FRESH AIR CALENDAR
› Mountain to Town bike adventure: Friday & Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon, beginner-friendly Guild Trail to Tennessee Riverwalk in St. Elmo and on into downtown; ages 12-up; shuttle, instruction & guides (& mountain bike, too, if needed) provided by Outdoor Chattanooga; $25. Pre-registration required at info@outdoorchattanooga.com or 643-6888. › Fisherman’s Dream bass tournament:
Saturday, safe daylight to 3 p.m., from Chester Frost Park on Chickamauga Lake; $150 for 2-person boat, plus $10 for big-fish option; registration at Sportsman’s Warehouse until Friday meeting at 6 p.m. at the store. For more information contact Brent Brady at bbrady@ dixielabels.com or 718-0326. › REI Chattanooga free activities: Saturday & Sunday, 1-hour free rides from Chattanooga Bike stations, bouldering at Little Rock City (aka Stone Fort on Mowbray Mountain), SUP boards use at L2 (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday). REI Chattanooga grand opening May 18-19. › Soddy-Daisy chapter of Tennessee
Trails Assn. hikes: Saturday, Savage Gulf south rim, strenuous 10 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Durham Street parking lot in Soddy-Daisy; call George Bonneau at 842-3619); Tuesday, Ritchie Hollow Trail, easy to moderate 4 miles, beginning at Pot Point Cabin (meet at 8 a.m. at Signal Mountain Road Walmart parking lot by railroad tracks; call Bob McGavock at 6672960); May 12, Lower Leggett to Rock Creek bridge & back, strenuous 10 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Durham Street lot; call John Politte at 304-8327); May 15, Black Mountain loop, moderate 5 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Durham Street lot; call Boodie Fox at 842-1178); May 19, Flipper Bend, strenuous 11 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Soddy-Daisy Walmart; call Politte). ›
Adaptive cycling program: Monday & May 21, 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. › Chattanooga Grotto Club meeting: Monday, 7-8:30 p.m., Outdoor Chattanooga; free, open to public. ›
Rapid Learning intro to kayak & skills practice: Wednesdays May-October, 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. › Local Tennessee Ornithological Society meeting: May 10, 7 p.m., Ascension Lutheran Church, 720 S. Germantown Road. Contact David Stone at rockturf@epbfi.com or 4137033.
› New Cumberland Trail hiking series: May 11 & June 8, 4-7 miles, advance registration required through info@outdoorchattanooga. com or 643-6888.
› Scenic City Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 5k: May 12, Raccoon Mountain, 8 a.m.; $75 marathon ($95 race day), $55 half ($75), $25 5k ($35). See wildtrails.org. ›
Harrison Bay Star Party: May 12, 8-11 p.m.; hosted by Barnard Astronomical Society; chance to see the night sky through telescopes & binoculars available free, with experts to identify constellations, etc. ›
Introduction to mountain biking: May 18, 6-8 p.m., Greenway Farm; instruction presented by Outdoor Chattanooga; appropriate for ages 10-up, $10 per class, advance registration & payment required; mountain bikes available at no extra charge. Email info@ outdoor chattanooga or call 643-6888. ›
Chickamauga Battlefield free bike tour: May 19, 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. ›
Chattanooga Bicycle Club meeting: May 21, 6-7 p.m., Outdoor Chattanooga, Coolidge Park.