Get outside this weekend: September 5-7

Posted on by Brad Messenger

Dear Asheville,

It’s weekends like this that make you so damn attractive.  Not only do folks want to visit with you a few times a year, maybe go on a little date, but they are straight up ready to move in and start eating the food out of the pantry and calling your kids their own.  Thank you for offering up this continuous onslaught of outdoor extravaganzas.  It’s more than most can handle, which is why we love you so dearly.

Sincerely,

Your not-so-secret admirer

 

Hey folks, this weekend is flooded with amazing outdoor entertainment that you can’t afford to miss!

Kicking it off in style, on Friday evening, is the New Belgium CLIPS Beer & Film tour in Pack Square. I was lucky enough to attend this event last year but for some reason can’t remember much about it — maybe it was the Rampant Double IPA or the Tripel that did me in. Anyway, ride your bike up to Pack Square, park it in the Asheville on Bikes “Bike Corral,” pick up some beer tokens and grab a spot on the lawn.  You’re guaranteed to have a good time.

Next up, the Green River Games! If you’re unfamiliar, the Green River Games is a multi-sport competition and outdoor festival based around the infamous Green River Gorge South of Asheville. The festival includes mountain bike racing, timed kayaking, trail running races, stand up paddle board races, a combined event called the SILVERBACK and a moderate level of beer drinking — for the spectators of course. Saturday night you might want to think about indulging in the Green River Festival in downtown Saluda, with live music, games, awards and other activities.

Cyclocross season is near, so get ready to see more horn tooting, bell ringing dirt fiends riding their bikes through the mud. The first race of the year for Asheville Cyclocross is taking place at Bent Creek Community Park this Saturday. If you haven’t been to a cyclocross race yet, you need to put one on your calendar this year. It’s sort of a hybrid between mountain biking and road biking that takes place on a spectator-friendly course, typically 2 miles in length. Fans are known for over-consuming beer and screaming at the racers and occasionally handing off bacon strips and cans of PBR.

Lastly, if you are an outdoor enthusiast and enjoy all of the wonderful things this city has to offer, it’s a good idea to pay it back every once in a while. On Saturday the Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO) is leading the Blue Ridge Big Sweep Stream Cleanup in Hendersonville. If you have time maybe shoot out there and lend ’em a hand for an hour or two. Do good, y’all. For more information, visit the ECO website at http://eco-wnc.org/.

If you have an event or outdoor activity that you would like to see posted, just let us know at feedback@mountainx.com!

Have a great weekend, Asheville!

Green River Games

  • 9/6 — SILVERBACK (Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Trail Running) More Info
  • 9/6 — Oscar Blues Enduro (Timed Downhill MTB runs) More Info
  • 9/6 — SUP Race (Stand Up Paddleboard) More Info
  • 9/6 — Bridge to Bridge Race (Paddle/Kayak) More info
  • 9/6 — Green River Festival (Downtown Saluda, NC — Music, Games, Awards) More Info
  • 9/7 — Upper Green Race (Paddle/Kayak) More Info
  • 9/7 — Big Hungry Half Marathon and 10k Trail Races More Info

Cycling

  • 9/5 — New Belgium CLIPS Beer & Film Tour (Pack Square, starting @ 7:30pm) More Info
  • 9/6 — Asheville Cyclocross @ Bent Creek Community Park (Racing for all ages and abilities) More Info
  • 9/7 — Asheville Gran Fondo (Start and Finish in Pack Square) More Info
  • 9/6 — Liberty Bikes – Saturday Bent Creek MTB Rides Beginner & Intermediate (Every Saturday) More Info
  • 9/6 — Blue Ridge Bicycle Club Road Ride (Every Saturday) More Info
  • 9/6 — Sycamore Cycles Spin & Grin Road Ride (Every Saturday) More Info

Running

  • 9/6 — Asheville Track Club Saturday Group Run (Every Saturday) Contact information: 828-273-8860 or burytom@outlook.com
  • 9/6 — Jus’ Running Saturday- Morning Group Run (Every Saturday) More Info

On the River

  • Asheville Adventure Rentals – Tubes / Canoes / Kayaks More Info
  • Asheville Outdoor Center – French Broad River – Paddle/Tubing More Info
  • Zen Tubing – French Broad River More Info
  • Western Carolina Kayakers – Meetup More Info
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About Brad Messenger
@BradMessenger is one of the in-house web developers for the Mountain Xpress. When he's not sitting in front of a computer you can find him out in the woods on top of some knobby tires, on a road bike headed up the Blue Ridge Parkway, hurling tennis balls for his boxer pups or sipping on an Iron Rail down at The Wedge.
View all posts by Brad Messenger →

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