Hollins University teamed up with Roanoke Valley Greenways to build a trail from Plantation Road to Carvins Cove. The result is quite nice. It literally is 4 miles from my front yard, so I've spent a lot of time on it already. I've ridden it many times and have hiked it several times. It's so nice to be able to get to a trail without driving then to be able to enjoy a quiet, scenic ride on singletrack then enjoy the fireroad at the Cove. Most people will probably say that it's not really mountainbiking unless you're on trails; but I can get a pretty good cardio workout on the fireroad because of its undulating terrain. I've been trying to do this trail at least once a week. The longest ride I've done using the trail and no car for transport was 23 miles, so that's 11.5 out and 11.5 back. This included the 4 miles from home, Hollins Trail, the boatdock parking lot and fireroad to the trailhead of Schoolhouse nearest Bennett Springs. I hope to be able too add Arrowhead in there soon which will put me farther towards Bennett Springs and will also add Little Bell. I think Arrowhead is about ~5 miles from the boatdock, so that will make the ride from home and back nearly 30 miles total I think.
If I can consistently do this on the weekends and stick some rides in the during the week over the winter, I should be able to maintain some decent endurance for spring riding. I'd like to make a huge loop out of this trail eventually. Perhaps leave home, ride out to Timberview, take Trough up to the top (or figure out where this Virginia Deer Trail is near Hanging Rock). Anyway, get to the top take one of many ways down (Buck to H-d-H to 4G to Tuckaway... or Brushy Mtn Fireroad to 4G to Tuck...) - the options are endlesss. I can't wait!!!
Anyway, here's a video of the Hollins Trail from the top back to the parking lot on Planation Road.
and this is video heading down into the Cove
To the Cove via Hollins (descent only) from Jen Divers on Vimeo.
