Bull and Cow Talk About Tandem Bike Rides

Season Finale Taco Trek Podcast

I check in with bike riders Mike, Christine and Arlene to discuss the Taco Trek in Johnson City, Tennessee. We also take a minute to talk about the building of biking tourism in the region.

Listen to the podcast and follow along with the photographs below.

Riders socialize while waiting to launch the seasons final Taco Trek hosted by Trek Bicycle Store Johnson City. The ride is a once a month event through historical parts of Johnson City and along the Tweetsie Trail Spur. It ends in the Trek Bicycle Store parking lot then 21+ year old riders are treated to a pint at Holy Taco. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

Bike Rider Mario helps Bike Rider Luigi fix a costume malfunction while Brian Urlacher, a.k.a. Chad Wolfe, prepares the 100+ group for a ride through Johnson City, Tennessee. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

Riders of the monthly Taco Trek receive a safety instructions from Chad Wolfe of the Trek Bicycle Store Johnson City before embarking on a Halloween Ride through the city. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

Many different style of bikes were represented at the seasons final Taco Trek. Here is an Electric Townie for ease of travel without having to pedal too hard. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

Tandem Bike Riders Mike and Christine are dressed to impress on the Halloween Taco Trek hosted by Trek Bicycle Store Johnson City. Christines mom is following behind and has been brought back to bicycling after many years by retirement. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

Another costumed pair on a tandem bike. This one is a little different. Johnson City, Tennessee, provides the perfect backdrop for the monthly Taco Trek. Unfornately this was the last one of the season. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

Participants of Trek Store Johnson City’s monthly Taco Trek corral at local eatery, and watering hole, Holy Taco for a pint after the ride. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

 

Head Coach Noah Naseri Shares his Perspective on the State of Mountain Biking in Northeast Tennessee

NETCT Coach sits down and talks about the challenges of starting the regions first High School Mountain Biking Team in Northeast Tennessee. He and I had this discussion the day after Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, an event hosted by the local SORBA/IMBA chapter. Naseri is an ambassador for the sport and wonderful to talk to about mountain biking.

https://www.podomatic.com/embed/html5/podcast/5464695?style=normal&autoplay=false

Northeast Tennessee Cycling Team Head Coach Noah Naseri was on the grounds at Winged Deer Park for Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day. Naseri just returned from a cross-country bicycling trip to raise money for his team. Photo by W. Kenneth Medley II

Opening Day of Deer Season!

I recently sat down with Eagle Scout and avid Deer Hunter Adam Wyatt to discuss the conditions on Opening Day of Deer Season. In East Tennessee, and most states, the first few weeks of hunting are reserved for Bow Hunters. Wyatt has been hunting approximately 6 years and mostly in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/americandreamoverlandx

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day: hosted by SORBA Tri-Cities.

The Southern Off-Road Bicycling Association hosted Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, Saturday at the Mountain Bike Park at Winged Deer.

“It has been great,” said SORBA Chapter President Jerry Greer. “ We’ve had about 60 to 70 kids come out and ride.”

Bikes and bike racks adorned nearly every car in the parking lot at the Mountain Bike Park at Winged Deer Saturday for Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

The event took place in the parking lot of the Winged Deer Park Disc Golf course, which is shared with the Mountain Bike Trailheads. There was a small ramp course set up in the grass for kids to try out before heading to the approximate 1-mile single-track trail.

“The trail we have here is about ½ mile to 1 mile long,” said SORBA club member Marc Upton. “When we get done building there will be about 5 miles of trail here.”

Local vendors were on hand with some demo bikes. The Bike Shop of Johnson City made a large presence with their Specialized brand bikes. There was even free pizza, drinks and popsicles provided during lunch by the SORBA chapter for everybody.

Science Hill High School Mountain Bike Team Head Coach was on hand, as well as Noah Naseri. The coaches want to help bring more mountain biking to the region and see it as a way to help the community and local economy.

Northeast Tennessee Cycling Team Head Coach Noah Naseri was on the grounds at Winged Deer Park for Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day. Naseri just returned from a cross-country bicycling trip to raise money for his team. Photo by W. Kenneth Medley II

Naseri just recently returned from a trip where he biked across the country to raise money for the Northeast Tennessee Cycling Team. This is a new mountain bike team, of which he is the head coach, that is a hybrid styled team from multiple schools.

The goal of Saturday’s event was to get kids and their parents outside riding together. SORBA club members were available to take some kids on the trail if their parents didn’t have a bike too.

John Snyder was one such club member. He took 6-year-old Urijah Kim on his very first single-track ride.

Urijah Kim enjoys his bike at the SORBA Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day event. Six-year-old Kim rode his first single-track trail at the event. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley II

“He really surprised me,” Snyder said about Kim. “Some things that I thought he would take it easy on he rolled right through. He took a couple falls and scraped his elbow. But he hopped right back on his bike and kept going.”

Many parents and kids hit the single-track trail together to see the progress the club is making. As well as, to see what new mountain biking trails and opportunities that are becoming available in the Johnson City area.

The trail system that the club is working on is part of a mountain bike trail expansion that was approved by the city 2 years ago. The expansion includes $15 million to renovate existing facilities and build new ones at Winged Deer Park.

The mountain bike trails are being built by the local SORBA/IMBA chapter and will be maintained by them in the future. The members currently maintain trails all throughout Northeast Tennessee and host different events throughout the region.

SORBA Tri-Cities hosting Take a Kid Moutain Biking Day at Winged Deer Park in Johnson City, Tennessee. Photograph by W. Kenneth Medley

The SORBA volunteers were back out at Winged Deer Park on Sunday building new trails. The club was hosting a volunteer workday where the saying is, “build, ride, repeat.”

The SORBA Club also hosts a monthly ride where participants ride from Atlantic Ale House in downtown Johnson City, to the ETSU Trail System, and back. It is an opportunity for club members to gather and share camaraderie.

As for the Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, 6-year-old Urijah Kim said, “Good!” The trails at Winged Deer Park, “Good!”