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COVID-19 Redux Edition Photo Courtesy USA CyclingGreetings fellow mountain bikers. As you all know, while mountain biking is permissible under the quarantine, riders should ride their bikes to the trails, social distance while riding and not ride or congregate in groups. It is not necessary to wear a face mask while exercising outdoors.
For these reasons, in order to comply with the mandate, RLaG and our 5/9 Gala rides are cancelled. In addition, Ales-and-Trails has also been cancelled as well as the V-O-Cal trail project scheduled for 5/16-5/17 at the JMLT Painted Rock property.
However, the 5/13 Board of Directors and General Membership Meeting, scheduled for Wednesday 5/13 from 6:30-9, will be conducted in an online meeting. For meeting details see our Meetup page. Send me an email to get an advance copy of the agenda.
I can't wait to see what surprises JUNE has in store for us!-- Mike Announcing Board of Directors Elections
by BTCEB Nomination Committee We hope that you and your loved ones are well and healthy during this challenging time. Although the current COVID-19 crisis has prevented our usual group rides and get-together, the BTCEB Board of Directors continues to work together to advocate for, maintain and build trails for mountain bike access in the East Bay.
After many years of service, several members of the Board are stepping away from their leadership roles. We are using this reorganization opportunity to open up officer positions to anyone who would like to help shape the future of mountain biking in the East Bay. At our next board meeting on Wednesday, May 13th, we will be holding elections for all board positions, and we encourage all interested members to consider applying for one of our openings.
Bicycle Trails Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 1987 by a dedicated group of volunteers who successfully fought the planned closure of almost all bike trails in the East Bay! We are the oldest mountain bike advocacy group in the United States and one of the founding clubs of IMBA. Our mission is to educate cyclists in responsible mountain biking, to advocate for appropriate access and to promote community among trail users so all may fully enjoy and preserve the natural spaces of the East Bay.
Applicants for board positions must be current dues-paying BTCEB members (you may join now if your membership is not current). Terms of office will be one or two years, depending on the position, and you will be expected to attend one board meeting every two months, either in-person or via teleconference/Zoom. There will also be opportunities to contribute to our rides and education programs, advocate for increased access to singletrack, and develop and maintain trails in East Bay parks.
Our top priorities for the next year currently include: - Keeping Joaquin Miller Park awesome
- Getting the Oakland Pump Track up and rolling
- Working with EBRPD to develop a plan to build new singletrack connecting Sibley Regional Park with Moraga
- Continuing the maintenance and development of the trail system at Crockett Hills Regional Park
- Working with the Walnut Creek Open Space District on singletrack in Lime Ridge and Shell Ridge
- Developing closer relationships with East Bay youth and high school mountain biking teams
- Expanding our organized ride series, which currently includes monthly Gala Rides, our Ride Like A Girl series, and volunteer-organized Pop-Up rides, to include more places, more people, and more fun!
If you would like to be a part of the movement to free the singletrack, please contact us and let us know of your interest by completing this Google Form by 23:59 Pacific time on Sunday, May 10. You should be prepared to attend a meeting by videoconference on Wednesday, May 13 from 6:30-9:00 PM to introduce yourself and talk about why you’d like to participate in the Bicycle Trails Council Board of Directors.
Elections will be held for the following officer positions. We include here a brief list of responsibilities; the full extent of each position’s duties will be determined primarily by the person doing the work. We are looking for self-motivated, creative individuals who have fresh ideas about what mountain biking in the East Bay could be.
In addition to these officer positions, we may elect one or more at-large Board members. If you are interested in contributing, we will find a role for you.
Position Descriptions
President (vacant)
The president presides at all meetings of the Board of Directors, They shall generally supervise, direct, and control the business and officers of the corporation. They develop BTCEB vision and strategy for trail advocacy, and work with other Board members to coordinate our ride programs, and our trail development and maintenance efforts.
Vice-President (currently Yvette Skinner)
The Vice-President performs the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President and also acts in a leadership role for the organization.
Secretary (vacant)
The Secretary creates and maintains all official records of the BTCEB, including the Book of Minutes, the Annual Report, and any Notices required for BTCEB business.
Treasurer (currently Alan Enrici)
The Treasurer creates and maintains all financial records and accounts of the BTCEB.
Membership (currently Jon Running)
The Membership Director seeks to recruit and retain dues-paying BTCEB members, through communications, group activities, and promotions.
Education and Promotion Director (new position)
The Education and Promotion Director seeks to promote mountain biking among new and interested parties, and manages BTCEB’s ride and education programs. They also lead outreach efforts to underrepresented communities, youth, women, and LGBTQ populations.
Communications Director (new position)
The Communications Director is responsible for public information about BTCEB, including the web site, the BTCEB Buzz newsletter, and social media platforms.
Trails Director (new position)
The Trails Director is responsible for trail development, building, and maintenance programs. The Director will encourage trail stewardship through teams associated with particular parks or geographic areas.
Advocacy Director (new position)
The Advocacy Director works with local and regional land managers, and with other bike advocacy organizations, to advocate for mountain bike access and influence trail usage policies. The Director coordinates BTCEB’s efforts by working with teams or individual advocates associated with specific parks or geographic areas. They will connect with and garner support from other organizations that share BTCEB’s goals, and promote cooperation among all trail user groups.
How to apply
Complete this Google Form by 23:59 Pacific Time on Sunday, May 10. You will be asked for contact information, and for a basic biography which describes your interest in participating in the Bicycle Trails Council Board.
Applicants will be asked to virtually attend our Board meeting on Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30 PM, and to give a brief statement about their background and purpose in joining the BTCEB board.
If you have any questions, send email to nominations@btceb.org. Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to hearing from you.
BTCEB via Facebook
Finally, if you want to hear about other last-minute news, such as demo rides, and volunteering opportunities, "like" and follow BTCEB's Facebook Notification Page, and also request to join BTCEB's Facebook Discussion Group.
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REPORTS
Tentative Gala Ride Dates and Locations
by Mike Udkow
Here are the expected ride dates and locations for the club gala rides for 2020:
- Jun 13 - Wildcat/Tilden EBRP
- Jul 12 (Sunday) - China Camp
- Aug 8 - Joaquin Miller Park (Oakland)
- Sep 26 - Fernandez Ranch (JMLT)
- Oct 11 - Crockett Hills EBRP
- Nov 14 - Rockville
- Dec 12 - Deer Park
As always look for them to appear on the BTCEB Meetup Events page and here in The Buzz as the dates approach and the ride details firm up. Crockett Hills Update
by Scott Bartlebaugh
The trails are in pretty good shape for this time of year. Crockett Hills Park Supervisor David Kendall and his crew have done a great job mowing down the worst of the tall vegetation.
David purchased a flail mower in the past year specifically for this job and can now do the job better, faster, and with less manpower than in the past.
This is the earliest in the season the weeds have been cut down at Crockett Hills. Volunteer efforts have been focused on brushing the poison oak and doing some tread work where the ride line was getting wide and falling off the outside edge.
If you haven't sent an email to the EBRPD Board and management please go to the BTCEB Facebook page where you can cut and paste their emails and send a positive note thanking them for the mowing job they've done this year. Let them know this is important to enjoying these trails and that you hope they can make this a priority every year.
You can find a link to a sample message on the club's facebook page and look for my post:
(You'll need to be a member of our FB group to see the post.) As an added reminder if you do go out particularly during busy times please make sure you practice the current social distancing requirements. While the trailhead parking lot has been filling on the weekends the parking lot has remained open unlike some other EBRPD parking lots that have been closed.
BTCEB Membership Drive
by Mike Udkow While membership on our Meetup site continues to grow to over 3,900 followers, membership in the BTCEB, your mountain biking organization, has been lagging.
To grow, to survive, and to represent the mountain biking community, we need your support. Your membership dues support our Gala rides and our RLaG program, pays for our insurance, helps to support NorCal High School MTBing and supports trail work at China Camp, Rockville, Fernandez and Crockett. We are hard at work developing the JMP Pump Track. Our Board of Directors meets bi-monthly to discuss all topics relevant to local mountain biking.
Membership levels start at $30, with a $15 student/hardship level. Lifetime membership is $500.
Aside from the dues, we truly need and value your membership.
Please join or renew today at www.btceb.orgSee you on the trails!
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From the Dusty Trail . . .
Review: Where the Trail Ends
By Mike Udkow
I found Where the Trail Ends on Amazon Prime Video. It's a film following the world's top freeride mountain bikers as they search for unridden terrain around the globe, ultimately shaping the future of big mountain freeriding. Featuring Jeremy Grant, Brad McGregor Starring Darren Berrecltoh, Cameron Zink, Kurtis Sorge.
Amazing biking and even more amazing scenery and photography. If you're a prime video subscriber this movie is definitely worth checking out!
CAMTB e-MTB Survey
by Scott Bartlebaugh
CAMTB is running a survey to get your input on e-MTB. Please take a few moments to take the survey which will help shape how CAMTB participates in the e-MTB discussion with land managers and users across the state. The survey is well done and the questions may expand you views regarding e-MTBs.
Your responses will help us get a better sense of the current status of e-MTBs around the state and help inform . . . Announcing the BikeMuse News!
by Jamuel Starkey 
The Marin Museum of Bicycling has launch an eNewsletter, the BikeMuse News! Chock full of info on the latest happenings at the museum plus features on the coolest of bicycle curiosities that are sure to peak your interest. In the first issue there's an article describing a nearly one of a kind wood framed bike named, Jerome
And as a proud supporter of the Museum, BTCEB highly recommends you give it a look. Bill's Trail is Open to Bikes... Again!
By Access 4 Bikes
.jpg) .jpg) Editor: Trail advocacy can work but we better get those middle schoolers on It NOW! As the story below explains it took 14 years to get a trail open . . . Yes 14 years--but it now open!
Excerpted from Marin - Access 4 Bikes:Way back in 1989, a 3.2 mile long stretch of trail called Bill’s Trail was built to connect Barnabe Fire Road to Devil’s Gulch in Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Named for Bill Lintow and Bill Taylor (two park employees), the 48 inch wide bench trail was originally constructed as a full multi-use trail open to hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians. Some time in the mid 90’s, allegedly due to complaints from equestrians about conflicts with mountain bikers, bikes were banned from the trail by a “superintendent's order” that has mysteriously never been produced.
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The journey from then to now is complicated to say the least. The process started in 2006 with a formal change-in-use request which was approved in 2009 by California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR), only to be stalled by the threat of a lawsuit by the Marin Conservation League. The project was put on hold until 2012 when the final environmental impact report was released authorizing the change-in-use of the trail back to its originally intended use. In 2014, trail work began to restore and rebuild Bill’s Trail which required extensive rock-work due to years of neglect. In 2019 the work was finally finished, and after a year of seasoning, it is now FINALLY ready to ride… again.
What does this mean for Marin mountain bike access?
Starting April 24, you can legally ride single track in Samuel P. Taylor State Park, and you should! Please follow all local restrictions due to the COVID-19 shelter in place orders, be safe, and be aware that this trail will be getting additional use and scrutiny in the coming weeks.
We have all learned a lot from this process, and this is in fact the first time that a change-in-use request has been approved and resulted in the opening of a trail to bikes in Marin. CDPR has implemented new processes for change-in-use, and A4B, MCBC, and the many others who have fought for this have learned how to better navigate this process and how to successfully get trails adopted for bike use by our land managers.
Trail Webinars Available from American Trails
by Scott Bartlebaugh American Trails has a number of free webinars available if you're interested in expanding your trails knowledge and perspectives. Some of the webinars are sessions that were planned as part of the California Trails and Greenways conference. So you can now get this information (for free) from home! They also have a number of webinars targeting trails and recreation professionals for a fee. Here are couple of them . . .
 
------ Reminder: As a BTCEB member, you can receive a 10 percent or higher discount for parts at many of the bike shops in the East Bay. You just have to ask. Thank you to the many bike shop sponsors for your support!
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ABOUT BTCEB
BTCEB is a one-stop shop. We defend access rights. We lead volunteers to build sustainable trails and repair historic trails. We host social rides. We teach underprivileged kids to ride. We fund youth mountain bike race teams. The list goes on because as riders we can do more together than individually. If you have not already, please consider joining us as a member. Many bike shops in the East Bay grant a 10% discount on bike parts to BTCEB Membership Card holders. It is just another benefit of joining BTCEB. Thank you to all the East Bay bike shops that support our efforts both on and off the trails!
CONTACT US
Do you have a good ride story, trailwork report, or other bike trail news? Tell us about it. Please send a paragraph with 150 words or less with a pic (under 10MB please) and/or link telling us about trailwork, rides, events, or any good mountain bike effort to bring our community together, etc. Please send via email to our editor Jamuel Starkey (with pictures if possible) at: buzz@btceb.org
BTCEB BOARD MEMBERS Mike Udkow, Presidentinfo@btceb.orgJon Running, Membership Coordinatormembership@btceb.orgYvette Skinner, Vice President
Dan McAvoy, Secretary
Alan Enrici, Treasurer
Henry Mitchell, Trails Coordinator
Dave Wolden, Director of Youth Programs (YMBA)Amy Arcus, Director of Women's Programs
Tom Gandesbery, Member-at-Large
Tom Holub, IT Chair |
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