Biking Roan Mountain, Tennessee

How 'bout a little adventure? I'm in bear country (with no bear spray), and I come this close to a head-on collision with a car on this one-lane road that they call a trail. But my goodness...the rugged, unspoiled, natural beauty of this place is something to behold. It's the Old Railroad Grade Road alongside the Doe River at Roan Mountain, Tennessee. Come along for the ride!
I'm Scott. I explore, review and rate bike trails on this channel...and hopefully find a little joy in the journey. Thanks for watching!
#JoyfulTrails #RoanMountain #biketrails

[@TheBROWLAND]

Thanks. Nice review .

[@joyfultrails]

Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it.

[@davidjackson2056]

The remoteness of the area reminds me of the New River Rail Trail that starts in Galax or Fries (pronounced “freeze”) and goes to Pulaski in Virginia. No vehicles allowed on this 57 mile pea gravel flat trail. There are many trestles to cross with the Ivanhoe trestle the longest (I believe) at almost 700 feet. Most of the time it feels like you are 5 miles past nowhere. Thanks for another great video!

[@joyfultrails]

Thank you. That one is on my list! I’ll get to it one day…

[@NoamPitlick-bg8kw]

4:40 it’s better to have bear spray and not need it, than need bear spray it and not have it.

[@NoamPitlick-bg8kw]

I’ve carried bear spray for over 10 years in my second water bottle cage. Ever heard of loose dogs even on rural trails?

[@two2pedal289]

LUBE THAT CHAIN ALREADY 👍

[@joewoodchuck3824]

I live fairly close to Roan Mountain. Nice place.

[@GuitarNTheCar]

Highways and hedges, masterpiece of a song

[@joyfultrails]

👍 It's by Jake Schlegel and it's on an album titled Strangebirds. 🙂

[@zachariahstillwater]

Thanks for sharing this great place with us

[@joyfultrails]

Glad you enjoyed it! It’s off the beaten path…but a real gem.

[@SCBiker58]

Another awesome video with a great choice of music. 👍

[@joyfultrails]

Thanks!

[@lifestephen]

very creative film production my friend! Love your video! but that continental breakfast is not healthy at all 😆

[@joyfultrails]

😂😂😂 Thanks!

[@ericjohnson8571]

Nice video! I liked the music.

[@joyfultrails]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[@tomdesalvo]

Another great video. You’re becoming a master at the 360 camera!

[@joyfultrails]

Thanks! I really enjoy using it. I’ve already gotten to where it’s now my primary camera. I still use the iPhone for a lot of the ground-level, stationary shots. And I use a GoPro for some of the pass-by shots…but the 360 has become my bread-and-butter when it comes to actual bike footage.

[@southernebiking]

Some of those areas remind me of the West Virginia rail trails. We actually did run across very fresh bear scat. Also had a bobcat jumped right in front of it. So it can’t happen, but they’re normally more worried about you than you are about them. unless they’re hungry, lol. Then they might say, it looks like he had a bagel earlier today. Let’s try it. Lol good job Scott.

[@joyfultrails]

Spoiler alert: Last weekend on a trail near Brevard, NC, I actually ran up on a large black bear. Scared the living daylights out of me. But fortunately I scared the bear as well, as he/she went bounding off in the opposite direction. 😳

[@southernebiking]

@@joyfultrails Yep. Typically they’re going to take off.

[@woolfel]

that looks like a fantastic route to bike

[@joyfultrails]

It really is beautiful, especially on a sunny day.

[@PFAM5]

Air horn came in quite handy. I hate when All Trails tells you something is a trail, but it’s basically a road walk.

[@joyfultrails]

Yeah. A little misleading. But overall, I’m glad I went. It was different!

[@billysbikesbrews7183]

That Narrow Rocky Mountain Passage was very Interesting 🚴‍♂️😎

[@joyfultrails]

That was my favorite part. And there’s actually two of those passageways. One is shorter, and one is longer and more dramatic. It’s one of the more unique places that I’ve been to ride my bike.

[@holstonusa]

@@joyfultrails Would you believe a narrow-gauge train ran through those cuts several times a day from the 1880's to 1950? If you had been able to keep going (trestle is out across the Doe) you would have ended up in a beautiful stretch called the Doe River Gorge. You can still access from the next town to the north, Hampton. It is a Christian children's summer camp these days, but you can get the camp's permission to walk the old rail line back through the gorge for a couple of miles.

[@jessicacolontonio955]

This is a beautiful video! I live off this road. It is definitely bear country. I've wondered why there are so many people (Non-Locals) biking/hiking and now I know it is listed as a trail.

[@joyfultrails]

It’s a beautiful area! Glad I didn’t run into a bear though… 😬

[@corkyfulton]

I love your take on trails, towns, and video quality. Don't understand why you don't have 1000's of subscribers. I know there are a ton of videos on the New River State Park trail in SW Virginia, but you need to do that trail. Don't know how we could hook up, but I have a house in Fancy Gap, Va and would be happy to host you for several days to get all 57 miles of the New River Trail this fall or next spring.

[@joyfultrails]

57 miles...wow! I'm planning to retire from my day job in 4 years and at that time I'll have a lot more flexibility. That trail is on my list! Thanks for watching and for the kind words. I've only been really focusing consistently on building the channel since late January. But I'm having fun and plan to keep it going.

[@user-on8qh6kl1b]

Your drone is so behaved; could you share its model and maker? We’re enjoying ALL your videos. We peddled the GAP and C & O last year using Amtrak for shuttle back. Looking forward to more of your trips, Thanks Ken Pickren

[@joyfultrails]

Thanks! Actually, it's not a drone...it's an Insta360 x3 on a 9 and a half ft. tall "selfie stick" that disappears when the footage is edited. Just google insta360 cameras and you can get more info on them. I look forward to being to do some of the longer, more famous trails once I shed my full-time job. Until then, travel is going to be somewhat limited. Thanks for watching!

[@kevinseversonandhisvizslas8287]

What is the band playing that song out on the highway????? So good! Reminds me of the band Lord Huron.

[@joyfultrails]

It's by Jake Schlegel and it's on an album titled Strangebirds

[@ronshadduck4941]

The cut you road, is part of the old Tweetsee Railroad. It ran from Boone NC, to Johnon City, TN. It stopped running in 1950. And was later turned into a rails to trails. It will actually pick back up in Elizabethton, TN, and you can ride to Johnson City. God has graced us to live in Roan Mtn. Glad you enjoyed it. Hope you had lunch at Highlanders BBQ, or Smokey Mtn Pizza for wood fired pizzia,

[@joyfultrails]

Wow…I did not know that. Thanks for the info. It is a BEAUTIFUL area!

[@krismcmillen9907]

The front phone frame bag where you put the dog horn. What is the name/brand and where did you get it? Love your videos. THX

[@joyfultrails]

It’s made by Blackburn and I think I got it at Walmart for $10 or $15.

[@clemsonweb]

Enjoying your videos! We hiked Grassy on the AT up on Roan a few months ago. If you do any hiking. Check out Linville.

[@joyfultrails]

Cool! Thanks for watching.

[@todaynotnow]

Great video again. What was the name of the song playing at the church scene?

[@joyfultrails]

Thanks! That was "Come Thou Fount (of Every Blessing)" by a group called Salt of the Sound.

[@averywynn8766]

When were you there and how did you find it?

[@joyfultrails]

I was there in August of 2023 (I don't remember the actual date), and I found out about it from the AllTrails phone app & website.

[@averywynn8766]

Thanks

[@carrollleopard1961]

The New River Trail is great. I rode it a couple of years ago.

[@joyfultrails]

That one is on my someday list...

[@pedrofernandez8729]

Very enjoyable video as always, but what a place to run head on onto a car? Don't tell me cars are allowed there. Well, it could have been much worse, a bear instead of a car.

[@joyfultrails]

It's a 2-lane road that's only wide enough for 1 lane! A unique situation, for sure. But a beautiful place to ride. Thanks for watching!

[@pedrofernandez8729]

@@joyfultrails 2 lanes? What if he had come across another car, no way two cars could fit thru there, that is ridiculous. Cars should not be allowed there. Period.

[@joyfultrails]

@@pedrofernandez8729 Yeah. I saw two pickup trucks ease by one another while I was there...but not in that rocky passage. I'm like you...I don't see how 2 cars could get thru that.

[@SOULRELIEF22]

I'm in LOVE with JESUS! "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:3! JESUS IS RETURNING SOON! HALLELUJAH!❤️✝️❤️

[@outbackwack368]

Just found your channel... nice! FYI... you're probably losing 2mph with that ill-maintained drivetrain... do yourself a favor and take it in for an overhaul...

[@joyfultrails]

I don’t even know what you’re talking about. 😂 For me, it’s all about exploring and just enjoying the journey. And, of course, videotaping. I have really enjoyed this bike. It’s taken me to about 60 trails so far. 😬

[@bradshupe7844]

I live by Roan mountain. I have seen a lot of youtube videos, but yours takes the cake. From your cheezie comments, to making absoluty no sense! What is wrong this the name of the old rail bed? No big town, who cares?

[@joyfultrails]

Cheesy comments are my specialty! LOL