Happy Trails

by Allison Gorman

Going it alone: Mike Skiles enjoys the challenge of a tough trail—this one on Raccoon Mountain. But the real challenge is corralling his six children for a monthly family bike ride—challenging but doable, he says. Between Chattanooga’s abundance of parks and trails, and the growing availability of equipment that lets parents carry or tow younger kids, it’s easier than ever for families to hit the trail together.

If the secret to success is sheer doggedness, bicycling enthusiast Mike Skiles has it in spades. Never mind his stamina on the trail; consider his parental energy. Who but the most determined dad would attempt to corral his six children, ages 2_ to 16, and all the attendant equipment, for a family bike ride on Raccoon Mountain?
He admits that with so many kids, of such disparate ages, his original ambition—a monthly Skiles family trail ride—has been hard to pull off. But in general, he says, Chattanooga parents are in a great position to make mountain biking a family activity. Between Chattanooga’s abundance of parks and trails, and the growing availability of equipment that lets parents carry or tow younger kids, it’s easier than ever for families to hit the trail together.
As with most endeavors involving children (especially little children, or lots of children), the family bike ride doesn’t lend itself to spontaneity. Plan ahead, Mike says. Make sure everyone’s bike is in good working order, and have what you need on hand in case something goes wrong. Choose a trail that fits your children’s skill level. And keep it fun: Try to anticipate what your children’s exercise threshold is, and don’t push them to go farther than they want to.
Any parent of six must be, above all else, a formidable multi-tasker, and Mike Skiles fits the mold. He fielded our questions about bikes, trails, and riding with kids, all while working the busy desk of his Cherokee Boulevard shop, Suck Creek Cycle.

Q. When did you start mountain biking as a family?

A. Very early. At the beginning you do it the typical way, either with a child seat or a trailer. I’d recommend a trailer over child seat, just because it gives the children more to do than just sit in the seat right behind you. Then again, some kids don’t like being in the trailer; they like being closer to Mom or Dad, and they feel like they’re really doing something, riding the bike.

Q. So where do you go from there?

A. A tagalong’s next. You can pull them along on a tagalong on an actual bike trail. At Harrison Bay, I’ve even pulled my kids around in a Burley trailer. It’s kind of bouncy, but it’s fun.

Q. When is a child can ride his own bike, when is he ready for trail riding?

A. You’re not going to get them from the sidewalk to the trail just like that. Just like some kids are naturally better ball sport athletes, some kids are naturally better bike riders. So you kind of have to go to a spot where not only in the trail ridable for everybody, but maybe there’s something to do in conjunction with it. A lot of campgrounds now have some sort of bike trail fairly close by or within the confines of the campground, and that’s where a lot of folks will get started.
And most mountain bike events have some event geared towards kids, too, if you have a child 8 or 9 years old and up, and you wanted to get them involved in an event. Typically they don’t run them on the same course that they would run the adults on; they’ve got an off-to-the-side course, or even something just roped off on a field to get them going on. There are some kids that’ll be very competitive, and some who are just out there having fun.

Q. So mountain biking doesn’t have to be in the woods, as long as it’s on an unpaved surface?

A. Yes, that’s very accurate. I would consider a dirt road mountain biking—a jeep road or something like that. One of the better places to get started for first-time mountain bikers is Harrison Bay. It’s a 4_-mile loop, and it’s got some shortcuts, but it’s not treacherous at all. There are enough hills enough to challenge the beginner, but it’s not going to be so challenging that they’ll say, “I can’t do this.”

Q. How much experience on two wheels does a child need to begin mountain biking?

A. It’s mostly about confidence. If they confidently ride their bike—that’s not saying recklessly ride their bike—but if they’re at ease on their bicycle and they don’t have issues with changing gears, starting, stopping, paying attention while they’re riding…

Q. Do children need to have a bike with handbrakes, or can they use the old-fashioned brakes?

A. Getting started they can use the old-fashioned brakes. By the time they’re getting sporty with their bike, I would say a multi-speed mountain bike is going to be a better choice. Now I want to say, too—and this isn’t a plug, it’s just good advice—a department store, would-be mountain bike is not a good choice to try to get someone started.

Q. So just because it has knobby tires doesn’t mean it’s a mountain bike?

A. Exactly. Typically they’re putting all the flash there. You’re going to see front and rear shocks on those things, and the thing is they weigh a ton, and they fall apart. For anybody 6 to 12 years old, I wouldn’t look at anything more than front suspension. It’s unnecessary and heavy.

Q. What are some good beginner trails for families with small children?

A. It’s kind of nice to go to Reflection Riding and just ride the gravel roads. Another easy one to ride, but it’s mostly either uphill or downhill, is the Guild Trail on Lookout Mountain. If you live on Signal, which a lot of folks with kids do, the jeep road down to Edward’s Point is a good one.

Q. What’s a good beginning distance?

A. Harrison Bay is a 4-mile loop, and that’s pretty long, really. But it’s a two-way street, so before the kids even start to complain or feel tired, I’d probably turn around and go back, unless you know that they would soldier on.

Q. What trails would you recommend for older kids who are ready for a challenge?

A. Because it’s close by, again Raccoon Mountain is about as challenging as anywhere you’d want to go. But if you want to kind of make a day of it and have an adventure, there are great trails up at Ocoee, at the whitewater center, or the Chilhowee area. And there is one trail called Brush Creek that’s above Ocoee that’s kind of a step up from Harrison Bay and Booker T. Washington, but not terribly challenging, and you can make it a mostly downhill trip. So throw some fun in there when you can—tote your bikes to the top and then ride down to the bottom.

Q. So as someone who has taken six children out on the trail together, what are your tricks for making mountain biking a family outing?

A. When we go to Raccoon Mountain, we try to do it early in the morning when it’s cool enough. And if you’ve ever been up there in the Laurel Point area, there are beginning trails up there. And then, for the littler kids, there’s a volleyball court that’s sand, there’s a playground, there are picnic tables, there’s hiking—so I would find a place where, if you’ve got both parents involved, one parent could do something with the older kids and one parent could do something with the younger kids, and mix it up. I do love that area because you can hike down pretty close and get a great view of the gorge, and they’ve got the amenities there.