Virginia announces it first bicycling map

A first of its kind map “Bicycling in Virginia” is now available for bike enthusiasts. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has free downloads of its official state bicycling map which describes setting, terrain, elevation and surface conditions for thousands of miles of trails.

Mountain bikers have numerous off-road opportunities in the commonwealth. The Mount Rogers Loop for seasoned cyclists, for example, crosses impressive mountain peaks with some trails climbing to an exhilarating 5,729 feet. And the Sherando Lake Loop in Augusta County has over a thousand feet of vertical climbing for serious bikers.

Virginia  also offers a scenic wonderland for biking in the mountains, as opposed to mountain biking, with hundreds of miles of paved and unpaved roads to choose from. The Virginia Creeper trail near Abington is one. It was once a railroad bed, developed as part of the “Rails to Trails” program, and crosses more than 100 trestles and bridges in its 35 miles.

The Virginia Capital Trail connects the state’s first settlement at Jamestown, the Colonial capital in Williamsburg, and the current capital at Richmond. This 54-mile trail along Scenic Byway Route 5 is being developed with interpretive signage and pedestrian amenities.
The U.S. bicycle routes 1 and 76 cover 838 miles in the state. Urban trails such as those in Northern Virginia are also detailed in the map.

Theme bike excursions include a music trail in southwest Virginia, a coal heritage trail, the John Smith trail, and Revolutionary and Civil War trails. One theme trail is The Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail, a 300-mile long trail that commemorates the experience of African-Americans, Native Americans and women from the 18^th through 20^th centuries in Virginia.

Facilities along the trails are detailed by VDOT in the map. To download a copy, go to http://www.virginiadot.org/bikemap/.

Calvary led charge for re-enactment events in Spotsylvania

Hundreds of Civil War re-enactors descended on Spotsylvania this past weekend for the Battles of Spotsylvania, 2011 Civil War Reenactment. Pictured above is a U.S. Park Ranger ahead of leading tours of Bloody Angle where thousands died in arm to arm combat.

A cavalry skirmish was the the first fighting event for the weekend. The battle cries began at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Following that was a dinner of white beans and cornbread, then period music by the 2^nd South Carolina String Band (famous for providing background music on the movie soundtrack for “Gods and Generals”). There was dancing like it was in the 1860s and a guided battlefield tour. Saturday’s events concluded with stories around the campfire.

YMCA Races

The local YMCA hosted three runs earlier on Saturday -- the Battlefield 5K, the Cannonball 1M and the Little Skirmish Tot Trot. These races get underway at 7:30 a.m.

Sunday was packed with events. The day opened with a non-denominational period church service followed by a cannon salute to veterans and men and women currently serving in the Armed Forces. 

The weekend’s main battle began at 1:00 p.m. when re-enactors, horses, cannons and guns converged near the Spotsylvania Courthouse Village at the corner of Old Battlefield Boulevard and the Spotsylvania Courthouse Bypass.