Cycling in Coweta Knows No Limits

Written by NEIL MONROE | Photographed by CHRIS MARTIN

So, you and your family have faced the challenges of COVID-19 for the past year, cooped up at home, working remotely or going to school virtually. You’ve searched for an activity that is distanced, abundant, challenging and, most important, fun.

For thousands of Cowetans, the answer to their search has been in the garage the entire time: a bicycle.

From leisurely touring the neighborhood to rides on the LINC to competitive mountain biking at Brown’s Mill Park, the art and sport of cycling is staking out a strong foothold as one of the most important recreational activities in the county.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in cycling over the past year, and we’ve worked diligently to keep up with the surge in interest,” says Jim Gay, Coweta’s director of parks and recreation. “We benefit from a solid working partnership between the county and Bike Coweta, which has worked for some time to promote and grow cycling in the county. They are a real asset to the community, helping raise funds, providing guidance, and promoting Coweta and their sport.”

The most visible demonstration of this partnership is the success of Brown’s Mill, a 185-acre park with more than six miles of mountain biking trails. The park hosts a summer camp for young mountain bikers and is home to competitive mountain biking teams for youth. The trails were completed last year with a combination of county SPLOST recreation funds and donations generated by Bike Coweta.

“We’re very pleased with the success of Brown’s Mill,” Gay says. “Most recreation departments, ours included, have a focus on traditional team sports, youth sports, all of which are important. But Brown’s Mill is getting more and more people engaged, people who may have been outside of our traditional orbit. We see kids, adults, even seniors out riding the trails, and where we would have had a handful of riders a year ago, today the trails are packed.”

Cyclists from throughout Georgia participated in the April Tour of Coweta, which featured 25-, 45-, 62- and 100-mile routes.

Competitive Cycling Teams Ready to Ride

With the expanded interest in the park, and cycling in general, the recreation department is leaning on the knowledge of a new staff member with extensive cycling experience. Brent Snodgrass spent seven years helping stage and manage world-class cycling events throughout North America, such as the Tour de Georgia and the Tour de California. With the demands of a young family limiting his desire for travel, he now helps Coweta cycling grow.

A first step last year was the creation of a summer bike camp at Brown’s Mill. The camp sold out, and a second camp is planned for June. Registration for the camp opened in April.

Snodgrass also works with the competitive mountain bike teams at Brown’s Mill. Two teams were added this year for middle and high school riders, and a new team for elementary school age riders is off to a strong start.

“We had 46 kids sign up for the new team very quickly,” says Snodgrass. “That is very encouraging and sets a strong baseline for the program.”

Bike Coweta Helps Drive Cycling Popularity

Long before biking success at Brown’s Mill, Coweta County and its scenic, accessible roads have attracted significant interest from cyclists near and far. Bike Coweta, so instrumental in Brown’s Mill’s success, also has worked to link Coweta to the cycling community throughout Georgia and the nation. Along with providing a safe and bicycle-friendly community, the group works to encourage cycling tourism to impact the local economy.

“We’re cyclists, we love to ride, but at the same time, we want to promote our sport with the good of our community in mind,” says Chris Doane, a Bike Coweta board member. “We know that by promoting and growing cycling in our county, we’re making Coweta more attractive to those seeking a livable, active environment.”

Bike Coweta has long supported cycling and sponsored races and events in the county. Twenty years ago, the group helped delineate 100 miles of bike routes, a key first step in establishing Coweta within the cycling community.

In April, Bike Coweta sponsored the Tour of Coweta, with 25- and up to 100-mile races, the Rock and Road Festival and the Squirrel Hunter mountain bike races at Brown’s Mill – all on the same weekend.

Doane says the fastest growing segments of cycling in Coweta are the trails at Brown’s Mill, the LINC, which offers safe, steady cycling for all levels of cyclists and, surprisingly, gravel roads.

“There are plenty of gravel roads in Coweta, enough to create a 67-mile ride,” says Doane.

There’s another clear trend in cycling, he adds: a move to safety.

“There’s a gravitation away from cars and roads to paths and outlets that offer more relaxed cycling,” he says.

That is where the newly expanded LINC comes in. A 12-foot wide, paved multi-use path, the LINC now traverses 2.4 miles and includes a bridge across I-85, and the Roller Coaster, a mountain bike path that spurs off the main trail to deliver a challenge for the more adventurous cyclists. An additional 2.4 miles of LINC trails are in the planning stages. All skill levels of cyclists can utilize the trail, which is also open to skaters, walkers and joggers.

Cycling and its multitude of benefits will be an important part of the county’s culture as we move forward. For all ages and skill levels, cycling remains a key community asset in Coweta, for young and old.

Every big-box megastore has bikes, but if you want one that’s sized and fitted right for you and your family members, you may want to visit one of Coweta’s specialty bike shops: Atlanta Trek in Newnan and Senoia Bikes in Senoia.

Like other consumer products, modern technology is sweeping over the bicycle industry. Need a built-in GPS system to guide you on your 50-mile Saturday morning ride through the back roads of the county? No problem. How about a Bluetooth-connected, wireless gear system? Or the latest state-of-the-art metallurgy to create an incredibly light, balanced ride?

Or, the increasingly popular E-Bikes, which offer rechargeable electric motors that help take some of the stress away from cycling by making pedaling easier?

Bike options abound, though shops report that supplies of parts and certain cycles can be tight due to the increasing demand created by the growing interest in the sport and material shortages due to the pandemic.

In addition to sales and rentals, both Atlanta Trek and Senoia Bikes host and support regular rides that attract all skill levels and get you out on the road with your new – or old – equipment.

NCM