Kids and Trailwork

Recently, I began training my kids to enjoy and participate in trailwork. Like adults, at first they find the work challenging and exhausting, but come to appreciate and deeply enjoy it. Trailwork is an ideal activity for kids; it gets them outside exercising and developing a work ethic, plus they start to learn the intrinsic value of being a volunteer.

The key is to not push them too hard. Give them small tasks that do not require large hikes in or full day efforts. Today, I brought my daughters out to Scott's Drop, where we cleared many downed trees that made the trail impassible. While I did the heavy lifting, I set them off trimming smaller brush with loppers and handheld clippers. After several hours, we wrapped it up, climbed back in the truck and headed home. Both of the girls told me they really liked our outing and would love to do it again.

Which is about as nice a thing as I could hear on this Christmas Eve.

Round Mountain Recap, 12/11

A big thank you to everyone who pitched in at BONC's trailwork event on Saturday. About 25 volunteers installed culverts, took out downed trees, built a bench at Coyote Overlook, repaired a blowout of the South Yuba Trail, finished the re-route project near Coyote Overlook and planned for more trail improvements.

We'll have a longer write up in our upcoming BONC newsletter issue. In the meantime, here are some pics. Darwin posted some additional pics on our Facebook page:

Special thanks to the Nevada County Land Trust (who donated a culvert) and everyone else who has worked on Round Mountain recently.

Join BONC at a New Membership Level!

Bicyclists of Nevada County (BONC) is pleased to announce multiple membership levels, each contributing toward the future success of BONC's advocacy and trails building efforts:

Basic Membership - $20 annual

Trail Explorer - $40 annual

Fat Tire Friend - $70 annual

Singletrack Sustainer - $100+ annual

BONC invites financial contributions in excess of our basic membership level. This encourages those who can, to support trails development financially, even if unable to personally move dirt on BONC's trail-building projects.

Your membership helps fund purchase and maintenance of tools, trail construction, trails maintenance, trail planning, advocacy, events, club insurance and more. Enjoy a 10% discount off parts at local retailers, upon presentation of your current BONC membership card. Visit www.bonc.org and click Join for details.

Join BONC for 2011 today.

BONC is an 501c3 non-profit organization; consult your tax professional regarding deductibility.

Thank you in advance for your contribution to the ongoing success of BONC!

New Year's Day Ride

Join BONC for an intermediate-advanced ride on New Years Day! Meet at the Rood Center at 10AM... hey you have to wake up sometime :-) We'll meander along local ditch trails, perhaps hit the top part of Round Mountain or Miners Trail. Helmets required.

Please let me know if you can co-lead this ride, thanks. Map:

http://goo.gl/maps/B6D0

Round Mountain Trails Clear

Today I rode Round Mountain (Rock Creek Flume > Up and Over > Round Mountain > South Yuba > back) and was pleased to see that so many of the downed trees from last week's storm have been cleared. Many of these trees were large, so it was impressive to see the trail community step up and put in such an effort. I've advocated such maintenance for a long time; it is good to see that others share this perspective.

Round Mountain is a special place. If you want to help further improve these trails, please consider joining BONC for a trailwork and ride event on Saturday 12/11.

11/27 Ride Cancelled

Because of the forecast of snow/wet/cold, Saturday's BONC ride from the Rood Center is *cancelled*. Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday.

BONC Newsletter

I am very happy to declare that at long last, BONC has a newsletter! Take a look.

We'll distribute this to the group's email list, website and at local bike shops. If you have a story or submission, just let BONC know.

BONC Ride, Saturday 11/27 at 10AM

Join BONC for an intermediate/advanced ride on Saturday, 11/27 @ 10AM. We will explore the new Hirschman's Trail, Cement Hill Ditch and the top of Round Mountain. Bring a snack, water and determination to have a good time! Helmets required. Meet at the Rood Center. Map:

http://goo.gl/maps/B6D0

If you can help co-lead this ride, please let me know.

BONC Support for the Scott's Drop Re-Route

BONC submitted the following letter of support for the Scott's Drop trail re-route. This project will convert the existing trail into a sustainable route beginning at Pioneer Trail near the 5 Mile House and ending at Scott's Flat:

Genice Froehlilch

Yuba River Ranger District

Tahoe National Forest

15924 Highway 49

Camptonville CA 95922

Dear Genice,

Bicyclists of Nevada County (BONC) supports re-routing the Scott's Drop Trail in the Highway 20 Corridor as a non-motorized multiple-use trail. The Tahoe National Forest and Nevada Irrigation District (NID) has begun planning a new version of this trail that is less steep and more sustainable. We applaud this effort.

BONC believes that this trail should be established as a permanent amenity for the public to enjoy. Thus, we support the creation of a recorded trail easement across NID lands to protect such access for future generations. We hope that the Nevada County Land Trust can be involved to establish and hold such an easement.

At the appropriate time, BONC can offer volunteers to help plan and build the trail. We will participate under the guidance of the Tahoe National Forest and NID who own and manage the project.

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.

Yours truly,

John Gardiner

Chair, Bicyclists of Nevada County

IMBA TCC Visit in Pictures

The IMBA Trail Care Crew visited our area over the weekend. Here are some images of the event:

Round Mountain Ride and Trailwork, 12/11

You are invited to join BONC on Saturday, December 11 for trailwork and a BONC Gala Ride. Meet at 10AM at the corner of Merrimas Way and Rock Creek Road (map).

We will install culverts, improve drainage at muddy spots and hang some flagging for a re-route of the Up-and-Over Trail. Please bring long pants, long-sleeved shirt, boots, water and a snack. BONC will provide New Belgium beer for participants.

After the trailwork (around noon or 1PM) we'll do a group ride on area trails.

UPDATE 12/1 - Provided we have enough volunteers, we will also repair the section of the South Yuba Trail damaged by a fallen oak, just east of the Round Mountain Trail intersection.

Trail Building School

Join us for the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) Trail Building School on Saturday, November 6 at 9AM. Everyone is welcome and it is FREE. Register today:

http://tinyurl.com/imba-tcc-2010

Full schedule:

http://gctrails.blogspot.com/2010/09/imba-trail-care-crew-schedule-115-117.html

More about the event:

http://gctrails.blogspot.com/2010/10/about-imba-trail-building-school.html

Why Trail Maintenance?

Trail maintenance is certainly not as sexy as building new singletrack. But it is just as important. Improving an existing trail can make all the difference in the quality of our local rides. It can convert a muddy, tree-blocked, brush-covered, rutted mess into trail that is sustainable and fun to ride.

Less tangible is the reputation factor. Volunteer trail maintenance gives local users groups credibility when it comes to requesting new trails. The land management agency knows that your club will be able to deliver volunteer man hours and resources that these projects need.

In this spirit, I met with NID staff at Scott's Flat Lake on Monday to walk, discuss and flag BONC and YBONC trailwork on 11/13. This lakeside trail is rather popular with local mountain bikers who ride Scott's Drop from the Pioneer Trail. It offers some very nice vistas and swimming opportunities in the summer. BONC has worked on it before, but there are some sections that collect water, are rutted or need brushing.

Please consider joining us on 11/13 to make this trail even better.

About the IMBA Trail Building School

The IMBA Trail Care Crew will be in town soon to teach us the latest ideas and techniques for designing and building sustainable trails. All area staff and trail enthusiasts are invited and enrollment is free. BONC and YBONC be hosting the program at and near Twin Cities Church starting at 9AM on Saturday 11/6.

This program is for all volunteers, staff, teams and trail users: 1/2 day classroom; 1/2 field work. Everyone who likes trails and wants to help maintain and improve them is welcome. The day begins with a morning of class time where we will learn the latest techniques in trail design and improvement. YBONC will provide lunch for a $5 donation. In the afternoon, we will apply what we learned on singletrack at Kenney Ranch property adjacent to Twin Cities.

If you have not attended an IMBA TCC trail building class, be prepared to be inspired and excited. You'll learn what it takes to create great trails that include outstanding switchbacks, drainage and flow. The crew will also talk about what it takes to get permission to build a trail (which is ALWAYS the hardest part). Hope you can join us.

Register today

Map

Scott's Lake Trail Day - 11/13

Join BONC and YBONC as we improve the lakeside trail at Scott's Lake on Saturday, November 13 @ 10AM. Meet at the boat launch (inside Gate #2) at Scott's Flat Rec area (see map below).

On this lakeside trail, volunteers will improve drainage at muddy spots, trim back brush that crosses the trail and install a culvert where the trail has washed out. Please bring long pants, gloves, shoes and a long sleeved shirt. If you have loppers, bring those too. Thank you to NID for letting us improve this important local trail for everyone.

Map.

Diamond Arrow Trail Update

The revised Diamond Arrow Trail project is moving along just as planned. This trail will extend ~2.3 miles west from the Round Mountain trailhead to the Diamond Arrow conference center on BLM land, resulting in a six mile loop along the ridge and many other riding possibilities.

We have poured over maps and done some field reconnaissance to identify a corridor that avoids crazy steep terrain and private property. This map shows the latest version of a possible trail route.

Next up: we will flag a trail route in the field, but are waiting for the poison oak leaves to die out so this will be a bit more pleasant. Once we have accomplished this and doubled check our work with some pros, we will gain BLM approval and apply for grant money in 2011 to fund construction. The BLM will administer this grant money, not BONC. We will ask them to consider using appropriate equipment for the terrain so the end product is optimal.

This is only part of what we hope to accomplish on Round Mountain. We are also considering a re-route of the Up-and-Over Trail as it descends steeply to the RM trailhead, create a connector trail and more. Please let me know if you want to join us in the field once the PO settles down; it is always an adventure.

Thanks.

Tribute and Hirschman's Pond

I spoke with Bill Haire this morning. As usual, he is quietly very busy making new local trails happen for all of us to enjoy. As many of you know, much of Hirschman's Pond trail off Cement Hill Road is now complete. Word is that it is super fun to ride and the contractor did a terrific job constructing it. One additional section is needed (handicapped accessible) and this portion will go out to bid within the month.

As for the Tribute Trail (aka Deer Creek Trail), after many complications, the project is moving along now briskly. Once complete, the trail will connect Nevada City and Grass Valley. Many of you helped work on this trail as part of the IMBA Trail Care Crew visit in 2008. Grant money is now available to complete much the project. Randy Martin of Trailscape will soon build the section of trail from where we worked in 2008 down to the creekside road. Randy is a great local trail builder, advocate and mountain biker. He will also help us flag the recently changed Diamond Arrow trail.

Once again, thank you Bill! I hope everyone will consider supporting these great projects by volunteering or donating to the Nevada County Land Trust. They continue to be by far the preeminent local trail building organization.

RECAP: Unified Trail Day 2010

~60 equestrians, mountain bikers and motocycle riders put in a stellar effort at this year's Unified Trail Days to improve Burlington Ridge trails. In many ways, this was the most productive, impressive event yet. Pictures.

Volunteers focused on the following:

HALLELUJAH TRAIL: This team cut 100 yards of brand new singletrack right out of Skillman campground. It looked great and will allow riders to avoid Burlington Ridge Road altogether.

EXCELSIOR TRAIL (aka Ghost Train): This group rebuilt several of the steep rutted switchbacks, re-routed a section, built rock walls and and built a completely new switchback. This was fascinating project to work on, as I learned firsthand what it takes to make a switchback work for both motos and mountain bikes. Burlington has plenty of shared use trails that could use work like this, and Excelsior in particular has many sub-ideal switchbacks. My hope is that we can continue to improve these switchbacks so they work for everyone. The Nevada County Woods Riders were FANTASTIC to work with and were very responsive to our input.

SIGNAGE: A third team installed signs at various trailhead in the area. Burlington can be confusing for new users and this effort went a long way in helping solve this problem.

FOOD: The food was unreal this year! Like a catered BBQ but only better. Tri tip (buffalo and beef), several kinds of sausages, salad, macroni, potato sala, drinks, desert, you name it. A big thank you to the NCWR who staged this part of the event.

Mountain bikers represented 11-13 of the volunteers yesterday, so we were underrepresented. My hope is that in future years, different local mtb groups will choose to contribute to this important event that builds our reputation with equestrians and moto users. If you want better trails, action is a lot more effective than talk.

Next up: IMBA Trail Care Crew - November 5-7.

Story of the South Fork American River Trail

After decades of effort, the 25 mile South Fork American River Trail has opened. Capitol Public Radio produced a story on the creation of this trail and acquisition of private lands the trail crosses. You can listen to the story here.

Thank you to all parties who worked so hard to make this happen, including the American River Conservancy and the BLM Mother Lode office.

Pioneer Reroute

Today, I borrowed my friend's 29er hard tail and rode and out-and-back on Pioneer from Omega Rest Area to Lang's Crossing. It was exciting to see the Pioneer re-route project more or less complete. There are some terrific parts of this re-route. The view over Bear Valley is about as nice a view you'll see from any trail in Nevada County.

Some portions need a winter and some usage (compaction) to settle in. I do wish some certain sections on steeper side slopes saw a fuller bench cut. Regardless, I am very thankful to the many volunteers who worked so hard to make this happen. Very few regions enjoy the kind of cooperation between different user groups that we do. The result of these combined efforts is more trails for everyone.

Please consider joining us for the Unified Trail Day on October 9th: