Spring is finally upon us. Freezing nights are occurring but becoming more rare. This week has seen plenty of sunshine for great mountain biking opportunities, including one local race.
A rainy, snowy mix last weekend threatened to postpone the inaugural Cat’s Pajamas Time Trial Race scheduled for the next day.
All Trail Cycling presented the race and proceeds go to the Science Hill High School mountain biking team. alltrailscycling.com
Fortunately, a sunny Sunday gave over 30 racers the opportunity to set times and help support a good cause.
More sunshine is projected this weekend. Sunday’s weather may be the opposite of last week, but this Saturday should be perfect for riding. Some closed sections at Winged Deer Mountain Bike Park are back open. There are a myriad of other areas in the Tri-Cities to ride as well. A great place to do session laps is the Hampton Watershed Trails. These trails are great and will provide a nice workout for any rider.
For a more advanced biker, the climb on Cat’s Pajamas is deceptively never-ending, but the climb is worth the descent. A series of steep drops into short popping up-hills will make the smile spread ear-to-ear. Warning to the unwary rider: there are plenty of spots to get in trouble if you aren’t careful.
Take a spare mech-hanger or two. There is more than one rock garden and plenty of downed limbs that can, or rather will, snag you up. The local trail stewards are getting the trails cleaned up, but unseasonable cold snaps are slowing work.
There are other trails too. Make sure to check out Bays Mountain, Pisgah and all the other places available for day trips from Johnson City, Tennessee.
The Wildcat race event is coming up at Panther Creek State Park in nearby Morristown, Tennessee. Every month this season offers different events within day-trip distance of JC. Anyone is welcome to come, whether as a spectator or participant. dirtybirdevents.com/wildcat/
As a reminder, be respectful and make sure not to damage any of the trails so other bikers can have a safe, fun ride too.
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!”
Recreation: Johnson City, Tennessee is a mountain town. The city is within 30 miles of Bristol Motor Speedway. The speed way host two annual NASCAR races. The accompanying Bristol Dragway host events March 26, through Oct. 1, 2016, including “Street Fights,” DER Test N Tune days and NHRA drag racing events.
The mountain location offers ample mountain biking, hiking, all-terrain vehicle and horseback riding trails. The Nolichucky River is great for white-water rafting, canoeing or any other river activities. There are restaurants and music outlets that offer a variety of food and tunes.
Adventurous fisherman will discover mountain streams, rivers and lakes with healthy ecosystems. Different waterways offer varieties of fish including trout, musky, catfish and bass to name a few. The lakes are great for kayak and canoe fishing. Pontoon boat festivities are abundant on the lakes too.
Music: A quick Wikipedia search will inform one of Johnson City’s musical roots. Bristol, Tennessee, has a recognized role in the birth and development of country music by The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, but recordings were made in JC as early as 1928. This musical tradition carries over today.
Hunter Grigg performs at The Willow Tree Cafe located in dowtown Johnson City.
The Downhome, Poor Richards Campus and Hungry Apex are local establishments that offer live music. Poor Richards is a restaurant and local college bar. The Downhome has been serving as a music venue since its founding in 1976. According to their website, “the primary emphasis is on quality music, and the performance atmosphere promotes listening rather than socializing.”
Location: Johnson City is located in North Eastern Tennessee, spread amongst three counties, Washington (mostly), Carter and Sullivan. The city is ninth largest in Tennessee, and ranked number 14 “Best Small Place for Business and Careers” in the U.S. by Forbes. The estimated population according the U.S. Census Bureau by 2014 was 65,813.
The location places JC at the base of Buffalo Mountain. The city is also near Cumberland Gap, The Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The drives in and around the city offer majestic views. One can relax getting lost in the rhythm of the road on country drives or motorcycle rides.
View of N. Roan Street, Johnson City as seen from Buffalo Mountain.
Americana Spirit: First, to understand how Johnson City embraces this one must define the term. Henry Seidel Canby defined Americana as nostalgia when he wrote, “[I]t is the small town, the small city, that is our heritage. We have made twentieth-century America from it, and some account of these communities as they were … we owe our children and grandchildren.”
Johnson City’s communities embrace this. One can achieve a sense of belonging within the community by giving back. The historic “Tree Streets” represent times in America during prohibition. Al Capone’s house stands as one of the largest structures in this area. The boom of the city, as a depot transporting coal from the mountains to America, is still heard in the magnitude of trains passing through everyday.
Art: East Tennessee State University, located in Johnson City limits, allow the “Art Scene” to thrive. Local establishments like The Willow Tree Café offer multiple venues for artist to sell work. Musicians can choose from a multitude of outlets for live shows. Stand-up comedians can discover open-mic nights at local joints such as The Hideaway.
Community: Johnson City offers a variety of communities. There are historical districts, downtown apartments and mountainside cabins all within driving distance of the hottest shopping and entertainment areas. Each of these communities offer a variety of lifestyles. The common thread one may discover is giving back. The more you are involved within the communities Johnson City the more those communities will help you.
History: The history of Johnson City is unique and interesting. The area became a train depot in the 1850s founded by Henry Johnson. The city grew becoming a major intersection for three states. The location and train depot helped grow Johnson City into a traveling hub for those heading west.
Later, George Carter donated 100 acres of land, to the state, helping to establish East Tennessee State Normal School in 1911. The school achieved university status in 1963, becoming ETSU. The school was apart of an effort establishing a state school in Tennessee’s three regions.
Memorial Hall (Brooks Gym) is home to ETSU’s Army ROTC program.
Al Capone, the famous gangster from Chicago, once called Johnson City his “second favorite city” giving it the nickname Little Chicago. Capone’s house is now an apartment complex. Located across the street from an Elementary school in the historic “Tree Streets” area.
Diversity: There is diversity in the activities, food, music and people you will meet. Freiberg’s, a German restaurant, is located across the street from the Korean Taco House. Yee-haw Brewing Co. and White Duck Taco Shop are right around the corner.
Music venues in JC cater to everything from live bands to DJs. Some play covers and others original music. Many musicians will blend their stage time with original music and covers. One can almost bet on hearing the song “Wagon Wheel” if a live band is playing.
Just Jump is a trampoline center where children and adults are welcome. There are over 100 miles of bicycle paths in and around the city. The Tweetsie Trail is over 10 miles alone and connects Johnson City with Elizabethton, Tennessee.
Kenneth Medley and Kaylani Ngirarois enjoy bike riding along the Tweetsie Trail.
Education: Education opportunities are available in Johnson City. There are multiple public and private options for lower education. Religious schools for youngsters are available as well.
ETSU is a 4-year state school. They have award-winning programs in pharmacy, video game design and others. The university has over 100 years of history in Johnson City. Other higher education centers in the area are King College, Milligan College and Northeast State Community College.
Growth: Without delving into statistics one can observe the growth of Johnson City. Over the last three years multiple business have opened. New apartment buildings, such as Monarch 851, have been and continue to be built. Yee-Haw Brewing Co. and White Duck Taco Shop and Trek Bicycle Store are but a few of many.
Defining America by traveling the nation and speaking with its citizens.
American Dream: Overland Expedition 