Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Bikers Beware

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

From our friend Bryan Gordon:

Fellow Cyclepaths, it appears that those who covet our bicycles have a clever way to know where some of us live and what kind of rig we ride…

This excerpt is from the Local section of yesterday’s LA Times:

Detectives said the thieves scanned Craigslist and Facebook to identify targets, making away with designer racing bikes worth $2,000 to $15,000 each.

They allegedly preyed on the growing online community of Los Angeles bike enthusiasts who share photos about rides and their latest bike acquisitions on various websites and look for parts on Craigslist.

Thousand Oaks Needs a Bike Park

Sunday, April 24th, 2011

By Mark Langton

If a demonstrated need in the community is the main criteria for building a bike park (pump track, jumps, skills area), then the City of Thousand Oaks should be at the top of the list. Jumps and mini-pump tracks are all over the place, yet they keep getting bulldozed because the community has not supported the youth who are putting in the effort to do something constructive. THE TIME IS NOW!

Unidentified jumps in Newbury Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is of course my local perspective because I see kids every day on mountain bikes and BMX bikes riding around our neighborhoods, trails, and yes, unauthorized dirt jumps. And I know a lot of parents who’s teenage kids go riding with them. I bet you know people just like that in your neighborhood.

The Socal High School Cycling League built a pump track in Riverside recently with CORBA’s help. The city of Glendale is considering a bike park and pump track in their trails master plan. There are parks and tracks all over the state. IMBA has had success in several cities including New York, Seattle, and Golden, Colorado. We’re not reinventing the wheel. Click here for the the Bring the Riding To the People project.

A bike park can be as simple as a pump track (rollers, bermed turns, table top and gap jumps), but can also include skill test features similar to what might be found on a trail. A supervised environment similar to a skate park, the Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) already has an infrastructure to deal with this kind of  facility. Bike parks encourage volunteerism and stewardship. They provide an area for adult mountain bikers wanting to improve their skills and also help their kids learn, and an athletic/exercise outlet for youth who do not participate in team sports. And they’re just plain fun! Not only that, they do not require the same kind of space, materials, or costs associated with ball fields or other conventional recreational facilities.

Watch a video of the Stowe Bike Park pump track in action.

Representatives from CORBA have discussed the possibility of a bike park with the CRPD. CRPD managers are amenable to the idea, but stress that the only way something can be done is through community support and commitment. This would require attendance at CRPD board meetings by kids as well as parents and other interested parties to provide testimony and petitions, and other community support (such as bike shops, YMCA, teen centers, schools, etc); not to mention supporting testimony from such organizations as CORBA citing the success of tracks and parks in other cities. This process typically takes 3-5 years, so strong parental involvement is key. Again, CRPD is open to the idea and there are several possible locations, we just need community involvement! We could also use people with expertise in landscape architecture.

The author circa 1972.

If you are interested in becoming part of a team to bring a pump track to Thousand Oaks, please get in touch with us at volunteer@corbamtb.com .

Brand Motorway closed for “Run the Verdugos” Sunday May 1st

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Brand Motorway in the City of Glendale’s Verdugo Mountains will be closed on Sunday, May 1st from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. The first annual “Run the Verdugos” 10k trail run will take place there.

If you’d like to ride in the Verdugos that day, alternative options include Stough Canyon, Sunshine Canyon and Beaudry, which will all remain open. The course for the trail run is an out-and-back from Brand Library to the Brand bench. Currently there are over 300 runners signed up for this first annual event.

Information on the event can be found at RunTheVerdugos.com. The event is being sponsored by the Glendale Community Services and Parks Department.

CORBA will have a booth at the event, gathering support for the Glendale Bike Skills Park project. Stop by and say Hi!

Angeles National Forest Recovery Meeting

Monday, April 4th, 2011
WHAT: The National Forest Foundation (NFF), government leaders and elected officials, conservation organizations and corporate sponsors are gathering to announce a new partnership to help restore the unique treasure Southern California has in the Angeles National Forest.
The Station Fire Burn Area, which harbors critical drinking water sources within the Angeles National Forest, is being restored with the help of the NFF and partners, to recover water quality, recreational opportunities and air quality for generations of Southern California residents. Speakers and presenters tentatively include USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman and NFF Chairman and Discovery Communications Chairman John Hendricks. A guided tour of the collaborative forest and watershed restoration efforts will be provided.
WHO: Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman
Environmental leaders
National Forest Foundation Board members and staff
South Coast Air Quality Management District leadership
Southern California Edison company leadership
Local and state elected officials

WHEN: Friday, April 15, 2011, 10:00 – 11:30 A.M.

WHERE: Wildwood Picnic Area, 1 Doske Road, Tujunga, CA 91042

*Event organizers recommend appropriate clothes for variable weather conditions and terrain; there will be some walking on dirt and uneven surfaces.

VISUALS: In addition to offering views of the restoration site, the event will present ceremonial weed removal and tree planting as part of future restoration.

COSCA Trails Advisory Committee Openings

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

The Conejo Open Space Trails Advisory Committee (COSTAC) acts in an advisory capacity to the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA)and makes recommendations regarding design, implementation, construction, and maintenance of the open space trail system. COSCA’s trail system is primarily shared use, and the committee is comprised of members from all three user groups, hikers, equestrians, and bicyclists. Other opportunities for involvement through COSTAC is COSCA’s Volunteer Corps and includes Trail Watch, Adopt-A-Trail, and Trail Patrol programs.

Four three-year term vacancies are open. Applications must be received by April 18. For more information call Shelly Austin at 805-449- 2339 or  saustin@toask.org.

 

MRT Begins Mustard Eradication on the New Millennium Trail

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
New Millenium Trail in 2008, without eradication efforts

New Millenium Trail in April 2008, without eradication efforts

Today, March 28, the Mountains Restoration Trust will begin eradication of the invasive Mustard plants along the New Millennium Trail. Each year by early summer the mustard can choke off the trail and render it near-impassable. This is especially true after above-average rainfall seasons like we’ve experienced this year.

This picture from April 2008 shows how the New Millennium Trail will likely look again if no eradication effort is undertaken.

CORBA has provided funds to the MRT to help support their efforts. This will save many days of brush-clearing trailwork in the early summer, allowing us to concentrate on other trailwork efforts.

We thank the MRT for helping keep this much-loved trail rideable for all.