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In an earlier blog post we announced the passing of CORBA member, and Mountain Bike Unit founding member and coordinator Ross Blasman on December 31, 2010. A celebration of his life took place at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills on January 29. Here are few pictures.
From Matt Gunnell, Executive Director, SoCal High School Cycling League
The SoCal High School Cycling League has its first ever fundraising ride on Saturday February 19th at the historic Paramount Ranch which is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in Agoura Hills.
Registration is now open at the event website! You can get more information and then register online, or you can find the website linked from the SoCal League website by looking under the “Events” tab.
To register we are asking adults to commit to raising a minimum of $125 and youth to raising a minimum of $75. There is no additional registration fee on top of that commitment! You will receive snacks while riding, an event t-shirt, a BBQ supper after the ride, and live music during much of the ride and at the BBQ. You’ll even find Bob Foster (our race EMT) and his crew roaming the event on horseback.
Once you register, you will be emailed a link to your personal pledge page. You can email the link to supporters or post it on facebook. Your supporters will be able to pledge funds for your ride, and be recognized, directly from your page.
The ride is suitable for team riders, parents, coaches, friends, family, and anyone who supports the sustainability of high school cycling in SoCal. Clubs have the opportunity to raise funds for their own clubs without having to put on their own fundraiser. Be sure to tell your supporters to enter the name of your club when registering. All funds raised over the first $25 will be split 50/50 between the League and your club! Ambitious clubs can really help take care of a lot of season expenses.
The ride takes place on a 2.5 mile dirt loop of single and double track. Each loop brings riders back through the main street of an old west town movie set. The goal is not to complete the most laps. The goal is to ride for 3 hours straight (noon to 3:00 pm) while building fitness and connecting with great folks who support the League.
KTLA news recently did a profile piece on Paramount Ranch. Click HERE to watch it.
From Julian Serles of the Mountain Bike Unit
Calling all mountain bikers age 18 and over! The Mountain Bike Unit (MBU) is currently recruiting for its 2011 New Recruit Training Class. If you enjoy mountain biking and are interested in giving back to the community by volunteering some time to assist our understaffed Park Rangers in patrolling the parks, then the MBU may be just what you are looking for. The MBU supports and are sponsored by the National Park Service (NPS), California State Parks (CSP), and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).
Here’s what it’s all about. The MBU assists in providing park visitors with a quality outdoor experience and preserving natural resources while patrolling over 60,000 acres of public parkland in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Beginning in February 2011, training will include visitor contact skills, State and National park radio use, park rules and regulations, first aid and CPR training, and field training exercises.
Patrol areas and opportunities include the following:
-National Park Service parks: Cheeseboro/Palo Comado, Zuma/Trancas Canyons, Rancho Sierra Vista, and Circle X Ranch
-California State Park locations: Malibu Creek, Will Rogers, Point Mugu, and Topanga
-We also patrol MRCA areas near metropolitan Los Angeles, such as Franklin Canyon and Upper Las Virgines Open Space Preserve
-In addition, we volunteer to patrol and support other events such as the LA and Malibu Marathons, Wheels to the Sea, the Ventura County Fair, and CORBA’s Fat Tire Festival
-The MBU also helps support CORBA’s Youth Adventure Program, which offers disadvantaged youth the opportunity to enjoy the mountain biking experience in our beautiful parks
All MBU patrols require at least two patrollers. All rides are self scheduled on our website. We ask each of our volunteers for 100 patrol hours annually (roughly two four-hour patrols per month).
Would you like to learn more? We invite you to come to King Gillette Ranch Auditorium at 9:00 am on Saturday, February 05, 2011 for an indoor orientation meeting where we will share with you more details about this wonderful program and what patrolling with the MBU is all about. We encourage you to bring your bike and helmet because we plan to take potential recruits on a ride-along (sorted by ability) after the presentation, weather permitting. Visit the MBU training web page for more details, or to contact the MBU via e-mail (admin@mountainbikeunit.com). To see the MBU in action, view our gallery of MBU photos.
Sunday’s trailwork on El Prieto went exceptionally well. We had perfectly cool, clear weather, damp soil that was easy to work with, and good spirits all around. Thanks to the approximately 50 people who came out to show this heavily damaged trail some much-needed love.
Rock Armoring Teamwork
In over 320 person-hours of labor, several washed out drainages were restored, brush was cut back, and many vulnerable sections of the trail tread received rock-armoring treatment. We were even able to restore one section of the original trail that had all-but vanished since the fires. With some diligent hand-tool work and brush cutting, the “cactus corner” section was re-cut and benched, and is ready for finish work.
Special thanks to the St. Francis high school mountain bike team, who came out in force to contribute. Of today’s volunteer trailworkers, more than half were high school team mountain bikers.
As high school students, not only did they learn about trail construction and sustainability, they also gained insight into what makes a “good” trail: how it flows, how it handles water, how sight-lines affect safety on the trail and many other tidbits that one usually doesn’t have time to think about when riding a trail.
Another wonderful aspect of high-school team riders is that many of their parents also get involved. Many are introduced not only to the sport of mountain biking, but to volunteerism and trail stewardship. At least eight parents of high school racers also put sweat equity into the trail on Sunday.
The Forest Service is also requiring all volunteer trail working groups to use safety gear including gloves and hard hats. Thanks to the generous support of REI we were able to outfit all our volunteers with hard hats, a first for CORBA trail crews. We also thank Flat Attack tire sealant for their support of CORBA’s programs.
Special thanks also to Banner Moffat and the Friends of El Prieto, for their ongoing regular work that has helped keep this trail from disappearing altogether since the Station Fire, even though it remains closed to the public. We’re hoping that El Prieto will be a top priority for re-opening by the FS after the rain season ends.
The original trail restored
Flash flooding and unstable hillsides are still major concerns, and the reason this and many other Station Fire trails will remain closed at least through next spring. In a recent meeting with the non-motorized trails supervisor for the forest, we discussed some creative ways that CORBA, the Friends of El Prieto and other volunteers might work together to open this trail sooner, rather than later. Some possibilities might include a “conditional” opening, where the trail would be closed at any sign of rain, and surveyed after each rain for safety. At this point, the mountain bike community would welcome any access to El Prieto.
Keeping the trail in good shape is the first and most important step towards that goal. Thanks again to everyone who came out!
“The greatest recent innovation in mountain biking isn’t twenty-nine inch wheels, ten speed rear shifting, adjustable travel or carbon fiber. It’s high school mountain bike racing. This is shaping the future of our sport,” said CORBA board member Steve Messer at the recent High School Mountain Bike League Leader’s Summit. The Summit is required training for all High School Mountain Bike League coaches.
Messer spoke to the new coaches about the importance of advocacy for mountain bike access. His presentation followed a talk by Matt Gunnell, director of the So Cal league, on how coaches need to train their teams to be good representatives of the mountain bike community. Part of being a good representative is giving back to the trails in the form of at least one day of trail work for each team, each season, he said. The League strongly encourages this, and many did not know their league insurance covers their team for trailwork during the season.
Banner Moffat, coach of the Glendale team and trail crew leader for the Friends of El Prieto then talked about the basics of trail maintenance. “Anyone can make a difference to a trail with time, commitment, and just a few basic tools. It isn’t rocket science.” Moffat said. He distributed handouts explaining some of the basics of trail maintenance including tools, brush clearing, drainage and rock armoring.
At least one high school team, St. Francis, will be participating in CORBA’s upcoming El Prieto trailwork day on November 7th. We expect team members from other teams as well.
“As high school coaches your voices carry a lot of weight with community leaders and land managers,” noted Messer. “They’ll realize that X-games derived images of mountain biking don’t represent the reality of who is using trails on mountain bikes.”
Along with league director Matt Gunnell, Messer encouraged all the team managers and coaches to join their local advocacy groups, get up to date on any issues pertaining to the trails on which they ride, race and train. Most importantly, they need to let their voices be heard when it comes to public comments on proposed actions that may affect their trails.
Of special note is the fact that as the So Cal League enters it’s third year with several new teams confirmed and more in the works, not a single team is based out of any L.A.U.S.D. school, the largest school district in California. This is perhaps a reflection of the City of Los Angeles’ prohibition of off-road cycling in City parks. Almost all of L.A.’s neighboring cities have teams in the League.
The League carries a memorandum of understanding with IMBA, each supporting the other’s efforts. CORBA is also a supporter of the So Cal High School Mountain Bike League, and we look forward to working with the league as they help shape a new generation of not just mountain bikers, but upstanding representatives of the sport and stewards of the lands and trails on which they ride.
Youngsters lead their parents on the Beginner Ride that started with a ride through the park before moving to a dirt trail.
Amid perfect conditions (cool, cloudy), CORBA’s 2010 Fat Tire Fest and fundraiser was once again a great success this past Sunday October 17 at Lake Castaic Recreation Area. Despite some inclement weather in other areas, a great crowd of several hundred enthusiastic mountain bikers and their families enjoyed great riding and fun activities, wrapping up with the ever popular raffle with dozens of great prizes donated by sponsors, vendors, and local bike shops. Of special note was the large number of children riding along with their parents on their mini mountain bikes, a testament to how mountain biking can be a generational activity that both parents and their children can enjoy together throughout their entire lives.
New this year was a cyclocross race with non-stop action, and a pre-event event, a night ride on Saturday evening presented by Light & Motion, with light systems available for testing.
Milling around the display area after the rides were finished.
We would like to thank our sponsors: REI, Specialized Bicycles, Cynergy Cycles, Bike Magazine, Mountain Bike Action Magazine, and Six Six One. Special thanks to our guest professional racer Allison Mann (www.allisonmann.net) for helping lead our advanced XC ride and assisting with our skills clinic.
Another special thanks go out to all our volunteers, without whom we could not pull off this event. You know who you are, and your efforts are appreciated beyond words!
(Take a look at the photo galleries from the Fest!)
CORBA’s Mark Langton and Steve Messer recently spent some quality time with radio DJ Cynthia Fox. They will be appearing this coming Sunday on the KLOS program Spotlight on the Community.
In the half-hour segment Langton and Messer will be talking about the Fat Tire Fest as well as CORBA’s advocacy and outreach programs. Cynthia’s enthusiastic support for any activity that gets kids into the open air getting exercise made it easy for them to talk about the importance of having bike-friendly parks and public land. They’ll touch on High School Mountain Bike racing, CORBA’s trail care crew, Youth Adventures, the L.A. Bike Plan, and much more. Fox, like many Angelenos, was surprised to learn that bicycles are not welcome on L.A. City Park trails and unimproved access roads.
Aside from her regular 10-3 Monday through Friday KLOS slot, The “Fox” as Cynthia is known to her fans, hosts this outstanding show every Sunday morning. Spotlight on the Community gives non-profit organizations an opportunity to reach out to the public through mainstream media. CORBA is grateful to have been invited to talk about our programs and the mountain biking issues we all care about so much.
The show will air on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 6:00 a.m. You can listen by tuning in to KLOS (95.5 on the FM dial) as you prepare for the Fat Tire Fest! After it airs, the program can be downloaded as a podcast from KLOS on-demand.
Incycle Bicycles Pasadena Grand OpeningThis Friday September 10th, Incycle will be having their grand opening party at the NEW Pasadena store! The doors will open at 5:00PM for a night of celebration, Incycle style. This event is open to the public and free to attend. Appetizers and beverages will be served and there will be raffle drawings for great gifts and prizes.
The raffle tickets can be bought right now at any of the Incycle locations. Each ticket cost 1 dollar and you can buy as many as you’d like. You do not have to be present at the Grand Opening to win your prize. All proceeds from the raffle will go to Williams Racing and CORBA. Bring your family and friends to help break in the new Incycle Pasadena.
CORBA volunteers will also be present, so stop by the CORBA tent and say Hi!
Friday, September 10th, 2010, 5:00 p.m. onwards
Incycle Bicycles
175 S Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA
(626)577-0440
On October 2nd, in conjunction with the IMBA Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association will be having a fun ride at Malibu Creek State Park at 9:00 am. This will be a ride and rock climbing followed by a barbecue. All ages are welcome! 
This event is FREE so bring your own kids, nieces, nephews, friends kids, neighbor kids! Kids must have their own bikesand helmets.
This year, Take a Kid Mountain Biking is sponsored by REI and we thank them for their contribution to our kids well-being!
Not sure what to expect? Take a look at the 2008 or 2009 photo gallery of the event!
View our video of activities at last year's Fat Tire Fest!
The Fat Tire Fest is an all-day event geared for the entire family, featuring a huge raffle, activities for all levels and ages of riders, catered lunch and more. This year’s Festival aims to be our biggest ever. Activities range from the classic Poker Ride to a Hill Climb competition, Bike Limbo and Wheelie contests, Skills Clinic, Beginner and Advanced guided rides. NEW this year: special outdoor recreation clinics presented by REI! AND….. for the first time, a cyclo-cross race produced by Back on Track Productions. There will also be a special area for kids to test their skills, guided rides and demo bikes featuring some of the industry’s top mountain bikes.
Preregistration is now open! Registers before October 10 and receive 10 additional raffle tickets. Choose between riding the Poker Ride or participating in a cross race. Visit http://corbamtb.com/FTF
for details and register online at our new Membership and Event Portal.
Sponsors are lining up and include REI, Specialized and Cynergy Cycles, Mountain Bike Action and Bike magazines and more. If your company is interested in showcasing your products or services to a crowd of 500+ biking enthusiasts, check the Sponsors tab at http://corbamtb.com/FTF
If you are interested in helping us organize and run this event, you can register online to volunteer!
Stays tuned for more details, and see you at the Lake!
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