[Westy]

Went for a nice spin at Lake Sherondo, my closest "mountain" ride. I went with my friend Bob who is one fast ****er so I spent most of my time trying to play catch and didn't get many pictures in, but I thought I'd share what I did take.

Things start off with an slight climb on some fire road for a few miles until you hit the base of the real climb. 7 steep singletrack switchbacks. Normally a very tough climb on the legs made even tougher by all the leaf fall. Couldn't see the loose rocks on the trail and hitting them would send you off line or spinning out. About 1800 ft of climbing to the ridgeline at about 3400 ft. The view from the top.

From there it we headed down Torrey ridge for a while. Fast downhill rocky singletrack that always provides a good challenge. Rocky goodness.

Turned off onto a trail known as Slacks that takes you off the ridge down towards the lake. Nice flowing singletrack, pretty much all downhill. A nice payoff from the leg searing climb. I managed to do a nice endo after hitting a log in the middle of the trail that was hidden by all the leaves. I was lucky to get away with just a few bruises. At the lower altitudes most of the leaves were still on the trees showing some nice colors.

At the end of the trail we had a bit of a road ride back to the car.

The original plan was to climb back up the switchbacks and come down another trail but I was beat and called it a day.

 

[Heidi]

Isn't fall awesome?

Thanks for the pics.

 

[splat]

Nice Pics Westy

 

[Echo]

That rocky trail looks unreal. Good place for suspension

 

[urbaindk]

Awesome. I haven't been down to Sherando. My wife and I are going to the Big Schloss / North Mountains area this weekend for a little camp, bike and hike. Hopefully the nice weather will hold out. We'll probably stick to riding the fire roads instead of the trails. My wife would cry if she saw that rock garden.

 

[Westy]

Awesome. I haven't been down to Sherando. My wife and I are going to the Big Schloss / North Mountains area this weekend for a little camp, bike and hike. Hopefully the nice weather will hold out. We'll probably stick to riding the fire roads instead of

That rock garden is fun. There are a few there that have much bigger, looser rocks. Still fun but the fun to danger ratio is much higher.

 

[Rockland]

Fun looking ride.

 

[MMcG]

thanks for sharing the write up and photos Westy.

 

[hooples3]

nice!! i love riding in the fall...

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

Cool pics man. Some friends and I rode that trail a few weeks ago after hitting wintergreen on saturday...needless to say we were on dh bikes...which was rough on the way up, but was super fun on the way down...it was definitely sketchy hauling ass over all those loose rocks (but at least we could see them since the leaves weren't down yet). The views up there were great, wish I coulda seen it with the fall colors.

 

[Westy]

Cool pics man. Some friends and I rode that trail a few weeks ago after hitting wintergreen on saturday...needless to say we were on dh bikes...which was rough on the way up, but was super fun on the way down...it was definitely sketchy hauling ass over all those loose rocks (but at least we could see them since the leaves weren't down yet). The views up there were great, wish I coulda seen it with the fall colors.

Sherando can be shuttled. Personally I enjoy the challenge of the climb as much as the descent. My Yeti 575 is the perfect bike for handling both.

 

[stevew]

What part of VA is that in?

With age my VA memories are fading fast.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Sweet pics, man! That rocky trail looks

 

[Westy]

What part of VA is that in?

With age my VA memories are fading fast.

Between Charlottesville and Staunton, George Washington National Forest.

 

[enkidu]

With all the rhodies april(?) / may(?) ride must be nice, too.

 

[TreeSaw]

Awesome pics! That rocky trail looks like quite the adrenaline rush

 

[urbaindk]

That rock garden is fun. There are a few there that have much bigger, looser rocks. Still fun but the fun to danger ratio is much higher.

I rode in Frederick MD this weekend. I love me some rocks. Except when both wheels unexpectedly fall into ruts between two rocks at the same time and you stop dead and rack yourself on your stem. That I am not so fond of.

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

Sherando can be shuttled. Personally I enjoy the challenge of the climb as much as the descent. My Yeti 575 is the perfect bike for handling both.

While something like a 575 would be perfect, the climb made me a real believer in the do-all capabilities of my VPFree...even with a monster T on the front, I only had to hike some of the switchbacks...everything else was fine/fun.

 

[berkshire_rider]

Awesome pics! That rocky trail looks like quite the adrenaline rush

mmmmm. Rocks. Nice pics, Westy.

 

[ghostrider]

Well, crap, Westy actually rides! I figured he was a big poser on here.

 

[DRB]

Is there an website for that place or at least directions and a trail map?

 

[Westy]

Is there an website for that place or at least directions and a trail map?

Map

Directions

 

[Westy]

Well, crap, Westy actually rides! I figured he was a big poser on here.

Actually I just copied the pictures from a MTBR thread.

 

[Trainwreck]

Very nice, thanks!

 

[ghostrider]

Actually I just copied the pictures from a MTBR thread.

Well, your "friend" "Bob" looks remarkably like Lance Armstrong.

 

[CHOP]

Westy, you should have stayed on Torrey Ridge and either dropped in at the lower lake or at the furnance. 90% downhill with a few nasty rock gardens. Of course Torrey to Slacks to White Gap is a blast also.

 

[Westy]

Westy, you should have stayed on Torrey Ridge and either dropped in at the lower lake or at the furnance. 90% downhill with a few nasty rock gardens. Of course Torrey to Slacks to White Gap is a blast also.

I've done that before, almost got ran over by a black bear on that trail. Slacks just seemed like a good idea for the day.