Fall Line Trailblazer Event Set for October 23-24
Trailblazer event will feature guided hikes along Fall Line trail led by Bike Walk RVA
RICHMOND, VA – The second-annual ‘Fall Line Trailblazer’ event is set for this weekend, October 23-24, to highlight the progress made on the Fall Line trail and raise awareness and funds for its eventual completion. Organized by Sports Backers and its Bike Walk RVA program, the Fall Line Trailblazer will feature a series of guided hikes along sections of the Fall Line, and registration is available at www.sportsbackers.org.
In conjunction with the announcement of the Fall Line name in October 2020, Sports Backers announced the first ‘Fall Line Trailblazer’ event and fundraising initiative to support the continued
progress of trail construction. Now, a year later and with 16 miles of the paved walking, running, and biking trail in some stage of progress, excitement continues to build for the Fall Line and the new active transportation connections it will foster in Central Virginia.
Group Hikes Led by Bike Walk RVA
The hikes will be led by the Bike Walk RVA team during the Trailblazer event, and each hike will be an out-and-back loop and cover roughly three miles. Bike Walk RVA is a program of Sports Backers that advocates for safe and connected bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and they are taking a leading advocacy role in the completion of the Fall Line trail.
“The Fall Line trail presents opportunities to expand active transportation networks in the region and increase access to recreation and active living,” said Louise Lockett Gordon, Director of Bike Walk RVA. “Advocates and community members have played a huge role in bringing the vision of the Fall Line to life, and the Fall Line Trailblazer event is another great way to show your support for the trail and get an up-close view of several sections during the group hikes.”
In total, the Fall Line will connect with Ashland, Hanover, Henrico, Richmond, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, and Petersburg. Group hikes during Trailblazer weekend will visit each of these seven localities, and participants can indicate which hikes they want to take part in during registration.
Fall Line trail-themed items will be available to participants at specific donation levels, and include the following:
$20 Donation: Sunglasses
$43 Donation: Fall Line shirt and sunglasses
$100 Donation: Limited Edition Fall Line map, shirt, and sunglasses
Participants can choose to donate through October 31, and join their preferred hike on October 23-24. Trailblazer items will be sent to participants after the event ends. The current hike schedule is below, and more details will be sent to participants closer to the event date:
Saturday, October 23
8 a.m.: Shepherd Stadium to Virginia State University and Patton Park (Colonial Heights, Chesterfield, and Petersburg)
10 a.m.: Chester Linear Park (Chesterfield)
11:30 a.m.: Downtown Richmond and James River crossing (Richmond)
1 p.m.: Bellemeade Community Center to Commerce Rd (Richmond)
Sunday, October 24
8 a.m.: Bryan Park to Laburnum Avenue (Richmond)
10:15 a.m.: Longdale Recreation Center to Lavender Fields Farm (Henrico)
12 p.m.: Carter Park and Trolley Line trail (Ashland and Hanover)
“Trail projects like this can have transformational impacts for communities, and the Fall Line will connect people to jobs, educational opportunities, transit, dining, parks, and shopping throughout the corridor,” Lockett Gordon said. “We hope that the Fall Line Trailblazer event will demonstrate this connection in a tangible way, raise more awareness and support for the trail, and help us bring the Fall Line even closer to reality.”
Fall Line Trailblazer Event Part of RVA Bike Month 2021
The Fall Line Trailblazer event is part of RVA Bike Month 2021. With a theme of ‘Changing Lanes,’ RVA Bike Month features a full calendar of bike and pedestrian-related events. 2021 marks the eighth year that Bike Walk RVA is coordinating RVA Bike Month, with the help of dozens of volunteers and advocates from across the Richmond region. More details and the full calendar of events can be found at www.rvabikemonth.com.
For more details and registration for the Fall Line Trailblazer, please visit https://www.sportsbackers.org/events/fall-line-trailblazer/.
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About Sports Backers
With a key message of Let’s Go, RVA, the mission of Sports Backers is to inspire people from all corners of our community to live actively. A non-profit organization, Sports Backers is dedicated to producing nationally recognized quality sporting events and programs that motivate residents and visitors alike to be more active, supporting youth running and fitness programs, and advocating for safe and connected networks of bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Learn more at www.sportsbackers.org.