The crossing is just below the “R” in “Reedy Creek on the map.

All of the rain we’ve received lately has done a number on the Reedy Creek crossing in Forest Hill Park. Heck, it’s done a number on pretty much every trail segment in the James River Park System (and other assorted trails in the region), but this spot is particularly bad. This Saturday, RVA MORE and the city trail crew will be having a work day to do some repairs to the crossing.

If you want to contribute to the rebuilding effort, meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 13th at the creek crossing. You can enter the trail where it crosses the paved path at the southern end of the park close to Forest Hill Ave. From there it is a short walk down to the creek crossing.

Bring gloves, sturdy work shoes and water. Keep in mind that the farmers market will be running at Forest Hill Park, so parking could be tight closer to the Stone House parking lot. That also means delicious donuts (and other goodies) will be available as pre-trail-building fuel. Street parking further down Forest Hill Avenue near the Patrick Henry School could be another option. Any cancellation will be sent out via email and posted on the rvaMORE facebook page.

Historic Westover Church, in partnership with Basket & Bike, is hosting the first-ever ‘Blessing of the Bikes’ ceremony along the Virginia Capital Trail on Sunday, October 21 at 2 p.m. Westover Church, which dates from 1730, is located at Mile Marker 25 in Charles City County. This annual event started in New York City in the late 1990’s and has since spread to other parts of the country. Westover is excited to bring this popular tradition to the Virginia Capital Trail, a 52-mile trail connecting Richmond and Williamsburg along the beautiful Route 5 corridor.

A blessing of the bikes ceremony in New York City. Credit: blessingofthebikes.com

“I am excited to welcome cyclists from Richmond, Williamsburg and across the region to Westover for this special occasion,” said April Greenwood, Rector, Westover Episcopal Church. “We are proud to have the Virginia Capital Trail as a neighbor and are thankful for the fun and recreation it provides to countless bikers and walkers. For Westover, the importance of this event is to bless the Trail’s many users to keep them safe as they enjoy this wonderful resource.”

“Since its completion in 2015, the Virginia Capital Trail has gained a reputation as a destination for bikers from across the Commonwealth and around the globe,” said Anne Poarch, Founder, Basket & Bike. “As a
world-class amenity that attracts visitors from near and far, it is only fitting that the VA Capital Trail should join other biking communities in hosting a ‘Blessing of the Bikes’ ceremony. Westover graciously opens its doors to the thousands of cyclists who pedal past each year, and so I am very grateful to April for her hospitality.”

Event Details

Who: Cyclists from Richmond, Williamsburg and across Central Va
What:   First-Ever ‘Blessing of the Bikes’ Ceremony on the VA Capital Trail

When: Sunday, October 21 at 2:00pm
Where: Westover Church, 6401 John Tyler Highway, Charles City (Va. Capital Trail – Mile Marker 25)

Walking and hiking are the top activities in Virginia’s 37 state parks, according to visitor surveys. That makes Saturday (June 2nd) — National Trails Day — the perfect day to head out to a state (or local) park and hit the dirt.

Join Va. State Parks as they participate in the American Hiking Society’s annual National Trails Day celebration. All 37 state parks are offering some sort of special trail programming and/or volunteer projects to help keep the trails in great shape for the more than 10 million annual visitors.

To find special programs at a park near you, check this listing. There are three state parks — Pocahontas, Powhatan and Bear Creek Lake — within an hour of downtown Richmond. But if you’d rather stay more local, check out this previous piece we ran that has some options for trail volunteering on Saturday.

It’s not too early to start planning for National Trails Day on June 2nd, and RVA MORE, Richmond’s mountain biking/trail building club has the scoop on a number of events happening in the James River Park System and Pocahontas State Park. Information below:

Trail work with REI and Friends of Pocahontas State Park
Enjoy breakfast and then work on a hiking trail alongside REI and the Friends of Pocahontas State Park. Click here to find all the details for this event.

James River Park System 
Mountain Bike Ride with RVA MORE
Location: 21st Street parking lot
Along with the social mountain bike ride, there will be many other events happening around the river including guided hikes and trail runs! Booths will be set up in different areas where you can learn more about the outdoor organizations and programs involved with supporting the JRPS! Click here to view the full schedule for this event.

Pocahontas State Park
Trail work with rvaMORE and Bell Joy Ride.  After working on a mountain bike trail, there will be a women’s social ride and cookout with Molly’s Bicycle Shop. Click here to register for this event.

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.

With a theme of Bike to the Future, RVA Bike Month 2018 presented by Bon Secours features a full calendar of events. 2018 marks the fifth year that Bike Walk RVA, a program of Sports Backers, is coordinating the bike-related events with the help of dozens of volunteers and advocates from across the Richmond region. More details and the full calendar of events can be found here.

Highlights of the calendar include an official proclamation from Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and City Council on May 14 designating May as Richmond Bike Month and the third week of May to be Richmond Bike to Work Week. In the proclamation, City leadership will make a point of encouraging all residents to share the road safely. In celebration of National Bike to Work Day on May 18, a group ride on the highly-anticipated Franklin Street two-way protected bike lane will be organized during the morning commute for riders as they make their way to work.

On June 1, Bon Secours will also host the East End Bike Party at the Sarah Garland Jones Center at 2600 Nine Mile Road. The party is free and open to the public. The East End Bike Party will also feature the inaugural Bike Walk RVA Awards Ceremony, honoring individuals and groups for their year-round commitment to bike and pedestrian advocacy. The new awards program is just one part of a calendar that features over 50 events for bike enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels. Running from April 28 through June 2, RVA Bike Month includes events taking place in the City of Richmond, Town of Ashland, and counties of Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover, reflecting the growth in support and popularity of increased bike and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the Richmond region.

Activities will include food and mural-themed rides, parent and kid rides, food tours, and group bike commutes, as well as bigger festivals like Dominion Energy Riverrock which takes place May 18-20 at Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar. In honor of the ‘Bike to the Future’ theme, there will also be an outdoor screening of the classic film ‘Back to the Future’ on Friday, May 11.

“The community volunteers, advocates, businesses, and organizations that contribute to the full month of events are what make RVA Bike Month stand out as a great treat for the Richmond region,” said Brantley Tyndall, Community Engagement Manager for Bike Walk RVA. “The rapid and continued growth of community interest in biking highlights the fact that bikes and bike infrastructure are an important part of the region’s identity.”

For a full list of bike month events, and to see the Bike Month poster, visit www.rvabikemonth.com.

This coming Saturday and Sunday, RVA MORE is looking for about 20 volunteers to help with a Paralyzed Veterans of America event at Pocahontas State Park. The job is to ride with the handcycle participants, to support them and help as needed. Bring your bike, plenty of water and your normal ride tools. RVA MORE will supply lunch. Sign up for as much time as you can.  The above video Video from the last September’s event should give you an idea of how fun it was.

From RVA MORE, Richmond’s mountain bike/trail building club:

Take your pick and come on out, there will be trail work projects happening at both Buttermilk Trail in the James River Park and out at Pocahontas State Park this weekend.  There’s plenty of work to be done. We need your help!

Buttermilk Access Trail (JRP):
This weekend we’ll be working on an access trail that provides a connection to Buttermilk from Riverside Drive between 25th and 26th streets. There is an old access via a steep set of stairs that will be closed after the new trail is put into place.

We will be meeting at 9 a.m. at the parking lot at Riverside Drive and 22nd Street right across from Canoe Run Park (https://goo.gl/maps/pND9snKWFLk) and will walk to the work site from there.

Pocahontas State Park Dual Slalom:
Saturday will be the first volunteer work day on the new dual slalom course going in at Pocahontas.  This is going to be a huge addition to the already wide variety of trails at the park. When finished we’ll have two side by side lines where you can race your friends from top to bottom!  Meet at the Swift Creek parking lot (7298 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield, VA) at 9 a.m. on Saturday.