Paula Dahl is the director of Storming of Thunder Ridge, and a bike owner that’s well-known across the Central Virginia Biking group. She rides her bike over 10,000 miles every year. Paula has labored on the YMCA of Central VA since 1994 and he or she introduced the thought of a charity bicycle trip to the Y again in 2010.
What’s Storming of Thunder Ridge?
The Storming of Thunder Ridge (SOTR-JBMR) has been a biking occasion in Lynchburg because the mid-80s, benefitting numerous non-profits like The Lung Affiliation, The Coronary heart Affiliation, LIVESTRONG, and since 2010, the YMCA of Central Virginia. In 2022, the trip formally turned, The Storming of Thunder Ridge – The John Bell Memorial Journey. The YMCA determined to rename the trip in reminiscence of John Bell, a talented cardiothoracic surgeon who was a husband, father, avid bike owner and who was very instrumental in organizing this trip within the years previous 2010. John Tragically misplaced his life on Might 26, 2009 on his bicycle, however his legacy lives on by means of SOTR-JBMR.
The place is the course and what is going to you see on the trip?
SOTR-JBMR gives riders the prospect to trip their bicycles on candy, rural, low-traffic, scenic and easy roads in Lynchburg, Bedford County and Campbell County. You should have well-stocked relaxation stops each 10-20 miles and SAG (provide and equipment) drivers looking for you when you encounter a mechanical problem or you may have misplaced your power to pedal. Three of the routes will journey 22 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway and climb the longest climb on the parkway in VA – Thunder Ridge (12.6 miles, 3600’ elevation acquire) – a climber’s paradise! The Blue Ridge Parkway is named some of the scenic roads in America.
What are the totally different races/mileage routes?
There’s a route for everybody!
- The 27 miler is a fantastic out and again course that travels to Cifax – nice for riders that need to trip with their households, or somebody that doesn’t need to spend all day within the saddle.
- The 45 miler is a super-fun and hilly route looping by means of Curtis – a small little group with a working stream alongside the 5-mile stretch – it runs beneath the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- The 48 miler permits the rider to climb Thunder Ridge with out using 75 miles – it has a distant begin/end in Sedalia and travels alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway and comes again by means of Curtis – an ideal route for individuals who need the climbing expertise with out the mega-miles.
- The 75 miler is a loop that will get the rider onto the Blue Parkway and again to the YMCA in probably the most direct route. There may be a number of climbing with some actually candy miles.
- The 100 miler is an extended loop that may stick with the 75 miler till mile 62, then it’ll department off to do some extra climbing in Goode and Evington. This route boasts over 10,000 ft of elevation acquire.
All routes begin and end on the Jamerson YMCA besides the 48-miler route – the Mountain Loop, which begins and stops on the Sedalia Heart. Learn extra in regards to the totally different routes right here.
The place ought to riders keep?
Our Host Lodge this 12 months is the fabulous, Hilton Backyard Inn in LYH – for extra details about particular charges, please click on on: Lodging | YMCA of Central Virginia (ymcacva.org) – now we have a particular price of $124 plus tax up by means of April 17, 2024 (CODE 90G)
For the extra adventurous, our trip gives indoor and out of doors tenting. On Saturday, out of doors campers can arrange for the weekend, and indoor campers can declare their spot inside any time after 4 PM.
Will there be coaching rides in LYH?
Free coaching rides start in early Spring, Sundays at 2PM. We roll from the Monkey Joes Parking Lot – 1190 Perrowville Rd Forest VA 2455. We’ll begin out with about 20-25 miles and develop every week. One week we are going to truly go up on the Blue Ridge Parkway for some climbing. Try our Fb web page for particulars.
Enroll for The Storming of Thunder Ridge now! See you Might 19, 2024!
