Competition stays hot

Tom Meyers follows through as his disc sails off toward its target during a Disc Golf tournament match at the Byrd Park course on Sunday. When it comes to getting outdoors during the winter months, Larry Rohr, Terry Rea and their disc golf compatriots follow the mail carriers' code.

"Neither rain nor snow . . . nor gloom of night" shall keep them from their appointed rounds.

"We play year-round," Rohr said. "If it snows, we'll go out to see how they fly in the snow. Sometimes the snow will melt, then freeze, and there is a hard crust that is good for sliding.

"If the snow is soft, sometimes your Frisbee will disappear underneath a white blanket. If the snow is fresh, you can dig it out. If there are footsteps everywhere, you might have to wait until the snow melts to find your Frisbee."

Rohr, 60, is old school. He more often calls the game he has played for 32 years "Frisbee" golf. The more common reference now is disc golf.

The Richmond area has a number of disc golf courses: Bryan Park on Richmond's Northside, Castle Point Park in the West End, Gillies Creek in the East End at the bottom of Churchill and Dorey Park in the East End of Henrico County.

The object is to fly the disc 300 to 700 feet using the least number of throws possible to put the disc in a basket that is mounted on a pole.

"Ninety percent of the people who play, play on the basket courses," said Terry Rea, an avid disc golfer.

The old-schoolers, such as Rohr and Rea, play the basket courses. But they also like their "object" courses.

The "holes" for that version of disc golf require a competitor to hit an object -- a tree, fire hydrant, a rock -- to finish the hole.

That can lead to some unusual results.

"Once it gets below freezing, especially when it's in the teens, if you hit a tree from only 25-50 feet away, I've seen Frisbees break into three or four chunks," Rea said. "You play your next shot from the larger piece."

That doesn't deter the devoted disc golfer. Neither does the weather.

"We'll definitely play year-round," Rea said. "If you go back a ways, when we were younger and more determined, we'd play in really bad weather, just to prove it could be done.

"We don't do that quite as much now."

Disc golf isn't for everyone. If you're looking for something else to do outdoors in the winter, the options are plentiful. Running

One of the premier events on the running schedule takes place today, the Turkey Trot 10K. If you haven't registered, you're out of luck. The field is closed. But plenty of opportunities to run exist.

If you're looking for something a bit different, the Bear Creek Lake 10-mile trail run takes place on Dec. 7. The field is limited to 150 and there is no race-day registration.

The Resolution Run 5K takes place on Dec. 31 at West Creek Parkway, and the Frostbite 15K is on Jan. 25.

Races are scheduled every month, and don't forget that registration for the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K opens Dec. 26 for the race on March 28. Hunting

The late archery deer season begins Dec. 1 and continues through Jan. 3, but there are restrictions on where you can hunt. The urban archery season re-opens Jan. 5 and continues through March 8. The late muzzleloader season begins Dec. 13 and ends Jan. 3. Fishing

Winter can be the best part of the Atlantic striped bass (rockfish) season.

The record catch for a striped bass came last February when a 73-pounder was reeled in near Virginia Beach. Skiing

Central Virginia, with its mostly flat and occasional rolling landscape and infrequent snow storms, is not a haven for skiers. Cross-county skiers can occasionally find some action when snow falls locally.

Some want a bit more action on the slopes.

Wintergreen and Massanutten are about two hours away. Snowshoe and Canaan Valley in West Virginia, are about four hours away.

All the slopes use a man-made base. The West Virginia slopes tend to have more of the real stuff.

Lift tickets can be purchased in advance at local ski shops. Cycling

The roads are open 24/7/365 for the intrepid cyclists.

If the solitary ride is not your speed, the Richmond Area Bicycling Association has daily, weekly and monthly rides for cyclists of all levels. The Saturday morning breakfast ride to Ashland, leaving from Laurel Park Shopping Center, is one of the club's most popular outings. There is a dinner version as well. Mid-week rides for retirees, rides through Powhatan and western Hanover and eastern Louisa are on the RABA schedule.

Dress warmly and bring lights and extra batteries for the night rides. Hiking

The North Bank and Buttermilk trails in the James River Park system don't close, nor does Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield. Dress warmly and, even in the winter months, carry plenty of water. Mountain Biking

Competitive races take a break, but the local trails are open.

Poor Farm Park, in Hanover County outside of Ashland, has tracks for all levels, as do the trails in Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield and Powhite Park in south Richmond. The North Bank and Buttermilk trails in the James River Park System are challenging.
Contact Paul Woody at (804) 649-6444 or .