# 2011 Tandem MTB Weekend



## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

We're working out more details on the 2011 edition of MTBTandems' A.O.R.T.A. (Appalachian Off-Road Tandem Adventure) and are getting closer on some of the details.

Likely 2011 dates: 
1. May 28-30, 2011. Yeah, that's Memorial Day weekend, It may create it's own set of problems as far as reservations and such, but it's the better choice for a number of other reaons;
2. May13-15, 2011. Weekend after Mother's day, but 2 weeks before a holiday weekend, so not sure how it will work for most folks' travel schedules.

Possible locations are:
1. Douthat State Park in western Virginia; 35-40 miles of trails there and more in the vicinty, nothing really flat but some good beginner rides and plenty to keep the faster teams occupied as well. Camping and cabins in the park, no shuttling.
2. Brown County State Park in middle Indiana; Wonderful trails, but only around 20 miles or so. BCSP woule be the easy choice if there were more trails there, but 20 miles won't keep most teams busy all weekend. Camping, cottages and lodge in the park, no shuttling.
3. Allegripis Trails at Raystown Lake in central Pennsylvania; Heckuva trail system, 30 plus miles and all new, flowy, tandem-friendly stuff. It's not a question of IF we'll go to Allegripis, just WHEN. Camping at the trails, cabins maybe nearby?
4. Return to Asheville for a 2nd shot at Bent Creek Trails.

*Feedback and suggestions are greatly appreciated!* If you have ridden at any of the places mentioned and can offer more details, please let me know. Our primary goal from an organizational standpoint is to eliminate shuttling of bikes for the entire weekend and ease some of the logistics, and keep the cost fair. 
Thus, we need trails AT the campgroun/lodge/cabins, and preferably food service/restaurants, etc., and enough trail to keep teams of all levels entertained for 2.5 days.
Hey, it sounds pretty easy until you combine all of our requirements, then the potential locaitons become very few. And yes, we'll be moving westward with this event (or adding another one), but not in 2011, as far as we know right now.

Thanks in advance!


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

Alex, thanks in advance for all the work of putting this together...even though we likely won't make it this year either. The better half is a teacher and works through the first week of June. I'll keep an eye on the date, and look forward to the event getting bigger and better.


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

Okayfine said:


> Alex, thanks in advance for all the work of putting this together...even though we likely won't make it this year either. The better half is a teacher and works through the first week of June. I'll keep an eye on the date, and look forward to the event getting bigger and better.


Thanks for the note. Wondered if anyone actually saw this post or not. We need a "chirping crickets" emoticon for threads that don't take off.
Should know the dates in the next week or so. Memorial Day may pose some issues with accomodations availability, so it may get moved earlier (May 14th) or later (june 14th) depending.
How long a trip is it for you to the three places I mentioned?
Thanks


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Alex, as cool as it is to have the long week of riding. It may force some to choose one event over another.

For our recent trip we lucked out, but truth be told, STR was on the books for us a year ahead. We just grew our plans to the Ellijay stop initially, which then also included the race.

I'm sure whatever you select will be great for most, and as always, there will be some that can not attend for various reasons.

After a couple weeks to think this over, I almost say go back to Bent Creek. When times ease up some more for you, me and other folks that aren't yet retired, we can do it like McCreedy does it, except stay in the US.

I never studied the other locations nearby to Bent Creek, but with enough warning, maybe some would take the drive to other trails within a few hours away (Jack Rabbit, Tsali, Fats, maybe your home trail, Pisgah, Pinhoti, Bear Creek. There is just a ton of decent riding all over the area, plus we know SORBA does a decent job of what they do.

Regardless, for us it's a long drive since we neighbor Cuba. Post it up, we'll see what happens.

BTW, go for June, then I don't need worry about a certain 1 year olds first birthday party. Read as May 20.

BTW, get yourself and sweet stoker pedaling a little, we are doing a little riding at Santos while your team guards the fort when it slows down.

JK & PK


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

PMK said:


> BTW, go for June, then I don't need worry about a certain 1 year olds first birthday party. Read as May 20.
> 
> BTW, get yourself and sweet stoker pedaling a little, we are doing a little riding at Santos while your team guards the fort when it slows down.
> 
> JK & PK


Hey Paul & Jeanne,
I already thought about that 1st birthday date. Since GA Tandem Rally is that weekend, it's a non-issue. BTW, there's another team that joined us at Bent Creek this year with a pending grandstoker due to arrive on - get this - May 22nd-ish of 2011. First baby, so maybe he/she will come early too, and they can pull a marathon like you guys did to join us this year. 
As far as Santos, thanks for the thought. Since it's relatively flat down there, we might be able to ride even in winter condition. But I hope it doesn't slow down! I get a kick out of seeing those first-time tandem smiles on peoples' faces. I figure with you two out tearing up the trails on the tandems, folks will see what the big bikes can do and we won't get too much of the usual "_*you can't actually ride that thing on the trails, can you*_?" stuff.


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

TandemNut said:


> How long a trip is it for you to the three places I mentioned?


Heh, we're 45 minutes west of Los Angeles, so distances to points among the eastern states are all kind of equal and just plain long.


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

TandemNut said:


> I figure with you two out tearing up the trails on the tandems, folks will see what the big bikes can do and we won't get too much of the usual "_*you can't actually ride that thing on the trails, can you*_?" stuff.


With a bit of luck, the Judds, and maybe another team or two, plus us will have a small Tandem AORTA South of the Border.

Santos could easily be the place where the tandems give an "on your left" in the singletrack.

How cool would it be to have a tandem group ride that zips past the singles.

Hopefully we all get in as they limit entries.

JK & PK


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## clj2289 (Jan 2, 2010)

*'on your left'*

We used that quite a bit at Santos for the Ride of the Living Dead!

Looking forward to AORTA!

Keep us posted! And I do agree, that with such busy lives like you have, maybe a repeat and get the kinks out at Bent Creek would work.

Looking forward to seeing you this weekend for our tandem overhaul! Also, can't wait for you to ride Santos in March... on your left!


monica


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## winbert (Sep 22, 2005)

*Brown County*

Sure would love to attend AORTA one of these years...

FYI, the past 2 years I've taken the Cannondale & Fandango down to Brown County State Park for a long weekend of riding and it's been great. Trails are well-maintained and tons of fun. As for mileage, we normally do a 25-mile loop in BCSP (total ascent 2183'), then go back out for more to mix up tandem/stoker combos w/ tandem newbies. FYI - all have been skeptical :skep:, most ended up thinking tandeming was a blast :thumbsup:, but a few have sworn it off permanently :nono:.

There are also other great trails in the area. Every October HMBA hosts the Brown County Breakdown, which links area trails together w/ BCSP for up to a 100-mile route :eekster:. Friends that have done it say it's a blast & they manage to keep it at least 80% singletrack.

On the way in/out of the area we also hit Versailles State Park (~1.5 hrs east). Only ~16 mile loop, but fast, fun, tandem-friendly, & worthy of 2 loops...

winbert


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

OK, here it is:
A.O.R.T.A 2011 will return to Bent Creek Trails in Asheville, NC for a weekend of riding.
Date is May 13th - 15th, 2011. Other rides/days can also be arranged.
Check out the website: www.MTBTandems.com/aorta.html
Please email us if you're intersted in attending.
We are looking forward to seeing many of you again and getting some riding in!
Thanks!


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## clj2289 (Jan 2, 2010)

Heck yea! Tons of fun last year, will be there this year.


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