ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 31, 1997 TAG: 9703310167
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
12 - Taking the `Big Walk'
It's a bird! It's a bloodroot! It's a butterfly! No, it's the annual Big Walk Day, April 12, at Woodpecker Ridge Nature Center near Troutville.
There will be three walks by three organizations, according to Mike Donahue, one of the leaders. The day begins at 8 a.m. with a bird walk led by Tad Finnel of the Roanoke Valley Bird Club. At 10 a.m., a wildflower walk will be led by the Blue Ridge Wildflower Society. Then at 1 p.m., Donahue, who is president of the Woodpecker Ridge Butterfly Chapter, will lead a butterfly walk. You can choose your walk or enjoy them all.
Additional information is available from Kathy Summers, 890-4984 or Donahue, 427-0853. To reach Woodpecker Ridge, head north on U.S. 11 in Troutville and turn right on Stoney Battery Road. Go one mile, then left into the gravel road to the parking area.
12 - Time for talking turkey
Never mind that spring gobbler season doesn't open until April 12. The toms already are rattling the ridges. The season, which extends through May 17, shouldn't just be good, it should be a record, which was the case last year when the kill reached 12,895 birds.
``I think we are comfortable in the range where we could predict another 5 to 10 percent increase this year, weather permitting,'' said Gary Norman, the state biologist in charge of turkey management.
The birds that were born in the spring and summer of 1995 will provide the bulk of the targets, Norman said. The hatch that year was slightly below average, but survival was good, a fact that should mean plenty of toms to tangle with if you are a turkey hunter.
19 - Lighting a torch with bass
The fun of catching bass can be intensified when you know your efforts are helping a worthy cause. That will be the case during the Special Olympics Charity Bass Tournament sponsored by the Star City Bassmasters April 19 on Smith Mountain Lake. The tournament benefits the Virginia Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics.
The entry fee is $50 for a two-man team. The registration is from 5:30 to 6:45 a.m. at Waterwhell Marina near Hales Ford Bridge. Last year's winning catch weighed 27.48 pounds. For more information, call Chuck Hart, 387-6136, or Rick Moorer, 561-8098.
Other upcoming tournaments in the region include Mr. Bass, Smith Mountain, April 12-13; the Dogwood Tournament, April 26, Claytor Lake and the Red Man, Smith Mountain Lake, April 27.
19 - A classroom in the outdoors
Maybe you've never heard of Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing, or never been there. So why does the camp, located near New Castle, attract people all they way from Texas and beyond? You can find out April 19 when the 8-year-old facility holds an open house. Visitors can meet the staff, hike, try the 900-foot Zip Line, tackle a 50-foot climbing wall, relax in the lodge and enjoy a lunch. The hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and it is free. You'll even have the opportunity to purchase used outdoor equipment, including mountain bikes.
The camp is best known for its one- to four-week summer programs for youngsters ages 9 to 18, but it also offers programs for adults and families. Drive north on Virginia 311 to New Castle, go right five miles on 615, then right onto gravel road 610. The phone number is 1-800-782-0779.
20 - Biking up a dragon's back
The names give you a clue that this mountain biking event is going to be different, not to mention tough: Dragon's Back, Rebel Ramble, Annual Escape. The three-event East Coasters Virginia Championship Mountain Bike Series IV is back after an absence last year. It begins April 20 with the Dragon's Back leg, which organizers describe as a ``supremely technical, big mountain point-to-point'' ride. It will be conducted on rugged North Mountain national forest property near Catawba. Travel Virginia 311 north fro Catawba and turn right onto the gravel/dire road called Wildlife Road.
Next in the series is the Rebel Ramble and Saturn Time Trial, May 24-25 near Rocky Mount, and the Annual Escape, Oct. 11-12 on Potts Mountain in Craig County. Details are available from Virginia Championship Commission, 2719 Summit Ridge Road, Roanoke, 24012; phone, 977-4335; e-mail, firetooth@aol.com.
LENGTH: Medium: 82 linesby CNB