Big Walker, Bland County Virginia

Nah, you should see what I drive it through behind my house! I added you on Facebook too. I'm Donald. Will post pictures on there after I get back.

Thanks for adding me on FB. Great pics and the video was great too.

Donald,

Enjoyed the video! Did you start up by the store at the lookout, or did you finish there? Can't wait to get up there on the bike in the spring.

Thanks,

Tom

Maquette (Tom),
To answer the question for Donald. In the video he shared on FB, it looks like he started recording somewhere between one or two miles in from the Little Creek highway side (bottom side) working up the mountain toward Big Walker Lookout on the opposite end. The video ends at the big switchback which is about 9 more miles away from where it comes out/ends at the store at the lookout. That video is probably about three or four miles worth of the lower side of the road. It also doesn't really do justice to the inclines and declines in certain places and the depth of the ruts.

Thanks Brad. I hope to get my own video of it this spring on the bike. I'll probably go from the Lookout down to the Church, but may do it in both directions time permitting. That's assuming I don't bust my butt in the process!

Tom

Sorry I haven't replied. I did start next to the church and didn't start videoing until a couple of miles up the trail. I've finished uploading the original speed videos yesterday for everyone's viewing pleasure!

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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-1qBQXwPE-w?list=UUmhV_5_ZzbelsW7QG60ahRg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBLVLpAyve4&list=UUmhV_5_ZzbelsW7QG60ahRg&feature=share&index=1

"Sorry I haven't replied. I did start next to the church and didn't start videoing until a couple of miles up the trail. I've finished uploading the original speed videos yesterday for everyone's viewing pleasure!"

Donald,

Thanks for the other videos!! Gives me a much better idea of what to expect when I get up there on the bike. Hopefully it will be a little dryer when I get there, but either way I plan to ride it as well as some other spots up there. Have you ridden or driven over on Hogback, or Round Mountain out to Burke's Garden?

Tom

Thanks for sharing the video. Looks like a blast. I don't own a bike that would make it up that trail but after watching the video, I wish I did.

Tom,

Never have been on either of those roads. We rode down to SC this past weekend to visit some family and left the Jeep in VA since I just got finished installing a 2.5" lift kit and 35's Friday night and didn't really have it dialed in where I wanted it yet. So no exploring this weekend. On call for work again this week Maybe week after that I can see what else I can find!

I see you're from NC, is there any good riding down there?

Donald

I rode from Burkes Garden to Suitor a couple years ago. It was pretty easy on my GS, but there were some greasy places. Lots of side routes between Burkes Garden and Round Mtn. You could probably spend the day in there exploring.

Ken,

Thanks for the info. BTW, where is Suitor?

Tom

Sorry for being vague, Suiter is where you come back into civilization on the Round Mountain end of the ride.

Ken,

Thanks, I found it once I spelled it er rather than or! Can't wait for spring.

Tom

Yeah, that was my bad on the spelling. A nice section of the Appalachian trail goes through the same area, if anyone is into hiking too.

Ken,

An interesting sidebar, and off topic a little, but my wife and I hiked through that area of the AT in 1995 and ran into so much snow west of Bastian we had to hang it up. That was in November I believe and brings back some fond memories. I'm looking forward to the riding of it this time around.

Tom

You can no longer ride all the way out Hogback, the Pumpkin Center end is now private property but once you get to where the power line towers are you can cut down to Kimberling Springs.
Also there are two routes out of Bastian to go across Round Mt., Suitor is the shortest.

Seriously? That is a freaking shame. When did the land owners close the route?

We are talking about here the entrance off of 606 - Wilderness Rd - right?

I might have to get a few of us down there this summer. I used to ride the Burkes Garden century years ago. We used to stay in Narrows the night before the ride.

Yep the 606 end is closed, part of the Wilderness hunting club. You can ride out maybe a mile or so past the towers, they set right above the gas station on I77 on the map.

Can you access it from the 631/Pinch Creek side off of Kimberling Road?

Tom