Hiking

Riverrock starts today

By Andy Thompson | May 17, 2013

There’s some great Riverrock coverage in today’s Times-Dispatch. If you plan on heading down sometime this weekend, here’s your schedule of events. This is Riverrock’s fifth year and every year they add something new. Last year, they moved from two to three days and from just Brown’s Island to Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar. Here’s a look at my Riverrock preview on today’s Sports front and click “Continue Reading” below for a list of what’s new.  50b78d78f15e2_image

Also, if you ran last year’s Filthy 5K mud run, you may have noticed a lot of emergency services personnel running around on Tredegar Street and the Belle Isle footbridge toward the end of the race. Two runners, one 12 years old, went into cardiac arrest within 2 minutes of each other. Click here for my story from A1.

 

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Posted In: Canoeing/Kayaking, Climbing, Hiking, James River, Mountain Biking, Trail Running, Upcoming Events

Dominion Riverrock on the horizon

By Andy Thompson | May 14, 2013

Dominion Riverrock, Richmond’s riverlife celebration starts this Friday and runs through Sunday. Last year over 65,000 people attended the event over the three days. And the weather looks to be just as good this year, with highs in the 80s and chances for scattered thunderstorms. Registrations for the sporting events on May 17-19 will be accepted online until tonight (Tuesday, May 14) at 11:59 p.m. Admission is free, but anyone wishing to compete in a Dominion Riverrock event must pay to enter. Walk-up registration for all events will be accepted on site unless the event has reached its capacity.Dominion-Riverrock-1

Dominion Riverrock also features live concerts throughout the weekend, an interactive village, and sporting events including the Miller Lite Filthy 5k, James River Scramble 10k Trail Run, Urban Assault mountain bike race, Boulder Bash, Slacklining, and more.  For event registration and further information about Dominion Riverrock 2013, go to www.dominionriverrock.com.

Schedule of Events:

Thursday, May 16

Registration   and Athlete Check-In 4:00   – 7:00 p.m.

 Friday, May 17

Registration   and Athlete Check-In 11:00   a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Vendor   Booths and Interactive Village open 5:00   – 8:00 p.m.
Slackline   Highline Exhibition 5:00   p.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s (Qualifying #1) 5:00   p.m.
Miller Lite Filthy 5k Mud   Run presented by Ruffwear 6:00   p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: DJ Mordecai 6:00   – 7:00 p.m.
Freestyle Bikes presented by   Agee’s (Slopestyle Qualifying) 6:30   – 7:30 p.m.
Bouldering (Men’s&   Women’s Qualifying) 6:30   – 8:00 p.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s (Qualifying #2) 7:00   p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: Soulive 7:30   – 9:00 p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: Lettuce 9:30   – 11:00 p.m.

 Saturday, May 18

Adventure Race 8:00   a.m.
Registration   and Athlete Check-In 10:00   a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
YogaROCK 11:00   a.m.
Vendor   Booths and Interactive Village open 12:00   – 9:00 p.m.
Group Hike presented by Central VA   Trailblazers 12:00   p.m.
Bouldering (Men’s&   Women’s Qualifying) 12:00   – 2:00 p.m.
Black Dog Paddle SUP Yoga Demo 12:15   – 12:35 p.m.
Group Hike presented by Central VA   Trailblazers 1:00   p.m.
Mountain Bike Skills Course   tour with Richmond MORE 1:00   p.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s(Qualifying #3) 1:00   p.m.
Kayak Boatercross presented by Cudas 1:00   p.m.
Thule Urban Assault Mountain Bike   Race 1:00   p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: The Trongone Band 1:00   – 2:00 p.m.
Group Hike presented by Central VA   Trailblazers 2:00   p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: The New Belgians 2:30   – 3:30 p.m.
Slackline (Round 1) 2:30   – 4:00 p.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s (Qualifying #4) 3:00   p.m.
Group Hike presented by Central VA   Trailblazers 3:00   p.m.
Mountain Bike Skills Course   tour with Richmond MORE 3:00   p.m.
Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Cross 4:00   p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: The Shack Band 4:00   – 5:00 p.m.
Bouldering (Men’s&   Women’s Semifinals) 4:00   – 5:30 p.m.
Slackline   Highline Exhibition 5:00   p.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s (Qualifying #5) 5:00   p.m.
Black Dog Paddle SUP Yoga Demo 5:30   – 5:50 p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: The Southern Belles 5:30   – 6:30 p.m.
James River Scramble 10k Trail Run   presented by Goal Zero 6:00   p.m.
Freestyle Bikes presented by   Agee’s (Slopestyle Finals) 6:00   – 7:00 p.m.
Slackline (Round 2) 6:00   – 7:00 p.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s (Qualifying #6) 7:00   p.m.
Bouldering (Men’s&   Women’s Finals) 7:00   – 8:30 p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: Anders Osborne 7:00   – 8:30 p.m.
   FREE     CONCERT: Toots& The Maytals
9:00   – 10:30 p.m.

 Sunday, May 19

Registration   and Athlete Check-In 10:00   a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Enduro 11:00   a.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s (Qualifying #7) 12:00   p.m.
Slackline   Highline Exhibition 12:00   p.m.
Vendor   Booths and Interactive Village open 12:00   – 5:00 p.m.
Bouldering Speed Comp (Men’s   and Women’s Qualifying) 12:00   – 1:00 p.m.
Group Hike presented by Central VA   Trailblazers 12:00   p.m.
Slackline (Quarterfinals) 1:00   – 2:00 p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: William Walter with Tucker Rogers 1:00   – 2:00 p.m.
Group Hike presented by Central VA   Trailblazers 1:00   p.m.
Black Dog Paddle SUP Yoga Demo 2:00   – 2:20 p.m.
Group Hike presented by Central VA   Trailblazers 2:00   p.m.
Mountain Bike Skills Course   tour with Richmond MORE 2:00   p.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s (Qualifying #8) 2:00   p.m.
Dirt Crit Short Track Mountain Bike   Race 2:00   p.m.
Bouldering Speed Comp (Qualifying   #2) 2:00   – 3:00 p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: Barrelhouse 2:30   – 3:30 p.m.
Group Hike presented by Central VA   Trailblazers 3:00   p.m.
Kayak Freestyle presented by Cudas 3:00   p.m.
Freestyle Bikes presented by   Agee’s (Best Trick Qualifying) 3:00   p.m.
Slackline (Semifinals   and Finals) 3:00   p.m.
Black Dog Paddle SUP Yoga Demo
3:30   – 3:50 p.m.
Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented   by Zuke’s (Finals) 4:00   p.m.
Bouldering Speed Comp (Men’s   and Women’s Finals) 4:00   p.m.
Freestyle Bikes presented by Agee’s (Best   Trick Finals) 4:00   p.m.
FREE   CONCERT: The Photosynthesizers 4:00   – 5:00 p.m.

 

 

 

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Posted In: Canoeing/Kayaking, Climbing, Hiking, James River, Mountain Biking, Road Biking, Road running, Running, Trail Running, Upcoming Events

Sports Backers/T-D walking event set for May 4

By Andy Thompson | March 6, 2013

The Sports Backers announced on Monday its new course through Downtown, The Capitol, Jackson Ward, and Oregon Hill for the annual Times-Dispatch Go! Discover Richmond walking event on May 4. This year’s 6.2-mile course will showcase some of Richmond’s greatest treasures, such as historic sites and landmarks, restaurants and boutiques. Participants can look forward to surprises around each turn, including antique cars, costumed interpreters, and live music.

Credit: Sports Backers

Credit: Sports Backers

Online registration for Times-Dispatch Go! Discover Richmond is available at www.sportsbackers.org.  The entry fee is $20 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under through March 15, when the fee will increase $5. For more information, visit www.sportsbackers.org.

This year The Times-Dispatch is dedicating the weekend of May 3-5 to discovering Richmond. In addition to stepping out on Saturday for the Go! Discover Richmond walk, on Friday, May 3 you can join The Times-Dispatch and the Flying Squirrels for fireworks at Discover Richmond night at The Diamond. And on Sunday, May 5, you can pick up Discover Richmond Magazine inside The Times-Dispatch.  The annual guide explores new places to dine, shop, and have fun in the Richmond region – all things participants will explore in the Times-Dispatch Go! Discover Richmond event, too.

 

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Posted In: Hiking

Progress on Chapel Island

By Andy Thompson | February 21, 2013

photo 56

The singletrack through the woods is taking shape.

I took a stroll on Chapel Island yesterday, checking out the progress the city’s trails crew has made since beginning work a few weeks back on a trail system and non-motorized boat put-in. I wrote about the changes coming to Chapel Island in a recent Times-Dispatch column. Changes are also in the works for Great Shiplock Park, just across the canal from Chapel Island. A fancy new trailhead for the Virginia Capital Trail is to be installed there. VCT Executive Director Beth Weisbrod said they should get the final permits from the city this week and that construction will begin around March 1. She also said that an anonymous $100,000 donation came in recently that helped get them across the goalline on the project. Cool stuff in the works.

Click Continue Reading below for more pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted In: Canoeing/Kayaking, Hiking, James River

Handy guide to hiking Shenandoah National Park

By Andy Thompson | December 5, 2012

Shenandoah NP in winter. View from Pignut Mountain. Credit: wikipedia.org

With 46 (and counting) titles to his name, Johnny Molloy might be the most prolific outdoors guidebook writer on the planet. If there’s an official statistic on the subject, I’m not sure where it resides. But I know Molloy has got to be in the conversation.

I profiled the Johnson City, Tenn.-based writer this past Sunday in my T-D Outdoors column. His most recent effort is called “Top Trails: Shenandoah National Park — Must-Do Hikes for Everyone.” It’s a great reference for experienced and newbie hikers alike and not a bad idea as a stocking stuffer for that mountains-loving someone on your Christmas list.

 

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Posted In: Hiking