Fixpert

Phew! Busy, but exciting times! This weekend, I am helping some friends put together a massive charity bike ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. It’s called the Blue Ridge Extreme. It’s a one day event, 100 miles, with some of the most grueling climbs in the area. For anyone that has done road riding in this area, you may have heard of Reed’s Gap. Legend says it’s the climb that cracked Greg LeMond in the Tour DuPont, with grades as steep as 18%. Our riders will be hitting the base of that climb after they’ve put 80 miles of riding and another significant climb behind them.

A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to our local chapter of Hospice. We had a great turnout last year — the first year of the event — I think somewhere around 160 riders. And the brutal nature of the course caused quite a buzz in the cycling community, so we’re expecting even stronger numbers this year, possibly doubling last year’s turnout. If you’re in the area, come ride, spectate, or help haul coolers of Gatorade. Good luck to all the riders, have a safe and fun event!