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A Scouting Trip In Virginia

4K views 25 replies 7 participants last post by  SteveinPA 
#1 ·
Having taken some flack about not doing a proper scouting trip before suggesting a nice day-ride in West Virginia recently, I decided to not let this happen again. This morning I took a ride in an attempt to find a scenic gravel road in neighboring Appomattox County. This road was, reportedly, so scenic that it included a water-feature!

First off, the directions were spot-on. I found it with no problems at all. About 2 miles from historic Appomattox Battlefield.
It was in fact quite scenic, but what I found at the bottom of a hill about a mile in was a bit beyond what I was expecting....

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The beginning of Trents Mill Road. I knew it was going to be gravel so no surprise there.

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Winding through deep woods and some open farmland I soon come upon this.

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It's the water-feature! A good, old-fashioned ford. Didn't know that there were still any roads left in this part of the Country with fords across streams!

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There was quite a healthy flow and it was about 50' across.

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A quick, unscientific, and slightly biased evaluation showed that the water was AT LEAST 14" deep in the middle. A bit more than I was comfortable crossing with my SilverWing! I believe that this is actually the upper part of the Appomattox River - it gets wider downstream...

So I guess we will have to save this one for the Trail 90.
I would have loved to have sown some pictures of me fording this thing on my SilverWing but I fear what I would have shown instead was a drowned bike in the middle of a river!
Still, a very nice morning ride here in the Old Dominion.

Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
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#3 ·
Yeah, that's what worries me.
If them puppies deploy, I'm in big trouble!
I'm gonna bring the Subaru back and see how deep it really is.

Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
#4 · (Edited)
Sam, here's what you do when you encounter a water feature like that one. You say "Watch this boys", then you wind up to about 8 to 9 thousand rpm, pop the clutch, yell "Yee Haw" and have at it! Any one of several things could happen. You could bury yourself in gravel, put the frame on the ground and stall out! You could get traction, hit the water just right and make the other side in 2 skips!! Or after digging a huge hole you could get traction and launch yourself out of the hole and over the water in one mighty bound!! Or, and this is the most likely You could get some traction, hit the water just wrong, create a minor tidal wave, drown 2 or 3 of your buddies and become stuck in the middle with water pouring from your saddle bags and your air filter!

I suppose you are wondering how I know all these things? Yep, thats right, I have tried (in my misspent youth) that little trick and experienced said results, sadly more than once (I am a slow learner and kept thinking "This time I am gonna get it right!). So now you know, you have to get it, Jusssttt rriiggght!! Damn, missed again!!

 
#5 ·
Gene, is that sorta like "hold my beer and watch this!"??
I ran through a couple of scenarios in my mind while I was sitting there.
I was there by myself so there was no danger of drowning anybody but me. But the danger of ending-up stalled in the middle with water everywhere was pretty great.
It looked to be even deeper than the water that was running down the street up in PA that year when we went to the Amish Rally!

Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
#6 ·
Sam, I'm reading a book called "Wettest County in the World", and it's centered in Franklin County, which is a bit north of the WillVille Motorcycle Campground just off Hwy 58 at the Blue Ridge Parkway. Looking at the roads in that area, especially Hwy 40 and Hwy 8, accessible from Stuart, it looks like that might make for an interesting low-stress tour of the moonshine capitol of the world. If you're not familiar with the book, it's based on the Bondurant family who operated some serious stills back in the late 20s & early 30s. The movie "Lawless" is based on that book. The Willville campground appears to have about the same facilities and prices as BRMC. If you ever feel like a little recon of the area, I'd be happy to join you.
 
#18 ·
Chili, I took the Miata out to Keysville yesterday and then headed West on VA Rt 40.
Went all the way to Woolwine and then took Rt 8 up to the Parkway.
It hasn't changed much since the last time I was on those roads - still very rural, low traffic density, and beautiful scenery.
The road surface is very well maintained on 40 but there's a lot of straight, flat land until you get West of Brookneal. The real hills start between Brookneal and Gretna.
Really nice high-speed sweepers between Gretna and Rocky Mount. West of Rocky Mount is where the fun starts!
West of Ferrum and before you get to Woolwine is where the REAL fun starts!! Lots of 15, 20, and 25 mph turns some of which are off-camber and decreasing radius.
Stunning scenery the closer you get to Woolwine.
When 40 intersects Rt 8 there's only a 6 mile run up the hill to the Parkway at Tuggles Gap. Again, Rt 8 is a lovely ride with new pavement and just enough curves to make it interesting.
I got on the Parkway and came back that way yesterday but i was alarmed at how poor the condition of the roadway has become. There are numerous potholes (some 6 - 8" deep!) and frost-heaves that take a lot of the joy out of riding this National Treasure. It's a pity that the Natl Park Service can't do a better job of maintaining it. This is the worst condition that I can remember it being in since I've been riding the BRP. And that's a long while.....
There are, of course, other routes to complete a loop through that part of the State.
But I think your idea of a Rt 40 tour is a good one. I can't speak about the road East of Keysville, but West of there is a lovely ride.

Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
#7 ·
Chilli, I've ridden some of those roads in and around Floyd County and I can assure you they are beautiful. But some are pretty serious challanges.
Never been to Willville, although I've been past several times. Have been wanting to try the place out.
Do they have cabins also? If they do, we might have to go scout that area soon!


Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
#9 · (Edited)
Sam, yes their cabins are $50 a night for two people. They also have a bunkhouse that sleeps 5, $22 a night per person. $15 a night for tents.

PS I believe JB knows about the Willville campground.

PPS On the other hand, Willville is only about 25 miles from Phil's place, with a free bunkhouse.
 
#8 · (Edited)
My wife groomed dogs for a descendent of the Bondurant family for years until she recently passed away in her late eighties. We never new their history until that movie came out.
Dan
 
#11 ·
Sam, a correction to my previous post. The Willville campground has just ONE cabin. Looks very nice but has a queen bed rather than two twins. Bunkhouse has five separate bunk beds.
Across the road there is a "Blue Ridge Motel", looks fairly old but the roof hasn't fallen in or anything.
 
#12 ·
Holey Smokes!!! I think the Blue Ridge Motel might just be the place I was mentioning earlier!
Can't believe it would still be in business, but..... I've been surprised before!

Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
#14 ·
Yep, Chilli, that's the place alright.
Looks like it may have been a few years since it has been open from that picture.
We ought to be good camping at WillVille, tho.
I've got a tent that hasn't seen the ground in several years that I THINK is still fully-functional.
As long as the rains stay away......

I'm headed to the Northern Shenandoah Valley tomorrow to check-out the area around Camp Roosevelt.
That's also a fairly scenic and remote part of the National Forest.
Don't know how the roads are up there but i suspect they may be more gravel that paved.
That might also be a good weekend destination for a ride.
Will report when i get back.

Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
#16 · (Edited)
Took a little trip up to the Northern Shenandoah Valley today.
Through parts of the George Washington National Forest.
This area roughly parallels the Skyline Drive but you don't have to fork-over extra money just to drive on it.
It seems our tax dollars are payment enough to enable one to enjoy the scenic beauty on Fort Valley Road!

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This is the road I took to get to Fort Valley Road.
I was already in Woodstock, VA to pick-up a part for my tractor so I took Woodstock Tower Road over the mountain.
Yep, it's gravel and most of it would be no problem for a CX/GL sensibly-ridden.
There were some switchbacks, however, that were a bit challenging...

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To say this area is remote is an understatement.
Here's where my GPS THOUGHT I was. Nowhere!!!

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Once I reached Fort Valley, I turned South on Fort Valley Road.
This is an excellent alternative to the Skyline Drive. All paved and very good surface.
Eventually I came to Camp Roosevelt. This was the very first of the CCC public-works camp-sites in the Country.
There's a campground there now with excellent facilities and 10 camp sites.
Camping fee is $10.00 per night.

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A nice bathroom with running water and the entire place was clean and quiet.

I believe that this area would be an excellent ride destination for someone wanting a weekend in the mountains.
The roads are paved and in very good shape and the scenery is 'quite nice' as they say!
Here is a website that has a bit more information about the area: http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/619/Virginia/The-Fort-Valley--Thornton-Gap-Run.html
There are 10 campsites at Camp Roosevelt and each site will accommodate up to two tents so it would be relatively inexpensive.
I know I'm going back there on my bike as soon as my schedule permits!

Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
#19 ·
You got that right Chili.
 
#20 ·
Sam,
Many thanks for the pre-scout of Route 40. I was thinking of riding out to the eastern end of it at Spring Grove yesterday but ended up spending most of the day in my attic, moving boxes of dishware around in preparation for moving my daughter into a new apartment in Charlottesville in a couple weeks. The attic seemed a little toasty mid-afternoon so I took an IR thermometer up there just for laughs and found that up where my head was, the temp was 138.5 F. At the floor it was 121 F. Might have to think about installing some better vents.
Anyway, your description of the western part of Rt 40 was very welcome and whets my appetite to ride the whole route one of these days. Probably won't get to it before Amish because of my daughter's move, but maybe in September.
Chili
 
#21 ·
The cooler temps of September will be a much better time to ride that way.
That is, if we have any cooler temps in September.
I would very much like to meet you somewhere along the way and at least ride the Western part of the route.
Camping at Willville sounds good too.

As I said, I took the Miata yesterday and I had the top up and the AC on by Gretna. Bank thermometer said 93.
Yep, I'm a wimp. Don't mind admitting it either!

Sam Bateman
Arvonia, VA
 
#22 · (Edited)
Weather like that is the perfect excuse (in my mind) to drop the top on the Miata, wear short sleeves and no hat, and get a scorching sunburn, to make up for all the hours in ATGATT where you might as well be indoors except for the total absence of A/C.
You're on for September, dates TBD. We can arm-wrestle about camping at Willville vs imposing on Phil. Either way works for me. I have a four-man tent, but knowing your nocturnal reputation, I'm hesitant to offer you sleeping space, especially if there's an open flame anywhere nearby. If we go to Phil's, I can offer my famous boiled fried eggs for breakfast (Phil and Janice know about that.)

Somewhere along Rt 40 there's a bridge over the Maggodee Creek where all three of the Bondurant bothers were shot (not fatally) back in about 1934 in a shootout with the "revenooers", and we need to get some posed pix there. Has to be someone in the area who could tell us the details.

I was in an ABC store a few days ago and noticed they had some Ball jars with legitimized moonshine for sale, and I was outraged at the prices - around $28! Didn't buy any, will wait until I can find some in a back alley for a couple bucks.
Chili
 
#23 ·
I'm hesitant to offer you sleeping space, especially if there's an open flame anywhere nearby. If we go to Phil's, I can offer my famous boiled fried eggs for breakfast (Phil and Janice know about that.)
I read that Sam might live to be 100...
 
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