1-15-2021 GIHP Trails I have heard through the grapevine that the Georgia International Horse Park mtb trails are closed until Jan. 21 for an event. You may want to check if you plan to go out there to ride.

Mt. Berry Trails The Mt. Berry trails at Berry College in Rome, GA are currently closed through Jan. 27 for a gas pipeline project. Keep up to date on the TRED of Rome/Floyd County Facebook page.

1-14-2021 Calendars Updated I have updated the Mountain/Gravel and Road Calendars with the latest races I’ve been able to find. There are a couple of road events in Alabama that are part of a new series. USA Cycling’s website is void of most races so far, which means the promoter has not applied for a permit (applies to most road and some off road events). YES GRAVEL EVENTS ARE UPDATED! including a new event or two. If the date doesn’t have a tilda which is this ~ ~ ~, it isn’t a 2021 date. I’ll continue to update the calendars as I find event dates.

Maxxis Tires Southern Cross Gravel Grind From Mountain Goat Adventures: Just a quick heads up regarding our upcoming Southern Cross Gravel Grind! Spring of 2021 looks like it may be a challenging one for events so we are moving slow and cautiously as we plan for the coming year. As of right now, our plan is to open registration for the 2021 Southern Cross Bike race on January 20th. Our goal is to ensure we have a high probability of the race happening before getting 300 riders signed up. The USFS in Georgia is on a 10 day “stand down” due to COVID, so pushing registration back a few days allows them to get back to work and let us know of any potential changes to our event permit.

The 2021 Maxxis Tires Southern Cross Ultra Gravel Grind course is 50 miles with a bit over 6,000 ft of elevation gain (two major climbs), and consists of pavement, gravel roads and a short grass section at the end of the race up to the finish line. The course is gravel bike or mountain bike friendly, so pick your poison! Riders will pass by an aid station twice during the ride, and be treated to Terrapin Beer and Moe’s Burritos for a hearty post-race meal. Registration opens January 20th! For 2021, we have added a shorter 30 mile option for Junior riders with categories for 10-14 and 15-18 male and female riders. Juniors will ride the infamous “Winding Stair Loop” and are allowed to have a non-participant adult accompany them for safety, but are not allowed to draft or have the adult carry any of their food or water

2021 Race Highlights! -Killer course that features some of the toughest and most scenic forest roads in North Georgia that will give you bragging rights for finishing! We are only using the gravel loops – no singletrack trail this year. -Cash payout for Top 5 Open Men and Open Women’s classes. You can find payout details HERE. -Free Primitive Camping at Montaluce for Friday and Saturday night! -Super comfy cotton blend race shirt with race logo (register by Feb 20 shirt size deadline to guarantee your size) -COFFEE MUGS FOR ALL FINISHERS! -Post race burritos from Moes with Terrapin Beer! -Well stocked aid station with hot soup, plenty of calories, fluids, mechanical support, first aid supplies and more. -Transport of up to 2 drop bags to aid station -Custom awards for all podium finishers -Staggered starts in small groups by categories – no mass start for 2021.

1-13-2021 Blankets Creek Dirty 15/30 Mile MTB Race presented by Van Michael Men From Mountain Goat Adventures So it looks like the Spring of 2021 is shaping up to be another chaotic one in terms of events, however we wanted to let you know what we have coming up at our local trails. Our plan is to open registration for the Blankets Creek Dirty 15/30 on February 1st. If we start seeing more COVID restrictions between now and then, the registration opening date could be pushed back as we want to ensure that the event has a high probablity of happening before we get 250 people signed up. We will send out another email once registration is open as well as if we have any other updates. Until then, keep on pedaling and hope you can join us!

Blankets Creek Dirty 15/30 Mile MTB Race presented by Van Michael Men – April 3, 2021 at Blankets Creek Trails in Canton, GA! The course includes most of the trails at Blankets Creek in a counter – clockwise direction for a total distance of 15 miles per lap. Each lap has 1400′ of elevation gain, so this will be a challenging course. COURSE DETAILS AND MAP HERE! We have restructured the categories for 2021, so that all riders can choose between the 15 mile course (1 lap) and 30 mile course (2 laps). You can see full details and a list of categories on the BLANKETS CREEK DIRTY 15/30 WEBSITE. IMPORTANT DATES: February 1st – Blankets Creek Dirty 15/30 Mile MTB Race Registation Opens March 20th – Register by this date to guarantee shirt size All riders who register before March 20 will receive one of our super soft and comfy tri-blend event shirts and a commemorative pint glass for your post-race recovery drink. Medals and sponsor prizes 3 deep in all categories, podium shirts for all first place finishers. Access to drop bags will be available at the half way point for riders participating in the 30 mile race. Small group staggered starts and social distancing measures in place for rider/volunteer safety. This event is a major fundraiser for SORBA Woodstock, so please come out and support your local trails!

1-10-2021 Dirty Sheets If you are at Dirty Sheets in Chatt Hills, GA in the next couple of weeks riding gravel the city has put some new gravel both directions on Rico Tatum and Atlanta Newnan Roads. The gravel is a little deep until it’s had a chance to be compacted by motor vehicles. It was in good shape after the rain Friday but may be loose or deep if we get some dry weather. The Chatt Hills police have also been really active in pulling over speeders lately, especially on South Fulton Parkway. It is always a good idea to obey posted speed limits-beware that the speed limit may change on S. Fulton Parkway before you get to Chatt Hills.

1-9-2021 Calendars Updated I have updated the Mountain/Gravel and Road Calendars with the latest races I’ve been able to find. There are a couple of road events now in Georgia thanks to TopView Sports–and a new gravel event! I still have no updates at all for TN, NC, and SC. Alabama has a couple of road races listed. USA Cycling’s website is void of most races so far, which means the promoter has not applied for a permit (applies to most road and some off road events).  I’ll continue to update the calendars as I find event dates.

Lake Russell Work Day From Bike Lake Russell Saturday, January 30 9:45 am-2:00 pm Lake Russell Rec Area, Old Group Camp Area We got lots of good work done prior to Covid-19 outbreak last year. Let’s continue that good work this year. The January 2 work day was great! We will be working on the trail reroute at the beginning of the Ladyslipper Trail during this January 30 workday. We began corridor clearing on this section at the January 2 work day. All tools will be provided. We will NOT be providing lunch at this work day. Hopefully once the virus is no longer in play we can resume providing lunch. Trish’s Note: Directions to the meeting location are in the Facebook event link.

1-7-2021 Castle Playground Trail Build Party From MTB Atlanta Castle Playground Build Party Saturday, Jan. 9 9 am-Noon Join us for our first build party ever in Carrollton, GA on our brand new “Castle Playground ” trail build. We’re building a “pump track in the woods” and some greenway adjacent single track as a gateway project we will develop all along Carrollton’s incredible Greenbelt in the future. Meet up at the Castle Playground parking lot at 117 Carrollton Greenbelt Carrollton, GA 30117 at 9. We will be doing corridor clearing for new trail construction. Have a mask, gloves, wear long pants and closed toed shoes and bring water, snacks and your epi pen if you are allergic to bees.

1-6-2021 Aska Trail System Workday From NGMBA NGMBA WORKDAY Aska Trail System (Blue Ridge, GA) Flat Creek needs some love. We will be cleaning drains and trimming back overgrowth close to the trail head. We will be meeting in the Deep Gap parking lot Saturday morning January 9th at 8:30 AM. From Blue Ridge head East approximately 5 miles on Aska Rd, parking lot will be on your right. We will work rain or shine. Please wear appropriate clothing for the weather, including: helmets (hard hats will be available), work gloves, long pants, boots (preferred) or sturdy shoes. No open toe shoes allowed. Volunteers are also encouraged to wear sunscreen, insect repellent, and carry any personal medical supplies (ie. epi-pen, insulin, inhalers). Volunteers can bring water and snacks for the duration of the work.

1-3-2021 Tannehill XC Postponed Go Nuts has postponed the XC race January 10 at Tannelhill because of COVID exposure. The Facebook post said they were exposed over the holidays and are being very cautious. They hope to be able to reschedule for early March.

Allatoona Freeride Work Day From SORBA West Georgia Who wants a Knuckle Sammich? Workday Saturday, January 16, 2021 at 9 am at Allatoona Creek Park We’ll be reworking everything on Knuckle Sandwich and fixing up some of Mumbo Jumbo. Come pitch in an hour or two for your favorite trail.

1-2-2021 Brett Davidson named Executive Director of MTB Atlanta and MTB Atlanta Pro Trails Press Release (edited for length and clarity) After serving as volunteer Board President since SORBA Atlanta’s reorganization in 2012, the MTB Atlanta Board has named Brett Davidson as Exectuive Director of both MTB Atlanta and MTB Atlanta Pro Trails. Under Brett’s leadership MTB Atlanta has gone from a SORBA Chapter with no trail to steward to one of Georgia’s largest SORBA Chapters in mileage and largest in membership with over 50 miles of new trail and close to 500 members, all while serving the most populous mountain biking ridership in the Southeast in Metro Atlanta. Brett has led a Board of diverse volunteers that since 2012 have Built 50 miles of new trails in seven new counties and cities and eight new parks in Metro Atlanta with previously no access for mountain biking or outdoor recreation. Launched the professional trail building crew of MTB Atlanta, MTB Atlanta Pro Trails. This will be a new role for the Chapter and as Executive Director Brett will lead MTB Atlanta and MTB Atlanta Pro Trails into the future as a more sustainable non profit focused on fundraising, staffing and strategic planning to serve the volunteer Board, members and ridership of Metro Atlanta.

12-31-2020 Silver Comet Closure Cobb County has said that the Silver Comet Trail will be closed at the bridge over the East-West Connector from January 5-February 4 for board replacement. To get around it, start at either the Concord Road or Floyd Road trailheads and go west. This Silver Comet website has good information on how to get to different trailheads. The detour is to take the sidewalk on the right just past Fontaine Road up to North Cooper Lake Road (home of the North Cooper Lake MTB Park!). Go all the way to Concord. Turn left onto Concord and take the road or multiuse trail back to the Comet. Turn right on the Comet to keep going west. Warning: There is a BIG hill going up N. Cooper Lake. Concord isn’t flat, either.

12-27-2020 CANCELLED Sykes Work Party From MTB Atlanta Sykes Work Party Saturday, Jan. 2 9 am-Noon We got so much done at the December work party, that we’re doing it again in January. We’ve been busy since the last work day – we hired MTB Atlanta Pro Trails to cut the new trail, we’re moving giant boulders into staging areas to create epic garden, and we’re ready to rough cut a new beginner downhilll line. We will be following local regulations and CDC guidelines to conduct these events. We will adhere to mask requirements and social distancing at these events. We are excited to get back at it! Meet at the main parking lot at Sykes Park and we will get started at 9. Have a mask, gloves, wear long pants and closed toed shoes and bring water, snacks and your epi pen if you are allergic to bees. Tasks for the day: 1. Finishing work for the new Ridgeline Trail 2. Corridor clearing for the new Beginner Downhill line
3. Fix the drain at the Pump Track 4. Rock Anchoring and cleaning drains 5. Work on new Rock Gardens We will have coffee and a morning snack while we run down how we will be socially distancing and the goals for the day.

12-23-2020 North Cooper Lake Work Party From MTB Atlanta North Cooper Lake Work Party and Clean Up, Saturday, January 23, 2021 9 am-Noon Join us at North Cooper Lake Park as we clean up the park and do trail work on the cross country trails. We will be working on clearing a significant amount of trash out of the old dump site. Have a mask, gloves, wear long pants and closed toed shoes and bring water, snacks and your epi pen if you are allergic to bees.