posted August 5, 2008
Paddles up! The U.S. National Dragon Boat trials will be coming to
Chattanooga in 2010 and registration is now open for our annual canoe and
kayak race. Look for the lightning bolt ~to see something new this week.
Our New Home is Under Construction!
Last week, contractor Todd Palmertree and crew worked on interior plumbing
and footings for our new home. Watch the transformation on our Picasa Web
photo gallery, as the old River Street Interiors building in Coolidge Park
turns into the new LEED-certified Outdoor Chattanooga Center.
~Beginner Dayhike Aug. 17
Join Outdoor Chattanooga and the [ http://hiking.chattanooga.net/
]Chattanooga Hiking Club for a free introductory day hike on the Tennessee
Riverpark, Sunday, Aug. 17 at 8:00 a.m. The leisurely 4-mile hike will
take participants along the Tennessee River to Amnicola Marsh.
Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring water and a
snack. There will be a rest room along the way. The hike is appropriate
for adults and kids ages 10 and older when accompanied by an adult.
Participation is limited to 20 people and reservations are required. To
make reservations and get directions, call (423) 643-6888 or email [
mailto:ruth@outdoorchattanooga.com ]Outdoor Chattanooga.
~Tennessee River Blueway Canoe and Kayak Race Register Now!
Registration is now open for Outdoor Chattanooga’s 2nd annual Tennessee
River Blueway Canoe and Kayak Race on Saturday, Sept. 20. This year’s race
will feature two courses, designed for everyone from beginners to
experienced racers. Registration is open Online via Active.com or by
visiting the Blueway race Web page at Outdoor Chattanooga. Proceeds from
the race will go toward upgrading and maintaining campsites along the
Blueway. Questions? Email us.
Events
~BYO-Bicycle Cruise-Ins at Nightfall Aug. 8, 15 & 22
Join Suck Creek Cycle for their weekly bicycle cruise-in and ride to the
free Nightfall concert series on the Blue Cross Stage at Miller Plaza, on
Fridays Aug. 9, 15, and 22. Adult cyclists are encouraged to meet at the
315 Cherokee Blvd. store at 5:30 pm with their favorite cruiser bike and
ride together downtown or meet at Miller Plaza later to compare “steeds.”
For more information, call (423) 266-8883.
~Dog Paddle Aug. 9
The summer swimming season will end at the Warner Park Pool with
Chattanooga Parks and Recreation’s annual Doggie Paddle from noon to 3
p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9. Bring Fido, Fifi, or Bowzer to come cool off
with other soggy canines. Cost is $10 with proceeds benefiting the [
http://www.mckameyanimalcenter.org/ ]McKamey Animal Care and Adoption
Center. All participating pooches must have up-to-date shots and tags.
Greenway 5-Mile Trail Race Aug. 9
This fun, low-key race will happen on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 8:00 a.m. at
the Greenway Farm, 5052 Gann Store Rd., in Hixson, TN. People new to
trail running will find the Greenway Farm trails are a great place to
start competing. The race is hosted by the Boonies Wilderness Trail
Running Association and [ http://www.rockcreek.com/greenway/ ]Rock/Creek.
Entry costs $10 without a tee shirt, $25 with a tee shirt. Online
registration closes on Thursday, Aug. 7 at 11:59 p.m.
Family Mud Day at CNC Aug. 9
Take the whole family to the Chattanooga Nature Center for Family Mud Day
on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CNC will have a kiddie
mud pool, a soapy slip 'n slide, and frozen treats. Guests should bring
changes of clothes and towels for cleanup. Cost is $16 per family ($12 for
CNC members). Call (423) 821-1160 ext. 0 for reservations.
Sports Barn Sprint Triathlon Aug. 10
The [ http://www.sports-barn.com/ ]Sports Barn Sprint Triathlon will
launch from the TVA Chickamauga Reservation with a ¼-mile swim on Sunday,
Aug. 10 at 7:00 a.m. Competitors will follow the swim with an 8.2-mile
bike ride and a 2-mile run. The event is a great introduction to
triathlons for multi-sport athletes. [
http://www.sports-barn.com/sprintsinfoandreg.htm ]Registration is open
until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9.
~Celebrate Snow Leopards at the Chattanooga Zoo Aug. 16
The [ http://www.chattanooga.gov/PRAC/30_Zoo.htm ]Warner Park Zoo invites
the entire family to come celebrate the highly endangered snow leopard on
Saturday, Aug. 16. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The [
http://www.snowleopard.org/ ]Snow Leopard Trust will be at the Zoo to lead
leopard and people activities, as well as discuss conservation efforts and
how people in Chattanooga can help. Cost is adults $6, seniors $4, kids
(3-15) $4. Kids under age three get in free. For more information, call
(423) 697-1322.From 6-8 p.m., adults 21 and older can enjoy drinks, food,
and fun at Cocktails for Conservation, raising funds for the Trust.
Tickets are $20 in advance/$30 at the door. To purchase tickets, call
(423) 697-1339.
~Fall Creek Falls Triathlon Aug. 17
The Olympic-length [ http://www.racedayevents.net/ ]Fall Creek Falls
Traithlon takes place on the roads in and around beautiful Fall Creek
Falls State Park. Cheer on the athletes then hit the park’s trails and do
some exploring on your own.
~Bicycle Demo Days Aug. 17 and 31
Two local bicycle shops will hold free bicycle demo days at Laurel Point,
at the top of TVA Raccoon Mountain on Sundays, Aug. 17 and 31, from 10:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. On Aug. 17, East Ridge Bicycles will showcase Titus
Mountain Bikes and on Aug. 31, Owen Cyclery will host Trek/Gary Fisher
bicycles. Both events are free and open to the public. Interested mountain
bikers will be able to test the bikes out on Raccoon Mountain’s single
track trail system. For more information, call [
http://www.eastridgebicycles.net/ ]East Ridge Bicycles at (423) 894-9122
or [ http://owencyclery.com/index.cfm ]Owen Cyclery at (423) 875-6811.
Adventures
~Chilhowee Mtn. Mountain Bike Ride Aug. 9
The Chattanooga chapter of the Southeastern Off-Road Bicycle Association
(SORBA) will host an intermediate level mountain bike ride on Chilhowee
Mountain in Benton, TN on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A
couple of different ride options will be available, depending on the
technical skill and desired mileage for riders. For more information,
email [ mailto:schaarschmidt@yahoo.com ]Jeffrey Schaarschmidt.
~Wilderness Hike through Bald River Gorge Aug. 16
On Saturday, Aug. 16, Jeffrey Hunter of the [ http://www.safc.org/
]Southern Appalachian Forest Coalitionwill lead a wilderness hike through
the Bald River Gorge east of Tellico Plains, Tennessee. The moderate
9.6-mile hike will explore the heart of the Bald River Gorge Wilderness.
Participants will take a lunch break (lunch not provided) at the halfway
point and look for opportunities to swim along the way. The hike is free
and open to the public, but reservations are required. To register or
learn more, email or call Nicole Martinez at (828) 252-9223.
Cumberland State Park Activities
The South Cumberland State Park in Monteagle, TN offers special hikes,
seminars, and other activities every week. Visit the Friends of South
Cumberland Park for a complete calendar.
Fall Creek Falls State Park Activities
About an hour and a half drive north of Chattanooga is Fall Creek Falls
State Park in Pikeville, TN. In addition to camping, hiking, and biking,
the park boasts an inn, restaurant, and lake. See a calendar of park
activities for the week of Aug. 4 - 11.
News
~Dragon Boat Nationals Coming in 2010, So Start Training
The U.S. National Dragon Boat Trials will come to Chattanooga in 2010.
Hosted by Dynamic Events, LLC, the organizers of the spring Chattanooga
Dragon Boat Festival, the races will see teams from all over the U.S. come
to compete on Chickamauga Lake. In preparation of the event, Dynamic
Events is hosting dragon boat mini-camps, Aug. 15 & 16, 22 & 23, and Sept.
5 & 6. The camps are geared for dragon boaters who want to hone their
skills for competition. Participation is open to anyone aged 16 and older.
Camps will last a day and a half (Friday evening and Saturday). Cost is
$75 per person, and includes equipment, lunch on Saturday, video review
sessions, nutrition information, and at least four training sessions on
the water. Registration forms are available online, or for more
information, call or email Penny Behling at (877) 580-7223.
Carver Center Disc Golf Course Opens
Chattanooga’s first free, public downtown disc golf course has been
installed at Carver Recreation Center, 600 North Orchard Knob Rd. The
Chattanooga Flying Disc Club (CFDC) partnered with the [
http://www.chattanooga.gov/PRAC/30_Recreation.htm ]Chattanooga Parks &
Recreation Department and Volvo Rents to install the 9-hole Junior Disc
Golf Course, which features long and short tee pads geared to all skill
levels. Carver Recreation Center is open Monday Friday, from 10:00 a.m.
- 7:00 p.m. Free loaner discs are available for folks wanting to try the
sport. Call (423) 697-1280 for more information.
New Outdoor Chattanooga Photo Albums
We took a flotilla of art and nature fans for a morning kayak adventure on
the Tennessee River with the Hunter Museum of American Art, held a special
paddlers’ night at the movies with the Tennessee Aquarium and the
Tennessee Valley Canoe Club, and co-hosted our fourth historic bicycle
ride through Chickamauga Battlefield with the National Park Service. Here
at Outdoor Chattanooga, we have an awfully good time playing outside with
our friends.
Classes and Clinics and Meetings
~Appalachian Trout Unlimited Aug. 21
Jim Herrig, fisheries biologist with the U.S. Forest Service, will be the
guest speaker for the monthly [ http://www.appalachiantu.org/ ]Appalachian
Trout Unlimited meeting on Thursday, Aug. 21, 6:30 p.m., at Greenway Farm,
5051 Gann Store Rd. in Hixson. Herrig will give an update on conservation
efforts and activities directed by the Forest Service toward waters in the
Tellico River watershed, as well as information about trout feeding
habits. The public is welcome.
Volunteer Opportunities
~Raccoon Mountain Trail Day Aug. 16
Volunteers are needed to help spruce up the Raccoon Mountain single track
trail system with SORBA-Chattanooga on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 9:00 a.m.
to 1:00 p.m. No trail work experience necessary. All tools and lunch will
be provided. Meet in the Laurel Point Parking Area on the top of Raccoon
Mountain. Volunteers should bring a pair of work gloves and something to
drink while on the trail. For more information, email the SORBA Trails'
Director: Alan Johns.
Website of the Week
One of our activities partners, the [ http://www.huntermuseum.org/ ]Hunter
Museum of American Art, has launched a new Website. Check it out and you
might see some outdoorsy types right on the front page.
Last Week’s Website: When environmental writer Bill McKibben spoke last
year in Chattanooga, he called one of Tennessee’s favorite sons,
“Hurricane Gore.” Last week, former Vice President Al Gore blew everyone
away by announcing that the U.S. should commit to ditching fossil fuels
(oil, coal, gas) and rely on 100% renewable energy sources (wind, solar,
geothermal, etc.) in only 10 years. [ http://www.wecansolveit.org/ ]We Can
Solve It is the Website devoted to that challenge.
Weekly Water Saver Tip
This Website from the [ http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/law/index.htm
]Oasis Design Gray Water Policy Center gives a fairly comprehensive
listing of gray water regulations throughout the world. In case of
information overload, take a look at the Arizona Grey Water Laws and an
easy to read Gray Water Fact Sheet from the State of Washington.
Last Week’s Tip: What is the difference between grey (gray) water and
black water? If you’re a camper, you probably already know. If you don’t
know, take a look at this [
http://www.inspect-ny.com/septic/altgreywater.htm ]informational site from
New York State. It gives a good overview of grey water systems and their
uses. Next week, we’ll take you to some places that legally code grey
water systems.
Coming Up . . .
August
23 River Gorge Omnium and Downtown Criterium
[ http://www.chattanoogatrackclub.org/ ]Raccoon Mountain Road
Race
[ http://www.outdoorchattanooga.com/ ]Battlefield Bicycle Ride
[ http://sorbachattanooga.org/calendar.php ]~SORBA’s Relaxed
Singletrack Mountain Bike Ride
24 Raft for the Cure
30/31 [ http://www.sceniccityvelo.com/ ]Booker T. Washington Mtn. Bike
Race
September
1 FCA 5K
5 Bike2Work
6 [ http://www.outdoorchattanooga.com/ ]Beginners’ Kayak
Adventure Harrison Bay State Park
[ http://www.chattanoogatrackclub.org/ ]UTC Powerade 5K Cross
Country Run
13 [ http://www.outdoorchattanooga.com/ ]BYO-Boat Williams Island
Kayak/Canoe Trip
14-20 [ http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/BRAT/ ]Bicycle Ride
Across Tennessee
20 [ http://www.outdoorchattanooga.com/1314.htm ]Tennessee River
Blueway Canoe and Kayak Race
[ http://www.outdoorchattanooga.com/ ]Battlefield Bicycle Ride
20/21 Reflection Riding’s Native Plant Sale
26 ~Skyhoundz World Canine Disc Championship
25-28 Women’s Hanggliding Festival
26-28 ~Black Bear Rampage
28 Komen Chattanooga Race for the Cure
October
2 ~Ducks Unlimited Fall Flight Banquet
3 [ http://www.bikechattanooga.org/ ]Bike2Work
4 [ http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump/ ]8th Annual Rock/Creek
StumpJump 50K Trail Race
[ http://www.chattbike.com/ ]Sequatchie Valley Century
[ http://www.tennesseeriverrescue.com/ ]Tennessee River Rescue
11 Joe Johnson 10K
11-12 Chattanooga Head Race
18 Festival of Jack ‘o Lanterns at Chattanooga Nature Center
Sublime in Art and Nature Scavenger Hunt Greenway Farm
[ http://www.chattanoogatrackclub.org/ ]Signal Mountain Road
Race
[ http://www.outdoorchattanooga.com/ ]Battlefield Bicycle Ride
18-19 Fall Colors Weekend at Fall Creek Falls
24 BYO-Boat Moonlight Paddle
25 [ http://www.fallcreekfalls.org/ ]Wild Foods Day at Fall Creek
Falls
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