Dalton 8th-grader tearing up the mountain bike scene

DALTON — With six miles remaining in the grueling, 300-plus-mile Cross Florida Individual Time Trial mountain bike race, which spanned coast-to-coast across Florida, and a rare breath of cool December air rushing in, 14-yearold Canaan Barrett began to pull away from his father, Chris.

After three days and nine hours of exhausting pedal churning, fence hopping and camping — stopping at convenience stores along the way for nourishment — Chris’ legs began to tighten, but his son, the youngest competitor by far, used a youthful burst to surge toward the finish.

“Some days I get stronger and stronger,” Canaan said. “That may sound pretty weird, probably the opposite for most people, but I can get stronger some days.”

Canaan, who is an eighth-grader at Christian Heritage School, is not what might be considered a typical 14-year-old.

“My dad started getting into mountain biking and he decided to get me into mountain biking and I just fell in love with it. I just really liked it,” Canaan said.

Canaan started biking when he was 5. He and his father went to the trails at Dalton’s Raisin Woods Park and he slowly got a feel for trail riding.

They started out with short rides through the trails, walking when they needed to, but eventually they moved into longer and much more difficult rides. His father helped him train by taking him on long-distance rides to gradually build up his endurance.

Canaan also got help once a local middle school and high school team, the Pinhoti Vipers, was started in Dalton to help younger riders excel in the sport. Before long, he was setting the pace.

Jacob Hoag, Dalton Daily Citizen while crossing Burnt Hickory Road with his family. The driver fled on foot, police say.

The incident occurred just before 5 p.m. at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, said Sgt. Wayne Delk, spokesman for Cobb police.

The driver did not stop after hitting the child, Delk said. His vehicle and several passengers were found near the scene a short time later, but police were still searching for the man they say is responsible, Delk said.

Friends say the child suffered two broken legs in the wreck. He was taken to the hospital with nonlife threatening injuries.

One of the man’s passengers, 20-year-old Brian Demarco Locklin, remained at the scene and was taken into custody after police discovered he had a warrant out for his arrest. The warrant was for a probation violation in Fayette County.

Police have not identified the driver of the car, and passengers identified the man by his nickname “Moonie,” Delk said.

Shaddi Abusaid, Marietta Daily Journal