Horsing Around the Virginia Blue Ridge Foothills

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

INTRODUCTION: This is a new tour designed to maximize riding in this beautiful area and minimize the need to pack and unpack.

We’ll be spending all of our riding time on the roads connecting Leesburg, Middleburg and Warrenton — three small, historic towns nestled in the Virginia Blue Ridge foothills. This area is mostly fancy-pants farmland, replete with bzillion dollar horse farms, vineyards and vistas that will knock your socks off. It's where the international horsy set gather for fox hunting and steeplechase. (Jackie and John F. Kennedy, Pamela Harriman, “Bunny” Mellon and Elizabeth Taylor are among the celebrities who have owned property in Middleburg. Current high-flying residents include Willard Scott, Robert Duvall and sports team owner Sheila Johnson.) Lucky for us, the local hoity-toity take pains to ensure that the many roads crisscrossing the area and connecting their estates and vineyards stay quiet and well-maintained.

Note: Ride leaders live less than an hour's drive away and have ridden in many places with BAC and on our own. Where we take you on this trip is among our favorites, worldwide. Adding to the splendor: we'll be there at or near peak leaf peeping season. If you'd like to learn more about the area, check out this Washington Post article. (Spoiler alert: it’s by one of the ride leaders.)

THE NITTY GRITTY: The trip offers seven full days of riding, but you'll need to get on your bike on just three of them — the days we travel from one town to another. (Your luggage will travel by van.)

For the first leg of our journey (Day 2, Monday, Oct. 16), we’ll pedal from Leesburg to Middleburg, where we’ll spend three nights. By highway, the two towns are less than 20 miles apart. But we’ll take the long way around to enjoy the scenery and stay on quiet country roads. A highlight will be visiting Waterford, a 300-year-old working village worthy of its National Historic Landmark status. 

We’ll be staying 4.5 miles outside Middleburg proper, but several of your ride options go through the town and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy its shops and restaurants and even visit an equestrian museum.

On the second point-to-point day (Day 5, Thursday, Oct.19), we’ll make our way to Warrenton, where we'll spend three nights. It’s less than 25 miles from Middleburg, but again we’ll take the scenic route — 40-50 miles. We’ll pass through the tiny hamlet of The Plains, where you may opt to have lunch at actor Robert Duvall’s Railstop Café. If you don’t fill up there, consider taking a short jaunt to Marshall’s Red Truck Bakery to taste one of the pies President Obama lauded on Pi Day (3.14.16).

On our last day of riding (Day 8, Sunday, Oct. 22), we’ll take an eye-popping route of 43-50 miles through horse country to arrive back at our starting point in Leesburg.

In between our point-to-point routes, you’ll have a choice of loop rides from 40- 60+ miles. It’s impossible to escape hills in this area, but we’ll provide cue sheets that offer a range of challenges. (At least two days will begin with a mile-long climb.) The good news is that grades throughout this beautiful area rarely exceed 6 percent and usually are less than a mile long. Want a longer climb? Just ask the ride leaders and we’ll provide a route or two that gets you beyond the foothills and into the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Don’t feel like riding on a layover day? You’ll still have plenty of options to pass the time. A few possibilities include visiting one of the many nearby wineries, getting a massage at one of several local spas, or just kicking back and enjoying the views. Those with a car may drive to nearby hiking in Shenandoah National Park or spend a day in Washington, D.C., less than an hour’s drive from anywhere we’ll be staying. (More on bringing cars on the trip in a moment.)

RIDE RATING: We will provide a selection of cue sheets for the various starting points, but riders should understand that this is a hilly area.  Routes that qualify for the “2” in the “2B” rating — including routes for the three point-to-point days — generally will be at the shorter end of the spectrum, e.g., 35-40 miles. Optional routes with longer mileage, e.g., 45 miles or more, will tend to have more climbing and may exceed the “2” parameters.  

WEATHER: October is an excellent month for riding in this area. Daytime temperatures average in the high 60s and rain is typically sparse. But this is the mid-Atlantic and global warming makes our weather increasingly quirky. (In 2016, average temperatures in mid-October were atypically high — in the low 80’s.) The rain in Oct. ‘16 was negligible. However, we urge folks to adhere to the adage that bringing rain gear reduces the chance you'll need it.

MEALS & LODGING: Two group dinners are included in the trip price. One of the dinners will be a goodbye dinner in Leesburg, our last night; the other is yet to be determined. A hot breakfast is included every day of the trip. Lunches are on your own, but you'll pass stores and/or restaurants on nearly every route and there's a grocery store in every town we stay over.

We’ll be spending our first and last nights at a Comfort Inn in Leesburg, Va. and our three nights in Warrenton at the Hampton Inn, Warrenton.

We'll be spending our second, third and fourth nights at the Briar Patch, a delightful bed and breakfast on 47 rolling acres about 4.5 miles outside of Middleburg, Va. It's important that you read these details carefully. While we think this B&B is great, it is not the typical BAC lodging and may not be for everyone.  

What makes the Briar Patch special? The B&B, a historic farm (circa 1805), is a stand-out in many ways. Among them: breathtakingly beautiful grounds, an outdoor hot tub, a fire pit, and a winery next door — where we hope to schedule a wine tasting (included in the trip cost). A hot vegetarian breakfast will be provided every morning of our stay.

Rooms at the Briar Patch. Each room at the Briar Patch is different and ride leaders will take requests for rooms on a first come first served basis, based on when you register for the trip. (Visit the web site for room descriptions.) About half of the rooms share a bathroom and shower with one other room. (If you are traveling with another couple, ride leaders will be happy to pair you up so you share a bathroom with someone you know.) As is customary for BAC, everyone will pay the same, regardless of the room you happen to be assigned.

Beds at the Briar Patch. Some rooms have king beds and others have queens. But none of the rooms have twin beds. Two people wishing separate beds in the same room have two options:

• Share the $25 cost of a cot rental. (Linens can be changed daily, so you and your roommate can alternate nightly between bed and cot.) OR
• If both roommates agree and space is available, you may each pay a $237 single supplement for just the three nights we'll be at the Briar Patch. (More on the single supplement option in the Cost & Administration section.)

Dinners while we stay at the Briar Patch. The posted price of the trip does not include dinners during our 3-night stay. But here's what you need to know: The nearest restaurant to the Briar Patch is about a mile away. (More restaurants are in Middleburg, 4.5 miles away.) We are confident that with a little group planning and cooperation, no one will go hungry. We will have access to a fully outfitted kitchen. Ride leaders will be happy to take requests for groceries and anyone who wishes may cook or prepare their own meals at their own expense. Alternatively, several nice local restaurants have delivery service. There is also cab service into Middleburg, albeit limited, for those who wish to head into town for dinner. Finally, there is the possibility that some ride participants will have cars and can help provide lifts into town for dinner.

LOGISTICS: Leesburg is about 40 miles northwest of Washington, DC and Reagan National Airport, and 15 miles from Dulles International Airport. Free shuttle service to and from Dulles is available from our hotel in Leesburg upon request. Cars and bike boxes can be left at our hotel during the tour. Or you may opt to bring your car with you. Ride leaders will assist with a shuttle to help you move your car. Free outdoor parking is available everywhere we stay.

If you wish to extend your stay in Leesburg either by arriving early or staying on after the trip officially ends Oct. 23, ride leaders will be happy to suggest bike routes. Lodging outside the eight nights of the tour will be at your own expense.

COST & ADMINISTRATION:  The estimated cost of this bike tour is $1250, not including the $50 BAC registration fee.  A deposit of $625 is due upon registration and the remaining $625 is due by June 1, 2017. The trip begins at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15 with a business meeting and social. Trip price includes lodging (including a $5 tip per room per night for housekeeping), a hot breakfast each morning, snacks, two group dinners, nightly happy hours and maps and cue sheets. Ride leaders will transport luggage. Lunches are on your own; there are stores and/or restaurants on most, if not all, of the routes and a supermarket in each of the towns where we will be staying. The trip ends after breakfast on Monday, Oct. 23.

This trip will not include sag service. Customary for BAC rides, ride leaders will assume you are a self-sufficient cyclist who can ride the full distance. 

SINGLES: Singles are welcome!  It is recommended that singles, who want a roommate, try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until June 1, 2017 for a full refund (minus the BAC fee) — or pay the $587 single supplement and stay on the ride.  If a single pays the supplement, s/he may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary.  The ride leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. (Singles – Please also pay special attention to the section above on beds at the Briar Patch.)

CANCELLATION POLICY: The $50 BAC ride fee, which is not included in the estimated cost listed above, is nonrefundable.  If a ride participant cancels, any refund will be determined on the basis that the remaining participants will not incur additional costs.  If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time.  If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report is completed.  If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, the canceling roommate may be liable for a single supplement.

RIDE PARTICIPANT REPSONSIBILITY: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles.  All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour.  We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up.  Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you may have.

SIGN-UP: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the non-refundable BAC fee ($50) and tour deposit ($625) by credit card. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.