That is sad what happened to this trail. I don't know if they ever restore it fully but I surely hope they do. Thank you for documenting this for all of us to have a better understanding of the devastation but glad to know that not all trail is gone and you can still ride part of it. Thanks
As a local citizen and owner, The Bike Station, thank you for your time & hard work … we’re all struggling but hopeful. The Abingdon to Damascus side of the trail is open and we would sure appreciate the support. This has been heartbreaking in so many ways. We are so blessed that life was not lost, keeping the faith that we’ll come back DAMASCUS STRONG - 🙏🏻🚲
@@wendyrichardson5200 I biked and documented the open ridable side of the trail as well, and im actually working on it as type this up. It’ll be up by Friday. I’m really greatful to have the actual locals and business owners supporting my work. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. I’ll continue to try to document the progress as it’s repaired
WOW !! This is worse than I could of Imagined.. This very sad.. Very well put together.. With all the Damage to Florida & North Carolina.. It's easy to forget Western Virginia.. Thanks for doing this..
This is hard to watch. Especially for those of us who have ridden the Creeper and know how beautiful and amazing she was. A City official in Abingdon reached out to me and asked if I possibly could share with them the raw footage from my Oct 2023 videos there. Normally I delete all the raw footage after my final videos are edited...but I checked and sure enough, I had kept ALL of the footage of the Virginia Creeper. Probably because it was just such a cool and beautiful trail, I couldn't bring myself to hit the delete button. So I sent them a copy of all of the video files. He said it would be useful in securing funding for the rebuild...and determining just what everything was like before. I hope she comes back better than ever someday.
@@joyfultrails out of the rail trails I’ve done, the creeper is really unique. I did it a few years back before I knew what a rail trail was, prior to ever doing video biking.
Heartbreaking. I was on the trail in August for the first time. What a wonderful day it was, a memory I will always treasure. Thank you for this amazing and tragic footage.
Thank you for documenting the damage and posting it for the community to see and better understand the scope of the impact Hurricane Helene had on this rare treasure.
Well done, I walked there a month ago, you've captured the essence of the utter devestation. A fellow said there was 10,000 years of erosion in one day.
Amazing video my friend! Use of your drone is amazing! You put in alot of time and effort to make this important video that needed to be made! Thank you!
The Virginia Creeper was an icon for our family. We rode the trail at least once/year for more than 20 years, often with a larger group of friends and extended family. It was a thread that wove through the entire time we raised our daughters. We loved the trail for the beauty, adventure, and memories. So devastatingly sad that the trail is gone...I recognize every place you've documented and have memories of each place.
Speechless. I mean, as a cyclist, this breaks my heart for those people who probly used that trail since its existence. Great coverage Bain, and well put together. This is by far one of your best uploads ive watched on your channel. Thanks for putting your boots on the ground there and sharing the coverage with us! Bless you brother.
@@HackHunter1835 the man who took me around to video, who wishes to not be named, he was on the train when it ran and writing articles about the logging stuff while on the train when it was active. A lot of history here
Thanks for the video. I visited there a few years ago in October first doing a section of the AT to Damascus then after taking a days break cycling all that trail and camping one night. I live where two rail trails meet and am on them year round and it would really be a huge blow to the area if we lost them.
Wow. What a shock. Thanks for compiling this. Makes you wonder if a rebuild is even possible. I enjoyed this trail so much last summer. Brings a tear to my eye. 😢
@@RideAlongAdventures I have the open section coming soon, hopefully by Friday. There was crews out working while I was there, and two vans of forest rangers was pulling in yesterday to assess the damage. Obviously the locals are motivated, and from what I hear the government is behind getting it repaired. Without the trail, Damascus probably can’t sustain itself
I had seen several videos of Damascus proper, but this was the first I have seen of the Creeper Trail specifically. No wonder they say it will be years before it will reopen from Whitetop to Damascus. Good job on the documentation Bane.
We’ve gone there many times and this is highly depressing. My boys and my husband and I loved it. I even have posted some videos of my boys riding it on my other channel, GrandmaKellyremembers. Once I took them to the top for them to ride down alone, together without me, and they got into a thunderstorm and wisely got off the trail to hide down under one the trestles . I was a nervous wreck down in Damascus waiting for them, but they made it albeit muddy and wet.
Great job documenting the destruction Bane. Water destroys everything in its path, and it’s interesting to see how that path is constructed. Is the bedding really that deep? Sorry that I never rode the trail.
@@kmccarr the bedding is not that deep no, the bike trail surface is laid down on the wooden cross ties of the original train. Some of those crossties has long turned too soil and is loose material, like an old log. And some areas where the trail line was built, they had to lay down fill to level the ground. Some of that fill is what I believe we’re seeing washed away
Such a pretty river and so much devastation from it. Where do they even start to repair the trail? Pretty darned depressing, but I appreciate the video anyway. I'm curious, was the trail gravel or were parts paved? It's hard to tell.
The missing bridges and trestles are the big issue. Most of the actual trail damage can be easily fixed with a track hoe, dowser, and a bunch of gravel and stone. As always, it just takes money.
That is sad what happened to this trail. I don't know if they ever restore it fully but I surely hope they do. Thank you for documenting this for all of us to have a better understanding of the devastation but glad to know that not all trail is gone and you can still ride part of it. Thanks
As a local citizen and owner, The Bike Station, thank you for your time & hard work … we’re all struggling but hopeful. The Abingdon to Damascus side of the trail is open and we would sure appreciate the support. This has been heartbreaking in so many ways. We are so blessed that life was not lost, keeping the faith that we’ll come back DAMASCUS STRONG - 🙏🏻🚲
@@wendyrichardson5200 I biked and documented the open ridable side of the trail as well, and im actually working on it as type this up. It’ll be up by Friday.
I’m really greatful to have the actual locals and business owners supporting my work. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment.
I’ll continue to try to document the progress as it’s repaired
WOW !! This is worse than I could of Imagined.. This very sad.. Very well put together.. With all the Damage to Florida & North Carolina.. It's easy to forget Western Virginia.. Thanks for doing this..
This is hard to watch. Especially for those of us who have ridden the Creeper and know how beautiful and amazing she was. A City official in Abingdon reached out to me and asked if I possibly could share with them the raw footage from my Oct 2023 videos there. Normally I delete all the raw footage after my final videos are edited...but I checked and sure enough, I had kept ALL of the footage of the Virginia Creeper. Probably because it was just such a cool and beautiful trail, I couldn't bring myself to hit the delete button. So I sent them a copy of all of the video files. He said it would be useful in securing funding for the rebuild...and determining just what everything was like before. I hope she comes back better than ever someday.
@@joyfultrails out of the rail trails I’ve done, the creeper is really unique.
I did it a few years back before I knew what a rail trail was, prior to ever doing video biking.
So kool you watch other people’s videos you two are my favorite on the videos and details.
Heart wrenching devastation 😢 Very well put together video Bane 😢
Heartbreaking. I was on the trail in August for the first time. What a wonderful day it was, a memory I will always treasure. Thank you for this amazing and tragic footage.
Thank you for documenting the damage and posting it for the community to see and better understand the scope of the impact Hurricane Helene had on this rare treasure.
Thanks for documenting this. I road this trail 5 years ago. Beautiful trail, good memories.
Excellent video, hope this spreads the word
@@TheHoganDudes I encourage every one to share it!
Well done, I walked there a month ago, you've captured the essence of the utter devestation. A fellow said there was 10,000 years of erosion in one day.
Amazing video my friend! Use of your drone is amazing! You put in alot of time and effort to make this important video that needed to be made! Thank you!
The Virginia Creeper was an icon for our family. We rode the trail at least once/year for more than 20 years, often with a larger group of friends and extended family. It was a thread that wove through the entire time we raised our daughters. We loved the trail for the beauty, adventure, and memories. So devastatingly sad that the trail is gone...I recognize every place you've documented and have memories of each place.
Thanks Bane
Speechless. I mean, as a cyclist, this breaks my heart for those people who probly used that trail since its existence. Great coverage Bain, and well put together. This is by far one of your best uploads ive watched on your channel. Thanks for putting your boots on the ground there and sharing the coverage with us! Bless you brother.
@@HackHunter1835 the man who took me around to video, who wishes to not be named, he was on the train when it ran and writing articles about the logging stuff while on the train when it was active.
A lot of history here
Thanks for the video. I visited there a few years ago in October first doing a section of the AT to Damascus then after taking a days break cycling all that trail and camping one night. I live where two rail trails meet and am on them year round and it would really be a huge blow to the area if we lost them.
Thanks for documenting this. I had hoped to have a two day adventure on it including camping in Damascus. Very sad to see. 😢
@@TheBlindAcorn come and have an adventure on the open trail and stay in Damascus!
Very little is being shown about VA and TN, thank you for the video.
Wow. What a shock. Thanks for compiling this. Makes you wonder if a rebuild is even possible. I enjoyed this trail so much last summer. Brings a tear to my eye. 😢
@@RideAlongAdventures I have the open section coming soon, hopefully by Friday.
There was crews out working while I was there, and two vans of forest rangers was pulling in yesterday to assess the damage.
Obviously the locals are motivated, and from what I hear the government is behind getting it repaired. Without the trail, Damascus probably can’t sustain itself
Necessary but painful work. Thank you
I had seen several videos of Damascus proper, but this was the first I have seen of the Creeper Trail specifically. No wonder they say it will be years before it will reopen from Whitetop to Damascus. Good job on the documentation Bane.
We’ve gone there many times and this is highly depressing. My boys and my husband and I loved it. I even have posted some videos of my boys riding it on my other channel, GrandmaKellyremembers. Once I took them to the top for them to ride down alone, together without me, and they got into a thunderstorm and wisely got off the trail to hide down under one the trestles . I was a nervous wreck down in Damascus waiting for them, but they made it albeit muddy and wet.
Wow. That is some heartbreaking quality content. Thank you for sharing. Any idea as to where,how, or who to make impactful donations?
Great question, check the description of the video, you should be able to find what you’re looking for!
😢I was fortunate to ride the complete trail in April this year. So glad I didn't put it off!
That is so sad. I love going there. We stay in Abingdon and I ride the full length round trip. I hope it can be restored.
@@DaveCM stay in Damascus and ride out and back!
Wow! That'll take years to fix.
Great job documenting the destruction Bane. Water destroys everything in its path, and it’s interesting to see how that path is constructed. Is the bedding really that deep? Sorry that I never rode the trail.
@@kmccarr the bedding is not that deep no, the bike trail surface is laid down on the wooden cross ties of the original train.
Some of those crossties has long turned too soil and is loose material, like an old log. And some areas where the trail line was built, they had to lay down fill to level the ground. Some of that fill is what I believe we’re seeing washed away
@ that makes sense. So you liked Bryan’s video today? Talk Bryan into coming back down to FL when you’re here. We can all cross FL together.
@ yea, I like his stuff a lot, but giving me a shout out like that…dude, that made my day lol
Such a pretty river and so much devastation from it. Where do they even start to repair the trail? Pretty darned depressing, but I appreciate the video anyway. I'm curious, was the trail gravel or were parts paved? It's hard to tell.
I’m pretty sure it was all crushed stone. You may see some asphalt laying around, but it came from and was washed to where ever it is by the flood.
Wish I knew you was there bubba wud love to ride with you. I live in Bristol Va by the Mendota Trail hope you get to check it out
Were you able to ride the Mendota Trail while you were down here ?
I’m not even familiar with it. I did ride the open section of the creeper, and it’s coming next.
The Mendota Trail is open.
The missing bridges and trestles are the big issue. Most of the actual trail damage can be easily fixed with a track hoe, dowser, and a bunch of gravel and stone. As always, it just takes money.
In the end, Mother Nature always wins. Bike trails bring a lot of money into areas, it would be worth rebuilding.