A Good Use of Funds!

No matter what your feelings might be toward the stimulus dollars, when I saw the sign below, I thought, "Now that's a good use of funds!"

I was on the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 17-mile downhill bicycle trail that starts (or maybe ends, depending on your point of definition) in Damascus, Virginia.

We left early and arrived in Damascus at the bike shop about 10 a.m.

After we "tried out" our bikes, our chosen model (big seat, please!) was put on the trailer and we took a very long van ride to the top of the mountain -- or, almost the top. (Your stimulus dollars were repairing the top of the trail!)

All started out well, though I crashed (gently, from a nearly-dead stop) and Rick and his dad took a look at the breaks. Apart from a yucky knee and some black and blue marks that surfaced later, I was good to go and having such fun, I didn't notice!

I have to say, as most of you know (or can guess), I'm no athlete. I leave that to my biker boy. But I was one happy camper that day!

The trail is gorgeous. It cuts throughMount Rogers National Forest with brief forays onto private land. You see views like this...

And this...

And this...

And this one, too.

There were benches for quick breaks (as Rick's dad and Kathy show, below!).

And beautiful bridges to cross, overlooking waterfalls.

Tall rock walls often surround the trail.

And now and then, there were flowers in bloom. Every bit was breathtaking.

We lunched at the Creeper Cafe, where Rick met a biker who rides with George Hincapie, a Tour de France mainstay from the U.S. This diner had wonderful milkshakes! (I have to stay, in every photo from my vacation, my hair is either wet or in this case, helmet hair.)

And we did find a Cafe Cat (Chat Cafe) who bore a striking (if slender) resemblance to one boy left behind. I don't know if that made me feel better or worse (but he was in good hands!)

More wonderful views.

I happened to love the kudzu, until I learned it is a creeping marauder that kills off everything in its rooty little path. Needless to say, I didn't bring any home, though frankly it could only help my back yard!

I can only say that if you are in this neck of the woods, whether biking is or isn't your thing, that you give the Creeper Trail a try. And even if you are with a more seasoned biker (like Rick), that's OK. He loved it too!