Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 25, 1995 TAG: 9509250065
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Kyle Inman describes the course this way: ``classic, rocky, difficult and brutal with over 400 vertical feet of climbing."
Inman isn't talking about mountain biking in Colorado, either. That's what the third leg of the 1995 All Sport/East Coaster Virginia Championship Mountain Bike Series is like. It is set for Sunday near New Castle. The other legs ran in Catawba and Rocky Mount.
The event isn't just tough, its durable, too, Inman said, calling it ``the longest-living mountain bike race in the state, starting in 1987.''
The opening race begins at 11 a.m. for all classes, excluding beginners. They get under way at 12:30 p.m. The race location is in the George Washington and Jefferson national forests, three miles north of the Pines Campground on Virginia 617 at the head of Potts East Trail. Riders and spectators are welcome. Information is available from 981-1034.
7 - Hunting begins in earnest
October is the month hunting shifts into high gear. The bowhunting season opens Oct. 7. Duck hunting has a brief Oct. 11-14 run, which lets waterfowlers take advantage of home-grown wood ducks. Then comes the raccoon season on Oct.16. The opening of the grouse, turkey and woodcock seasons is Oct.30. That's a week earlier start than in 1994 for turkey hunters, an attempted trade-off for days lost during the deer season under a new turkey-season setup.
With the exception of woodcock, the outlook for all seasons is promising. Woodcock populations have been declining for a number of years. Deer should be numerous for bowhunters; wood ducks have gotten off a good hatch; raccoons have been increasing in number for the past several years; the turkey population is outstanding; and grouse are reported to be up in number.
12- Something to quack about
The Roanoke Chapter of Ducks Unlimited banquet won't just be a fund-raiser this year. It will be a celebration, said Ron Knuppel, the chairman.
``It is like, finally, we are getting where we want to be,'' said Knuppel.
The waterfowl population is reported to be the best in years. Breeding mallards, for example, haven't been so plentiful since 1972 - 17 percent above the long-term average. Canvasbacks, redheads and gadwalls are the most abundant in memory. The fall duck flights are expected to number 80 million birds, compared with 71 million last year and 59 million in 1993.
Some of the turnaround can be credited to the work of Ducks Unlimited, the world's largest waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization, Knuppel said.
The annual fund-raising banquet is set for Oct.12 at the Roanoke Airport Marriott, beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $75 for couples; $50 for singles. For ticket information, contact John Ewald, 772-4459
14 - Looking at the autumn colors
We already know this isn't going to be a vintage fall color season. Dry weather has been robbing the trees of their moisture, which means leaves have been turning brown and dropping without their usual brilliant flash of color. But that doesn't make autumn a dud. There are reds and oranges and yellows to be found.
One place to look is the scenic byways winding through the George Washington and Jefferson national forests. They include three nationally designated routes: Mount Rogers Scenic Byway (south of Marion), Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway (in Bland and Wythe counties) and the Highlands Scenic Tour (in Alleghany and Rockbridge counties). Additional information is available at the forest headquarters, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway in Roanoke County.
Other ways to view the color are via rail or water. There is a new sightseeing cruiser on Smith Mountain Lake that will emphasize color tours. Called the Angelique, it is based at Bridgewater Plaza and its skipper, Sam Taylor, says he is out to give people tours at a reasonable price. Reservations can be made at Bridgewater Plaza or by calling 540-721-3235 or 540-2971645.
In West Virginia, one-day round-trip rail excursions are scheduled in cooperation with Amtrak and the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society along the New River Gorge National River. The dates are Oct. 14, 15, 21 and 22. The trips leave Huntington at 8 a.m. and travel to Thurmond and back. Fares range from $85 to $265. Call 304-453-1614.
by CNB