SORBA

SORBA, the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, is an organization that builds and maintains mountain bike trails in the Southeast region of the United States. It also promotes mountain bikers' interests, such as access to trails. SORBA is an IMBA Affiliated Organization.

SORBA is a member-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, officially chartered organization devoted to promoting 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. We publish the "Fat Tire Times," to keep members informed of important issues, organized rides, work parties, races, socials, festivals, and other events. We hold our mountain bike events to raise awareness of land access and trail maintenance, to ride, to race, and to just have fun. Membership in SORBA entitles you to some great things, come join us!

Chapters

Paulding Sorba

Paulding SORBA is a chapter of SORBA, the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, an IMBA affiliated club. Paulding Sorba's mission is to promote mountain biking in and around Paulding County, Georgia through land access, trail preservation and new trail development. Paulding Sorba employs IMBA's trailbuilding practices to ensure that trails are sustainable and challenging.

ORBA-Chattanooga

The Chattanooga Chapter of SORBA (SORBA-Chattanooga) serves the interests of off-road cyclists of Southeast Tennessee. SORBA-Chattanooga works with land managers and policy makers to develop fair and responsible policies governing the use of public lands. The chapter's members have donated thousands of volunteer hours constructing and maintaining mountain bike accessible trails. In 2005, SORBA-Chattanooga was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the United States Department of Agriculture for its active participation in the volunteer trail maintenance program of the Ocoee/Hiwassee District of the Cherokee National Forest. More recently, SORBA-Chattanooga volunteers partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority to construct trails on Raccoon Mountain. Over 17 miles of trail have already been constructed and opened the public in this on-going project. SORBA-Chattanooga volunteers have also completed trail expansion and maintenance projects at Booker T. Washington State Park and Harrison Bays State Park and are currently pursuing additional trail opportunities in Hamilton County, Tennessee and Marion County, Tennessee.

ORBA Woodstock

The SORBA, Woodstock, GA Chapter (SORBA-W), was formed in March, 2000, by a group of local mountain bikers. SORBA-W was formed in part due to the closure of trails at Boling Park in Canton, GA to off-road cycling. With the mission to preserve, protect, and educate the community, SORBA-W's primary focus has been advocacy, mountain bike trail development, and trail maintenance in Cherokee County. As an extension of the main SORBA organization, SORBA-W also assists with rides, festivals, and the advancement of off-road cycling throughout the southeastern United States.

Currently SORBA-Woodstock has relationships with local land managers such as the City of Woodstock, City of Canton, Cherokee Recreation and Parks Authority, Department of Natural Resources, Boy Scouts of America, Cherokee County Water Authority, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Allatoona. These relationships provide mountain bikers with opportunities for trail access while protecting the future of existing trails. SORBA-W's primary role is to organize volunteer workers to perform trail layout, design, construction, and maintenance at Blanket's Creek.

The newest trail in Cherokee County, Blankets Creek, on Sixes Road ( I-575 exit 11), will eventually be comprised of three loops: the North loop, Middle loop (The Dwelling Trail Loop), and the South loop. The Dwelling Trail was opened on June 3rd, 2000. The South loop was completed and opened in September 2003, and work on the North Loop is expected to begin in 2006. SORBA-W currently has over 280 acres set aside for trail development.

External links

* [http://sorba.org/ SORBA Website]
* [http://pauldingsorba.org/ SORBA, Paulding County Chapter Website]
* [http://sorbachattanooga.org/ SORBA-Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Chapter of SORBA]
* [http://www.sorbawoodstock.org/ SORBA-Woodstock, GA Chapter]