SORBA, the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, is an organization that builds and maintains mountain bike trails in the Southeast region of the United States. It also promotes mountain bikers' interests, such as access to trails. SORBA is an IMBA Affiliated Organization.
SORBA is a member-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, officially chartered organization devoted to promoting land access, trail preservation, and new trail development in order to enhance mountain bike touring, racing, fun, and fellowship for all mountain bicyclists in the southeastern United States. They publish the "Fat Tire Times" to keep members informed of important issues, organized rides, work parties, races, socials, festivals, and other events. They hold mountain bike events to raise awareness of land access and trail maintenance, to ride, to race, and to just have fun. Members are entitled to some great things in SORBA.
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There are some 25 SORBA chapters in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Paulding SORBA's mission is to promote mountain biking in and around Paulding County, Georgia through land access, trail preservation and new trail development. Paulding SORBA employs IMBA's trailbuilding practices to ensure that trails are sustainable and challenging.
The Chattanooga Chapter of SORBA (SORBA-Chattanooga) serves the interests of off-road cyclists in Chattanooga, Tennessee and the surrounding area of Southeast Tennessee. SORBA-Chattanooga works with land managers and policy makers to develop fair and responsible policies governing the use of public lands. The chapter's members have donated thousands of volunteer hours constructing and maintaining mountain bike accessible trails. In 2005, SORBA-Chattanooga was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the United States Department of Agriculture for its active participation in the volunteer trail maintenance program of the Ocoee/Hiwassee District of the Cherokee National Forest. More recently, SORBA-Chattanooga volunteers partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority to construct trails on Raccoon Mountain. Over 17 miles (27 km) of trail have already been constructed and opened the public in this on-going project. SORBA-Chattanooga volunteers have also completed trail expansion and maintenance projects at Booker T. Washington State Park and Harrison Bays State Park and are currently pursuing additional trail opportunities in Hamilton County and Marion County.
The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, Woodstock, GA Chapter (SORBA-W), was formed in March, 2000, by a group of local mountain bikers. SORBA-W was formed in part due to the closure of trails at Boling Park in Canton, GA to off-road cycling. With the mission to preserve, protect, and educate the community, SORBA-W's primary focus has been advocacy, mountain bike trail development, and trail maintenance in Cherokee County. As an extension of the main SORBA organization, SORBA-W also assists with rides, festivals, and the advancement of off-road cycling throughout the southeastern United States.
Currently SORBA Woodstock has relationships with local land managers such as the City of Woodstock, City of Canton, Cherokee Recreation and Parks Authority, Department of Natural Resources, Boy Scouts of America, Cherokee County Water Authority, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Allatoona. These relationships provide mountain bikers with opportunities for trail access while protecting the future of existing trails. SORBA-W's primary role is to organize volunteer workers to perform trail layout, design, construction, and maintenance at Blankets Creek.
The Blankets Creek Mountain Bike Trail System in Cherokee County on Sixes Road (I-575 exit 11), is composed of five trails: Mosquito Flats (Beginner), Mosquito Bite (Beginner plus), Dwelling Loop (Intermediate), South Loop (Advanced) and Van Michael Trail (Advanced). The Dwelling Loop was opened on June 3rd, 2000. The South Loop and Mosquito Flats were opened in the fall of 2003, The newest trails, Mosquito Bite and Van Michael Trail were opened in June 2008. SORBA-W currently has over 280 acres (1.1 km2) set aside at Blankets Creek for trail development.
The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, Roswell/Alpharetta, GA Chapter (RAMBO) maintains trails in the Roswell / Alpharetta, GA area. RAMBO is short for Roswell, Alpharetta Mountain Bike Organization, an association of mountain bikers located in the North Atlanta, and a chapter of IMBA/SORBA (Intl Mountain Bike Association/Southern Off Road Bicycle Association).
Our goals are to maintain and improve local MTB trails, while enhancing the experience of all levels of mountain bikers... from beginner to hardcore. We are also active in making riders aware of the issues facing us today.
The Big Creek Trail System in Fulton County on Old Alabama Road (400 exit 7), is composed of numerous trails from Beginner (Green) to Advanced (Hurts so Good) and a Free Ride Area. The Big Creek Trail System is run in affiliation with the City of Roswell, who owns the land.
The Triangle Off-Road Cyclists (TORC) is a volunteer organization dedicated to ensuring the future of mountain biking in the Triangle area of North Carolina through the promotion of responsible riding, establishment and maintenance of mountain biking trails, and preservation of North Carolina's natural resources.