The mud run will go on as scheduled. Credit: Sports Backers

In light of the drenching, equatorial, Amazonian, monsoon rains Richmond has been and is currently experiencing, I emailed the Sports Backers’ PR maven Pete Woody about the status of Riverrock. Here’s what he, and event director Megan Schultz, had to say:

“Participant safety is extremely important, as is protecting the integrity of the trails in the James River Park System. We’ve worked closely with event staff and trail managers to come up with new courses for each event and believe they will offer great experiences for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy,” said Megan Schultz, event director for Dominion Energy Riverrock.

The festival is on rain or shine, and the complete schedule can be found at www.riverrockrva.com.

-The Mountain Bike Time Trial, originally scheduled for Friday, May 18, at 6:30pm, has been canceled. Registered participants have been notified by email, and full refunds will be offered.

-The James River Scramble 10k Trail Run and Urban Assault Mountain Bike Ride, scheduled for Saturday, May 19 at 9:00a.m. and 1:30p.m., respectively, will take place as scheduled with rerouted courses. The James River Scramble map can be found here, and the Urban Assault map can be found here. 

-The course for the Sierra Nevada Down River Paddle, taking place on Saturday, May 19, at 11:30am, has been moved and will now go from Pony Pasture to Reedy Creek, rather than Reedy Creek to the 14th Street Takeout. 

Richmond beer/outdoors lovers take not: Sierra Nevada has come up with a brew especially for you. Dominion Energy Riverrock, Sports Backers, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. have partnered to create ‘Let’s Go RVA IPA,’ a session IPA brewed exclusively for the three-day sports and music festival set for May 18-20 at Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar.

Sierra Nevada describes the Let’s Go RVA IPA as “light and refreshing, yet packed with hop flavor. Expect a burst of bright citrus and tropical fruit aromas, followed by a crisp finish that keeps you coming back for more.” The name is based on the Sports Backers slogan ‘Let’s Go RVA!’ which is meant to inspire and motivate active living and celebrate the region’s outdoor recreation opportunities.

Let’s Go RVA IPA Facts and Figures
4.8% ABV 34 IBU
Grist: Pale, pilsner, oats, wheat
Hops: Magnum, Citra, El Dorado, Loral, Nelson Sauvin, Mandarina Bavaria, Huell Melon

Let’s Go RVA IPA will be available during Dominion Energy Riverrock as well as at the 5PT Adventure Film Festival presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. on May 17 at The Broadberry. The film festival will feature an evening of inspirational adventure films followed by live music from the Larry Keel Experience. Sierra Nevada is donating a portion of beer sales during the 5PT Adventure Film Festival to rvaMORE, a local nonprofit whose mission is to enhance trail experiences through people, tools, and advocacy. Advance film festival tickets are on sale now for $10 and can be purchased online at https://ticketf.ly/2H6D3sC.

In addition to the 5PT Adventure Film Festival, Let’s Go RVA IPA can also be found at various locations around Richmond, including Boulevard Burger and Brew, Capital Ale House (Main St. location), Colonial Kitchen & Market (New Kent), Dash In Dash Out, Fat Dragon, Heritage, Independence Golf Course, Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, Kroger (14101 Midlothian Turnpike), Salisbury Country Club, Southern Railway Deli, Strawberry Street Café, The Caboose (Ashland), The Hop Craft Pizza & Beer, Toast, Whole Foods Market (11173 W. Broad Street), Wong Gonzalez, and Zzaam Fresh Korean Grill.

(Home page image courtesy of Riverrockrva.com)

Every year the Sports Backers have the challenge of keeping Riverrock, the annual outdoor recreation and music festival, feeling fresh for the 100,000 or so Central Virginians who will descend on the Brown’s Island area in mid-May. This year is no different. The three-day event will feature several new events and challenges over the course of the May 18-20 festival weekend.

Bouldering at Riverrock. Credit: Sports Backers

New events taking place on Friday, May 18, include the Mountain Bike Time Trial and Belle Isle Blitz. In the Mountain Bike Time Trial, participants will set out to get the fastest finishing time on a rugged course on the James River Park System trails. The time trial starts at 6:30 p.m., and riders will go off in one-minute intervals. At 7:15 p.m. on Friday, the Belle Isle Blitz is a chip-timed race over a roughly 5k course that will offer a fun and unique challenge to hard-core trail runners. Starting on the south side of the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge and finishing in the Belle Isle parking lot, the Blitz also features a dog wave for participants who want to take on the trails with their four-legged friends by their side.

On Saturday, May 19, the inaugural Sierra Nevada Down River Paddle takes place at 11:30 a.m. Using their kayak, canoe, or SUP, participants will take off in one-minute intervals, starting at Reedy Creek. They will battle some of the river’s most challenging rapids as they race to the finish at the 14th street takeout, with the fastest male and female times winning.

On May 20, the Sunday Funday Ride allows bike riders of all ages to take part in a casual cruise while exploring the best of RVA. Setting off at 1:30pm, the Sunday Funday Ride features a 10-mile and 25-mile course option, and, for those still in need of a little friendly competition, the ride will feature several timed segments through Strava, where riders can compete for bragging rights. Both courses will start in the Belle Isle parking lot and will include one on-course aid station.

These new additions to Dominion Energy Riverrock will also help form two new weekend-long challenges: the River Rumble and Trail Trio. The River Rumble, a combination of running, paddling, and biking, is comprised of the James River Scramble 10k trail run, the Sierra Nevada Down River Paddle, and the Urban Assault Mountain Bike Race. A male and female will be crowned River Rumble champion based on the fastest combined time in all three events, and the Rumble will challenge participants’ endurance on Richmond’s signature trails and rapids. River Rumble participants will also receive a discount on their overall entry and a unique River Rumble participant shirt, while the champions will earn additional, and well-deserved, bragging rights.

The Trail Trio, incorporating the Belle Isle Blitz, James River Scramble, and Bust the Banks trail half marathon, will be a true test of trail running skill over a three-day span. The Trail Trio offers challenges at a variety of distances and takes participants to the North Bank Trail, Buttermilk Trail, Belle Isle, Potterfield Bridge, and Brown’s Island in pursuit of the special Trail Trio finisher medal and legendary status, among other finisher items.

Registration for all Dominion Energy Riverrock events and challenges is currently open. Click here for more information and to register.

New born chicks from last year’s nest waiting for a meal.

The hatching of osprey eggs happens like clockwork: Once an egg is laid, it will hatch in 34-40 days. That makes today a big day at the RVAOspreyCam. Today is Day 34 for our first egg, which Maggie delivered on March 16. Hatchwatch 2018 has begun, and these next few days are going to be very exciting!

For those scoring at home, Egg No. 2 was laid on March 18 and Egg No. 3 was laid on March 21st. Last year, our pair, Maggie and Walker, laid three eggs but only two were viable. Let’s see how things go this year.

Check out (and listen to) all the action at RVAOspreyCam.com.

In Richmond, it’s almost impossible to go more than a block or two before coming across a work of art. Murals covering buildings are found towering all over the city, but they’re not the only place to find public paintings anymore. Try looking down for a change. Storm drains around the Richmond area are getting a makeover and being spray painted to feature plant and animal life native to the James River.

The Paint Out Pollution campaign started by the James River Association aims to spread awareness of the harmful effects of runoff and the many forms of wildlife it impacts. Runoff not only pollutes the river, but it rushes into the water at a higher speed than is natural, increasing floods and displacing fish and other wildlife. Every time it rains, stormwater carries pollutants into the James River and its tributaries. With just a couple of stencils and cans of acrylic spray paint, hardworking volunteers are making a difference in the community.

Justin Doyle, Community Conservation Manager for JRA, is in charge of the campaign. He says the purpose of Paint Out Pollution is to “increase awareness of stormwater pollution through art” and that “over 100 storm drains have been painted since the campaign was first launched in 2017 and the demand for more is greater than we can keep up with.” There hasn’t been any opposition to Paint Out Pollution, giving hope that the James River might become fully restored and healthy.

A Banksy classic.

Getting involved is quick and simple — no artistic background required. To get started, interested volunteers can visit https://jrava.org/what-you-can-do/paint-out-pollution/ to fill out an application. JRA has partnered with Art on Wheels for this campaign, so all necessary materials will be provided. All stencils were designed by local artists. Volunteers are asked to bring work clothes, sunscreen, a lunch and water. The next meet-up day to paint the drains is Saturday, April 21, from 2-4 p.m. at the Chesterfield Community Development Building, 9800 Government Center Parkway, Chesterfield, VA 23832. Volunteers will be painting migratory fish species in celebration of World Fish Migration Day.

The art produced by Paint Out Pollution is already being seen by thousands of people in the Richmond area, but it could be more. Sign up to leave a lasting impact on the community and to help raise awareness for the health of the James River today!

This Saturday Richmond will join the world in celebrating World Fish Migration Day.

On April 21 our friends at the James River Association, as well as other partners and community members in Richmond will celebrate World Fish Migration Day –  a one day global-local event to create awareness about the importance of open rivers and migratory fish.

Rivers around the world, like the James River, provide many services: water supply, irrigation, navigation, hydropower, fishing and more. However, these activities are often carried out at an environmental cost. Dams and other human activities can cause river fragmentation, water quality deterioration, and loss of habitat that collectively has led to decline in fish stocks.

In 1609 Captain John Smith wrote of the Jamestowne Colony, “We had more sturgeon than could be devoured by dog and man.” The Bay’s largest and oldest fish was abundant in the waters of the James during European colonization, but by the dawn of the 20th century the sturgeon population had nearly collapsed due to over-harvest, loss of habitat, and pollution. American shad once migrated to the James River in staggering abundance each spring. Despite the treasured cultural symbol shad represent in Virginia, American shad have suffered from habitat loss, over-harvest and construction of migratory barriers in the river like dams and culverts.

The James River is still home to many species of migratory fish that complete incredible journeys related to their spawning runs. Spending part of their lives in the ocean and part in freshwater rivers, these fish not only require healthy waters and habitat, but also open rivers where they may freely migrate. Thanks to efforts by many organizations and agencies, the James River is showing signs of some improvement in water quality, and species like sturgeon are returning to spawn in greater numbers.

A full day of activities are planned around Richmond to celebrate and make residents aware of fish migration along the James River. Click here to learn more.

(Feature image by Dean Hoffmeyer/Times-Dispatch).

Maggie and Walker on the nest earlier today. Maggie sits on three eggs, the first of which could hatch in mid-April.

Thanks, Liz Becker, for the write up in the A Section of today’s Times-Dispatch. On A10, the T-D featured 10 must-do outdoor spring activities in the region. No. 10 was titled “Osprey tours on the James.”

Writes Becker: The annual arrival and nesting of migrating osprey along the James happens every spring, but that doesn’t make it any less inspiring. Take a walk along the Potterfield Bridge to try to catch a glimpse or book an osprey boat tour. You can also check out the osprey cam online — just don’t be surprised if your productivity level drops significantly if the birds successfully lay and hatch eggs. (discoverthejames.com, RVAOspreyCam.com)

A great photo by the T-D’s Dean Hoffmeyer accompanies the piece (similar to the one here). And definitely check out the osprey, eagle and other James River tours our friend Mike Ostrander offers at discoverthejames.com.

You have to wonder if Maggie and Walker are cursing their early return from South America today. To update: RVA’s favorite osprey pair are taking turns sitting on two eggs (with possibly one more to come) through the snow and wind. The good news is that they are evolutionarily adapted to handle this. Man, it sure looks cold, though! Follow the action at RVAOspreyCam.com.

Here are some pics:

Maggie on the nest this morning.

For a few moments, the eggs were left unattended when Maggie left to go hunt (presumably).

Then Walker flew in to take over the incubation duties.

Yesterday we released our newest Views from the Treehouse podcast episode — an interview with James River Park Superintendent Nathan Burrell. It’s a bit longer than some of our previous episodes because, well, it’s the James River Park, far and away the most visited attraction in the Richmond area, and we had a lot to discuss.

We asked Burrell about the future of the park, specifically the upcoming master plan (the last park master plan was completed in 1968) and why it will be crucial in guiding the future of this treasured resource. But the conversation also ranged widely, from crime and policing to trails and connectivity to equality of park access to his relationship with Levar Stoney and what the new administration will mean for the JRP. If you’re a park user, you don’t want to miss this interview!

Click here to listen.