The UA Outdoor Recreation program will hold a mountain biking trip to Oak Mountain State Park this Saturday.
“This is the first and only mountain biking trip the Outdoor Rec has planned for this semester,” said Lance Haney, the outdoor recreation coordinator. The group will leave from the Student Recreation Center at 10 a.m. Saturday and will return around 4 p.m., Haney said.
There is room for seven or eight people. Spots for the trip are still available and the cost of the trip is $15 for students and $25 for non-students. The cost includes a bike rental and transportation to the park.
There will be an informational meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Rec Center, and those interested can still sign up before the meeting.
“This is the first time since I’ve been here that we’re going to Oak Mountain for mountain biking,” said Kyle Stephens, bike shop manager. “We’re just going to ride around and stay till we’re ready to leave.”
“No one needs experience to come,” Haney said, “and interest is low because so many experienced riders go to the parks on their own.”
In the past, the staff has organized biking trips to Sokol Park and Lake Lurleen State Park in Northport.
The Outdoor Recreation program has a variety of events and activities. On Jan. 30 the University hosted the fourth annual T-Town Pull-Down bouldering competition at the Student Rec Center rock-climbing wall.
Derek DeBruin, the program’s graduate assistant, said more than 50 people competed, and more than 100 watched
Members of the Collegiate Climbing Series, a national circuit of competitive climbers from the Southeast region of the organization and non-competitive climbers ages 14 and up, competed for more that $5,000 worth of door prizes.
“We had a huge response to the event,” DeBruin said. “CCS climbers from all over the Southeast came to compete.”
The money raised by the event went to various organizations including Hope for Haiti and the CCS.
The Outdoor Recreation program also has two trips planned for the upcoming week of spring break.
Beginning on March 12, a group will travel to the Sipsey Wilderness Area drifts in Double Springs. The trip will include canoeing, camping and rock climbing. If anyone is interested in participating, the last day to sign up is March 8.
A snow skiing trip is also planned for the second half of spring break, March 14-18, in Snowshoe, W.Va. A $250 deposit is due at the time of registration, and the last day for registration is March 5.
The staff also offers a kayak roll clinic in the aquatic center pool. Kyle Stephens said the program has five steps to train in proper white water kayak technique.
For more information on programs offered and directions to the Outdoor Recreation program office visit urec.sa.ua.edu.
