Rode from Douthat to Damascus Thursday & Friday 10/3 & 10/4. There is a lot of deep fresh gravel on a lot of the roads. I rode on 42’s and dug in a lot. Also the short stretch from Pulaski to the main section of the NRT has lots of fresh gravel dust and has been chewed up by horses, but it’s a short stretch.

There is a bridge out, I think on Dry Creek Rd before Sugar Grove. It’s definitely a FS road not a State Rd and is closed to traffic. The bridge is still out on Rich Patch Rd but there is a cat walk. Coming up Pitzer Ridge Rd out of Covington the route veers to the South for a little bit. That section is gated and has a posted sign on the gate at the Southbound end. It’s a short piece. Probably should stay on Pitzer Ridge Rd.

There is a spring pipe at the rivers edge with a path leading to it. The path is about 15′ long. It’s not visible but I saw it when I walked down to filter. 37°16’17.4″N 80°41’35.1″W100-268 State Rte 623, Pearisburg, VA 24134 https://goo.gl/maps/PZAhYLfpVkdehADi6

I cannot speak for the springs and pumps. Potts Mountain got a little scary from a water standpoint. I’d suggest everyone fill up before they start the climb. I really didn’t use the spreadsheet too much because I rode a lot late at night. I often scope out water at churches too. I carry three bottles so I get along pretty well. The bridge that is out is easy to get around. The guys were working when I came through and were amused to see me. No water in the creeks through there. There was another spot there are two pipes within 100 yards or so of each between route 100 and route 100. Generally once I get two bottles empty I fill at the next  available water. Potts Mt just took so long to cross and it was so hot I burned through what I had.

Total time on route was about 36 hrs. Bike weight 46 lbs with water. 42mm tubeless Teravail cannonballs. Di2. 11-34 cassette, 48-31 GRX crank. Seven Evergreen Frankenbike. Total trip time about 40 hours. A pin ripped out of my Garmin in Sugar Grove the second day. I rode from home in SW Rockbridge County to the route over North Mountain then on into Abington afterward. I slept three hours at NRT State Park. Bombing the Creeper in the dark was a blast.

A lot of work went into putting that together. Thank you all for the effort!

Pierson Hotchkiss