TANASI
Mountain Bike Festival and Bike Swap
Ocoee Whitewater Center
Cherokee National Forest
Saturday, April 19, 2003
Alternative Spring Festival
Bored with the typical southern Spring Festival? How about all the fun
and challenge of a traditional mountain bike festival but with plenty for the kids and
non-biking or beginner spouse or friend? How about learning basic mountain bike skills.
Interested? Read
on my friend.
Thanks to the attention that the 1996 Olympic whitewater competition
brought the area, the Ocoee River, which carves through a corner of the Cherokee National
Forest, provides exciting rafting and kayaking for thrill seekers from all over the world.
The region has appropriately developed an identity as kind of an alternative sports Mecca.
Sure the National Forest historically has been known for having exceptional hiking,
camping, and fishing. But now the region is establishing itself as an exceptional
mountain bike destination. The folks at the Ocoee Whitewater Center (highway 64)
have been building several miles of trails each year since the Olympics. To celebrate
these efforts, the Fifth Annual Tanasi Mountain Bike Festival will be a day to be
remembered. A whole day full of
events geared around families and individuals that either are just learning
the sport or are already accomplished riders. Along with all the
activities will be a tasty lunch and snacks. "The evolving trail complex encompasses approximately 40 miles of
off–road riding," proudly remarks Frank Lewis, the Director of the Whitewater
Center. "There is plenty of variety too, starting with a paved riverside trail which
winds around the Whitewater facility itself to the "epic rides" that wind up and
over beautiful Chestnut Mountain." Several new sections of trail have been added to
the existing trail system resulting in a challenge worthy of the experts. Proceeds
from the Festival go to support the Tanasi Trail System.
The Cherokee National Forest is home to some of the finest off-road bike
trails to be found...
 The
Tanasi Trail System
is an evolving trail complex
that will eventually encompass over 40 miles of trails. From the paved riverside trails at
the Whitewater Center, a bridge across the Ocoee River is the gateway to an awesome
variety of trails that will cross Chestnut Mountain to link with the Iron Mountain and
Conasauga River trails. Along with the incredible beauty of the Cherokee National Forest,
the Tanasi Trail System has the unique feature of originating from the banks of the
Olympic whitewater course at the Ocoee River. Nearby, along the banks of Parksville Lake
is Chilhowee Mountain with a trail system that will rival Tsali for some of the best
single-track mountain biking in the Southeast. After checking out the several new sections
of trail just completed, one of our local 'expert' riders commented that
he can
ride 20 miles of trail without riding any of it twice. He says the Tanasi trail system is
now his favorite place to ride. There is a new
trail under construction in 2003 on river right near Boyd Gap that will
really be a great addition. It will probably not be complete by the
festival but hopefully we will be able to ride parts of it.
Oh by the way, the word "Tanasi" "ten-ass-see" comes from the
ancient Cherokee Indian term for this region, get it Tanasi…Tennessee. Below
are the basic details.
Bike Swap Meet: Browse, sell, trade
- bicycles, parts, accessories
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The festival will include:
- Guided rides (from easy to challenging) on the Tanasi
Trail System - including several new sections of trail recently
added
- Bring your extra bikes, parts, and
accessories and browse, sell or trade
- MTB Games: Log Pull; Granny Gear Race; Huffy Toss;
Boulder Hop
- Kids Race
- Commemorative T-shirt and Goody Bag
- Prizes and swag
- Lunch and Continental Breakfast
- Some activities for kids
- Mountain Bike Clinics
- Night
rides from Thunder Rock Campground for any wishing to come early
or stay over.
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Additional Information: Daisy Blanton 706/820-1157 or
DaisyBRider@cs.com |
