FRESH AIR CALENDAR
Soddy-Daisy chapter of Tennessee Trails Assn. hikes: Saturday, Lula Lake, moderate 4.5 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Food City parking lot in Red Bank; call Nancy Allen at 344-1118); Tuesday, Big Soddy Gulf, intersecting with Cumberland Trail, easy/moderate 6 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Durham Street parking lot in Soddy-Daisy; call Bob McGavock at 667-2960); June 2, National Trails Day, Booker T. Washington State Park nature trail with interpretive ranger (meet at 10 a.m. at park swimming pool); June 5, Rainbow Lake to Edwards Point overlook & back, moderate to slightly strenuous 5 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Food City in Red Bank; call McGavock at 667-2960); June 9, Heiss Mountain trailhead to Imodium Falls & back, strenuous 11 miles (meet at 8 a.m. at Durham Street lot; call John Politte at 304-8327).
Family Funday “Discover the Creek”: Sunday, 2-4 p.m., Audubon Acres; creek “stomp” led by certified naturalist to learn about crawdads, snails, mussels, etc.; all ages; $2 for Audubon Acres members, $7 for others; registration required at https:// squareup.com/store/ChattAudubon; June 17, “Creek Snorkel/Water Hike.”
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.
USA Open Water Swim Fest: June 1-3, 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., & 4.5-mile 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.
Chattanooga Hiking Club meeting: June 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Outdoor Chattanooga, Coolidge Park; free, open to public.
Chattanooga Grotto Club meeting: June 4, 7-8:30 p.m., Outdoor Chattanooga; free, open to public.
New Cumberland Trail hiking series: June 8, 4-7-mile guided hike. Learn details at 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.
Chattanooga Bicycle Club meeting: June 18, 6-7 p.m. Outdoor Chattanooga, Coolidge Park; for recreational cyclists.