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In 2019, TCMBA approached Mayor
Butch Lee about the possibility of developing
bike trails at Quarry Park in Brandon.
Recognizing the benefit of an additional
recreational venue for the community, city
leadership and TCMBA formed a partnership,
with the city taking on most of the expenses,
and members of TCMBA donating their time
and muscle to making the trail project a reality.
Jefcoat Fence company contributed to the
project by loaning the volunteers an excavator
which enabled them to clear a lot of the trail
quickly. Quarry Park currently offers approximately
four miles of trails, with plans to have
ten miles total upon completion.
For those with a competitive streak, the
first ever Brandon Beatdown Short Track
Mountain Bike Series was held in July on three
consecutive Saturdays. “The City of Brandon
covered the cost of hosting this race series, so
the event was free for participants,” said
organizer Trey Spillman. Spillman noted that
another race series, The Gulf South Regional
Mountain Bike Series, hosts approximately ten
races annually across Mississippi, Louisiana,
and Alabama. “Mississippi is well represented
as a host for these events, and we hope that the
Trails at the Quarry Park will be added to that
series once they are complete. We’ve studied
other cities and know that events like this, as
well as the availability of the trails themselves,
have a positive economic impact on the city.”
In August, the city will host the first ever
Brandon Quarry Crit Series at the amphitheater,
offering race opportunities to those who
prefer road riding to trails. A criterium or “crit”
race is a short road race of a certain number of
laps on a closed circuit. There is no charge to
participate in these races, which will be held
every Wednesday night in August. Additionally,
the Louisiana Mississippi Bicycle Racing
Association (LAMBRA) is working with the
city to host a large road race in the fall.
The Quarry Trails are open every day to
the public, but if you venture out on a Thursday
night, you’ll notice that trail “traffic” is a little
heavier than normal. Each week, weather
permitting, TCMBA meets for a group ride
where all ages and experience levels are
welcome to join. On a recent Thursday, close to
20 riders met to enjoy the trails they have
worked so hard to build and maintain. Their
excitement and enthusiasm are contagious, and
no doubt they could convince even the most
reluctant riders to give the trails a try.
Not content to rest on their laurels,
TCMBA leaders and volunteers are hoping to
build other bike trails in the county and are
currently looking for available land. “My goal is
to do everything in my power to grow the sport
of mountain biking in this area,’’ says Trey
Spillman. “I’m thankful that we have a
proactive and enthusiastic club in TCMBA,
with experienced and creative trail builders and
volunteers. We are also fortunate to have local
officials, like Mayor Butch Lee with the City of
Brandon, who understand that having quality
trails will not only improve our quality of life,
but could also positively impact our local
economy by attracting people from all over the
region to come check out what we’ve built here.
I encourage everyone to join TCMBA, and I
will see you on the trails!”
For more information on how you can get
involved with the Tri County Mountain Bike
Club, visit www.tricountymtb.org or find them
on Facebook.
Hometown RANKIN • 13