Archive for the ‘CORBA News’ Category

Membership Renewals: Choose CORBA as your Chapter!

Monday, December 19th, 2011

Many of our members have or will be receiving renewal notices for their combined CORBA/IMBA membership. Since CORBA became a chapter of IMBA in April 2011, you no longer need to join two separate organizations (local and national). Your individual and family membership dollars support advocacy, outreach and other efforts at both the National and local levels (Corporate and Retailer memberships are presently available only for IMBA).

However, to ensure you remain a member of CORBA, there’s one extra step. Be sure to choose CORBA as your local chapter so that your dollars will more directly impact local projects and advocacy. Of course, you’re free to choose a different chapter if there is another that is more appropriate, such as our neighbors and partners at the Mount Wilson Bicycling Association, IMBA’s newest California chapter.

Renewal reminders from IMBA will link you to a page where you will need to select your local chapter, pictured below, so Remember to Choose your Chapter:

 

 

 

You can also avoid the extra step by going to CORBA’s membership page directly. Donations to CORBA, over and above your membership, stay local and are also tax-deductible. You can make a donation at http://corbamtb.com/join/donate.shtml.

CORBA is proud to be an IMBA chapter, working together to strengthen the collective voice of the mountain biking community. We thank you for your ongoing support. 

SMMNRA Superintendent Smeck to Leave for New Yosemite Position

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Woody Smeck, Santa Monica MountainsCORBA congratulates Woody Smeck, Superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) on his new appointment.  He’s leaving on March 30 to become Deputy Superintendent at Yosemite National Park.  Woody came to the SMMNRA as a landscape architect in 1990.  He worked his way up and was appointed Superintendent in 2001.  During his tenure, the SMMNRA grew in stature in the National Park system.  Woody helped politicians understand the importance of National Parks near developed urban areas.  He helped foster interagency coordination and cooperation with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, and other agencies in the SMMNRA.  He helped keep park programs on track in difficult budgetary times.

Most important to the mountain bike community, Woody was always accessible, fair, and honest in his dealings with us.  There is more mountain bike access on NPS land in the SMMNRA than anywhere else in the country.  Woody has been clear that responsible mountain biking is manageable on public lands and has expressed that view to his NPS peers.  We owe him a huge debt of gratitude.

Woody has been a pleasure to work with and we’ll miss him.  Our loss is Yosemite’s gain.  A search is underway for a new NPS Superintendent in the SMMNRA.

December 3, 2011 Skills Clinic Photos

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

We had 39 participants in this month’s basic skills clinic, including about 30 riders from the SoCal High School Cycling League, at Malibu Creek State Park. This may be a record attendance! There was a pool of water in the creek so we had some good splashes. You can see all the photos in the December Skills Clinic Photo Gallery.

December eTerraTimes published December 1

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

The December edition of CORBA’s monthly newsletter, the eTerraTimes, was published today, November 4. If you don’t get it by email, you can view it online.

As always, the eTerraTimes has all the latest news for mountain bikers in the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding areas.

CORBA Turns 25 In 2012

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

By Mark Langton

Mark Langton: Riding bikes in the dirt since 1969

August of 2012 will mark the official 25th anniversary of CORBA. In the coming months we will be announcing several ways in which you can help us celebrate. We’ll also be giving you a detailed accounting of what CORBA has achieved for the open space trails in Los Angeles and eastern Ventura Counties and contributed to the mountain bike community.

We’d love to hear from you who have stories about your involvement with CORBA, old or new. Photos are most welcome! Please send your contributions to me at mark@corbamtb.com. Happy Holidays!

2011 Fat Tire Fun(d)raiser – Thank you!

Monday, November 14th, 2011

  A huge thanks to all of you who donated your time, products, and/or demo bikes to this year’s event. It was a huge success, with nearly 200 attendees. The weather cooperated, everyone enjoyed the rides, there was great energy, we got out the message about responsible riding and CORBA’s advocacy work, and we raised a good chunk of change to go toward our programs. It’s the support of the bike industry that validates what we do as advocates, so thank you thank you thank you!

For photos of the event go to www.corbamtb.com

Scroll down to see logos of all our fantastic sponsors!

Cheers!

Mark Langton
President
CORBA

Photos from the Fat Tire Fun(d)raiser are available

Monday, November 14th, 2011

 Thanks to the volunteers who contributed photos: Steve Clark, Claudia Mitchell, Steve Messer, Wendy Engleberg, and a special thanks to Xandei Tena who paid to attend but spent most of the day taking photos for CORBA!

There are multiple pictures of all riders, arranged randomly, so you can look through all 20 pages of thumbnails to find photos of yourself and your friends!

November 5, 2011 Skills Clinic Photos

Sunday, November 6th, 2011

We had 20 participants in this month’s basic skills clinic at Malibu Creek State Park with cool temperatures under a cloudless sky. There was no water in the creek even though it rained a little the day before – everybody rode across in both directions! You can see all the photos in the November Skills Clinic Photo Gallery.

Light Rain Provided Perfect Dirt for CORBA Kids Ride

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

Though it was a small group who showed up for the November CORBA Kids ride in Cheeseboro Canyon last Saturday November 5, their enthusiasm ran big.  Light rains the day before provided perfect riding conditions.   The summer dust was lightly packed, the skies were clear and blue, and the temperature was pleasantly brisk.

After our standard greetings, 3 adults and 3 kids saddled up and headed out. Dave rode up front with Ethan and Nolan, John rode with Josiah, and Kat was sweeper and some-time photographer. When we got to “The Bees,” John guided the kids one-by-one through a small water crossing; the kids did great! We continued on until we hit 3.25 miles before taking a break and turning back. Most of the kids were tired after a total ascent of 500 feet.

During the break, John demonstrated the strength of his Kevlar gloves. He dared the kids to hit his gloved knuckles with a rock, and they each took a turn. After watching a large group of adult riders negotiate some technical rocky areas, the group saddled up. Most of the kids were uncomfortable riding back down some of the rockier sections, so they learned another lesson in mountain biking: There’s no shame in walking! Once we got past “The Bees,” everyone enjoyed the mostly downhill ride back to the parking lot.

After the ride, the kids snacked on chips and cookies, while the adults compared bike racks.

Check out the photo gallery of this ride. Next ride will take place Saturday December 3rd in Sullivan Canyon; meet on the Brentwood side: http://www.socalmtb.com/socal/trails/sullivan.htm . Hope to see you there!

November eTerraTimes published November 4

Friday, November 4th, 2011

The November edition of CORBA’s monthly newsletter, the eTerraTimes, was published today, November 4. If you don’t get it by email, you can view it online.

As always, the eTerraTimes has all the latest news for mountain bikers in the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding areas.