Place: Stokesville Lodge, Mt. Solon, VA
Event: "Training Camp" weekend complete with Harlan Price (Take Aim Cycling) clinic
Ridden: March 2016
Click on video to play
As everyone probably knows and/or has experienced first hand, this past Winter and now Spring have been above average temperatures. Little snow has fallen and the skies have been overall sunny and the days warm. That all changed during our weekend at Stokesville Lodge.
Our friends Karen and John at the brain trust behind the "training camp" style weekend at the Stokesville Lodge. Everything for the weekend is pre-planned and organized; lodging and room reservations at the lodge, ride groups and routes, the clinic with Harlan, the meals, even which people use what bathrooms to make sure there is even bathroom usage. This weekend would not be possible without them so a huge "thank you" to the two of them.
The Stokesville Lodge was a perfect location for this weekend. Large enough to accommodate all the cyclists (there were about 13 of us total), there was barely a wait for the bathroom or shower. The kitchen was large enough to fit numerous people; which lead to some hilarious and fun-filled group cooking sessions and the dining room had a table where we could all eat together. A washer and dryer were available for mid-weekend laundry. A huge woodstove in the middle of the main living area surrounded by many large and comfy couches made for the perfect place to get warm and relax after a ride. The parking area was large enough for all the vehicles including "Van City", Joël and I along with Karen and John slept in our vans for the weekend. We even had our own porta-potty to use if we didn't feel like going inside. And as far as location, the lodge is a central location for mountain biking and road riding in the Shenandoah Valley. The grounds are located right at the start of the Shenandoah Mountain 100 course and many IMBA Epic and IMBA Signature rides are just a few miles away. So what a perfect location for a mountain biking weekend; wonderful accommodations and great trails all in one place!
The next day those rumors came true. Today was a group ride up to the top of the mountain. When we started the temps weren't too bad and there was no precipitation falling. Those things quickly changed. As we started our climb up the mountain, the snow started falling. The temperatures also started falling. And the trail we were on had multiple creek crossings (we were told seven but there were more than that!). By the time we got to the top of the mountain many of us had wet feet, snow-filled pedals and cleats, and the going was getting tough due to a number of inches of snow on the ground. And then it was time to descend. We started down our planned trail which after assessing the situation we decided to not go down due to the icy conditions. So plan B...a different trail that was still challenging due to the conditions but hopefully not as death defying. There was some riding, some slipping, and some walking to get us all down. Whew, finally off the mountain. But now it was time to get back to the lodge via the road. This is where it got bad for some of us. Being cold and wet and now going downhill on the road it got cold, really cold. So cold that in fact we needed to send a vehicle back to pick up one member due to hypothermia setting in. It was a scary situation but due to the help of friends and later the warm fire at the lodge and some tea topped off with whisky everyone made it through the day OK. And as we learned, we all have a little more brown fat now due to the event.
Day three, the weather was improved but still on the chilly side. The ground was wet and there was still a little snow on the top of the mountain but at least there was no precipitation. The day was a huge group ride with everyone. The group did split up at the top based on speed and ability but it was great to start the ride with everyone from the lodge. The loop included a great ride along some rocky single track and then finished the last few miles on a gravel road. Sure, a gravel road, a nice relaxing way to end the weekend. Nope, some group members decided to turn this road into interval training. The sprints kicked our butts but it certainly was good training!
The weather may not have cooperated well for the group weekend at Stokesville, but it sure was a fun weekend anyway. There was some awesome riding; some rides that will definitely never be forgotten. Time off the bike was filled with friends, fun, and good food. Cliff made new friends also; both canine and human, and enjoyed some time on the trails. Joël and I can definitely say that we are looking forward to next year!
- words by Jess
- video by Joël
- weekend brought to us by Karen and John