Shenandoah Farm to Fork Fondo

After participating in the Pennsylvania Dutch Farm to Fork Fondo for the fifth time, we finally signed up for an event closer to home–the Shenandoah Farm To Fork Fondo weekend adventure. It had the friendly participants, gorgeous scenery, and delicious food we’ve come to expect, as well as a touch of Civil War history.

Shenandoah Farm to Fork Fondo Weekend Adventure

Home base for the Shenandoah Farm To Fork Fondo weekend adventure was Belle Grove Plantation, a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Virginia Historic Landmark, a National Historic Landmark, and part of the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historic Park.

(source)

The manor house was built in the late 1700’s by Major Hite, Jr., grandson of a German colonist who first settled in Pennsylvania, after he married Nelly Madison, sister of  then-future President James Madison. Major Hite had served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

We took a tour of the house, which has been restored and is furnished with period pieces. We saw where the family lived on the main floor, which has two bedrooms, a library, a parlor, a sitting room, an office, and a dining room. Cooking was done in the basement in winter, and outside in warmer months–by enslaved people whom we also learned about.

The During the Civil War, Belle Grove was occupied by both Union and Confederate troops. In 1864 it was occupied by Union General Sheridan under whom Belle Grove was at the center of the Battle of Cedar Creek–which we learned all about during a presentation from a Park Ranger. I’m not a Civil War buff , but I did enjoy learning more about the strategies that were plotted right where we were standing.

Friday’s Ride

After listening to the Park Ranger’s presentation and taking a tour of the manor, we got on our bikes for a “warm up” ride to the Backroom Brewery. It was a 14.75 mile loop with a few rolling hills.

Of course we wore our lederhosen kits for an October ride to a brewery!

After the ride we checked into our hotel–the historic Wayside Inn in Middletown, Virginia, which has been operating as an inn since 1797. We ate in the dining room and indulged in dessert before heading to our rooms to get organized for Saturday’s ride and take turns using the Theragun.

Saturday’s Ride

Saturday’s ride didn’t start until 9:30, so we had time for breakfast at a local diner. I ordered scrambled eggs for fuel, but couldn’t resist trying their pancakes–which were as delicious as they smelled.

Diner humor–or wisdom!

Saturday’s ride left from Star in the Valley winery. The mile-long gravel driveway up to the parking lot was intimidating, but we took it slow on our bikes–and most of us walked up the last bit on the way back. 😉

So gorgeous! 

Saturday’s route was a 31 mile loop with a stop at a big farm stand for cider donuts.

This road was quiet enough for a photo stop.

The market was packed with families taking their kids on pumpkin patch rides and stocking up on fresh-picked apples and fresh-made cider. We were lucky to get cider donuts warm from the oven–my favorite!

By the time we got back the winery was open, so we enjoyed a glass of wine.

I tried the “orange” wine, which is white wine fermented with grape skins (which is normal for red wine, but not white). A family was operating a crepe truck, so we enjoyed crepes and salad for lunch.

I didn’t take pictures of other riders, but we had a nice time hanging out in the sunshine, sipping wine, and noshing on crepes for a few hours until it was time to freshen up for dinner.

Those dark clouds blew away without raining on us!

Saturday’s Farm Dinner

Dinner Saturday was held in the barn at Belle Grove. Once again they were serving Athletic Brewing Company non-alcoholic craft beer as the beer options. After dinner we went back to our hotel and enjoyed a regular beer at the hotel bar while I studied the routes and elevation profiles for the Sunday rides. After a bit of hesitation, we decided we should go for the 61.75 mike gran fondo route.

Sunday’s Ride

We had to check out before the ride so we got up early and my husband made a McDonald’s run for coffee and breakfast–the only option in Middletown at 6 am on a Sunday morning, but their fruit and oatmeal was pretty good.

We arrived at Belle Grove Plantation at about 7:30, just as the sun was coming up.

With a forecast for clouds and temperatures in the low 50s, I was planning to wear a jacket over my short-sleeved jersey, but I felt really warm so I made a go-time decision to just wear arm sleeves. I felt great for the first hour, but think the temperature must have dropped because after the second rest stop I was freezing–and my teeth were chattering!

The first rest stop came quickly, at about mile 6. We enjoyed a few apple slices and peach cider, and barely remembered to take a selfie before heading back out.

Like our high-visibility kits?

We had to earn the next rest stop, which was 20 miles further on. Those 20 miles were the hardest of the gran fondo route–and only part of the gran fondo route. There were a few miles on gravel road–which I’m glad I didn’t know about in advance because I do not like gravel–and a few hills that required shifting to my small chain, but nothing I couldn’t handle thanks to all those Conte’s Hill Rides. 😉

The rest stop was at the same market we’d visited on Saturday, but this time we were offered cider donut bread pudding. I was too cold to have mine a la mode, but that was an option.

I bikefess this was my second serving!

The next rest stop was another 20 miles on. The terrain was easier–rolling hills–but this is when I felt really cold. Luckily the sun came out before too long.

The yellow arrow on the pavement marked our route.

I even shed my arm sleeves at the next stop.

The farm treat here was goat cheese crostini with radish slices–
both made/grown locally.

I also scarfed down 1/2 a PB&J sandwich. 

With 20 miles left in the route, the next rest stop was less than 10 miles away–back at Backyard Brewery. I passed on the chili, but enjoyed a tasting size of IPA.

Look how blue the sky got!

I didn’t take a post-ride selfie, but since I’d worn the same kit and earned the same medal, this one from the Pennsylvania Dutch Farm to Fork Fond will do. 😉

Love the wine stopper medals!

Distance: 61.75 miles Moving time: 4:23

As hard as it is to believe, I was hungry for lunch, and loaded my plate with mac & cheese and salad at the post-ride lunch. After eating, we used the indoor bathrooms to change clothes for our 90 minute drive home.

Final Thoughts On The Farm to Fork Fondo Weekend Adventure

Our fearless Farm to Fork Fondo weekend adventure ride leaders

I’m really glad we signed up for the Shenandoah Farm to Fork Fondo weekend adventure after the third day of the Pennsylvania Dutch weekend was rained out. I really like the weekend adventure format because you get to do more riding (and eating!), but also because you get to know more people. Our group had people from as far away as Wisconsin and Maine and as local as the next town over, from recent college grads to retirees.

Weekly Wrap

I’m not going to take up more of your time with my mundane weekly recap, but I do want to share that I reached my 150th Peloton ride this week and my Achilles held up to an 8.2 mile run yesterday. 🙂

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Thanks to Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down link up.

Are you expecting trick-or-treaters tonight?

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