Last weekend we were invited to Cathy's Creek Motocross Facility located just five miles outside of Forest City, North Carolina. The weather was perfect for riding and since a few of us were planning to race the Steele Creek GNCC we figured a little MX training wouldn't be a bad idea at all.
As you enter the park, the track comes into full view all at once and for loss of better words it's downright breathtaking. Your eyes can't help but follow the meandering red-clay path of the 1.1-mile long course. Then there's the smell of race gas, smoke from a barbeque grill, the sound of machines buzzing around the track - it all makes you appreciate the fact that places like this still exist.
Stopping at the admittance gate we were greeted by Stephanie Truett, wife of track promoter Mitch Truett. The Truett's enthusiasm for the track is contagious and makes this place such a great spot to visit. You'll quickly notice there are lots of kids here, families of all sizes, mom's and dad's in brightly colored off-road gear. It's a breeding ground for the future of our sport and everyone looks like they are having fun.
Mitch flags riders off the course to allow the next wave of mini's who are anxiously waiting to put in some lap time. He communicates with another flagman and the observation tower to make sure the course is clear before setting them loose. Safety is the number one priority here. Mitch catches some kids pit riding in the parking lot and quickly takes control of the situation. All riders must have a helmet and riding gear - riding is permitted only on the track.
This isn't some Johnny-come-lately operation. Cathy's Creek was originally built by Donnie and Joanne Yelton as a practice track for their son Jamie who raced 4-wheelers in the early 90's. The Truett's goal is to provide a family oriented place for people of all ages to come together and enjoy riding. There are lights for nighttime riding, bathrooms for both males and females, a scoring tower that offers a vantage point for maintaining safety on the track and a full irrigation system.
The course comes as a breath of fresh air in terms of its design - it is well suited for ATVs and offers nothing that would intimidate or endanger novice riders while remaining plenty fast for the advanced crowd. There is a particularly tricky whoops section, a triple jump if you are so inclined and never ending table tops - everything can be rolled and the track is plenty wide to allow for passing.
Cathy's Creek is open every Sunday for practice. Quads are welcome and depending on the number of visitors they may be run separately from the bikes. Cost is $10 a machine or $15 a family. The track became a little dusty during our visit but Mitch quickly gave everyone a break and turned on the sprinkler system to water down the problem areas. There was fresh saw-dust in the corners to make for some fun riding. Cathy's Creek is first-rate - we highly recommend you check it out.
How to get there? Coming from Asheville, Take Hwy 221 south (at exit# 85)....go about 8 miles towards Rutherfordton. Take a left onto Hudlow Road. A mile or so after Hudlow Road crosses Hwy-64 turn right onto Whitesides Road at the caution light. The track is 100 yards on the left. Call (704) 460-0408 for more information. The track website is JMXRacing.com