April 28, 2019

I have dabbled with Vepco including plenty of rides on 240E Kritchie Mountain. This is where I have always parked, including on this ride. But one of my goals was to scout out a place to park farther in.

Vepco can be reached by driving down Little Dry River, keep going after it turns to gravel and it’s maybe a mile on the left. It’s marked with street signs and a 240 sign. It has a good road going in and shortly there is a concert creek ford that’s never been too high to easily cross.

Just past the ford is the Vepco marker.

After several twists in the road there is an open fire gate. And after some more twists there is a right hand turn which ends quickly at a circle (not suitable for trailers) and a closed fire gate. This is where I park. I pull past and back in and park on the side. It’s easy and smooth.

Usually I ride back 240E. But today I wanted to find a good parking spot further in. I looked a week or two ago but wasn’t solid on the spot I found and I had more time today so let’s explore. I rode off, continuing along 240 Vepco.

It’s level briefly then mostly grades down and up weaving back and forth under the power lines.

After a while there was another concert creek ford. Just after this, on the left, is a nice horse trailer sized back in parking spot. This is where I am going to park next time.

Shortly after the ford is 240A on the right hand side. There is another branch across from it and Vepco continues ahead as well. I began doing video clips from this point which are compiled at the end of this post. Here you can see terrain and footing.

We headed right onto 240A, Straight Hollow. It has a few creek crossing and some rocky areas but nothing poor or difficult.

This will be a nice place to ride in the hot summer. It was shaded and as mentioned, there was a lot of creek crossings. Although I suspect some will be dry come summer. Today was extremely windy but down in the hollow it was nice and calm.

After a short bit there is a branch off to the right with a camp area and the trail continues out the back.

I followed it for a while and it eventually came to some larger downed trees at a creek crossing. It was easy to work around it.

Here the trail continued ahead and to the left. We went straight until there was quite a bit of downed trees and then turned around. This is documented more clearly on the video.

Next we tried the left branch which counties on for a ways with some more downed trees at a creek crossing. I opted to turn around. Again, see the video.

Back to 240A we continued on.

It crosses some more creeks.

It is a lovely piece of trail.

Shortly there was a branch to the left, not as obvious as the others. I continued ahead and did not take the turn. Yet.

Just another bend and the road ended at private property and a closed gate so turning around I headed back to that left (now right) hand split I had just passed up.

This continued for a surprisingly long way.

It was very pleasant, a few creek crossings, not much down at all.

It was also pretty clearly marked by orange tags. Although the path was easy to follow.

It eventually came to a clustered creek crossing and some larger downed trees. The trail ahead, bending left, appeared clear beyond the downed trees but the ride was getting to the point of needing to turn around so I did.

The above photo is on the return from this side trail going back to 240A. So pretty.

Once back to Vepco I also hacked down the the trail opposite 240A. It was rather short and also ended at a closed gate to private property. Through the woods I could see an open fire gate along Vepco. This section is also documented on the video.

We hacked back up Vepco to the trailer and into the wind.

It was a nice ride. I’m looking forward to the new parking location and exploring further up Vepco. It eventually pops out at Gauley Ridge which can be easiest reached from the Turner Run entrance and which also connects up to Slate Lick and some other fire road networks. I have ridden from Turner Run to where Vepco connects so I am excited to reach this point from Vepco as well.

It was a good ride on a great pony with an amazing dog.

until the next adventure.

The video of this ride: