Love Gap - Blue Ridge Parkway - Waynesboro Loop CANCELED

Ride canceled due to no ride leader

Today's ride in the Blue Ridge Mountains features:

• 37 miles total.  The ride distance can be extended.
• 3,020 feet of elevation gain
• A climb up Love Gap.  The final 1.8 miles are steep, with several long 10% to13.5% pitches
• 16 rolling miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with smooth pavement, low traffic, and a 35-mph speed limit
• A 600-foot drop in elevation from Rockfish Gap (where I-64, U.S. 250, the Skyline Drive, and the Blue Ridge Parkway intersect) back to Waynesboro

Road Cycling in Mountainous Terrain:  You will want (need) a gear range that allows you to comfortably tackle both steep climbs and fast descents. A compact crankset (50/34T) paired with a wide-range cassette (11-32 or 11-34T) is a common and versatile setup.

RideWithGPS Route (if necessary, right click and open link):  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49955496

Food and Water:  After leaving Waynesboro, none on the ride until the group reaches Rockfish Gap

Directions to the Starting Location (Parking):  It is about a two-hour and 15-minute drive from Williamsburg to Waynesboro.  Leave Williamsburg before 7:00 a.m. so you will be ready to ride at 9:30 a.m.  Where the Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway cross I-64, take the U.S. 250 exit.  Turn L (west) onto U.S. 250.  Where Broad St. and Main St. split, stay L on Main St.  Turn R at Arch Avenue.  Turn R into the Arch Avenue (free) Public Parking, 215 W. Main St., Waynesboro, 22980.  Assemble there.  Or just enter the underlined address into your GPS.

Post-Ride Social:  Pro Re Nata Brewery, 6135 Rockfish Gap Turnpike (U.S. 250), Crozet, VA 22932.  Head east on I-64.  Exit onto U.S. 250 east (Crozet exit).  Drive about 0.6 miles.

Registration, Weather, and Cancelation:  Please pre-register for the ride.  Any cancelation will be posted by 6:00 p.m. Friday evening, August 22.  Given the overhead to join the ride, the ride leader will err on the side of caution when determining whether to cancel the ride.  Wet pavement or a rainy forecast will lead to cancelation.  Note that because the Skyline Drive is located 140 miles west of -- and several thousand feet higher than -- Williamsburg, it will be cooler and much less humid.

Information:  For information, contact Harry Levins, (517) 627-9763, harrylevins@comcast.net.