We met Brian Hann while working in Knoxville, Tennessee. He and his wife Mary Beth were great hosts and we all became friends quickly. During our short time there we realized our new bond was an example of the kind of meaningful friendships that can be created in a matter of days when you have a strong common bond (the bicycle).
It all started with ‘do owls usually hang upside down in trees?’ This was my question to Chris and our weekend host, Brian. The answer was ‘NO!’ and we quickly went to work on a plan to save a young Barred Owl that had gotten a leg stuck in the branch of a very tall elm tree. There was no question that we would find some way to get the bird down, but the real conundrum was, could we do it without killing it? Leaving the owl hanging was no better, so we unloaded our climbing gear and went to work.
Week 14 provided some excitement beyond the normal Trail Crew adventures. For starters, Leslie added another year to her age; she keeps telling herself that ‘age is a state of mind’ while her body reminds her that ‘an apple a day doesn’t always keep the doctor away’.
The Appalachian Mountain Bike Club is doing it right. One of their greatest assets is listening to the needs of the Knoxville, TN community. Working closely with local parks, land managers, and decision makers, AMBC has shown their commitment to providing recreation opportunities while protecting the natural environment. As a group of organized mountain bikers, they believe whole heartedly in building trails that benefit anyone who wants to get out into nature.
The secret ingredient? F-U-N. Great clubs do this well. Sure, they spend much of time their working with decision makers and building trails, but they also spend some time perfecting their social skills. It’s always good to know what your fellow mountain biker looks like without a helmet and sunglasses or a Pulaski in her hand. This balance of physical, political, and social is what we call the Triangle of Advocacy.
We returned from Colorado to enjoy a serious warm-up in the east. We found some great trails and music and Nashville before heading north to the Ohio Valley.
Our host today was an old friend and former TCC rock star, Collins Bishop. Thanks for a super fun ride at Raccoon Mountain!
Brandon Santini and Delta Highway playing Mr. Handy’s Blues Hall on Beale Street. We had a mission when we reached Memphis tonight; dinner at the Blues City Cafe and live music (blues of course). We found both.
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Tag: tennessee