Roanoke in Virginia's Blue Ridge has an incredible local biking culture, which is highlighted in a story that was recently published online by Freehub Magazine.

The story, titled "Magic City: Roanoke, the East's Mighty Mountain Paradise" details much of the hard work that has been done by locals who are passionate about bicycling and the support provided by local organizations that have helped put the region on the map as a destination for biking, which continues to grow as Virginia's Blue Ridge becomes known as America's East Coast Mountain Biking Capital.

The article includes background information on the work done to make Carvins Cove a trail system full of awesome routes. The Cove was recently highlighted as one of the best spots for mountain biking in the Southeast.

There is also history behind how Roanoke transformed from a city known for railroad and manufacturing to a community build around a thriving outdoor scene.

The following is an excerpt from the article:

The list of riding areas in Roanoke, including an extensive greenway system connecting neighborhoods to parks to downtown, was becoming impressive. Suddenly Roanoke was an attractive place to live, a phenomenon reflected in the growing mountain bike scene. “We’ve seen a sea change in our community,” Best says. “We even had to build a second parking lot at Carvins.”

Be sure to check out the full article on the Freehub Magazine website, which also features some incredible photos of mountain biking in the region captured by local photographer Sam Dean, who also filmed and produced the following video.