17 Miles on the VA Creeper with Friends…

A few posts ago, I dropped a comment about work friends and a spring triathlon.  What I didn’t say is that the group, ages 19-59, is less than ideally fit and preparing for a sprint tri will be a huge challenge. To keep the motivation up and the bodies moving forward, we developed a bucket list of activities to get us through the fall and winter.  Wisely, much of the list is centered around bicycling and run/walking and the first activity, an easy bicycling excursion, was up for this past weekend.

The White Top Mountain to Damascus section of the Virginia Creeper Trail was a good 1st ride.  Seventeen miles of mostly downhill demanded nothing more of us than a few pedal strokes and a “bicycle hardened” bottom.  Lucky for me, I had been toughening mine up on a tiny bike seat.  My friends, not so much.

Friday night after work, John and I drove to Abingdon.  We went with the intent of rising early to bicycle from Abingdon to Damascus VA Creeper section to meet our group at the Blue Blaze Bike Shop in Damascus for the 9:30 AM shuttle to the top of the mountain. But as the saying goes “the best laid plans….”  Despite two alarm clocks and a 6:30 AM wake up call, we could not force ourselves out of bed.  By the time we finally woke up (about an hour later), we had missed our opportunity to bike to Damascus. 

Packing, breakfast and a 15 minute CAR ride got us to Damascus on time. We found Wendy and her daughter Keely, hanging around the parking lot but Shannon and Daniel were no where to be found.  A round of frantic texting and one phone call indicated that Shannon and Daniel were not only at the wrong rental company but in the wrong town-Abingdon, 15 minutes away. 

Decision time, do we hold up 36 people on the 9:30 AM shuttle to White Top or do we wait for Shannon and Daniel and take the 10:30 AM shuttle?  It really wasn’t much of a decision.  Wendy and Keely took the 9:30 AM shuttle while John, Daniel, Shannon and I took the last 4 seats on the 10:30 AM shuttle.

Daniel and Shannon sitting outside Blue Blaze waiting for the 10:30 AM shuttle

John on the backseat of the 15 passenger shuttle vehicle

Once we and our bikes were unloaded at the top of the mountain, there was nothing left to do but point our wheels down and begin a two hour “coast” back to Damascus.  With White Top at around 3576’ and Damascus at 1930’, we would be dropping about 97’ per mile.  Not much pedaling required!

Wendy and Keely relaying a crash story before their front wheels ever hit the trail

At the trail head.  Note the crazy recumbent bicycles behind us

Wendy took off first and her daughter followed closely behind. Lots of people trying to start at the same time, the most irritating was a group of 6-7 recumbent who were preoccupied with taking photos of each other and otherwise slowing down and/or stopping in the middle of the trail.  We put them behind us as quickly as possible.



The 17 mile ride went quick, 2.09 hours to be exact including this stop for ice cream and french fries.  Lots of traffic on the trail, which kept speed in check.



Just moments after I took this picture of Shannon and Daniel at the ice cream shop, an older lady (did I really say that) crashed on the trail.  We missed the actual fall but looked up from our goodies long enough to see an entire Boy Scout Troop rush to her side to administer 1st aid.  She was very patient as they cleaned her scuffed knee and applied band aides.

Wendy examining her french fries, while Keely watches

Unfortunately, no pictures were made during the ride, we just didn’t stop long enough to do so.  Too much risk of damage had I tried to photograph while riding.  It will have to suffice to say that the scenery was beautiful and the late summer flowers were colorful.

Back at Blue Blaze, we loaded our bikes and headed to Quincey’s Pizza for lunch.  Lots of Creeper rides inside!  We had to wait on our pizza but it was worthwhile.





The ride home was pleasantly uneventful.  We arrived in Knoxville by late afternoon and proceeded to do very little for the rest of the weekend!  Oh, and a cruise ship has nothing on our overnight at the Hampton Inn Abingdon, check out our towel bird!