FRESH AIR CALENDAR
› USA Open Water Swim Fest:
Friday-Sunday, Tennessee River in Chattanooga; Friday, Southern Zone 1k fun swim, 4 p.m., & USMS 1k fun swim, 4:45; Saturday, Southern Zone 3k (ages 11-12) & 5k (13-older), 8:30 a.m., & 4.5mile Chattanooga Rat Race (Dixie Zone Championship), noon; Sunday, 3k Southern Zone Pursuit Race, 9 a.m.; USMS Swimming membership required for Rat Race. See chattanoogaswimfest.org.
› Soddy-Daisy chapter of Tennessee Trails Assn. hikes:
Saturday, National Trails Day, Booker T. Washington State Park nature trail with interpretive ranger (meet at 10 a.m. at park swimming pool); Tuesday, Rainbow Lake to Edwards Point overlook & back, moderate to slightly strenuous 5 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Food City parking lot in Red Bank; call Bob McGavock at 667-2960); June 9, Heiss Mountain trailhead to Imodium Falls & back, strenuous 11 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Durham Street parking lot in Soddy-Daisy; call John Politte at 304-8327); June 16, Glen Falls, moderate to slightly strenuous 5 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Food City in Red Bank; call Tom McElone at 805-208-4654).
› National Trails Day at area state parks: 10 a.m.-noon, Booker T. Washington nature hike; 10-11 a.m., Cloudland Canyon 2-mile dog hike (6-foot or shorter leash required, $5 parking fee); 2-4 p.m., Red Clay hike (meet at gazebo); 5-6 p.m., Hiwassee/Ocoee 1-mile hike; 7:30-9 p.m., Fort Mountain sunset hike ($3, parking fee $5).
› Chattanooga Hiking Club meeting: Monday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Outdoor Chattanooga, Coolidge Park; free, open to public.
› Chattanooga Grotto Club meeting: Monday, 7-8:30 p.m., Outdoor Chattanooga; free, open to public.
› Rapid Learning intro to kayak & skills practice: Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., Chester Frost Park, far end of beach by first boat ramp; family-friendly for ages 8-up; first-timers free; equipment provided, reservations not required. Email info@ outdoorchattanooga.com or call 643-6888.
› New Cumberland Trail hiking series: June 8, 8:30 a.m., moderately strenuous 4-7 miler; free but advance registration required through info@outdoorchattanooga.com or 643-6888.
› Adaptive cycling program: June 11 & 25, 6-8 p.m., from Hubert Fry Center at Tennessee Riverpark; sponsored by SPARC & city of Chattanooga therapeutic recreation division; recumbent 3-wheelers, hand cycles & tandem bikes available; free but pre-registration required through Jerry at jhightower@ctiengr.com or 596-5268 or Elaine at adams_e@chattanooga.gov or 697-1345. Also, volunteers email got2runrunrun@yahoo.com.
› Local Tennessee Ornithological Society meeting: June 14, 7 p.m., Ascension Lutheran Church, 720 S. Germantown Road. Contact David Stone at rockturf@epbfi.com or 413-7033.
› Chickamauga Battlefield free bike tour: June 16, 9:30 a.m., leisurely 2 hours from visitors center with history talks; adults & kids ages 8-up (with adult) welcome; helmets required. Bicycles can be reserved by calling 706-866-9241.
› Family Funday Micro-Adventure Series: June 17, 9-11:30 a.m., “Creek Snorkel/Water Hike” with North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy educator & Outdoor Chattanooga, ages 5-up, free but pre-registration required; June 24, 4-7 p.m., canoeing ($25) & archery (free) at Greenway Farm. Email info@outdoorchattanooga. com or call 643-6888.
› Chattanooga Bicycle Club meeting: June 18, 6-7 p.m. Outdoor Chattanooga, Coolidge Park; for recreational cyclists.