The Skyway Beer Run is an annual mountain biking and camping event in the Talladega National Forest, between the Sylaward mountain bike trail system and Cheaha mountain, the highest point in the state of Alabama. Choose to participate by only riding on the day of the big ride, or enjoy an extended camping event with more riding and relaxation. For those present earlier in the week, there's typically an excursion to another part of the Talladega National Forest for a bike ride (for example, on the horse trail system near Coleman Lake). The big ride, the Skyway Beer Run, is on that Saturday.
THE RIDE
For the Saturday ride, participants can choose from a variety of routes and levels of difficulty, all within the Talladega National Forest. Most of the routes run alongside the Pinhoti Trail on rutted-rocky-dirt forest service roads. Some stretches are long and steep, so there’s some very challenging climbs but also some really fun downhills. The roads are primarily Forest Service Roads 600-1, 600-2 and 637. [Note: The Skyway Epic Race takes place on these forest service roads, and Bamacross describes the Skyway Epic as "enough climbing to satisfy a mountain goat, enough rolling forest service road to satisfy a roadie, enough crazy descending to scare the timid and satisfy the unstable."]
On the Saturday of the event, riders get up early in the morning and go. For many, it's an all-day ride. There are some short but challenging routes for beginners.
CAMPING
Most, if not all, participants camp at Cheaha State Park on Friday and Saturday night. Some get an early start to begin their camping trip on Wednesday or Thursday night. There are sometimes spouses/significant others who don't ride the big Saturday ride and who stay behind at camp. The park has a store, a restaurant, hotel, cabins, campgrounds, warm showers, awesome hiking trails, spectacular views and 6 miles of mountain biking singletrack. There are typically at least a couple of extra big tents set up for those that don't have their own.
BEER AND FOOD
It's BYOB. Craft Beer. Bring some extra to share. No Bud/Miller/Coors. Bring a bunch of food. Potluck style.