
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, August 23, 1994                   TAG: 9408250032
SECTION: WELCOME STUDENTS                    PAGE: 24   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IT TAKES GUSTO, BUT ...

Sometimes, the best way to discover an area is by bicycle. It's a little faster than hiking, but not as impersonal as driving by in a car. And for many students, it's the only form of transportation they have.

In the New River Valley, two businesses have embraced the idea of experiencing life via bicycle. At Tangent Outfitters and New River Bicycles, Ltd., customers can rent and ride bikes along the scenic New River Trail, a 57-mile railroad-grade trail from Galax to Pulaski. The popular biking-walking and nature trail follows along the New River, cuts through Draper and heads toward Pulaski.

Others may opt to take to the mountains on several bike trails near Mountain Lake Resort. These trails range from double-track dirt roads to single-track technical climbs. Some of the trails are on Mountain Lake property, while others wind through the Jefferson National Forest.

"We've had a lot of interest," said Virginia Tech graduate Shawn Hash, 25, who operates a Tangent Outfitters outpost at Mountain Lake. "People are still learning about us, and we get a lot of calls from them, wanting to know what we're about."

Bike rentals for the manicured New River Trail took off, Hash said of that part of Tangent's business. People are attracted to the easy grade and varied shuttles Tangent offers. Equally as successful is New River Bicycles, Ltd., which offers mountain bike sales and rentals, as well as shuttle service to all points along the trail. Owners Lanny and Nancy Sparks pride themselves on their outdoor experiences and Lanny, a graduate of East Coast Bicycle Academy, is an expert at bicycle tune-ups.

However, cycling at Mountain Lake has been slow to take hold, said Hash, who opened the outpost this spring as a service for hotel guests. The trails there are steep and take gusto to climb, he said, but the views from atop the mountains are well worth the effort.

"You should see it up here right around sunset," Hash said, sweeping his arms over an abandoned golf course above the Mountain Lake resort. "There are deer everywhere."

There are more than 10 miles of trails on the Mountain Lake property, ranging from a gradual incline to very difficult. The rides are shaded though, mostly in wooded areas, and offer an alternative to the well-populated New River Trail.

Hash said he thought his only customers would be hotel guests, but slowly, people from the surrounding area have begun to come to his shop. And students are beginning to catch on, too.

"I'm glad to see the local business," Hash said. "That's always been a problem; people here aren't educated about what's right in their backyard."

For information on mountain biking at Mountain Lake, call Tangent Outfitters at 951-1806, ext. 405.

For information on rides and shuttle packages along the New River Trail, call New River Bicycles, Ltd. at 980-1741 or Tangent Outfitters at 674-5202.

by CNB