You are browsing the archives of Jedd Ferris.

Back in 1988 two mountain bikers from Roanoke, Va., decided their home state needed a race. Inspired by burgeoning scene just across the state line in West Virginia, Scott Freday and Paul Economy started the Great Escape—a rugged point-to-point race on Potts Mountain. The small race eventually gained momentum in the mid ’90s, when it [...]

The Gorge’s high sandstone cliffs have made the stunning eastern canyon a world-renowned climbing mecca. The unique geological area, which lies mostly within the massive Daniel Boone National Forest, has over 1,400 routes with enough variety to satisfy the tastes of any climber. But the area isn’t just about the epic crags. “The Red” holds [...]

Ed Snodderly’s resume includes songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor, college teacher, and proprietor of a storied bluegrass club. A native of northeast Tennessee, Snodderly released his first solo album back in 1977. As a songwriter, he’s known for his vivid musings about Appalachia’s lush landscape and rich old-time music culture. Dobro king Jerry Douglas once said Snodderly [...]

Don’t miss these fall fat tire favorites—from hundred-mile epics to white-knuckle downhill screamers. SHENANDOAH MOUNTAIN 100 September 5 • Stokesville, Va. Epic yet attainable. That’s how this race is often described—a great option for aspiring 100-milers to conquer the distance. The loop course through the George Washington National Forest has some hardcore climbs, including a [...]

Wayne Elsey Changes Lives, One Step at a Time In 2004, footwear industry executive Wayne Elsey was watching TV coverage of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, when he was struck by the image of a single shoe washing up on a beach. Immediately he called fellow shoe execs and secured the donation of a quarter-million [...]

Natural Running Center Opens in West Virginia Two Rivers Treads is not your average running store. You probably won’t recognize most of the shoes on the wall, but owner Dr. Mark Cucuzzella insists they will make you a healthier, injury-free runner. He opened the small outpost in downtown Shepherdstown, W.Va., in May as a center [...]

Punk Rock Ironman Delivers a Veggie Beatdown If you think wolfing down a rare steak makes you macho, you don’t know John Joseph. The author of Meat is for Pussies: A how-to guide for dudes who want to get fit, kick ass and take names is hardly the typical outspoken advocate for vegetarianism. Joseph is [...]

Alt-country crooner honors Shel Siverstein Bobby Bare, Jr. had the ultimate music education. Not only did he grow up singing with his country hit-making dad, Bobby Bare, he also had every song he ever wrote critiqued by his dad’s best friend—Shel Silverstein. Although the latter is known best for his quirky contributions to children’s literature, [...]

Team running relays on the rise Blue Ridge Relay September 17-18 • Mouth of Wilson, Va. In 24 hours, teams of 4 to 12 cover 208 miles from Virginia’s Grayson Highlands State Park down through the North Carolina High Country to Asheville, with 16 transition legs and 27,000 feet of elevation change. blueridgerelay.com Bourbon Chase [...]

Feel like Asheville and Charlottesville have jumped the shark? Check out Lewisburg, the next cool Southern outdoor town. Located less than an hour southeast of the New River Gorge’s world-class paddling and climbing, the small town in the Greenbrier Valley is reshaping its identity from a regal resort destination to a progressive arts hub. Area [...]

Handmade Bikes Built in the Blue Ridge While bike companies make a limited number of frame sizes every year, the individual dimensions of the human body aren’t so uniform. For the perfect ride, a bike needs to fit like a custom suit, and fortunately the Blue Ridge has a new tailor. Aaron Dykstra is the [...]

Climbing Southern Via Ferrata If you’ve always wanted to scale a craggy cliff, but never quite conjured the nerve, try going vertical on a via ferrata. Italian for “iron way,” a via ferrata is a climbing route that features a permanent safety system—steel rungs, ladders, and bridges—embedded in the rock. While clipped into a cable [...]

Want to save a couple bucks on your next visit to Shenandoah or the Smokies? The National Park Service just announced all park entrance fees will be waived on August 14-15. The free weekend pass is being given as an incentive to encourage more Americans to visit national parks. “This fee-free weekend provides an opportunity [...]

While doing research for an upcoming destination piece on Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, I came across this story in the Lexington Herald-Leader on what is reported to be the first ever bear attack in the state. Fifty-six-year-old hiker Tim Scott gives the paper a detailed account of his Sunday afternoon black bear run-in on the [...]

Living Local on the Road Being a grassroots touring band means long slogs on the highways of America. With that comes limited eating options—usually an endless cycle of fast food outposts at interstate junctions. Despite a rigorous road schedule, Philadelphia-based edgy acoustic outfit Hoots and Hellmouth have decided they can do better. For the past [...]