Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 3, 1994 TAG: 9410050012
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It is being billed as a "roller coaster" ride around the South Pedlar All Terrain Vehicle Course.
As many as 300 bikers are expected. It is a rare occasion when a national forest ATV trail is used for mountain biking, said Jim Swasey of Bedford, one of the Pedros organizers.
"This is the first year of the series, so it is kinda nice that the final race will be right here in the George Washington National Forest," Swasey said.
The series leader, going into the final round, is Brad Erickson, a pro biker from Maryland.
There will be nine classes for riders, along with plenty of room for people who want to watch, who want to participate in biking clinics and workshops or who enjoy hiking and camping during the fall color season. The clinics will be conducted by veteran racers and mechanics, Swasey said.
The workshops, hiking, camping and recreational riding will take place Oct. 15. The competition begins at 10 a.m. the next day.
Nearby hiking opportunities include trails to Sharp Top and Flat Top, in the Peaks of Otter area, the Otter Creek loop trail and the Apple Orchard Falls trail.
The 11-mile ATV trail will be open for testing Oct. 15. The next day, pro-expert through junior-expert classes will circle the trail three times. Novice classes will ride it once.
The course is extremely fast with dozens of "rollers" and 2,100 feet of climbing for the pros, said Swasey.
Camping and registration will be at the Wildwood Campground. To reach it from Interstate 81, exit at Natural Bridge and follow Virginia 130 through Glasgow. The campground is one mile past the Blue Ridge Parkway and the trail system is one mile beyond that. The Otter Creek Campground, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, also is nearby.
Additional information is available from Swasey, 703-586-6471, or Cardinal Bicycle, 344-2453. .
The $80,000 Pedros series began in mid-March in Bedford County.
by CNB