Reddish Knob - Up We Go!

Reddish Knob 

It's been a incredible birthday weekend this year.  Started out with a family trip to Cox Farms on Friday, then our 20-something JMU reunion on Saturday, followed by a great ride up Reddish Knob on Sunday.  RK is the second highest point in VA, standing a tall 4,397 feet.  I haven't been up there since my college party days.  This ride has always been on my bucket list and this was a perfect weekend to ride.  It's also a pre-ride check for the SMT 100 that I may ride next year.

I parked at Hone Quarry which is 6.7 miles from the top (~ the first yellow section below).  The ride would go up the service road and then take Timber Ridge/Wolf Ridge single-track down the mountain.  Tilghman Road to Briery Branch Road would circle me back to the car.

Elevation Profile

Jay Taylor, why didn't you bring your bike to the reunion?  Oh yea, because this climb would have kicked your flat-terrain-loving Rehoboth Beach soft-self back to the ocean.  Here's the pre-ride video.

The problem with starting on a hill is that you immediately go up it.  No warm-up and the legs and heart feel it quickly.  30 minutes into the ride was much more enjoyable once the muscles got greased.

Timber Ridge starts out very technical.  There's an immediate hike-a-bike over rocks that I would really like to see someone ride over.  I'm sure some guys do, but not me.  My intention is to get down the mountain in one piece.  The trail rolls up and down for a little while before starting the larger descents.  The absolute best part of the ride is lower Wolf Ridge where the rocks disappear.  This is smooth rolling while zig-zagging around trees and no pedaling.  Just a real joy of a downhill through the woods.  This part of the trail makes the climb totally worth it.

Back at the car I was feeling a little surprised at how easy of ride this turned out to be.  3 hours total without pushing it hard.  I thought about taking a leap from the reservoir tower but common sense kept me in the parking lot.  This was a fantastic ride and I'd recommend it to all mountain bikers.

Posted in: bike