I am super PUMPED
I just did some updating on the website, still can’t make some functions cooperate, so if you need to contact me, send me an email:
I’m still looking for folks to help organize the road events and the trials…
Also, keep in mind that you must have proof of USA membership in order to participate in the events. This is the only way that I could get event insurance without spending a whole lot of money.
USA is not speedy about sending you a confirmation once you’ve sent in your application, so don’t wait, DO IT TODAY!
Count down, less than two months, don’t wait, make the plans, get involved, attend this event and I guarantee you’ll get your money’s worth 
Also, has anyone gotten the UDC fliers for event? Do they make sense?
If you are thinking about attending the event, please send me an email so I can start getting a head count.
Thanks!
What membership?
$25 a person, annual fee, supports events, some cool member benefits.
This is the only way I can cover myself and you during this event, cheap insurance, no other costs to you, but you gotta have it to play.
I went to the campground and reserved three group campsites, each will accomodate four people (or so), sites are $20/night, reservation is from Noon on Friday May 18th to Noon Sunday, May 20th.
These are primo sites: #78, 80, 82, located in the back corner, lots of riding space and a big fire pit, away from the RV’s.
I am planning to use site #80 for me and mine, the other two sites I have to be canceled 48hrs in advance or I’ll get charged, so I’ll need some commitments on camping.
If want a site for your own group, choose sites 84 or 86, these are adjacent to the sites I reserved and are nice and flat. Site 76 is kinda sloped and is not very deep.
I scouted out Megawatt for the DH/XC challenge as well as Upper Chunky for the natural trials, so look for some pictures on the website and on this thread.
This is a rain or shine event, so plan to ride!
I need a head count, so please send me an email or PM with the following:
Your name
Where you are coming from
How long you plan to stay,
Lodging plans
The type of riding you plan to do
Skill level/experience
Interest in helping with set up, teaching, guiding
Questions???
Here are some teaser pics from yesterday’s ride at Raccoon Mountain:
Lastly, your host, me
Hey Ben, I received one of your flyers for this event with my recent order from UDC. Hope you get a great turnout; wish I wasn’t so far away.
It’s not that far, one day each way, just make it a big road trip 
I’m thinking of heading your way this summer, hitting trails in VA, PA, WV, etc…
Preliminary Head Count:
Me, Karen (wife), Alex (son), his buddy
Wes (Knoxuni) and his buddy
Josh (UDC)
A family group fro Memphis, nine total, four unicyclists
A father, son, buddy from Alabama, three unicyclists
Another family group of four from West TN, up to four riders
I know some more folks are planning to come from Alabama and Georgia, but no final commitments YET, but it looks like a good turnout, 20 plus riders.
The three campsites I reserved are filling up, so if you are more than a couple people, you should call the campground a reserve a site. I have already reserved sites 78, 80, 82.
The area where we are camping has two remaining small sites: 76 and 92, and four remaining large sites: 84, 86, 88, 90. There is plenty of room for overflow camping and parking, so don’t worry if the sites are booked when you call, we will find room for one and all
Anyone who is on the fence, you should jump on down, commit to the drive, it’ll be well worth it.
Don’t be the one that says: …“if only I’d gone to the Southeast Muni Gathering…”
Send me a PM if you have questions or you want my phone number to talk
Not riding very much right now…
You guys have fun. I’m just not feeling the itch to get back into doing any serious riding for a while. I’m a bit gun shy since my stress fracture I sustained in Moab last summer, easing back into my riding. I’m also on the hook for a very long ultramarathon run next month that I’m training for (Ultrabalaton 212km in Hungary) so all I have time for is running! 
But after that I’m really going to focus on getting back into riding; hopefully I’ll be game for some sort of multi-day epic this Fall? If nothing else I’d like to go visit and ride some trail systems I’ve never ridden.
All the best!
Rob
This would be a good learning opportunity for me. I cant do any distance though and its my weekend to work. Ben, I sent you a message.
Don’t worry about riding distance, there are trails galore, easy, hard, whatever you want. Raccoon Mountain is an idea location because there is so much variety and the access is so easy.
Just over a week till Munifest, so exciting!!
Is anyone planning to bring their 36er and participate in the road ride at Raccoon Mountain this weekend. I am debating whether to bring mine along.
If anyone is in need of a new 24 inch tire, I will be bringing two 24 x 3.0 Intense tires with me for sale. One has never been used ($25). The other one was used for one 10 mile BMX race ($20).
Speaking of which, if anyone has gear or unis they’d lke to sell, be sure and bring them, labeled and with a price tag, we’ll have an impomptu gear sale table.
I’ll have some 26" and 29" muni tires
We got coverage in the local news:
Too bad it’s not me 
I will be out of internet contact after noon on Friday, so if you need my cell #, send me a pm or email through the website, and I’ll respond back.
If anyone needs more info or has questions about the event, send me a message.
We have a couple groups coming Memphis, one from Alabama, a few from Tennessee, no one so far from NC (I think they’re shunning us), looks like awesome weather, hopefully that’ll bring out the “maybe attenders”.
Josh from UDC is coming with all his toys, a learning bar, maybe he’ll bring some prototypes 
The events start at 9am Sat and Sun, meeting at Laurel Point on Raccoon Mountain, google for directions, there are two ways to come in, if you get lost, ask directions, everyone knows Raccoon Mountain.
There are no stores nearby, so bring your cooler ful of food and drink, we’ll all picnic together.
I’ll be at the campground Friday night, driving a red Honda Element with racks and a UNI sticker (of course).
See ya there!
Don’t worry Ben, the media never seem to give credit where credit is due… At least it’s a decent article, though.
Trail marathon on Raccoon Mtn Tomorrow!
Be advised that the Scenic City Trail Marathon is tomorrow, May 19th that uses the full Raccoon Mtn. trail system. 100s of runners and lots of car traffic. Sorry I didn’t realize these two weekends overlapped! Be careful out there!
Well, it looks like We a not alone in wanting to utilize the resources at Raccoon Mountain. I must have missed this event when I was checking for other uses cuz there are going to be a whole bunch of trail runners out there at the same time as us.
After checking out the trail event plans, it does not look feasible to try and park at the Laurel Point area as there will be hundreds of cars trying to park close to the start/finish.
So, we are now meeting at the Switchyard parking lot, which is located aprox one mile from the interstection of the reservoir ring road and the access road. The Switchyard is very easy to find as there is a large power substation located next to the parking area. The Switchyard does not have bathrooms or water, but there is some shade and a nice grassy area for picnicing.
From the Switchyard we will have easy access to Small Intestine, Grindstone Ridge, Upper and Lower Chunky, as well as some easy single track. There is plenty space in the parking area and paved access road for new riders to practice.
If you have any questions, call me at eight, six, five, four, eight, three, eight, seven, three, five.
Sorry for the last minute changes, fortunately all those folks will be gone by late afternoon, so we’ll have the trails to ourselves on Sunday.
We did it! What an event, the weather was good, the turn out was great , and the riding was awesome!
Thanks so much to everyone who made it to “Ride the Raccoon”, we had riders from as far away as Memphis, Alabama, and Maryland. I didn’t do a “head count”, but we had ~twenty five people attend, fifteen or so trail riders, there were also some kids who rode in camp and are “building skills” for next year
Friday night we had a big rain event, so those of us who were at the campground just hunkered down. Claude was the only one who went out riding; he was on the mountain during the rain; woops.
Saturday morning we had a slow start, in part because folks got in late the night before, and well, why rush things if you don’t have to…we also found out that we were sharing the trails with six hundred runner 
Fortunately they didn’t use any of the major trails we were riding, so we hardly saw them, and by early afternoon they were long gone.
We met at the Switchyard trailhead, ate donuts and played around until everyone arrived, then got riding around 10:30a on a trail called the Small Intestive, a circuitous trail that winds back on itself for ~3.5 miles, We had some a photo ops where the young guns strutted their stuff by hucking a rock ledge. It was warm and the humidy was high, but we all finished together and there were no “major” injuries.
After finishing the morning ride we had a relaxing lunch in the shade, then it was off for round two. The afternoon ride was a little more technical, we rode the Switchyard Connector trail to Upper Chunky for some “trail trials” on the big rock out croppings that give Chunky it’s name. On the way there we some fun on an elevated log. From Upper Chunky we headed over to Lower Chunky for some DH and more rock play, the looped back to the Switchyard…
It was threatening rain, so we packed up quick and headed back to the campground. After showers and snacking, we had an informal potlock and ate marshmellows and smores.
Folks were looking a little sleepy Sunday morning, but we did get an earlier start, meeting at Laurel Point for our final ride. We had a dozen riders start on Laurel Point Trail. Laurel Point provided us with some exciting stuff, an eclectic mix of rock jumbles and roots, fast packed trail in places, a few rock ledges, then finishing with flowing single track on a pine needle carpet down Electric Avenue Trail.
Two days, three rides, some new friends, plenty to eat, and good weather, what more could you ask for?!
Here’s a link to my public Photo Bucket, feel free to copy pictures and repost at will:
http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc244/nurseben/Southeast%20MuniGathering%202012%20-%20Ride%20the%20Raccoon/?start=all
And a couple teasers:
Don’t miss the Southeast MuniGathering 2013: Ride the Ridge!