Tennessee Riding?

[ChrisJ]

Well, I have been talking to a buddy of mine up in Va i'm in Mississippi. We have been talking about doing a ride out of state, I wanna go out west kinda far 20hours, I am thinking Tennessee, been researching it a bit and they have a ton of trails. They also have hills and rocks, none of those down here. Anyone been to TN to do riding with some reccomendations? Or anyone wanna persude me to make the drive to Colorado? Let me know guys and gals.

[ridethewomble]

Well, it's not going to take you 20 hrs to get to TN -- you'll be able to get to Memphis (all the way on the west side on TN) in 14 hours, or so. The biggest mountains in TN are on the east side of the state, too. You could be riding TN mountains with as little as an 8 hour investment (VA is one BIG state when you drive down the hypotenuse of the triangle!)

My brother and I face this dilemma a lot, because he's in Louisianna, and I'm here. The halfway point for us would be around Dahlonega, GA, which I've heard has some respectable trails. The sweetest riding in the area, though, has to be around Asheville and Boone, NC. We haven't done that trip yet, but I've heard nothing but good things.

If you're looking for something where you guys both drive and meet in the "middle," and you're already willing to do a 20 hour leg, RIDE THE WOMBLE! (http://www.imba.com/epics/hot_springs_ar.html) That puts you on the hook for about 21 hours, and your Mississippi buddy on the hook for about 12.5 (assuming he's as far away as possible in Pascagoula), but you already signed up for the 20 hour leg, right? :D

Better yet, do the drive to Fruita/Moab, but split it in two with a stop at the Womble. I-40 is as good a way to get to CO as any, and a couple days of Arkansas riding would split it right in half.

[seanb1974]

I'd have to second that, I have been riding in Asheville, great trails at Bent Creek. I haven't been to Tsali in Asheville, but those are supposed to be great too.

Moab rules! Never ridden anything more fun and/or challenging than the SlickRock trail.

[ChrisJ]

Yea. Im the buddy in Mississippi. I really really wanna go out west, no rocks or hills down here. I know PeterBeers did a trip out west. How long did that take? I plan on taking a week off of work to do this. Ive read up on the trails in Tennessee and they sound great also. Or North Carolina is also an option. This is next year still got alot of time.