The North Carolina Interscholastic Cycling League held a race last year at Browns Creek Bike Trail in Elizabethtown in March. This year the event will be held April 12-13.
BEAUTIFUL BLADEN
ELIZABETHTOWN – Last year, Elizabethtown was the first stop on the bicycle racing circuit for the North Carolina Interscholastic Cycling League.
This year, the group has put E-town down for their fourth run of the season, with a theme called “Browns Creek Block Party” – April 12-13 at Browns Creek Bike Trail. The rain dates will be May 3-4. Last year thousands came into Bladen County for the event and a few things have changed for this year.
According to the northcarolinamtb.org website, “On 1 January 2024, the North Carolina Interscholastic Cycling League became the third chapter league within the National Interscholastic Cycling Association as a testament to its continuing growth and maturity as a youth development organization.
“The North Carolina Interscholastic Cycling League is a youth development program for 6th – 12th grade students through cycling in the great outdoors. We strive to create confident and responsible young adults and to provide them with the opportunity to learn about and participate in healthy and active lifestyles. We work to ensure that success by establishing and maintaining safe, quality youth programs around North Carolina regardless of ability level.”
Again this year, each team will have their own PitZone area and it becomes a great bonding experience.
Michael Lashley, one of the trip planning organizers for the North Carolina Interscholastic Cycling League was in town with his son, David from Carey, North Carolina last year. He had a lot of good observations about Elizabethtown and the racing in general.
“We love coming to Elizabethtown,” he said. “This town opens their arms to us like no other town does. Whereas other towns may be cordial and just maybe accommodate us, this place, the people in town and the volunteers really go out of their way to welcome us. It has become a family place for us. Last night we had a barbeque down by the Lock & Dam and there were 70 people in our group. This is such an incredible place to come and race.”
Lashley’s son, David, a senior at Carey High School said, “We camped here this weekend. I slept in a hammock. Although I kind of miss the old course from a few years back, this course is good.”
Lashley who slept outside in the warm Carolina air said that he doesn’t do much training other than participating in all sports, and commented that when he rides, he puts all of his effort into it.
“This is exciting because I haven’t done many races due to COVID,” he said. “It affected us by shutting down all the races. We still got to train and ride, so that was good. We just couldn’t do like, actual big events.”
For a look at last years picture video visit the Bladen Journal online: Search through our videos for “Crankinatthecreek” March 2024.