Harrisonburg Super Bowl Ride
The Super Bowl Ride has been a long-standing tradition in Harrisonburg to brave whatever winter is throwing our way and ride up into the mountains on the morning of the Super Bowl. I think this year will be a year for many to remember.
There are many ways to meet all of our bike friends on top of Flag Pole Knob for our Super Bowl picture - ride from town, park at the community center in Briery Branch, ride up a bunch of singletrack before hitting the Reddish pavement.... But once you reach the saddle of Reddish, it's the same 2 miles of fire road to Flag Pole for everyone.
Some years we are given the gift of a mild day, with barely any snow on the fire road. Most years it's covered in ice and snow, and you feel like a circus performer trying to safely slide your way to the next "clear" spot ahead of you. Although I didn't go all the way up, I have a feeling it was one of the most extreme condition years based off of everyone's pictures and stories of what the trails were like, and just from what I know I was experiencing climbing up with the group to the reservoir.
I rode my cross bike from town with the brave souls who were going all the way up the mountain. Snow started coming down an hour before we left town (8am), and it continued to snow until about 12:30. Then it turned to freezing cold rain. Bravo to everyone that went out, because what was a super magical day of snow riding turned into a sopping wet, crazy cold affair.
I just wanted to share how much fun I had seeing everyone, and riding in the snow alongside my favorite bike community. Y'all are awesome, and I had such a wonderful time, even when the temps rose and the snowflakes became rain drops.
I'll see you all at Flag Pole next year :)
-Kelly