Press Release
2006 CHEAHA CHALLENGE CENTURY DATE SET, TO BENEFIT CHIEF LADIGA TRAIL
December 8, 2005
PIEDMONT, Al - The Northeast Alabama Bicycle Club confirmed today that the 14th Annual Cheaha Challenge Century bicycle ride will be Sunday, May 7, 2006. The ride begins and ends in scenic Piedmont, Al, offering mileage options of 26, 47, 66, 88, or 102 miles. The 102-mile route contains more than 7,400 feet of cumulative climbing, following the newly designated Appalachian Highlands National Scenic Byway from Al Hwy 9 to beyond Mt. Cheaha, Alabama’s highest point. Shorter routes have less climbing.
As the largest road cycling event in the State of Alabama, the Cheaha Challenge Century attracts hundreds of recreational cyclists from more than 20 states. The event benefits the Chief Ladiga Trail, a Rails to Trails paved greenway stretching from Anniston to north of Piedmont, or about 28 miles. The 2006 event will feature extra efforts to raise funds for the Chief Ladiga Trail by asking Cheaha Challenge participants to make donations as they register for the ride. The Northeast Alabama Bicycle Club has donated more than $16,000 to the Chief Ladiga Trail in recent years from proceeds of the Cheaha Challenge. “We appreciate not only our cycling participants, but also our local sponsors who support the ride and make the Chief Ladiga Trail support possible,” says Dr. Barry Nicholls, president of the Northeast Alabama Bicycle club. With the completion of the Cleburne County, Al section, the Chief Ladiga Trail will connect to Georgia’s Silver Comet Trail, creating a paved path from Anniston to Atlanta.
Registration for the 2006 Cheaha Challenge will be available from the event website, www.cheahachallenge.com, beginning January 2.
About the Northeast Alabama Bicycle Club:
The Northeast Alabama Bicycle Club (NEABC) exists to promote safe road and mountain biking. We strive to promote the healthy benefits of cycling by planning and sponsoring quality cycling-related events, and by encouraging both recreational cycling and cycling as a viable means of transportation. The club is comprised of approximately 100 members from across northeast Alabama.
About the Cheaha Challenge:
The NEABC has organized and hosted the Cheaha Challenge Century since 1992. The ride has continued to grow each year and is now widely recognized as a major recreational cycling event in the Eastern United States. More than 300 local volunteers contribute time to ensure a successful event.