Yorktown to Radford

March 19, 2026

By Tom Ewing

One of the first Bikecentennial stage rides to finish was the group that left Yorktown on May 15, as part of the ceremonial departure, and arrived in Radford ten days later, on June 24. An article published in the Roanoke Times several days later provided numerous summaries of the experience across Virginia.  High school senior Sue Jouner of Pittsburgh stated that “The water’s good down here. And I can breathe.” Kim Pierpoint, of Potomac, Maryland, offered this reflection about seeing the country by bicycle: “you can see so much more country. You have time to notice wildlife and flowers. On a bicycle, you are your own energy source, it’s up to you against the elements like road conditions and weather.” The group camped along the way, carrying about thirty pounds of equipment on each bicycle. Trail leader Debra Glassman of Belmont, Maine, praised the Bikecentennial organizers: “The roads were fantastic–very little traffic, they were in good condition and the directions were clear.” English professor Jeff Coven recalled his motivation to sign up for the trip: “as you get older, you begin to feel a need to do things that are different from the ordinary daily routine.” Ken Abazia, of Elmwood Park, New Jersey, decided to keep going all the way to Oregon: “I haven’t found Utopia yet,” he said as rode away.

Fifty years later, Route 76 continues to bring cyclists through downtown Radford. Although more than one hundred miles of Route 76 are in the watershed for the New River, from Christiansburg to the eastern slopes of Mount Rogers, the only time cyclists cross the New River is in Radford, now and on the original route fifty years ago.