Virginia weather can be unpredictable. Mid August, and it’s 78f and overcast outside. And, it’s raining in Charlottesville and Richmond. So, our intended ride (Pocahontis State Park) wasn’t going to work. Time for a new plan.
Of course, everyone wanted to know if we’d be rained out. Well, the rain in Charlottesville and Richmond came from the north west, and was headed south-east. It seemed like it would miss Sherando completely. So, at 7:30am with the rain getting heavier, we take off down the highway. And it keeps raining, and as we approach Afton the fog and rain set in. But! The second we hit the valley, the rain abruptly ends, riding shall happen!
We roll into Sherando’s Turkey Pen
parking area to an almost dry road, but very low skies. So, we quickly get ready and roll up Mill’s Creek trail and the infamous Sherando switchbacks, heading for Torry Ridge. The first mile of torry’s moist rocks reminds us that it’s not a great day for such shenanigans. To drive the point home, a lonely thorn decides to claim one of Rob’s tubes, so we take a quick food, and water break, and fix the issue before heading down Slacks trail. Enjoying the flow is short lived as a downed tree halts our progress. The saws come out, and the tree is gone, while I “supervise” by drinking a bit more water.
Since the day is turning out to be stellar, we decided some more climbing is in order and head up White Rock trail to the parkway, up the parkway, and back to the switchbacks and Mills Creek. Unfortunately, mother nature wasn’t going to be thwarted quite so easily, and decided to up the fog level to “ultra heavy”, decided rain was still in order. Luckily, the rain was short lived and we were already moist from riding in the heavy fog anyhow, and it was plenty warm enough, so no one really seemed to care.
The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful, and we ripped our way downhill to the cars, got cleaned up, and decided beer and burgers were in order at Blue Mountain Brewery. Not bad for a rainy day in town. 🙂
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