Charleston, West Virginia is under contract to host USA Cycling’s Pro National Championships through two Olympic cycles. Tim Brady, who leads the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau, didn’t stumble into that deal — it came out of a deliberate inventory-first strategy that started with what the city actually had: Canal State Forest, the Elk River Trail system, flatwater kayaking, and Hatfield McCoy trail heads all within thirty minutes of downtown. The Bike City, USA brand followed.
The outdoor recreation strategy at the CVB has expanded well beyond what the brand name suggests. Appalachian Outlaw Trails opening twelve miles up the road adds a motorized draw the region didn’t have before. A gravel trail mapping project with David Landis covers four counties and keeps growing. Tim’s also working on Amtrak bike car access — figuring out how to get DC riders on a train to Charleston with their bikes stowed and an adventure waiting. His working theory: get someone here once, for a race, a festival, or a weekend ride, and there’s an 85 percent chance they come back.
Learn more about: charlestonwv.com / USA Cycling Pro Nationals / Appalachian Outlaw Trails / Elk River Trail Foundation
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