El Camino del Rey

Crazy!

Domininon Riverrock

More evidence that Richmond is an awesome place for the outdoor/active lifestyle.

The Sports Backers site for the Dominion Riverrock has a list of events.  The most exciting event is the Urban Assault mountain bike race (ok, I’m a little biased).  I won’t be riding it but I hope to next year.

Here’s a blurb about the course:

Competitors will choose between an 8 mile or 15 mile loop of the famous James River Park trails, which are considered one of the most technically challenging urban trail systems. The mountain bike course includes steep up hill and down hill single track trails, stairs over railroad tracks, tunnels, bridges, creek crossings and lots of natural obstacles. This is not your normal mountain bike course. Leave the beach comber bike in the garage for this one, mountain bikes only.

Here’s the course description:

The start is the same for both races:

Start on Tredegar Street heading west and cross over to Belle Isle underneath the Lee Bridge. Take a left turn after the pedestrian bridge towards the east end of Belle Isle and right turn onto the “Lost Trail”. Make a left turn when you exit the “Lost Trail” and ride over the vehicle access bridge to the south side of the river. Follow the fire road past the 22nd St. stairs, past the Nature Center/Reedy Creek to the 42nd St stairs. Climb the 42nd St. stairs and ride the trail taking the higher of the options. You will shortly come to a “T” intersection.

From this point follow the directions below depending on your race:

Short Course:

The riders will start at the vehicle access bridge to Brown’s Island and go west on Tredegar Street.  They will go behind the Belle Isle parking lot and head west on the North Trail.  At the Texas Avenue Parking lot they will exit and go left on Kansas Avenue.  At the end of Kansas Avenue they will rejoin the North Trail.  At the end of the North Trail, you will stay to your right and cross over the Boulevard Bridge.  After crossing the bridge stay to your right and get on the Buttermilk trail heading east.  Stay on this to the Lee Bridge.  You will then ride against traffic on the western side of the bridge and exit at the 2nd street on ramp.  You will then take the road to your left and up a steep hill before descending onto the gravel road that you will then u-turn on and take to the east and finish by 5th Street.

Long Course:

This will be a giant lollipop course.  The riders will start at the vehicle access bridge to Brown’s Island and go west on Tredegar Street.  They will go behind the Belle Isle parking lot and head west on the North Trail.  At the Texas Avenue Parking lot they will exit and go left on Kansas Avenue.  At the end of Kansas they rejoin the North Trail.  At the end of the North Trail you will stay to your right and cross over the Boulevard Bridge.  After crossing the bridge stay to your right and get on the Buttermilk trail heading east.  When you get to Reedy Creek you will make a right through a tunnel and do a 3.7-mile loop in Forest Hill Park.  When you leave Forest Hill Park you will rejoin the buttermilk trail to the east and drop down the 22nd street stairs.  You will head west on the gravel road.  At the 42nd Street stairs you will go up and head west on the Buttermilk trail to the Boulevard Bridge.  After crossing the bridge you will turn left and re-enter the North Trail but this time heading east.  Take the North Trail back to the Lee Bridge.  Stay straight under the Lee Bridge to the finish at 5th Street.

Other events I’m looking forward to are the free concerts and the James River Scramble 10k Trail Run.  The run is definitely a blast.