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Singletracks #128 July 2013 ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 7:57 AM Page 1 NEW ENGLAND MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION SSingleingleTTrackrackSS JulyJuly 20132013 #128#128 www.nemba.orgwww.nemba.org ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 7:57 AM Page 2 2 |July 2013 Ride the Trails ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 8:07 AM Page 3 SSingleingleTTrackS NEMBA, the New England Mountain Bike June / July 2013, Number 128 Association, is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organi- zation dedicated to promoting trail access, maintaining trails open for mountain bicyclists, and educating mountain bicyclists to use these trails sensitively and responsibly. SingleTracks is published six times a year by the 8 New England Mountain Bike Association for Riding Connecticut the trail community. Want a local vacation with stellar riding. Come ride ©SingleTracks Connecticut – The Nutmeg State will not disappoint! Editor & Publisher: Philip Keyes Contributing Writer: Bill Boles Copy Editor: Nanyee Keyes Executive Director: Philip Keyes [email protected] NEMBA PO Box 2221 Acton MA 01720 Board of Directors Help Curb Unauthorized 18 Adam Glick, President Trail Building Matt Schulde, Vice-President Rule Number 1 in trail building: Get Land Owner Permission. Anne Shepard, Treasurer Harry Meyer, Secretary Trails built without permission aren’t protected, they don’t always meet environental protection standards and when built Rob Adair, White Mountains NEMBA by mountain bikers, they give us all a bad name.i Brian Alexander, CeMeNEMBA John Anders, Midcoast Maine NEMBA Matt Bowser, Central NH NEMBA Aaron Brasslett, Penobscot Region NEMBA Eammon Carleton, BV NEMBA Matt Caron, Southern NH NEMBA Steve Cobble, SE MA NEMBA Leo Corrigan, RI NEMBA Brian Danz, Greater Portland Paper Trail Peter DeSantis, Southern NH NEMBA SingleTracks Hey, get creative! We wel- Erik daSilva, Penobscot Region NEMBA come submissions, photos and artwork. This is Andrew Favreau, Greater Portland NEMBA Treadlines — 4 your forum and your magazine. Be nice, and Harold Green, Pioneer Valley NEMBA share! David Hughes, Carrabassett Region NEMBA Bike Fit — 18 Chris Joosen, White Mountains NEMBA On the Cover: NEMBA Racing team riding Pedro’s Tips Steffi Krug, Pioneer Valley NEMBA Russell Mill. Photo by PK. Frank Lane, North Shore NEMBA for a Clean Bike — 19 Casey Leonard, Midcoast Maine NEMBA Do you have a photo that would make a good Bill Markham, Berkshire NEMBA Chapter News — 20 cover shot? Email it to [email protected] Stuart McDonald, MV NEMBA Harry Meyers, Berkshire NEMBA NEMBA Rides — 36 Want to Underwrite in ST? Barry Moore, Merrimack Valley NEMBA Support our Sponsors — 38 Chris O’Toole, CeMeNEMBA SingleTracks offers inexpensive and targeted Peter Poanessa, BK NEMBA underwriting which helps us defray the cost of David Riding, SE MA NEMBA producing this cool ‘zine. Call 800-57-NEMBA Paul Rodrigue, BK NEMBA or email [email protected] for our media kit. Dan Streeter, North Shore NEMBA Chris Thurrott, Greater Boston NEMBA Moving? Al Tinti, CT NEMBA Don’t miss an issue! Change your address online at nemba.org or mail it into SingleTracks, PO Box WWW.NEMBA.ORG 2221, Acton MA 01720 Save the Trails SingleTrackS No. 128 | 3 ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 7:57 AM Page 4 TREADLINES NEMBA Trail Grants Awarded We are proud to announce the winners Penobscot Region NEMBA won a $500 of the spring round of NEMBA Trails grant to purchase a set of high quality trail Grants. These grants, funded from the tools. These tools will be used to build and fur- proceeds of the annual NEMBA Access ther develop a trail system on University of Raffle, are available to NEMBA chapters, Maine property. They will also be used to build non-profit organizations and municipal- new trails and make older ones more sustain- ities. NEMBA Trail Grants are awarded in able on Orono Land Trust property. This work the spring and fall. ties into a regional trail plan that would form Greater Portland NEMBA won a "a major non-motorized multi-use trail corri- dor.” $500 grant to partially fund their chap- ter's purchase of a tool trailer. This trail- Wachusett NEMBA won a $500 grant to er will be used to store the chapter's build a bridge and a kiosk at the Leominster tools and will provide an easy way to State Forest. Partnering with the Leominster transport the tools to work sites. The Trail Stewards the chapter will improve a pop- trailer will be "branded" with NEMBA ular parking and access area near the forest. It logos and will hopefully provide greater will involve re-routing of some singletrack recognition for the chapter as well as trails and include building a bridge to span a drive membership. low lying wet area. Merrimack Valley NEMBA teaming with the Innovation Academy Belmont, Massachusetts Conservation Commission won a of Tyngsboro, Massachusetts won a $500 dollar grant to develop a 7 $500 grant to build a walking/biking bridge that would span a small mile trail network on the school's property. Several miles of new tech- intermittent stream on the town's Lone Tree Hill property. The current nical singletrack will be constructed with the intent of starting a bridge is old, rotting and not safe. It is also too low so that when the school mountain bike program. These trails will be open to the gen- stream is running debris is caught under it blocking the flow of the eral public. The monies will, in part, fund the construction of stream. Carsonite signs and other trail markings similar to those found in nearby State forests. 4 |July 2013 Ride the Trails ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 7:57 AM Page 5 Save the Trails SingleTrackS No. 128 | 5 ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 7:57 AM Page 6 TREADLINES NEMBA Presents at Multiple CT NEMBA’s Trail School On April 7th, land managers, hikers, and mountain bikers gathered Outdoor Conferences in Madison, Connecitcut for full day of seminars and a clinic on sus- There has been a hefty round of conferences around New England tainable trail design and construction. CT NEMBA organized the focusing on getting people outdoors, creating trails and staying event with financial support from the outdoor retailer, Trailblazer, healthy. In March, Bill Boles presented an overview about NEMBA lunch provided by Grow Home Organics and Pedal Power, and gifts and the value of mountain bike trails at Rhode Island Parks & from IMBA. The day consisted of classroom discussion, trailwork at Recreation Department, joined by RI NEMBA's Leo Corrigan. In Rockland Preserve, and an optional ride. Maine, Central Maine NEMBA’s Brian Alexander and Ellen Wells, along wiht Greater Portland NEMBA's Andrew Favreau and Jim Tasse CT NEMBA's Paula Burton spoke about the value of planning pur- presented talks about trails at the Active Communities Conference in Waterville, Maine. Lastly, NEMBA's director, Philip Keyes, presented a piece on Sustainable Trail Design and Maintenance at the Massachusetts Trails Conference, and Harold Green, president emer- itus, presented his vision of the Charlemont Trail System and its role in recreational tourism. It's important for us to get the word out about all the positive aspects of mountain biking, and its role in con- servation, resource protections and economic stimulus. Northwest Connecticut NEMBA We’re pleased to announce the formation and chartering of our newest chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Assocation, Northwest CT NEMBA. NW CT NEMBA will initially focus on the extensive trail system in the Burlington / Nassahegon area. They have hit the ground running fast, and already have partnered with the Friends of Session Woods to re-build an important bridge and they already are leading group pose-built singletrack to promote sus- rides. Check them out and join their chapter at www.nwctnemba.org. tainability, resource protection and mit- igate trail user conflict. IMBA's new Northeast Regional director, Adam Coppola, documented some of the soci- etal and health benefits of trails: • 50 million Americans mountain bike (1 in 5 people over the age of 16) • Every dollar invested in trails leads to almost $4 in direct medical benefits • Direct access to trails increases property value by 10-15% • 85% of overweight adolescents who ride bikes become normal weight adults Jason Engelhardt, Madison resident and project coordinator for "Singletracks of Rockland" spoke about his experiences building a local community of trail support. He began this project through conversations with Madison town land management in October 2011. Engelhardt gained approval from the Rockland Preserve Board as well as Wetlands and Conservation Commissions. So far, vol- unteers have given over 1600 hours to build 8 miles of singletrack in rarely visited portions of the 649 acre Preserve. In 2013, the group plans to improve current singletrack, build several board- walks, and then expand to create more trail. They also plan to hold events to bring the public to the preserve, whether on bike, foot, or carrying a shovel. Rockland Preserve is open to the public and maintained by the town of Madison. The Singletracks of Rockland network is accessible from the Route 79 entrance in North Madison, just south of the inter- section with Route 148. Maps and more information are available at the Town of Madison website, www.madisonct.org/i3/rockland. 6 |July 2013 Ride the Trails ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 7:57 AM Page 7 Save the Trails SingleTrackS No. 128 | 7 ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 7:57 AM Page 8 NEMBAfest @ Kingdom Trails June 21-23 Camping Lift Access at Burke Mt. KT Trail Pass Bike Demos & Industry Expo Shuttles to town ~ Live Music Food and more ! Discounts for kids, 7 & Under Free Pre-register Now@! Info / Registration: www.nemba.org 8 |July 2013 Ride the Trails ST201307 128.qxd 5/24/2013 7:57 AM Page 9 PLACES TO RIDE Riding Connecticut Nothing makes for a better day than going for a ride on previously undiscovered trails.
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