Credit: Chris Siess

The dog days of summer are here and while the sun has been scorching of late, the fly fishing around Richmond and central Virginia has been hot too!

If you haven’t tried fishing the famous James River through downtown Richmond and the surrounding areas, you are certainly missing out! Despite its urban setting, the James is home to a variety of species of fish that are all able to be caught with a fly rod, including smallmouth and largemouth bass, sunfish, striped bass, largemouth bass, carp, catfish and gar.

These fish are easily targeted by any experienced or novice fly (or spin) angler. The gear needed for a fun afternoon on the water is minimal. Waders are not necessary in the summer weather, simply wear shorts and a shirt that can get wet and an old pair of sneakers to protect your feet on the river bottom. Five through seven weight fly rods loaded with a matching floating line will be perfect for any situation you encounter on the James. A small backpack or side bag for a fly box, spool of 12 pound tippet, pliers and a bottle of water and you are set! Don’t forget sunscreen, polarized glasses and a hat too.

Credit: Chris Siess

Most anglers tend to think of the best fishing times as early morning or late evening, which is true. However, the fishing on the James can be fantastic throughout the entire day, even in mid-afternoon. The warm weather and bright sun brings out the damselflies and dragon flies and our clients’ primary quarry, the smallmouth bass, can be seen leaping out of the water to snag them out of mid-air. Dead drifting poppers across the surface in these same areas often results in a voracious strike.

When the smallies aren’t looking up, they can be caught on quickly retrieved streamers or crayfish and hellgrammite patterns drifted down on the bottom. Catfish and stripers will also readily take streamers and carp are always finicky with their meal selection, but catchable when carefully presented with a small, buggy looking fly or crayfish pattern. Sunfish, often overlooked due to their diminutive size, are most certainly the best looking fish in the river and can be a day-saver when other species have a case of lockjaw.

There are plenty of access points to the James including downtown just below the walkover bridge to Belle Isle on the city side, all around Belle Isle, Texas Beach, Pony Pasture, Huguenot Flat Water, and several other public points west of Richmond all the way to Scottsville. The further west you go, the less people you will see and less pressure the fish receive. Taking a drive to a spot further up river can make for a very nice Saturday or Sunday spent away from the crowds around Richmond. If you do fish downtown, week days are recommended as it can be hard to catch fish when the city’s residents also use the same fishing spots as a swimming hole.

Credit: Chris Siess

If floating the river and fishing is your game, you can always do a short afternoon trip from Pony Pasture to Reedy Creek. This should take about 4-5 hours if you fish it well. Be wary of the lower water levels later in summer as you may have to drag your kayak or canoe across some of the more shallow areas.

The James can be a difficult river to wade for beginners due to the uneven bottom, occasional strong currents and deeper holes that can catch a casually wading angler by surprise. The Rivanna River, which runs through Charlottesville and south through Palmyra, is a great spot within an hour drive of Richmond for a beginner to “get their feet wet” and catch some fish. It provides several public access points and a soft gravel and sand bottom that makes for easy wading. Most of the fish are small, but don’t be surprised to see two foot long gar, large carp and smallmouth bass in the trophy range that you can cast to. The big fish live in the smaller waters as well!

If you haven’t had the chance to try your hand at fly fishing the local central Virginia waters yet, now is the time to do it! The fish will still be active through fall and a day spent on the water is much better than any day at work, doing chores or watching TV!

Knot the Reel World Fly Fishing offers guided wading trips in the James and Rivanna rivers, kayaking trips on Chickahominy Reservoir and the Chesapeake Bay, as well as fly fishing lessons in and around Richmond. They also sell custom, hand-tied flies, shirts and hats. Advice is always available for free as well! For fly fishing tackle, check out Green Top in Ashland, VA.

The 2013 Perseid meteor shower in Malaysia.

I don’t know why they call meteor showers ‘showers.’  It’s really more of a trickle, and often just an arrhythmic drip.  A dash of light in the sky here, a dash there, almost always occurring in whatever direction you aren’t looking.  At some point in the night the person you’re with will shoot a finger towards the sky and exclaim, “There!  Did you see that?”  You’ll reply with a hearty, “Yeah, I saw it”, and spend the next five minutes silently cursing yourself for choosing that moment to be looking in the complete opposite direction.

An astronomer would probably correct me, saying that it is, in fact, exactly like a shower, but that we’re just not close enough to view it that way.  That’s fine, but if U2 is performing at the top of Mount Everest, I wouldn’t advertise it to the people of Nepal as a free concert.  I wouldn’t suggest they set their alarms to go off at three o’clock in the morning, drive to an open field, and cup their hands around their ears.  And the next morning, when they say they couldn’t hear squat, I wouldn’t reply, “Well, you weren’t close enough to hear it.”

Incorrectly titled and falsely advertised as they may be, I actually really enjoy meteor showers, if for no other reason than the opportunity they provide for adventuring out in the middle of the night, laying in the bed of my truck, and staring at the sky.  Meteors or no meteors, being outdoors while the rest of the noisy world sleeps is as peaceful a scene as one can hope to inhabit without going on a vacation.

Meteor showers, like the Perseid shower of this past week, allow me to do this free of judgment.   If I wanted to do this, say, on a random Tuesday, I don’t think I’d have an easy time explaining what I’m doing to others.  When it comes to astronomical events, the term ‘light pollution’ goes a long way, but I don’t see it getting me very far when I use it on my wife as the reason I’m driving out to the country in the middle of the night with a makeshift bed under my arms.

“It’s 3:00 a.m., and you’re doing what?”

“Just grabbing a few pillows and blankets, driving out to the country, laying in the bed of the truck, staring at the sky.”

“Why?”

“It’s relaxing.”

“Why can’t you do this in the driveway?”

“Light pollution.”

I’m not exactly sure what she would say next, but I don’t think it would be anything close to, “Oh.  Good point, honey.  Drive safe.”

The inevitable conversation with the policemen who happens upon my parked truck would probably go in a similar fashion.  Even after I use the flashlight he’s using to blind me with as an example of what I’m talking about, he’ll probably still tell me to hit the road.  Of course, I could always just explain that I’m there to watch a meteor shower.  I’d point quickly at the sky and say, “There!  Did you see that?”  He, looking up at the sky, would respond, “Yeah, I saw it”, and then continue on his way, silently cursing himself.

Shane Cusick is an avid local road and mountain biker, and the Event Director for the non-profit Bike Virginia. He spent much of the past year with business partner Chris Peel designing and manufacturing what they call “the ultimate kids bike.” Their company Pello Bikes aims to “give children the joy and freedom of cycling by providing bicycles that are high quality, lightweight, safe and designed specifically for them.”

I heard about Pello Bikes not too long ago and caught up with Cusick recently to hear about the project:

RO: With a 5 and a 2-year0old at home, I love the idea of a bike designed for kids. Where do things stand?

SC: Currently our focus is on finalizing the details for our cranksets.  We are working with a leading crank manufacturer to design our own cranksets that will tighten up the Q-Factor (the distance between the pedals). What this means is that the cranks will be more proportioned to kids “hip” sizing, making them fit better and be more fun to ride.

RO: What’s the timing on bringing the bikes to market?

SC: Once we have the cranksets dialed in, we are then going to have a final round of prototypes built to ensure everything is up to our standards. It’s our hope that we will have our prototypes in September, and provided all the details are worked out with the prototypes, we hope to have the first batch of bikes for sale in December!!!

RO: How are you promoting the Pello brand in the meantime?

SC: We are also in the process of getting T-Shirts (kids and adult sizes), little water bottles, and stickers made and should have all of this by the end of August. They’re available on our website. Also, we’re going to have a booth at the Pop Up Revolution during the UCI World Cycling Championships here in Richmond next month. Feel free to swing by and learn more. We will have bikes on hand for little ones to ride and cool things to give away!

SC: We’re really excited about the changes we’re making to the first version of the bikes. Check our site for updates on our progress of bringing the “Ultimate Kids Bike” to market, thank you again for your support!

Summer is tough on dogs.  The heat can’t be beat, so we try to dodge it by starting before sunrise. We use the early hour to visit places normally too busy for comfortable dog walking. This morning we’re at Willow Lawn.

Gripping two leashes in one hand and a hot, full to the brim cup of coffee in the other, I’m searching for a speed slow enough for them to sniff what they want to sniff, but quick enough to prevent all the strip mall, trash can debris (dirty napkins, empty chicken nugget boxes, a piece of fruit smashed flat as paper) from becoming their breakfast.  It’s not easy.  I’m always tugging them away too soon, forever underestimating the time they need to give all the bushes, benches, fire hydrants, and street signs a proper sniff.  Passing the Starbucks and Dairy Queen I’m positive I hear the scratchy sound of tongue sliding across cement, stealthy chewing, and the extra quiet silence that comes when something you thought was inedible gets swallowed.

When the dogs were younger there was no stopping and sniffing, only forward, no matter what. Puppies feel the pull of two gravities, one from earth and one from the horizon. Like a water skier tethered to two different speed boats, their energy yanked and held our walking formation in a strict V.  Bringing coffee wasn’t an option. Waving hello required concentration.

At Duck Donuts a young woman gets out of her car holding a bright yellow, rolled up yoga mat.  She goes inside and a few minutes later emerges with a box of donuts, yoga mat still in hand.  She gets back in her car and drives away.  Was she worried someone would steal her yoga mat?  Did she think she was walking into her yoga place?  Did she rob the donut shop with a weapon hidden inside her yoga mat?

If she did nobody reports it.  We continue our walk, and a few minutes later I hear behind me the slap of liquid colliding with concrete.  When I turn around I see another wad of liquid spreading through air the second before it smacks against the sidewalk.  This time a few drops hit my hands and face.  I look up and see a construction worker looking down at me with a bucket in his hands.  He slinks away and a second later I hear roaring laughter. The dogs have no reaction, and already are towing me towards what looks like an old squished banana on a paper plate.

We get back to our walk, and soon we’re done and back in the truck, panting, happy, listening to music, looking forward to…. no, no, I can’t fake it anymore.  That was weird and disgusting…and…(sniff) yep, it’s urine… that is definitely construction worker urine!  We’re going somewhere different tomorrow!  I hate summer!  Can’t wait for autumn!

Ronnie Nickerson is excited to kayak. Credit: Elli Morris

Silence fills the air as the interpreter signs the question, “What did you think about today?”

Ronnie Nickerson rapid-fires his answers with his hands: “I like learning to paddle and going into the eddies. I know I need to have speed, and then the right angle and lean into it, so I practiced that today. It was a lot of fun.” Then Ronnie laughs and adds, “And Maggie splashed me with water!”

One of the greatest blessings of the James River through Richmond is the diversity of water features, where advanced boaters and beginners alike can enjoy the river, be challenged, and learn. Taking advantage of that, Sportable offers a kayaking program for their athletes, like Ronnie.

“A lot of our athletes are in wheelchairs or some have trouble walking,” notes Cat Anthony, Operations Director of Sportable. “We have spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, some amputations, and visually impaired athletes. Once they get on the water it’s an equal playing field for everyone. They are able to kayak and have a great time. “

Karen Sparrow out on the water near Huguenot Flatwater. Credit: Elli Morris

Greg Velzy, Outdoor Adventure Programmer for Chesterfield Parks’ Outdoor Programs, is working with Sportable to provide instruction and safety.

“We’re making sure people of all abilities get out on the water and realize once we are on the water we’re all equal,” he says. “And getting over that barrier that some people think there’s a disability involved but this way there’s not. We’re sitting in a kayak and we’re all the same out there. I love that.”

Each athlete that participated in the recent program, paddling upstream from Huguenot Flatwater, expressed a real sense of fun and learning. “I found the eddies!,” jokes Carolyn Andrews. “Eddie Monster wasn’t there this time!”

Jacob Pribble, agrees, “It was fun. I learned a lot. I learned how to get out and go into the eddie better.”

Ronnie Nickerson gets a ride up the boat launch at Huguenot Flatwater. Credit: Elli Morris

The mother daughter duo of Karen Sparrow and Emma Williams also spent the two hours on the water learning the basics of eddies. “It’s awesome to get out on the water in a supported environment. Knowing that I’d be able to challenge myself as much as I was able to but that I would have help and support to a degree when I couldn’t do it. It was great fun,” Emma says. “It was fun to learn how to keep the kayak in control and not be so behind.”

Then with a huge big old smile on her face she adds, “And get wet!”

It is, after all, summer in the city and the James is the best place to be!

The hole in my canopy is bigger than I thought it would be.  The missing tree was a real stand out.  Not like those others –  those scrawny natives thronging against the backstage of my house like rock fans in a mosh pit.  The floor tickets have been sold out in this forest. Trunks are pressed together with branches interlaced, and a tree may only enjoy the celebration of life by squeezing and swaying with its nearest neighbors.  The muddled collage of green and brown shades often abstracts my eye.  I find myself admiring the assemblage over its members.  Sometimes, I can’t see the tree for the forest.

My daughter and Silver in a quiet moment.

Not so with the missing tree.  She had ample elbow room in the VIT section at stage-right, and shaped herself to enjoy every bit of it. Her most impressive extension drooped down and out 25 or 30 feet from its shoulder with the main trunk before diverging into a wide, open space.  This yawning arm spread in one direction to texture the sky in front of my dining room window, and in another to provide ambience and mood lighting over my firepit and picnic table. Back at the center, and 15 ft above the earth, the trunk of the missing tree divided into three major sections and braced its inverted skypod against the heavens 95 ft or so above our heads.  In her own old-fashioned way, without the industrial groan of compressor or the modern revolution of fossil fuel combustion, the missing tree conditioned the air on the western side of our house by merely filtering and absorbing the sun’s hot burn.  The northern leg roofed a cool stable for our 21st century horsepower on even the hottest of summer days.  No, this one was not just another trunk banger in the moshpit.  This one was a real celebrity.

I knew the missing tree was good.  Its just that I didn’t know the full extent of the good.  Isn’t that the way it goes? Something must be physically gone to realize the full extent of how good it was. Especially if “it” was a living thing that actively participated in my life experience.  Somehow memory knows goodness more completely than present consciousness ever will.  Present consciousness is distracted by substance, while memory, of necessity, interacts more fully with essence.

Beautiful summer dress.

I remember that my daughters and I were never content to hang around at her ankles.  I attached a string to a weighted ball, and made an underhand toss to drape the string over one of the larger limbs.  I used the string to pull a rope back over the limb, and we used the rope to climb into Silver’s canopy.  Yes, the missing tree had a name. She had become more to us than a mere plant from the genus Acer and the scientific family saccharinum. She was in our family, now, and we called her “Silver.”  The girls and I had such a good time in her arms that I was inspired to expand the experience to include other children.  With Silver’s collaboration and my daughters and their friends as test subjects, the idea for a business called “Riverside Outfitters” was born.  Tree climbing in Richmond would not just be for arborists anymore.

In the skypod.

I remember well the way she lifted and held my daughters, but what I miss most is the glimmering dress she wore each year to summer’s big party. Every leaf of every tree in the forest is an engineering marvel, each species having its own unique light harvesting strategy in mind, but Silver’s leaves were more than just effective solar panels.  They were delicately fringed with fine points and valleys suggesting a greater kinship to her cultivated, far-eastern cousin, the Japanese Maple, than to her own wild, native siblings. The leaves were a lite, almost bluish-green above, but a pale silver beneath, and under the influence of even the slightest breeze her dress of delicate leaves would ruffle to flash its silver lining. A real party girl, this one, but unlike her many relatives in the maple family, Silver made no dramatic costume change when the season of sleep beckoned.  In the fall her silken garment merely shriveled and faded through pale shades of yellow and grey, and when finally tossed to the ground, quickly disintegrated into fine particles of leaf dust.

Our scientific minds very much enjoy deciphering the functional design of nature’s machinery, but it’s the nonsensical or unreasonable features in nature (human nature or otherwise) that give our experience its mystery and allure.  Since I can think of no special reason this tree would so delicately fringe her leaves or line them with silver, I conclude that to appreciate the silver maple leaf design is to appreciate the work of not only an engineer, but an artist as well. And as such, while a full or scientific understanding of the work is unlikely, a simple admiration is probable. Admiration and wonder. Perhaps, as it is with other great works of art, the silver maple tree has maintained its status and longevity on this ever changing and axe-infested earth not by its technical superiority, but by its ability to interest and mystify. By its allure.

Protoypes.

Not surprisingly, this plant kingdom aristocrat didn’t drop her annual offspring brusquely to the ground or send them on undignified journeys through the digestive systems of beast or fowl. Like all maples, either of American or Japanese descent, Silver adorned each of her seeds with a veined wing that allowed them to spin and float to earth in aeronautical style. Each year many of the tiny helicopters hovered their way to soft landings in the gutter of my house.  Since my gutters are clogged with leaves and other tree discard more often than not, the baby trees were able to find enough moisture and nutrient to grow into saplings.  I was always impressed with the way these newborns made their tiny attempts at life and growth with no regard at all for their own long term prospects.  Silver and her babies reminded me that in nature there is always hope, and always an effort to grow.  Inspired, I wrote a children’s book about her to share the lesson that living “naturally” is the precise analogue of living “optimistically,” and that “human nature” would do well to follow this example set by life forms whose earth experience out-dates the human experience by millions of years.  Hope and growth have always propagated in nature, and are always the right answer to questions of existence.

It took me several weeks working in my spare time to remove Silver’s substantial carcass from my yard.  A painful process, creating this huge hole in my canopy one brutal punch at a time.  I hated it.  And then I hated the hole created, and hated the unfiltered rays of the sun where before there was a cool, blue haze and the happy union of nature’s two great kingdoms.  But I realize now, writing my first elegy for a tree, that the physical hole fertilizes the memory.  Memory is the silver lining of loss, and in memory the essential goodness of this tree continues to shine and grow.

I wrote another elegy for Richmond Outside a couple years ago for my brother-in-law who was a great lover of trees and a gifted tree climber.  As he was laid to rest, the picture chosen by the family for his memorial service was one of him smiling peacefully from the sparkling folds of Silver’s summer dress.  In a way no human ever could, the tree was somehow able to soothe him.  There was something about her, something in her essence, that brought out the best in him, and the best in me.

Good man. Good tree.

The essence of this tree is good.  Memory knows best.  And I find it a great consolation for the substantive loss, for the hole in my canopy, to know that as her essential goodness shines on in memory she has reached the pinnacle of existence for a living thing.  As we all hope to be one day, Silver is remembered well.

A purple martin looks for food at the Bryan Park Colony. Credit: Nick Kotula

July 4^th has come and gone. We’ve celebrated our independence from Britain by grilling, drinking, and shooting off fireworks, but did you know there are still colonies in the world? One of them is right here in Richmond!

When a group of purple martins comes together to nest and do what the birds and the bees do, they are called a colony. Bryan Park, located right at the split of 95 and 64 at the northern tip of Richmond is home to a very active colony. Every year these birds make the trip back from the Brazilian rainforests to spend the summer in the hot and humid RVA! To give you some sense of how big of an accomplishment this is for a small bird, I did a Google Maps search and was told it couldn’t calculate the route!

Adolph White talks to a family about purple martins. Credit: Nick Kotula

The purple martin is the largest swallow weighing in at 1.75 ounces which helps to explain how they are able to travel 3946 miles (as the martin flies) to call Richmond home. Purple martins are the only species of birds that are completely dependent on humans. Purple martins do not nest anywhere but in the houses and gourds created for them by committed volunteers who have an intense love and commitment to the birds.

At Bryan Park that person is former schoolteacher Adolph White. I met with Mr. White several times, and his commitment and love for these birds is apparent. He will gladly take time to share information and explain, modifications he has made to the houses to ensure a successful nesting spot. His enthusiasm is apparent and infectious.

A purple martin in flight. Credit: Nick Kotula

I’m looking forward to exploring all of Richmond’s parks and sharing the birds and other wildlife that I find. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the martins at Bryan Park, I highly recommend taking a few minutes to watch them swoop and soar through the park before they begin their annual migration back to the tropics!

For a dog owner the daily walk can be the most soul-enriching part of the day, or so Frankie and Leo, my two Mutt-bradores, want me to believe as I nudge their staring heads out of the way so I can turn on SportsCenter.

Really, I love walking them, but around here (my neighborhood, behind Agees on Broad) we can never just go for a walk.  First we have to go for a drive.

Dog meets shrub.

Dog harmlessly sniffs shrub.

Dog sashays past shrub, as if he’s inviting the shrub to join us on our walk.

Dog abruptly spins, as if shocked at something the shrub has said.

Dog walks back to shrub, karate kicks his leg into the air, and pees all over shrub.

While Leo terrorizes the land, Frankie takes it upon herself to clean it up.  She’s constantly picking up trash and burying it.  This was cute at first, but I learned there’s a limit to how long she’ll hold wadded up paper or empty cigarette boxes in her mouth.  After a minute or so she’ll grow tired of searching for acceptably soft dirt and just swallow whatever is in her mouth, creating another odd scene for anyone watching us—man smiling proudly at his community-minded dog one second, and in the next he’s on the ground, shoving his hand down her throat, attempting snare whatever dumpster flotsam she’s attempting to consume.

When enough land has been claimed and enough trash buried (or eaten) we walk back to the truck.  I open their door and they hop into the backseat.  The ride home is always quiet.  Frankie is content, as disinterested in what’s outside as a child with a video game.  Leo’s pushes his head out the window, surfing his face against the wind, lamenting all the unclaimed land.  Sometimes I hear him whine a hello to a wandering neighborhood dog.

“On Richmond’s Wheel – A Celebration of Cycling” will be released this June 27 at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. It’s a project that I began back in 2010. The first self-published book came out in 2012. With the 2015 World Road Cycling Championships coming to Richmond in September, I felt like the book needed to be expanded to really connect with the world audience. Aynsley Miller Fisher co-wrote the new book to include more material on the culture of cycling in RVA. The book’s publisher, Wayne Dementi of Dementi Milestone Publishing, is the perfect person to take on the task of describing all things unique to Richmond.

Riders from Endorphin Fitness out for a pedal session.

So, you’re thinking, it’s a book about cycling in Richmond. Yes. And no. Yes, because cycling has become an important part of Richmond’s culture. No, because much of what makes cycling great in RVA has nothing to do with riding a bicycle.

Richmond has these great events that people from Central Virginia have been a part of. “On Richmond’s Wheel” describes many past events that no longer exist. It describes what riding a bicycle means, and meant, to Richmond.

When I talk to people about the book, I get to listen to fond memories of Richmond’s past. Then I get the question, “whatever happened to that ride?”

I began researching cycling in Richmond to celebrate the long running and popular Bryan Park Training Series. This is a weekly Tuesday night training event that is kept simple and is reasonably priced.

“It’s like an Amish barnraising,” said Matt Marchal, of the Altius Cycling Team and long-time promoter. “You cannot put a value on the work done on this race.”

Riders from the U.S. National Team climb the famous Libby Hill cobblestones. Credit: Richmond.com

The volunteers who run Bryan Park make racing there special. The current promoter of the series, John Messersmith, said of the volunteers, “Wendy (Hawkins Conner) brings a competence, an enthusiasm and a love for the racers that simply cannot be purchased at any price.  The racers feel it, we feel it and it makes the difference between merely a race and an event look forward to being part of.  Likewise, Tom (Balaban), Carolyn (Gobles) and Dave (Richards) are integral parts of the series and their mere presence raises the comfort level and enjoyment of the races.  So much so that it is palpable at the start line.  Our team members and other volunteers who man our corners are not just warm bodies occupying space.  They know the racers, they cheer for them, they heckle and they share both the excitement of success and pain of being dropped with folks as they roll through corners.  Our volunteers are a critical component of our success and absolutely essential yet it has virtually nothing to do with economics.  They are essential because they are the personality and life of our series; they elevate it from merely 18/25 laps around a loop to an evening you don’t want to miss.”

Dick Howard, who is essentially the father of modern bicycle racing in Richmond because of his work promoting races and cycling events, began the Bryan Park Training Series more than 40 years ago. The race was initially a Richmond Area Bicycle Association event.

The world will be watching when the UCI World Cycling Championships come to Richmond in September.

Then the race was taken over by Team Richmond. Then it was taken over by the small club PDO (no one remembers what PDO stands for). Then it was jointly run by Richmond Ciclismo and PDO. Then Richmond Ciclismo. Then Altius.

More than 40 years of racing at Bryan Park. The race was almost snuffed out a few times.

“Twenty percent of the people do 80 percent of the work,” Howard said. He was describing why the Capital Classic, a popular road bike race in Byrd Park, stopped. He said he couldn’t get enough people to volunteer for this elaborate race.

I can’t talk about Richmond’s cycling history without bringing up the importance of cycling to the city in the 1890s.

I find it interesting that one of the cultural differences between cyclists of the 1890s and the Richmond cyclists of the modern era is how race organizers and judges are viewed. In the 1890s, the judges are mentioned in high regard and the competitors are barely mentioned. Today, the competitors are the story and the judges are rarely mentioned.

I also find it interesting that Mark Junkermann created and promotes the cyclocross race in Pocahontas State Park called “Monster Cross.” This is a race that he would love to race but never has. Too bad because Mark would do well in his own race. All the joy of riding the event is Mark’s gift to you.

Aynsley, the co-writer of On Richmond’s Wheel, did a great job summarizing the work of many of the can-do advocacy groups in the city. Frankly, I needed her help. There are so many groups and too many projects going on in the City of Richmond for me to wrap my mind around.

Dementi Milestone Publishing recognized the importance of your cycling passion. The second edition of the book, “On Richmond’s Wheel – A Celebration of Cycling,” was made to show the world that Richmond’s cycling culture is unique but is as passionate, if not more so, about cycling than anywhere else in the world. You disagree?

As I’m typing this, another news flash comes across my computer. Bud Vye received the Governor’s “Lifetime Achievement” Transportation Safety Award. When Bud is not riding, he is walking around the General Assembly lobbying on cycling’s behalf.

The 2015 World Road Cycling Championships is around the corner. How many times have you been asked, “Are you going to be in it?”

How did you answer? Mark doesn’t ride in the Monster Cross but how should he answer “Are you in the Monster Cross?”

Hey Richmond, the World Championships is YOUR race. What are you going to do?

Here’s something. Go to https://richmond2015.volunteermanage.com and volunteer to help.

Or go to www.rvahosts.com. You see, not all of the bicycle racers coming to Richmond in September are millionaires. They are just passionate cyclists – like you. RVA Hosts gives the people of Richmond and opportunity to help racers make Richmond their home.

Richmond’s passion for cycling made On Richmond’s Wheel a success. Thank you. If you would like a copy of the book, please check first with your local bike shop or any of the sponsors of your favorite event.

Summer is around the corner and throngs of visitors are expected to visit Virginia’s parks and natural areas this year. The flora of the Commonwealth is renowned for its beauty and diversity, attracting tourists from around the world. A plethora of colors and shapes await photographers, hikers and families that flock to Virginia’s rivers, mountains and beaches. Hidden among the abundance of harmless, pretty sprouts are some that merit caution and a little extra respect. Virginia also has quite a number of poisonous species. Before you plan your next adventure, be sure to read the following. It might save you some unpleasant ailments – even your life.

This list is not comprehensive. It highlights some of the most common and some of the most dangerous plants found in the state. For the sake of convenience the plants are ranked in three general levels of toxicity: annoying, sickening and deadly.

Annoying

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

These three plants are prolific party poopers. Poison sumac is almost exclusively a wetland plant and tends to be mostly east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Poison ivy is by far the most common. Each plant contains the oil urushiol which causes an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals. Only a lucky 15 percent of the population is resistant to its effects. Poison ivy is frequently found along the edges of woodlands, disturbed areas and basically everywhere you want to hike. It is recognized easily by it compound leaf made of three leaflets and its main stem covered with many hairy roots.

The three leaflets of poison ivy. Credit: Lorne Field

WebMD has a good slide show of poison ivy, oak and sumac.

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/itch-relief-11/slideshow-poison-plants

People effected by poison ivy, oak and sumac will develop an itchy rash of numerous blisters. In extreme cases people may experience difficulty breathing and a rash spreading over most of the body. Breathing the smoke of burning plants can cause lung irritation and diarrhea.

Treatment: If exposed to urushiol, immediately wash the affected area with warm, soapy water. Antihistamine creams and lotions will relieve itching if a rash develops. Severe rashes or rashes on the face or genitals should be treated by a doctor. Call 911 or go to an emergency room if someone has difficulty breathing, severe swelling or has inhaled the smoke of burning plants.

Stinging Nettle – Urtica dioica

It is not technically poisonous but it can be downright irritating. The stalks on stinging varieties of this plant are covered with sharp hairs that inject a cocktail of chemicals that cause a burning, bumpy rash. Stinging nettle does not discriminate. Unlike poison ivy which only affects some people, nettles can ruin everyone’s day. The rash can last up to twelve hours.

Nettles are ubiquitous. They can be found in shady areas, woodlands are especially prominent along the floodplains of creeks and rivers. Look for serrated, dark green heart-shaped, opposite leaves and tiny white hairs on the stems and underside of the leaves. Nettles can be found in large thickets along the trails of the Huguenot Flatwater section of the James River Park System in Richmond.

Stinging nettle leaf and hundreds of stinging hairs. Credit: Lorne Field

Treatment: Clean the affected area with cold, soapy water and apply an antihistamine cream or lotion. Baking soda also does a good job of neutralizing the acetic acid in nettle juice. Native plants such as jewel weed also have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Sickening

Mistletoe – Phoradendron leucarpum

This delightful holiday decoration can kill your pets. To be fair, there is a lot of debate about whether it is dangerous. It is widely recognized that American Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) can be dangerous to animals and cause illness in people. The European variety (Viscum album) is more toxic but both are generally not life threatening. Pets and children seem to be at the greatest risk for illness. A few berries of either species may be enough to cause a stomach ache. Ingesting a large number of berries can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Deaths in pets have been documented.

Mistletoe is a regular sight in trees across North America. It is a parasitic plant that draws its mineral and water needs from other plants. The genus name, Phoradendron, literally means “tree thief.” There are more than 200 different species but leucarpum is the one most commercially harvested for Christmas kissing in the United States. There are several types native to Virginia. It is easily recognized by its rounded alternate leaves and red, spiky flowers that become clusters of white berries.

American Mistletoe. Credit: David R. Tribble. Wikimedia Commons

Treatment: Animals should be taken to a veterinarian immediately. Children and adults should be watched closely and if symptoms worsen call 911.

Spreading Dogbane – Apocynum androsaemifolium

This plant is very common in transition areas like the edges of woodlands, and disturbed areas with full to partial sun. It contains cymarin, a chemical that causes arrhythmia, irritates skin and causes severe nausea. It has been known the kill small animals, livestock and pets – hence the name. The potential for human poisoning is real though no deaths have been reported.

Its milky sap can cause a severe rash in people with sensitive skin and it is especially troublesome as a respiratory irritant. Landscapers and gardeners regularly complain of painful irritation in the nose and throat when breathing in airborne fluids after cutting it. Traditionally it was used to treat headaches, colds, dizziness and insanity. It was also used as a contraceptive. Today it is strongly recommended to just leave it alone because of its powerful effects on the heart.

Spreading Dogbane with flower buds, Chesterfield County. Credit: Lorne Field

It is recognized by its thick red stem, opposite simple leaves and tight bunches of whitish pink flowers. It has earned the nickname Fly Trap Dogbane because flies are attracted by its sweet fragrance but become stuck and die and die of starvation. Larger insects can feed on its nectar without perishing.

Treatment: Call 911 immediately

Pokeberry – Phytolacca americana

This plant narrowly missed being put on the deadly list. It has been known to kill in the past, though deaths appear to be rare today – but still possible. Hospitalizations are common in people who attempt to eat parts of the plant. Children often mistake its fruit for grapes. The stems and leaves are often eaten as a springtime delicacy known as “poke salad”. Traditional preparation calls for repeatedly boiling the shoots and leaves and changing the water each time. This method supposedly removes the poisonous compound phytolaccatoxin. The root is the most poisonous part of the plant, followed by the leaves, stems and fruit. Its toxicity increase as it ages.

It is a very familiar plant. It is recognized by its thick stem that gets red as it ages, large alternate, simple leaves and its cone of whitish pink flowers that become deep purple berries. It can grow quite large. Eight foot plants are not uncommon while others can reach fifteen feet or more. Its red juice was commonly used as a dye and ink by Native Americans and colonists.

Budding Pokeberry, Chesterfield County. Credit: Lorne Field

Symptoms of pokeberry poisoning include: vomiting, convulsions, nausea, weakness, rapid pulse and death in children with untreated cases.

Treatment: Call 911 immediately.

Deadly

Jimsonweed – Datura stramonium

This plant has perhaps the best documented history of fatal misuse in Virginia. Native Americans used it in sacred ceremonies for its powerful, hallucinogenic effects. Recreational users have died more recently trying to replicate the euphoric visions created by LSD. Like many plants on the deadly list, it is a common killer of livestock that are attracted to its hollow, juicy stem.

Jimsonweed begs to be noticed. Its spiky fruit gives is it the nickname “thorn apple.” Its long pink to purple flower gives it another nickname, “devil’s trumpet.” It is the most easily recognized killer in Virginia. Its violet stalk lifts the saw-tooth leaves, distinctive flower and prickly fruit to a height of four feet or more. The plant is named after Jamestown, where it was famously documented during Bacon’s Rebellion after British soldiers accidentally consumed it. They spent eleven days in an altered state.

Jimsonweed and its distinctive spiky fruit and trumpet shaped flower, Chesterfield. Credit: Lorne Field

All parts of the plant contain toxic tropane alkaloids but the amounts vary plant by plant and even vary within a single specimen. The unpredictable amount of the poison makes dosing a game of Russian Roulette. It is generally acknowledged that the seeds are the most toxic. Just a few can be enough to kill teenagers foolhardy enough to ingest them to get high. Symptoms of poisoning include: hallucination, bizarre behavior, increased heart rate, hyperthermia and death.

I have first-hand, accidental experience with Jimsonweed. I got a little too close to it while trimming grass when I worked for the James River Park System. My trimmer line nicked a Jimsonweed plant near the Pump House and I inhaled some of the mist before I could back away. Electrical pulses coursed through my face hours later and I had visions of fairies dancing on the ceiling. It’s a good thing I didn’t get a seed tossed in my mouth.

Treatment: Call 911 immediately.

Wild Cherry – Prunus serotina

This plant is a conundrum. The internet is full of conflicting information about it. Most sources include the fact that the plant contains high amounts of cyanide yet list it as edible. The cyanide is in the woody parts of the plant: leaves, twigs and seeds. Most sources say that the fruit can be eaten safely if the seeds are removed. Err on the side of caution; if you are not sure don’t eat it!

It is identified by its alternate, elongated leaves and many cylinders of small white flowers which develop into dark red and purple berries in the summer. The berries of wild cherry are attached to their stems with by a fleshy disc.

Black cherry leaves and young fruit. Credit: Lorne Field

Reports of livestock dying after eating the toxic parts of the plant are common yet dear can eat it unharmed. Symptoms of wild cherry poisoning include respiratory distress and dark red venous blood.

Treatment: Call 911 immediately.

Bitter Nightshade – Solanum dulcamara

This plant is both legendary and real. It’s not just found in fairy tales and witches’ cauldrons. It is native to Africa, Europe and Asia but its seeds are quickly spreading across the globe in the bowels of migratory birds. It is widely naturalized in North America and is becoming a common sight in Virginia.

It is recognized by its alternating simple leaves, star-shaped purple flowers that have petals that reach backward and clusters of red and purple berries. Some of the larger leaves will have a pair of lobes near the stem. Nightshade has been spotted on the North Bank Trail in the James River Park System.

The distinctive flower of bitter nightshade. Credit: D. Gordon E. Robertson, Wikimedia Commons

Nightshade favors shady areas (of course) and grows as a climbing vine or spreading shrub that will overtake other plants. All parts of the plant are poisonous but children are attracted to its berries which is sometimes a fatal mistake. Some people ingest the stem to treat skin ailments and rheumatism but he right dosage is unknown. The symptoms of nightshade poisoning include: headache, dizziness, nausea and stomach bleeding and occasionally death. Some patients develop photosensitivity. The skin of effected people will erupt into a bubbly rash when exposed to light.

Treatment: Call 911 immediately.

Death Camases

These plants get my vote for coolest name. Death Camas is a general term used to identify a group of poisonous plants that resemble members of the wild onion family. There are several types native to Virginia, though they are fairly rare. As you might expect, it is a bad idea to eat anything with the word “death” in its name. The “white,” “pine barren” and “sand bog” varieties have been found in the Commonwealth.

These plants have been known to kill livestock and occasionally people. It is so problematic for farm animals that the USDA website lists “most often just found dead” as the top symptom of animals that have eaten it. Unsuspecting humans who mistake it for wild onion are also vulnerable to its deadly effects. Its most recognizable feature is its beautiful white flower with six petals.

Sand Bog Death Camas in the Blackwater Ecological Preserve. Credit: Old Dominion University

The variety found in central Virginia is the Sang Bog Death Camas. It is occasionally found in sandy, wetland environments from Chesterfield southward and is known to grow in the Cherry Orchard Bog Natural Area Preserve in Prince George and Sussex counties and the Blackwater Ecological Preserve in Isle of Wight. Symptoms of camas poisoning include: involuntary muscle movements, nausea, vomiting and sometimes death in cases that go untreated.

Treatment: Call 911 immediately.

Water Hemlock – Cicuta maculata

The title of Most Poisonous Plant in Virginia goes to this native beauty. Simply put, this plant kills. It is considered to be the most toxic plant in North America and one of the most dangerous known to man. Native Americans simply called it “suicide root”.

Handling it with one’s bare skin can cause severe nausea in adults and death in children. Ingesting just a small amount can kill healthy adults and livestock – hence the nickname “cowbane.” Poisoning occurs in people who mistake it for Queen Anne’s Lace (wild carrot) or parsnip and try to eat its root. Symptoms can occur less than fifteen minutes after ingestion and quickly escalate into a painful inferno of destruction that racks the central nervous system. Symptoms include: nausea, convulsions, hallucinations, swelling of the brain and death. It is recognized by its red, succulent main stem, opposite compound leaves and symmetrically arranged clusters of white blossoms. If you see it, do yourself a favor and just leave it alone.

Water Hemlock leaves, Chesterfield County. Credit: Lorne Field

Water Hemlock in bloom, note the flower head is divided into separate clusters. Credit: www.all-creatures.org

Queen Anne’s Lace (wild carrot). Note the flower head is full. Credit: Lorne Field

It is found alongside creeks, wetlands, rivers, and ponds throughout North America. It is easy to find along the wetland boardwalk at R. Garland Dodd Park at Point of Rock in Chesterfield. Park signs warn visitors to not disturb or collect plants.

Sign at Point of Rocks Park. Credit: Lorne Field

All parts of the plant contain the dangerous cicutoxin throughout the year and are especially potent in the spring. There have been reports of death and illness in children and would-be survivalists who use its succulent stem as a snorkel or straw. Even if you casually rub against it while swimming or hiking, wash with plenty of soap and water immediately, just to be safe – no joke.

Treatment: Call 911 immediately and start praying. There is no antidote. Medical responders try to make patients comfortable while they slowly recover (possible) or die (likely). People “lucky” enough to survive the 24 to 96 hours of convulsions may suffer permanent neurological damage including: amnesia, weakness, twitching and anxiety.