Creating pedestrian & cyclist access to Garst Mill Park

Loads of families live within easy walking distance of Roanoke County's beautiful Garst Mill Park but they never walk or bike there. The reason? A lack of simple and inexpensive pedestrian and cyclist accommodations make it dangerous to do so.

Image 1: Families that live very near Garst Mill Park but
cannot safely walk there. (Click on image to enlarge)

If you know of anyone that could potentially help implement small changes to enable foot and bike access to Garst Mill Park please share this posting with them. Thank you!

For hundreds of families to walk or bike to Garst Mill Park they just need to be able to safely cross Garst Mill Rd and walk or bike 0.1m along Halevan Rd.

That's it! 

This seems simple enough, but the following factors make this 0.1 mile journey dangerously unsafe, especially for slower moving people (children and the elderly):

1. Blind Turn: There's a blind turn right before the place where pedestrians cross Garst Mill Rd to Halevan Rd.
2. No Pedestrian Crossing: The pedestrian crossing point has no road markings and no signs to alert motorists that they're approaching a pedestrian crossing point.
3. Speed Limit Too High: The speed limit is 35mph, which means motor vehicles are commonly travelling at 40mph+ around the blind turn and through the pedestrian crossing point.
4. Heavy Traffic: Since Garst Mill Rd is heavily used by motor vehicles, the dangers posed by all of the above factors are amplified.
5. Halevan Rd is not pedestrian / cyclist friendly: Halevan Rd is narrow and there's a ditch along the roadside.

Click here http://db.tt/B7f7mngv to view an illustration of the current situation, using my family as an example, and literally hundreds of families are in the same situation. 

The great news is that all of these factors can be easily and inexpensively addressed, opening up foot and bike access to Garst Mill Park to hundreds of Roanoke County residents, taxpayers and voters.

Here's how: 

• Install a pedestrian crossing + 
• Reduce the speed limit near the crossing area + 
• Create a simple grass walking path alongside Halevan Rd.

Click on the image below to see what these changes would look like. Full size image: http://db.tt/a5JXHPMK

And additionally, while Fleetwood Ave is the best available bike / walk route to Garst Mill Park for all of the families in this area, Fleetwood is not particularly bike / PED friendly.

Fleetwood is narrow with no shoulders, and often motorists are either a) not expecting to see cyclists / pedestrians and therefore not adjusting their driving enough to overtake them safely, or b) motorists are driving in excess of the speed limit.

Sharrows provide a fantastic and effective visual notice to motorists that a road is "shared use" with cyclists and pedestrians. For the safety of the community, it would be ideal if sharrows could be added along Fleetwood:
Click on the image below to view a larger version. Full size image: http://db.tt/etkrf5ls

Road Sharrow Example: 

Sign Sharrow Example:

All of these changes are very inexpensive to implement, and the returns on this tiny investment would be enormous! Just imagine the incredibly positive effects these inexpensive changes would have on the communities in this area!

Thank you for reading and if you can help us work to accomplish these changes please comment here or email me robertissem at gmail dot com.

Bike Month 2013: Join "Warmshowers.org - A community for touring cyclists and hosts"

From www.warmshowers.org "The Warm Showers Community is a free worldwide hospitality exchange for touring cyclists. People who are willing to host touring cyclists sign up and provide their contact information, and may occasionally have someone stay with them and share great stories and a drink."

Hosting touring cyclists is an ongoing highlight for our family. Travelers from all over the world stay with us and share stories and laughter. Our children are regularly exposed to different cultures without leaving our home! Earlier this week we hosted a young woman biking from New Orleans to Montreal, and tonight we're hosting two travelers, one from South Korea and another from Australia, on separate bike tours, whose paths will intersect in a few hours at our home.

Presently there are 6 people listed as willing to host touring cyclists in Roanoke, VA on www.warmshowers.org. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that number doubled or tripled during bike month 2013?!!!

Roxy about to resume her tour as my wife Lisa and
our neighbor's 3 year old Genevieve say farewell.
Genevieve said "I wanna go!" and ran alongside Roxy
for the length of our driveway, in easily the cutest
scene in the history of our hosting touring cyclists!

I can't recommend joining this touring cyclist fun highly enough! Because the Blue Ridge Parkway and numerous other popular bike touring routes go through our beautiful Star City we, as a community, have many opportunities to host touring cyclists.

If you have questions or just want to chat about what it's like to host please message Lisa Ann Thomas or me.

Oh (that's his name) spent his 1st Halloween
with us! We even costumed him and sent
him trick-or-treating with another touring
cyclist Alex!

 I rode with Moon for about 10 miles
along his route after his stay with us.

Blast from the Past: Feb 2001 Price Mountain Expedition

My mother found this email I'd written about a 2001 adventure ride on Price Mountain with 7 friends that included 20 pictures (albeit small and low resolution).

Step in the time machine ... welcome to 2001!

The Ride:

2-4-01 Price Mountain Expedition - the ride was hell, but we had a great time and everyone was glad they did it but none of us are planning a ride back there for at least a few years. the lee's creek horse trail was fun, we made one slight detour but otherwise it was just a good trail to ride. then we climbed up 606 to the ridge of price mt. where we passed up a perfectly good and legitimate trail (the stone coal hollow trail) to ride the barely discernible price mt. trail which looked like pain and suffering waiting to happen, and it did not disappoint. we hiked and carried and sunk into thigh deep leaf traps and scrambled and, as often as possible, attempted to ride our bikes on the incredibly technical terrain. on one pitch i rode a climb up to a big log and then put my front tire on it and attempted to dismount but i couldn't get unclipped so i fell over backwards and my bike's the left chainstay smashed into a rock denting and bending it into one of those fancy s-chainstays. that hurt because i'm spiritually connected to my x-cal. 100 yards later, to add insult to injury, my rear derailleur snapped completely off (see photos). the ferrier trial is in perfect shape. a nice loop can be had by riding out lee's creek horse trail, left on 666, left on 606, left on stone coal hollow trail (begins as a fire road), left on 183 back to cars. in spite of all work, pain and damage...myself, joe dudak, brian batteiger, todd reighley, jeff cheng, dean freeman, ian webb and kyle inman really had fun. it was a good time largely because we all knew we were signing up for an adventure wrapped in an ass whoopin', but we all just wanted to do it. as the 8 of us sat at the trailhead looking up at his ridiculous trail, i said to myself "rob, do you really think this group of reasonably intelligent individuals are going to attempt this?" but the next thing i knew, everyone had their bikes on their shoulders and was scrambling up the pitch. all i could do was smile and follow...

  

The Planning & Preparation:

stage 2 (2013 note: I have no idea what stage 1 was) of the captain insane-o's spring mtb festival currently plans to include the ferrier trail and the price mountain trail in the new castle district of jefferson national forest. this weekend i will lead an exploratory expedition on these trails to determine whether they 1. can be found, they're on the forest service map but my understanding is that they're very infrequently used... and 2. whether they are reasonable to traverse on mountainbikes. the expedition will begin at 10am, at a meeting place which i will determine within the next 48 hours (it will likely be in the area of the north west end of north mountain along route 183). during the mountain bike expedition we will move deadfall on the trail that moves easily but primarily we will exploring and planning for future trail work days. the more people that come the better as we will use the leap-frog method of moving easy deadfall to cover ground as quickly as possible. we will be returning via fire roads and the lee's creek horse trail, 20-30 miles on trail i've never been on before so it is very important this starts at 10am and that everyone is prepared (bikes ready and plenty of food and
water).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
meet at the park and ride next to the exxon off i81 exit 150 at 930am sharp.
from there, we'll take 220n north to daleville, then left on the scenic 779
along tinker creek all the way to 600, right onto 600, quick left onto 748
(which becomes FR183) and we'll leave our cars at the gated entrance to the
lee's creek horse trail on the right. from there (by bike) we'll ride up 183
to the ferrier trail, take it less than a mile before making a right onto
the price mountain trail, then along the price mt. trail until it intersects
FR606, at this point the price mt. trail crosses 606 and continues for a
long ways but we will go right on 606 to FR666, then right on 666 to the
lee's creek horse trail, along the lee's creek trail back to our cars.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
what do you think about this... to try to find the price mt. trail in the
way i've described, BUT if we don't, we'll head back to the cars and ride
the lee's creek trail out to 666 or 606, then try to find the price mt.
trail from the other end. if we have no luck from that end, we'll ride the
stone coal hollow trail back to 183. isn't it fun to plan an adventure!

A young man struggles to embrace his superpowers.

May 13, 2011: On this morning, a boy decided to try something that none of the nearly 800 kids in Hidden Valley Middle School have attempted ... riding his bicycle to school.

He loved the feelings of freedom, independance and accomplishment that came along with being propelled on two wheels thru cool morning air by the strength of his own legs. He also understood the deeper potential of this type of action ... fun, zero pollution and nearly free transportation, increased fitness, happiness and peace. A boy and a bicycle ... making a difference.

Though with this power came a sense of unease. While he wanted to do this, he was acutely aware that currently he is the only one. He didn't want others to know of his superpowers - so he locked his bike to a pole just out of site.

For the moment, he's taking this potentially culture changing action on his own.

But that may change ...

UPDATE#1: January 6, 2012 - Principle Nicely did call me, I connected him with Ride Solutions who provided and installed a FREE bike rack at the Hidden Valley Middle School!

UPDATE#2: January 31, 2013 - Our hero has only bicycled to school a couple of times over the last year. It has turned out that the emotional Bike-to-School obstacles are the toughest ones. Wanting to fit-in, not wanting other kids to think you're weird, concern about being made fun of ... these are real deterrents for a 13 year old whose parent is encouraging them to bike to school. 

If you or your kids have words of advice or encouragement ~ for kids and parents that are considering bicycling to a school ~ where literally everyone else rides the bus or is driven ~ please post your advice and encouragement as comments to this blog post. 

Thank you!

UPDATE #3: February 5, 2013 - Andrew and I have talked about this some more, and he says that while he does like biking, he doesn't like riding at 7am in the morning and he doesn't want to bike to school. So, I'm dropping it and he and I will mountain bike together, and adventure ride together ... and I'm really happy with that. ;)

Related: 25JAN13 - Davis Bicycles!: ‘Car children’ learn less in school

*Updated* 2013 VA Dirt Cycling Endurance Events

All events listed are long, awesome, endurance rides or races that range from backcountry adventure mountain biking to epic road cycling events that include extensive dirt road sections.

• February 10 - Pantani Ride, Earlysville, VA FREE
• March 3 - The Terrapin Mountain Predicament, Arcadia, VA FREE
• April 7 - Double Dawg Dare, Blacksburg, VA FREE (date changed to 4/7 to coincide with the Spring MTB Festival)
• April 14 - Dragon’s Tale, New Castle, VA $45
• May 5 - Middle Mountain Momma XXC, Clifton Forge, VA $25
• June 9 - Massanutten HOO-HAA! XXC, Keezletown, VA $30
• June 16 - Craig County Crusher, New Castle, VA FREE (date changed to 6/16 to move out of conflict with the Iron Mt 100k)
• June 30 - Iron Mountain 100k, Damascus, VA $80
• August 18 - Star City Vicious Randonnee, Roanoke, VA FREE
• September 2 - Shenandoah Mountain 100, Stokesville, VA $150
• September 15 - Jeremiah Bishop Alpine Loop Gran Fondo, Harrisonburg, VA $105
• October 6 - Escape! XXC, Craig County, VA
• October 27 - Rowdy Dawg XXC, Blacksburg, VA

"The Kilmer Challenge Ride" benefiting The David Kilmer Cancer Fund

This is a picture of maximum happiness - i.e. David Kilmer, riding his mountain bike in the woods.

David has dedicated his entire life to making the lives of others better, healthier and happier, through he and his wife's chiropractic practice and by being himself: a fun, kind, caring and loving person, friend and role model. David's the type of guy you hope your son grows up to become.

David is now in a costly battle for his life with three rare types of blood cancer ... and he and his family need our help.

On November 11th Cannondale Factory Racing's Jeremiah Bishop, one of the top professional mountain bike racers in the US, professional cyclist Gordon Wadsworth, UCI World Road Race Champion Bernie Sanders and many others will participate in the "The Kilmer Challenge Ride" benefiting The David Kilmer Cancer Fund" and it's super easy for you to get involved too. Here's how:

1. SPONSOR a Rider - Sponsor any rider for as much as you'd like per mile. For example, if you sponsored Gordon Wadsworth for 10 cents per mile" and he's able to ride 130 miles on November 11th then you donate $11.30 to The David Kilmer Cancer Fund. Many cyclists will likely Join the Ride and you can very easily sponsor any of them by clicking here http://tinyurl.com/KilmerChallengeSponsor. 
2. Join the RIDE - You can participate in this ride wherever you are - anywhere in the world. To sign up just visit http://tinyurl.com/KilmerChallengeJoin, then kindly ask everyone you know to sponsor you and send them this link http://tinyurl.com/KilmerChallengeSponsor. On November 11th ... RIDE!
3. BID on Auction Items - numerous fantastic items have been generously donated to benefit The David Kilmer Cancer Fund. They are listed and pictured below and to place a bid simply email fledaaringartworks@gmail.com. 
4. DONATE - Donating directly to The David Kilmer Cancer Fund is very easy and even the smallest contributions are helpful and greatly appreciated. The David Kilmer Cancer Fund is accepting these donations: Money, Frequent Flyer Miles, Hotel Points. Donations can be made by visiting: tinyurl.com/KilmerChallengeDonate or sent to the following with "The David Kilmer Cancer Fund" noted on the donation - Parkway Wesleyan Church, 3645 Orange Ave. N.E., Roanoke, VA. 24012.

About David, his family and the Cancers he's battling: 

Well known in the Roanoke area cycling community, David Kilmer is also known from working and teaching ski patrol at Wintergreen, has worked on organ and muscle transplant teams, treats and educates patients with acupuncture and nutrition, not just chiropractic care, and, before moving to Virginia, volunteered and traveled with the US Olympic Taekwondo team as their Team Physician. David has more than given his life to the healing and well being of others, he has promoted better living, inspired and led, as an incredible example, many people to more enriched lives without faltering even when he discovered he has cancer. He continued to work until very recently and still rides his bike whenever he can find the time.

A 19 year Roanoke Chiropractor, 60 year old David Kilmer is no longer able to practice due to having three very rare blood cancers. An athlete and hugely outgoing man he was shocked when diagnosed four years ago at just 56 years old. When the Mayo clinic in Minnesota confirmed he has myeloid metaplasia, MDS and RARS-T, he began oral chemo twice daily continuing for four years. Last March when his hemoglobin dropped dangerously low, he began blood transfusions every three weeks. More recently, David has been going to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, where his Mayo doctor has transferred, and his September bone marrow biopsy confirmed his cancer is rapidly worsening. To slow the progress down a more invasive form of chemotherapy was utilized to further inhibit blood cell growth and he is now awaiting a bone marrow transplant in mid November at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

Leaving Virginia in November, David will be hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic for six weeks. Once released he will need to remain nearby for 100 days with 24 hour caregivers. That's five months total in the Phoenix area.

Clearly the gravity and toll on David, his wife Susan and daughter Julia is greater than what most of us can imagine. Their lives are not simply emotionally stressed along with David's physical trauma, but their business, Kilmer Chiropractic, personal and business finances are being hit equally hard. A practicing chiropractor in the clinic, Susan is co-owner and will be needed in both Virginia and Phoenix during David's hospitalization and recovery. Although Susan and Julia plan to spend Christmas in Phoenix Susan will begin scheduling caregiving journeys to Phoenix as often as her Virginia life will permit.

Auction Items:
To place a bid on any of the items below simply email fledaaringartworks@gmail.com.

2012 Dempsey Challenge cycling jerseys kindly autographed by Patrick Dempsey. The Dempsey Challenge hosts a 5k and 10k run on its first day and 20, 50 or 100 mile rides on the second to raise funds, $1.2 million this year, for The Patrick Dempsey Center f or Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center.

Men's Patrick Dempsey Autographed Jersey

Women's Patrick Dempsey Autographed Jersey

Images by John Hamill Photography. The copyright protected images below have been donated to benefit The David Kilmer Cancer Fund.

Route 43 From Parkway to Buchanan

2006 Artie Levin Century - Rapp's Church

2 FLOOR LEVEL TICKETS to the Virginia Tech Hokies Basketball vs Duke Blue Devils Tickets 02/02/12 (Blacksburg)

90 min session of therapeutic massage & bodywork

~Pete Eshelman with Roanoke Outside has donated some Roanoke Outside cycling jerseys.

~Bob Bowman has given us many items!! A skin suit that was given to Bob by the Director of the Advantage/Bissel cycling team, was an extra of Karl Menzies' who is currently racing with UCI Professional Continental team United Healthcare. He has also given a Team El Toreo Mail-It Plus and Roanoke Outside Mail-It Plus kits from Roanoke Cycling Organization. And! A Tour de Georgia grey oxford style dress shirt and a water resistant pullover jacket.

~The Hotel Roanoke has given us a one night stay and dinner for two! We hope to find some nice performance tickets to add to this.

We are so very excited about the building momentum and hope you are too! Our plans is to complete and announce winners of the auction for most or all cycling items at this year's BRBC Holiday Party.

Please consider putting your feet in the shoes of the Kilmer family. Any help or support you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You and Blessings to you from, David, Susan and Julia.

Contacts: Leslie Swanson likestoshop@cox.net

Fleda A. Ring fledaaringartworks@gmail.com

www.thedavidkilmercancerfund.org

My Kilmer Challenge Ride - Attempting the "CCC 8 Track". Please help ...

CCC 8 Track (click for larger view)

This coming Sunday, November 11th, I'm going to attempt to be the first rider to complete the ultra epic mountain bike route, the "CCC 8 Track" in a single day as my Kilmer Challenge ride.

The reason and inspiration for this ride is that a local mountain biker, father, husband and good friend is in a costly battle for his life with 3 rare blood cancers and The Kilmer Challenge Ride benefiting The David Kilmer Cancer Fund was created to try to help.

You can participate in The Kilmer Challenge Ride from anywhere in the world! You just sign up (tinyurl.com/KilmerChallengeJoin) and get people to sponsor you for each mile you ride on November 11th, 2012 (tinyurl.com/KilmerChallengeSponsor).

I'm going to try to complete the "CCC 8 Track" because the route's rugged Jefferson National Forest singletrack is exactly the type of riding that David loves, and in a recent conversation David said he wants to do a truly epic backcountry mountain bike adventure when he recovers, so I'm hoping the planning, images, video and stories that result from this attempt will be uplifting and inspiring for David.

The cumulative costs of the procedures, treatments, travel, and care associated with David's cancer battle are astronomical - and I'm kindly asking for your help.

Please sponsor my single-day "CCC 8 Track" attempt at 10 cents per mile by clicking here tinyurl.com/KilmerChallengeSponsor.

If I make it, your resulting donation to The David Kilmer Cancer Fund will be $8.

If you are able to and moved to sponsor/donate more, that's wonderful and will be really greatly appreciated by David, his wife Susan and their daughter Julia.

Example sponsorship and corresponding donation amounts for the 80 mile Kilmer Challenge "CCC 8 Track" attempt:

• 10 cents per mile = $8
• 25 cents per mile = $20
• 50 cents per mile = $40
• $1 per mile = $80
• $5 per mile = $400

The CCC 8 Track [CCC = both Craig County Crusher and Civilian Conservation Corps, the group that made virtually all of the amazing trails on this route.] This ultra epic mountain biking route combines two phenomenal XXC / Ultra / Marathon mountain biking race courses "The Escape" and "Dragon's Tale".