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The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) is the premiere mountain biking organization in the Southeast. SORBA members work with land managers in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee to create trails and trail systems for mountain bikers and other users to enjoy. Through advocacy, education, and recreational opportunities, SORBA carries out its mission to promote land access, trail preservation, and new trail development in order to enhance mountain bike touring, racing, fun, and fellowship for all mountain bicyclists in the southeastern United States.
SORBA has over 2,000 members who help steward miles and miles of great trails in our five-state area. The best riding in the Southeast is found on trails maintained by our volunteers. SORBA loves singletrack, rocks, roots, and logs, and we employ IMBA's trailbuilding practices to ensure that our trails are sustainable and challenging.
SORBA relies on our wonderful members to carry out our mission. SORBA volunteers donate thousands of hours each year to advocate for trail access, build trails, and maintain trails. SORBA volunteers take pride in their work, and it shows in the trails that they build.
Because SORBA is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3), all donations to the organization are tax-deductible. If you love mountain biking, please consider supporting SORBA with a monetary gift. Many employers offer matching grants to employees who donate to SORBA, so check with your company's HR department to see how they can help.
Membership in SORBA entitles you to some great things. Come
JOIN US!
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Mountain biking usually refers to the sport of riding bicycles possessing particular design characteristics, mountain bikes, off-road, although sometimes the term simply refers to riding a mountain bike. The sport requires endurance, bike handling skills and self-reliance. It is an individual sport which can be performed almost anywhere. There are aspects of mountain biking that are more similar to trail running than regular bicycling. Because riders are often far from civilization, there is a strong ethic of self-reliance in the sport. Riders must learn to repair their broken bikes or flat tires to avoid being stranded miles from help. This reliance on survival skills accounts for the group dynamics of the sport. Club rides and other forms of group rides are common, especially on longer treks.
Mountain biking is roughly broken down into five categories: cross country, downhill, freeride, dirt jump and trials/street riding. However, most mountain bikes have a similar look: knobby tires, large round frame tubing, and some sort of suspension or shock absorbers. Mountain biking can be done anywhere from a back yard to a gravel road, but the majority of mountain bikers prefer to ride trails they call singletrack. These are narrow trails that wind through forests or fields. Other trails are wide enough for more than one rider and referred to as "doubletrack".
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ABOUT SORBA MID-TENN CHAPTER
SORBA Middle TN Chapter came into being in Summer of 2005. We actually replaced the former Lock 4 Trailblazers Chapter. Our chapter covers a lot of area, not just Nashville. To see some of the trails in our area, visit: Middle TN Trails. When we began the chapter, our goal was to provide an organization that met the following:
-Create a place where all mountain bikers in the Middle TN area could unite and communicate.
-Enhance the ability of the mountain bike community to gain access to new trails.
-Provide a venue and knowledge about IMBA trail building standards to make sure the new trails we build are sustainable for years to come.
-Provide events at local mountain bike trails such as festivals, group rides, beginner clinics, and kid’s rides, just to name a few.
-Provide a place for new riders to go for information about riding and local trails, as well as provide clinics and rides to help build skills.
-Ensure the future of mountain biking in Middle Tennessee.
-Have FUN! Ride our mountain bikes!
As of the end of 2006 we’ve:
-Opened 6 miles of new trail at Long Hunter State Park
-Held 2 festivals at Long Hunter State Park and assisted with 2 at Hamilton Creek
-Held three beginner clinics/rides
-Organized over 50 trail work days, including two on National Trails Day and one for National Public Lands Day, and work days at Long Hunter State Park, Lock 4 City Park, Montgomery Bell State Park, Hamilton Creek City Park, & Fall Creek Falls
-Held Middle TN’s 1st official Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day event
-Held a class to provide training for National Mountain Bike Patrol
-Held and assisted with weekly mountain bike rides.
-Hosted one IMBA Trail Care Crew clinic and trail work weekend at Long Hunter State Park
-Created our website that includes information about mountain biking, local trails, our schedule of events.
For 2007, we hope to:
-Assist with the reroute and reopening of Hamilton Creek City Park’s 11 miles of trail.
-Open 3 more miles of trail at Long Hunter State Park
-Continue working to provide access to land at Edgar Evans State Park.
-Explore opportunities at Higher Ground in Thompson Station.
-Explore new opportunities for trail in Rutherford and Williamson counties.
-Continue our staple events: 3rd Annual Long Hunter Festival, 5th Annual Hamilton Creek Festival, 2nd Annual Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day, National Trails Day, National Public Lands Day.
-Sponsor at least 12 major trail work days – 1 per month. Cover each trail in our area.
-Hold a club meeting/social/ride per Quarter
-Hold or assist with weekly rides
-Grow our list of sponsors to help provide the tools we need to make these events even bigger and better.
I am sure the list above will grow as we bring new people onto the board after elections in November. If you are interested in getting involved, please email sorba.middletn@sorba.org.
Feel free to come out to an event and check us out!
2007 - IMBA & BLUE RIDGE MAGAZINE TENTS at 3rd Annual Long Hunter Festival on Jones Mill Trail
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