The Farm to Fork Fondo Shenandoah, a great ride through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, with just the right amount of sustainability, fun and history. Add in an unusual evening at a bed and breakfast in nearby Strasburg and what’s not to like?
The inaugural Farm to Fork Fondo Shenandoah was staged in Middletown, Va. at Belle Grove Plantation, a gorgeous manor with a significant Civil War battle as a part of its lengthy historic resume. Our weekend began, however just five miles away at a B & B in equally historic Strasburg.
Strasburg Mayfest
The Holliday House B & B would have been great all by itself. But when you add in the fact that Strasburg was in the midst of its annual Mayfest celebration, there was suddenly a new dimension to our visit.
We viewed the Strasburg May Days parade from the front porch of the Holliday House B $ B.
We could not park in the inn’s driveway because the street was closed. Instead of cars, it was lined with carnival-style food vendors. The path to the front door of the quaint home, which dates back to the early 1800’s and is the oldest home in Strasburg, backed up to a tent hawking chicken on a stick.
We arrived only 15 minutes before the annual Mayfest parade. The Holliday house could not have been a more perfect place to take in the festivities. The judges’ stand was across the street, and we sat under the covered porch and take in the floats, beauty queens, Cub Scout troops and fire trucks. We enjoyed all of this while taking in the smells the sausage and onions, grilled chicken and who knows what from the nearby food trucks.
Once the parade had passed, Mary and I walked down the street and discovered Sibling Rivalry, a brand new brewpub. I tried an IPA called The Eldest. More on the beer coming up in a future Beers I Have Ridden post!
The Farm to Fork Fondo Shenandoah
The enthusiasm level was high at the Farm to Fork Fondo Shenandoah rest stop #1
In its inaugural year the Farm to Fork Fondo Shenandoah was the second Farm to Fork event for Mary and me. It came on the heels of last year’s Farm To Fork Hudson Valley, which we enjoyed immensely.
Organizer Tyler Wren, the founder of Wrenegade Sports, told me he is looking to keep the brand growing. Wrenegade already offers rides in several other beautiful parts of the world. There are rides in Vermont, Massachusetts, New York’s Finger Lakes region and others. This ride was the farthest south he has ventured.
Lining up for the Farm to Fork Fondo Shenandoah
We lined up with about 400 other riders in the driveway of the historic Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, Va. Our aim was the 50-mile Medio Fondo, while the braver souls were taking on the 80-mile Gran Fondo. Wrenegade offered a Piccolo Fondo of 35 miles along with a 10-mile ramble ride.
The “farm to fork” concept is essentially the place where bicycling, agriculture and sustainability all meet. The idea is to offer bike rides in beautiful, rural places and to celebrate the sort of natural attributes of the scenery, the farming and human-powered machines. Throw in a pinch of Civil War history and you have a recipe for a nice ride.
Riding the Ride
The course was rolling. A few of the hills tipped up to ten percent, but they were short, and truly hills, as opposed to mountains. Most of the rollers allowed us to carry our momentum from the downhill to get a good run on the inevitable uphill and thus negate the need for a serious effort on the climb. The official course map shows 2,676 feet of climbing over the 50 miles, but compared to riding in my home base of Roanoke, it seemed like nothing.
Medio Fondo Map and elevation
Riding the Farm to Fork Fondo on the rolling course.
This rest stop featured, wine, crabcakes … and balloons.
Rest stops are among the defining characteristics of these fondos. They tend to be fun, agriculturally oriented, and well spaced. At one stop – the Valerie Hill Winery, volunteers served us samples of white wine and crab cakes! Another stop featured apple scones that were out of this world. The folks behind the table encouraged us to take one for later. Mary and I gladly accepted the offer and enjoyed a post-ride treat.
People representing local charities manned each of the stops and competed for the cyclists’ votes in return for a portion of the proceeds. Energy and enthusiasm were high, which made the ride even more entertaining.
The Backroom Brewery rest stop offered a photo booth!
At the finish, we received a medal – actually a cookie cutter in the shape of a chicken – along with a nice swag bag. A band played cover songs, and the army of volunteers served an excellent lunch under a massive tent. A beer ticket earned each rider the chance to taste a brew from nearby Woodstock Brew House, whose motto is, “Ride bikes, drink beer.” I’ll tell you more about my excellent IPA in an upcoming Beers I Have Ridden blog.
Mary and I sport our medals at the finish of the ride.
The Belle Grove Plantation
In the midst of a cycling weekend, the Belle Grove Plantation can feel a bit like an afterthought. But, even on weekends when hundreds of riders do not converge on the place, many Civil War history buffs do come to tour the home and the grounds. A tour of the home was offered free to cyclists and we learned about the battle that took place in the front yard.
The following is an excerpt from the plantation’s website:
Belle Grove was most notably used as a headquarters by Union General Philip Sheridan during the Civil War Valley Campaign of 1864 and was at the very center of the pivotal Battle of Cedar Creek. After a surprise attack by Confederate General Jubal Early in the early hours of October 19, 1864, General Sheridan quickly regained the territory, securing the Valley for the Union and boosting President Abraham Lincoln’s chances for re-election.
Final Thoughts
The entrance to the winery is all a part of the ride’s sustainability theme!
In the midst of Shenandoah Valley history, on a beautiful day in May, we enjoyed a great ride through beautiful scenery. We had found a nice retreat at a B & B with a festival literally in the front yard. The farm to fork concept appeals to my sensibilities and seems like a winner all around. Check in was effortless, and the attention to detail was what you might expect from a crew that offers events, several times a year. A big, touché to Wrenegade Sports for a fine ride.
When Wrenegade sports shows up, they have all the gear to put on a great ride. Which they did.
A band played great cover songs and entertained us during the after-ride lunch.
Woodstock Brewhouse served the beer after the ride.
