Burning in Laird's Nose with Thomas' Virgin'ia dirt. It's for lovers.

Teamwork making the dream work on
any given Thursday. 

Over the past countless weeks, Thomas led the charge.  The ample SVBC volunteers had momentum to burn, connecting the final section of trail by hand at the most recent Thursday Massanutten Trail Work.  Crews sprinkled magic up the new trail, rerouting Upper Granny Grind.  The trail is rewarding and tough, both ways.  Climbing up steep grade reversals with some tricky rock sections, the trail offers challenging entertainment to even the most skilled rock expert.

Some facts about the new trail:

• Volunteer hours in trail build: 850
• 70 different volunteers
• SVBC spent $2900 in machine work (Iron Wood Outdoors)
• 26 trail work days
• 60 hours in trail design
• 5500' estimate of trail build, 2200' by machine the rest by hand
• help from Massanutten with trail corridor clearing, diesel fuel, housing for Iron Wood Outdoors.

a golden sunset of Wootten & Andrew
at the future view.

Thomas ran into Wootten, Fflur and Andrew Devier-Scott just as he began descending the completed trail for his first time top to bottom.  They stopped for a hike over to the future view where you can find one of the best vistas available at the Western Slope on the South end of Massanutten Mountain.

They descended with the setting sun, their Trek Remedies, 29er in front with the 650b's flowing closely behind.  Carving the traversing reversals, using the big rock obstacles in the middle of the trail to pump backside instead of pedaling for speed.  Masterfully crafted, this trail, an indelible impression left by an iconic community in the rich lands of Rockingham County.

Thomas shares his words about his trail experience today:

It was awesome riding Kaylors by myself, I could look over at the new ridge from about from a half mile South of Kaylor's.  I was thinking how this new trail adds a completely different scope to the Nutt.  Even though we are sooo close to the old trail, we are so far; how could the same mountain feel so different?  The drop in from Kaylors into the ravine on the back was so colorful, I was thinking how old school this portion of the mountain is. As rough as always, my first trail build in 1992 was on the back side of Kaylor's. 

Rocky sections keep things spicy!
It wouldn't be the Nutt without plenty of rocks!

I was so excited to see you guys cruising up the mountain. I was just rolling down that trail at my casual solo pace, analyzing more than riding.  The views at the top are what turned me onto this build.  I always end up over-evaluating a trail build, I get so deep into the project that I can not objectively evaluate the trail.  That is is the problem; I am always evaluating the trail.  Sometimes you just need to haul ass down the trail and ride it at a speed.  You just react, you don't do anything else.  That is what happened tonight.  I was happy to ride it with you, happy to show you the view. Thank you for showing me how just  to ride. Damn that is a good piece of trial!!

When Wootten rounded the corner, I realized that I was riding the entire trail top to bottom for my first time.  Even though I have ridden most every piece of the new trail, this was the first time I have actually ridden the whole thing.  The trail felt right from the beginning.  I turned off trail analysis mode and switched on flow mode. I was just trying to keep up with Wootten.  This is how a trail needs to be ridden.  When we combined the new section with the the section from last year I realized we have created something special.  Now I know all those frigid days slipping that side-hill last winter are worth every frozen toe and numb finger.   

This blank canvas is transformed.

We finished descending going through MBA Meadow. It was a great way to finish the ride; to combine something old school and something new.  I felt so proud that I had built this trail, but I did not build it.  I saw the vision and so many folks helped make it real.  There were 5 or 6 folks who help with the design and then endless amount of people who built it.  Then, I started to laugh that all these folks trusted me with their time and effort.  Even though not everyone saw the vision, they were still willing to come out and dig foot by foot. 

The best part about managing these projects is seeing each person get into a section of trail.  It becomes their trail, a piece of them forever embedded in the Earth.  When I ride a trail it is like some crazy flash back where I can see each person working on their particular spot, the spot where they fell in love with building a trial foot by foot. 

To celebrate the completion of SVBC's new reroute, show up next Thursday evening for the chain breaking party because this trail is off the chain.  Bring your bike and burn in Laird's Nose on the Virgin'ia Dirt, guaranteed a good time.