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PETE'S PICKS
Happy Summer Solstice! Do you remember your first camp fire, roasting marshmallows, or sleeping in your first tent? Today, 25 percent of kids play outside daily-as opposed to 75 percent a generation ago. Be a part of the Great American Backyard Campout and set an example for children that will get them excited about the great outdoors. Join thousands of campers this Saturday (or you can choose another day that's convenient for you). Add some fun to your outing - turn your headlamp into a portable lamp. Embrace an active, healthy outdoor lifestyle! If you are looking for a place to go camping besides your backyard, check out our list of local campsites. And if you're looking for something to do Thursday night, I highly recommend checking out the music of David Wilcox at Kirk Avenue Music Hall...well worth it!
Get Outside!
Pete Eshelman
Director of Outdoor Branding
Roanoke Regional Partnership
  
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STRAP ON YOUR HEELS FOR CHARITY
 It's not just the ladies that will don heels on the Roanoke City Market. So will the fellas.
So grab a pair of pumps (or stilettos if you dare) and head out to the Roanoke City Market for the SunTrust High Heel Charity Race to benefit Apple Ridge Farm on July 28. Runners will take off at noon.
Women will dash 150 yards in heels, while the men's race is 75 yards. Check out the course routes below.
The Quarter is sponsoring a pre- and post-race party from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a portion of the proceeds also going to Apple Ridge Farm.
Apple Ridge Farm in Floyd County provides environmental education, camping, and summer programs for youth. The camp, which has been open for 35 years, also offers tennis, aquatics, gardening, and outdoor adventure courses. Campers, ages 6-16, attend the Apple Ridge Farm Summer Camp without fees thanks to donations.
Registration for the race is $25. Registration forms are available online. Call 982-1322 for more information.
Check out the course map here >>>
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2-DAY CYCLING EXTRAVAGANZA
 Get ready to pedal to your heart's content in the two-day Alleghany Highlands Cycling Festival. The event is July 14 and 15 in Covington and Clifton Forge with three race options on Saturday and a cool down race Sunday morning. On Day 1, the toughest riders can bike more than 100 miles with 10,000 feet of climbs, including a pair of category 3 climbs at Pitzer Ridge and a category 1 climb in the Gran Fondo race. The Medio Fondo option is a shorter race with 81 course miles, including 7,700 feet of climbing and one category 1 climb up Warm Springs Mountain. The Piccolo Fondo is the least strenuous of the three races and includes 44 miles of rolling terrain. On Day 2, riders can participate in the 25-mile Raisin Recovery Ride, beginning in Clifton Forge and routing through Douthat State Park and back. The ride ends with a festival at the finish line from 2 to 8 p.m. Register for the Saturday races or Sunday ride online. Gran and Medio fondos are $75, Piccolo Fondo is $50, and the Raisin Recovery Ride is $30.
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GRAB A FREE BICYCLE HELMET FOR YOUR CHILD
 Right after you secure the training wheels on your child's first bike, you should strap on their helmet. And thanks to the Helmets for Kids program, Virginia families who can't afford to buy helmets can order one free of charge. The program gives out a limited number of bicycle helmets each month to children of low-income families. Helmets can help prevent brain and spinal injuries, which for children are most commonly attributed to a fall from a bicycle or skateboard. The program is sponsored by the Brain Injury Law Center, a Hampton, VA based group which specializes in traumatic brain injury litigation. Brain Injury Law Center attorney Stephen Smith started the program in 2010 and has distributed hundreds of helmets for children. To apply for the program, fill out the online application.
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ROANOKE VALLEY TRAIL RUNNERS LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND
All you need is a pair of shoes and a smile.
That's the message from Douglas Falls, administrator of the Roanoke Valley Trail Runners Facebook group.
Roanoke Valley Trail Runners meet twice a month for runs on different trails around the Roanoke Valley. Runs are held on different days of the week and at different times to help as many people as possible join in. No experience is necessary to participate. Trail information -- including distance, expected pace, and number of expected breaks - is posted on the Facebook page and all of the group runs are targeted for beginners and immediate runners.
The group's motto is "No runner left behind." And there is no pressure to be the fastest on the trail.
"We run at a slow reasonable pace and will stop and let the slower runners catch up and get their breath," Falls said.
Check out Roanoke Valley Trail Runners on Facebook to find out about all upcoming events and to chat with other runners. Group members also post great information about a variety of upcoming races, small group events (such as women's runs at Carvins Cove), and running tips. Falls said the group is open to walkers and hikers, too.
Read more about the Roanoke Valley Trail Runners >>>
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UPCOMING EVENTS TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON
Visit The RoanokeOutside.com Calendar of Events for details on these upcoming events!
- Mountain Junkies Fat 5 Endurance Race - 6/30
- Stand Up Paddleboard Race & Demo - 6/30
- Four on the 4th - 7/4
- Star Gazing - Globulars Galore! - 7/14
- Art Market at the Vinton Farmers' Market - 7/14
- Blue Ridge Wildlfower Society Field Trip: Blooms & Butterflies - 7/14
- Alleghany Gran Fondo Cycling Festival - 7/14
- 3rd Annual New River Paddle Fishing Tournament - 7/21
- FloydFest 11 - 7/26-29
- Shake, Bake & Sprout at the Vinton Farmers' Market - 7/28
- Touch A Truck - 7/28
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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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Wilderness Wednesdays: Beginner Backpacking Class
