 |
[RC] Pre-riding part of the OD trail - Mary HowellFor those of you wishing to pre-ride part of the new OD trail, please note basecamp is on private land and NOT open for use before the June ride. However, an excellent training loop is the Devil's Hole climb out of the first vet check (Rogers Field) for both the 55s and 100s. There's a long hill climb on good footing, a few miles of downward trail with enough rocks to keep you at a walk and 4 miles of moving-out dirt road at the end. To get to a public parking area, head west from Mt. Jackson on Rt 263 about 11 miles. Just past the Pure gas station in Basye, turn right on Rt 717 Alum Springs Rd. Go about 6 miles to a T-intersection facing a rock wall and turn left on Jerome Road. Bear right at the fork just past the church on a hill and continue to the four way intersection at Liberty Furnace. Turn left on Dellinger Rd (a dirt forest service road) and go about a half mile to a large circular parking area on your left just past a bridge and log cabin. Several of us rode a 12 mile loop there last weekend and it took me 2 hours both times. Leaving the trailer parking area, go left (uphill) and continue about 5 miles up Devil's Hole to the ridge with great views to your left of VA and to your right of WV. On your way up, you'll see two places where yellow blaze trail heads off to the right; the second one near the top of the mountain (that has a sign saying no vehicles) is the turnoff for the 100s - explore that trail if you like, but to continue on the training loop, go down the dirt road about another another mile or so. On your left at a sharp right hand turn in the road, follow yellow blaze trail to stay on 55 mile trail (do not take the orange blaze trail). About 200 yards on your right is the Oasis, a spring-fed pond with a firm bottom that our horses loved (Shiloh dropped and rolled with me as always so I got to enjoy wet sneakers the rest of the ride) Coming back down the mountain, the yellow blaze trail starts slow and gets faster as you pass through 3 small mountain meadows. Turn left upon reaching a dirt road and continue about 4 miles to a T-intersection; turn left again and you'll be back at trailer parking. Mary Howell in VA =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|