T HE ROANOKE VALLEY and nearby environs are officially a mountain biking destination. Who says so? The International Mountain Bicycling Association for starters. IMBA has designated Virginia's Blue Ridge as a Silver-Level Ride Center™, a tag which is drawing visitors to check out some of the natural trails open to mountain bikers at all levels. "This announcement is a real game changer," states Lee Wilhelm, Chair of Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge, when the designation was awarded in 2018. America's East Coast Mountain Biking Capital, a title Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge has bestowed on the area as part of its "Be a Trailsetter" campaign, currently has more the 320 miles of trails (single track, double track and fire road) available for two wheelers. Another 40 miles are already planned for Carvins Cove, says Kristine McCormick, a Roanoker and the former president of Roanoke IMBA - now called Blue Ridge Off-Road Cyclists (aka BROC). The struggle is finding enough volunteers to help build the new trails and maintain the system. She proposes raising the funds necessary to hire professional trail builders. 2020 VALLEY LIFE 61