HANDUP Local: The Aetna Trail Fund-Race-Er | Year 2

Who doesn't love havin' a little fun in their home town?

For the second year in a row, we have had the opportunity to host an evening at the Aetna Mountain Bike trails, just outside Chattanooga, TN. 

In HANDUP spirit, the race is more "fun" than it is race-y and the signups give back to the expansion and maintenance of the trail system. 

The night starts with a prolonged but fun pre-hang in the parking lot. We need people to sign up but there's no rush to do it. Hell, everyone there is an adult. They know the race starts at 7... they can manage that start time however they please. 

With that in mind, there is no time lost getting grills and coolers filled. Its like a mini-mountain bike festival in that way. Everyone is in a hurry to slowwwww down. 

Sign ups end, our half-baked race rules get announced over the PA system we barely know how to use and we're OFF! The teams of 2 start out with 1 rider on course, knocking out the first typically-overzealous lap. Boy... do those laps begin to fade through the night as the sun sets. 

By lap 3, half the field has taken to drinking in the parking lot and listening to AC/DC's Thunderstruck on repeat (it gets us going). The rest of the "racers" are out still mildly hammering away at the goal - the most laps that can be done in 4 hours. 

By the time the winner rolls in with headlamps on full blast, most of the particpating racers have traded their bibs for jorts and have rallied in the parking lot to half-cheer, half question whether or not the winner even had any fun! This year, he was all smiles so, we will assume he did. 

Then we drink some more, pack up, go home and write about it on our blog 6 days later.... so goes and HANDUP event. 


We'll see ya next year! 


Aetna Trails are supported and expanded by the good folks at the Tennessee River Gorge Trust.  When you are done picking up some gloves, send them a buck or two.