A Fundraising Event for the Mississippi River Corridor – Tennessee

Come join us on Saturday, November 10th as we ride to Randolph Bluff and its beautiful location on the Mississippi River. When you arrive, we will provide you with great food and beer - if you’re not riding the 48-mile loop…and other drinks, plus great music further. We also encourage you to invite guests to join you and the other riders at Randolph Bluff! The current low water on the River also affords unique opportunities to explore the riverfront and walk across to what is typically a river island. We hope to see you on Saturday, November 1st!

Details:

Cost: $25 – includes lunch, drinks and music on the bluff

Non-Riding Guests: $15 – to join riders at Randolph for lunch, drinks and music

Date: Saturday, November 1

Start Time: 9:00 am

Start Location: Shelby Forest Baptist Church, 1207 Locke Cuba Road, Millington, TN 38053 (Just down the street from the Shelby Forest General Store)

Destination: Randolph Bluff in Tipton County

Locate Randolph Bluff on Google Earth: Ballard Slough Road and Needham Road, Tipton County, Tennessee

Distance: 24 miles one-way or a return loop of 48 miles

Mid-Ride SAG Support: On Black Springs Road at mile marker 14 up and mile marker 34 on the return. (Mile markers 14 and 34 are the same location on the loop)

Route: Almost exclusively following the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) Link to the route map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1783050

Shuttle: A return shuttle to the Shelby Forest Baptist Church start will be provided for any one-way riders who need it. Be sure to correctly fill out the registration form if you want to use the shuttle.

Additional On-line Registration Available at www.memphishightailers.com

Contact for Questions: Mississippi River Corridor – Tennessee 901/628-3527 or wglenncox@comcast.net

Download registration form.

MRCT is pleased to offer our website visitors the
Mid-South Existing Greenways Map—our Region’s first web-based interactive map of existing greenways, parks and open space facilities. This map is produced by the Mid-South Greenways Steering Committee, of which MRCT is a member, with data provided by municipalities and parks and greenways organizations throughout the region. Map development and maintenance is generously supported by the Hyde Family Foundations with technical assistance provided by The University of Memphis Center for Partnerships in GIS.

The Committee is dedicated to improving the scope and connectivity of green infrastructure in the Mid South and works to promote more extensive and integrated use of existing projects by the public.

We are constantly improving the coverage and quality of our data, so any corrections are welcome. Likewise, our chief goal is to increase the interconnectivity of our trails, and your suggestions for future trail connections are essential to future development.  Please send your comments to Tara Wohlgemuth, Coordinator for the Mid-South Greenways Steering Committee at midsouthgreenways@gmail.com.

Please take a look at the suggested route for the Mississippi River Trail in Shelby County. We’d like your feedback. Send your comments to Glenn Cox at wglenncox@comcast.net.

The initial Concept and Feasibility Plan for the MRCT Trail in Shelby County involves various components that include: any land acquisition/conservation easement needs, right of way considerations, signage, materials, cost analysis, potential economic development, educational materials, political advocacy efforts, new bike lanes, sustainability issues, public safety, community meetings, identification of funding resources for implementation, partner development, marketing, art, urban design and environmental impact studies/permits.

The new route for the MRT will travel north to Tipton County, along Riverside Drive in downtown Memphis and eventually over the Harahan Bridge, and then head south to the State line of Mississippi to connect with Greenway projects in Desoto County.

The Trail will also offer new public awareness and connections to the two Shelby County Tennessee State Parks: TO Fuller and Meeman-Shelby Forest.

The Plan is being funded by the Hyde Family Foundations, Shelby County Government, FedEx, Sustainable Shelby and Estie and John Sheahan.

Download the Map

Join us January 19th at 6:00 p.m. in the Main Hall of Central Station, SW corner of South Main and G.E. Patterson, for our final meeting on the MRT bicycle route in Shelby County. In this meeting we will present a preliminary report on enhancing and expanding the Shelby County component of the 10-state Mississippi River Trail.

For the past several months, the MRCT in partnerships with the University of Memphis and the Memphis Regional Design Center has been involved in a systematic study of the Shelby County segment of the Mississippi River Trail. This study included a mile-by-mile survey of the existing route, interviews with representatives of local hiking and bicycling organizations, meetings with parks and recreation departments, and three public meetings that more than one hundred Shelby County residents and officials attended. The study also included interviews and surveys to determine a new route that will connect the I-55 Bridge with DeSoto County, Mississippi. Previously, the MRT crossed the Mississippi River on the I-55 Bridge and traveled south through Arkansas.

Using data from these research activities, the MRCT, and its project partners, has prepared a preliminary report on enhancing the Shelby County Trail which will be presented at a final community meeting that you are cordially invited to attend.

This final community meeting will take place on Thursday, January 19th at 6:00 pm in the Main Hall of the Central Train Station located at the SW corner of South Main Street and G.E. Patterson, across the street from The Arcade restaurant. Light refreshments will be served and child care will be available.

We hope you will be able to join us for this important community planning meeting. Please extend an invitation to others you feel may be interested in attending to learn or provide input.

This plan was made possible by generous financial support from the Hyde Family Foundation as lead funder and matching funds were provided by John & Estie Sheahan, FedEx Corporation, Sustainable Shelby and Shelby County Government. MRCT extends its gratitude to these community leaders without whom projects such as this would not be possible.

RSVP PLEASE: So we can gauge our food/beverage needs, please e-mail diana@msrivertn.org if you plan to attend and how many you are responding for.