The Trans North Georgia Adventure Bikepacking Race or TNGA for short is a race across North Georgia. Bikepackers toe the South Carolina state line in mid August to ride +350 miles and climb nearly 50,000 feet on their way to the Alabama line at the start of the Chief Ladiga Trail and the end of the Silver Comet Trail. Only a few riders have completed the route in less than 48 hours, while most take 3-5 days to slog their way through the heat and humidity to finish. Dehydration, bonking, chaffing and mechanicals are always waiting to claim their next victim.
I have never attempted the TNGA but it is on my list to attempt and complete. I have kept up with the race every year since learning about it in 2013 or 2014. In 2018 after creating theBidon.com, I decided to create a post linking to every blog post I could find from individuals’ race recaps. Feel free to share any that I have missed. If I do set a date for my attempt I’ll be sure to paste a link to my planning post.
Deciding between a SPOT and a Garmin inReach, check out my post Cheapest Garmin inReach Mini Plan Calculator, to learn more about the inReach, Garmin’s service plan options and the calculator I built to compute your break even.
Official Communication: TNGA Facebook Page & TNGA Bikepackers Private Facebook Group
Looking for a shuttle service and a way to meet fellow TNGA bikepackers, check out Mulberry Gap’s TNGA Services. Mulberry Gap is a mountain getaway located in Ellijay, Georgia offering neutral support by providing their wide range of services (some paid and some free) to all TNGA bikepackers and lovers of the outdoors. They have small cabins, tent sites, a hot tub, supplies, WiFi, food service and many other amenities. Check out their website to learn more, Mulberry Gap.
2020
- Route map and Spot tracking: http://trackleaders.com/tnga20
- Brian Toone: https://toonecycling.com/2020/08/01/we-ride-at-midnight-tnga-and-craam-2020/
- Susan Barkley: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18ToROd40vXRJiZUmcborB6nVRRbY85o_r72UPrGq1k0/mobilebasic
- Ali Whittier: https://withthewhittiers.com/2020/08/24/finishing-trans-north-georgia-adventure-tnga/
- Jim Farmer’s “Ride to Failure” Vlog: https://youtu.be/q7rE2-jGOLc
- Woody Morgan’s Video Montage: https://youtu.be/hgSKxjTJYAg
2019
For TNGA rules, 2019 GPX file, and 2019 cues click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1483540471688916/files/
- Route map and Spot Tracking: http://trackleaders.com/tnga19
- David Muse: http://davidleemuse.blogspot.com/2019/08/tnga-2019.html
- Tom Kesling: https://tom-kesling.blogspot.com/2019/08/tnga-2019-race-report.html
- Daniel Jordan: http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/trip-report-tnga-2019-gd
- Brian Toone: https://toonecycling.com/2019/09/01/tnga-2019/
2018
- Route map and Spot Tracking: http://trackleaders.com/tnga18f.php
- Kurt Refsnider (1st Finisher): https://www.bikemag.com/fully-loaded-bikepacking/fully-loaded-50-hours-across-southern-appalachia/
- Brian Toone (2nd Finisher): https://toonecycling.com/2018/08/25/tnga-2018/
- Chris Reichel (Photographer): http://www.bikepacking.com/plog/chris-reichel-tnga/
- Joe Urbanowicz (5th Place, 15 years old!): http://www.bikepacking.com/news/joe-urbanowicz-bikepacking-tnga/
- Jacob Spath (18th, Podcast): http://justgobike.net/episode-81-georgia-on-our-minds/
- TJ Fry (Scratched): http://badig.com/2018/08/the-trans-north-georgia-tnga/
- Audrey Tangye: https://m.facebook.com/notes/tnga-bikepackers/tnga-women-are-never-so-strong-as-after-their-defeat-alexandre-dumas/2058338150875809/
2017
- Route map and Spot Tracking: trackleaders.com/tnga17
- salsacycles.com/culture/51_hours_racing_the_tnga_part_one
- unweight.blogspot.com/2017/08/tnga-2017-trans-north-georgia-adventure.html
- singlespeedmilitia.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/riding-the-tnga-interview-with-josh-and-daryl/
- bikepacking.com/event/trans-north-georgia/
- Rockgeist – Steven McHone: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNjtiKv0e8Y&feature=youtu.be
- TNGA film “Ride to Extraordinary”: ridetoextraordinary.com/Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KS8g3DVimeo: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/r2e
2016
- Route map and Spot Tracking: http://trackleaders.com/tnga16
- careylowery.blogspot.com/2016/11/trans-north-georgia-tnga-ride-report.html
- sealgrinderpt.com/navy-seal-workout/tnga-2016-notes-florida-rider.html/
- mandivided.com/2016/05/transnorthgeorgia-finished/#more-418
- custiscoleman.com/recentadventures/2016/8/7/an-almost-trans-north-georgia-adventure
2015
- Route map and Spot Tracking: http://trackleaders.com/tnga15
- unweight.blogspot.com/2015/09/2015-trans-north-georgia-adventure-tnga.html
- memphisboatcenterblog.com/2015/08/27/tnga-2015-race-report-350-mile-bike-race-through-the-eyes-of-hart-robinson/
- talesofwandering.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/tnga-350-miles-of-crazy/
- ordinaryepics.com/fresh/2015/09/tnga-2015sweet-sweet-suffering.html
- bikeman.com/team-bikeman/race-reports/3265-trans-north-georgia-tnga-2015
- southerngears.blogspot.com/2015/09/tnga-2015sweet-sweet-suffering.html
- northatlanticdirt.com/dirtquest/
- mandivided.com/2015/08/tnga-redo/#more-348
2014
- Route map and Spot Tracking: http://trackleaders.com/tnga14
- suffersweatsmile.blogspot.com/2014/09/trans-north-georgia-adventure-race.html
- lowcountryjoe.blogspot.com/2014/08/tnga-lead-up-to-roll-out.html
- cornellcycling.com/2014/08/31/alex-alexiades-takes-6th-in-the-insane-trans-north-georgia-bike-adventure-2/
- bikepacker.com/trans-north-georgia-mountain-bike-adventure/
2013
- Route map and Spot Tracking: http://trackleaders.com/tnga13
- mountaingoatadventures.com/tnga2013
- l4adventures.blogspot.com/2013/08/tnga-2013.html
- bikepacking.net/routes/trans-north-georgia/
2012
- l4adventures.blogspot.com/2012/08/tnga-dog-bites-and-driving-oh-my_27.html
- 2012jpokruthless.blogspot.com/2012/10/trans-north-ga3rd-times-alucky-break.html
- adventuresinpisgah.com/2012/09/trans-north-georgia-mountain-bike.html?m=1
2011
- palermogirl.blogspot.com/2011/09/trans-north-georgia-tnga-bike-adventure.html
- adventuresinpisgah.com/2011/09/tnga-day-1.html
2010
- David Muse: http://davidleemuse.blogspot.com/2010/05/tnga_22.html
- lightpack.blogspot.com/2010/09/tnga-fail.html
- ergonbike.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/trans-north-georgia/
- Scroll to post 9/3/2010: singletracksamurai.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-11-16T22:41:00-05:00&max-results=20&start=62&by-date=false&m=1
For all things North Georgia, check out David Muse’s Blog: davidleemuse.blogspot.com
Is a TNGA blog missing?
-thebidon
2more links. One is a blog from 2012 race and the other is a post 2017 YouTube interview.
http://www.adventuresinpisgah.com/2012/09/trans-north-georgia-mountain-bike.html?m=1
https://youtu.be/jNjtiKv0e8Y
Thanks Cblanch!! I’ve added them to the post above.
Here’s another I just remembered reading. https://singletracksamurai.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-11-16T22:41:00-05:00&max-results=20&start=62&by-date=false&m=1
added!