I just returned from sunny Wintergreen, Virginia, soaking up the rays and doing some cycling. Because there were so many things I could talk about, I got some people to send me questions asking about the trips particulars.
what was the format (was it planned or wung)?
- we had a master planner that put together our routes. Known for the Blue Ridge parkway, we didnt want to spend all of our time on it, as there was other roads to ride. the general consensus was 100-150k rides, with some climbs and rolling terrain. there was much planning beforehand, checking out gmaps, mapmyride, as well as actually getting local road info
where’d you go
- based in wintergreen, we headed NSEW. going EW meant crossing valleys and other hill ranges. going NS meant either on a ridge or in a valley. highlights included Batesville, Lynchburg, HWY 56, and the blue ridge parkway
what was the biggest hill/day
-biggest day 175k, we devoted our “rest” day to a 22k climb, the PEAKS OF OTTER, Va
good eats?
- to keep costs down, we bought communal food. local foods included wineries, brew pubs (many) and pizza. no crazy food delicacies.
what would you have done differently
- harder days, less mileage which would allow more time to be a “tourist”
of all the places you could ride, why travel to Virginia?
- relatively close, cheap, “epic” riding
ok … two days is ok, but why ride for 8?
- a cycling holiday? the personalities on the trip planning dictated that it would be mainly a cycling vay-cay. which means the majoirty of what we would be doing would be riding
what sort of people should you look for to spend a week riding?
- simply if you like being outdoors, and riding then do it. distances will vary based on terrain. most of the people on our trip were using the time to build for the summer, but you could easily cut out 50%
how would you research a place to ride?
- if you like hills, hit up google earth and look for hilly terrain 
i think you find a place that may be interesting and start doing research. do you like moutains? cape breton then? wanna go there in march, dont pick cape breton, and go somewhere more south. pick a spot and hit google search!
what were the three most important things to take?
- money, a plan, and food. money to buy food. a plan on where to go for food, or vistas, and food to make it to the destination. i also had “anti bonk” pills which came in handy
how would you rate the overall riding? Would all levels find something to do?
- Virginia was hilly. but anyone who can ride up a hill would be able to do the trip. how much climbing you do it up to you, and you have to plan accordingly. wanna do 10,000′+? you can do it, wanna do less, it might mean you have to adjust your habits. the routes we had were definetely the hardest id ever done. the blue ridge parkway was certainly worth it
What would you consider ESSENTIAL for your accommodation? (ie.
kitchen/washer dryer/espresso machine)
- depends on your comfort level! a trip last year consisted of a motel room. I think if your going to spend more than 2 days in a location things like a kitchen, comfortable couches and a washer and dryer make life a lot more enjoyable. something i always bring is my coffee press. you can usually find a local roaster.
Looks bud.
I know when I was in Asheville, the Blueridge was the best riding a cyclist could ask for. Except when you went down hill and your hands froze…
Decent cycling tans?
burned on the first day, after that SPF 30 everyday.
blueridge was nice, but we found equally nice rides not on the blueridge. felt like europe, small, narrow, rolling roads.
mucho bueno