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PETE'S PICKS
Pack a picnic dinner and head to Valhalla Vineyards Friday night for some live music and wine tasting while enjoying one of the best views of the Roanoke Valley.
Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics. Doors open at 4PM, band plays from 5:30-7:30, and everything closes at 8PM. Admission is free and wine is available for sale by the glass or bottle.
On Saturday we're looking at a high of only 89°. If you're thinking about going canoeing/kayaking/tubing you'd better make your reservations now because I have a feeling you won't be alone.
Stay Hydrated!
Pete Eshelman
Director of Outdoor Branding
Roanoke Regional Partnership
  
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THE ARTIE RIDE
Come out and enjoy one of the most scenic century rides in Virginia.  Join cyclists from all over the Mid-Atlantic and beyond as they celebrate the life of Artie Levin, or "Mr. Fitness" as he was known throughout the region.
The 2011 Artie Levin Memorial Ride will be staged on a beautiful rolling out and back course starting at Roanoke County's Walrond Park going to the outskirts of Lexington, Virginia. This course is perfect for those cyclists wanting to ride their first century, capture their personal best time for 100 miles or simply enjoy the majestic beauty of the Southern Shenandoah Valley. If you're not up for the full century, we've added a 50 mile route that follows the same route from Roanoke with a turnaround point in Buchanan.
This annual event, sponsored by the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club of Virginia, is dedicated to the memory of Artie's life and his many contributions to the Roanoke Valley and surrounding communities. Artie had a passion for cycling, community service, and family.
Details:
- Date: August 7
- Cost: $50 BRBC members, $60 non members
- More:
- Register by 7/24 to get long-sleeved tech shirt
- Swag bag
- Four well-stocked rest stops
- Full SAG support
- Catered meal at finish
- Website, registration, and more
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UNDER-SEAT-BIKE HYDRATION UNIT
via the Gear Junkie...
The new $80 hydration system from Showers Pass struck as extremely quirky the first time I saw it. Called the VelEau, this under-the-seat reservoir setup that promised bite-valve accessibility to water as well as two "patent-pending retractable magnetic reels." Huh?
But as I stood in my garage installing it, the product's utility came into light. It seemed well thought-out and I began to consider in earnest whether it could be what the company claims: "A breakthrough cycling hydration concept that promises to change the way cyclists think about drinking fluids."
In the end, I am not sure it measures to those lofty claims. But after using the system on a six-hour adventure race this month, I found it to be overall a neat way to add water capacity to your bike.
To install the system, I spent 15 minutes routing the VelEau's ratchet strap through my saddle rails then hooking up the mysterious retractable hose reels. I filled it using two water bottles, as the reservoir holds a respectable 42 liquid ounces.
Carrying enough fluid to stay hydrated while adventure racing or during a long road race is a challenge. I wear a hydration pack on rides during which I need more water than what my two bottle cages can carry. But with the VelEau, I can leave the pack behind and the weight is on my bike instead of on my back.
Continue reading>>>
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MORE SUPERTRAMP
A treasure trove of unpublished letters and never seen photos offers a fresh perspective on the adventures of Supertramp Christopher McCandless. Interesting side note - my wife, while on a NOLS course, hiked right by Chris' bus during the time period he was stranded there, but the bus was empty. - Pete Eshelman.
via Ned Rozell... 
In the years since the 1992 death of American wanderer Christopher McCandless in backcountry Alaska-inside a derelict Fairbanks City Transit System bus numbered 142-the site has become a pilgrimage destination for fans of Jon Krakauer's 1996 book, Into the Wild and the Sean Penn-directed feature film that followed in 2007.
In March, 18 people much closer to McCandless's story gathered at the bus, sipping hot chocolate and swapping memories about the Virginian who'd touched so many lives before his death at age 24. His parents, Walt and Billie McCandless, were there. So were Wayne Westerberg, the South Dakota grain farmer McCandless had worked for, and Jan Burres, the "rubber tramp" he'd met during his travels around the west between 1989 and 1992. For many, this was their first trip to the bus.
The gathering took place to mark the completion of a new book, Back to the Wild: The Photographs and Writings of Christopher McCandless, filled with the raw material of McCandless's adventures. Set for release in July through Amazon, the book includes a foreword by Krakauer, 200 of McCandless's photographs (including the final self-portrait, shown here, taken outside the bus), and postcards and letters. Published by the family, Back to the Wild was funded by the Christopher Johnson McCandless Memorial Foundation, which distributes its assets-20 percent of the royalties from Into the Wild -to charitable causes.
Continue reading>>>
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Mmmmmm...Free Beer!
The Square Society presents the 14th annual MicroFestivus, a  micro and craft beer festival on August 13. Taste from a selection of more than 100 beers from over two dozen micro and craft breweries from the Mid-Atlantic region. Beer tastings are in 4 oz., 8 oz. and 12 oz. sizes, served in a souvenir glass. You must be at least 21 with a valid ID to attend.
It's $5 to get in but that doesn't get you any beer. There are a variety of "tasting packages" available. Click Here to purchase your tickets online (you can also purchase at the event but you'll be stuck in line while the rest of the smart people are already "tasting").
- Click here to see a list of beers you can sample
- And here for a list of band and food vendors
Roanoke Outside will have a tent set up - be sure to stop by and say hello. We love beer and are excited to offer you a chance to WIN A VIP PASS. VIP admission includes 20 servings, VIP tent access to catered food and drink and more!
Enter by telling us a good beer story! We'll choose two lucky winners on August 10. Click here to enter.
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Upcoming events to keep your eye oN
- Weekly bike rides throughout Roanoke & NRV Valley
- Weekly ultimate frisbee pickup games (Sundays & Wednesdays)
- Hikes too numerous to list
- Monday Bike Polo
- Tuesday Tune Ups
- Thursday Happy Hour Floats
- FloydFest - 7/28-31
- Odyssey Land Navigation Clinic - 8/6
- Tubing on the Maury River - 8/6
- Intro. to Whitewater Kayaking - 8/6
- Artie Levin Memorial Century Ride - 8/7
- Microfestivus - 8/13
- Smith River Fest - 8/13-14
- 37th Annual Salem Distance Run - 8/13
- Rolling Down the River - 8/20
- Carvins Cove Backcountry Mtn. Bike Shuttle - 8/20
- 15th Annual Fab 5K - 8/20
- Sea Kayaking on Carvins Cove - 8/27
- Mountain Road Wine Experience - 8/27
- Wilderness Survival Skills Clinic - 8/27
- Bass Pro Shops River Bassin' Trail Tournament - 9/10
- Trail Running Rampage at Douthat State Park - 9/10
- Banff Radical Reels Film Festival & Get Outside Expo - 9/14
- The Roanoke Outdoor Circus - 10/21-23
- Into The Darkness Trail Run - 10/22
- Gear Junkie $40,000 Outdoor Gear Treasure Hunt - 10/23
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Roanoke Regional Partnership · 111 Franklin Plaza, Suite 333 · Roanoke, VA 24011540.343.1550 X 104 · www.roanoke.org
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