Wednesday, April 24, 2013

On The Road Again! / The Virginia Creeper Trail

The Virginia Creeper Trail is not named for the Virginia Creeper Vine but both are named for the Virginia Creeper Train. Clear? There was a railroad train that used to barely creep up the mountain here. Thus the name. The trail is a 35 mile bike, horse, and hiking trail. It shares a few miles with the Appalachian Trail. The town of Damascus, Virginia is a major stop for hikers on the Appalachian Trail.
The best part of the bike trail, for us, is the ride from Whitetop Mountain to Damascus, 17 miles, mostly downhill.
The Trail goes through some private property (legally).

The Laurel Creek follows most of the Trail, or is that the other way around?

We had this great campsite at the Washington County Park.

Green Cove center.

The Trail starts in Springer Mountain, Georgia and ends at Mt. Katahdin, Maine.
Through hikers leave from Georgia in early April. They are just now getting into Damascus, VA.

The Appalachian Trail intersects the Virginia Creeper trail several times and they share several miles.


Nice and wide.

There are dozens of wooden bridges along the trail.


A nice place to eat after the grueling 17 mile (downhill) bike ride.




Near Damascus

We met these nice folks bicycling from Knoxville, TN to Wilmington, NC.
They each have an "RV" attached to their bikes.

We are now back on the road. We plan a 4-5 month trip ending up at the northeast part of Novia Scotia before heading back. Stops in Annapolis, Philadelphia, Ann Arbor, Jackson Center, Ohio, Cape Cod, Newport Rhode Island and Acadia National Park are planned.

Ciao!



3 comments:

  1. Hi Frank and Debbie....happy to see you're back out enjoying yourselves and having adventures! You are traveling to parts of the world I've never seen. Looking forward to following along on the ride!

    All our best!

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  2. Frank and Debbie. Let me know when you are in Jackson Center. I live less than two hours south of there. Also, when are you going to Maine? We will be there in early August at Camden Hills, Blackwoods Campground in Acadia and Cobscook Bay in northern Maine. Perhaps we will cross paths.

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    Replies
    1. Doug, we will be in Jackson Center May 28 to June 2 for Alumapalooza. You should come even if not to camp but just attend. I understand there will be 150 to 200 Airstreams there.
      We will be in northern Maine mid July to join a caravan to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. That ends Mid August and then who knows. Looks like our paths will not cross there.
      Frank

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