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TRAIL DIRTBy Michael WalshApril 2002Greetings my
fellow cyclists As this
winter winds down, I look forward to another fun filled spring in the Tennessee Valley. I’ve been doing what I can to stay in shape
and be ready for the Spring Festival. The
pieces of the puzzle are coming together. The
Chattanooga Bicycle Club is gearing up for yet another exciting event. The fun will be from the 12th to the 14th of April at
the famous White Water Center in the Cherokee National Forest. Seven miles of trails have been added and
they are a blast! The festival will
occur the same weekend as the Tanasi Challenge. It’s
a race on the 14th of April. Racers will be
able to ride the course on Saturday during the festival then camp at Thunder Rock and be
well refreshed for the race on Sunday. This
should help racers by not having the stress of driving and finding a place to park the day
of the race. Plus the added bonus of a fun
filled Saturday afternoon. Not only will there
be organized rides on Friday and Saturday, but also there will be the ever-popular bike
games. Kids will have a chance to race a small
course near the WWC. In addition to that we
will have the technical and challenging Boulder Hop and Log Pull. And if we’re not careful the infamous “Drag”
race may occur again. It’s not for the
timid. Beware.
So come one, come all to the Tanasi Challenge Festival and Race. THIS JUST IN !!
NEW TRAILS AT THE WHITE WATER CENTER.
Six more
miles are in the planning stages and should be in by the end of the year. The new trails will be near Boyd’s Gap and can
be accessed from the Old Copper Road. We will
be able to park at the WWC and ride the OCR to the new trails, then loop back to the WWC,
cross the river, and tackle the original trails. Eventually,
the entire trail system would be suitable enough for some major race events. Along with the new trails, Thunder Rock Campground
will have showers. Woo Hoo! A good hosing off after a day of riding is usually
a good thing. There is a trail proposed
between the campground and the WWC, however, a large rock has put that work to a stop. Instead of blasting out the rock and causing
problems with the river rafting, a boardwalk is proposed around the rock. This will be a beautiful addition to the center. If done right, there should be some good views of
the river. Another project in the works is the
relocating of the guardrail along Hwy 64. The
plan is to move the guardrail and provide a safe trail along the highway from the
campground to the White Water Center. Also, a
new store will be opening in the WWC and will stock spare bike parts. This will be a huge convenience. By the end of the year you should see some major
improvements at one of area’s best recreational facilities. Another
improvement in the area is in Chattanooga itself. The
plan for improving transportation in the city includes items for cyclists. New bike lanes, striping of the streets, bike
paths, and some new mountain bike trails are all in the works. Even though I do not work downtown or live there, I
still come down to join the group rides. Last
year my wife got me a road bike to further my hobby interest. I’m enjoying it.
But I have a few perplexing questions. Do
I draft behind the fat guy at 6 MPH or draft the skinny guy who has gas at 18 MPH? Some have told me to get out front. Easier said than done for me. Drafting is not a technique I am used to. It’s usually a bad thing to do while mountain
biking. Maybe I’ll figure it out. Something
else I’d like to figure out is how to open a Bicycle Museum in Chattanooga. The Club has so much talent and knowledge. I know a few who have some antique and collectible
bikes. There could be information on history
and the future of cycling. If located
properly, it could be a meeting point for group rides and other events. It’s just, how do I do it? A museum would be another unique addition to the
great city of Chattanooga. Well, until
next time. I’ll see
you on the trail Mike
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