Singletracks #63 September
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SSepttemberr 2002,, Numberr 63 www.nemba.org NEMBAfest 2002! Come Celebrate our 15th Birthday SSingleingleTTrackS NEMBA, the New England Mountain Bike August / September 2002, Number 63 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. 13 SingleTracks is published six times a year by the New England Mountain Bike Association for the trail community. The Real Dirt on NEMBA’s Past ©SingleTracks NEMBA is celebrating its 15th birthday this fall, Editor & Publisher: Philip Keyes so we delved into the archives and interviewed some of the early movers and shakers to get the Staff Writer: Krisztina Holly real story about NEMBA’s dirty past. By Krisztina Contributing Writers: Bill Boles, Jeff Cutler Holly Copy Editor: Nanyee Keyes Executive Director: Philip Keyes NEMBA PO Box 2221 Acton MA 01720 22 Looking Into NEMBA’s Voice 800.57.NEMBA Crystal Ball Fax: 928-395-7759 [email protected] NEMBA’s growth in membership and resources has been exponential, so where are we headed Board of Directors and what might we be doing in the future? By Bill Boles, President Philip Keyes Tom Grimble, Vice-President Anne Shepard, Treasurer Carolyn Zepf, Secretary Rob Adair, White Mountains NEMBA Norman Blanchette, MV NEMBA 24 Riding Upton State Forest Bill Boles, SE MA NEMBA Jack Chapman, At Large Excerpted from Jeff Cutler’s Book, Mountain Bob Croston, Greater Boston NEMBA Bike America: Boston, Upton has some great John Dudek, Pioneer Valley NEMBA woods riding for you to enjoy. By Jeff Cutler Hunt Durey, North Shore NEMBA Len Earnshaw, Seacoast NEMBA Hugh Folsom, Merrimack Valley NEMBA Jim Grimley, RI NEMBA Johan Holmquist, North Shore NEMBA Krisztina Holly, At Large welcomes submissions, Tina Hopkins, Rhode Island NEMBA SingleTracks Rich LaBombard, Pioneer Valley NEMBA photos and artwork from our literate or creative Rob Macgregor, VT NEMBA Paper Trail membership. This is your forum and your mag- Walter Masgul, SC NH NEMBA azine, so please send us stuff! Tom McCrumm, Berkshire NEMBA Events Calendar —4 Jonathan Melzar, Seacoast NEMBA Contribute! Got a cool story idea? Want to TJ Mora, VT NEMBA Chain Letters —5 build your publishing resume? Give us a call. Jason Record, Seacoast NEMBA Treadlines —7 You can reach us at [email protected] or Jean Rubin, SC NH NEMBA Victor Saverino, Cape Cod NEMBA Happenings —9 call 800-57-NEMBA. Alex Sokolow, CT NEMBA Chapter News —26 On the Cover: NEMBA Founder, Heidi Davis, Mitch Steinberg, Blackstone Valley NEMBA Mary Tunnicliffe, Berkshire NEMBA NEMBA Rides —34 racing at Mt. Snow in 1989. Photo courtesy of John Turchi, CT NEMBA NEMBA Sponsors—38 Heidi. Roger Wharton, Cape Cod NEMBA Jim Wrightson, Wachusett NEMBA Want to Advertise? SingleTracks offers inexpensive and targeted WWW.NEMBA.ORG advertising which helps us defray the cost of For advertising rates, request our Media producing this cool ‘zine. Call 800-57-NEMBA Kit by calling 800-57-NEMBA or or email [email protected] for our media kit. email [email protected] SingleTrackS No. 63 | 3 2002 Mondo Events Calender Oct. 20 NEMBAFest MTB Festival Great Brook Farm, Carlisle MA, www.nemba.org, 800-57-NEMBA Fun Stuff & Benefits Sept. 22 Blue Hills MTB Day [email protected], 617-696-3533 Nov. 3 CT NEMBA Fall Fiesta, [email protected], 860-653-5038 Trail Clinics August 17-18 Mt. Agimenticus/IMBA Trail Clinic, www.mtanemba.org Pedro’s-Harpoon MTB Adventure Series www.nemba.org 800-57-NEMBA August 25 Wompatuck SP, Hingham MA Sept. 8 Mt. Washington Valley, NH Oct. 20 Great Brook Farm SP, w/ NEMBA 15 Year Bash Festival EFTA / NEMBA Fun Rides Oct. 27 NS NEMBA Wicked Ride of the East, Harold Parker SP [email protected] Nov 29 FOMBA Turkey Burner Fun Ride, Auburn NH www.fomba.com 603-483-2951 Merlin / NEMBA Trail Care Series Blackstone Valley NEMBA Sept. 21 Hodges Village, [email protected], 508-865-9964 Oct. 5 Callahan SP, [email protected], 508-788-9912 Nov. TBA Douglas SF, [email protected], 508-529-9339 Greater Boston NEMBA Aug. 17 Great Brook Farm SP, Carlisle MA, 800-57-NEMBA Sept. 14 Lynn Woods Reservation, Lynn MA, 781- 647-3287 Sept. 28 Great Brook Farm SP, Carlisle MA, 800-57-NEMBA Oct. 5 Lynn Woods Reservation, Lynn MA, 781- 647-3287 SE MA NEMBA Oct. 6 Wompatuck SP, [email protected], 781-925-2512 Nov. 10 Wompatuck SP, [email protected], 781-925-2512 Wachusett NEMBA Sept. 14 Leominster SF, [email protected], 978-464-2763 Oct. 19 Leominster SF, [email protected], 978-464-2763 Cannondale / NEMBA CT Trail Care Series Aug 24 Pequonnock Valley, Trumbell, 203-426-5369, [email protected] Sept 7 Huntington SP, Redding, 203-426-5369, [email protected] Rocky Mountain Bicycles NH Trail Care Series Seacoast NEMBA Sept. 15 Northwood Meadows State Park, [email protected], 603- 895-6633 Sept. 29 Fort Rock, Exeter, [email protected], 603-895-6633 Oct. 13 Pawtuckaway State Park, [email protected], 603-895-6633 Oct. 27 Bear Brook State Park, [email protected], 603-895-6633 4 | August / September 2002 Chain Letters Thanks for Help with National Trails Day at Cutler Park I would like to thank you for all of your help with planning, organizing, and recruiting for National Trails Day at Cutler Park. Your ideas and thoughts were a big help in designing the day and your efforts to recruit volunteers from the biking community con- tributed significantly to wonderful turnout of volunteer workers. I In Defence of Mx think everyone had good time working in the park and enjoying As I read David Riding's letter to the editor in the last issue of the fruits of their labors later on. And you deserve a huge SingleTracks I had a sick feeling come over me. Change a few THANK YOU for dealing with the neighborhood concerns about words from MX'ers to mtbikers, and this could have been written the trailwork that was happening and allaying their fears. This by the Friends of Fells anti-mtbiking group, the Wheeled Locusts. event was a great kick off to biking in Cutler Park and I hope to work with you on future projects. However, what concerns me most about this letter is that like the Wheeled Locusts, the author feels his interaction with the groups Kevin R. Hollenbeck, Reservation Supervisor, MDC during those rides somehow warrants involvement with legal authorities or as he puts it "I think the gloves need to come off with respect to motorcycles". Since mtbikers have no more right Supporting the Land Preservation Fund to Vietnam than dirtbikers, what possible good could come of Enclosed is a check for the Land Preservation Fund. I'm really involving the police, except for creating more negative press for happy NEMBA has established the fund, and is actively working mtbikes and possible action that eliminates access for both to purchase as much of Vietnam as possible. I could ramble on groups. about the evil of sprawl and its irreversible effects forever-but I As an avid road cyclist, mountain biker and dirt bike rider for won't. Keep up the great work. many years I have a different perspective on multi-use trails than Brendan Dee, Providence RI most. A little history is in order for many of those who don't real- ize that dirt bikers, MXer's as they are referred to in this letter, created the majority of trails in Vietnam, Freetown, Groton and many other places mtbikers currently ride. As such, who is infringing on whom? Our energies are better spent fighting the eco-nazi groups that have dedicated their miserable lives to ridding the woods of mtbikes. Also, we mtbikers need to be careful in casting stones regarding environmental impact of other user groups. Just as the wheeled locusts seek out high impact areas in the Fells for their website, I can take pictures of the Appalachian Trail in Maine that are in substantially worse condition from foot traffic. Life is full of choices. I won't defend the dirt bikers that David encountered on his rides, however, I wonder if just their presence on the trails somehow made the situation seem worse than it was. If so, there are many places to ride mtbikes without encoun- tering dirtbikes. Courtesy is a two way street, both groups have participants which could use a dope slap to make them realize that a small minority can have a very adverse impact on their abil- ity to enjoy their sport. Don Seib, Chelmsford MA Got Something to Say? Send letters/comments/gripes/money to: [email protected] Letters may be editted for space and clarity SingleTrackS No. 63 | 5 CHAIN LETTERS Outdoor Explorations Thanks North Shore NEMBA for Donation On behalf of the volunteers, participants and staff of Outdoor Explorations, thank you so very much for your contribution of $761 stemming from the Pedro’s-Harpoon Mountain Bike Adventure ride put on my North Shore NEMBA. One in five Americans is living with a disability, making people with disabilities the largest minority in the country. Yet, despite these numbers, people with disabilities rarely enjoy the full range of opportunities available to the larger community. OE has found that personal growth and insight are crucial to overcoming preju- dices and preconceptions about one's self and others. Your gen- erosity helps Outdoor Explorations ensure that all people,regard- less of ability or economic circumstances, have access to the free- dom,beauty, and life-changing power of the outdoors.