T h e M a g a z i n e o f t h e N e w E n g l a n d M o u n t a i n B i k e A s s o c i a t i o n February 1999 Number 42 SSingleingleTTrackrackSS 2 OFF THE FRONT Winter’s Almost Over: Get out there and Enjoy It! I know it's winter when I have nightmares of Sound familiar? This issue of SingleTracks will pink and know the Weather Channel help you get out of that rut and adjust that atti- reporters by name. Will it be tude. I finally realized that by hunkering down white? Will it be pink? Will it for the winter, I was missing out on some of the rain or snow? And why best New England has to offer. do they always put Don't stare at the person's butt in front of you their heads smack in on the Stairmaster; you can get out and try some front of the skate skiing for a change. (Or do you like staring Northeast? at that butt? That's OK, too.) Enjoy the back- For years I country with some telemarking, snowboarding, pulled the or alpine touring. Get some free-heeling pointers knobbies off from Allison Salke's article, or join us at around NEMBA's backcountry ski weekend in March. Christmas Check last year's Winter issue for snowshoeing and set up tips. the wind You may be thinking, "I need a new sport like trainer. Boston needs another Irish bar!" OK, for those of January, I'd you dedicated to riding, and riding only, we're join the including some suggestions for finding dirt down gym and go south -- best bets for places that don't get much religiously - snow and don't have seasonal closures. You can - for two do some major face plants on a snowbiking and a half slalom course at Wachusett. Check out previous weeks. By issues for advice on dressing for the winter and February, I making your own studded tires. This issue, get would have prepared for the backcountry by reading Garrrett pangs of sadness Blake's first-hand account of a winter survival and guilt as I experience. Reminisce about warm weather at passed my lonely the annual Chili Cookoff March 27th. two-wheeled buddies on my way to the wash- Whatever you do, don't give in to that couch! ing machine. Never once had We hope you aren't hibernating. Like they say in I sat on that wind trainer. My Scandinavia, "There's no such thing as bad remote finger would get real buff, weather, only bad clothing!" though. March, I would start wondering if I could Krisztina Holly, President get a job in California or Arizona. On Our Cover: Jim Amidon rolls down the blade in Vietnam. Photo (if you want to call it that) by Philip Keyes Send your pictures to: Singletracks, PO Box 2221, Acton MA 01720 Bumps? . What Bumps? The Number One Suspension Post 603-431-3023 www.use1.com 3 SSingleingleTTrackS February/March 1998, Number 42 NEMBA, the New England Mountain Bike Association, is a not-for-profit 501 c 3 organi- zation dedicated to promoting trail access and maintaining trails open for mountain bicyclists, and to educating mountain bicyclists using 12 Tele’ Skiing these trails to ride sensitively and responsibly. Telemark Skiing is the mountain biking of the ski SingleTracks is published six times a year by world. It’s fun, it’s cool, and you gotta try it. By the New England Mountain Bike Association Allison Salke for the trail community, and is made possible by a commitment from member volunteers. ©SingleTracks 14 Skate Skiing Skate skiing is the best winter cross training you Editor & Publisher: Philip Keyes can do for mountain biking. So, strap on those Singletracks Committee: Bill Boles, Kristen Bjork, Ed Clausen, Scott Hancock, Krisztina boards and kick it into gear!. By Rob Roy Holly, Nanyee Keyes and Mary Tunnicliffe Macgregor Executive Director: Philip Keyes Letters/Submissions: 16 Hardtails vs. Softtails SingleTracks PO Box 2221 To boing or not to boing. Two authors debate this Acton MA 01720 important question. Which bike’s for you? By Ted Wojcik and Jason Pare Phone: 800.57.NEMBA Email: [email protected] Board of Directors 16 It Never rains in Krisztina Holly, President Moab? Mary Tunnicliffe, Vice-President An intrepid traveller heads to sunnier skies to Dan Murphy, Treasurer Michael Good, Secretary do some awesome riding. Even in the rain, Mark Bialas, Merrimack NEMBA Moab must be ridden. By Paul Wetmore Norman Blanchette, Merrimack NEMBA Bill Boles, SE MA NEMBA Bob Croston, Public Relations Advocacy Brian Croteau, Seacoast NEMBA Richard Donoghue, Wachusett NEMBA Why you should join IMBA, by Tim Blumenthal John Dudek, Pioneer Valley NEMBA Erik Evensen, Greater Boston NEMBA Jeff Gallo, Blackstone Valley NEMBA Departments Tina Hopkins, Rhode Island NEMBA Mark Jenks, White Mountains NEMBA Chain Letters -5 Ed King, Cape Cod & Islands NEMBA Calender of Events -7 Ken Koellner, Webmaster Rich LaBombard, Pioneer Valley NEMBA Happenings -8 Christie Lawyer, SE MA NEMBA Rob Roy Macgregor, VT NEMBA SideTracks Deb McCulloch, Cape Cod & Islands NEMBA Jon Pratt, Wachusett NEMBA Readings -19 Jason Record, Seacoast NEMBA Brian Smith, CT NEMBA Humour -23 Dan Streeter, North Shore NEMBA Woman Stuff -26 Andy Thompson, Blackstone Valley NEMBA John Turchi, CT NEMBA SingleTrack Health -27 Ruth Wheeler, Berkshire NEMBA Product Review -28 We are also dedicated to having fun! NEMBA, P.O. Box 2221, Chapter News -29 Acton MA 01720 800 57-NEMBA Win a Jersey! -35 WWW.NEMBA.ORG NEMBA Rides -36 3 CHAIN LETTERS Thanks for the Bridge Don’t use bad language in I wanted to let you how much the City of Lynn appreciates SingleTracks NEMBA's contribution to this year' s Bog Bridge. As you I am a new member of NEMBA and joined my entire can see from the enclosed photo , it looks great! family(SE MA NEMBA). My sons, 10 and 7 years old, love NEMBA donated $2,000.00 to pay for lumber and materi- mountain biking. We are new to mountain biking and only als for the completion of a 144 foot bog bridge on the started riding four momhs ago. My sons enjoy reading any- Overlook Trail in the northern section of Lynn Woods thing about mountain biking and when the December Reservation. Bill Redford and Steve Fuchs were the guiding SingleTracks issue came they pick it up and read it cover to lights from NEMBA who helped in the planning and con- cover. Well, I was appalled and perplexed how an organiza- struction. Steve Fuchs served as tion that I thought was somewhat family oriented could the point person during the allow the language on page 19 under the heading called; Pulp actual work day, October 17. Warantee (A Tall Tale) by Shorta Yuasa to occur. I understand Approximately 35 volunteers that “slut” and “filthy crack whore” are not used in the true from NEMBA and Friends of context of those words but both my sons asked me to Lynn Woods worked on the explain to them what those words meant. I am very upset bridge and the trail leading to that I had to address this with my two young sons. I now the bridge. I would especially question my decision to join NEMBA. We have not really like to credit Mike Salerno, used our membership to join any rides etc. because of the Colleen Haggerty, Elaine McEvoy, season but I am very concemed that language like that is Anna Kleinfeldt in addition to Bill and Steve for their sup- allowed to be used in a publication that you know goes to a port of this and many other projects in the Woods. family oriented audience. I know that you have the typical macho single guy membership but is it necessary to use that As you know, our trails attract thousands of riders, and are type of language for adjectives to get your point across? If greatly impacted by the volume of bikers. Work such as this is typical of language that occurs with your publication this is greatly needed and appreciated. The City of Lynn is please remove me from your mailing list. It's unfortunate, looking forward to ongoing maintenance assistance from because both my sons enjoyed reading the two issues previ- NEMBA. I encourage any members/readers who use the ous to this one. If this was an oversight by someone who did trails in Lynn Woods to call me at (781) 477-7123 to sign a horrific job of proofreading please keep me on the mailing up for future trail maintenance work. I am especially look- list. ing for leaders of a volunteer trail crew for next season. See you on the trails! Dennis Vetrano, Marshfield MA Pamela M. Snow, Lynn Woods Park Ranger Editor’s Response: I'm sorry that you were offended by Shorta Yuasa's parody of Pulp Fiction, and I deliberated long and hard whether the use of these words was beyond the standard of appropriate language for our magazine. Perhaps they were. As editor, I kept the words in the piece after ask- Donation to Nam ing my 10 year old daughter and 14 year old son if they On behalf of the Upper Charles Conservation Inc. (UCC), I found them upsetting. want to thank you for having made a financial contribution to I will keep this in mind for the future. NEMBA's membership us in the past.