Singletracks member Outdoornut clued me in to the latest issue of IMBA Trail News where they talk about the 5 newest IMBA Epic trails added this year. Here’s a summary from east to west.

photo posted by rodrodriguez2003

Pinhoti Trail (North Georgia). The Pinhoti Trail is sorta like Kokopelli’s younger, forested brother with 100 miles of point-to-point singletrack linking some of the best riding spots in north Georgia. If you like technical riding with a decent amount of climbing, Pinhoti is your man.

photo posted by Outdoornut

Spruce Knob (Seneca, WV). Outdoornut gives Spruce Knob 5-stars and it’s easy to see why from the photos. The main 15-mile loop is comprised of technically demanding rocky and rooty singletrack set amid pristine scenery. IMBA helped get this area removed from the 2009 Wild Monongahela Act which would have prohibited mountain bikes in the area so ride it now and enjoy!

photo posted by copperhippie

Copper Harbor Trails (Copper Harbor, MI). This is actually the second trail in Michigan to receive IMBA Epic status and from what we’ve read here on singletracks the trail is “Totally AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”. Extensive wood bridges make this trail both sustainable AND fun to ride.

photo posted by dauw

Curt Gowdy State Park (Cheyenne, WY). We’re pretty stoked to see Rowdy Gowdy got the Epic nod after just a few years on the scene. The trails at Curt Gowdy have something for everyone and feature scenery that’s tough to beat.

photo posted by bstill30

Plains of Abraham (Mt. St. Helens, WA). Singletracks members may know this one as Smith Creek Epic but now that it’s an IMBA Epic I suppose it’s time to get prim and proper with the trail description. This is rugged, beautiful terrain and if you plan to tackle this one you may want to consider bstill30′s advice and pack “energy bars, warm clothes, and a flashlight for good measure.” Awesome.

Bummed by the NASCAR rain delays this weekend? This might cheer you up: NASCAR drivers Andy Lally and Craig Stanton will be competing in 24 Hours of Big Bear (West Virginia) on mountain bikes June 13-14. Rounding out the team are two other experienced racecar (and bike) drivers – Mike Simon and Michael DeNino.

Obviously these guys are competitive and they’re backed by some serious sponsors including Blue Competition Cycles (look for an upcoming review of the Blue XC Carbon by yours truly). Each driver, er rider, will complete 4 laps during the race – no word on whether the drivers’ regular sponsors will get placement on the bikes and/or jerseys

Although it may sound odd for racecar drivers to be competing on mountain bikes the crossover between the two sports is actually more common than you might think. Last summer we wrote about US Olympic mountain biker Adam Craig and MTB race organizer Mark Corbett, both of whom are into rally car racing. There’s something about a need for speed that both mountain bikers and car drivers can appreciate!