Farm to Fork Fondo Expands in 2018 to Shenandoah
The award-winning bicycle event series Farm to Fork Fondo will include a stop in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley in 2018. 500 cyclists from throughout the country are expected to attend Farm to Fork Fondo – Shenandoah on May 19-20, 2018 at Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, VA. The annual event will be organized by Wrenegade Sports of Burlington, VT.
“With hundreds of farms, beautiful pastoral landscapes, rich agricultural history, supportive rural communities, and tremendous support for the farm-to-table movement, the Shenandoah Valley is an ideal location for a Farm to Fork Fondo event,” says Wrenegade Sports founder and former professional cyclist Tyler Wren.
The event will include gourmet aid stations at several farms in the Shenandoah Valley region, known as the ‘Breadbasket of the Confederacy,’ where cyclists will sample chef-prepared food made from each farm’s ingredients. Course options for all abilities will range from 10 to 100 miles.
Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown will serve as the start-finish venue on May 20, and host a pre-ride ‘Meet the Farmers Dinner’ on May 19. “Belle Grove Plantation has been a working farm since the mid-1700s and preserving its agricultural past and supporting our current farming community is an important part of our mission,” said Kristen Laise, Executive Director of Belle Grove Plantation. “We are delighted to partner with Wrenegade Sports to introduce their participants to our beautiful Shenandoah Valley with Farm to Fork Fondo.”
Sports Virginia has supported Wrenegade Sports’ efforts to bring the Farm to Fork Fondo series to the state for the first time. “The Shenandoah Valley, as a top destination for agritourism visitors, is a natural fit for the Farm to Fork Fondo series with its abundance of farms, scenic beauty and many rural roads ideal for cycling,” said Sports Virginia National Sales Manager Joni Johnson.
Additional featured farms and local partners will be announced in coming months. Online registration will open in January, 2018, at FarmToForkFondo.com.
Visit FarmToForkFondo.com for more information and to register for the Farm to Fork Fondo mailing list to stay informed of all event news and updates.
ABOUT FARM TO FORK FONDO
Farm to Fork Fondo is a series of non-competitive cycling events in iconic farmland regions throughout the Northeastern United States. The mission of the Farm to Fork Fondo series is to highlight and support the symbiotic relationship between cyclists, farmers and beautiful landscapes. Ride options range from 10 to 100 miles, and include several on-farm aid stations where participants sample chef-prepared treats made from each farm’s ingredients. The series has been featured in Outside, Men’s Health, SELF Magazine, Men’s Journal and more. For more information, visit FarmForkFondo.com.
