Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Go to http://aerc.org/Photo_Gallery/OD/OLDDOMINION.html  and look ONLY at the photos that have the rider in the blue shirt.  Those photos were taken along the route used on the Limited Distance. 

 

The LD route  is VERY nice with dirt woodland trails, open farmlands, spacious quiet gravel roads, and great views.   The one climb is a heavily shaded woodland trail over the Blue Ridge (not the Massanutten) in Shenandoah National Park -- at the top you cross over the famous Skyline Drive.  The descent on the other side (Land's Run) is a smooth gravel road wide enough to drive a car or ride 3 abreast.  Where the riders cross the Shenandoah River at McCoy's one follows a well worn horse path which leads down to the water. The river depth is shallow here -- barely reaches a horse's knees most of the way.  It can (towards the middle of the river) reach up above the knees and to the chest (on my pony), but not for terribly long.  It's all rather fun.  A person can wade across without too much problem. All this depends on the amount of rain in the preceding days, however.   McCoy's Ford is a huge grassy field --grass up to your horse's ears. It is very lush and welcoming with a row of trees lining the river bank to prove cool shade.  An especially nice place for a vet check -- your horse will love it!

 

I've done this route a number of times -- both conditioning rides and helping clear paths. I find it a pleasurable ride in every way. 

 

I'll be doing the 75 this year -- I'm crazy enough to love that climb over Sherman's Gap!!