Category Archives: Ride Reports

Kick back and enjoy reading the exploits of fellow cyclists

Ride Report: Next Steps

On October 7, 2017, Jeannie & Stuart Coulter (pictured) rode in the Next Steps Century they liked a lot and thought perhaps club members would like to attend next year. Please enjoy their report:

We attended the Next Steps Century ride in Dunlap, TN. This event used to be run by the Chattanooga Bike Club but is now organized by the Next Step Resources Center, a teen pregnancy crisis center (as a fund raiser). This is their third year. We were returning to our old stomping grounds since we used to live in Jasper. The ride was well run and they had many volunteers. They had SAG vehicles that roamed the course and one that spent a lot of time behind us. I wonder why? The start and all of the rest stops were at churches with good bathrooms. The food was plentiful at the first stop, but meager at the second.

Continue reading →

2017 ERV Ride

The 44th running of the Elk River Valley was a success. As far as we know everyone enjoyed the routes (12,52 and 75 miles) and no one was hurt. However, Mica Jon was “tackled” by a playful black lab and went down; he says he is fine but his bike was injured pretty badly.

There were around 65 riders for the September 9th ride. In addition to HRBike members, there was a huge contingent from the Murfreesboro Bike Club, a few Veloteers’, several from the Columbia Bike Club and one or two from other clubs.

Due to the way the registration was managed, we also have several new members: 4 families and 9 individuals. The combination of HRBike memberships and sale of HRBike merchandise helped us to come out in the black. Continue reading →

Ride Report: Virginia Creeper

In June, Tim & I rode 68 mi on the Virginia Creeper Trail, a rail to trail that spans 34 mi from Abingdon to Whitetop, VA. We stayed in Damascus, VA, the mid-point of the trail, at a quaint Airbnb “The Inn on Creeper Way.” Bike rentals & shuttles are available in Damascus but we took our mountain bikes fitted with skinny tires, perfect for the crushed limestone surface. Our inn was right on the trail so we began there climbing 17 mi toward Whitetop. (Many riders take a 30 min. shuttle to Whitetop & coast the 17 mi downhill.) After riding to Whitetop and returning to Damascus, we headed toward Abingdon where there were fewer riders, and the landscape changed to trestles & farmland. I suggest riding the Creeper during the off-season or early in the day to avoid lots of novice riders. There were many water stops, one was Creeper Cafe home of the World Famous Chocolate Cake!