Jun-14:
Rocky Knob (BRP mile 167): BRP - VA-8 - Fairview Ch Rd - BRP; w/ DntW; 15.6 miles; est 1824 ft climbed --> effort index = 34; 1hrs, 19min; 11.8 mph avg pace.
1st Qt. tot: 20 rides; 755.3 m.; 47 hrs, 31 min; 15.9 mph.
Apr tot: 13 rides; 666.4 m.; 42 hrs, 58 min; 15.5 mph.
May tot: 14 rides, 803.1 m.; 50 hrs, 39 min; 15.8 mph.
Jun tot: 7 rides, 287.8 m.; 17 hrs, 43 min; 15.1 mph.
YTD: 54 rides; 2512.8 m.; 160 hrs, 10 min; 15.7 mph.
A short ride to cap the weekend. Staying at US Park Service Rocky Knob campground at BRP mile marker 167.
Dave had done this ride several times previously. I think he tests himself by "measuring" how much of the two steep gravel parts of Fairview Ch Rd he has to walk.
Fairview Ch Rd is a lightly traveled, scenic, asphault road with several tough climbs and then it makes a 90-degree left turn, flips up and becomes gravel all at once. About 3 miles of gravel to get back to the parkway. Two sections of STEEP gravel. I didn't even try to fool myself. I immediately went to walking / pushing the bike when the road turned to gravel -- it was S-T-E-E-P, and did I mention it was gravel. Unlike the section on Friday, this gravel was dry, and had a lot of loose gravel and pebbles strewn about the packed down "tire-lanes". After the first steep section was, I got back on the bike. But dismounted upon reaching the second S-T-E-E-P section. Re-mounting after the slope relaxed.
Dave rode some of the first steep, and I assume he rode at least some of the second steep - I was ahead of him due to his nature break before the first steep, and too far behind at the second steep to see him.
After the second steep, there were some flat sections, some short descent complete with fresh, very loose gravel, and some short "bump-ups". Theses sections were very nice with complete tree canopies and wide-open pastures as so often seen from the parkway on our left.
Tough ride. I figure I walked at least half-a-mile.
Map: Rocky Knob - Fariview Ch Rd loop
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