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News and Events Jan. 31, 2012
We’re going “batty” at our Winter Workshop this Thursday. Look for the star # to see new events and activities.
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Winter Workshop: Building a Bat House Feb. 2
A single small bat can eat as many as 1,200 mosquitoes in one night. At our next Winter Workshop, former TWRA wildlife officer Mike Bailey will share plans and tips for building bat houses. Learn about these often misunderstood mammals and how you can attract them to your back yard. The class happens on Thurs., Feb. 2, 6 p.m. at Outdoor Chattanooga, 200 River St. in Coolidge Park. To learn more, email or call Outdoor Chattanooga at (423) 643-6888.
#Bike2Work Feb. 3
Join Chattanooga’s bicycle commuting crowd for Outdoor Chattanooga’s monthly Bike2Work breakfast this Fri., Feb. 3, from 7-8:30 a.m. at the Waterhouse Pavilion on Miller Plaza. Enjoy free coffee, breakfast and a place to warm your fingers and toes. Hosted by Hamilton Co. Step One, River City Co., Velo Coffee Roasters, and River City Bicycles. To learn more, email or call Outdoor Chattanooga at (423) 643-6888.
#Winter Workshop: Introduction to Building Wooden Boats Feb. 9
Wooden boat hobbyist Nelson Bennett will offer tips on getting started with building your own wooden boat at next week’s Winter Workshop on Thurs., Feb. 9, 6 p.m. at Outdoor Chattanooga, 200 River St. in Coolidge Park. Learn where to find plans, space, tools and other essentials. The workshop is free and open to the public. To learn more, email or call Outdoor Chattanooga at (423) 643-6888.
#Traffic Skills 101 Feb. 18
Outdoor Chattanooga will offer the League of American Bicyclists' Traffic Skills 101 course on Sat., Feb. 18, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Outdoor Chattanooga, 200 River St. in Coolidge Park. The course covers bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques and includes a student manual. Classroom instruction in the morning is combined with parking lot drills and on road training in the afternoon. Adults and children age 16 and older may attend. Cost is $10 to cover materials. Pre-registration is required. Limit: 10 students. Email or call Ruth Thompson at (423) 643-6889 to register or learn more.
#Adaptive Kayaking Begins February 28
Outdoor Chattanooga and the City Parks and Recreation’s Therapeutic Recreation Services will introduce people with disabilities to the basics of kayaking. Beginning on Tues., Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m., at the UTC Maclellan Gym indoor pool, Outdoor Chattanooga’s Rapid Learning Whitewater Club will provide special adaptive equipment at their last roll practice of each month. People of all ages and abilities are welcome. Reservations are required. To reserve a spot, email or call Jessie Steele at (423) 643-5716.
Outdoor Chattanooga Bicycle Safety Classes, 2012
Outdoor Chattanooga and the League of American Bicyclists will offer several bicycle safety classes this winter and spring, from short, free seminars and a traffic skills class to an intensive cycling instructor workshop. Sign up now.
More Events
#Chattanooga Hiking Club Meeting Feb. 6
The Chattanooga Hiking Club will welcome McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy as its guest speaker for their next meeting on Feb. 6, 6:30 p.m. at Outdoor Chattanooga, 200 River St. in Coolidge Park. Interested members of the public are welcome. Sheriff Guy is the author of *The Hidden History of McMinn County*. His topic will be Starr Mountain and the White Cliff Hotel and the tales that surround the Starr Mtn. hermit. The hermit, Mason Evans, roamed Starr Mountain around the late 1800's for some forty years and lived in Panther Cave during part of that time. For more information about the meeting, email or call Outdoor Chattanooga at (423) 643-6888.
Adventures
#Beginner Trail Running with Wild Trails Feb. 4
TN Wild will host a beginner trail running outing on Sat., Feb. 4, with Wild Trails director Randy Whorton on the John Muir Trail near Reliance, TN. The outing will be specifically designed for those who want to try trail running. Preregistration is required via an online form. To learn more about the outing, email or call Jeff Hunter at (423) 322-7866.
#Big Frog Family Hike Feb. 11
The Chattanooga Trekkers will host a family friendly hike in the Cherokee National Forest's Big Frog Wilderness on Sat., Feb. 11 at 12 noon (EST). The group will probably do the Big Creek Trail (3-5 miles). Big Frog was designated as a Wilderness Area in 1984 and currently consists of 8,082 acres. This beautiful remote area offers mountain vistas, waterfalls and clear mountain streams, and is a sanctuary for black bears. An RSVP is required to attend the hike. To learn more, email or call leader Valerie Radu at 503-2318
News
Needed: Pictures of Walkers, Cyclists and Transit Users
The City of Chattanooga's Office of Sustainability is adding a new transportation and mobility page to its website. If you have hi-res photos of walking, bicycling, or public transportation available for display on this site, please drop an email to Jenny Park or call (423) 643-6884.
Survey: How do you Use the TN Riverpark Play Trail?
A Ph.D. candidate from the N.C. State University College of Design is doing a survey about the TN Riverpark’s Riverpoint Play Trail. Please take 4 minutes to complete the online survey. It’s completely safe and anonymous.
The Gear Closet Now Accepting Used Outdoor Gear for TenneSEA
Bring your used outdoor gear and clothing to Outdoor Chattanooga, 200 River St. and support the Tennessee Student Environmental Alliance and their efforts to educate about clean water. TenneSEA’s Gear Closet will open at the Outdoor Expo and Gear Swap on Sat., Apr. 21. Donation stations are also located on Signal Mtn., and in Hixson and on Brainerd Rd. To learn more, email the Gear Closet.
LPRF Grant Workshops Statewide on Feb. 13
The TN Dept. of Environment and Conservation is now accepting applications for Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) grants to help communities improve green spaces, develop trails and do capital projects in parks, natural areas and on greenways. TDEC will host a series of workshops throughout the state on Mon., Feb. 13, in Nashville, Knoxville and Jackson, TN to help communities understand the application process. LPRF grants require a 50 percent match, with a maximum possible award of $250,000. By statute, at least 60 percent of the funds allocated for these grants will be awarded to municipal governments. To learn more, or to register for a workshop, email Recreation Educational Services or call (615) 532-0748.
Web Hit of the Week
The eagle cam at Harrison Bay State Park is up and running.
Last Week’s Web Hit
See how a Michigan woman relocated a colony of bats from inside to outside her barn.
Upcoming Events . . .
February
16 Winter Workshop: Backcountry Cooking
18 S-S-Snakes Alive at CA&NC
19 Southern 6 Trail Race and Kiddie K
23 Winter Workshop: Preserving Land in a Conservation Trust
25 Scenic City Half Marathon, 5K and Charity Challenge
March
1 Backpacking the Cumberland Trail
8 Winter Workshop: Intro. to Climbing for Beginners
9 CaribbeanSEA Beach Party
10 Scout Day at CA&NC
Booker T. Duathlon and Mtn. Bike Race
11 Booker T. XC Mtn. Bike Race
15 Winter Workshop: Bicycle Riding for PreSchoolers
17 Durham Mine Site and Fossil Dig at CA&NC
22 Winter Workshop: Fitting your Bicycle to You
24 Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race
Rear in Gear 5K
29 Winter Workshop: Build a Rain Barrel
31 65 Roses 5K Race/Walk
April
7 Out Run the Police
13 Run at the Mill 5K and 1/2 Marathon
14 Battlefield Bash
21 City of Chattanooga Spring Fest: Outdoor Expo and Gear Swap
Chickamauga Chase 15K and 5K
21-22 Sequatchie Valley Fest
28/29 Volunteer 80 Race to the Smokies
May
5 3State/3Mountain Challenge
19 Scenic City Trail Marathon and ½ Marathon
Children’s Hospital Dragon Boat Festival
Chattanooga Tour de Cure
IHN 5K Run and Walk to End Homelessness
20 Scenic City Triathlon
June
1-3 TN Valley Canoe Club Paddle School
2 National Trails Day
15-17 Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race
July
8 Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon
October
5-13 RiverRocks Chattanooga
6 Swim the Suck
Rock/Creek Stump Jump
UTC Intra-Squad/Alumni Regatta
13 Chattanooga Head Race
21 7 Bridges Marathon
November
3-4 Head of the Hooch
