28th Annual First Ride O' The New Year

Cold? Yeah, you could say that. I mean, it IS winter after all, right? However, this is winter in Virginia...it’s not supposed to be THIS cold! This year’s First Ride of the New Year took the title of “coldest start so far.” Temperatures struggled to push 20 while 11 brave (or foolhardy) riders lined up and bundled up at the boat dock to start off their New Year right!

Cold? Yeah, you could say that. I mean, it IS winter after all, right? However, this is winter in Virginia...it’s not supposed to be THIS cold! This year’s First Ride of the New Year took the title of “coldest start so far.” Temperatures struggled to push 20 while 11 brave (or foolhardy) riders lined up and bundled up at the boat dock to start off their New Year right!

We lined up for the obligatory group picture, and once complete, our fearless leader bid us adieu and godspeed and we were off on our various adventures. A few of us took off down the fire road, aimed for the lower followed by a little climbing to keep us warm.

We lined up for the obligatory group picture, and once complete, our fearless leader bid us adieu and godspeed and we were off on our various adventures. A few of us took off down the fire road, aimed for the lower followed by a little climbing to keep us warm.

We hit the lowers (of course), starting with pedally runs down Schoolhouse, Little Bell, and Enchanted Forest. From here, a few us decided to head back and call it a day, while the more (fool)hardy of us took to the climbs and headed up the mountain.

You got the proof we did this? Time to head back?

The goal: climb Tuck to 4 Gorges Extended, head to the top of Brushy and drop Gauntlet to Lakeside. The reality: we got cold, diverted onto Upper Hemlock (ahem, Clownhead), and made our way back. Cole had never done Hemlock down (who goes UP Hemlock??), so he checked that off his bucket list, and I’d never actually had frostnip, so, yeah...well, that happened!

Here’s to a balmier 29th Annual First Ride of the New Year!