Bikers Bare All

Ever pedaled a bike into a lake…naked? Do you want to? Enter N.U.M.B.A (Nude Underwater Mountain Biking Association), a loosely organized group that has, in years past, done exactly what their title suggests at select races. After a brief hiatus, N.U.M.B.A is making its triumphant return at the 24 Hours of Pisgah. At the end of the race, all interested parties will have the chance to strip down to their happy suit and ride a furnished beater bike off a ramp into the lake. Plunge once and you get a t-shirt and lifetime membership. www.enduroadventures.com.

Adopt a Crag

Climbers like to have a good time and get a little rowdy. Occasionally, a beer can or an empty bag of chips gets left behind at a favorite crag. Thanks to the Access Fund’s Adopt a Crag program, climbers with a conscience have a month of penance opportunities. Throughout the month of September, Adopt a Crag gives climbers a chance to give back to the areas that they love through cleanups, graffiti removal, and trail building.

There are over 100 Adopt-a-Crag events across the country with the help of over 3,300 volunteers. Last year five programs were held in Virginia and 11 were completed in North Carolina.

“We try to get climbers to give back to the areas that they use,” says Shawn Tierney of the Access Fund. “We have to be stewards of our public lands and give back by doing some sweat equity.”

Events in the Blue Ridge include a Looking Glass Rock Adopt-a-Crag and a Table Rock Adopt-a-Crag in North Carolina’s Linville Gorge Wilderness. For more information and details visit www.accessfund.org.

Free For All

Every year, KONA bike company gives several $1,000 grants every year to deserving IMBA groups to “create new freeriding and dirt jumping opportunities.” This year, two of those grants landed in our backyard. The SORBA Freeride Alliance in Atlanta will build two freeride runs for beginners and advanced riders in Central Park, south of Atlanta, and the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club will use the grant money to add a new loop and skills area to the Alexander Mountain Bike Park outside of Asheville. Check out www.imba.com.

Big Sweep

It’s like Earth Day, only without all the celebrity hype. Big Sweep is a specific date set aside to do some actual environmental work. On Saturday, October 1st, clubs and businesses all over North Carolina will work together to pick up litter along our precious streams and rivers. Hook up with your local environmental group or head out on your own and just pick up some trash. Come Sunday morning, we could be living in a more beautiful state. Visit www.ncbigsweep.org for more info.

Corporate Challenge

Imagine the Eco-Challenge, but all the competitors are from large, successful corporations. CEO’s team up with Vice Presidents and Account Executives in order to mountain bike, paddle, and sprint their way to the victory podium. Challenger World, Inc. has been putting on these adventure races all over the world for years, claiming they help create better teams for businesses. Their first race on American soil will be held in Asheville, N.C., pitting corporate teams against the natural ferocity of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It promises to be a huge spectacle with TV coverage, and it could be your last chance to see some of these executives before they get busted for cooking the books. www.challengerworld.com.

Bike-Friendly Wilderness Bill

Typically, wilderness designations ban bicycle access and usually clash with the agenda of mountain bike advocates, but a new Virginia bill-the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2005-uses boundary adjustments and new designations to mesh wilderness protection with riding opportunities, which could become an important model for other states.

In conjunction with the Virginia Wilderness Committee, IMBA is supporting the innovative bike-friendly agreement, which will protect parts of the Jefferson National Forest in southern Virginia as Wilderness.

More info: www.imba.com.