Hey all,
Managed to finally get my photos from the Thomson visit yesterday posted. Very cool meeting
Ronnie and Bryan Thomson. Got a quick tour of the plant and got to see their fine product
being made. SORBA did a fine job with the tour and following rides. All chapters of SORBA
were represented, GA (all chapters) FLA, TN, SC, NC. 75 people showed up from all around the
S.E.
Photos can be found here: (Forgive the resolution, one day I'll get a better camera!)
community.webshots.comfrtgodOpen ↗
After the tour we suited up to ride the Thomson factory trails. Rain was forcast for later in the
day, but it was starting to drizzle. Not bad enough to give it up though. 70 people on the trail!
I've never riden in such a large group. I was surprised to find that only a few of the 50 employees
actually rode. And only a couple off them came out, but the ones that did could really hammer. That,
plus we were crammed for time in order to make the "three trails in one day" as billed. So the
schedule was tight. Quite a few of the SORBA guys are hard core racers, and it showed! I tried my
best to keep up with the lead group, but got dropped like a bad habit quick! I'll admit I enjoyed
the draft of the front group for a while, but couldn't keep up what I thought to be "race pace".
About an hour, or 8 miles later we emerged from the single track through the trees, back into the
Thomson parking lot, loaded up, and headed out to the GA. Childrens Home, about 10 mins away. A very
large MTB convoy through the streets of Macon. It was great. And starting to rain harder. 🙁
At the Childrens home we were treated to lunch by Cherokee Bike Shop! Cold cut sandwhices and chips
for 75. The rain was increasing, and so was our tempo. After lunch we suited up and hit the trail. 8
more miles of pure singletrack through the forest. Southeastern GA. sits on a different geologiacal
plate, and as such has different, more sandy soil which does nothing but get well packed as it just
sucks up any moisture. Unlike the Southwestern side which is nothing more than the fabled "GA Red
Clay" Which does nothing but turn to mush when wet. The point is, we could ride in a torrential
downpour and not have very much erosion due to it. What a concept! Again I tried to keep up with the
lead group but it just wasn't happening. I need to ride more! We finished up in an hour or so. (At
least "I" did) Back to the truck, dry off, load up. Off to Dauset!
I had never riden the above two trails so that was cool, but I ride these at least three times a
month, so I felt completly at home here. We suited up quickly as it was already 1600 and no sun due
to the clouds. It wasn't raining at Dauset 🙂 and the trails were like butter. I was able to keep up
with the group out front a little longer this time. But not by much. And not for long. Our group had
shrank by this time, perhaps only 40 people or so. Still the largest group I've ever ridden with.
And it was a blast. We rode for 2 1/2 hours here (approx. 20 miles)and it was glorious! I got back
to my truck and popped a Grolsch Amber just to celebrate...and then another!
I did it! I was able to see the manufacuturing of some of the finest MTB related equipment on the
market today! I rode 36 miles of the best singletrack in middle/southern Georgia with some of the
best riders in the Southeast! No my friends, it doesn't get much better than this!
(Sorry, no pics of the rides. I was too busy trying to keep up! I think I might have a future as a
proffesional ride sweeper though!)
Dave W. (And how was "YOUR" day?)