Ellejoy Jaunt

Hey, I know it is a few months away, but I wanted to let you all know that I am going to place little markers on the route so that if people ride at different paces everyone will know which way to go until we all hit the regroup spots. the markers are going to look like honeybees on the asphalt.

Also, since the McTeer House Cafe closed...I think it may be pretty safe to grab a bite to eat at the Ellejoy Market & Deli.

 

What a great idea. Let us know when you are finished so I can try it out sometime. This is very close to my home.

 

I thought about that while riding down River Road. They always place paint markers to designate the route i.e MS150, TDB, Time trials and other rides...so figured why not for our ride. We can give out cue sheets if people want one, but who wants to stop every little bit to read a piece of paper, when you can simply ride along and look for bright yellow bees on the asphalt and an arrow or two pointing you in the right direction. I'll probably lay the markers down Friday to give them time to dry. It will be BRIGHT YELLOW, so they will definitely be visible.

 

That is GREAT! We could make yellow arrows the "official" RRI markers. :goright: I don't know of any that are yellow and yellow is easy to see on the asphalt. Good idea???

 

That is fine with me. I know that the TDB uses either white, The MS150 uses hot pink. Time trials are in red and I have seen other colors like orange, blue & green but but not often. I have not seen ANY Yellow so I think that would be a good thing.

 

When Where Who and What is the Ellejoy Jaunt? We have an Ellijay down here in Jaw-Juh but I suspect that's not the same !
Chas.

 

Good question! Our ROCKET (Recumbents Of Chattanooga, Knoxville and East Tennessee) Riders Club (the core group that started this board) has a favorite ride that many of the local bike clubs use. It is south of Knoxville on Ellijoy Road and Old Walland Highway. Click here to see the starting point on a map (it is #4 Coulter Bridge). The trail follows a river through Walland to Townsend Tennessee. You can find those towns by looking on a map. Townsend is right next to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Anyway, our group LOVES the ride because it is shaded, flat (by hilly Tennessee standards), little car traffic and follows the river. Plus there are stores and restaurants in Townsend you can get a bite to eat. So we ride to Townsend, eat, then ride back. All of this is at a leisurely pace as we all enjoy each others company.

 

Yeah, and the Ellejoy Jaunt is one of the main bike routes in the area that runs very close my house. The total route winds in and out among the country side and by my house and up hills and such and eventually connects to the River Road route(Old Walland Hwy). This entire area is LOADED with bike routes...it just depends on where you want to ride

 

Hey, Honeybee,

When is this ride going to be? I'm interested.

Larry Hendricks

 

Ha, I was going to post something on that...but you beat me to it. Ok folks, the ride is still on. It is on the 29th of this month & 8:30am sharp. We start and end from my house. The route will be marked with large yellow honeybees on the blacktop, that way no one will get lost and everyone can ride their own pace. It will be between 25-30 miles long. There are some hills bust nothing terrible, LOTS of downhills.

Please bring all your stuff to shower with including towel & change of clothes. It will be hot and I do not like sending guests away all sweaty and stinky. We have two baths extra baths so it won't be problem if everyone prefers to clean up a bit after the ride. We can decide to have lunch out at a local deli shop or everyone can bring a covered dish so to speak and we can all eat here at my house, or everyone can just leave and go home. It's up to you all. I just need to know what the majority prefers.

I hope to have a good group.

 

I rode the Coulter Bridge ride TWICE this weekend. It is a GREAT RIDE. First time I started at the Coulter Bridge and rode the Old Wayland Highway, PLUS the Tour de Blount loop across 411. Great ride. No bents.

Today I Googled a route from my house to the Coulter Bridge and it was all back roads and only 12 miles. So I got up and started riding at 7:30 AM from my house to Coultler Bridge then to Townsend and back. Total 40 miles and a GREAT RIDE. Even made late church service!!!

Plan to do it more later. Plan to meet up with Keila and Bill. They ride this route more than anyone in our group. They are the PROS!!!

--Jon

 

Well that would indeed be quite nice to have an extra bent rider to meet up with. We rode today albeit a bit later this afternoon. A friend of ours from church wanted to ride(she rode her DF) she wants to be a bent convert so bad...so William is going to build her one and she will buy the components. We went her pace which was about 8-10 mph(her bottom was already hurting) We only got as far as Welsley Woods camp before heading back. She literally is aching for a bent. It was a nice ride anyway. Had multiple "cool bike" calls from people and there was one couple who stopped us before we started and were asking about Bents...William gave them the low down. Anyway, if you plan to be in the area riding let us know...we'd be happy to join you or you can join us when we go.

 

I won't be able to make it on July 29. I have a preaching engagement that day. But I hope you all have a good ride.

Larry

 

Hey, I have not seen any takers on the ride this month. I hope that some of you can come. I will check back and if I can't get anyone to come ride with us then I may cancel the ride officially but still ride and if a few folks want to come along they are more than welcome.

 

Keila,

I am SOOOO SORRY!!! I will be in Alabama doing work stuff that weekend!!! I wrote about my Old Walland Highway ride and I invited the group but ended up riding it alone! Still had a great ride and a great time.

Hope others will join you. This is one of my all time favorite rides and YOU are a great person to ride with.

FOLKS, sign up and join Keila and Bill on this ride. These are GREAT people and a GREAT ride! You won't regret it!!!