Donating to NU Miners

Donating bike clothing and equipment to the NU Miners mountain bike team is easy, benefits our aspiring young athletes and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I learned as much today as I handed off five MTB jerseys and a new pair of Peal Izumi shoes to Sam Raymond, one of the dedicated Miner's coaches.

Please consider donating such materials to this great youth organization. Here is an related article in the BONC October newsletter:

http://bonc.org/newsletter_10-11.html

Trail Events for January

BONC is hosting some great events this month: 

GALA RIDE - Saturday 1/7/12
Join us as we ride Pioneer and perhaps Burlington Ridge in this crazy warm weather. No Rider Left Behind. Everyone from slow pokes to racers are welcome; we'll break up groups based on ability. Free beer and hot coffee for participants. Waiver and helmet required. Meet @ the Old 5 Mile House at 1OAM. Come ride with us!

BONC GATHERING - Sunday 1/15/12
Our featured speaker will be an archeologist from the USFS. Participate in the future of mountain biking in Nevada County! Meet at the Old 5 Mile House at 6:30PM

HIRSCHMAN TRAIL DAY - Saturday, 1/28/12
Volunteer with us as we improve sections of the Hirschman Trail. We will build some berms and make this important community trail more cycling friendly. Free beer and hot coffee for participants. Waiver required. Meet @ Indian Flat Road @ 10AM. Map.

Want to support the BONC events and endeavors? Become a member today!

BONC News - January 2012

The latest BONC newsletter is now online. Be sure to check it out!

Scott's Flat Trail Improvements (Lakeside)

This morning, Rick Weaver and I put in some volunteer hours on the BONC-adopted Scott's Flat Trail. Under Rick's expert guidance, we took out the big downed pine across the trail. Bucking a large suspended tree like this is beyond my pay grade, so I just took pictures and helped roll away what Rick lopped off.

Next, we worked on a nearby section where water backed up in a few places. With a pick and shovel, we dug water outlets on the side of the flume to allow water to flow off the trail. Because the mud is so saturated, it will be some time before the trailbed dries out enough to sculpt the final product. But this is a great start.

Some additional pictures.

BONCers Improve Round Mountain

Be sure to check out the Round Mountain trail improvements BONC volunteers accomplished today. With many new faces, a solid turnout, newly sharpened tools (thank you Land Trust) and near perfect trail building conditions, we kicked butt:

Re-built one of the steep RM Trail switchbacks - Matt and Dan led the charge on this one, sculpting a beautiful, more sustainable route.

Created an entirely new switchback on the Upper Hudson Trail - Dieter and company artfully built a new climbing turn which replaced a badly eroded fall line section. Across the road, I used a pick axe to eliminate the water trap that created a nasty axle-deep bog in the wetter months.

Cut bench and pruned - The rest of us focused on re-establishing the proper width of many portions of the South Yuba and Round Mountain Trails and pruning back vegetation. We also cut some drainage outlets.

Repaired signage - Terry, Rich and I installed a new sign post at the RM/S Yuba intersection. A big thank you to Chris Rose who donated the post.

Additional thanks to Sierra Coffee Roasters, New Belgium Brewing, Bill Haire, the BLM and all out fantastic volunteers! BONC's next official trail volunteer day is on Saturday, January 28 at Hirschman Pond, though you can also help out the Scott's Flat Trail Alliance as they continue work on this new trail.

Round Mountain Trail Volunteer Day - Sat. 12/17

Help us improve Round Mountain singletrack near Nevada City! We'll throw down for free New Belgium cold beer and hot chocolate. With a good turnout, we can accomplish our tasks quickly and ride these great trails afterwards.

We will place and repair signage, create drainage features, cut bench, trim back overgrowth and have a good time hanging out in this beautiful area. Meet at at Merrimas and Rock Creek Road @ 10AM on Saturday, 12/17/11. Waiver signature required. Hope you can join us!

See map.

YBONC/BONC at Victorian Christmas

If you get a chance, be sure to stop by the BONC/YBONC booth at Victorian Xmas in Nevada City. We have a raffle and other goodies for sale, all of which benefit the Scott's Flat Trail project. We also have maps and a schedule of 2012 BONC events. Stop by and say hi!

On Sunday, my daughter baked and sold a bunch of cookies for the booth to support the trail. Her cookies may make a reappearance, who knows. Don't let an 11 year old girl out-donate you! And remember, you can always support the project online.

Singlespeeding in Nevada County

I recently built up my first dedicated singlespeed rig. After ~15 rides, I've fallen in love with SS riding. Why you ask? Well, I am trying to understand myself, but it goes something like this:

As a 12 year resident of Grass Valley, this flavor of riding has provided a new set of challenges on trails I've ridden countless times since moving here. Hills that were mundane or routine are now significant physical challenges. Cleaning them are often personal triumphs of strength and determination (or in my head they are). At the end of a ride, I feel thoroughly worked in a new, different way. I very much feel that I've accomplished something. The 29er wheels make the hardtail thing much more fun for me, as the big wheels smooth out the rough sections.

Not all local rides are SS friendly (or at least not with my current level of skill/strength/stamina). But routes that I find well suited to SSing include: Bullards, Miners/Pioneer/Scott's Drop, certain trails at Osborne Hill/Empire Mine, Auburn and Round Mountain. I am learning that you want rolling trails which are less flat. Big climbs are OK too, as long as they are not crazy steep.

I plan to explore more trails on my SS to see which are fun and which are beyond my abilities. South Yuba Trail is on my agenda.

ABOUT THE BIKE: Built on a 2011 Specialized Rockhopper SL 29 frame, my bike uses a 32/20 gear combination, which suits my desire to clean as many sections as possible without spinning out too much on flat portions. I use a suspension fork (Reba XX with a remote lockout) and super wide Easton Haven carbon bars for leverage.

Scott's Flat Trail Construction: First Impressions

Today, I had the chance to check out progress with the new Scott's Flat Trail construction on USFS land. Note that this trail is not open yet and is only in a rough cut phase; please do not ride the trail yet. Lots of finish work is yet needed, then a winter of precipitation.

The Scott's Flat Alliance construction team is doing a great job thus far. The trail winds through the forest and will feature moderate berms and dips/jumps where you will be able to enjoy some airtime, if that is your thing. I spoke with Chris Rose, who is leading the chainsaw crew and he is pleased as well.

The first section starts on flat terrain, so it might be challenging to provide adequate drainage. It is only after significant rainfall that you tell for certain where water will collect. I always think that a trail isn't really done until at least few years after construction when you get to tweak things here and there.

Please donate!

Trip Report: Paradise Royale

Recently, I had the privilege of riding Paradise Royale, a mountain bike-specific trail west of Garberville, CA (Humboldt County).

This trail was designed and built by IMBA Trail Solutions in cooperation with the BLM and volunteers. The trail showcases state-of-the-art building techniques pioneered by Joey Klein and other IMBA builders. These folks set the standard for trail design in California and elsewhere. I've seen their handiwork in several locations and in my opinion, no one approaches their skill and design abilities.

The trail traverses thick forests of Douglas Fir in the beautiful King Range, which towers over the Lost Coast. The trail is not particularly rocky; you could enjoy it on a hardtail or short travel bike. The features I appreciated most include:

SWITCHBACKS - Despite steep terrain, the uphill switchbacks are built with a more even grade than on many other trails. This requires significant hillside excavation and/or cribbing, but the result is switchbacks which are more sustainable and fun to ride.

GRADE - The builders were not afraid to create short steep sections, some of which are at 15%. This made for fun, challenging sections (both up and down) for mountain bikers. I wish local US Forest staff would accept such grades for short portions, as they make trails much more interesting. I've often found 5% grade trails to be monotonous.

MTB SPECIFIC FEATURES - The trail offers unpredictable twists and turns for riders. If you like to catch air, there are many lips and tabletops from which you can launch (these also serve as effective water diversions). There are alternate lines with rock drops, log skinnies and fun obstacles. And of course big burmed turns on the downhills.

TOLKEN TERRAIN PARK - This adjacent area includes a pump track, rollers, big gap jumps and more. This recent addition to the trail system is very cool in that it weaves through forest trees, as opposed to creating ugly dirt areas I see at other bike parks.

I would not say that Paradise Royale is quite worth the 5 hour drive from Nevada County, unless you include some of the excellent nearby attractions (Shelter Cove, redwoods, hiking, surfing, etc.) as part of your plans. The trail is currently only 12 miles long. However, soon IMBA will complete a nine mile extension, so your trip could include a 30 mile epic and a second day of shorter options. Someday, perhaps IMBA Trail Solutions can build a local trail or two in our backyard.

Bullards Volunteer Event Postponed

This weekend's Bullards Bar volunteer event has been postponed due to weather. We will announce a new date ASAP.

Video: Gold Country Trails Council

An interesting video about our friends with the Gold Country Trails Council. Includes a nice mention of other local trail groups and how we do so well cooperating on multi-use trails:

http://blip.tv/nevada-county-snapshots/sierra-snapshots-gold-country-trails-council-5718335

We have a remarkable relationship between equestrians and cyclists in Nevada County.

Bullards Bar Volunteer Day - 11/19

NOTE- This event is postponed due to weather. We will announce a new date ASAP.

Recently, Moss and the Forest Service surveyed Bullards Bar trails in preparation for our 11/19 volunteer event. There is one section of the Bullard's Bar trail which will require a re-route; it is between Dark Day and 7-Ball Trail. It is currently dangerous to ride or walk. There are also some downed trees.

Join us as we re-build this blown out section of our singlespeed-singletrack paradise. Meet at 10AM on Saturday, 11/19 at the 7-Ball trailhead off Marysville Road (see map).

Note that the trail section is ~1.25 miles from where we will meet. If you bring your bike, we can access the site quicker.

Afterwards, we will ride and hang out. Free beer provided courtesy of BONC.  Please bring long sleeves, long pants, appropriate shoes, a snack and some water. Ride afterward, helmets and waiver signature required.

RECAP: Round Mountain Gala Ride

In spite of 37 degrees and overcast skies, we had a big turnout for yesterday's Gala Ride at Round Mountain. Many of the participants had never ridden RM trails, so it was fun sharing this local trail network with everyone. Jon Pritchett led the advanced group while I corralled the rest. Many cold beers and tall stories were shared after the ride. It was nice to have SERT and FATRAC members join us.

Join us for more upcoming BONC events:

Bullards Bar Volunteer Day -11/19
Gala Ride at Bullards Bar - 12/3
Round Mountain Volunteer Day - 12/17

See you on the trail!

Today at Bullards

Today, I did an inventory of several Bullard's trails in preparation for BONC's trailwork day on November 19th. Recent storms took down a fair number of trees (~10) on the Bullard's Bar Trail itself, but Schoolhouse and Eight Ball looked fine. If the USFS does not get to these before our volunteer day, we hope take them out. Later this week, Moss and Joe Chavez will do a further inventory of additional needed improvements.

There are two blown out sections: one east of Dark Day and the monster one west of the boat launch. Once the USFS repairs the giant canyon (perhaps in 2012), BONC will cut a new section of short trail to replace the portion taken out last year.

NOTE: If you or anyone else takes out the aforementioned downed trees, please let me know so that we don't waste volunteer time hiking out to these areas, thanks.

How Do We Build A Trail?

This following article appears in the latest Bear Yuba Land Trust newsletter. It describes how the Land Trust successfully creates so many local trails:

"Bear Yuba Land Trust has been successful in building a number of trails in recent years in an area where prior to that the only trails were those on public lands managed by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the State Parks. How did we do it? We did it with partners in each and every case. Trail building is a complex and often difficult task requiring securing trail easements, permits, completing environmental studies, and lining up funds and resources for trail construction. This is where the partners come into the picture with various degrees of involvement.

The Hirschman Trail is a joint venture with the City of Nevada City, the property owner. A Memorandum of Understanding set out the responsibilities of each party. The Land Trust prepared the grant application, designed the trail, prepared specifications and provided oversight during construction while the City was the grant applicant, completed environmental studies, secured permits, assumed accountability for all expenses, contracting, signing, and completion of the grant stipulations. Working together as partners, the trail was completed.

Another recent trail project is the Rattlesnake Ridge Trails which were constructed by volunteers from the Rattlesnake Neighborhood Association and the Land Trust on trail easements donated by the developer of Rattlesnake Ridge and on County Road Right-of-Way. The Neighbors came to the Land Trust for assistance in designing and construction of the trails, providing additional volunteer assistance and securing a County encroachment permit to build the trail. Without this cooperative effort, it’s not likely that the trail system would have been completed.

The Deer Creek Tribute Trail on the north side of Deer Creek was built with the involvement of a very large number of groups including Friends of Deer Creek (Sierra Streams Institute), American Rivers, Champion Road Homeowners Association, City of Nevada City, Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Irrigation District, Sierra Fund, and the Land Trust. Each had a role in the building of the trail which provides a route through Nevada City and downstream paralleling Deer Creek on a combination of sidewalks, roads, trails, and canal banks to a bridge crossing Deer Creek at the lower end of the project. This 8 mile long trail system will soon be complimented by a trail on the south side of Deer Creek from Jordan Street to Providence Mine Road following the abandoned Rough and Ready Ditch. Partners for this project are the City of Nevada City and Sierra Streams Institute.

Other trails and partners include the Loma Rica Trail (Loma Rica Ranch, County of Nevada, Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District), the Cascade Canal and Orene Wetherall Trails (Save Our Historic Canals, Banner Mountain Homeowners, Rotary, Bureau of Land Management and Nevada Irrigation District). The Alan Thiesen Trail was built by Alta Sierra Property Owners Association (ASPOA) and the Land Trust. ASPOA provided funding for the brush clearing and volunteers to assist Land Trust volunteers with the construction and on- going maintenance. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the “Adopt-A-Trail” program where routine trail maintenance is accomplished by volunteers who have agreed to take care of the trail.

Our volunteer with the longest stint, Deane Dvorcek, has been caring for a portion of the Litton Trail since 2004. We currently need Adopt-A-Trail volunteers for Litton, Cascade Canal Access, Orene Wetherall and Hirschman Trails. If you are interested in adopting a trail segment, contact Bill Haire.

Bill Haire Trails Coordinator"

Round Mountain Gala Ride 11/5

Join FATRAC and BONC at our upcoming Gala as we ride BONC-maintained singletrack at Round Mountain. Meet at at Merrimas and Rock Creek Road @ 10AM on Saturday, 11/5/11. This is a No Rider Left Behind event. Cold beer will be provided after the ride by BONC. Helmets and waiver
signature required. See map:

http://g.co/maps/yvpbd

See you on the trail!

Local Youth Race on Saturday

The NU Miners race team and others will compete at a local race venue on Saturday, so please join in and cheer them on!

The races kicks off 11AM off Conservation Camp Road as you head up Highway 20. Look for the event signs. Bring your cow bells, camping chairs, cameras, and appetite to enjoy a day on the Tahoe National Forest. Horn of the Bull Caterer will be catering this event with it’s famous green sauce topping on tamales, tacos, quesadillas, etc. Cheese quesadillas for vegetarians. Bring your own water; there is none available on site.

The race is open to middle school age teens as well and they are not required to be in school bike clubs. Same day registration requires parental signature on release waiver, and a $5 one day USACycling License, plus the race fee.

Trails at Rice's Crossing

The Bear Yuba Land Trust is applying for a grant to take title to Rice's Crossing, which comprises thousands of acres southwest of Bullards Bar. Should they be successful, the Land Trust will plan and build many miles of trail on this property with connectivity to the Bullards trail system. Very exciting stuff. See map at left.

BONC recently submitted a letter of support for this initiative. Also, BONC director Terry Hundemer recently visited the property with Land Trust staff.

This is one of many such trail-related projects the Land Trust is pursuing at this time. In the near future, the Land Trust may acquire tens of thousands of acreage, from south county to Grouse Ridge. We are fortunate that our Land Trust supports the vision of balanced recreation and preservation and BONC wants to help them build more trails for our community.

BONC continues to strengthen our involvement and support with the BYLT as we recognize that no local entity creates as many nearby trails as our Land Trust. The more we support these efforts, the more we can have input on trail access, design and location. We hope that other local mountain bikers will also step up, either at Land Trust trailwork days or via financial support.

RECAP: United Trail Day 2011

This year's United Trail Day event was bigger than ever, with my guestimate coming in at 100 participants. The Nevada County Woods Riders, Gold Country Trails Council, BONC, Nevada Union Miners and Union Hill School Bearcats all convened to deliver some impressive trailwork on Burlington Ridge area trails.

The crew I led brushed the Towle and Hallelujah trails, which very much needed our attention. I started to take pictures, but really, what is the point when Robert Lowe is out there working his photographic magic. See his event pictures.

I was very pleased to see the high turnout of young volunteers. We set a great example for these kids when we demonstrate through example the meaning and value of trail stewardship. Big thanks to Chuck Ross, Sam Raymond, Eric Newman and others for bringing the kids. And to the Gold Country Trails Council that fed them a great meal afterwards.

FYI: If you are looking for a riding destination this week, look no further than Burlington Ridge. Jon Pritchett, Jamiel Fox and I rode it extensively yesterday and it is tacky and sweet. Best conditions all year.