Tweetsie Trail outpost taking shape as Local Motion opens for business

This story was originally published in the Johnson City News and Neighbor Dec. 19, 2018.

At long last, those who frequent the Tweetsie Trail have an outpost to serve their needs at the beginning or the end of their respective journeys.

Local Motion Cyclery, a bike shop with a bit of European Trail Café ambiance, has opened its doors at 701 East Maple Street, just steps away from the Johnson City entrance to the 10-mile Tweetsie Trail. The outpost is an example of public-private cooperation as much-needed public restrooms are being added to a bike shop that aims to serve the needs of anyone who uses the trail.

The Local Motion shop has opened for business just steps away from the Johnson City entrance to the Tweetsie Trail. The building at the corner of East Maple and Alabama is a public-private endeavor aimed at providing much-needed amenities for those who use the Tweetsie Trail. PHOTO BY W. KENNETH MEDLEY IItion

The ceiling inside Local Motion Cyclery is painted to resemble white clouds and blue sky, albeit a little abstract. There are bikes, but also drinks, snacks, apparel, a patio and destination souvenirs. Being located directly next to the Tweetsie Trail provides a unique opportunity for founder, owner and operator Bryan Winston.

“I think we are more than just a bike shop,” said Winston. “We can help all the genres of people that utilize the Tweetsie Trail in specific; that is runners, walkers, hikers and cyclists. We have a patio out front, we have drinks, edibles, wear-ables and we offer all things cycling, whether that be maintenance, service, rental or sales.”

In the small show room, one will discover Fuji bicycles of all types surrounding an island stacked with shirts themed around the Tweetsie Trail and biking. Lining the checkout counter and end capping the island is an assortment of energy gels, bars and hydration additives. The shop also includes a maintenance area and a coffee/slushy station.

There were many obstacles to getting the doors open at Local Motion, starting with a caved-in roof. According to Winston, the structure was built in 1920, and a failed remodeling job led to the dilapidated state.

“It was like a swimming pool, and water was accumulating,” Winston said. “It was just going to collapse at whatever point in time. We removed the roof, but we couldn’t be on or inside the building. So we had to hang through and above to dismantle it piece-by-piece.”

The plan for the shop hatched after Winston bought the building in April 2017. It took him about five months to get the building rezoned and secure a building permit to begin reconstruction. After that, Winston postponed the work until spring, but received a boost when city commissioners agreed to reimburse him up to $35,000 for construction and cover the shop’s utility costs.

“We started putting it back together, pumped the walls full of concrete,” Winston said. “Did what we wanted to do with new doors, new garage doors. Then we elevated it up and went pretty much with the architectural plan.”

The original concept art for the outpost at the head of the Tweetsie Trail reflects a vision that was realized when Local Motion was completed.

Now, the building is an aesthetically pleasing mix of tin and wood, giving it the ambiance of a 1920-era speakeasy or modern European Trail Café. One almost expects to hear a “Hallo” or “Buongiorno” from behind the counter upon entering. Instead, visitors are greeted with Winston’s smile and slow Southern drawl.

 

“My goal for the shop is to be a destination point,” said Winston. “I think the Tweetsie Trail is a logical destination point for the local community, as well as visitors coming to the John-son City area. Our goal is to be that destination point. We want to be the ones that can fulfill (needs for) all things cycling.”

Winston went on to say that the decision to open a bicycle shop was made due to need, location and opportunity. His initial plan was to provide drinks, snacks and bicycle rentals aimed at the Tweetsie Trail. The decision to expand to a full cyclery came later.

Plans for the future include bicycle maintenance classes, no-drop group rides and working with The Goose Chase, a non-profit running organization. One of Winston’s part-time employees, who he referred to as a coach, is planning mountain bike “How-to” classes. All he needs is support from the community.

“I would love to have the community to support local,” said Winston. “In turn, I will continue to support the community. If I can provide the tools for the people in Johnson City, in our community, to be a healthier, more fit, diverse community, I am willing to step on the edge, and offer an abundance of guidance.”

What’s in the Pot?

Coffee… every one knows what it is, that piping hot beverage that evokes a happy dance of the soul. For some coffee is a morning ritual or a decadent treat after dinner, for others a quiet refuge to gather thoughts. The smell is distinct, bold and connotative, and the taste is not for everyone. Still, the hot beverage has become staple in many cultures, including here in the U.S.

Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

Welcome to the first edition of, What’s in The Pot, one’s only destination for all things coffee.

This week we are drinking Private Selection Breakfast Blend Dark Roast. Although, this sounds like a top shelf coffee it does not taste like one. The Private Selection brand is tricky marketing by the mega-retailer Kroger Co., or commonly known as Kroger. According to a list distributed by Forbes Magazine, Kroger is the third-largest retailer in the world and the #17 largest corporation in the U.S. by revenue.

Kroger carries at least three different store brands on their shelves in East Tennessee. The coffee selection includes three Kroger brands: Spotlight, Kroger and Private Selection. The three are supposed tiers of the same products and have varying associated costs. According to the packaging, all three are distributed out of Cincinnati, Ohio, but have little other similarities.

The Breakfast Blend in the pot this week, list 100 percent Arabica Coffee Beans as the ingredients. The Kroger labeled breakfast blend is milder and does not sport the same claim. Check in next week for what the Spotlight label list as the ingredients.

First impressions of the ground coffee are very bold and in-your-face. The smell of the coffee consumes the senses. Opening the bag fills the air with a memory-inducing aroma that thrust one into thought. It is a coffee that reminds you that you are drinking coffee.

The color before brewing is dark, but not as black as expected. It is a black/brown darker than black walnut. The particular color of these ground beans is typical of dark roasted Arabica coffee. A pleasant surprise is that the grounds were not dry but they did dry-out quickly. This is important because proper packaging and storage reduces diminished flavor when brewing.

Brewing fills ones home with the scent of the bold drink. The bag in review here was ground before purchase. It is more convenient but does diminish the flavor. One also loses the control of the grind. This blend has a fine grind like an espresso.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The grind affects the flavor of the coffee greatly. An espresso will always have a fine grind, and bold flavor. The more course the grind the lighter color and flavor after brewing.

This particular brew has a strong flavor as advertised with a bit burnt nut on the back of the palate. There does not seem to be a bitterness that can come with other bold coffees. There is a little acidity but not as much as a bottom shelf or stale coffee. With some dark roast one can become bloated and gassy. This blend does not have that issue unless one over indulges.

The stale-coffee after taste does come with this particular brew. One must minutely over-indulge to get the taste, but it is powerful. Be warned that too much of this coffee will repel others. Carry a mint, gum or toothpaste and brush while traveling away from home after drinking.

Overall, this is a good coffee and decent for the price. One should not pay more than necessary for this particular brand. Luckily this coffee is on sale a lot, but only available at Kroger. The caffeine content is typical of a dark roast. If one is looking for the higher levels of caffeine go with a medium or light roast breakfast blend.

Next week’s topics will be history of coffee and how the drink has spread across the globe. There will be a new brand and blend to review so check it out.

Work Continues at Winged Deer Mountain Bike Park

This story was originally published in the Johnson City News and Neighbor November 28, 2018.

Winged Deer Mountain Bike Park saw more than 20 volunteers join Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association Tri-Cities (SORBA Tri-Cities) members to clear a section of trail and place rocks for a new advance skill-level trail.

Members of SORBA Tri-Cities and volunteers enjoy pizza, refreshments and camaraderie after a long day of breaking rocks and building trail at Winged Deer Park. The new stretch of mountain biking trail will be between 1 and 1.5 miles complete with rock features.

SORBA Tri-Cities Trail Boss Greg Carr said, “I think the trail that we are currently building is a little bit out of the norm for us. We didn’t really know that we were going to have such enormous technical trail features.”

The new trail will be approximately 1 to 1.5 miles long and have natural rock features. The main focus of last Sunday’s volunteers was to build this section of new trail. Completion is not expected until the spring of 2019. This new trail and a beginner loop being built in January will nearly double the available mileage at Winged Deer Mountain Bike Park.

“We’re going to have, probably, some of the biggest drops that we have ever built at 4 and 5 feet,” Carr said. “It surprised us and we are really excited about the opportunity to build something like this.”

Carr explained that the rock features presented themselves as they cleared the downfall. This was during a previous outing to mark new trails.

“Normally, technical trail features like this have to be built with rock that you have to bring in,” explained Carr. “This was probably one of the largest natural rock gardens that we have ever uncovered.”

Volunteers use a rock bar to dislodge a large boulder that will be included in the new rock garden.

Morale was high amongst the volunteers. Sledgehammers landing upon solid rock echoed like shotgun blasts, as big rock was broken into little rocks. Volunteers used a “rock bar” – imagine a 6 foot tall, 2.5 inch thick nail – to break apart large boulders along fracture lines. Chainsaws screamed as more downfall was cleared to expose the rock and trail underneath.

Carr said, “It will be a trail that will take time to master. It is not going to be something that most riders will be able to ride all the way through the very first time they ride it, myself included.”

Volunteers used a variety of tools to clear leaves, roots and trees to expose a trail that may seem foreign to the untrained eye. Blisters, pizza, refreshments and the prospect of “sending it,” are the reward for the diggers. Carr hopes the volunteers gain “a sense of pride in the local trails, because they are putting their own time and effort into build-ing them.”

SORBA Tri-Cities will host its next volunteer workday on Dec. 2. This will be the last workday of the year. The club plans to go “full-throttle” in 2019 to complete this trail and a new beginner loop. Check the groups Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/SORBATriCities/ – for more details.

Five Reasons to Visit Johnson City

Johnson City, Tennessee, is a diverse little city that is growing fast. The city was once a transportation hub, where coal, timber and goods from the east would cascade off the western slope of the Appalachian Mountains to develop an expanding frontier.

Long gone are the frontier days. Gone are the boom days of coal. Gone are a lot of the factories, and gone is the need for rail travel. Finally, gone is most of the agriculture that once dominated the region. The little city has struggled to redefine itself.

The never-say-die spirit of the Appalachian American is kicking in though. They are picking themselves up and finding new ways to make a living. This time in one sustainable for future generations.

Outdoor-Assets are to play a major role in the future of the region. Mountain Bike parks are popping up where local organizations have struggle with land-use for two decades. More emphasis is being placed on long standing assets like the Appalachian Trail, in near by counties.

One trail head at Winged Deer Mountain Bike Park.

Every visit to Johnson City provides another opportunity to learn or try something new. There is always a festival for music, food, cultural diversity or outdoor recreation happening. Besides all of the reasons one has already, what follows is a list of five reasons to visit the city, with your bike.

1. Accommodations: One can choose from a variety of accommodations in the Johnson City area. Whether you want a 5 Star hotel complete with room service, or a private country cabin; the region will oblige your needs. There are a variety of offerings ranging in price to accommodate most people’s budget. Easily search online for any offerings if looking to book a trip.If one is traveling with a bike do not worry. There are a variety of bike shops in Johnson City to take care of your best friend if repairs or a tune is needed. One can find a shop that is brand specific to their bike but most of the shops can work on any bike. The city is very bike friendly and has multiple repair points in the parks downtown too.
2. Biking: Tannery Knobs Bike Park will be opening soon. This park is located within an easy 2 miles of downtown Johnson City. TK features beginner to advanced skill-level mountain bike trails, built by IMBA Trail Solutions. Also, being built at this time is a paved pump track by Velosolutions out of Knoxville, Tennessee.Winged Deer Mountain Bike Park is within city limits and features miles of single-track. The local Southern Off-Road Bicycling Association is in the process of expanding the trail system for 2019. This trail system is mostly hand built by volunteers, residents and from donations.SORBA Tri-Cities will be adding an advanced skill-level trail to Winged Deer. The trail will feature natural rock gardens with 4 to 5 feet drops. This line was discovered, when club members began to clear undergrowth looking for opportunities to dig new trail.

   

   Members of SORBA Tri-Cities gather for Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day at the Mountain Bike Park at Winged Deer. Photo by Kenneth Medley

   The cities convenient location also makes it possible to drive to Pisgah National Forest for a day trip. There is also Paint Creek and a few other popular mountain bike destinations available for day trips. That is why it is best to plan an extended stay, around a week, to the region.

   There are also great road biking opportunities, if one is more into that. There are a myriad of routes to choose from with loops of 50 to 100 miles or more. Local clubs and businesses have nightly rides Monday through Saturday during peak season for road and mountain bikes.

 

3. Beer: Okay, if you do not drink then this may not be a reason. Let me entice you though. Beer has been a part of American Culture since the countries founding. Some of the founding fathers were even rumored to be brewers themselves.Johnson City has found success in the popularity of craft breweries. The city features five craft breweries and six tap rooms within a one-mile radius of downtown. At any time of the day one can catch a whiff of malt in the air and this floods the mind with images of 18^th Century America for the history buff.

 

4. History: Johnson City has a storied history. One such story is how the city received its nickname, “Little Chicago,” from notorious American gangster Al Capone. Although not spoken about by the locals, the Bible Belt-town had quite the reputation during prohibition.Also, nearby is Jonesborough, Tennessee, the state’s oldest town. This historical town is home to the International Storytelling Center, the first abolitionist newspaper in the south, and a preserved Main Street where the likes of Daniel Boone, President Andrew Jackson, David Crockett and John Sevier, once went for an evening stroll.

   One can experience this living history in Johnson City and much more. The trails nearby provide more history. The Overmountain Shelter is a rejuvenated shelter on the Appalachian Trail once used by the Overmountain Men during the Revolutionary War. You can hike up, stay overnight here and imagine what it would have been like; to be a part of a militia about to battle the most powerful army in the world, at the time.

 

5. Convenience: One thing that one should have noticed is that not everything on this list is in Johnson City. That is on purpose. Johnson City is conveniently located in the Tri-Cities and Northeast Tennessee region.Johnson City provides the best all around location to get the most out of what the region offers. One can travel to Bristol Motor Speedway, Roan Highlands or Erwin to white-water raft all in under an hour. These activities can be accomplished on a day trip.

   

   Once back in Johnson City you can enjoy a refreshing drink at a local award-winning brewery, grab a bite to eat at a fine restaurant and return to your accommodations, all without spending an arm-and-leg. The city provides the convenience of backcountry outdoor recreation without the negatives.