I might be taking a job in the summer in Damascus, which is near the TN/NC border junction and Abingdon, VA. I would be in Mount Rogers NRA. Anyone live around there? What's the riding like? People? I do all kinds of riding- road, XC and DH. I think I have a pretty good chance at the job but I have no idea what the area is like.
How's the living/riding around Damascus?
- Thread starter JRogers
- Start date
Damascus will be filled with bikes all summer... but mostly for the Creeper Trail which is a rail-to-trail running from atop Whitetop Mountain to Abingdon, VA. They will be shuttleing people to the top by the boatloads... all day everyday.
As for XC you should ask the locals about Beartree Camp, its about halfway up the mountain and i know i raced there a couple times and they have a pretty good selection of XC trails... for DH you will probably be driving to somewhere like Windrock in Knoxville.
I live about an hour north of Damascus and we have some good XC here but no real DH. Check out wytheoutdoors.com for the riding up in my area.
Oh and as for people its a good place to have to live if your are into biking or hiking. There are always plenty of thru hikers off the AT there and they do the AT trail days there also.
As for XC you should ask the locals about Beartree Camp, its about halfway up the mountain and i know i raced there a couple times and they have a pretty good selection of XC trails... for DH you will probably be driving to somewhere like Windrock in Knoxville.
I live about an hour north of Damascus and we have some good XC here but no real DH. Check out wytheoutdoors.com for the riding up in my area.
Oh and as for people its a good place to have to live if your are into biking or hiking. There are always plenty of thru hikers off the AT there and they do the AT trail days there also.
Thanks for the info. Actually, the job I am being considered for is for a bike patrol ranger on the Creeper Trail.
Almost no pay (10 bucks a day, car mileage compensation and free housing) and far from home (400-500 miles) but I would see a new part of the country and get to ride every day.
Almost no pay (10 bucks a day, car mileage compensation and free housing) and far from home (400-500 miles) but I would see a new part of the country and get to ride every day.
That should be a busy job... last time i took the wife and kid there it seemed like the trail was way overcrowded. Judging by the shuttles i saw going up the mountain they were shuttling around 70 people and hour up to the top.
what about working for Snow Shoe WV? I hear they have a ton of trails, DH and XC, and I bet it will pay a better wage than $10/day + room & board. WV has a ton of mountains so I'm guessing there is probably good riding close by too.
You raise an interesting idea but there are a few issues with that. This job I have applied for does more than just ride around. Also, getting a job at a ski resort in the summer might be hard as, most places I've been to, employ a limited amount of their winter personell as a full summer staff. And also, I've only been to one mountain where there is actually anyone on some sort of patrol. Most mountains that have that sort of thing just get part-timers and give them free passes for pay.
Caboverpete summed it up very well. Everything in Damascus revolves around the Creeper Trail and the AT. For more exciting trails look at the Iron Mountain trail. I've never ridden it but have heard its a fun trail. I've also heard there are some nice trails in Grayson Highlands park not far from there. You won't be far from trails in NC. Look at http://www.mtbikewnc.com for trails in the Asheville, NC area. I live about a hour north from Damscus and bought my bike from a shop there. Its a great little town and sounds like a fun job.
i did iron mountain from skull gap and you wanna talk about an ass buster. did it on my big bike. some gnarly downhill. and serious uphill and some nice ridge running. the final downhill into damascus is waaaaaaaaaay fast. there is also a side trail that is called the motorcycle trail it has some good air opportunities. you need to get in touch with booter bill at adventure damascus. i think that is the right shop whichever one sells cannondale bikes is the one he is at. the creeper is very scenic and has a good trout stream running beside it. the ten dollars a day is all you need cuase there is nothing to do there. also get in touch with www.hickhucksters.com they ride around there quite a bit.