Intermediate-Advanced MTB: Sherando Lake

OVERVIEW

Did you guys know bike is short for bichael? And Sherando is actually short for Sheran-downhill biking is absolutely electric? Well, you’ve gotta earn the downhill, but electric may be understatement of the year. Come ride bichael’s with me and Phil the Thrill on some of Virginia’s most scenic singletrack. If you don’t end up in the hospital like Phillip did the first time we rode together here, you won’t regret it. And if you do, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to get a Harry Potter scar half as cool as his 😉 -Charlie

Buried in the heart of GWNF, and by buried I mean it’s only like 40 min away, there lies a hidden (not really) secret of a trail network. Surrounding Sherando Lake are 20-30 miles of pristine singletrack that will challenge your riding abilities with steep climbs, tight turns, Virginia rocks, and exhilarating downhills. Seriously, these trails are so fun that Charlie is traveling back to Charlottesville to ride them.

We plan to ride up Mill Creek trail, with the infamous seven switchbacks to reach the top of bald knob. From there, we have a few descending possibilities. We’ll start down Torry Ridge and can take that all the way back to the car(s) or turn off from Torry Ridge onto Slack’s trail and White Rock Gap. If we have enough cars, there is also potential to shuttle additional downhill runs (but not the first, you have to earn your turns!). We expect to ride 20-30 miles with 3-4000 feet of climbing.

Check out these links to get an idea for the trails we’re riding:
Mill Creek: https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/5238196/mill-creek-trail
Torry Ridge: https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7000624/torry-ridge-trail
Slacks: https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/5279026/slacks-trail
White Rock Gap: https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/5279489/white-rock-gap-trail

***PLEASE READ***
This trail is a real VA backcountry ride. It has lots of rocks, is steep in spots, and there might not be cell coverage in some areas. There are creek crossings that you might have to dismount the bike to walk across. THIS IS NOT A BEGINNER RIDE. Please only sign up if you are comfortable on a mountain bike, and are of intermediate/advanced level. That being said, you don’t need to be a pro to have fun on this ride. If you are comfortable hitting most of the Ohill trails, or have done some biking in GWNF before, then you should be fine. If you have questions/concerns, text us at 571-332-3740 (Phillip) or 540-319-1117 (Charlie).

Here’s the plan
– 10:30 am: Meet at the Shred Shack, load up bikes, depart
– 11:30 am: Arrive at the bottom of the trail, begin climbing
– 4:00-6:00 pm: Get back to the car
– more downhill laps?
– 5:00-9:00 pm: Arrive back in Cville
***Crazy things can happen on mountain bike trips, so we highly recommend against scheduling anything super-duper important Saturday evening, though we expect we’ll be back by 9***

**We Bring**
– Bikes/helmets (if needed)
– Bike racks
– Pumps, tools, etc

**You bring**
– Water: 2-3L
– Food: lunch and snacks
– Appropriate clothing/footwear: forecast is sunny with a high in the fifties, but temperature in the mountains can get cold quickly
– gloves are recommended for keeping the fingers working in the cold and protecting your hands from scrapes if you fall – $10 Mechanix work gloves are great
– sunscreen?
– a bag to carry your water and food: the club has some daypacks if you need one (let us know in the questionnaire)

Feel free to text Charlie or I at the numbers listed above if you have any questions about what to bring.

Drivers are reimbursed for gas + 50% tip up to $20 – please arrive with a full tank of gas!