Oh, I've done that ride many, many times. I moved out of Virginia several years ago, and I miss that ride dearly. I imagine I could still do the route by heart. What do you want to know?

That first big climb is, for the most part, Snickers Gap. The climb out of Bluemont (note: Bluemont is the last guaranteed place to get food / water on this ride! Stock up as you have a lot to go through) to Rt. 7 is crazy steep, but only for a few hundred yards. You do get a slight downhill / flat just before you start the Rt. 7 portion of the climb. Rt. 7 is pretty gradual, at least compared to what you just did. Once you crest Rt. 7, you're at the top of Snickers Gap. Turn left onto Rt. 601, put it into a low gear, and grind it out for a while. It's dead straight to the top of the headwall, so I don't advise looking up. Once you top the headwall, you have about a half-mile of climbing to go, but the grade eases up substantially.

When you finally get a break in the form of a downhill, take a look at the name of the road you're crossing. Assuming the road hasn't changed name, it's called Heart Trouble Lane. I kid you not. Most aptly named road I have ever come across.

The ride along the ridge of Rt. 601 isn't too bad. The fun begins when you see the FEMA station atop Mt. Weather. You can't miss it. Flashing lights, guard posts, barbed wire fences, the whole works. Start smiling. because you are about to embark on a thrilling, chilling, screaming fast descent. It's filled with tight turns, so make sure your descending skills are top notch if you let it rip.

That dumps you onto Rt. 50. Make a left and let it fly down through Ashby Gap. Be sure to look to your right -- if it's leaf-peeping season you're going to get a jaw-dropping view. Paris (the base of Ashby Gap) is a nothing town; if there's a store, top off your bottles, as Paris is the last sign of civilization on this ride. Wind your way over to the base of Naked Mountain. Naked Mt. isn't too bad; it's maybe the last half-mile or so where the grade kicks up pretty severly. Enjoy the way down; you're going to fly past the entrance to Naked Mountain Wineries.

From there, it's just a rolling ride back to Marshall. It ends with a climb. Just to torture your legs a bit more. The PPTC (http://www.bikepptc.org/) does the ride periodically; they tend to call it The Blue Ridger. At least they used to do it periodically, but I was one of the sick puppies who'd always lead that ride. Oh, I do miss it so.