INSIGHT Magazine March 2014 | Page 24

Biking in Calhoun County B iking is a big part of Calhoun County living now, and there are a ton of opportunities for getting out there on a set of wheels. With the big bike races like the Sunny King Criterium coming up in April, it’s time to get training now, and start familiarizing ourselves with some of the resources that cyclists have available to them here in Calhoun County: SOUTHERN MOUNTAIN BIKE SUMMIT The Southern Mountain Bike Summit brings tons of bike enthusiasts out annually, and this year it’s being held in Anniston. This is above and beyond a simple get together and ride, with representatives from the International Mountain Biking Association and the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association coming together to provide education, create plans for land management and trail creation and provide opportunities to demo 24 new bikes and products. The summit starts March 21. The first day is built around area land managers from IMBA and SORBA, teaching leaders how to use biking trails as community builders, about biking in state parks and providing emergency response in case of injuries. March 22 will yield information about insurance coverage, creating youth riding leagues locally and raising awareness about US forestry trails for biking. March 2014 INSIGHT