August 2011 Chapter News
/The Race To Sunset 6 Hour endurance race saw hot but dry weather and a terrific crowd. Participants and spectators alike enjoyed the event that was expertly staged by Mountain Goat Adventures. The only planned adjustment for this race next year will be a move to a Fall date for more comfortable temperatures. Up next for MGA and SORBA Woodstock is the Rope Mill Dirty Duathlon which will feature a Ride-Run-Ride format in October. Get the details on their website and make your plans to come on out.
We’ve finally broken ground on the new beginner trail in the Taylor Randahl MTB Trails system. It will be a rolling contour trail, much like the hilly side of Mosquito Bite, and will be approximately 2.5 miles in length. Located on the west side of I-575, access to the trail is via the crushed rock doubletrack trail that leads from the west parking lot and travels under the I-575 bridge. We will be holding a work party on September 10th at 9am to build the two necessary bridges and to do some finishing work on the completed sections of trail.
The installation of the numbered trail markers is nearly complete on the Avalanche Trail. This system is the same as the markers recently installed at Blankets Creek and is designed to assist emergency personnel in reaching distressed trail users. To that same end, the Woodstock Fire Department has recently completed training and outfitting of a new unit of Firemen Bike Patrollers. This is really a special program and we’re very pleased to have this kind of support for our local trails.
For our part in the safety of the trails, our IMBA Bike Patrol Director Mark Taylor has completed his Training Instructor certification which will allow SORBA Woodstock to conduct our own Bike Patrol training courses. This is also the final IMBA Bike Patrol criteria for us to meet as a chapter. Look forward to bike safety, maintenance and skills classes that will be held and facilitated by Mark and his band of Patrollers in the coming months.
As the hot and dusty conditions continue at Blankets Creek, we continue to keep an eye on the future for the next steps in the development of this park. The parking lot expansion project is still forecast for an October 2011 start and we are drafting plans to take full advantage of it. Discussions are centered on making adjustments to the Mosquito Flats loops, creating direct access to Van Michael and relocating the Skills Area.
Quehl Holler is also the subject of enhancement plans. We’ve been pleased to see a new community of riders form around the Holler and these guys have been great about doing maintenance and suggesting tweaks to some of the features. The As-Built engineered drawings for the Wall Ride have been completed and accepted by the COE, a very crucial step. Additionally, plans are being drafted to install a safety net along the top of the Wall Ride to meet the final requirements of our land managers and secure the future of this very popular feature at Blankets Creek.
Rounding out BC news, the rescheduled Jump Jam is set to take place in tandem with the IMBA Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day on October 1st. This will be a great day of family fun and outdoor entertainment. Watch our website and Facebook pages for more info in the next few weeks.