For the second annual Bike Camp hosted by Two Bikes Chattanooga, Spencer was lucky enough to be invited down to pedal, swim, eat, judge bikes, and even host a talk. Bike Camp is about bikes, of course, but it’s also about everything else we as bikers enjoy. Check out Spencer’s gallery capturing a fun-packed weekend in Chattanooga below…
From the top, I wanted to thank the generous support from TN Vacation and Bike TN for supporting my trip to Bike Camp. I was very enchanted by Chattanooga itself, and if you’re curious about more riding in Tennessee, check out Bike TN’s 89 curated cycling routes, including 37 new gravel routes.
A Decade Removed
As is customary when I write nearly anything, it’s time for Spencer’s story time. The year is 2014, I’m riding on a dusty road somewhere in Montana, and my buds and I encounter three young bucks from Nashville heading the opposite direction. We instantly clicked and lamented our opposite trajectories. After a few hours of hanging out, we went our separate ways. I didn’t know then that it would be more than a decade until I’d see Mitchell and his twin, Spencer, again. Mitchell Connell has now become a contributor here at the Radavist and happens to be the CEO of Two Bikes Chattanooga.
Two Bikes Chattanooga
Expanding on the success of the first Two Bikes location in Knoxville, Mitchell opened a second location in Chattanooga. Here is a quote from him on why he started Two Bikes Chattanooga:
“Two Bikes Chattanooga opened in April 2024 with the goal of blurring the line between a community space, a nonprofit, and a retail bike shop. We want Two Bikes Chattanooga to be a place where people can work on their own bikes, access reliable transportation regardless of income, and engage with cycling in a way that feels approachable and fun. At the same time, we take pride in running a high-quality retail and service operation, with a focus on well-curated products and excellent mechanics.
Our team – Derek Wilson, Jessica Murphy, Weston Poling, and I – shares a really clear vision of what we want Two Bikes to be: a shop that is welcoming, useful, and sustainable. I hope that Two Bikes Chattanooga could eventually serve as a model for what a small, mission-driven shop could look like in the uncertain future of this thing we call the bicycle industry.”
I could say a hundred nice things about walking around the Two Bikes shop, but I will point to the old CRTV/Couch/VHS/PS2 combo in the corner. When I first arrived, Dumb and Dumber was playing on VHS. I can’t say I’ve ever felt more at home walking into a shop. The amazing team at Two Bikes gets it, plain and simple.
Two Bikes operates as a non-profit, and Bike Camp is essentially a fundraiser, but like everything they do, this was pulled off with (seemingly) effortless style. They prove the fact that you can do really cool stuff to support other cool stuff. Sounds cool, right? Cool.
Secret Ride
Friday arrived and everyone was buzzing as they got into town. The Two Bikes parking lot filled quickly with the who’s who of the Southeastern bike world. As we rolled through town, the famous train tracks claimed their first victim. Their basket contents spilled across the road was the prophetic hint about the coming yard sale of parts all weekend. Cramming 100+people onto singletrack is always tough and led to some hiccups and traffic jams. I think I got lost and misdirected at least three times with separate groups, which really turned into bonding moments. I helped fix a few flats and made some new friends along the way. I still made it back for the after-party at Mean Jeans with the help of a lovely local.
Cafe Con Ron
Velo Coffee Roaster is about as ubiquitous a meeting place as anyone in Chattanooga could ask for. The kickoff event for the ride to camp was sitting down with the weekend’s keynote speaker: Ronnie Romance, aka Benedict, aka Pappi, aka Big Janet, the fine purveyor of Ron’s Bikes and rubber baron at Ultradynamico. Ron only drinks the finest pour-overs, and I’ll say he was satiated.
Saturday at Bike Camp
After a fun group ride, we were treated to the massive meadow of wildflowers that would be our camp for the weekend. Spring was on full display, and the temps were rising quickly. The diverse group of vendors ranged from framebuilders, ceramicists, bag makers, and even stained glass artists. As a side note, someone really needs to scoop up that Shinken track bike from Zach at Amigo.
After a few quick laps to see some of the lovely vendors populating the camp, I was whisked away by some locals for a quick dip in a local spring. Dunking my head under the ice-cold water was more of a treat than I could convey to you; truly decadent.
While I ran around trying to document as much as possible, there were many fun workshops from local foraging and canoeing to seeking out salamanders. The main stage was also graced with talks on bikepacking, anarchist calisthenics, bike photography (hey, I gave that talk), and cycling nutrition. All the while, many attendees hawked their parts bins. Thankfully, I flew in with bags filled to the brim, so I was kept from collecting more parts to hoard in my shed.
Velo Orange Bike Show
Velo Orange generously supported a bike show judged by a panel including yours truly. The categories were: People’s Choice, Pre-Y2K, and Post-Y2K. With lots of amazing contenders, it was a tough choice, but having an excuse to be pedantic and nitpicky was more of a treat than I had expected. You’ll see some sneak peeks at the winners in the gallery, but expect a full close-up tomorrow.
Dinner and a Show
The most visually captivating aspect of the weekend was the incredibly long table for dinner. I think they somehow had twice as many chairs as there were people to sit in them, but the message was clear: sit down with everyone and enjoy camp.
Twain filled the last bits of the evening with his sonorous voice to cap off a lovely day.
Sunday Sunday Sunday
I awoke to the roaring sounds of a Chattanooga CHOO CHOO and joined the zombified masses waiting for breakfast and coffee provided by the lovingly patient and friendly Velo Coffee staff. I found one of my favorite snowbirds, Gaston, sleeping on a table, ready to get in line early.
As we all lined up to start either the 20- or 40ish-mile routes for the day, we were shepherded by Mitchell and Jenny from Visit TN. While everyone started at the same time, there was no rush, no Strava segments to chase, and (almost) no time limit. I spent the climbing-heavy morning chatting with more new friends while having some follow-up conversations about my talk from the evening prior. As with almost anyone who has had to speak publicly, I was anxious about my reception, but the kind and fruitful conversations I had on Sunday assuaged my doubts.
As we rolled through the neighborhoods traversing the ridge of Lookout Mountain, everyone was stopped in their tracks by something cyclists can’t resist: a nice viewpoint. Near the golf course, the dense foliage gave way to a stunning view that encompassed at least a few states. Throngs of cyclists quickly gathered and started to share snacks, and all was well in the world.
The main stop was an aid station put on by Derek’s lovely parents at Lula Lake. We were treated to views of two beautiful waterfalls and all the snacks we could stuff down.
From there, the shorter-route riders headed back to camp, but I decided to sample the longer route since it’s not often that I’m down in Tennessee. I was treated to the trails of Lula Lake Land Trust, which I’m told is usually open only one day a month. It sounded like a treat I couldn’t turn down. The first trails I rode had me very happy that I’d brought a mountain bike, even though it was rigid. The old hiking trails made for great techy mountain biking, which made me feel right at home.
Those trails gave way to wider doubletrack and eventually flowy singletrack through the budding trees. I had expected a bit more shade, and like a ding dong, had not applied sunscreen. I’d wind up with a surprisingly bad sunburn for someone from the desert. Don’t sleep on that southern sun!
Once I reached the apogee of the route and secured some cold bevvies to refuel, I huffed it back toward Tennessee along the ridgeline roads. I guess I had biked into Georgia without realizing it. The final descent down Lookout Mountain provided amazing views and much-needed coasting after nearly 4k of climbing throughout the day.
I returned to find a few picnic tables filled with friendly faces from the weekend. We shot the shit, traded bikes for stunting, and looked back on the weekend.
Many Thanks
I want to thank Mitchell for staying in touch all these years and inviting me to document and present at Bike Camp. Thanks to Kevin for snagging me from the airport and showing me the scenic drive back to town. Thanks to everyone for being so welcoming and complimentary of what we do here at the Radavist. It had been nearly 15 years since I visited the South, and it felt so good to be back. Thanks again to TN Vacation and Bike TN for the support in getting to the event to show how great the cycling scene is down in Tennessee.