Day 2 was a Friday and we were supposed to spend the day on the mountain bikes somewhere in western Virgina, not West Virgina, but the west side of Virgina. Nobody commented on how ‘perty our mouthes were’.
So after Jamie and I rented some sweet Giant Yukons from the local bike shop we met up with Todd and Stacy for some riding on some wicked single track about a half hour down the road. The ride started off well enough. We lost Jamie at a crossing and then I went back to find him where we ended up pedaling up some wicked technical rocks, think Sour Dough but stupid sharp instead of baby head smooth, and Scott came back to catch us there. We turned around to follow the whole posse and low and behold about 2 miles back up the trail, the 2.1 tire on the Yukon failed me with a blasting POP.
So the trip was planned to be about 11 miles or so and I’m pretty sure we rode about 5 by being lost, trying to find the trail heads and then finally hiking back out for me. The rest of the crew got the ride, I got some quiet time waking a rental bike through the woods. All and all still fun.
Friday night Brook, Jamie, Michelle and I rented a crib in the town of Winchester in the historic district, right up the street from the nightly supper spot which was a bad ass pub. It was the Union Jack I have to say it was one of the best pubs I’ve been to ever! Ordering beers, the madness started, Todd suggested the Victory Brewing Vertical Epic. Holy cow, it is the best beer i’ve ever had, seriously, the best beer. I’m not sure of the availabilty of this fine and holiest of liquids but if you can find it, steal, beat down or simply purchase this beer. I would give the tasting notes for it but I can’t do a better job than the link above. So buy it and worship it. The pub had an amazing beer list from around the world but heavy on the big boys from the good ol’USA. My second and third beer was a light hearted Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. A standard on any hop-head beer list, light and easy drinking with the ever present punch in the throat of citrus flavor and hops. The fish and chips at Union Jack were off the chain and matched the superior beer list to a T. If you are ever in Winchester, VA, you are stupid if you don’t find the Union Jack and eat, drink and drink some more.
The recurring beer(s) of the week was the spectacular offerings from Troegs out of Harrisonburg, PA. With a mass contingency from PA at the wedding, PA beer was well represented out of Troegs, though my memory is a bit foggy of all of them we had, we have to thank Scott’s sister for picking them up for us on her way to VA. I’m pretty sure this fine beer doesn’t make it east of the Mississippi but IF you’re back on the east side, I would recommend drinking them all. Especially the ones you can’t get anywhere but the brewery. It’s almost worth the trip just for the one offs. But I’ve never been to PA cept for an airport crossing or two so I can’t really be trusted on the subject.

The outstanding beers I can recall were the Troegenator, a mega tasty double bock that can and will kick your ass. Then the ultra hop head offering called the Nugget Nectar which is like an amber on hop steriods (with the specific flavor you’d expect from an ale called “Nugget” anything. The amazing Flying Mouflan, which kicks the crap out of most beers. It’s similar to the Nugget but much “bigger” in flavor and malts.
OK enough about beer and MTB, I’m going to finish my Gordons here in Lakewood and go do something else now.
Cheers, till next time…