You are here

Home › News archive

All

UPSTATE SORBA Hosts Oyster Roast

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 6:02pm — Robin Allen

On November 20th, the Upstate Chapter (SC) held an oyster roast to raise
funds for on-going chapter Image initiatives.  Almost 100 participants attended–
eating oysters and chili, and listening to a local bluegrass band, Grass
Backwards.  Kegs of beer were generously donated by RJ Rockers,
Spartanburg SC.  The roast was held in The Bonfire Field”\ behind Sunrift
Adventures – one of UPSTATE SORBA’s most active supporters.

Thomson Goes SociaL...Media, That Is

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 5:48pm — Robin Allen

Image

There's a new fan page in town and it belongs to the local stem and
seatpost gurus at L.H. Thomson Company down in Macon, GA. Long known for our
quality components and the factory tour and bike festival which took place for
years on founder Ronnie Thomson's birthday, we were not so well known for our
web and digital presence.

Greenville Alley Cat Is Back!

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 5:25pm — Robin Allen

By Jeff Papenfus (jeff@go-greenevents.com)

It didn’t start out as a traditional SORBA event, but with
the support of Upstate SORBA and local cyclists of all types, the first
Greenville Alley Cat race went very well—so well that we’re bringing back the
series in January 2011. Alley Cat races started when big city bike messengers
organized impromptu races to test their bike handling and street navigation
skills. Alley Cats are traditionally raced on fixed-gear, single-speed bikes,
and Andy Davis of Greenville won our inaugural Alley Cat in September 2010 on
just such a bike. However, Greenville’s Alley Cat series is meant as a way to
enjoy cycling with friends around our beautiful city on pleasant evenings. All
levels of cyclists on any type of bicycles are encouraged to join the ride.

By the Light of the Tennessee Moon...Well, Sort of

Fri, 12/03/2010 - 9:11am — Robin Allen

by Colin Davidson

ImageBy 6:00 p.m. on November 9th, a large group of riders had
assembled for New Moon Fandango at the Lock 4 Mountain Bike Trail in Gallatin,
Tennessee, just outside Nashville. At 6:30pm, an LED-lit snake of over 50
mountain bikers started winding through nine miles of wooded singletrack by Old
Hickory Lake, gliding at any and all paces. There was no competition, no time
to beat, no smack to talk… just a fun ride--an everyone-invited ride, a no-drop
ride. I’m not sure which was brighter, the rider’s lights or the smiles on
their faces, but I am certain that you couldn’t have asked for better weather,
better trail conditions or a better group of people to ride with that night.

Appalachian Mountain Bike Club has much to Celebrate

Thu, 11/11/2010 - 9:02pm — Robin Allen

After weeks of preparation and days of rain, on November 6th
the Knoxville IMBA-SORBA chapter put on an event that will not soon be
forgotten. The day began at the newly built Ross Marble Quarry Trail System.  Ijams Nature Center held a ribbon
cutting ceremony where President Brian Hann and, Past President Randy Conner
were recognized for their efforts in coordinating the completion of Phase 1 of
the Ross Marble Quarry Trail System. 
Phase 1 consists of 3.5 miles of machine and hand-built trail constructed
by AMBC. Notables in attendance for the Ribbon Cutting were, County Mayor Tim
Burchett, Former Mayor and park contributor Victor Ashe, City Councilman Nick
Pavlis, Legacy Parks Foundation Executive Director Carol Evans and, many other
city council men and women that helped make the park a reality.  After the Ribbon Cutting, the party
moved south to another node on the ever-expanding Dirty South Trail Network for
the AMBC Fall Festival.

Flagler Area Biking Joins IMBA-SORBA

Thu, 11/11/2010 - 8:58pm — Robin Allen

Like many IMBA-SORBA chapters, Flagler Area Biking came into
being over concern for losing a local trail, The Swamp. Flagler Area Biking organized
a meeting with the group who had been maintaining the trail and representatives
from Flagler County and St. Johns River Water Management.  During the meeting the land owners
provided a more definitive outline for the permissive use and maintenance of
the trail.  As a result of the
meeting, Flagler Area Biking’s concern that the trail would be closed had been,
at least temporarily, resolved.  But,
our work had just begun…

IMBA Trail Care Crew to visit Anniston, Nov 11-14

Fri, 11/05/2010 - 2:07pm — Robin Allen

Subaru/IMBA Trail Care CrewThe Trail Care Crew is IMBA's grassroots educational program and an authority on sustainable trail building practices. Since 1997 The Trail Care Crew program has inspired great volunteer trail work across the U.S. and abroad - a big help to government agencies and land managers who have limited funding for trail construction and upkeep. As a direct result, there are now thousands of new and improved trails in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and several European countries.

Each crew visit is anchored around IMBA's highly-respected, one-day Trail Building School, during which the crews teach sustainable trail construction and maintenance practices via a classroom session and hands-on trail work.

Any local citizen, including state or Federal land managers with an interest in sustainable trail design and construction and/or an interest in the Coldwater Mountain mountain bike trail and other local trail projects should plan to attend this FREE seminar. The training is conducted by professionals from IMBA and hosted by NEABA-SORBA.

Success with First Georgia Bike Summit

Thu, 10/14/2010 - 11:58am — Robin Allen


by Robin
Allen

IMBA-SORBA
staff Tom Sauret, Robin Allen and Walt Bready are proud to have been part of
the first-ever Georgia Bike Summit,
held at the Georgia Coastal Center in Savannah, GA October 8-10. The Summit,
hosted by the Georgia Bikes Alliance, brought together over 90 advocates,
business leaders, on-road and off-road recreational cyclists and commuters,
elected officials and staff from across Georgia in a state-wide forum, setting
the stage for bicycling gains. Attendees networked, collaborated, learned, and
became empowered through the Summit, identifying common issues in their local
communities, and setting priorities for Georgia Bikes in 2011. Andy Clarke,
President of the League of American Bicyclists, gave the keynote address, and
Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation, participated via a video message.

Off-Road Riding Debuts in Coastal South Carolina

Mon, 10/11/2010 - 12:56pm — Robin Allen

Normally, you would not put mountain biking or trail riding in the same sentence as Myrtle Beach or Conway, South Carolina, because no trails existed to ride on. But, we're happy to report, you can
now put them together. The Waccamaw Trail Blazers have teamed up with the Waccamaw National
Wildlife Refuge, and they are building sustainable trails, even as you read this.

Introducing BUMP and NEABC—Our Newest IMBA-SORBA Chapters!

Thu, 09/09/2010 - 10:43am — Robin Allen

Please welcome two Alabama bike clubs, Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers (BUMP) and the Northeast Alabama Bicycle Club (NEABC) as the newest IMBA-SORBA chapters. BUMP, formed in 1991 and currently led by President Mitch Moses, serves over 100 members in the Birmingham metropolitan area. These enthusiastic riders oversee and enjoy over 30 miles of singletrack, including Oak Mountain State Park's trails in Pelham, home of the annual BUMP n' Grind Race. They're busily working to add more trail at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park in McCalla AL, as well as develop new trails at Red Mountain Park.

NEABC formed in 1988, and currently serves 126 cyclists in Calhoun, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega, Etowah, & Cherokee Counties. Curtis Cupp is the current President, and steers the club as they steward over 35 miles of trail, from the Cheaha Mountain Express trails to the Choccolocco State Forest trails. The Chapter hosts several annual events, on and off road, such as the Cheaha Challenge, Sunny King Criterium, Noble Street Festival, and the Cheaha Mountain Expresss. Their next big project is to turn Coldwater Mountain, which borders Anniston and Oxford, AL, into a mountain biking destination. This 4,000-acre tract of land, full of mature hardwoods and challenging mountain terrain, will boast over 80 miles of singletrack when all construction phases are complete.

Pages