'Coon Mountain

Well I went out over the beautiful weekend and I got a chance to ride one of the best courses I have been able to experience. Well-known around the Chattanooga area is TVA’s Raccoon Mountain trail; a 22-mile trail loop is the area’s largest only next to Oak Ridge, Tennessee. First I want to say, MAKE THE TRIP, this place had the best trails for every level of rider, even road bikers. Raccoon’s 750 acres encircles a water-pumping reservoir and has everything from beginner trails to expert trails, including a jump that clears a fast flowing creek. Make sure you are ready to make a day adventure out of this because you’re going to want to ride every trail in the park. Here is a map for a general idea of the layout for more detailed information you should visit sorbachattanooga.org.

I cruised into the TVA Park using the entrance off Cumming’s Highway, a much more scenic

route that snakes up the mountain. The road loops around the reservoir to a section supported by large gravel rocks. The five-foot wide plateau road offers a 180-degree panoramic view of the beautiful Tennessee rolling foothills.

My first trail was a warm-up called “Electric Avenue.” I accessed it via another nameless trail that brought me to the edge of the mountain. I had to get off my bike and take a look. I could see straight down into the valley of the river splitting the trees from the rocky mountain directly across from where I was sitting. I felt like an ant, the mountains were magnificent and overwhelming. I got back on the trail and flew through a curving yet flat Electric Avenue.

This trail runs as a 3.5 mile, singletrack through a very open forest. The trail dirt was pretty loose, which made it fun to slide and spray around turns. Be conscious because the area is prone to fallen trees. I had

a nice ride with a couple of sharp turns and fun bumps but it was time to move on.

The next trail was the East Overlook trail, I didn’t even have to get in my car and relocate. I just ventured over the road and went on my way. The dirt on this section is a dry, sandy color, perfect for a fast pace run. The trailhead sign read east overlook, with an arrow and a much more important blue square, defining the trail as an intermediate level of difficulty.

The first thing worth mentioning was a technical rock section, which unlike some, I consider rather challenging and very fun. The idea here is to maintain a constant speed for equilibrium between balance and maneuverability. As many experienced riders know, the recipe for success is to keep your head down, eyes open, and concentrating on your ‘safe-path.’

I shot out of the rocks, flew by a couple turns, hit a downhill and never looked back. The wind picked up, giving me a cooling, energizing feeling all over my body. I started to book it. Then the adrenaline kicked-in, trees became blurry, like I was looking down a tunnel. I felt myself Airborn and back on the ground and then again, my heart was pumping. My breathing stabilized, I was in ‘the zone.’ It’s the best part of the ride, twenty to thirty miles per hour and still building, legs burning. All of the sudden, as if exiting light-speed, I was in the open, the sun burning down on me, looking over the brow into the distant mountains. A quick exhale, I had succeeded.