We did the Virginia Creeper from Whitetop
Station to Damascus today. We were going to have Isaac ride part of it,
but he fell twice on the gravel before we had gone very far and asked to
ride in the trailer the whole way. We figured that would be better for
everyone. It also meant we could haul down the mountain. This was Jack’s
second time to ride the entire way (the first time he was five and it
took us about six hours due to lots of stops and exploring). This time
we made several stops including lunch at Green Cove and dessert at the
one restaurant on the route, and still made the 18.5 mile ride in 3.5
hours. It was a fun ride through the woods next to a cool mountain
stream with lots of bridge crossings for Jack to practice wheelies and
bunny hops on. Isaac slept a good portion of the way, and the rest of us
enjoyed the fast ride. Max speed for this ride was 19.3mph (even Jack).
Yep you read that right. Jack biked just under 21 miles from our cottage at Whitetop Station down the mountain to Damascus on the Virginia Creeper Trail. We are still kind of surprised that he completed the ride. And with no whining or complaining.
In 2007 at our trailhead, 3 miles outside of Damascus, Virginia.
Loading up bikes for our family of four, 2017.
I have a lot of thoughts about this, and will hopefully find time to write them all down, but for now I want to share some of the photos from our trip and also take a little trip down memory lane.
Jack starting down the trail behind Daniel and Isaac, 2017
We were younger and more focused on the speed and mileage of the ride than we were on the experience. Our focus has changed a wee bit.
Me with a mountain in the distance, 2007
Jack and I with a mountain behind us, 2017
Ten years ago we rode 26.7 miles. It took us three hours to get to the top and an hour to get back to our car. This time around we biked 20.7 miles down (with two kids) and it took us six hours (which included a 1.5 hour stop for lunch at the Virginia Creeper Cafe 10 miles into the trip).
Reaching Green Cove Station, 2007
Jack arriving at Green Cove Station, 2017
Jack only mentioned once that his bottom was sore, but he never said he couldn't go on. He never cried or complained or whined. He just kept trucking. Our back-up plan for Jack was to strap his bike to the back of our trailer and let Jack ride with Isaac.
At a waterfall stop, 2007
Jack at the same waterfall stop,2017
With kids, we stopped a lot more often than when it was just the two of us. We counted every bridge that we crossed (they are numbered) –we crossed 30 of them if you are wondering; and we stopped several times to climb down the bank to the creek and throw rocks in the water. There was a slowness about this trip that was lovely.
The kids playing in the creek on one of our many breaks, 2017
We stopped at the scenic spots that Daniel and I made the effort to stop at all those years ago, but we also stopped and appreciated the quietness of the woods, and the gurgling of the stream a lot more often. Kids help you to do that – to choose slow.
Daniel riding across a hay field, 2007
Jack and Daniel riding across the same hay field and even doing the same pose, 2017
Isaac was a trooper. While we packed up for the ride, he made sure to put his toys in the trailer and he wouldn't let us forget his beloved bear. He took two good naps on the ride down, and loved getting out to play in the stream every time we stopped.
Isaac's bear rode with us down the Virginia Creeper, 2017.
On this ride we introduced Jack to the Camelbak bladder and he
carried his own water in his backpack. I think he thought that sucking
water out of a straw while you ride was the most amazing invention ever!
He drank so much water that we had to stop literally every 15 minutes
for him to pee. I wish I had taken a photo of him simultaneously peeing
in the woods and drinking from his Camelbak!
My heart about burst with pride as Jack passed this sign, 2017
As Jack passed the "Welcome to Damascus" sign my heart nearly burst with pride. I had completed this journey before and I enjoyed doing it again, but seeing my five-year-old son do it on his own gave me a joy and pride that I didn't know existed. I can't wait to do it again when Isaac is ready.
Daniel and I after a muddy, humid 26.7 mile ride up and down the Virginia Creeper, 2007
Daniel and I mid trip on a 20.7 mile ride down the Virginia Creeper, 2017
We reached the parking lot where our car was parked and Jack wanted to ride on (another mile) to the playground to play. We acquiesced. It's hard to turn down your son when he has worked so hard all day. He played while Daniel biked back to get the car and then load the bikes.
We made it to our car! After this photo, we biked an additional mile to the playground to play, 2017
Once everything, and everyone, was in the car, we drove to eat dinner. Jack fell asleep two minutes from the restaurant. Daniel carried him in and he slept in Daniel's arms while we ordered and waited for our food. When the food arrived, he woke up to eat. He must have been starving!
Jack passed out on the way to dinner, 2017
We were sure he would sleep on the drive back to the cottage. But he didn't. He didn't go back to sleep until we had made a camp fire and devoured s'mores. The next morning he was ready to bike the Virginia Creeper trail all over again! Our kids never cease to surprise us.
We had originally planned to head up to Damascus, Virginia on Friday afternoon in order to camp, then get up early Sat morning to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail.
It turned out we were too tired on Friday for the drive so we got up early on Saturday (5:30 a.m.) and drove the 3 hours to do the ride. We took our camping gear in case we decided to stay and camp Saturday night.
The Virginia Creeper trail is an old railroad line that has been converted into a bike trail. The entire trip is 46 miles round trip from Abingdon thru Damascus up to White Top Station. Most people get shuttled to the top and ride all the way back to Damascus.
We chose to start a little after Damascus and ride UP, eat a picnic lunch at White Top Station and then ride back down.
Most people just coast all of the way down as the entire trail is a hill. We found that we were actually going faster on our way up than most people went on the way down.
Our total mileage for the trip was 26.7 miles. We made it up in 2 hours. Lunch was hickory smoked tuna on crackers, fruit cups and trail mix. Coming down, we made it in 1 hour, passing over 100 people on the way. We had a max speed of 25 mph on our bikes coming down with an average of 12 mph for the trip (thanks to GPS tracking we know stuff like elevation gain, exact mileage and mph)!
We had a great time riding. The weather was overcast and a perfect temp. We were back at the car with bikes loaded by 2:30. It was starting to get humid and thunderstorms were threatening and we were pretty nasty, so we decided to drive on back to Charlotte.
We stopped at Outback Steakhouse on our way home. When we got out of our car, one of the To Go guys took one look at us and asked if we would be placing a To Go Order. Nope... we are dining in tonight :) Outback's tagline is No Rules, Just Right, so we should be able to come in dirty and sweaty to eat, right? Our ribs and chicken were awesome! You always appreciate a meal like that so much more when you have just come off the trail!
