The Virginia Creeper

This 34 mile rails-to-trails bikeway is named the Virginia Creeper because the N&W steam engine strained to climb the 3,000 feet to White Top Mountain to pick up logs for the lumber and furniture industry down the tracks.  Or is it because the plant, the Virginia Creeper, is climbing the trees, through the  huge rhododendrons, and around all of the rail trestles?  Either way, the former rail line now is a wonderful biking trail!

We grabbed the bike shuttle from Damascus, VA where we were camped on a nice site along Laurel Creek, and got dropped off near the top of the line.  From there it was 17 miles of mostly coasting and braking as we rolled across over 30 bridges, through woods, and farmland.  Caught peak Fall color.............WOW !  Not that we exerted much, but had to stop when we got back to Damascus

at the local ice cream shop.

For our second day here, we decided to finish the bike trail, so we biked out of Damascus to Abington, another 17 miles.  This time we had to pedal, but another magnificent day of views of the streams, the woods, the farms and old log cabins, and again a beautiful blue sky day in all its Fall glory.  And instead of ice cream when we arrived in Abington, we headed for great BBQ at Bone Fire; Ruthie claims one of her best BBQ ever!  Two great days on the Virginia Creeper