2006 Tennessee Tandem Rally: June 9th - 11th

[TandemGeek]

Tis' the season to start making your 2006 Tandem Rally Plans...

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Your hosts Tim & Sharon Patterson welcome you to join 98 other tandem enthusiasts at the Tennessee Tandem Rally for three fantastic days of riding in the beautiful foothills surrounding the Great Smokey Mountains on June 9 - 11.

For those who have not yet experienced it, the Tennessee Tandem Rally's reputation for outstanding ride routes has made it a perennial rally favorite for many of the teams who will return to Alcoa for their fourth consecutive Tennessee Tandem Rally. Add to that an outstanding host facility, a well-stocked hospitality suite, and exceptional Saturday lunch and dinner events and you have all the makings for a great tandeming experience.

You can find more information and links to the downloadable registration form at the TTR Website: http://www.thetandemlink.com/TTR.html

For those who'd rather cut to the chase, here is a direct link to the registration form: http://www.thetandemlink.com/TTR/TTR_Regis.doc

**NOTE: Event registration will be limited to paid registrations received from the first 50 teams or 100 registrants, which ever occurs first.


BACKGROUND:

The Tennessee Tandem Rally has proven to be unmatched for it's scenery and offers advanced or adventurous teams some of the most challenging ride options to be included at a major tandem rally in the continental US, making it somewhat unique among tandem rallies. At the same time, your hosts ensure that riders of all abilities are offered ride options that minimize strenuous climbing while still being able to enjoy the beautiful scenery in and around the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.

HIGHLIGHTS:

*** The official rally begins on Friday, June 9th with two ride times -- one early for those who arrived on Thursday evening and another shortly after noon for those who arrive on Friday.

*** New for 2006 is an off-road tandem ride on Friday afternoon.

*** Friday evening features a dessert social at the hotel where you can meet old friends and make new ones.

*** Saturday begins with the rally's longer ride options and a catered lunch with live Blue Grass music in downtown Maryville.

*** The signature TTR banquet will once again be held at Sullivan's in Maryville Saturday evening.

*** Sunday will afford you one more chance to enjoy the fantastic foothill riding that exists around Alcoa, TN.

*** In addition to official rally events on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, hard-core tandem enthusiasts who love to climb mountains are once again offering the special "Thursday Tandem Challenge". Again, details are available at the Web site.

[caadman]

Mark, this looks good, but I do have a question for ya on it. You've been to this rally befor I think, and I was on the website and saw pictures from previous rallys and it showed pics of kids in them. So I think this rally could be attended by parents with kids right and they would have a good time and have rides that my sister(42) and her daughter (5) would enjoy and could do??

I would think by what they say on the site, that they do, but I just wanted to make sure.

Thanks much,

Benjamin

[TandemGeek]

Tandem Rallies are very family friendly events and the Tennesse Tandem Rally is no exception. There have been several teams who have brought their kids along to the past three TTRs, some on tag-a-longs, some as stokids on tandems, triplets, or quads, and in trailers. The indoor pool is a popular hang-out for kids after the rides. As for your sister and her daughter, the only question would be related to how much riding they would have done together on a tandem before headed to TTR....

[caadman]

Ahh thanks very much here Mark, I thought that would be the case, but I didn't know about the indoor pool, that's a great suggestion, I'm sure she'll be there :D

On the mileage front, I don't think that'll be much of a concern for them by that time of year. She normally has about 400 miles in by that time of year or so, they've been to other rallies before and did just fine. They are looking forward to this one also.

Thanks again

Benjamin

[TandemGeek]

For anyone who is sitting on the fence with regard to which rallies to attend this year, if one of those rallies on your "potential candidate list" is the'06 Edition of the Tennessee Tandem Rally, it may interest you to know that the rally is now over 50% full, with only 21 of the 50 team slots remaining.

For those who have already registered, don't forget to make your reservations at the Alcoa Holiday Inn Express; that window opened up on January 3rd.

For more information regarding the Tennessee Tandem Rally and downloadable registration forms, please visit: http://www.thetandemlink.com/TTR.html

[TandemGeek]

... the rally is now over 50% full, with only 21 of the 50 team slots remaining.

For more information regarding the Tennessee Tandem Rally and downloadable registration forms, please visit: http://www.thetandemlink.com/TTR.html

Whoops...

Make that nearly 75% full, with only 14 of the 50 slots remaining.

[TandemGeek]

Ya snooze, ya end up on the waiting list...

The Tennessee Tandem Rally is now full; all 50 team slots have been claimed by paid registrants. However, all is not lost: a waiting list will be maintained such that if any of the original 50 registered teams can not make the event teams on the waiting list will be able to move into those slots.

More Info: http://www.thetandemlink.com/TTR.html

[TandemGeek]

Tim & Sharon Patterson once again did a phenomenal job of hosting ~50 couples for a weekend of incredible tandem cycling in the beautiful foothills surrounding the Smokey Mountain's National Park in Southeast Tennessee. TTR has become a magnet for tandem teams who are looking for "a little something extra" in their rally experience who aren't put off by a little bit of climbing and this weekend's event didn't disappoint. In fact, Friday's long route including a 15% climb, followed by a 20% climb!! The heart-pounding effort was well worth it as the payoff was a fantastic 1% - 2% grade descent through the national park, paralleling Little River. Dinner on your own with about 26 other friends before hitting the dessert party and a viewing of Team Wood-Good's "helmet cam" footage from the day's ride capped off the evening.

Saturday was another warm sunny day that look us out into the rolling hills around the North Central foothills of the Smokey Mtn National Park. A wonderful - and very much needed SAG stop - was staffed by the good folks from Chain Reaction Cycles of Marysville. A wonderful lunch was served at the pavilion in downtown Marysville with live Blue Grass from Blue Moon Rising, what could be better? The folks from MTBTandems.com were also on site (Alex & Kim Nutt + their two boys) with about 7 different mountain tandems available for test rides which was a real treat as well. I'm not sure they took any orders, but they definitely planted some seeds with a few couples. For those who didn't get enough with the 47 or 56ish mile AM ride options, there was an afternoon 24 mile loop option as well. Dinner was held in the private upstairs room at Sullivan's Restaurant in Marysville and then back to the hotel for more "helmet cam" viewing as well as profession "stills" shot by the Trumbulls.

Sunday was yet another picture perfect day filled with great cycling. But, it's not just great cycling, is it? It's great tandeming. And tandeming is about sharing the fun, challenges, and experiences connected at the ankle with a special partner and it just doesn't get any better than what you'll experience at a great tandem rally.

[tandemracer]

Posted some pictures of the event at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tandemracer/sets/72157594162905078/

We had a blast. Thanks to Tim and Sharon for another awesome rally.

David and Christen

[caadman]

This really was a great tandem rally, it was my Mom and I's first time at this rally and the same for my sister and her daughter. We really liked the riding even if it was hard, and enjoyed Alcoa and all the rest, great job again Tim and Sharon!!....We are hoping that is stays in Alcoa for next year and we can come back to there next year!!

Benjamin

[R900]

Looks Awesome! We lived in TN before moving to IN, might try to make it next year. Glad everyone had a super time. Please keep us posting on registrations for next year.

Thanks - John