Thursday, January 14, 2010

BONC Gala Ride - Sat., February 6th

Please join BONC for its monthly Gala ride on Saturday, February 6th @ 10AM from Penn Gate at Empire Mine State Historic Park!

As always, this will be a No-Rider-Left-Behind ride. All levels of riders are welcome and we will break into groups based on ability. We'll explore some lesser known trails in the Mine and nearby Osborne Hill. When we finish, we'll gather at Penn Gate to enjoy some complimentary food and drink. Please bring a bike, helmet, water and a mid ride snack. If you want to join BONC, we'll have memberships available. See you there!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Support Plan for New Local Trails

The Western Nevada County Non-Motorized Recreational Trails Master Plan Draft very much needs your support. Please use the bullet points below or sample letter below to create your own message and send it to the address(es) below. As you may know, BONC has provided detailed input to this trails plan since its inception, via attendance at many meetings, participation in phone calls, and writings. Your BONC membership helps continue the detailed and persistent advocacy necessary to ensure that local trails receive the support they need.

As always, written letters are most effective. Please submit your comments by February 2.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BULLET POINTS

- I support the Western Nevada County Non-Motorized Recreational Trails Master Plan Draft

- The plan adequately addresses the need for future trail planning

- The planning process has been inclusive and comprehensive and meets the needs of developers, trails users and the community at large

(See addresses below)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SAMPLE LETTER

Larkyn Feiler
Advance Planning Division
Nevada County CDA
950 Maidu Avenue, Suite 170
Nevada City, CA 95959
Phone: 530.265.1254
Fax: 530.265.9851
email: larkyn.feiler@co.nevada.ca.us


Dear Larkyn,

Bicyclists of Nevada County (BONC) supports the Western Nevada County Non-Motorized Recreational Trails Master Plan Draft December 2009. We applaud the effort to create such a plan and believe the county has done sufficient due diligence in soliciting community input for this plan.

BONC believes the creation and implementation of this plan would represent a win-win for trail users, developers, planners and all Nevada County residents. For too long, trail planning in our area has been a haphazard affair. This plan will allow for efficient, thoughtful incorporation of trails into development of parcels under the purview of Nevada County CDA, without forcing existing land uses to be changed without owner agreement. Thank you for your efforts and attention to this important matter.

Local trails are a major contributor to Nevada County's high quality of life. Trails facilitate the good health, safe routes to school for children, habits of physical fitness, independence from fossil fuels and the attractiveness of Nevada County as a destination. Trails leading to retail and business destinations deliver revenue to businesses, that is not throttled by traffic congestion, or restricted by already-occupied parking spaces. Trails near residences have been shown to increase property values in countless California communities.

BONC realizes that this plan appeals a wide range of constituents. We acknowledge that it applies only to parcels which make application for development to Nevada County CDA. BONC understands that parcels owned by the US Forest Service, US BLM, or within the cities of Grass Valley, Truckee, and Nevada City, will remain unaffected by this plan. BONC recognizes that this plan will not, in itself, create trails across contiguous parcels that run uninterrupted for miles, as it defines no funding mechanism for building and maintaining trails, and defines no entity for holding trail easements. While acknowledging this plan's shortcomings, BONC feels it is an attainable step in the right direction. BONC will continue to advocate future enhancements to this plan and remains committed to advocating trail development by other means as well.

BONC is committed to responsible mountain bicycling, preservation and improvement of riding opportunities, cooperation with other interest groups and the education of cyclists and non-cyclists alike. We regularly hold group rides and trail building and improvement events.


Sincerely,


(Your name)
(Town of residence)

Monday, January 11, 2010

Rattlesnake Trail Progress

Some great volunteers made terrific progress on the Rattlesnake Trail last week. You can see the trail come to life as you ride/drive/walk along Rattlesnake between Highland and 174. According to Gene Haroldsen, future dates for trail work:

10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, January 14, 2010
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, January 16, 2010

According to Gene: "The reason these dates are iffy is the weather. If it is raining, the trail work for that day will be canceled...

Weather permitting, volunteers need to meet at the intersection of Lower Colfax and Rattlesnake Roads. This week's construction will involve continued work on the trail alignment between Lower Colfax Road and the Colfax Highway.

Please bring work gloves and anything you may wish to drink or eat. We will have an assortment of Nevada County Land Trust hand tools available (i.e. Pulaskis, McClouds). If you have a shovel and / or a wheelbarrow, please bring them."

Please consider helping out!

Monday, January 04, 2010

Rattlesnake Trail Construction

The Nevada County Land Trust continues construction of the Rattlesnake Trail extension. Please consider helping out at these times:

10AM-1PM, Thursday, January 7
10AM-1PM, Saturday, January 9

Meet at the intersection of Lower Colfax and Rattlesnake Roads. According to Gene Haroldsen, "This week's construction will involve 1) finishing the trail between Lower Colfax and North Highland, and 2) grubbing and initial preparation of the trail alignment between Lower Colfax and the Colfax Highway.

Please bring work gloves and anything you may wish to drink or eat. We will have an assortment of Nevada County Land Trust hand tools available (i.e. Pulaskis, McClouds, loppers). If you have a shovel and / or a wheelbarrow, please bring them.

For planning purposes it would be helpful if you could let me know if you plan to participate on either or both days. Thank you for your interest and support of this joint Rattlesnake Neighborhood Association - Nevada County Land Trust project."

As background, this new trail will parrallel Rattlesnake Road from the original Rattlesnake Trail (at the Rattlesnake Ridge development) all the way to Highway 174, providing an off road alternative to riding alongside fast moving cars. A worthy project indeed.