Brattleboro-Keene NEMBA

Petition to form NEMBA Chapter (05/18/2009, accepted by NEMBA Board on May 25, 2009) 

Please accept this request to begin a new chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association. This chapter will cover the region of Southeast Vermont and Southwest New Hampshire, an area with many mountain bike enthusiasts, but lacking any current organizational cohesiveness. We wish to call ourselves the Brattleboro/Keene chapter, believing this name will most easily be recognized by people outside the region and that these two towns best represent the civic and cultural hubs of the area.

Our interest in forming a chapter grew out of discussions among a group of area cyclists who were interested in advocating the development of trails in Pisgah State Park, New Hampshire’s largest state park. This park is located between Keene and Brattleboro.  As NEMBA has successfully worked with other state entities in developing trails and has created a positive reputation as a regional advocate for mountain biking in general, we realized that NEMBA has much to offer us in reaching our goals. And we understand that forming this new chapter can be a benefit to NEMBA as it continues to promote mountain biking throughout New England.  As local representatives of NEMBA we will be assuming local responsibility to support and promote mountain biking in this region. This will happen in three primary ways: 1) maintenance of current trails, 2) development of new trails, 3) club activity that will encourage more biking.

Initially, our group intends for its focus of new trail development to be centered upon Pisgah State Park. We expect to first ask that current trails be redesignated to allow for use by mountain bikers. This request for redesignation will be our first action as a chapter. We expect approval for this request based upon the positive response we received from the State Bureau of Trails representative who has already met with us (Harold Green was at this meeting).  By the end of 2009 we expect to have identified new trail possibilities within the Park at which time we will submit a formal petition to the Bureau of Trails proposing these trails. Other new trail possibilities outside of Pisgah include linking up existing adjacent trail systems with each other where possible.  State lands near Pisgah State Park offer interesting possibilities. Private, nonprofit entities in Vermont have been purchasing land for public use in Marlboro, Putney, and Westminster and might welcome our participation in their efforts to maintain current trails and build new ones.

Mountain bike trails proliferate in the region, but many exist on private lands. A number of these are open to the public, but lack organization and publicity. Some of those on public property are not officially recognized by the local governance. We plan to ensure for the long time stability and availability of all of these trails by building relationships with landowners and property managers where appropriate and welcomed.  We hope to identify and formally recognize trails where landowners are willing through mapping and signage. These new relationships would promote responsible use of the trails and improve access to them for bikers. Volunteer trail work will be an integral part of our ongoing efforts to maintain positive relationships with land managers. We aim to improve relationships with other trail user groups as well. 

Our first offer of a club activity will be a weekly series of mountain bike rides in the Brattleboro area. Other ideas include a youth ride based upon NEMBA’s model (conversation with Bill Boles about this option has already begun). Burrows Specialized Sports, a bike shop in Brattleboro has agreed to be our sponsoring local bike shop.

We have chosen the following people to positions of leadership for this chapter: Paul Rodrigue, President; Peter Poanessa, Vice President; Tim Trotter, Treasurer; Lauren Launen, Secretary.

If you need other information in order to complete this request for recognition as a new chapter, please don’t hesitate to call me at the number below.

Respectfully submitted,

Paul Rodrigue