Page 13 - DreamScapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2022

Another day, at the Trailhead ATV Resort, an indie-owned campground in Virginia’s tallest town of Bluefield, I was fully outfitted for my adrenalin- charged escapade. Match your path to your comfort level. Sandwiched between Spearhead trails and the legendary Hatfield-McCoy Trail System, you can’t beat a nature rollercoaster ride here.
FEEL THE ADRENALIN ON VIRGINIA’S MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS
Around Roanoke, the hills and valleys create impressive mountain biking trails not for the faint of heart. While this nail-biting experience has been saved for a future outdoor adventure, I could only imagine the thrill of the ride in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, racing tight serpentines through the wood- lands and forests of America’s East Coast Mountain Biking Capital!
My muscles are aching just thinking about tackling trails like the hilly Hi-Dee-Ho in Carvins Cove, and the outcrops of Roaring Run’s Upper Hoop Hole. Designated a Silver-Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bicycling Association, Virginia’s Blue Ridge has over 640 kilometres of mountain biking trails. If this sounds as intimidating to you as it does to me, there are a number of local options like the Roanoke Valley Greenways for beginners.
A WHOLE LOT OF LOVE IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
Everyone loves a good photo opportunity! Across the state, fanciful LOVE signs either paint the countryside or line the thoroughfares. Funded by the Virginia tourism board, as part of the state’s iconic slogan “Virginia is for Lovers,” these public art sculptures announce “love” in creative ways. Every LOVEwork is uniquely local. In downtown Bristol, which is the birthplace of country music, instruments spell LOVE. I would return for another road trip to find the other 30 works dotting the Interstate 81 alone!
These LOVE signs aren’t the only way to feel Southwest Virginia’s appeal. Across the roads less travelled, I encountered a distinct passion for the flora, fauna, folks and freeways that fuelled my core.
Being present in the moment, pure authenticity, embracing the still- ness of nature—finding that inner peace outdoors is the magic of Southwest Virginia, and a place to capture your imagination as any modern-day Alice playing in this wooded wonderland would. DS
MUST TRY
In Wytheville, wear your Fitbit at Big Walker Lookout, a 30+ metre observation tower for heart-throbbing views. Trust me when I say it’s worth every step, stumble, huff and puff to see the brilliant expanse of the Blue Ridge Highlands around you!
SPRING/SUMMER 2022 DREAMSCAPES 13