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- Highway 74 at Bethlehem Road, Kings Mountain.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR ]
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Monday-Friday
12-1 p.m., Brown Bagging the Arts, Cleveland County Arts
Center, 111 S. Washington St., Shelby. Free one-hour art demon-
strations and lectures. Take bag lunch. Drink and dessert fur-
nished. For more information or to reserve a seat call 484-2787.
Mondays
6-8 p.m., every Monday, East Gaston YMCA, Belmont, karate
for adults and children ages 6-over. Youth class 6-7:30; adults 6-
8. $20 per month for YMCA members, $30 for non-members.
Call 825-9104 for more information. : Srey
7 p.m. - Second Monday of each month, Kings Mountain
Board of Education, Central School, 105 East Ridge St.
10 a.m. - Beginning line dance, every Monday, Shelby Senior
Center. :
10-11 a.m. - Sitting for Fitness, every Monday, Shelby Senior
Center. :
12 noon - Boiling Springs Rotary Club, Ritch Banquet Hall,
Gardner-Webb University.
4:15-5:15 p.m. - Cardio tone class, every Monday, Shelby City
Park.
5:30-6:30 p.m. - Overeaters Anonymous, every Monday,
Central United Methodist Church, Kings Mountain.
5:30-6:30 p.m. - Early Evening Aerobics, every Monday,
Shelby City Park. Sn
7-8 p.m. - Evening Aerobics, every Monday, Shelby City Park.
7 p.m. - Parents Without Partners, every Monday, Shelby :
Presbyterian Church. For more information call Alan Smith at
481-2986. :
7 p.m. - Hurting Families Support Group, every Monday,
Christopher Road Baptist Church, Shelby. For information call
538-0410.
8 p.m. - AA Big Book Study, every Monday, Serenity Club,
Tuesdays
6 p.m. - Cleveland County Board of Commissioners, first and
third Tuesdays, County Administration Building, Shelby.
7 p.m. - Kings Mountain City Council, last Tuesday of the
month, City Hall, East Gold St.
Thursdays
10-11 a.m, every Thursday, Sitting For Fitness, Shelby Senior
Center.
11 a.m. - every Thursday, Self Care Program, Bliss Center in ;
Lawndale, Kings Mountain Senior Center, Boiling Springs i
United Methodist Church, and Charles Place, Shelby. Call
Amanda Helms at 482-3488 for information. : :
12 noon - Kings Mountain Rotary Club, Ramada Ltd. i
1 p.m. - Every Thursday, Aerobics, Shelby Senior Center.
6 p.m. - Kings Mountain Kiwanis Club, Central United
Methodist Church. ; RL
7 p.m. - Broad River Genealogical Society, fourth Thursday,
Senior Center in Shelby.
Saturdays
Planetarium Programs at Schiele Museum, Gastonia: i
1 p.m. - Planet Quest. Explore planets and discover special na-
ture of Earth. $2.50 adults, $1 seniors and students. Children un-
der 3 free. oe rv
atur and Sund
Planetarium Programs, Schiele Museum, Gastonia.
2 p.m. - The Voice of Night: American Indian Star Legends of
the Southeast. Discover the night sky through the eyes of
American Indians and learn about their history, legend and lore.
$2.50 adults, $1 seniors and students. Children under 3 free.
3 p.m. - Sky Over Gastonia. Find out what's in the night sky,
planets and other sights. $2.50 adults, $1 seniors and students.
Children 3 free ! il
Thursday, April 20
3:30 p.m. - Story Time Naturals, Schiele Museum, Gastonia,
designed for pre-schoolers. Stories and hands-on activities. Call
866-6909. :
6-9 p.. - Easy papermaking by Jean Silver, Cleveland County
Arts Center. Make paper from junk mail, flowers, and objects
from nature. $20. Call 484-2787 for information. :
Friday, April 21
7:30-9 p.m. - Night Hike, Crowders Mountain State Park.
Meet a visitor center for a walk in the dark to see owls, flying
bats, frogs, toads, etc. Call 853-5375 to reserve a place.
Saturday, April 22
1-1:45 p.m. - Birds of a Feather, Crowders Mountain State
Park. From feathers to bones, get to know a bird up-close. Meet
at visitor center classroom and stay for a short bird walk.
10 a.m.-1 p.m. - Easter egg hunt, downtown gazebo, corner of
Gold St. and Railroad Ave., Kings Mountain. Games, prizes,
sidewalk art, visit from the Easter bunny. For more information
call Tripp Hord at 730-2101. :
3-4 p.m. - Build Your Own Blue Bird Box, Crowders Mountain
State Park. Build a bird house for your yard. Meet in the visitor
center classroom. :
6:30 p.m. - JMX Motocross, grandstand, Cleveland County
Fairgrounds. For more information call Joe Williams at 460-0408.
Sunday, April 2 : y
2-4 p.m. - Cleveland Mineral Ruins, Crowders Mountain State
Park. Crowders Mountain State Park was almost a strip mine,
but citizens fought to save the mountain and created the park.
The battle was close; in fact, a processing plant was built and
ready for operation. Join a Ranger to this seldom-visited area of
the park and explore the ruins of the processing plant and how
nature reclaimed the spot. Most of the hike is easy, but there are
a few moderate slopes and it is two-miles long. Meet at the lake
parking lot.
¢
Tuesday, April 25
11 am.-2 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. - Masaic Mirror Frames with Mini
Strang. Learn ancient craft techniques. Cleveland County Arts
Center. $42. Call 484-2787 for more information.
7 p.m. - Crohn's Support Group, 7 p.m., Gaston Medical Arts
Bldg., 2711 X-Ray Drive, Gastonia.
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~ bicycles had simulated fuel
Herald/Times
BY ALAN HODGE
Staff Writer
Back many years ago when
tanks, headlights, and full
fenders like the one Pee Wee
Herman rides, it wasn't
unusual for a kid to
eventually strip those goodies
off and take to the woods.
These days, the cycles come
already pared to the bare
essentials and are known as
mountain bikes.
Mountain biking is a sport
that has grown by leaps and
bounds over the past several
years. Combining a chance to
enjoy the outdoors with some
excellent aerobic exercise,
mountain biking is something
anyone in reasonably good
physical condition can enjoy.
Schanewolf’s Cycle Sport in
Shelby is a good place to
check out what you need to
get and where you can go
locally to begin your
mountain biking adventures.
There are many places for
mountain biking in and near
Cleveland County,” said shop
owner John Schanewolf. “The
Broad River Greenway offers
several miles of trails right
along the river and is very
scenic. Another area is called
Lost Arrow and is located off
Old Orchard Road near
Polkville. Lost Arrow has 2200
acres available for riding.”
Another place nearby that.
Schanewolf recommends is
Pee Wee's Riding Trails off
Highway 150 near Crouse. -
Pee Wee's charges $2 for
riding and has some good
trails for beginners. For more
experienced mountain bikers,
Schanewolf says that a place
called Riverfront at Exit 29 off
I-85 has seven miles of Greenway Trail near Boone.
challenging trails. Yet another Jumping off place for this six-
place near Cleveland County ~~ mile trail is the Watauga
for mountain bike rising is County Recreation Complex.
Cowpens Battleground. Next try the Watauga River
Crowders Mountain State Road Ride near Valle Crucis.
Park, Kings Mountain A good ride for beginners, this
National Military Park and loop is off N.C.105 at the
Kings Mountain State Park community of Valle Crucis.
also have mountain biking. For the seasoned mountain
Ranging a bit away from biker, there's the 49-mile
Cleveland County will open Linville Gorge Loop. Total
up even more trails for elevation gain on this jaunt is
mountain biking fun. To the over 4,000 feet. Access to the
east, Latta Plantation Park off Linville Gorge Loop is via
upper Beatties Ford Road near N.C.183 in the town of
Charlotte has some excellent. Linville Falls.
mountain bike trails. Heading A little easier on the legs and
to the hills, South Mountain lungs is the Claw Hammer
State Park on the Cleveland Trail near the town of Black
County, Burke County line Mountain, 20 miles east of
also has places for folks to
pedal in the woods:
For really challenging
mountain biking, why not
“ head to the mountains
themselves? For starters, the
“North Carolina Outdoor
Guide” lists seven major areas
in our Tar Heel hills to try out
your cycling skills.
First on the list is Boone's
April 20, 2000 Section B, Page 1
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Growing by leaps & bounds
{ Asheville. The mountain bike
trail at Black Mountain is
about 7 miles long and has a
2,000 foot elevation gain.
While in Black Mountain,
enjoy some of the mountain
crafts and other artwork
produced by local artisans.
In the Pisgah National
Forest, mountain bikers have
the North and South Mills
River Trails to cycle. The 12
mile South Mills River Trail is
a nice ride through dense
foliage. The North Mills Trail
is a good choice for beginners.
Information on both trails is
available at the Pisgah Forest
Ranger Station near the
intersection of U.S. 64 and
U.S. 276 near Brevard.
One of the most popular
series of mountain biking
trails in the state is near
Bryson City in the Nantahala
National Park. Called “Tsali”
after the Indian chief, the
trails are also near
campgrounds. Stop by the
Nantahala Outdoor Center in
Bryson City for more details.
Fontana Village on Lake
Photo courtesy of NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development.
Photo courtesy of NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development.
Fontana offers not only
fishing and horseback riding,
but several good mountain
bike trails as well. One of the
paths, Fax Falls Trail, leads to
a 70-foot waterfall. Other
rides at Fontana Village also
have spectacular mountain
scenery. :
Now that you know where
to go mountain biking, how
much will it cost to get
started?
“A beginning mountain bike
will cost from $250-$400,”
Schanewolf says. “Good
brands are Gary Fisher, Haro,
and GT. At the other end of
the price scale, there are
serious bikes made of exotic
materials that can cost up to
$3,000.”
Along with the bike, you
will need a helmet and gloves.
These go for from $20 on up
to $50. Footwear can be as
simple as some well-worn
sneakers. Other accessories
that will make your mountain
bike adventure more
enjoyable are a water bottle
and rack for as little as $4, a
seat bag for tools for around
$16, and $12 for a tire pump.
Be sure to put some an extra
inner tube and tire levers in
the seat bag.
Perhaps the most important
factor in the whole mountain
bike equation isn’t the clothes
or machinery, but the physical
condition of the person that
will be pushing the pedals.
Mountain biking can be
strenuous exercise. Desk
jockeys need to keep this fact
in mind before they tackle a
steep set of trails.
“Beginners need to take
several weeks of short rides to
build up their stamina,”
Schanewolf says. “It’s also
important to eat
carbohydrate-rich foods
before you begin a mountain
bike trek.”
With balmy days upon us,
mountain biking will let you
enjoy some of nature’s
grandeur and at the same
time keep fit. Now, keep those
pedals turning and your
wheels between the ditches.
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