Hot time for biking

Go to www.outdoorknoxville.com to find bike clubs and many stores have weekly rides.   I am often at west bikes innfarrafot on Wednesday nights 6 pm where often three groups.  10-15 miles easy.  Moderate 20-26 miler group or faster 28-35 mile crew.  Scenery around east tn can't be beat 

Turning Leaf Tour for Great causes

Turning Leaf Tour is a fundraising bike ride for Casting for Recovery and this year they also invited Club Vibes to be involved.    CAsting for Recovery is a outreach group who helps women recovering from Breast Cancer have a weekend retreat where Fly Fishing is taught and used as therapy both Physically and Spiritually.   VIBES is a local group led by Sue Buckley.  Many like Sue are blind or have vision loss etc and she helps pair them up with local bikers on tandem bikes allowing them the freedom to enjoy biking.   Many great silent auction items were available that benefited both groups! }
Put it on your calendar for next year usually the next to last Sunday in October (noonish)

Sarah and Pilot David 

Sue (Vibes) Lindsay(Casting 4 Recovery) 

Vibes Riders Ready to go (very grateful to be part of fun event) 

Leaving Heritage Center in Townsend 

Lovers Lane back loop 

Dr John Cooper from FSRegional pilot for
strong Patrick in red 

some of my fav riders carol karen sharon 

Jerry O (WBIR) & gals 

Tate and his Flying Pig 

Tour De Tellico Scenic Course Great weather

 "  IT just doesn't get better than this" was our feeling for the 7th annual Tour de Tellico Bike Ride.

   It started with pastor Charlie Barnard wanting to raise some money for local charities in Monroe and Loudoun Counties thru his love of biking.  Then as it grew he got the great Rotary club in Tellico to help be the organizing force behind this fun event.  

   We started off from charlie's church (1st baptist) and their parking lot, and church facilities made a great spot to start and finish.

 They had a good crowd for the first roll out for the 100 miler and 100k (62 mile) crew.   I spotted friends like two tellico buds Corky and Carlene, and also several docs I know from Fort Sanders REgional on hand.     

Cov crew Sharon Spezia Dr. Kevin Zirkle Dr, Mike Passerelo,
Dr. Kelley Rouse, Dr. John Abercrobie, Missy 

 My buddies Sharon Spezia and Jerry Owens came with me early to do some warm ups and remarks on behalf of Covenant Sr Health (long time friend of the event) and we went with long crew for 4-5 miles then turned around to allow me to help Charlie start off the 50 k group (32 miles)

Thanks Fares from West Bikes for nice 10 dollar off coupons for all 

 Rolling hills, good pavement and only 1 pack of dogs (small but still pesky) made for a "couldn't be beat" type of ride

check www.outdoorknoxville.com for other rides coming up like SMWheelman Fall Century on 28th weekend of Oct and Oct 21 Sunday ride called Turning Leaf Tour etc

Leaping back in time Lierpert Fork Tn

I love biking on the Natchez Trace, as it is a beautiful parkway with little traffic.    So when I knew Kelsey (our 22 year old) had a x-c meet for Lady Vols out at Edwin Warner park I thought "Natchez is right down the road"   My good fit bud Sharon Spezia has a daughter in Mt Juliet and my sis lives in Nashville.  So on Friday morning after realizing Sharon had a flat we met at the Lovelace Cafe (must see) and next door the TRACE bike shop and in no time we were all ready to go.     We parked at the end and went about 10 miles to the unbelievable bridge that is an architectural wonder! and kept on going.  Despite the sky looking ominous Sharon said lets keep going.    About 14 miles into it we saw sign for Leiperts Fork.  I mentioned to sharon "my sister says it is a neat little community with lots of arts, music etc"   Sharon being the eternal optimist said lets go!  

Luckily it was just little off mile off the parkway and even tho little 2 lane country road we saw bike markers.     While I almost thought to turn around I said one more hill and there is was.  A sweet little old timey community that had antique shops, art galleries, a Bed and Breakfast and eateries that made our mouths water     ShOOT we only had 2 dollars between us  SO we know we want to go back.
We ended up going a little bit futhrer and did a nice 39 mile ride. (PS)
Lovelace is a must eat spot if you go to the very end of the Natchez Trace that's where you'll find it

And best of all I made it to cross country meet and Kelsey did great 2nd lady vol finishing and was in top 12!

sky high on Cherohayla Parkway

 It may take about hour and 15 minutes to arrive at the Cherohayla visitor Center at Tellico Plains from K town, but so worth the drive.   About 3 times a year some bike buds and I head down and get off at Sweet water exit (lost sea) and go thru madisonville & sweet water and then see signs for Cherohayla parkway (on left).  It is a nice visitor center and a sweet lady who is native american usually there to greet us, and they have maps, nice souvenir items etc.    Sometimes

7 miles up on Bald River Falls rd THE falls
good hike up behind it 

 we start there and bke up 5 miles to Bald river road and to see nice waterfall etc It is a great ride on Bald river turn off

Jerry & Carol in front of new TWRA station 

  but I also LOVE to stay on the parkway and drive up about 11 miles further past Indian Boundary campground and park at turkey ? rest stop and start there!    It is a tough climb, and makes biking foothills seem much easier but views make it tolerable.  Carol O was willing to do part of Bald River ride (25 miles) then go up to parkway and we added on about 8  more miles.   The late summer flowers really pretty and views over Tellico lake grand too.

Carol O and I did some extra miles up top on parkway 

we are smiling but "dying" on major climb

Met a cute man named Gene Standwich from Decatur and found out his family had donated a lot of this pretty land (Green Cove lake etc) to Roosevelt back in late 30-40's .

Nice man named Gene who comes up to enjoy old family property
view of Tellico Lake below 

can see rock area below where Parkway climbs

IT really is as pretty as Blue Ridge but less traffic

even our bikes like it there ! 

Long time bike bud Jerry at Hiwasee down below Tellico Drive in 

bike buds Carol and Sharon