TRAIL DIRT

By Michael Walsh

October 2001

When the weather turns cooler and the days grow shorter, what are we to do?

Have a mountain bike festival!

What else??  Camping and riding with friends.  Life is good.  So lets all get out and enjoy it.

On October 19 – 21, the Chattanooga Bicycle Club will be hosting the Ocoee / Tanasi Mountain Bike Festival at Chilhowee campground in the Cherokee National Forest.  Registration begins at 3pm on Friday and then there will be some night rides.  Saturday will be packed with a lot of events for kids of all ages.  Just after registration begins, during our continental breakfast, an epic ride will start and consume most of the day for the hardcore riders.  Several intermediate and beginner rides will also start in the morning.  After lunch, the games will begin, starting with a Kids Race.  The little ones get to show their stuff.  It’ll be fun to watch the little ones play.  Then the other “Kids” can have their fun with the Log Pull, Granny Gear Race, Boulder Hop, Huffy Toss, and the soon to be famous, “Drag Race”.  Bring your best dress!!  This is sure to be a fun event.  Team Peggy will host the “Drag Race” as well as some “Mountain Bike Clinics”.  These clinics can help any one learn more skills for the trail.  In the Group Camp area, booths related to biking and the outdoors will be set up –    maybe some for minor repairs.  Once we all have thrilled ourselves silly, it’ll be time for dinner and then the prizes for the winners of the events.  Finally, the night rides begin.  Who knows what Halloween fun lurks in the woods or around the bonfire?  Are there any spooky storytellers?  If we can get any sleep after the bonfire stories, we still have Sunday for more rides.  A pancake cook off will start early and then some rides.  One of which will be the Poker Run.  No need to bring the poker face, just some luck.  The weather should be cool, yet comfortable.  Be prepared! 

 Elsewhere in the mountain biking of East Tennessee, we have a new trail system being developed in Cleveland.  It’ll be on 16 acres of county land adjacent to the BMX track.   Its in the planning stages and hopefully will be completed soon.  Volunteers are needed with the construction.  Contact Doug Coulter or Dylan Mantooth.  This could help get more trails in the area by being a model for both Bradley County and Cleveland.  But we need to show our support by getting involved.

Another thing going on is the I.M.B.A. Summit at Roan State Park on October 6 – 7.  I’ll be there to represent the Chattanooga Bicycle Club and get to know other clubs in Tennessee.   More biking and camping!  I need a job like this.  It’s fun to volunteer. 

 More trail maintenance is scheduled for October 14th at Chilhowee.  Come on out.  We will be taking care of any last minute details to prepare for the Ocoee / Tanasi Mountain Bike Festival.  We need your help.  Proceeds from the Festival will go to the Trail Care Fund for the Cherokee National Forest.  The Forest is used extensively and we need to help.  Also, remember any time that you help with the trail work, your hours spent are counted towards a free parking pass for the National Forest.  In just 20 short hours (THREE DAYS) of trail work you could get a free parking pass for a year.  Sure the $2 spent each time you visit the Forest is not much, but some times it’s hard to have the exact amount right before a ride.  That’s almost like planning.  Eww!  

Keep in mind though, the $2 spent for parking or even the $15 for camping stays in the Cherokee National Forest.  Well 95% does.  It’s the National Recreation Fee Demonstration Program approved by Congress in 1996.  What this means is that 95% of any fees collected in the National Forest, stay in the area they were collected in.  So the parking money is used for the Cherokee National Forest, not some park in another part of the country.  The more money spent in the CNF, the better the recreation will be in the CNF.  Chilhowee has just renovated the “A” & “B” campground loops.  This was from money collected at Chilhowee.  So remember to pay your two dollars!  If paying $2 is difficult then please come and help with the trails and earn a free parking pass!  It’s a win – win situation.

 Michael Walsh

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