2011 GATR Ride Schedule

Our Ride Coordinator and Director At Large, Krista Combs is responsible for putting together this sweet ride schedule.

Taking into consideration trail conditions, weather etc. Dates, Times, and indeed locations are subject to change, we will update this page with any required changes as the year unfolds. The closer it gets to each ride we will post more detailed information on directions, places to stay, meet up locations for carpooling etc. We’ll also announce these rides on the forum.

February 20,  Sunday

Fork Yargo State Park, Winder GA

Come participate in a trail ride with YABA and IMBA.
Ready to ride: 10:00 am
Location:  The ride will begin at the trailhead at the Nature Center (across from the tennis courts).  Get there from the parks main (Area A) entrance: 210 S. Broad St., Winder, GA 30680
After ride social: La Luna Mexican Grill  (425 Loganville Hwy, Winder, GA 30680)
Info link: http://yaba.homestead.com/

March 13,  Sunday

White Twister and the Stonewall Falls

Meet at the trailhead at 10:30 am  (make sure you pack something to eat on the trail).
Bring your own tasty beverage for after the ride.  The group ride will include approx. 15 miles of great singletrack in Rabun county.  This will be a moderately difficult ride with several long climbs and creek crossings.

Directions: White Twister and the Stonewall Falls biking loops are located
approximately 2 miles south of Tiger on Hwy 441 South. Turn onto USFS
road #20 at the beige metal building and go 1-1/4 mile on the gravel
road. Turn right at the intersection, go 50 yards and park in the
parking area. The Stonewall Falls loop (about 11 miles) starts by continuing past the
parking lot and following the signs. The White Twister (about 4.5 miles) starts
approximately 40 yards prior to the last turn for the parking area (on
your left as you are driving in).

Trail Info:  http://www.gamountains.com/whattodo/recreation/biking.php

April 9, Saturday

Heritage Park, Watkinsville GA

The bike trail at Heritage Park offers a great mix of challenging terrain and fast, flowing singletrack. The bike trail is approx. 10 miles.

Ready to ride: 10:00 am
After ride social: La Parrilla (Mexican)
Directions:  Take U.S. 441 South from Athens. You will pass through the towns of Bishop and Farmington. Approx. 1 mile after Farmington, park will be on your right. Look for a white picket fence around the park’s boundary and a large pavilion which says “Oconee Heritage Park”.
Info Link: http://www.sorbaathens.org/trails/oconee-heritage-park
Trail map: http://www.ocprd.com/Heritage%20Park%20Trail%20Map.pdf

May 21, Saturday

Dauset Trails Nature Center, Jackson GA

The Dauset Trails Nature Center is described at Singletracks.com as “… a great place with a good variety of trails and beautiful scenery. Good beginner stuff. All trails are very well marked. Riders of all levels will love this place. Huff ‘n Puff is a great advanced, technical trail. “

Ready to ride: 10:30 am
After ride social: Cookout at the trailhead. We will be grilling some brats.  Please bring some sides (chips, cookies, etc) to share and BYOB.
Driving Directions (to Trailhead):  http://www.dausettrails.com/driving.htm
Trail Map:  http://www.dausettrails.com/DT-2002b1.pdf
Bike Routes:  http://www.dausettrails.com/bikeroute.html
Info link: http://www.dausettrails.com/trails.htm

June 24 – 26, Friday thru Sunday

GATR Camping Trip/Group Ride – Paynes Creek

We will be camping at the Paynes Creek Campground from Friday, June 24 thru Sunday, June 26.  The Paynes Creek Campground is located on Hartwell Lake. I have already reserved site # 38.  There are only 4 sites (# 40, 41, 43, 44) still available for those dates; so if you are interested in camping, go ahead and reserve a site.  The maximum number of people per site is 10.  Also, you can have up to 3 vehicles at a site.

There will be a couple of options for the GATR group rides that weekend:

-    Friday evening we plan on riding the new Paynes Creek Trail (6.7 miles).  This trail is super fast and has a great flow to it…just a lot of fun to ride for all skill levels.  This may turn into a night ride depending on when we get to the campsite, so bring lights!

- Saturday morning there will be two options: Option 1 – At 10:00 a.m. drive to the Clemson Experimental Forest (approx.45 miles away) to ride the Issaqueena trails. The Issaqueena trails consist of 50+ miles of interconnecting loops of singletrack, doubletrack and gravel roads. This group ride will be a 30+ mile ride, so please come prepared.
Option 2 – Ride the awesome Paynes Creek Tail (meet at trail head, RTR 10:30 am)

-    Sunday morning we plan on riding the new Paynes Creek Trail again.  Hey, you can never get enough of a good thing : )

We are planning on having a low country boil for dinner on Saturday.  Please let me know if you would like to partake in the boil, so I can get an idea of how much food to buy.

Additional Information about the campground and trails:

Campground address:

Paynes Creek (Hartwell Lake) (GA)
518 RAMP ROAD
Hartwell GA 30643
GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
34.47917, -82.97528

Campground – Site reservation: http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Paynes_Creek_Hartwell_Lake_Ga/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=71344&topTabIndex=CampingSpot

Paynes Creek Trail Info:  http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/paynes-creek-campground-trails.html

Issaqueena trails Info:  http://upstatesorba.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112&Itemid=75

July 15 – 17, Friday thru Sunday

GATR Camping Trip/Group Ride
Jackrabbit Mountain Bike Trails (Just outside of Hiawassee, GA)

There are about 15 miles of smooth, fast and beginner friendly trails at Jack Rabbit Mountain.  Please join us for a fun chapter ride and cookout.

Ready to ride: TBD
After ride social: Cookout at the trailhead. We will be having pulled pork with homemade barbeque sauce.  We will be smoking the pork Friday night thru Saturday morning.   Please bring some sides (chips, cookies, etc) to share and your own beverages.
GPS Coordinates: @35.000402,-83.761976
Driving Directions: http://www.sabacycling.com/Talk3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=618&p=2057&hilit=jackrabbit+directions#p2057
Trail map: http://sabacycling.com/jackrabbit-trail-map.pdf

August 14, Sunday

Chicopee, Gainesville GA

Ready to ride: 10:00AM
After ride social: La Parrilla, Mexican Restaurant located in the Publix SC at intersection of Atlanta Hwy and Winder Hwy near Exit 16.
Directions to restaurant: Google Maps
Info link: Gainesville SORBA

September 10, Saturday

Brush Creek,  Tanasi

Please join us for a fun chapter group ride at Brush Creek on Saturday, September 10.  If you are planning on racing in the Black Bear Rampage on Sunday, the group ride will be a great way to pre-ride a piece of the race course and loosen up the legs before the race: ) If you have never ridden the Brush Creek trail, you are in for a treat.  This trail has approx. 8 miles of fast flowing singletrack that is fun for riders of all skill levels.   There is plenty of lodging nearby for those of you that are interested in staying Saturday night to cheer on and support the racers at the Black Bear Rampage on Sunday.  I already know of several GATRs, including Clay : ), that are planning on racing.  I have already reserved a campsite at the Persimmon Creek Campground (only 14 miles from the Ocoee Whitewater Center) for Sept 9 – 11.  If you are not interested in camping, there are a few Bed and Breakfast Inns and Hotel nearby (see links below).  The after ride social will be at the Brother’s Copper Kettle.

RTR: 11 AM

LODGING:
Persimmon Creek Campground –  http://www.persimmoncreekcampground.com/
Ocoee River Inn –  http://www.theocoeeriverinn.com/
The Company House Bed and Breakfast Inn –  http://www.companyhousebandb.com/
White House Bed & Breakfast –  http://www.ocoee-whitehousebb.com/

AFTER RIDE SOCIAL:
Brother’s Copper Kettle – http://brothersrestaurantinmurphy.com/copperkettle/location/

TRAIL INFO AND DIRECTIONS:
http://sorbachattanooga.org/wordpress/?page_id=7

I-75 North to first Cleveland Exit. This is the Cleveland Bypass. Get off the bypass onto Highway 64 heading toward Ocoee. Pass the Ocoee Whitewater Center by about 2 miles. Road on the right says Boyd Gap Overlook. Park at the overlook.

October 2, Sunday

Blankets Creek, Woodstock GA

Please join us for a fun group ride at Blankets Creek on Sunday, October 2.  Riders of all skill levels will enjoy these awesome trails.
Ready to ride: 10:30 am (at trailhead)
After ride social: Grilling hamburgers and hotdogs (bring some sides to share)
Trail Info, Map and Driving Directions: http://www.sorbawoodstock.org/trails/
Trail Review: http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/united-states-trails/trails-georgia/trail/PRD_167560_4541crx.aspx

Black Friday – November 25

Horse Park, Conyers GA

Please join us for a group ride at the GA International Horse Park (in Conyers) on Friday, November 25.  The Horse Park bike trail, which is approximately 8 miles long, has two sides: the dirt side and the granite side.  Both sides offer fast, fun downhills, some gut busting uphills, a few rock gardens and other technical features : )

RTR 1:00 pm
Trail Map:   http://www.georgiahorsepark.com/Portals/4/GIHP%20trails%20map.pdf
Address: 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, Georgia 30013
After Ride Social:  We plan on going out to eat after the ride.

The dates and times for the following rides are to be determined.

FATS (Fork Area Trail System), near Augusta GA

Come ride some awesome trials at FATS!!
Ready to ride: TBD
Ride Social:  Camping Friday and Saturday night at the Petersburg campground.
Reserve a campsite at: http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Petersburg_Ga/r/campsiteSearch.do?site=all&type=9&minimal=no&search=site&criteria=new&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=71348&search=site.
Trail Info: http://www.sorbacsra.org/Trails/FATS.htm
Directions: http://www.scgreatoutdoors.com/park-forkareatrailsystem.html
Trail map: http://www.sorbacsra.org/FATS%20Map%202%20102107.JPG

Big Creek Park, Roswell GA

Ready to ride: TBD
After ride social: TBD
Info link:  http://www.rambo-mtb.org/index.php