A ride to benefit the VTV Family Outreach Foundation

The VTV Family Outreach Foundation is sponsoring a Century Ride and 32 mile ride here in Blacksburg this Saturday April 30th 2011.

The VTV Family Outreach Foundation is a non-profit set up by the families affected by the April 16th shootings to promote campus safety and security and help others who experience similar tragedies. Any and all proceeds to the foundation are tax deductible.

Both the Century and 32 mile ride will start in the parking lot of the Inn at VT. The Century Ride will depart at 8AM and will ride in a 68 mile loop back to the Inn for lunch and to meet the 32 mile riders. Then all riders will depart around 1PM on a 32 mile loop back to the Inn.

• Century Riders call time is 7AM at the Inn parking lot
• 32 Mile Riders call time is 12:30PM at the Inn parking lot

Cost is now only $100 which includes Outreach Team Jersey, one year membership, lunch sponsored by Macados, and all food and drink supplies for ride. [continue reading…]

25th Trail Days Festival Expected to Draw over 25,000 Visitors

Located in Southwest, Virginia, many trails intersect  in the tiny hamlet of  Damascus, Virginia.  Among the trails are:

• Trans-America Bike Route (USBR 76);
• Appalachian Trail;
• Virginia Creeper Trail;
• Iron Mountain Trail;
• Daniel Boone Heritage Trail;
• Crooked Road Musical Heritage Trail;
• and the Virginia’s Birding and Wildlife Trail

Damascus also lies within a short distance of hundreds of miles of other hiking, horse, and biking trails.  The town’s economy is virtually centered around  trail visitors. 

Though many locals initially fought the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail when it was proposed in the early eighties, the community now calls itself  itself, “Trail Town USA”.  Damascus is the epitome of small towns who embrace these types of amenities.   

Read more about the festival and its history  here.

Norfolk, Virginia — 30 of our Nation’s Heroes to take part in cycling event. Wounded Warriors will participate in a 3 day 55 mile bike ride that will begin on Naval Station Norfolk, 28 April 2011.This is not your typical bike ride; it is an adaptive cycling event. Several of the participants will have specially designed bicycles and three wheel recumbent bikes.

Thanks to the generosity of several businesses and individual donors there is no cost to the veterans to participate in the cycling event.

There will be a Community ride in Chesapeake on 29 April 2011. The community is welcome to join in on the 25 mile ride. There is a $25.00 registration fee and all of the money will help pay for future Warrior Rides. The ride will begin at Fat Frogs Bike and Fitness, 237 Hanbury Road E, Suite 13 Chesapeake, VA. Registration will begin at 7:30am.

The Warrior Rides are coordinated by a husband and wife team (Bob and Debra Racine) from Oak Island, NC. They held their first adaptive cycling event in 2005. They knew from that very first event that adaptive cycling presented itself as a tool for recreation and rehabilitation for wounded service members. Adapting bicycles to injuries can be challenging, but they make it work. [continue reading…]

Bike 76 in Virginia Pin - awarded to those who ride all of USBR 76 in Virginia

COME RIDE WITH US! Cycle Virginia then Kentucky! The Virginia Bicycling Federation is championing the 35th Anniversary of US Bike Route 76!

Goals include:

• Promoting US Bike Routes
• Promoting the 35th anniversary of US Bike Route 76
• Distributing the Virginia governor’s bike month proclamation in Virginia
• Presenting the Virginia governor’s bike month proclamation to a representative for the governor of Kentucky
• Document the ridership of bicyclists on the 76 route by encouraging sign in books at specific locations across the state
• Accumulate comments and tourism data from VBF pin request forms
• Encouraging promotion of US Bike Route, Trans America Bicycle Trail, in Kentucky and across the United States
• Encouraging the presentation of the Kentucky governor’s bike month proclamation to Kentucky localities and/or cycling organizations
• Have our proclamation travel by bicycle to Astoria, OR on the TransAmerica Bicycle Route.

A group of dedicated, passionate bicyclists, coordinated by Virginia Bicycling Federation board member Barbara Duerk, have worked since 2003 to promote interstate bicycle route(s) in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Transportation signed US Bike Route in 1976. In 2010, Cross State ride leader Joe Morgan facilitated an extensive review of 76 route signage. Recommendations were presented to VDOT construction districts. Most of the suggestions have been implemented. [continue reading…]