of 24-hour racing’s heyday. Since then, the area has seen major shifts, both in the world of mountain biking and the closer-tohome issue of land access, but Stull knows the area still boasts some of the best techy mountain biking around. “This is the original place where you went to bike,” Stull says. “The trails here were developed early on and we have a reputation, but it’s going to take a serious commitment and serious level of investment to the point where we can compete against other recreation towns.” There’s no doubt about it— the energy is there. Between

FOOD FOR THOUGHT from People For Bikes and the League of American Bicyclists

ON HEALTH. 1. Two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese 2. If current trends continue, nearly half of U.S. adults will be obese by 2020 3. Women who walk or bike 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer 4. On average, bicycle commuters lose 13 pounds in their first year of cycling alone

ON THE ECONOMY.

professional cyclist Sue Haywood’s kids’ and women’s skills clinics, weekly group rides for all ages, the annual Canaan Valley MTB Fest, and a handful of area races, the place certainly has no shortage of biking opportunities. There’s a vibrant culture in town, too— craft pizza, local beer, and weekly live music at The Purple Fiddle provide plenty for visitors to experience after a day on the trails. The challenge Davis now faces is finding the funds to improve upon family-friendly trail experiences like the unfinished Blackwater Canyon Trail, a rail-trail that, when completed, could rival Greenville’s Swamp Rabbit Trail and Atlanta’s BeltLine system in scenery. “Anybody could move to an Asheville or a Charlotte where this stuff is already happening, but we’re here and we’re building that sense of community and making it happen,” Stull says. Fortunately for people like Stull who want to harness that community interest in fitness and active transportation, the government wants to help. You can thank Oregon’s Rep. Earl Blumenauer for that. In 1996, Blumenauer founded the Bike Caucus, a bipartisan congressional committee that has helped

prioritize biking initiatives for the past two decades. Through the support of the Bike Caucus came bills like Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (or MAP-21 as it is mostly known) in 2012, which allocated funds for a “Transportation Alternatives Program” (TAP) that created more off-road and on-road facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Though the budget for those projects has since been reduced, other pending bills like the Bike to Work Act, which provides a tax benefit for commuters, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Improvement Act, continue to be stalled in Congress. In just the last decade, bike commuting has increased 60 percent. Considering fuel prices, obesity rates, and health care costs are also on the rise, this upsurge is a welcome one. People want safe, affordable, and convenient transportation. They want recreation close to home, their daily commute quicker, the air around them cleaner. And while, of course, the car will always hold its place in American households, it’s only a matter of time before the preferred method of daily transportation drops four wheels for two.

1. In 2018, obesity-related health care costs will average $1,425 per person, up from $361 per adult in 2008 2. It costs three to four times more to enroll a sedentary adult in a structured exercise program than to teach them how to integrate moderate-intensity physical activity into their life 3. Every onepound increase in the average weight of American car passengers increases fuel consumption by 40 million gallons 4. The average annual operating cost of a bicycle is $308, less than 4% that of an average car, which is roughly $8,946 5. If American drivers were to make just one four-mile round trip each week with a bicycle instead of a car, they would save nearly 2 billion gallons of gas (which equates to $7.3 billion in savings) 6. It costs the same to build parking for 75 bikes as it does for four cars 7. North Carolina’s Outer Banks generates $60 million annually through bike tourism after an initial investment of $6.7 million in bicycle infrastructure 8. Bicycle-only infrastructure projects create up to 11.4 jobs per $1 million whereas road-only projects create just 7.8 jobs per $1 million 9. The national bicycling industry contributes roughly $133 billion a year to the U.S. economy

ON THE ENVIRONMENT. 1. 30% to 40% of the population in North American cities is exposed to enough traffic-related pollution to negatively affect health 2. Motorists breathe about 60% more carbon monoxide and significantly more pollutants than cyclists 3. When car travel restrictions reduced morning traffic by 23% during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, ozone concentrations decreased 28% and acute care visits for asthma decreased 41%

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PHOTO BY JACK LOONEY

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

Tradition

navigates a new path through a historic destination.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, only two hours from Northern VA and DC, Charlottesville and Albemarle County, VA is perfect for your next excursion. Visit nearby Shenandoah National Park for 500 miles of hiking trails, or kayak, canoe or fish on the James River. And with 30+ wineries, numerous breweries and cideries, you’ll discover why one day just won’t be enough. Plan your next trip and request a visitor guide at visitcharlottesville.org/BROguide.

Where tradition is always new.

OFFICIAL TRAINING DESTINATION FOR USA CYCLING TEAM

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THE CYCLING CAPITAL OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY

Home to the Shenandoah Valley Century Ride & Alpine Loop Gran Fondo.

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#HBURGROCKS

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

or outdoor enthusiasts “You Owe You” is the antidote to everyday routine. And Chesapeake is a great place to get a big dose of nature. Located in the heart of Coastal Virginia, there are miles of waterways for kayaking, canoeing, boating and fishing. Acres of woodlands to explore. Parks for camping. Trails for hiking and biking. And options galore for eating and sleeping when you need to recharge. Fill your U.O.U.—in Chesapeake.

www.visitchesapeake.com Toll free (888) 889-5551

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More trailheads than toll booths.

Over 43 miles of multi-purpose trails across 17 free lakeside Wildlife Management Areas, plus numerous other established hiking and biking trails, including the Tobacco Heritage Trail, await outdoor adventurers of all levels.

More of what matters. More Mecklenburg. visitmeckva.com | #moremeck

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Don’t let the peaceful mountain views fool you. Next summer, it’s Game On!

Athletes and spectators alike love these annual competitions in the Alleghany Highlands. Courses that oﬀer stunning mountain views make these scenic races Uniquely Alleghany.

May 1, 2016

Middle Mountain Momma Bicycle Race

www.visitalleghanyhighlands.com 540-962-2178 · 888-430-5786

July 9, 2016

Alleghany Gran Fondo

Like us on

The curtain rises on another day

in historic Abingdon.

How will you spend iT? Catch a performance at

bArter theAtre. pedal along the scenic

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888.489.4144 · visitabingdonvirginia.com

PRESENTS

APPALACHIAN TRAIL GUIDE CHAPTER 1 BACKBONE OF THE BLUE RIDGE CHAPTER 2 THRU-HIKERS CHAPTER 3 CONSERVATION CHAPTER 4 TECHNOLOGY AND THE TRAIL CHAPTER 5 TRAIL TOWNS Explore the Appalachian Trail like never before in our new online, interactive series featuring maps, interviews, videos and legends of the storied path that winds through our beloved Blue Ridge.

BlueRidgeOutdoors.com/Appalachian-Trail-Guide

photo by STEVEN McBRIDE

BLIND HIKER TREVOR THOMAS SHARES HIS VISION

by JAY HARDWIG

Blind Hiker Trevor Thomas (aka Zero/ Zero) was first profiled in Blue Ridge Outdoors in April 2009, after he completed a rib-cracking thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, during which he fell more than 3,000 times and racked up eight hospital visits. We’re happy to report that Trevor’s still hiking, and, with the help of hard-won experience and his guide dog Tennille, falling down a whole lot less. He started the Team FarSight Foundation to help get blind kids into the wilderness, and recently teamed with Asheville’s A Brighter Path Foundation to sponsor an Outdoor Adventure Camp for the blind. We caught up with Trevor in early June, as he was gathering snow-melt reports in preparation for a solo thru-hike of the Colorado Trail.

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WHEN B L U E R I D G E O U T D OORS LAST CHEC K ED I N W I T H YO U, YOU HAD J UST CO M PLET E D T H E A P PA L ACHIAN T RAIL AS THE SE C O N D B L I N D T HRU- HIKE R. CAN YO U G I V E U S A N U PDAT E ON WHAT’ S H A P P E N E D S I N C E T HE N?

H OW H AV E YOUR EX PER IENC ES IN TH E B AC K C OUNTRY C H A NGED YOU?

I think that, since I went blind later in life, and I started hiking as a way to regain some of that independence that I had as a sighted person. It’s given me the confidence to attempt just about anything that confronts me. I’ve fallen a lot in the back country. That taught me that it’s okay to fail, and that it’s how you recover from those failures that’s going to make you grow as a person.

TT: A lot of miles, a lot of trails, and a lot of great expeditions. Currently we’re preparing to go out and through-hike the Colorado Trail, which is 500 miles from Denver to Durango. It’s high-altitude work and I’ll be doing it solo with my guide dog, Tennille. This season we’re pretty excited because I will now be going over 20,000 through-hiking miles on some of America’s most rugged and remote long trails. After we get done with the C.T., we’ll be going to Kentucky to hike the Sheltowee Trace trail. That’s about 318 miles through Kentucky and eastern Tennessee, and is the original route that Daniel Boone took into the wilderness. Kentucky is one place that I’ve never hiked before, and I’m looking forward to that. WHEN YO U T H RO U G H - H I KE D T HE AT, YO U DI D I T W I T H O U T A D OG, BUT NOW YO U H AV E T E N N I L L E.

Tennille is unique in the guide dog world. She is trained, like every other guide dog, to assist me in everyday life, when I’m in town. But she is also [trained as a trail dog], the only one of her kind. When we hike, she doesn’t just come with me as a companion; she actually works. She finds things for me. She’s very good at finding water. She finds trail signs. She’ll find rocks that could hurt me, and my personal favorite: she knows how tall I am. So if there’s something that’s going to smash me in the head, she knows to alert me as well. We work one hundred percent as a team. She finds things that I need, and then I figure out what we need to do at that point to continue down the trail. When I did the A.T., I did it solo, just like every other hiker does. But the thing about the AT is that there are so many people on it that it’s actually pretty hard to hike the trail alone. And one of my goals as a blind person, and one of the things I originally wanted to get out of hiking was to get my independence back. And it took me a long time to

A ND W H AT A R E YOUR FAVOR ITE M OM ENTS IN TH E WOOD S ?

get to that point. Three years ago, I had hiked over ten thousand miles— on the A.T., the PCT, the John Muir—I’d done quite a few trails. But I’d always had a partner with me. It was an accomplishment, yes, but it wasn’t the accomplishment I wanted. So I sat down after a failed attempt on the Colorado Trail because my partner didn’t show, and I decided to reinvent myself as a hiker, to change my hiking style, get a guide dog, and put a lot of new elements together. I wanted to see if it would be possible for a blind person to through-hike the lesser-traveled of the long trails, and do it alone. And that’s what I’ve done, and that’s what Tennille has enabled me to do. The treks that I’m doing these days I would never be able to attempt without the assistance of Tennille, with her unique skills. YOU’VE RE P ORTED TH AT YOU FELL OVE R 3 ,0 0 0 T IM ES WH EN YOU FIRST T HROUGH- HIKED TH E AT. Yes. WHICH L E D TO FOUR BROK EN R IBS AND E IGHT VISITS TO TH E H OSPITA L. HAS HIKING GOTTEN A LITTLE LES S P RE CARIOUS NOW TH AT YOU H AV E T E NNIL L E ?

Thanks to her, it’s a rarity that I fall

anymore. WH AT’S SOMETH ING ELSE TH AT WAS H A RD FOR YOU AT FIRST BUT IS EASY NOW?

I never would have dreamed when I first started that I would be able to navigate without having anybody around. I don’t have a GPS. I don’t believe in them for what I do. I don’t want to be reliant on something that could break. Instead I rely on my skills in echolocation, and I rely on Tennille. I have very, very hyperaccurate directions that we write before I go out and have them sent to my iPhone, which can read them to me. I keep track of my cadence, which tells me how fast I’m hiking, and I keep track of time. Together that gives me distance. And there’s only about two or three times, maybe four, during an average day, where definitively I can say one hundred percent I know where I am. Say my map tells me that 2.5 miles into my hike that day, there will be a stream. When I get to that stream, I can say ‘Yes, I know where I am.’ So for me it’s like connecting the dots. One point to the next point to the next point.

I’ve always said that a bad day on the trail is better than a good day in town. In the backcountry is where I feel normal. It’s where I feel the most alive, and it’s where I’m just like everybody else. It’s very invigorating, very freeing. My best moments aren’t the summits that I’ve sat on top of that nobody thought I could reach… but every single moment after some sort of disaster, moments where we thought through the problem, we embraced it, solved it, we succeeded, and we were able to continue on forward. TELL M E A B OUT TH E TEA M FA RS IGH T FOUNDATION.

The sighted community often consider blind people as third-class citizens. I got disgruntled about the unemployment rate for blind adults in America [nearly 70% by some estimates – Ed.]. I figured that if I could give blind kids the experiences that I’ve had in the backcountry, it could change their lives dramatically. So I founded TeamFarSight. I wanted blind kids to be able to fall back on these experiences that they would have in the backcountry the next time somebody said, ‘No, you can’t do this because you’re blind.’ And they could say, ‘Well, wait a minute. I think that I can, because I did this: I climbed a rock face, I hiked a long trail. People said I couldn’t do that, but I did.’ FOLLOW Trevor and Tennille’s progress on Facebook at Trevor Thomas aka Zero/Zero, on Twitter and Instagram at @team_farsight, or online at BlindHikerTrevorThomas.com

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS MAGAZINE PRESENTS:

DEVILS BACKBONE I NELSON COUNTY, VA BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM/BLUERIDGEBURN

SEEING IS

BELIEVING LOCALS LEAD OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CAMP FOR THE BLIND

by JAY HARDWIG

hareff is walking alone. The other campers have gone ahead, scrambling, scuffling, stumbling up the trail, eager to find what lies around the next bend, but Shareff has fallen behind. His pace is slow, so slow that it’s hard to find a word for it. Deliberate doesn’t begin to describe it; plodding sounds too speedy by half. We’ll put it somewhere between a tortoise and a sloth. The reason: Shareff is paying attention. Close attention. Shareff is blind, but that’s not unusual on this day. We’re at a camp for kids with no or low vision. Two of our hikers are totally blind, and two nearly so. The rest have visual impairments of varying scope and severity—severe enough, in most cases, to turn the leaves and rocks and roots of the woods into a blur of bright color and indiscriminate photos by ROD MURPHY

shapes. Still they are up ahead, halfway to the lunch spot, while Shareff still navigates the first five hundred feet of the Warren Wilson River Trail. Shareff has been blind since birth. He has light perception, but no usable vision. He’s the first to admit he doesn’t spend much time in the woods. It’s a novel experience for him, a world truly wild, and so he pays attention. He’s paying attention with his feet: his light-soled sneakers help him feel the forest floor. He’s paying attention with his hands, collecting information with two trekking poles as he feels his way along the trail. But mostly he’s paying attention with his ears. He listens for the voice of his teacher, the song of the stream, the rustle of his peers shuffling into the distance. Above all, he listens to his clicks. All blind people use sound to orient themselves—the footfalls of a friend, the echo of a cane tip in an empty room—but Shareff is an active echolocator, clicking his tongue and

waiting to hear the reflected sound, using a hundred tiny snapshots to construct an auditory image of the world around him. Shareff has never been in woods so dense. When his clicks come back to him soft and muffled, he knows that the leaves are thick and close. And when he hears a short, sharp report, he knows he’s found the trunk of a large and sturdy tree—the kind it’s best to step around. He turns his head left-and-right, clicking to map the space around him, hearing the path ahead and using his trekking poles to confirm his impressions. He has not taken many steps, it is true, but he has taken each one of them alone. His teacher watches from a distance as Shareff makes his way

SHAREFF (PICTURED ABOVE) ASCENDS A CLIMBING WALL FOR THE FIRST TIME. BLIND SINCE BIRTH, SHAREFF HAS LEARNED ECHOLOCATION TO NAVIGATE.

over rocks and roots, upslope and down, taking stock with every step. Other hikers will log more miles today, but it’s hard to imagine one more immersed in nature than Shareff is at this moment. This is why we came. In June of this year, I launched an

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outdoor adventure camp for kids who are blind and visually impaired. It’s part of a family of camps run by A Brighter Path Foundation, collectively known as the SEE (Student Enrichment Experience) Camps. The camps are staffed by certified teachers for the visually impaired— together we have dozens of years of experience—and are the brainchild of Chris Flynt, the director of A Brighter Path programs, who lost his own vision to retinitis pigmentosa in early adulthood. The campers are kids we have met over the years, and our goal this week is to get them off the couch and into the woods—to hike, zip, climb, and raft in the wilds of western North Carolina. Adults are constantly conspiring to plop kids into the backcountry, and we’re no exception. We do it for all the usual reasons: to build confidence and competence, to encourage teamwork, to improve problem-solving skills. Essential traits for all children, but perhaps more critical for the blind and visually impaired. Our campers grow up in a world that is skeptical of their skill. They hear too many messages of blindness as a disability, and live in a world of overabundant caution, with too many can’ts in the places of cans. Internalize this message, and it becomes all too easy to sit on the sidelines and let the world whirl by unheeded. In hitting the trail, we 52

hope to fight this impulse: to expand possibility, reward curiosity, and nurture the spirit of adventure that beats in every heart. And so we hiked, rambling down the River Trail and giving new meaning to the word treehugger. (Every now and then, our camper Jordan would give a nearby trunk a healthy squeeze, to better sense its size and shape.) We zipped, soaring through the Nantahala River Gorge at speeds approaching fifty miles per hour, on lines up to a half-mile long. As each kid flew from view, and even the sighted teachers lost track of our charges, we tuned our ears to the tensile whine of the line, following each zipper’s progress by the pitch and volume of the returning sound. We climbed, scaling a fifty foot vertical wall at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, and found that wall to be a great equalizer. The sighted and blind alike struggled with floundering feet and outstretched fingertips, climbing higher through grit and grimace in equal measure, fueled by the shouts of our groundbound friends. We floated, rafting down the ancient French Broad, our paddles dug deep and true, as the waves and ripples and eddies spoke from all sides in a constantly shifting soundscape. We smelled the rich and redolent bouquet of wild waters, of river rocks

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drying in the vanishing sun, and now and then felt the stray spray from the whitecaps alight upon our cheeks. The bus ride back from the takeout was a sensory garden of its own: the thick smell of packed rafters on wet vinyl, the too-still breeze from half-jammed schoolbus windows, the wheeze and choke of diesel fumes, the obligatory raft guide jokes emanating from the front of the bus... we had all of this and more to savor as we snaked our way back to base camp. All in all, it was a glorious week, a success by any measure. Our campers had a blast. They were active and engaged, heedless and reflective by turns, challenged and animated and triumphant. The same goes for the teachers. When it came time to say goodbye, we all walked away with a little more bounce in our step, a little more hope in our hearts. There were plenty of priceless moments during the week—many set against soaring mountain scenery, accompanied by whoops of joy— but the picture I return to time and again is the quiet intensity of Shareff’s walk in the woods. While he never ventured further than a half-mile from the road, Shareff was in a wilderness unlike one I’ve experienced in quite a while. The trail was new to him, and strange, and he had little idea what lay five feet ahead. His approach was one that we would all do well to heed as we confront

LEFT: AUTHOR JAY HARDWIG ORGANIZED AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CAMP FOR THE BLIND. RIGHT: A VISUALLY IMPAIRED CAMPER PREPARES TO ZIP.

our own personal wilderness: neither fearful nor fearless, cautious but curious, open to what the world has to offer, and patient enough to listen to its call. He knew what I once knew, and what I hope all our campers come to know in time: the world is open, wonderful, and wide. Dive right in. Jay Hardwig is a certified teacher for the visually impaired and Orientation & Mobility specialist, and the Asheville manager of A Brighter Path programs.

GET INVOLVED This year, SEE Outdoor Adventure Camp was a oneweek day camp. Our dream is to turn it into a residential camp, to round out the adventure experience with bunkhouses, ghost stories, short-sheeting, tick bites, night hikes, and S’mores. Eventually, we’ll expand to multiple weeks, to serve more kids. Got some time to volunteer? Know a kid who needs to come? Wanna donate some cash? Holler: jayhardwig@wsifb.com, or visit ABPFoundation.org

THE GOODS

0 9 . 15

FLY GUY

CHAMPION ANGLER BROWN HOBSON PICKS HIS GO-TO FISHING GEAR by GRAHAM AVERILL 1 BROWN HOBSON LIKES TO GEEK OUT ON FISH. The Asheville-based fly fishing guide spent several years managing an Orvis store in Jackson Hole where he fished often, but not often enough. “I wanted to be on the river every day and see how trout react to different things. I wanted to nerd out on the trout stuff.” And that’s exactly what he’s been doing since he moved to the Southern Appalachians and started his guide service, Brown Trout Fly Fishing, six years ago. Brown, an Orvis-endorsed guide, is also a member of the U.S. National Fly Fishing Team. Yes, we have a national fly fishing team; fifteen of the country’s best anglers compete nationally and internationally (they won silver at the most recent World Fly Fishing Championship in Bosnia), catching fish for points. The trout he’s catching here in the South are generally smaller than what he was catching in Wyoming, where the rivers are wider and support larger fish, but Brown says size isn’t all that matters in the world of fly fishing. “Yeah, the water here is smaller and the fish are generally smaller, but everything in the Southern Appalachians is green and moist. It takes more effort to fish around here. It’s more physical, and I like that.” 2

We asked Brown to detail his five most essential pieces of gear for fishing small Appalachian streams. Here are his picks, in his own words.

4 NO. 1 ORVIS HELIOS 2

I have a million rods, but this is my favorite. It’s one of the lightest rods in the world, but it’s super powerful and accurate. I like a 9’ to 10’ rod, which is a bit longer than most people fish around here, but I gravitate towards bigger water, like the Watauga. $795; orvis.com NO. 2 CHACOS CLASSIC

I’ve worn Chacos every day for six years. I’m in the boat a ton during the summer on the Watauga, and you can’t beat these shoes for comfort. $105; chacos.com NO. 3 TROUT HUNTER FLUOROCARBON TIPPET Trout Hunter Fluorocarbon Tippet It’s simply the strongest tippet out there. $22.95; trouthunt.com NO. 4 MOUNTAIN KHAKI GRANITE CREEK PANTS Mountain Khaki Granite Creek Pants These are my working pants. They’re more heavy duty and a little warmer than some of the lightweight fishing pants on the market, but they’re durable. I work in these pants, and they stand up to a beating day after day. $83; mountainkhakis.com

NO. 5 SMITH CHROMAPOP LENSES I have a lot of clients that use these dark, Blue Blocker style glasses that are fine for fishing in the Gulf, but there’s not a lot of light on our tight streams. So you want glasses with really light-colored lenses, otherwise you won’t be able to see anything.

$209; smithoptics.com

RECORD-BREAKING JUMPS Another reason to come see the show is the possibility of witnessing a new world record. Last year, JD McKnight’s black lab, Storrie, broke the world record for canine dock jumping by soaring an incredible 29 feet and 3 inches! Come out to see if she can do it again in 2015!

by Wil Cleaveland GET A HEALTHY DOSE OF TRAIL TOWN SPIRIT AT THE ANTHEM GO FEST FREE GEAR DEMOS, PRO EXHIBITIONS, AND FAMILY FUN October 16-18 is going to be a busy weekend for Southwest Virginia’s outdoor enthusiasts, as Roanoke’s Go Outside Festival - warmly known as the Anthem GO Fest - gears up for another great event packed with family fun, tasty eats and brews, rockin’ tunes, free gear demos from top brands, exciting exhibitions from respected pros, and tons of other activities that are sure to keep you coming back till the gates close on Sunday. Here’s the rundown on some of the biggest activities and events to look forward to. ULTIMATE AIR DOGS: AMAZING CANINES PUSH IT TO THE LIMIT Ultimate Air Dogs has been a crowd favorite at GO Fest for a few years now. This high-flying competition will be joining the festival again in 2015. The organization was founded by former Detroit Tigers pitcher Milt Wilcox - who as a side note led his team to victory in the 1984 World Series - and is the premier “dock jumping” dog show in the country. As if watching the dogs wasn’t enough, you’ll have a blast just listening as Milt serves as competition emcee. His presence adds a whole new dimension of entertainment to the show. The competition is loads of good clean fun for all involved. The dogs, the crowd, the owners everybody always has a blast.

WATCH REAL, LIVE “LUMBERSEXUALS” STRUT THEIR STUFF According to the hipster dictionary, flannel, plus beard, times a rugged pair of boots, equals a “lumbersexual.” Come on, you’ve seen the type. To be honest, it ain’t a bad look, and you can see the folks who started it all at the Anthem GO Fest. DLW Timberworks Lumberjack Show - a collection of the most flannel wearin’, ax swingin’, log rollin’, and saw pullin’ lumberjacks (and Jills) out of Hayward, Wisconsin - will be joining us at GO Fest ‘15 to run the gamut on rough, tough lumberjack skills. You’ll see a full treatment of timber-crushing action - whole logs of pine sliced in seconds; axes hurled from distances of up to 20 feet; the best tools of the lumberjack trade, from modern tech to old time implements; and more feats of “lumbersexual” strength. Throw in some laughable narration by the frontman, not to mention some pretty entertaining antics from the lumberjacks themselves, and you’ve got a show that never disappoints.

FREE TOP-OF-THE-LINE BIKE DEMOS AND PRO EXHIBITIONS Since year one, cycling-related features have been a staple at the Anthem GO Fest. After all, what would a festival dedicated to the Roanoke outdoors scene be if it didn’t pay homage to one of the most popular outdoor activities in the area? DEMOS FROM NINER, GIANT, AND OTHERS How would you like the chance to ride mountain bikes sporting the latest technology - most worth several thousand dollars - for free? Throw in complimentary shuttle service to the top of Mill Mountain and a free-to-ride pump track, and you’ve got an offer no rider could refuse! Thanks to Cardinal Bicycle and Just the Right Gear, you can do just that. TRIALS EXHIBITION BY WORLD RECORD HOLDER JEFF LENOSKY GO Fest is especially excited to welcome trials rider Jeff Lenosky back for 2015. Jeff is sponsored by Giant, supported by local shop Cardinal Bicycle, and holds the world record for the tallest bunny hop. Come see Jeff’s incredible balance, precision, and bike control during his live exhibition this fall. AND MUCH, MUCH MORE… On top of these highlighted events and activities, there will be tons of other fun things to do, see, and try at the Anthem GO Fest - far more than we can list here! Visit www.RoanokeGoFest.com to check it all out and start planning your visit now.

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

GIANT SUPPORT FROM CARDINAL BICYCLE As you watch Jeff Lenosky drop off his trailer at this year’s Anthem GO Fest, let that be a reminder for you to drop into the Cardinal Bicycle booth to chat with the guys who bring Jeff and his Giant line of bikes to Roanoke. CARDINALBICYCLE.COM

SERVING VIRGINIA AND BEYOND SINCE 2 0 0 5 Walkabout Outfitter is Roanoke’s premier outdoor store. With gear and equipment located on site at GO Fest, and at two locations here in Roanoke, we’re sure to have any items you forgot at home, or new products to ensure you are equipped for the next outdoor season.

WALKABOUTOUTFITTER.COM

PEDAL TO HEALTH WITH ANTHEM It’s no secret that the Anthem GO Outside Festival is a 3-day mecca for cycling enthusiasts. As the festival’s title sponsor, Anthem believes that the bicycle is a ticket to health, mobility, freedom and fun. Take a ride with Anthem and, pedal your way to better health.

ANTHEM.COM/PEDALTOHEALTH

COMING HOME I by JENNIFER PHARR DAVIS

was taken a little aback on a recent A.T. hike when I passed a group of individuals who did not look like hikers. Some had rucksacks; others carried a blanket under one arm, a plastic bag in their hands, or nothing at all. They weren’t wearing name brands or outdoor gear. In fact most of them wore combat boots or worn out sneakers on their feet and bulky, heavy coats to keep warm—a far cry from my lightweight capilene layers and micro-puff down jacket. Their leader—a young man named Brian with a dark, manicured beard and a Marmot rain jacket—smiled at me and explained that his group was made up of mostly homeless folks from Haywood Street Ministry. 56

“Members of the un-housed community are expert campers, expert hikers, and expert survivalists,” Brian explained to me later. “It’s important for them to feel proud of their skills, and it’s even more important for the individuals whom we pass to recognize their ability.” I was put in my place. My selfrighteousness had been exposed like a backpacker’s rear end on National Hike Naked Day. Brian went on to tell me how many un-housed “hikers” walk five to ten miles a day to receive meals, a shower, services, and occasional shelter, and how most of the folks in his circle have spent more nights under the stars than even the most experienced backpacker.

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One of the hikers in Brian’s group was David. On his first hike he weighed 348 pounds. “Because of backpacking,” David said, “I’m now down to 239.” David and I talked and laughed about how we both tried to take too much on our first backpacking trip. We compared notes on our favorite local day-hikes and we bonded over a shared love for Grayson Highlands in Southwest Virginia. Then we both recounted the difference that the trail had made in our lives. “One of the best parts about the trail,” David said, “is that nobody’s gonna tell you that you can’t be out there. It’s a place we all belong. No one on the trail tells you, you can’t have this because you didn’t do that.

Out there, it’s common ground.” The trail is there for people who need to be healed. But it is also there for people who need to be broken. Hiking can literally lift up the people who feel undervalued and help them have a mountain top experience, but it can also take the proud into a desolate valley. The trail is an equalizer. And as David put it, “To Mother Nature, everyone has the same self-worth. “ It is amazing what happens when you overcome whatever it is that hems you in and get out on the trail. Regardless of whether you start the journey housed or un-housed, haughty or humble, once you take that first step you are a hiker. And you are home.

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SUNNY’S SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN

WIDESPREAD PANIC PERCUSSIONIST TALKS NEW ALBUM MADE IN ASHEVILLE

by JEDD FERRIS

nuances, but [producer and longtime Panic collaborator] John Keane was with us and he knows how we like songs to be manipulated. We try to pick out the best solos and performances of each individual and create new things from that base. We have six different guys listening to things differently. That’s why it’s crucial that we listen together.

into the music. It’s been an awesome adventure, and I’ve noticed he’s progressed musically. Being in Widespread Panic is all about playing with the ensemble, having fun, and making it kick ass. He’s done that to the T.

ON TH IS REC ORD YOU WER E WILLING TO STR ETC H OUT TH E SONGS, ESPEC IA LLY “CEASE FIR E” A ND “JA MA IS V U.”

The key is the music and the synchronicity of playing with each other. We’ve hit a lot of roadblocks but they’re not dead ends. When Mikey passed away, we thought it was a dead end, but he didn’t want us to give up. That’s given us the fuel to keep playing music and not worry about the extras that sometimes come with it. Through it all, we’ve been privileged to play for a super network of fans that stay loyal to the music.

Back in the early days when we cut our first album, Space Wrangler, we were told songs needed to be three minutes, so they would be played on the radio. We tried it but eventually realized we needed to stick to our guns. Times have changed, and we’ve realized we need to proceed the way we play songs. We’re happy with the way they all came out, but personally I wish we would’ve put a few more songs on the record. There’s always a wealth of material. I KNOW TH E B A ND S H A R ES A LL SONGWR ITING CR ED ITS. H OW IS A NEW PA NIC SONG TYPICA LLY WR ITTEN?

outhern jam kings Widespread Panic will hit the road this month with a new album in tow. Street Dogs, out September 25 on the venerable Vanguard Records, was recorded last winter at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, N.C. The album features 10 tracks of Panic’s unpredictable, genre-swirling brand of exploratory Dixie rock. The set mixes originals like the eight-minute jazz-flavored jam vehicle “Cease Fire” with some random covers like the twang-andfunk reading of Alan Price’s “Sell Sell” and a gritty update of Willie Dixon’s blues number “Taildragger.” The album was made while founding drummer Todd Nance was on hiatus due to personal reasons, temporarily replaced by Duane Trucks (Nance will reportedly be back in 2016). Panic percussionist Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz took a 58

“SUNNY” ORTIZ (SECOND FROM LEFT) WITH HIS BAND MATES (FROM LEFT: BASSIST DAVE SCHOOLS, DRUMMER TODD NANCE, LEAD SINGER AND GUITARIST JOHN BELL, LEAD GUITARIST JIMMY HERRING, AND KEYBOARDIST JOHN “JOJO” HERMANN.

call to discuss the new album and the band’s upcoming return to the Lockn’ Music Festival in Arrington, Va., where the group will play a collaborative set with reggae legend Jimmy Cliff. The band will also return to Asheville to play a twonight Halloween run on October 30-31. WIDE SP RE AD PA NIC IS KNOWN AS A L IVE BAND. WH AT D ID YOU TA KE AWAY F ROM T HE ST UD IO EX PER IENC E?

I think it’s about getting a clean, polished sound that we’re all happy with. When we got together to make the album in January, there really wasn’t time to nitpick certain

ORT IZ :

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / S E P T E M B E R 2 01 5

We usually just start with a groove that gets embellished. When we’re on tour we’ll rehearse at the venues, and that’s where the creativity starts. Maybe JoJo [John Hermann] will start a little chord progression and Jimmy [Herring] will pick up on it. Then Dave [Schools] adds a bass part and the drums come in. If the music is down, then JB [John Bell] will usually have some lyrics that will flow into the idea that’s been created. WH AT’S IT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU PLAY ING WITH A NEW D R UMMER, D UA NE TRUCK S, BEH IND TH E KIT SINC E LAST FA LL?

I’ve been a percussion player since 1971, and I’ve played with thousands of drummers. One thing I’ve learned about being the percussion player is that you complement the drummer. That being said, it was a challenge for everybody at first, and our biggest concern was making Duane feel comfortable with the transition. He’s 25 years old, and he’s really

ES PEC IA LLY A FTER LOS ING FOUND ING GUITA R IST M IC H A EL H OUS ER TO C A NC ER IN 20 02, W H AT’S B EEN TH E K EY TO K EEPING TH E B A ND TOGETH ER FOR NEA R LY 30 Y EA RS ?

TH E B A ND H AS B EC OM E K NOW N FOR TH E C OLLA B OR ATIV E S ETS AT TH E LOC K N’ M US IC FESTIVA L, TEA M ING UP W ITH JOH N FOGERTY TWO Y EA RS AGO A ND STEV E W INWOOD LAST Y EA R . W H Y D ID YOU D EC ID E TO GO TH E R EGGA E ROUTE A ND ENLIST JIM M Y C LIFF FOR 2015?

We saw Jimmy Cliff perform at the Dear Jerry concert in the spring, and at the time we were searching for someone to play with us at Lockn’. We asked and fortunately he wanted to join us. Right now we’re deciding which songs were going to do. We’ll definitely be doing his songs, and we hope he likes our representation of his music. IN 2016 PA NIC C ELEB R ATES 30 Y EA RS. D O YOU GUYS TA LK A B OUT PLA NS FOR TH E FUTUR E?

It’s always open ended. If you start making plans, I think that becomes the weight in an anchor that can sink you. Our main thing is we don’t want to be predictable. We want to be spontaneous with our music, touring, and song selection for each individual show. That keeps us and the fans feeling fresh. When we get together at the beginning of a tour, we can feel the energy level rise. That’s how we know the drive and desire is still there.

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