|
Contents:
NEMBA News 2008
Introducing Midcoast Maine NEMBA
Bluff Point Trail Group Awarded IMBA Grant
Trek Bicycles - NEMBA Trail Care Series 2008
Sinister Bikes Goes Big to Support Vietnam Trail Building
 Berkshire NEMBA Begins Trail Construction at Pittsfield State Forest
June 21st was not only the Summer Solstice -- it was also the first day of trail construction at Pittsfield State Forest by the newly re-vitalized Berkshire NEMBA chapter. The new singletrack will replace the fallline Turner Trail and rise over 1000' to the top of the mountain. 39 volunteers came out to build the trail, and while it's not yet complete, the chapter plans to finish construction so it can be debutted at the Kenda Mountain Bike Festival. Our thanks to DCR's Western Mass Trails Coordinator, Becky Barnes, and DCR's Gary Briere, for allowing Berkshire NEMBA to build this new trail and help mobilize the mountain bike community. This is the first new trail created by mountain bikers working with the Department of Conservation & Recreation, and we hope that the partnership will be longlasting and beneficial to all trail users. Thus far, Berkshire NEMBA has put in 477 hours of volunteer labor into the project and spent over $1000 on trail building tools.
 Greater Boston NEMBA Kids Explores Ride the Fells
On June 21st, nice GB NEMBA RideGuides gave skills clinics to 48 new mountain bike riders, including 30 children and 18
adults. The parking lot at the Middlesex Fells' Flynn Rink was overflowing with mountain bikes and their eager riders. At 10:00 am
the adult skills class convened under a shady tree and RideGuide and GB Chapter President Tim Post explained the basics of riding on uneven
terrain, best safety practices while riding in the woods, and the importance of trail etiquette and stewardship. At 11:00 RideGuide and
NEMBA Explorer Coordinator Howie Granat gathered up the younger crowd and repeated the skills, safety and etiquette message to the group
ranging in age from 6 to 16. The skills clinics were broken into smaller more manageable groups by age and ability, and headed into the
woods for fun and learning. Howie and Tim were ably assisted by RideGuides Andrea Jones, Rob Forney, Carol Powers, Adam Glick, Dana
Coolen, Alex Post, and Chris Post. Thanks go to Stephanie Goodell and Boston LunaChix for yummy postride snacks, to Christina Illarmo, Matt
Soycher and the rest of the crew from Bikes Not Bombs for joining us and always making it fun, and to Dick Stewart, Lynn Hildenbrand and
the rest of the MA DCR Fells District staff for sponsoring the event and making this day of offroad riding education possible.
 Rain, Rain Go Away, Don’t Dampen Blue Hills MTB Day!
Thunderstorms and rain greeted the organizers of Blue Hills MTB Day, and most people in their right minds would have just rolled back in bed for a few more winks of sleep. But not the hardcore. While the rides were delayed until late morning, many of the mountain bike faithful – and an onslaught of kids! – waited patiently to hook up for group rides and to test their meddle on the skills course. So in the end, the rain may have put a 'damper' on the event, but not on the fun!
Our thanks to the many volunteers and to the DCR staff at the Blue Hills for making this possible.
White Mountains NEMBA Purchases a Trail Care Trailer
WM NEMBA is stoked to be the proud owner of their own tool trailer. Using a $1500 grant from the Pequawket Foundation, $1000 donation from SNH NEMBA, and a $500 grant from regional NEMBA, the purchased a new 6’ x 10’ Wells Cargo trailer last week. The trailer was put to good use last Sunday, both as a tool hauler and as well as shelter from thunderstorms that hit hard after the trail work was complete. NEMBA now has four trail care trailers traversing New England, helping to build more trails and making it easier for mountain bikers to help volunteer at our parks.
 NEMBA attends IMBA's World MTB Summit in Force
Eight of NEMBA's leaders ventured to Park City, Utah, to attend IMBA's biannual gathering of the world leaders in mountain bike advocacy. Philip Keyes was one of the summit presenters, and he was joined by Harold Green (NEMBA's president), Bill Boles (NEMBA staffer), Art Roti (board member, president of CT NEMBA and CT IMBA rep), Todd Bumen (board member and president of MTA NEMBA), Kevin Davis (board member and president of McNEMBA), Anne Shepard (NEMBA's fearless treasurer), and Mike Tabaczynski (board member and MA IMBA rep). With about 400 advocates coming from 22 countries, the summit focused on grassroots advocacy and ways for us to increase our effectiveness at promoting the sport and gaining greater access to public trails. While the agenda was jam packed with session, attendees got a chance to ride some of the hundreds of miles of trails leaving right from downtown Park City. Officials from the National Park Service, US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management spoke to the advocates about the potential for greater trail access, and Trek's CEO, John Burke, gave an inspired talk about why cycling --and mountain biking-- is on the cusp of providing real solutions to our nations economic and health issues.
Introducing Midcoast Maine NEMBA
We're excited to announce that Camden, Maine and the surrounding region now has official mountain bike representation with a new NEMBA chapter: Midcoast Maine NEMBA.
Over the course of the past year the new chapter's leadership has identified almost 100 people and families with sufficient and active interest in mountain biking to support a new NEMBA chapter. Midcoast Maine NEMBA has enthusiastic support from the Directors of Parks and Recreation, the Camden Snowbowl, and the Land Resource Manager for Coastal Mountains Land Trust. If fact, these organizations urged that mountain bikers organize to work with officials in developing responsible mountain bike opportunities.
One of the first initiatives Midcoast Maine NEMBA will undertake will be to create a comprehensive trail map and signage system on the trails that span the Camden Snowbowl, the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area and the Coastal Mountains Land Trust Land on and around Ragged Mountain in Camden. The Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Camden Snowbowl are 100 percent the effort to enhance the trail users’ experience in these lands.
The chapter has already formed an executive committee, headed by Kevin Davis as president and regional board representative, Casey Leonard as treasurer and board rep, John Anders, Steve Koskinen, Michael Hartley and Jeff Kuller. Each memberhas a different set of skills, be it trail maintenance, event planning, working with the youth that form the Maine Junior Bike Lean, and other leadership skills.
We welcome them and look forward to some good riding in Camden! If you’re interested in helping Midcoast Maine NEMBA, contact Kevin Davis at khdavis@adelphia.net or call 207-542-4941.
Bluff Point Trail Group Awarded IMBA Grant
The Connecticut Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association has been awarded a grant from the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) funded by outdoor outfitters REI. The grant will be used to develop a budding group of trail advocates interested in preserving and making sustainable the trails at Bluff Point State Park. The trail group has just initiated development and formation from a coalition of many users of the park. This group seeks to be multi-user based and hopes to preserve the park by mitigating trail deficiencies, designing, maintaining and building trails so they might last indefinitely for many recreation groups to enjoy. We will be working in consort with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Groton Open Space Association, the Sierra Club, Connecticut Horse Council and any other interested groups. The grant is specifically purposed for club development and volunteer recruitment.
Trek Bicycles - NEMBA Trail Care Series 2008
The longest standing title-sponsored trail care series in the country now has new sponsor: Trek Bicycles. And to show its commitment to building new trails and to the work that NEMBA does to keep our trails in good shape, Trek is donating not one but two high end dual suspension bicycles to the cause.
Want a new Trek Fuel X 8? Yes, this is an incredible bike. The sexy chassis uses Trek's patent-pending ABP technology and is trail tuned with 120mm of plush Fox Float RP2 travel in the rear and 130mm of plush goodness in the front. It's a bike that can basically handle it all. How do you win it? Easy, just by coming to any of the Trek Bicycle - NEMBA Trail Care events in Connecticut, Massachusetts or Rhode Island. There will be lots to choose from, and each NEMBA member who comes will be entered into a drawing for the bike. Want to increase your chances? Just come to more events and you'll be entered to win!
But perhaps you'd prefer getting a Trek Top Fuel 69er. 29-inch bikes are all the rage - and for good reason. The 69er is unique because it features the larger 29" wheel in front but still uses standard 26" rubber in the rear. This could be the best of both worlds since you have tried and true suspension tracking of the rear wheel, yet all the benefits of the larger wheel up front to roll over anything technical the trail throws at you.
The only way to get entered to win one of these Fuel beauties is to come to three or more Trek Bicycle -NEMBA events. It's a truly elite bike for the most dedicated of our trail volunteers. It will be a select crew entered into the drawing - and we hope you'll be one of them.
"Trek has been one of the stronger supporters of bike advocacy nationwide," says NEMBA's Philip Keyes. "They're funding IMBA and trail building all over, so it's awesome that they are focusing some additional attention on New England to help make this great region for mountain biking even greater." Trek will be demo'ing bikes at a number of NEMBA events this season, so you'll get a chance to see these bikes in action for yourself.
So, what does Trek have to say? Trek's marketing guru, Michael Browne, had these words to pass on. "NEMBA's work is appreciated by all - by those who ride the trails, and by those far away who look to NEMBA for inspiration and as a model of successful and meaningful community participation. Trek Bicycles is happy to support such a program in any way possible."
Need we say more? Let's make our 2008 trail building the best ever … and good luck! Check the website for events near you.
Sinister Bikes Goes Big to Support Vietnam Trail Building
NEMBA's property at Vietnam is unique in the mountain biking world. Owned and operated by mountain bikers looking to protect open space and provide for very technical riding, local NEMBA members spend lots of time working to make this a successful model for the larger mountain bike community as well as a superb place to ride black diamond bikes.
For 2008, we are partnering with Sinister Bikes to thank all the volunteers that come out virtually every Tuesday evening to take care of our piece of the dirt and to create something new for technical riders. The new Sinister Vietnam Trail Series will also be holding weekend events for your riding and trail building pleasure. Pick up a shovel, help make us all proud of Vietnam, and do some riding as well! Every time you come to help out, you'll be entered to win Sinister's new Gruitr trail bike.
The Gruitr is as simple as it is strong. It has 4.5 to 5.5" of customized travel of single pivot love floating on needle bearings with Bruce the Firefighter (BTF) inspired geometry. No linkages, pulleys or weird leverages. Not a tank yet not "weight weenie worried" - it's a bike that’s all about big hit fun.
The crew at Sinister is so psyched about helping out with Vietnam this season that they're even planning on putting on some custom Vietnam-inspired graphics for the lucky winner. Come to any of the Sinister Trail Days, and be entered to win a one-of-a-kind bike.
The Gloucester, Massachusetts-based company has a long history of trail building, volunteerism, and advocacy through many channels in the biking world. According to owner, Bruce Linehan, "Sinister is owned and operated by riders first, so we appreciate the land and trails where we ride. We are proud to have the opportunity to support NEMBA with this show of gratitude for all the hard work volunteers do. We strongly support NEMBA's efforts at Vietnam and their dedication to the project. The Vietnam project proved that all of us can make a difference."
|
