The Storming of Thunder Ridge Q&A with Race Director Paula Dahl

Paula Dahl is the director of Storming of Thunder Ridge, and a bicycle owner that’s well-known across the Central Virginia Biking neighborhood. She rides her bike over 10,000 miles every year. Paula has labored on the YMCA of Central VA since 1994 and he or she introduced the thought of a charity bicycle experience to the Y again in 2010.

What’s Storming of Thunder Ridge?

The Storming of Thunder Ridge (SOTR-JBMR) has been a biking occasion in Lynchburg for the reason that mid-80s, benefitting varied non-profits like The Lung Affiliation, The Coronary heart Affiliation, LIVESTRONG, and since 2010, the YMCA of Central Virginia. In 2022, the experience formally grew to become, The Storming of Thunder Ridge – The John Bell Memorial Experience. The YMCA determined to rename the experience in reminiscence of John Bell, a talented cardiothoracic surgeon who was a husband, father, avid bicycle owner and who was very instrumental in organizing this experience within the years previous 2010. John Tragically misplaced his life on Might 26, 2009 on his bicycle, however his legacy lives on via SOTR-JBMR.

The place is the course and what’s going to you see on the experience?

SOTR-JBMR presents riders the possibility to experience their bicycles on candy, rural, low-traffic, scenic and easy roads in Lynchburg, Bedford County and Campbell County. You’ll have well-stocked relaxation stops each 10-20 miles and SAG (provide and kit) drivers looking for you should you encounter a mechanical problem or you will have misplaced your power to pedal. Three of the routes will journey 22 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway and climb the longest climb on the parkway in VA – Thunder Ridge (12.6 miles, 3600’ elevation achieve) – a climber’s paradise! The Blue Ridge Parkway is called some of the scenic roads in America. 

What are the completely different races/mileage routes?

There’s a route for everybody!

• The 27 miler is a stupendous out and again course that travels to Cifax – nice for riders that wish to experience with their households, or somebody that doesn’t wish to spend all day within the saddle.
• The 45 miler is a super-fun and hilly route looping via Curtis – a small little neighborhood with a working stream alongside the 5-mile stretch – it runs under the Blue Ridge Parkway. 
• The 48 miler permits the rider to climb Thunder Ridge with out driving 75 miles – it has a distant begin/end in Sedalia and travels alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway and comes again via Curtis – an ideal route for individuals who need the climbing expertise with out the mega-miles. 
• The 75 miler is a loop that will get the rider onto the Blue Parkway and again to the YMCA in probably the most direct route. There’s numerous climbing with some actually candy miles. 
• The 100 miler is an extended loop that can stick with the 75 miler till mile 62, then it should department off to do some extra climbing in Goode and Evington. This route boasts over 10,000 ft of elevation achieve. 

All routes begin and end on the Jamerson YMCA besides the 48-miler route – the Mountain Loop, which begins and stops on the Sedalia Middle. Learn extra concerning the completely different routes right here.

The place ought to riders keep?

Our Host Lodge this 12 months is the fabulous, Hilton Backyard Inn in LYH – for extra details about particular charges, please click on on:  Lodging | YMCA of Central Virginia (ymcacva.org) – now we have a particular price of $124 plus tax up via April 17, 2024 (CODE 90G)

For the extra adventurous, our experience presents indoor and outside tenting. On Saturday, outside campers can arrange for the weekend, and indoor campers can declare their spot inside any time after 4 PM.

Will there be coaching rides in LYH?

Free coaching rides begin in early Spring, Sundays at 2PM. We roll from the Monkey Joes Parking Lot – 1190 Perrowville Rd Forest VA 2455. We’ll begin out with about 20-25 miles and develop every week. One week we’ll really go up on the Blue Ridge Parkway for some climbing. Take a look at our Fb web page for particulars.

Enroll for The Storming of Thunder Ridge now! See you Might 19, 2024!