Riding with DogsRiding with Dogs

WWanna Ranna Race?ace?

MTB Champs giveMTB Champs giveShirts off theirShirts off theirbacks to NEMBA!backs to NEMBA!

October 1998The Magazine of the New England Mountain Bike Association N

umber 40SingleTrackSSingleTrackS

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Keep the Rubber Side Down: Do Trail Maintenance!

On Our Cover:Philip Keyes and Krisztina Holly take some time off at theIMBA State Rep Summit to enjoy a Tennessee trail. Tiredof seeing the same folks? :) Send your pictures to:Singletracks, 2221 Main St., Acton MA 01720

OFF THE FRONT

Blackstone Valley NEMBAOct. 25 Callahan SF, 508-877-2028Cape Cod & Islands NEMBAOct. 18 Trail of Tears, 508-888-3861Oct. 25 Otis, 508-888-3861Nov. 8 Trail of Tears, 508-888-3861CT NEMBAOct.17 Branford Supply Ponds, 203.481.7184Oct. 24 Gay City State Park, 860.529.9970Nov. 07 Penwood State Park, 860.653.5038TBA Trumbull area, Fairfield, 860.529.9970GB NEMBAOct. 17 Lynn Woods, 800-576-3622Oct. 18 Leominster SF, 800-576-3622Oct. 26 Great Brook Farm SP, 800-576-3622SE MA NEMBATBA Foxboro SF, 508-583-0067 (call for dates)Wachusett NEMBAOct. 18 Leominster SF, 800-576-3622

(Bob Hicks)

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NEMBA, the New England Mountain BikeAssociation, is a not-for-profit 501 c 3 organi-zation dedicated to promoting trail access andmaintaining trails open for mountain bicyclists,and to educating mountain bicyclists usingthese trails to ride sensitively and responsibly.

Singletracks is published six times a year bythe New England Mountain Bike Associationfor the trail community, and is made possibleby a commitment from member volunteers.

©Singletracks Editor & Publisher: Philip Keyes

Singletracks Committee: Bill Boles, ScottHancock, Krisztina Holly, Nanyee Keyes and

Mary Tunnicliffe

Executive Director: Philip KeyesLetters/Submissions:

SingletracksPO Box 2221

Acton MA 01720

Phone: 800.57.NEMBAEmail: singletracks@nemba.org

Board of DirectorsKrisztina Holly, PresidentMary Tunnicliffe, Vice-PresidentDan Murphy, TreasurerMichael Good, SecretaryMark Bialas, Merrimack NEMBANorman Blanchette, Merrimack NEMBABill Boles, SE MA NEMBABob Croston, Public RelationsBrian Croteau, Seacoast NEMBARichard Donoghue, Wachusett NEMBAJohn Dudek, Shays NEMBAErik Evensen, Greater Boston NEMBAJeff Gallo, Blackstone Valley NEMBABob Hicks, North Shore NEMBATina Hopkins, Rhode Island NEMBAMark Jenks, White Mountains NEMBAEd King, Cape Cod & Islands NEMBAKen Koellner, WebmasterChristie Lawyer, SE MA NEMBARob Roy Macgregor, VT NEMBADeb McCulloch, Cape Cod & Islands NEMBAJohn Pratt, Wachusett NEMBAJason Record, Seacoast NEMBABrian Smith, CT NEMBADan Streeter, North Shore NEMBAAndy Thompson, Blackstone Valley NEMBAJohn Turchi, CT NEMBARuth Wheeler, Berkshire NEMBA

We are also dedicated to having fun!NEMBA, P.O. Box 2221,

Acton MA 01720800 57-NEMBA

WWW.NEMBA.ORG

CHAIN LETTERS —4

TREADLINES —5

HAPPENINGSHangin’ with Team Cannondale (Krisztina Holly)—6

Blue Hills Mountain Bike Fest (Philip Keyes)—7

NEMBA Regional Meeting (Tina Hopkins)—7

Wachusett NEMBA goes North (Philip Keyes)—7

A Trail of One’s Own? (Jim Hasenauer)—8

MTB Champs give Shirts off their Backs—9

FEATURESDerailleur Dogs: Can your Dog Ride? (Krisztina Holly) —10

A Mountain Biker’s Guide to Politics (Ken White) —12

Getting Along on the Trails (Brion O’Connor)—14

CT NEMBA hits Las Vegas (Brian Smith)—15

Land Under Threat in Belmont (Katherine Olney)—22

A Labor of Mountain Bike Love (Robin Stansbury)—23

PEAK PERFORMANCEEver thought of Racing? (Ben Hewitt)—20

WOMAN STUFFWhere are the Women? (Deb McCulloch)—21

LAND MANAGER TIPS Hosting a Mountain Bike Ride (Maggie Brown)—19

TECH TALK Swat Testing the Mags (Shorta Yuasa)—16

CHAPTER NEWS —24

NEMBA RIDE SERIES —35

MEMBERSHIP PAGE —38

Contents

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TCC sends us their best!We just received the August edition of Singletracks and readwith steadily swelling heads the coverage on our visit to NewEngland. We were flooded with great memories of our generoushosts, dedicated volunteers and hard working land managers.Our visit was brief with each chapter, but we feel it was effec-tive in the ways the Trail Care Crew program is designed todeliver. What really helped was the impressive networking andscheduling work done by Krisztina Holly, Deb McCulloch, BrianSmith, Mark Jenks, John Dudek and Brian Croteau to name afew. Thanks again to all our hosts. We certainly won't forget thelobster cookout on Cape Cod. Thanks also to Jerry Slack andScott Berry.

Keep up the good work. Nice job on the cover shot, Philip!

We are currently in Minnesota, our 27nd state so far, and sinceleaving Boulder, Co. on March 12 we have logged quite arespectable tally. Here's the dirt data as of August 30, 1998.

>Miles driven in the Subaru sponsored 1998 Outback =20,403>Miles on our mountain bikes = 808>Miles on foot = 262>Hours worked with volunteers = 246>Number of TCC2 workparty volunteers = 464>Total trail work hours generated by TCC2 = 1708 hours!>Number of land managers worked with = 150>Number of clubs we have worked with = 113PS. Check out the IMBA website at www.imba.com for moreTrail Care Crew info.

Ric and Holly, Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew IIimbatcctwo@aol.com

CHAIN LETTERS

Thanks Scotty. Beam me up a new bike!Congrats on the latest issue of Singletracks, especially the write-up about the TCC's recent visit. I would like to add a specialthanks and recognition to NEMBA memba Scott Berry for hisefforts in securing the TCC their new bikes. It was he whobrought the TCC over to Cycleloft and then spent the next eighthours helping them choose and prep their bikes. Without hisefforts and connections at Cycleloft the TCC would not havemade their next rendevous in N.H. with such sweet rides beneaththem. As it was, they were less than a day late despite thethieve's best effort! I wish them better luck on the rest of theirjourney and hope their image of New England was improved byall Scott and everybody's efforts to help out.

Chris Harris, Medford MA

Rocking C’dale party!the cannondale deal was really fun, i had a blast checkin out allthe new 99 gear.... and just being in the same room with missygiove made my day......she is really cool not to mention realbuff.....hehehe.....my best moment, cornering tinker and missyinside the back of the headshok truck for a personalphoto....sweet....

thank you! (nemba) for the opportunity to meet my idols.Krisztina your hard work is greatly apprieciated. although imnot a nemba member, i shall your ideals and enthusiasmtowards the future of moutain biking. it felt great to be outtanew york and with a bunch of down to earth people.....peace

patrick lau, nyc

No blues at Blue Hills FestThe Blue Hills Mountain Bike Day was awesome! My kids rodehome grinning from ear to ear. Philip Keyes was right, Ihaven't seen so many happy people since Woodstock. Greatrides, great games, great schwag, great tunes, great weather. Ican't wait 'til next year!

Peter Cole, Newton MA

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TREADLINESCT NEMBA Scores IMBA

AwardSix IMBA-affiliated mountain bike clubs receivedIMBA Model Program Awards September 13thduring the Interbike Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.The awards, recognizing "mountain bike advocacyleadership and excellence", were presented atIMBA’s fifth annual Model Program AwardsBreakfast. This year, CT NEMBA was one of theproud recipients!

CT NEMBA, along with the Connecticut BicycleCoalition, was awarded for work done in coopera-tion with the Metropolitan District Commission(MDC) in West Hartford, Connecticut. Significanttrail closures and restrictions on MDC land werepreempted through the development of an innova-tive liability management plan that included thecreation of the Connecticut chapter of the NewEngland Mountain Bike Patrol (NEMBP) and aRecreation Advisory Committee on which threeCT NEMBP members currently serve. (More onthis committee next SingleTracks, as the firstmeeting is after the deadline for this issue.)

Three key lessons were learned during the negoti-ation process, which involved dealing with arather large bureaucracy: patience, patience, and

patience. The MDC is in the business of providingclean drinking water, and recreation (although partof their agenda) is not their primary concern. Thefact that I had been in discussions with the MDCfor several years (thanks to Theo Stein!) gave usan important foot-in-the-door, but the entireprocess, beginning with the threatened closuresand restrictions, took the better part of a year.There was also much work to be done on our endis the establishment of the patrol. Sponsors need-ed to be located, supplies purchased, jerseysscreened, and logistics established, to say nothingof staffing the patrol itself. There was a SpecialUse Permit that had to pass the scrutiny of theMDC’s lawyers and various departments withinthe MDC that needed to be consulted along theway.

Although the patrol’s success is for the MDC todetermine, I think that its inaugural year has beenbeneficial for all concerned and that subsequentyears will see it only grow in size and effective-ness. My most sincere thanks the MDC for theirwillingness and cooperation and to CANNON-DALE and St. Francis Care without whom none ofthis would’ve been possible. Thanks as well to thepatrollers that have volunteered their valuabletime to this cause. —Brian Smith

EFTA awardsNEMBA $500

Trail GrantNEMBA was one of the firstrecipients of the Eastern FatTire Association’s TrailGrants. As a race sanction-ing body, EFTA is stronglycommitted to New Englandtrails and donates a signifi-cant portion of their pro-ceeds to charities and thetrails. Thanks, EFTA!

Cannondale TeamParty a successful

fundraiserNEMBA’s online auction forcoveted spots to Cannon-dale’s company party raisednearly $2200 for our organi-zation, and IMBA committedan additional $1000 to thefundraiser.

NEMBA Donates$200 to MAState Park

When NEMBA member andguidebook writer PaulAngiolillo did some recon-noitering for his new book atHolyoke Range State Park inAmherst MA, the park’s nat-uralist welcomed him —andall mountain bikers— withopen arms. However, thetrails were poorly markedand the park’s naturalist waslooking to buy some materi-als for signage. Paul offeredto help and donated 100bucks to NEMBA for thispurpose. NEMBA decided todouble the amount just tomake sure the park had morethan enough to sign all thetrails.

Hooves and Pedals Poker Event a World First!In what was certainly the first such event of its kind, equestrians and mountain bikers came together fora fun day of gambling and trail riding. This event was held to celebrate the cooperative effort by membersof the Bay State Trail Riders (BSTRA) and Shays NEMBA to re-open the thirty year old Around TheMountain Trail loop at Mt. Grace State Forest in Warwrick MA. The trail also received a week long visitfrom the DEM AmeriCorps trail maintenance organization to make this a truly multi user effort.

The day began with the twelve equestrian and twenty-three mountain bikers gathering to review propertrail manners and to go over some of the obstacles that they may encounter on the trail. Then the bikerswere sent out followed by the horses in search of five containers. Each container held playing cards.When each container had been visited, the participants returned to the staging area to see who had thebest poker hands. While waiting for the results to be tallied, everyone enjoyed sandwiches provided byBSTRA and yummi home made root beer and micro brewed beer provided by our friends from the PeoplesPint of Greenfield. —John Dudek

(John Dudek)

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Hangin’ with Team CannondaleKrisztina Holly

HAPPENINGS

We expected to find a concrete-sided, nondescript "corpo-rate headquarters" building like any other. But as werounded the bend in the sterile office park, a huge blue

barn greeted us andshowed us that evena big company likeCannondale can havea funky style of itsown. The eight of uswere lucky guests ofthe Cannondale'sTeam Party, resultingfrom NEMBA's bene-fit online auction inJuly. Bids came fromas far away as Texas!NEMBA raised over$2000 and offered aneat opportunity tosome lucky peoplethanks toCannondale's gener-ous and creative idea.

We started with a pri-vate tour of the head-quarters, beginning with an inside glimpse into how Cannondaledesigns their cycling shoes, chooses their season's colors, and

decides what percentage of their clothing line will be deliberatelywild and crazy that year. We were continually greeted by youngand energetic employees that described their role at Cannondale,

and one guestsummed it up whenshe whispered, "howcan I get a job here?"

Chris Peck showedus their state-of-the-art bike designprocess, whichenabled him a fewyears back to takemeasurements fromLeonard Zinn(VeloNews colum-nist) in the morning,input the data intothe CAD program,and send the designon-line to their man-ufacturing facility inPennsylvania - sothat by the time JoeMontgomery flew

Zinn in his private plane to the facility that afternoon, a brand newframe was waiting for him! We also got a peek at some of the newcomponents they were taking to Interbike in Vegas.

So, what feature attracted the most attention? Despite all the lat-est trick gear around us, some of us were ooh-ing and ahh-ingabout Cannondale's state-of-the-art indoor gym! So much so that Ihad to promise people I would mention it here. I have to admit,though, they do treat their employees well.

After the tour, we went upstairs and got our swag bags. $340worth of Cannondale merchandise, including heavy-duty teamshorts, jersey, shirt, socks, a great duffel bag... nice stuff! As wewere rifling through our gear, the team showed up and signedautographs. We had a great heated discussion with AndreasHestler and Myles Rockwell about the future of mountain bikeraces. Andreas was adamant that NORBA-style hamster courseswere the inevitable future of the sport, but they were impressed tohear about our EFTA series which features mostly singletrack,point-to-point courses.

After getting to know some of the team, we went out to eat withthe rest of the Cannondale troop, with awesome fajitas and greatbeer. Unfortunately, it started to rain, canceling the trials demo byLibor Karas. I have to admit, though, when we found out later thatwe were supposed to be part of the main spectacle, in some waysI'm not sorry that I avoided potential internal injuries! Even thoughI'm sure Libor has done this plenty of times with no incident.

Some of us sought shelter with other Cannondale folk in the mudroom among about 150 bicycles of all shapes and sizes. We

L-R: Patrick Lau, Todd Snider, Alla Epifanova, Peter Brandenburg, Tinker Juarez, Bill Boles, Kim Sonier, John Turchi, Missy

Giove, Ed Claussen, Krisztina Holly, Myles Rockwell, Kerry Combs, Martyn Ashton and Andreas Hestler (Holly)

Continued on page 34

About fifteenmembers ofWachusettNEMBA decidedthat enough wasenough: time fora road trip upnorth wherehills are hills andsingletrack rules.Rich Donoghueled the chargeup to JamaicaVT to a great lit-tle campgroundrun by the ArmyCorp ofEngineers, andwith a babblingstream on oneside, twistytrails on theother and ahearty selection of carbos in between

courtesy ofHarpoon, WachusettNEMBA’s AnnualCamping Trip wasflawless success.

Some called it agreat “bonding”experience. Othersthought that theygot to know eachother a bit too well!But everyone agreedthat they were hav-ing too much fun tonot do it again nextyear. So, mark youcalendars for thefirst week of nextAugust, and jointhem in the searchfor mountain bike

nirvana. —PhilipKeyes

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500 Come to Blue Hills MTB Fest!Occasionally the mountain bikegods smile down upon us withgreat abundance, good will andamazing karma —I mean, “bike-ma”— and September 20th wasone of those days. Brain child ofMaggie Brown of the MDC withlots of help and inspiration fromJoe Sloane and Bill Boles ofNEMBA and TrailWatch, the sec-ond annual Blue Hills MountainBike Day presented a flawlessfestival for about 500 mountainbikers of all shapes, sizes, colorsand abilities. It was family-ori-ented Woodstock for mountainbikers.

The 18.5 mile ride loop waschallenging enough for the hard-est of hardcores, while the 2.5family ride accomodated theyoungest of mountain pedallers,and in essence, there was some-thing to be had by every type ofrider.

Best of all, this was a free event

that showcased the awesomepartnership between theMetropolitan DistrictCommision, NEMBA and theBlue Hills TrailWatch. It’s amaz-ing that so much fun could behad by such a wide variety ofpeople.

Our December issue ofSingletracks will feature full cov-erage of this spectacular event,but I just couldn’t resist lettingeveryone know. There are somany people to thank, butthey’ll have to wait until nextissue. For now, let me thankonly Amelia Sloane (Joe’s 6thgrade daughter) who managedthe registration booth, kept mein line and made sure that every-one had a smile on their face.Her energy, intelligence andmaturity are a testiment to thenext generation of mountain bik-ers! Good festival, Amelia. Wayto go!—Philip Keyes

Shays NEMBA was the gracious host to 18 Board members atMt. Grace on August 16, following their Hooves and Pedalsevent. With the threat of rain the meeting got under way withrepresentatives from 11 out of 13 NEMBA Chapters in atten-dance.

One of the first orders of business was to vote in the MerrimackChapter. Mark Bialas and Norman Blanchette were in attendanceto answer questions about the areas that this chapter will befocusing on. Welcome Merrimack NEMBA!

Another important vote was to change the NEMBA P.O. Box fromCambridge to Acton to provide more efficient service to mem-bers. The new address is P.O. Box 2221 Acton, MA 01720.

A decision on whether or not the NEMBA web page should linkto the RAGE page also had to be made. The proposal was madethat we will not link to anyone who opposes the NEMBA mis-sion statement or goes against IMBA rules of the trail. It wasdecided that we would link to Rage, providing they took outmaterial that went against our mission statement.

Ideas to increase all levels of membership were also discussedand it was decided that all members joining at the $I00 andabove level will get a NEMBA hat as part of their membership.

Finally, a decision on when and where to hold the NEMBA annualmeeting was made so mark your calendars for Saturday, March27, 1999. —Tina Hopkins

Regional Board Meets at Mt. Grace

CT NEMBA Raffle ResultsCT NEMBA held our first annual raffle thisyear and, thanks to Cannondale, it was quitesuccessful! Cannondale donated A SuperV2000 which was the grand prize. The raffleraised about $2100.00, much of which will beused to fund the NEMBP at the west HartfordReservoir for 1999. Thanks to all those whobought tickets; better luck next year if youweren't among those listed below!

Runners-up (Cannondale/IMBA water bottle):Mike ManleyGreg SchwalmDave DunnMike Gnazzo

3rd place (Bolle Sunglasses):Pete Gagnon

2nd Place (Cannondale Fannypack):Mike "bought alot of tickets" Gnazzo

Grand Prize (Cannondale SuperV 2000):Don Hawley

Wachusett NEMBA’s Annual Camping Trip

(Rich “Wish I were a Macaque” Donoghue)

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—Separate trails divide; shared trails unite.

IMBA activists have often heard proposals forseparate mountain bike trails. The idea seemsto appeal to a number of people because it

purports to eliminate user conflict with othertrail goers. Bicyclists confronted with the choicebetween separate trails or total closure havesometimes accepted a separate trail solution.

I think mountain bicyclists should think careful-ly before endorsing this idea. It perpetuates themyth that bicycling is incompatible with otheruses. It threatensaccess to existingmultiple use trail sys-tems. Often, it unnec-essarily leads to thetoo many trails in anecosystem best leftwild.

Sometimes, the pres-sure for separate trailscomes from otherusers who don't wantbicyclists on "theirtrails". They may behikers who feel theirsweat equity hasgiven them owner-ship, or motorcyclistswhose green sticker money has actually paid fortrail opportunities. Hoarding the thousands ofmiles of existing trails, some users have toldbicyclists to go build their own. This countryclub mentality has no place on the public landsand while bicyclists are willing to build andmaintain trails, it makes sense for us to do itwith and for the benefit of all trail users.

Some land managers think separate trails willeliminate user conflict. It's commonplace inrecreational land management to separateincompatible uses. This philosophy need notapply. Responsible bicycle use is compatible inmost cases. When users know that a trail ismultiple use, they expect to encounter others.When users follow trail protocol, they can safe-ly negotiate their trail encounters. Besides beingunnecessary, monitoring and enforcing separatetrails is a management nightmare.

Even if bicyclists and other users had separatebut equal mileage (something I've never seenproposed), they'd covet their neighbors' trails.Everyone would still want to see what the otherusers were enjoying. Trail users like to explore.Twenty miles of multiple use trail is worth morethan two separate ten mile sections.

From day one, IMBA has advocated multiple-

use trails. This position is based on the follow-ing beliefs:

Multiple-use trails can best accommodate theneeds of the most users. A generally open back-country disperses users across an entire trailsystem. Single use or restricted use trails tendto concentrate users. This increases environ-mental and social impacts.

Multiple-use trails help build a trail communityby increasing the need for all users to cooperateto preserve and protect a common resource.

Encountering otherusers on a trail offersthe opportunity tomeet and talk.Without that oppor-tunity, itÕs difficult toestablish mutualrespect and courtesy.Separate trails breedill will, territorialityand rivalries.

Multiple-use trails aremost cost effective forland managers. Theyrequire fewer signsand less staff.Monitoring andenforcement is simpli-

fied.

Multiple-use trails enable responsible, experi-enced users to educate outlaws and novices.Because they share the same trail system, theopportunity for peer regulation is enhanced.

IMBA is aware that local conditions vary andthat sometimes separate trails are a legitimatecompromise solution to a management prob-lem.

There are a couple of cases where separate trailsmake good sense. Large trail systems with verycrowded trailheads could have separate feeders.A designated mountain bike area could allowexperts to race train without the inconvenienceof other users. Some very technical, trials typesections might be set aside for mountain bikersto hone their skills. Similarly, trails designatedfor mountain bike beginners might allow forindividuals to develop their trail riding abilitiesbefore joining other users on the multiple usetrail systems. It's hard to think of many othersituations where separate trails offer any advan-tages.

Jim Hasenauerinducted into the

Mountain Bike Hallof Fame!

It was with much emotion thatBrian Smith and I witnessed theinduction of one of our foremostmountain bike advocates into theMountain Bike Hall of Fame. JimHasenauer has been there fromthe beginning —rebel,spokesman, statesman and nowHall of Famer— leading themountain bike advocacy move-ment and setting the tone of ourenvirnomental and political cause.To mark the occasion, Singletrackspresents a speech Jim made backwhen he was IMBA’s president.This should give you a sense ofthe depth of his commitment. —Philip Keyes

Jim Hasenauer talking at NEMBA’s North East Mountain Bike Summit

in Oct. 1996 (Keyes)

A Trail of One’s Own?Jim Hasenauer, International Mountain Bike Association

Why A MTB Patrol?—Erik Evensen, GB NEMBP

A recent issue of Dirt Rag pre-sented opposing opinions onwhether mountain bike patrolsare useful and necessary. In theGreater Boston area we are oftenasked the same question and, webelieve, are subject to some mis-conceptions of the purpose ofmountain bike patrols.

The New England Mountain BikePatrol (NEMBP) was formed byNEMBA three years ago inresponse to increasing user pres-sure and conflict at the MiddlesexFells Reservation. Many believethat the Fells would be closed tomountain biking today if it werenot for the efforts of NEMBA andthe NEMBP. In response to thepositive reception by park usersand rangers, the Greater BostonNEMBP has expanded to coverthe Lynn Woods Reservation andGreat Brook Farm State Park and aConnecticut NEMBP was formedto help preserve riding opportuni-ties at the West HartfordReservoir.

Mountain bike patrols and trail

Continued on page 33

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U.S. MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPIONSGIVE THE SHIRTS OFF THEIR BACKS!

John Tomac (Tomac/Manitou), Ned Overend (Specialized), Susan DeMattei (Diamondback), Juli Furtado (GT), Ruthie Matthes(Powerbar), Tinker Juarez (Cannondale), Missy Giove (Cannondale) and other U.S. mountain bike champions have donated their old

race jerseys to support the trail advocacy efforts of the New England Mountain Bike Association. NEMBA has also received aSpecialized Team Jersey (courtesy of Mountain Bike Action), signed by the entire Specialized Team!

All the jerseys will be auctioned off on the internet during December. To get in on the bidding and ride away with one of these collec-tor's items, cruise to NEMBA's webpage www.nemba.org on December 1st.

How would you like to own one of these guys’ old race jerseys!Make a Bid on our Online Auction!

WWW.NEMBA.ORG

CHECK IT OUT THIS DECEMBER!CHECK IT OUT THIS DECEMBER!

Julie Furtado Tinker Juarez JohnTomac

Susan DeMattei MIssy Giove Ned Overend

All photos by Philip Keyes, except Missy’s which was taken by Krizstina Holly

10

Does your dog bumout every time

you look at yourbike? Do you feelguilty that you’re

abandoning him everytime you want to hit

the trail? Well maybeyou should shift

gears and train yourdog to be a mountain

bike mongrel.Our big poodle, Darwin, has always been

the athlete - running and swimmingand fetching his brains out, well beyond ourtolerance point. "You'll never tire me out!" heseemed to taunt. That is, until the first timewe took him mountain biking. He loved it -and for once, he was finally pooped.

Because of the cooler weather, fall is theperfect time to start sharing some rides withyour pup. After we brought Darwin home ayear and a half ago, we were anxious to takehim riding, but had lots of questions. If youplan to ride with a dog yourself, I am hopingthat my discoveries and research can helpboth of you get started on the right paw.

From Puppy to Athlete

Unfortunately, as much as they want to go,go, go, puppies can be permanently injuredif you take them running or riding too early.The hardest thing for us was to resist temp-tation to take Darwin riding early on. But Dr.JoAnn Levy from the Clark Animal CareCenter in Pennfield, New York, warns thatpuppies joints and growth plates aren't

totally formed in the first year, and the con-stant percussion of running can lead tostunted growth, a permanent limp, or risk ofarthritis later in life. Everyone seems toagree, definitely don't take your puppy rid-ing before 12 months of age.

But the first step in training your pup toride is to get him well-trained overall, andthis can (and should) begin as early as 8weeks of age. Puppy kindergarten was greatfor Darwin - as much to train us as tosocialize and train the dog.

Mike Wagreich, professional dog trainerfrom K9 East near Boston, takes his two res-cue-trained German Shepherds mountainbiking all around New England. He recom-mends teaching the command "heel" early,and then practicing the command as youwalk next to the bike to get him accustomedto it.

Once your dog hits 12 months, you canstart riding very slowly with him. Praise himcontinually as he keeps up with you. Wehad trouble at first because Darwin got veryexcited and started jumping all over us! Butwhen he got in the way, we would gentlynudge him with the side of the wheel, anduse the command "track!" to tell him toscuttlebutt. It didn't take long before herealized he could become roadkill if he's notcareful. Mike suggested that the "Springer"device, which attaches your dog's leash toyour bicycle, actually works well on widerpaths and could be another way to getstarted.

Should the dog always stay by your side?Mike points out, "the reason we ride is tohave the freedom to enjoy the trail, so ifyour dog is well-behaved and social, youcan usually give him the liberty to stay upahead." But he adds, "I typically ride with apack of dominant male dogs, so we have tokeep them under strict control. We keepthem at a close heel, and we'll even putthem in down stays when others walk by." Itreally depends on the dog, but no matterwhat, you need to have the control at amoment's notice if you see a kid or cross aroad. Two of the most useful commandswe've used are "wait!" and "leave it!" (mean-ing, "don't touch that"). One time whenDarwin almost bolted in front of a speedingJaguar, "Wait!" saved his life.

Derailleur Dogs: Teaching your Canine Companion to RideKrisztina Holly

(Holly)Continued next page

Heat StrokeDogs will do anything to keep up with us, evenif it means running to death. Keep your eyesopen for any of the symptoms of heat stroke:

- rapid shallow panting- rapid pulse- brick red tongue and gums- stupor- cyanosis (blue gums and tongue)- vomiting- diarrhea- bleeding- convulsions

Any stage of heat stroke is a medical emer-gency. Lower the core body temperature first,and then take the dog to a hospital. Hose thedog down with cool (not ice cold) water,immerse him in a cool bath, and/or use an elec-tric fan for a few minutes.

To prevent heat stroke:

- Never take the dog running in hot, humidweather. (Also, be careful in the early season. Ittakes several weeks to acclimatize to warmerweather.)- Gear the ride to the dog: stop often for restand water- Keep your dog in condition- Be careful with dogs predisposed to overheat-ing (short-nosed, thick-coated, or bulky breeds)- Don't leave your dog in the car

(Keyes)

11

Condition the dog slowly and keep him inshape between rides. It may take yearsbefore he reaches peak fitness, but soonenough, he'll be able to go on short rideswith you.

The Hammering Hound

Most dogs are usually eager to please,which causes a problem - they won't admitwhen they're tired. They're like giantEnergizer Bunnies, even when they're prac-tically killing themselves. Since dogs can'tsweat, they are very susceptible to heatstroke (hyperthermia), and it can happenso suddenly. As Mike points out, we don'talways think about it because we've got ita lot easier on two wheels.

This past July, friends of ours took theirdog, Paxton, on a very easy ride along abike path. At the end of the ride, he beganto act a bit strange, and an hour later heended up in the hospital with heat stroke!Luckily he survived without permanentdamage, but it drove the point home thatour pets are dependent on us to watch outfor their best interests.

Dr. Stephen DeVincent, veterinarian atFresh Pond Animal Hospital in Belmont,MA, suggests watching carefully for thewarning signs (see sidebar). Heat strokecan strike quickly and can be deadly, soleave fido at home in hot or humid weath-er.

I was concerned that Darwin wasn't drink-ing as much as I though he should, so Dr.DeVincent taught me two tests to checkfor dehydration. First, pull up on the skinat the back of the neck; normal skin snapsback, while a dehydrated dog's skin stickstogether and takes a while to return. Next,touch her gums; dry gums are abnormal.

Encourage your pup to drink if she's dehy-drated, though expect that an exhausteddog won't drink right away. Take frequentand long pit stops. Jason Pare, owner of a4-year old Coonhound named Flash, rec-ommends a dedicated doggie water bottle,which we found works well. Also, don't lether drink too much at once, because toomuch food or water after exercise can leadto a potentially deadly condition calledgastric torsion.

How much riding is too much? I haven'tgotten a straight answer from anyone,because it's so hard to tell how a dog feels.They may be in pain, but their eyes say,"Let's go!" Everyone seems to agree youhave to gear the ride to the dog, with fre-quent stops for rest and water. Building uptheir fitness level is also critical, because

otherwise it's like racing the VT 50-milerwithout riding all season.

Andy Bishop, world cup cross countryracer for Trek, says his big poodle,Molasses, can easily follow him on a good-

paced ride, though he usually limits theride to about an hour and a half. Jasonadmits he has pushed 15 miles and 2.5hours with Flash, though he concedes that

Continued on page 30

Scooter boy zipped down the trail with his Dalmatian during a NEMBA workday at the Lynn Woods (Holly)

12

Save the Mud-Slinging for the Trails: A Mountain Biker’s Guide to PoliticsKen White

As distasteful as itmight look (par-

ticularly after the lat-est Clinton scandal!),politics plays a pow-erful role in our out-

door lives. Politics, atleast as it's definedfor this article, hasseveral facets: both

the conventional(partisan elections)

and something muchmore basic in a

democracy (how wechose to live and

work with oneanother).

Sure, land closings, usage policies, feestructures, etc. are all affected by elec-tions and power plays and partisan

squabbling and the like. But more impor-tantly, these and many other issues areaffected by the links mountain bikers buildand maintain with a host of people insideand outside of government, from conserva-

tion committees to organizations to peopleof every description. The question is not ifwe can stay out of politics, it is how wecan act in a responsible and effective way.

Because the morass of Washington seemsso far removed from our lives, involvementwith politics and those (insert derogatoryterm here) politicians may seem futile. But,probably without realizing it, you'vealready "committed" an important politicalact: you joined NEMBA.

Getting Involved, BuildingRelationships

Although NEMBA does not do much directadvocacy or lobbying, it does a tremendousamount of education and relationship-building—an important part of buildingpolitical influence for both NEMBA and itsmembers. As NEMBA reaches out to otherorganization, government officials, compa-nies, and the like, the web of interconnec-tions grows. And, our ability to organize,work together, and develop and implementsensible approaches gives us credibility andclout when dealing with other groups andofficials.

As NEMBA grows, so too does the under-standing of mountain biking as a main-stream activity practiced by regular folks

involved withtheir communitiesand the lands weshare. When con-cerns are raised at,say, the localConservationCommission,mountain bikersaren't seen as abunch of lunatics,but as the womanfrom book clubwho also rides,the guy who car-pools my son tohockey practice,or those folks outbuilding trailbridges last Fall.

Our individual andcollective involve-ment in activitiesand groups—mountain biking-

related or not—is a source of politicalstrength for the entire biking community.NEMBA can serve as a way to pool anddraw upon those resources—a great politi-cal resource base that allows us to sharestrategies for local involvement and "bestpractices" in working in local and state pol-itics.

The Dirt on Mud-Slinging

Enough happy stuff, already: let's talkpower politics and elections! But, remem-ber, before you plunge into the woods, takea moment to get oriented.

First, register to vote and exercise thatright. Well, duh. But you'd be surprisedhow many people forget the credibility thisprovides when talking with politicians whoare always looking for…ta da!…votes. Youcan register when you get your driver'slicense in many states, and you can alwaysstop by the town clerk's office (usually attown hall) with proof of residence (alicense or similar) and register in just a fewminutes. They'll also tell you when andwhere to vote, and will usually send youinformation before any election or townmeeting (though you really should read thelocal paper if you don't want to miss any-thing).

Second, understand your interests. Votingon the basis of a single issue or a singleideology is easy, but often short-sighted.However, it is important to recognizewhich of the many issues and races willhave an impact on things that concern youmost. If development or zoning is an issuein your town, you probably want to learnabout the implications this might have onland holdings and access. Similarly, if can-didates are jockeying for the "sustainablegrowth" label, think about which policieswould lead to the best possible deploy-ment of resources. Read the paper, attend acandidate's forum, visit candidate's Websites, or just call their campaign offices—any politician worth her salt will delugeyou with information about where shestands on relevant issues.

Third, understand the offices. Each statehas a unique political structure, involvingstate, regional, county, and local offices.The local League of Women Voter's chapter

Continued on page 13

13

often has good information on to startwhen trying to understand the structure,and your town clerk or elections commis-sion (at town hall) might have good infor-mation as well. (For info on state and fed-eral offices, see "Getting Information"below.)

For example, the race for MassachusettsAttorney General might not seem impor-tant to mountain bikers, until you realizethat environmental protection and land useissues (such as military bases on the Cape)can fall under the AG's purview. (In fact,much of the debate between candidates forthis office—besides the name-calling—wasa discussion of what tasks the AttorneyGeneral should and shouldn't undertake.)In another example, a state representativein Massachusetts proposed an amendmenton the use of the McLean Hospital land inBelmont, which passed but was latervetoed by the governor. In Maine, the racesfor state representative and senator willhave a tremendous impact on the role andcomposition of the Maine Land useCommission (an unelected body), whichoversees 10 million acres of mostly forest.Understanding the chain of influence andauthority can be confusing, but keep thisin mind: our political structures are, for themost part, designed to offer elected offi-cials a little influence in a lot of areas.

Fourth, understand the issues. Oftentimesthe overt issues in a political campaignmay not seem important, because single-issue zealots can drive the publicity band-wagon. A little digging, however, mayreveal that the local pro-choiceConservation Commission candidate (anovert, but probably unimportant issue forthis race) is in favor of turning town forestland over to the state (a less-discussed,but probably more important issue for thepost).

Fifth, understand the candidates. A lot of

information is available in pre-digestedform from groups like Vote Smart (see"Getting Information” below) and newspa-pers or magazines. You can also check outcandidates' nights, broadcast debates andinterviews (often on cable access orradio—and occasionally on Web sites), etc.If you represent a large or influential con-stituency, you can often get quite revealinginformation, simply by sending a politequestionnaire to all the candidates, askingfor answers to a few well-chosen questionsand promising to publish the informationin a newsletter or post it on your group'sWeb site.

Finally, understand your influence.

Influencing Officials

In addition to information, you needresources to make things happen, particu-larly when working with elected officials(we'll leave appointed officials for anotherarticle). Once you know what's important

to

you, you need to figure out what's impor-tant to the politicians you're trying toinfluence, or at least negate.

Crudely put, politicians have three broadinterests: getting elected, building supportand power, and creating good policy—often in that order. Simply appealing to apolitician's better nature, or presenting alogically perfect but politically flawed argu-ment isn't likely to get you anywhere.

It's usually best to start with the politi-cians you are eligible to vote for (becausethey want to be re-elected), but you canoccasionally have influence with others aswell. (See "Getting Information" for moreon finding your representatives in govern-ment.) When preparing to influence anelected official, think about the following:

Who do I represent—how many voters in adistrict, their demographics, their influ-

Continued on page 31

PO Box 226Fryeburg ME 04037

Supplying bicycle shops and supporting trail advocacy since 1982

Essex County woodlands are akin toMassachusetts traffic circles at rush hour -

too many drivers trying to squeeze into alimited space, with no generally understood

rules about who has the right of way.Likewise, mountain bikers, hikers, equestri-ans, trail runners, bird watchers are all con-

gregating on the same trails that coursethrough the same small patches of forested

land.Inevitably, all this congestion results in accidents. Not fender-ben-ders, but the same types of altercations that tend to get tempersroiling and feelings bruised. The horror stories are well-documented:Mountain bikers blame the heavy hooves of horses for digging upsoft trails; equestrians blame mountain bikers and trail runners forspooking their animals; hikers blame mountain bikers for upsettingtheir bucolic settings and for eroding trails; mountain bikers andequestrians blame hiking groups for unfairly closing trails. The list isa long one.

"How do we get along? It takes cooperation from all sides," says DanStreeter of Newbury, an avid mountain biker and treasurer of thenewly formed North Shore chapter of the New England MountainBike Association (NEMBA). "If everyone has the attitude that we'reall out there sharing the resource, the same trails, then it works. It'swhen one group has a lock on one area, that's when you have prob-lems.

"In my mind, there's no alternative other than multiple use," he says.

Streeter's call for multiple use reflects a reality of forested land inEssex County - every year, there's less and less of it. So outdoorenthusiasts who use it are getting herded into a shrinking space. Itis a predicament all trail users share.

"The population and housing explosion is really hitting us hard now,and more and more people are interested in outdoor activities," saysFrederick "Ted" Tarr, an open land advocate from Rockport who leadsa number of North Shore hikes, primarily on Cape Ann. "We're get-ting squeezed, with more people in less area. The best thing to do isspread them out."

Tarr points out, fully recognizing the irony, that the woods provideone of the few havens from the urban sprawl that's enveloping theNorth Shore.

"The answer is to expand the trail system for everyone," he says.

The big picture

Stuart Thorne, part owner of Bay Road Bikes in Hamilton and presi-dent of the Essex County Velo cycling club, encourages trail users tomake certain they don't lose sight of the forest for the trees.

"We can bicker about whether to allow mountain bikes, hiking bootsor equestrians, and meanwhile, right from under us, someone builds28 houses," says Thorne.

The campaign to save Gordon Woods in Manchester and Hamilton isa good example of several groups joining hands and taking a pro-active role, he says.

"There's no use for in-fighting. There's far more important fights.

Let's just make surewe keep the openspaces as openspaces," Thorne says.

Ongoing developmentlooms as a constantthreat. Thorne, whogrew up in the area,says he can recount anumber of trails heonce played on as achild that have beenreplaced by housingdevelopments.

"It's amazing howmuch private land isout there" that trailusers might be takingfor granted, saysThorne.

Essex County TrailAssociation presidentDon Curiale, whomoved to Ipswich from New York roughly 15 years ago and discov-ered the world of horses, echoes similar sentiments. Where a ridingloop might have required the permission of a handful of landownersjust a decade ago, today the same loop might cut across roughly twodozen different parcels, he says.

"The equestrian world, the landed gentry, that world has changed,"says Curiale, adding that the ECTA is making a concerted effort toexpand its membership to include all trail users. "This (trail system)is a limited resource, and the equestrians have to realize that they'renot the only ones using it."

Bad apples

The stigma all trail user groups must overcome is the irresponsibleactions of a few hikers who wander off established trails or scattertrash in the woods, equestrians who don't avoid environmentallysensitive trails, mountain bikers who inflict their bad-boy personaon others. Most trail groups, however, recognize that there are roguemembers within each group and advocate tolerance.

"As with anything else, one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel,"says Dan Tieger, executive director for MassBike/North Shore andchairman of the Manchester Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee.

Tarr recalls one instance when he led a group of school children on awalk and a small band of mountain bikers came racing around a cor-ner, "shouting obscenities, telling us to get out of the trail." Thoughno one was hurt, it left many participants shaken, he says.

"But that's the only time I've seen that," says Tarr. "Of the mountainbikers I know, 99 percent are the nicest people you want to meet.We have to police ourselves. I tell my hikers 'Don't pick the flowers,leave them for the next group to enjoy.'"

NEMBA's Streeter also notes that mountain bikers have to be cog-

14

Getting Along on the TrailsBrion O’Connor

Continued on page 32

(Keyes)

15

CT NEMBA hits Las VegasBrian Smith

It was with less fear and loathing, andmore pride and excitement that I rep-

resented CT NEMBA at this year'sInterbike Trade Show in Las Vegas. ButVegas is bizarre: as they say, "Vegas haseverything that's wrong with the humanrace in one convenient place".

My wake-up call was the incessantdinging of slot machines that

greeted me the instant I opened thedark-tinted door to the hotel.Thankfully, my limited budget did notcontain a gambling line item. The onlyreason I was able to attend was thegenerous support of IMBA and CTNEMBA.

After checking in on Saturday after-noon, it was "roast the Yankee" as Iwalked to the Sands ConventionCenter, still dressed for New England.Lucky for me, the air conditioning inthe hall was set for "make ice cubes".And what a hall it was! Everything froma Taiwanese island of booths sellinglook-alike copies of the real thing (whobuys this stuff?) to Campagnolo finerypresented as jewelry in lit glass casesand, believe you me, everything inbetween.

But shopping wasn't the reason I came.If it were, there wouldn't have beenenough room in ALL the overhead com-partments! The first function I attended was the Mountain Bike Hallof Fame Induction Ceremony for Jim Hasenauer, Max Jones, andDean Crandall. I got there early to ensure a healthy shot at thecheese & cracker, salsa & dip buffet, had a beer, and grabbed a goodseat while the room, set-up with about a hundred or so chairs,slowly filled. Before long, the presentation began. I looked aroundand saw the likes of Al Farrell, Joe Breeze, and Ed Zink. Little did Iknow, until past inductees were asked to stand, that John Tomac,Ned Overend, and Greg Herbold ("What about me, dude?") were justrows away! Call me a tourist, but I got a buzz from that!

Sunday morning was the IMBA Model Program Awards Breakfast atTreasure Island (the casino that has the sea battle out front everyhour!). This was my first trip into one of these places and it's alltrue: the slot machines go on FOREVER and people are playingthem, beer and cigarette in hand, at 7am! Thankfully, the breakfastwas held far from the hustle-bustle.

Six IMBA-affiliated mountain bike clubs received Model ProgramAwards, recognizing "advocacy leadership and excellence". Therecipients were: Sara Frost and JORBA for the Pay Dirt program; CTNEMBA and the CBC for their work with the MDC in Hartford andthe resultant patrol; Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz for their suc-cessful efforts to raise $31,000 for the purchase of 2,300 acres ofGrey Whale Ranch; WORBA for dynamic membership communica-

tion programs; and Mountain Bike Club Discovery of theNetherlands for opening 60 miles of new trail. To top it off, therewere really great chocolate mini-muffins!

The rest of the day, for me anyway, was spent roaming the show,this time armed with CT NEMBA press packs and a patrol jersey,trying to drum up further sponsorship for our patrol. Dropped insome locals (Spooky Cycles, Cannondale), drooled over trick newAVID brakes, 1999 XTR, and Marzocchi's well-appointed booth (andit weren't the forks, boys!). But enough about toys…

In the midst of all this commercialism, certainindustry members were planning and the fruitsof their labors were to be revealed at a 4:30meeting for press, industry, and advocacy groupmembers. Bikes Belong, as it is being called, hassome real potential and I left very excited aboutthe possibilities. The mission is quite simple:"More people on bikes more often throughimplementation of TEA-21". The industry, or var-ious key players in it, joining forces to assistlocal advocates in obtaining their share of theclose to 3 billion dollars in TEA-21 funds.Members of industry that join, and so far somereal heavy-hitters are on board (Cannondale,Trek, Shimano, Specialized, Schwinn, Giant,Rodale Press, and Rock Shox, with more to sure-ly follow), each contributing $435.00 per $1mil-lion in annual sales with a two year commit-ment. These funds, which would be rather sig-nificant, given that the bike industry's annualsales are over $4 billion, will be used to hire asmall staff to be the liaison between the stateDOT's and grass roots advocates. The goal is toraise a million dollars towards this end.

Dirt Rag held an Access Free-for-All get together called "More Trails:More $ales," moderated by none other than the omnipresent PhilipKeyes. The focus was on urging shops to educate the purchaser of anew bike on, among other things, local advocacy groups, IMBA,where to ride, and access issues in general and how education ofthat sort creates more a more informed biking public. Hopefullyleading to more miles of legal trail, which creates more sales for theshop, the same intent as Bikes Belong, but on a smaller scale. An E-mail list was also created at this meeting and those that signed itwill be able to keep in touch on issues such as Bikes Belongprogress. Thanks to da' Rag for some great swag (I won a messengerbag!) and INTERBIKE for awesome suds!

For me, the INTERBIKE experience was capped off that night withdinner at the Rain Forest Café with Tim, Jen, and Scott from IMBA,Gary Sjoquist of Bikes Belong, Joost van der Mark and MarcelBeckers of Club Discovery. (If you enjoy eating amongst constantcold drizzle and the trumpet of animated plastic elephants, thisplace is for you.) I wish that there were three of me to do all, see allthat there was at INTERBIKE, but alas, I had to leave the followingmorning. I close with my most sincere thanks to IMBA and CTNEMBA for making my trip possible, IMBA for the recognition of theCT NEMBA patrol, and, last but certainly not least, Cannondale formaking THAT possible. Already looking forward to next year….

Elvis is in the Room (www.dirtragmag.com)

16

Test Riding Mountain Bike Magazines: The Fly Swatter Wrecking Crew in ActionShorta Yuasa,

As an avid cyclist and a NEMBAmemba, I have always enjoyedreading Singletracks. It was notuntil this morning, however, thatI relaized just how useful it trulywas.As I was feeding my 9 month-old son his favorite gruel, I becameannoyed by two large blackflies buzzing about my kitchen. I quick-ly scanned the table for a weapon, andgrabbed this month's issue of Singletracks.With just one swoop, I managed to splatboth flies at once against the newly paint-ed wall - much to the screaming delight ofmy gruel covered son. Then an idea struckme: why don't I test other off-road publica-tions for their ability to be used as a flyswatter. Here is my initial report from thelab:

Mountain Bike Action:

Once rolled up, it felt quite heavy. Eachpage was dense with words- many of them being too technical andsuperfluous to most of us everyday people. It also felt too right-eous in my hands, like I am holding on to some important histori-cal manifesto. As hard as I tried, I kept missing my flies. After thetwentieth miss, I managed to break the kitchen counter. My sonthought that was neat, too. Rating: 2 splattered flies.

Mountain Bike:

Fun, very fun. It was light enough to be used many times in differ-ent places, especially in our bathroom - yet heavy enough to dothe job right. The glossy cover made for an easy scraping of theflies off the paper without visceral staining (eww). I found theexperience quite informative as well as enjoyable. Rating: 4 splat-tered flies.

Dirt Rag:

The first two swatteres felt too professional, too sleek at times.When I held a rolled up copy of this rag, itfelt special. It had that grass roots, homegrown feeling to it in my hands - like it wasmade in my attic with my friends who alsoshared the joy of off-road cycling. Like I waspart of a trendy, indie, so-chic secret society.Then I realized that it was just a fly swatter,and I went on to kill over thirty of thembuggers with a sense of reckless abandon.Rating: 4 splattered flies.

Colorado Cyclist catalog:

Rolled up in my sweaty palms, I just could-n't bring myself to use it as a swatter. It was

too beautiful - like the models pictured inside who couldn't pedalup their driveway on their Litespeed Ocoee's to save their bulemia-starved butts. Although I didn't actually splat any flies with it, Ilooked so cool. And that, as my son will probably learn later in life,is what counts. Rating: 0 splattered flies.

I quickly scanned the tableI quickly scanned the tablefor a weapon, and grabbedfor a weapon, and grabbedthis month's issue ofthis month's issue ofSingletracks. With just oneSingletracks. With just oneswoop, I managed to splatswoop, I managed to splatboth flies at once againstboth flies at once againstthe newly painted wall -the newly painted wall -much to the screamingmuch to the screamingdelight of my gruel covereddelight of my gruel coveredson.son.

Travis CycleJoin NEMBA! We did!

722 N. Main St. 508-586-6394Brockton MA

17

Biker Bars

We’ve now discovered Charlie Beristain’s secret recipe formountain bike nirvana, his wife’s homemade energy bars. At61 years, you better hope you’re as fit —and as well fed— asCharlie! So here’s Vicky Beristain’s tasty recipe.

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup dark brown sugar2 cups flour

3 cups rolled oats1/3 cup wheat germ

1 cup raisins, dark and/or golden1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sunflower seeds1 cup cranberries or chopped dates

1 cup figs or apricots, chopped (I use cutting shears)1 to 3 tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder (optional)

Wet Ingredients:

3 egg whites3/4 cup canola or veg. oil

1/2 cup skim milk

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Next mix wet ingredientsin a small bowl. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ingre-dients. Toss and mix well, with two wooden spoons. Pour intoa 9 X 13 pan. Press down with plams of hands and makesmooth. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool on rackthen cut into squares. Individually wrap with Saran Wrap;place in airtight container and place in freezer. Take one or twoout when heading out for a ride.

STUCK IN A RUTby: Jon Pratt

There once was a man from Hoboken,who followed too close and now is broken.The trail became steep,and the rut it was deep, and I can't repeat the word that was spoken.

He was riding a Klein,and it was working real fine.Then his rear wheel began to rise, as he crashed before my eyes.

I knew I was in trouble,and the pain was about to double.I watched in slow motion,and soon had the notionthat this was going to hurt.

Time for a visit with Mr. Dirt.

The chainring of his steedwould cause me to bleed.Self-inflicted castration was not my goal.Now I know the hero is not my role.A bandage is what I need.

I should have been more smartthan to ride like Bart.Now I feel like a Gomerwhose idol is Homer —Dooohhhhbut Barney is the more fitting part.

The moral you seeis don't be like me!Leave room for my friendor else you too will be on the mendand visiting the Doctor for a fee.

(Charlie Beristain)

It was a Tuesday, mid-summer, about1:30 in the afternoon. I got a call fromthe Maitre'd at my place of employ

telling me I had the night off due to lack ofreservations, so a ride was the first thing toenter my mind. I suited up and headed forthe reservoir, one of the most popular localspots. This area attracts all types of usersand, therefore, all levels of ability amongcyclists. Upon arriving, it was clear due tolack of cars at this time of day that I'd havethe area, much less the trail, almost com-pletely to myself. With this in mind, Idecided to try a route that I used to dowhich has a rather easy, long climb as it'sbeginning; I was in no hurry and feelingnostalgic; this particular route was myusual choice when I began riding there.Reaching an old favorite "quick pee anddrink" spot, I stopped to do just that. Anintersection, a "T", in woods roads.

As I was drinking, a rider was comingdown the other road slowly, the endof a the long descent I was heading

for, on a low-end GT, jeans, tee shirt, hel-met. His lack of water bottle, conspicuous.as one can do after a certain amount ofyears in the sport, it was easy to spot hisbeginner skills in the manner he was han-dling the bike on the loose gravely road.Before he was within 50 feet, I waved hello.With hardly a moments hesitation, a broadsmile came across his face and he said "hi"back in a strong Jamaican accent. When Ifollowed with "how ya doing?", it wasmeant as ceremonious; polite. The biker,

now stopped nearby, touched his chest, hisheart, with open hand and sighed: " thisplace..." he gestured above his head at theevergreens as if to indicate the entire area."This place..." , he repeated. It was clearthat he felt quite moved by the surround-ings, the solitude, regularly available there,especially mid-week, mid-day, like now. Hecalled his bike "she", or "her", depending oncontext, not meaning to be at all derogato-ry, I sensed, but as a term of deep affectionand respect. It was obvious that he hadmuch to say in response to my simplegreeting, but that he was not wanting toget preachy, or wear out the welcome witha long story.

He went on to tell me how he was a dieselmechanic and worked installing some sortof industrial transmission. ( His accent wasthick, so i took what i could ) Apparently,some piece of machinery had pierced hisleft foot and he contacted tetanus from theinjury. He then, from the illness I gather, layunconscious in bed for some time, awakingwith his arms and legs bent at the elbowsand knees. Locked, I should say. Hands upto the shoulders and feet against his butt.He said that it took 2 men to straighteneach arm and splint them. He winced at theremembered pain; I winced just watchinghim describe it. Then he leapt to the bikeagain, telling me how his recovery involvedhis new bike and the discovery of the reser-voir, both becoming very special to him inthe process. He talked about being stoppedby the side of the road on one of his rides

and having cyclists ask him if he neededassistance. He again put his hand to hischest and looked into the trees: " Thisplace" he repeated, " the people, it's all sospecial." He went on about stopping in theMDC building to get water and the menworking there gladly pointing to the waterfountain. Just a small gesture, yet it had leftsuch an impression on him. It was amazingjust how appreciative he was for someonepointing the way to the drinking fountain.

I got off my bike, lay it down, and walkedover to him to shake his hand. We shookhands and he introduced himself as Ray."Thank you for sharing your experience! It'snice to meet someone that loves this placeas much as I!" It wasn't his just-right-of-re-born-rhetoric that I found so inspiring; nothis story of recovery. It was his simple,(dare I say pure?), understanding and affec-tion for the sport. It wasn't the latestShimano gear that pumped his blood, norwhether or not he cleaned a given obstacleon that day. Those things are fine, and oftenare among the things I think about when Ithink of mountain biking, but his apprecia-tion was simpler and he had not begun tothink about those aspects. He was all aboutgetting out under the canopy of trees andenjoying the people. I've encountered Raysince that initial meeting, more often thannot, he's standing beside his bike, overlook-ing a bucolic meadow, marsh, or simplestand of conifers.

18

T R A I L E N C O U N T E RA Guy named RayBrian Smith

General Program Guidelines- Preview your route.- Arrive 15 minutes early at meeting site.- Say "Hello", introduce yourself and reassure them they've cometo the right place.- Get to know your participants informally before the program.- Start on time. You owe it to those who have arrived on time.- Take charge of the group confidently. Speak loudly so everyonecan hear.- Set the expectations: distance, terrain, time length. Endingpoint, what they may see and safety points.- Bring a map and highlighter, and show the route. Provide copiesof the map to participants. You can highlight a route back to theparking lot if riders need to "bailout".- Keep the participants comfortable. Address proper clothing,water and snacks and restroom needs.- Encourage comments and feedback.- Make stops in safe, visible areas. Be sure the sun is not shining inpeople's eyes.- Return on time.- Conclude the program before the parking lot is in view. Peopletend to scatter once the parking lot is in sight. Gather the group.Say thank you, ask for feedback, highlight future programs, activi-ties or additional places to ride.- Set the example. You are the role model. Be certain that youractivity does not harm the resource.

Welcoming Points- Smile and welcome the group.- Introduce yourself. Explain your background and your role.- Highlight your affiliations (MDC, TrailWatch, NEMBA, etc.)- Have an introductory circle where participants introduce them-selves to the group.

Safety Aspects- Satiety is the most important issue.- Conduct a brief safety check of bikes. Check tire pressure, brakes,and bike fit. All riders must wear a helmet, gloves and eye protec-tion are recommended. Again, set the example.- Leaders should keep the group together. Keep the pace of theslowest person.- Begin slowly as a warm-up. End slowly as a cool down.- Gather the group for instruction or direction. Do not yell whileriding.- All riders should wait for the person behind them at every corner.You are responsible for that person following the turns.- Walk you bike over dangerous or difficult terrain, or when tired.- Allow riders to ask for a rest when they need it.- Encourage people to drink water throughout the ride.- Highlight any rider challenges along the way. Encourage properriding technique when braking, turning. riding through puddles,etc.- If a rider looses sight of the group, stop and stay where you are.The group will look for you rather than you looking for the group.- When starting, keep the group tight and look back often.- Adapt the pace and route to the group's ability. Be flexible andready to modify. Have options for routes and "bail out" points.Expect the unexpected.- Look for opportunities to practice riding skills. If riders are unfa-miliar, explain proper technique and demonstrate. Give riders achance to practice. Provide support and positive feedback.- Check exertion levels of riders. Whenever anyone is laboring,take a break,- Get first aid training and bring a first aid kit. A cellular phone isvery helpful in an emergency.

Trail Etiquette- Always maintain a safe speed. Do not speed downhill or aroundblind corners. Never pass another rider on a downhill.- Always yield the trail. Hikers and horseback riders have the rightof way. Say "Hello." Ask for permission to pass. Follow the direc-tion of the horseback rider about how to pass since each animal isunique.- Do not skid. Ride through puddles and obstacles rather thanaround them. Never create new trails or shortcuts.- Use a map and always stay on designated mountain bike trails.Respect private property.

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Organizing a Group RideMaggie Brown, MA Metropolitan District Commision

L A N D M A N A G E R ’ S T I P S F O R L E A D I N G A G O O D R I D E

Seacoast NEMBA had a banner year of trail maintenance (Jason Record)

Istarted racing my mountain bike in1989. I'm not sure of the exact thoughtprocess that led to entry in my first

race. But then, I was only 18, and I reallydon't know why I did a lot of the things Idid when I was 18. No matter the reasons,what racing became was a means ofrelease for me, a way to deal with the day-today frustrations of life that tend toweigh especially hard on humans in theweeks before their 40th birthday and inthe years the end with "teen".

Racing is a strange thing, at least it is forme. Sometimes I'm not sure exactly whatthe draw is. After all, I'm 24 now; I barelyremember my teens, and I've got a longhaul to 40. I no longer feel that frenzieddesire to pickle the burdens of life in a lac-tic acid haze. When I look at it objectively,I understand my friends who shake theirheads and look sorry for me when I tellthem I won't be joining them for their epicon Sunday. "Nope, sorry guys, but I gottabe out the door at 5:00 a.m., chokingdown a cold burrito from the night before,exceeding the speed limit by double digits,frantically trying to make it to a registra-tion table in a town four hours away. Bythe time I'm home, I'll have spent 20 buckson gas, 25 bucks to race, untold dollars inwear and tear on bike and car, and at leasta few coins on bandages. Not to mentionI'll be too blown to join you for theMonday and Tuesday night rides. You guysgo ahead and sleep late, luxuriate overblueberry waffles, and romp the single-track for hours, stopping every so often toappreciate the beautiful world surroundingyou."

It could be worse, and it has been. I relateto you my experience at Mt. Snow last

year, where I suffered through a day of nozip whatsoever, dead legs and a dyingmind, on a course that offers no less than4000 feet of climbing. Although, at Mt.Snow, the climbing is your best bet for aspot to recover and give thanks for surviv-ing the descent. But my real story came onthe way home, driving alone up route 100,vomiting into a towel that was alreadystained with blood from my shredded legs.I hadn't even changed out of my ridinggear; I was too tired, too afraid I wouldn't

make it back to the car. Dangerous, stupid,and pathetic. All this to finish in the high30's, having ridden my four laps in almostexactly the same amount of time it tookTinker to ride five. We ain't talkin' gloryhere.

So why do I do it? There are plenty of goodreasons, like all the friends I see, the satis-faction of having ridden my best on a par-ticular day, the (very) occasional foray to

the awards table, the pure joy of cold drinkand good food after the race. But for me,none of these are the real reason.

The real reason I race is to go somewhere Ican't get to otherwise. The human mindand body are a wonderful team; push themto the limit and they sometimes respondin the coolest ways. Like: "Faster, faster."Or: "We can big-ring that hill." Or: "Wefeel no pain." Oh, these moments are glori-ous, moments of total control, no way tocrash, no chance of bonking, just a purefeeling of complete mastery over bike andterrain. Yeah, I have non-race rides thatfeel fantastically good, but racing holdsthe potential to take me to yet anotherlevel, where I can go beyond what I know Iam capable of doing. These moments makeit all worthwhile, and after rides like these,there is never any doubt in my mind as towhy I race.

Of course, not every race is like this, andthen the other good things pick up theslack and make my day. Hanging out on asunny Sunday afternoon, chatting withfriends, filling my bottomless belly, andfeeling weary satisfaction settle into everymuscle and bone, it is easy to think thatthere is nothing better in this world.

Racing is not for everyone, and it may notalways be for me. If you're on the fenceabout it, I encourage you to give it a shot,but I also encourage you to listen to yourheart, and do what's right for you. Afterall, cold burritos at 5:30 in the morningleave something to be desired.

Ben is a freelance mountain bike writerwho works for The Ride and BikeMagazine. He also rides a lot!

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Ever thought of racing?Ben Hewitt (This originally appeared in Ben’s Fat Content Mag way back in June 1996)

P E A K P E R F O R M A N C E

Knobbing through miles of luxurious greensingletrack, you'll agree there are fewthings as pleasurably comparable. And the'high' that most feel after a ride, well eventhe great philosophers might have difficul-ty capturing all that it transcends. Soplease, in advance, forgive me my feebleattempts; Here goes- If every human onearth could feel as I do after a loop out onthe trails, there would be no war, nohunger, no famine. If only HE could haveexperienced fat tire enlightenment,"Imagine", the masterpieces John Lennonwould have created. Okay, so my descrip-tions are weak at best, and possibly a bitsappy. Laugh all you want, but in my opin-ion, mountain biking is a miracle drug. Adrug to be shared.

Should you find yourself intangibly relatingto my quirkiness. Well first of all, don't befrightened! Eventually it all makes sense.Secondly, now maybe you'll understand myquest to push this drug on unsuspecting,though willing victims, with addictionbeing the only goal. Yet generating interestin mountain biking is not the problem.There are large masses of individuals drawnto this sport, trouble is that 80% of themare of the male persuasion.

Why are so few women attracted to oursport? This is a question that could have

an answer as complicated and culturally farreaching as the impressions influencedupon us as children, by our parents and asociety that reflected a time when girlswere all sugar and spice, and only boys gotdirty. Through conscious effort, most ofthese attitudes are slowly changing. Still,many women will not participate in activi-ties that smudge makeup or crush hair, notto mention even the thought of gettingsweaty or stinky. Heaven forbid anyoneshould see them in a less than perfectBarbiedoll state. For the other women forwhom these are not issues, often the sig-nificant others in their lives just don't havethe patience to ride with, and encouragethem through the tough introductory peri-od that they so conveniently forget, theytoo encountered. Though it may be inter-esting to note that many men would ratherride with the testosterone free sex.Apparently, the view is nicer and the aromamore pleasing to be near.

For years now, I've been enlisting these,and other women to come out and givemountain biking a try. I've nurtured themuntil they begin to find some confidence,endurance and skill enough to fly from thenest. This gives me almost as much joy asthe day I removed my son’s training wheelsand he took off giggling with pride But

lately I've been rethinking my roll asrecruiter. You see, the other night I was ona group ride, when suddenly I realized Iwas the ONLY women in a group of 13.And you know what? I LIKED IT!! Twelvemen in twelve different packages. Twelvemen all to myself!

Now don't go reading anything twistedinto this. What I'm referring to is, as theonly woman present, I received lots ofattention. Which as a wife and mom oftwo adolescent boys, rarely happens. Itdidn't matter how filthy and smelly I was,the guys could care less. For a few precioushours, I was the dirt princess. And I coulddo no wrong. So why on earth would Iwant to share this with other women?Truthfully, I don't want to. It's just that Ithink of this as my secret. And, if youknow me, you know that it is physicallyimpossible for me to keep a secret. So Iwon't even try. But perhaps if this little bitof info gets into the right hands, soonthere may be an increase in the ranks ofwomen mountain bikers. And I'll just haveto learn to share.

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W O M A N S T U F F

Where are the Mountain Bike Women?Deb McCulloch

Girls Just Want to have Fun!

Some of the best riding is just around the corner. The bugs are gone, theleaves are colorful and the temperature is just right. You want to ride, how-ever you don't have a buddy or looking for some trail companionship toexplore new trails and rediscover old ones. Whatever your reason, the GirlNetwork has arrived. So you ask what is the Girl Network? It is an idea tocreate alisting of individuals to contact if you want to lead or join a FunRide. All riding levels are welcome. If you wish to become part of the list oflike-minded Gals, drop me an e-mail at EMStaley@aol.com or call 860-693-3892. Please include name, how you can be reached. —Elise-Marie Staley

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Mountain biking in the metro Boston area isgoing to be changed by new developmentat McLean Hospital in Belmont. The hospi-

tal grounds, combined with adjacent Town ofBelmont conservation land in Rock Meadow andthe state-owned former Met State Hospital site, isa popular place to ride, given the minimal numberof options in this densely-populated area.The hos-pital's campus is surrounded by undevelopedwoods and meadow, covering about 240 acres ofland in Belmont.About two years ago, McLean, which is owned by PartnersHealthCare, announced that they wanted to develop some of thesite to generate additional income. The hospital has presented sev-eral proposals to the Town. The latest proposal includes 100 unitsof clustered townhouses, a senior housing complex with 600 units,and a 200,000 sq ft office facility for biomedical R&D. The newdevelopment is arrayed around the boundaries of the core campus,which will also be expanded. A few additional strips of land border-ing the hospital will be zoned as open space but privately owned byMcLean with no public access.

The rest of the site, basically the northern and eastern portions of

the property, is designated as "open space" - but there is a lot ofuncertainty as to what will happen to this land. McLean will proba-bly give the Town about 50 acres in the northern section (includingOne Tree Hill). The rest might end up being purchased by the MDC,or might be retained by McLean with a conservation restriction andpublic access easement. The question of what uses will be allowedon the "open space" land has not yet been addressed.

In August, the citizen board representing the Town in its negotia-tions with the hospital voted to approve a Memorandum ofUnderstanding with McLean. The MoU is a general statement out-lining the parameters of the development to take place on the site,amounting to a de facto statement of willingness to go along withMcLean's proposal. The MoU was presented to the Board ofSelectmen, which scheduled a public hearing on it for September 10.After evaluating the MoU, the Selectmen will pass it to the TownPlanning Board, which will work out a number of agreements withMcLean, concerning tax abatements, rezoning and site planapproval, traffic management, and the management of open spaceon the site. Sometime in the fall, probably October or November,Belmont's Town Meeting will vote on the rezoning which is neces-sary for any development to proceed, a 2/3 majority being required.If rezoning is secured, McLean will sell pieces of the land to a devel-oper or developers, who will then have to get specific site plansapproved by the Planning Board.

While both the Town and the hospital are anxious to get develop-ment underway in the current favorable economic climate, thereremain more issues with the designated open space beyond its own-ership and management. First, a parcel on the western side containssome dumpsites, and it has not yet been determined what it willtake to clean them up, and who will pay for the effort. Second, theTown wants to use some of its allotted land as a cemetery. The cur-rent proposal sites the new cemetery on 20 acres, in an odd shapeto skirt around wetlands, smack in the middle of the band of openspace. An alternative site being considered is in the northeast cor-ner between Mill St and Concord Ave. Cemetery proponents claimthat they do not intend to build a"tombstone garden", that moderncemetery designs can use non-traditional monuments to retain anatural setting, and that not all of the 20 acres would be used ini-tially. But it is likely that even if trees are spared, underbrush wouldhave to be cleared out, a road and building would have to be con-structed, and the area would be fenced in. There is considerable pro-cemetery sentiment in town; the current cemetery filled up 10 yearsago and long-time residents insist that they want to be buried intheir hometown. Both the dumpsite and cemetery acreage continueto be labeled as "open space" in McLean's proposal.

The "McLean Open Space Alliance", a citizen advocacy group thathas been active in the planning process since the beginning, takesthe position that the amount of development should be furtherreduced, and that more language detailing the conservation of theopen space should be written into the MoU. Belmont residentsshould stay on top of this issue and let their Town Meeting repre-sentatives know what they think. Documents and maps related tothe proposed development are available for viewing at the Belmontlibrary.

Land under Threat: Belmont McLean UpdateKatherine Olney

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As soon as they saw her coming, the two teenage bicyclists beganto flee from Elise-Marie Staley, despite the big smile on her face.Perhaps they recognized her red jersey, emblazoned with theMountain Bike Patrol logo. Or maybe it was her appearance, com-plete with bike safety gear, including a helmet and gloves. "Excuseme," Staley said as she approached the two boys riding their bikes

at the Metropolitan District Commission's WestHartford Reservoir property off FarmingtonAvenue. "Can I talk to you a minute? I just wantto let you know the MDC requires all riders towear helmets now. Do you guys have helmets inyour car?" "We don't have a car," one said, avoid-ing eye contact with Staley. "Well if you don't

have a helmet, you could get a ticket and that costs $35," StaleySaid, still polite. "We'll just leave then," the youth said, peelingaway. "OK, thanks," Staley said, addressing their retreating backs."Next time, remember your helmets." · An exchange like this oneon a late summer afternoon is routine for Staley and the 15 othervolunteers who make up the Mountain Bike Patrol, a newly formedgroup run by the Connecticut chapter of the New EnglandMountain Bicycling Association. The patrol began monitoringMetropolitan District Commission land in May, primarily theexpanse of wooded property along the base of Talcott Mountainbetween the MDC's water treatment plant in West Hartford andReservoir No. 6 on Route 44. The patrols also monitor TalcottMountain State Park and Penwood State Park off Route 185 inSimsbury, although less frequently.

During their rounds, concentrated on weekday evenings and week-ends, the times of peak use- patrollers have helped injured bikers,reported a small fire in the woods north of Reservoir No. 6. andeducated dozens of bikers on the rules of trail use and bike eti-quette.

Connecticut's newest bike patrol is the result of an agreementreached with MDC officials, who in 1997 had considered banningmountain bikers, skateboarders, in-line skaters and rock climbersfrom their property. MDC officials were concerned with an earlierConnecticut Supreme Court decision that said municipalities couldbe held liable in lawsuits stemming from recreational injuries.Officials feared they could face a barrage of lawsuits from peoplehurt while biking, skating or climbing on MDC land.

Local mountain bikers united to protest the proposed ban on "high-risk" recreation, and in February a compromise with MDC officials,part of which called for the creation of the volunteer bike patrolsthat would encourage bikers to follow safety rules, such as wearinghelmets and protective gear.

As part of their work, the bike Patrollers, all certified in first aidCPR—carry cellular phones to alert authorities of problems oremergencies.

Brian Smith, president of the Connecticut chapter of the NewEngland Mountain Bicycling Association, said the popularity of theWest Hartford reservoir "is the reason we fought so hard" to pre-serve public access to the Site. "I've been hanging out there for 30years, since I was 11 or 12 years old," Smith said. "It's very near anddear to me, not just as a cyclist, but because I love it. And it's whySmith and other patrollers said they will continue to educate othersabout the MDC safety regulations. "I ride up here a lot' and I didn'tthink about it until I realized it might be taken away," said Staley,who is a computer programmer at The Hartford when she is notwheeling. "I'll do anything I can to keep this place open."

Although not yet widely established in New England, bike patrolssuch as the one in West Hartford are becoming more common,including at Boston's Middlesex Fells and Lynn Woods recreationareas.

"They are usually one of the first lines of troops to go out in thewoods and see what's going on" said Karen Haas, editor-in-chief ofthe Boston-based bike culture magazine The Ride. "A formal moun-tain bike patrol really sets up a good partnership to keep an eyeabout what's going on in the woods. They are a rolling educationalforce."

A Labor of Mountain Bike Loveby Robin Stansbury, Reprinted from Hartford Courant, Sunday Sept. 13, 1998.

Continued on page 34

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Blackstone Valley NEMBAPresident: Jeff Gallo galloj@yahoo.com 508-877-2028 VPs: Andy Thompson and Gary WhittemoreSecretary: Anne Shepard Treasurer: Mitch Steinberg

This summer a group of NEMBA Membas from Metrowest andWorcester County got together to form the Blackstone Valleychapter of NEMBA. Some of you may be wondering just what

the heck is Blackstone Valley anyway? Inquiring minds wanna know!So here’s a little historical background on our namesake:

The Blackstone River Valley is a 50 mile corridor connecting the 2ndand 3rd largest cities in New England, Worcester MA and ProvidenceRI. There are over 20 towns in the region including Douglas, Upton,Millbury, Uxbridge and Pawtucket. This area has a great deal of his-torical and environmental interest, and best of all, there’s loads ofgreat riding on uncrowded trails!

The Blackstone Valley is best known as the birthplace of theIndustrial revolution in America. Built in 1793 in Pawtucket RI, OldSlater Mill was America’s first factory, using machines driven bywater power to produce cotton yarn. Soon other mills were built,harnessing the river’s power to produce textiles and a variety ofmanufactured goods. This new industry reduced America’s depen-dence on foreign imports, and helped to build a stonger domesticeconomy, which proved vital during subsequent wars. The industrialdevelopment had a profound effect on the lifestyles of the local pop-ulation and on the environment. Employment and income shiftedaway from agriculture and the towns surrounding the mills becamemore densely populated. Soon canals and railroads were built totransport manufactured goods back upstream to Worcester andthroughout our young nation. Sadly though, the economic boomdwindled in the late 19th century as many companies moved tosouthern states to take advantage of cheaper labor and raw materi-als. During the the World Wars, business briefly flourished again,providing clothing, shoes and other materials for the military. Today,most of the factories that shaped the region stand empty as silentmemorials to a past age, though the towns and villages that grew uparound them remain strong and active communities.

If you’ve driven along I-495 or I-395 south of the MA Turnpike youmay have noticed little brown signs with a curling wave of water. In1986 Congress designated the 400,000 acre Blackstone Valley as aNational Heritage Corridor. The National Park Service has been work-

ing with local, regional and state agencies to preserve the historicalartifacts for future generations to study and appreciate. Some of theold canal towpaths are open for hiking and biking, and many recre-ation areas offer swimming, boating, or fishing. There are several vis-tor’s centers with historical or environmental exhibits and programs,including: Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester508-753-6087, River Bend Farm and Canal Heritage State Park inUxbridge MA 508-278-7604, The Blackstone Valley Tourism CouncilVistor’s Center in Pawtucket 401-724-2200. The CorridorHeadquarters can be reached at 401-762-0250. Further info aboutthe region can also be found on the web at www.nps.gov.blac/ andwww.blackstonevalley.com.

Last but not least, there’s RIDING and lots of it! Our region boasts awealth of great trails where mountain bikes are welcomed by landmanagers and other trail users. The MA DEM Sate Forests inDouglas, Franklin, and Upton each have plenty of exciting singletrackand a mix of terrain suitable for riders of all levels. Over the years,NEMBA has forged a strong alliance with the DEM land managersand our equestrian friends the Bay State Trail Riders. Now that ourregional chapter has formed, we expect to strengthen this relation-ship with trail maintenance and other activities. In addition to themany trails within these parks, several extensive historical routesalso traverse the region: During the Revolutionary war, GeorgeWashington’s troops marched along the Midstate trail which runsstraight through central Massachusetts from New Hampshire toRhode Island. Although much of it is now overgrown and impassible,sections in Douglas are ridable if you’re up for a challenge. Thanks tothe Rails to Trails Conservancy, you can ride all the way fromFranklin MA to Willimantic CT on the Southern New EnglandTrunkline Trail which passes through both Franklin and Douglas SF.Another rail trail conversion is being planned between Providenceand Worcester. Finally, Blackstone Valley is criss-crossed by severalmajor highways, so it’s easy to reach from any direction. Come seewhat we’ve got to offer! —Anne Shepard

Historical Roots of the Blackstone Valley

Blackstone Valley Land AccessCallahan State Park.: NEMBA will be working with the D.E.M. trailsmanager and Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT) to designate biking trailsthrough the land adjacent to Callahan State Park Framingham.Although SVT land is currently closed to biking, a significant volumeof traffic occurs as a result of the proximity to the park and poorlymarked trails. Designating and clearly marking biking trails will helpto limit traffic elsewhere.

Sudbury/Marlboro: The contiguous tract of open land managed bythe towns of Sudbury and Marlboro, the Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, and the SVT is open to biking. A new kiosk outliningthe land use policy is located on Dutton St., in Sudbury. Much ofthis land was formerly posted with regard to biking.

Trail MaintenanceBlackstone Valley NEMBA and Landry's bike shop are planing a trailmaintenance event to remove blowdown in the heavily traffickedareas of Framingham Callahan. The tentative date is October 25th.Please consider joining us to give back to one of CentralMassachusett's most popular parks.

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CT NEMBAPO Box 290956, Wetherfield CT 06129-9956 860-676-9721 Website: http://members.aol.com/joeorto/index.html Brian Smith, President John Turchi, Vice-PresidentRich Fletcher, Treasurer Dave Dunn, Secretary

CT NEMBA's ChallengeOK, it's the end of summer and you're in awesome shape. You can crack walnuts withyour quads and bounce quarters off your glutes. But can you handle "hills 'r us"?!Charlie "The Blur" Beristain has strung together 12 segments of trail at the WestHartford Reservoir guaranteed to test your skills, legs and lungs. A full writeup of thecourse is on Charlie's web site: http://pages.prodigy.com/CharlieB/fun.htm (at the bot-tom of the page). According to Charlie, "Basically, it's a circuit consisting mostly oftechnical hill climbing along with a scoring system to keep track of progress. It's catch-ing on here in Connecticut, and a bunch of CT NEMBA members are running the courseand sending results to me. "

We challenge other New England chapters to test their skills on our "hills 'r us" circuit.We also would like to see each chapter create its own version of this concept so wecan have a "round robin" series. —Charlie Beristain and Nancy Martin

Anyone up to the challenge? Contact Charlie via e-mail: charlieb@home.com

Come to CT NEMBA's AnnualMembership MeetingThe annual general membership meeting of the CT-NEMBA chapter of NEMBA will occur on the after-noon of Sunday, November 15, 1998, at the IrishAmerican Club in Glastonbury, CT. Officer reports,election of the board of directors, etc. will be theprimary agenda for the meeting. This meeting isbeing held during the Annual Fall Fiesta party.

The CT-NEMBA Board of Directors are acceptingcandidate nominations to serve on the BOD, as anofficer, or one of several committees. Please con-sider serving and guiding your organization.

Further details are available from Brian Smith, orany chapter officer. —Brian Smith

1st Annual Fall FiestaCT-NEMBA will hold its annual membership meeting, dubbed the 1st Annual FallFiesta, on Sunday, November 15, 1998 in and around Glastonbury, CT. The day willstart with a Meshomasic SF ride(s) and move on to a cookout/party at the IrishAmerican Club in Glastonbury. We will also conduct the 1998 general membershipmeeting which will include election of directors and officers of the CT-NEMBA chap-ter.

Come on out and join us. We promise excellent riding options, good chow andrefreshments, entertainment, and a great chance to meet up with fellow members.The meeting will provide an excellent way to become involved in guiding the organi-zation.

The overall event is open to all NEMBA members and their families. All may join orrenew membership at the door. Voting is reserved to CT-NEMBA registered members.

A separate mailing to CT-NEMBA members will occur. For more information, pleasecontact John Turchi, VP, <turch@snet.net> or (860)653-5038. —John Turchi

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CT NEMBA-Cannondale Trail Maintenance Series10/17 Branford Supply Ponds Scott Borrus, 203.481.7184, sborrus@icom.net10/24 Gay City State Park Steve Clarke, 860.529.9970, steven.clarke@snet.net11/07 Penwood State Park John Turchi, 860.653.5038, turch@snet.netTBA Trumbull area, Fairfield Cty. Steve Clarke, 860.529.9970

I’m one lucky dog. This evening I sit here and inform you that theCT NEMBA / Cannondale Trail Maintenance series is on schedule.What schedule is that you ask? It’s the CT NEMBA’s TrailMaintenance Outreach program. This program targeted

Four different counties to hold TM events. What does that mean inEnglish, well, we’ve had events in West Hartford to the north,Hebron to the east, Hamden to the south and Oxford to the south-west. The humble word of NEMBA and trail stewardship is spread-ing.

In addition, CT NEMBA was lucky enough to be the recipient of aPower Bar D.I.R.T. grant. Phase one of the grant plan has beencompleted. Connecticut now has 3 fully stocked tool cribs, whichwill enable us to handle most trail problems. These cribs can befound in Brookfield, Hamden and Wethersfield, CT. A new weaponhas been added to our standard crib and recommend it to anyonedoing TM in the northeast. It is a 7" McLoad. This tool can do it all– chop, hoe, rake and tamp. For under $30 thru Zac’s (IMBA affili-ate), this tool has no match (still need a pick mattock to get thingslose though).

The fall TM series is in full swing so make sure you check our sched-ule and spend a morning with us. Remember, each time you partic-ipate in a CT NEMBA TM event you receive a chance to win aCannondale F2000. The actual raffle of the TM series winner isgoing to be at the annual meeting, which is scheduled at IrishAmerican Home in Glastonbury on 11/15/98. Detail to come.

Summary of TM activities: Total hours = 526 hours

On National Trails Day (6/6), CT NEMBA had 16 people come out towork. The group of 16 split into 2 groups of 8. The first group con-

centrated on improving work that was done at the previous outingand spent 32 man-hours in doing so. The second group got to dothe fun stuff including re-routing a short section of trail, trail prun-ing, log hop fix, created a spring high line and established a trenchto help move water off a troubled section of trail.

On 6/27, CT NEMBA hooked up with the IMBA TCC2 crew. Thiswas more of an educational day with some work actually gettingdone on the trail. This is one of the few times that I was glad wewalked to the site because we all had a chance to talk to Ric &Holly. What a resource!

On 9/13 CT NEMBA performed TM on non-blue blazed trails in theWH Reservoir. This was the first time CT NEMBA was given theopportunity to do TM work on non-blue blazed trails. Work includ-ed a re-route based on IMBA’s TCC2 suggestion and multipledrainage corrections (great job Rich, Chuck and everyone else thatshowed up that day – somebody give me a report on how our workholds up after the first heavy rain).

On 9/20 CT NEMBA had a first. This was the first time we held twoTM events on the same day. I was with Don Morin and the goodfolks from down on Schreiber’s Farm in Oxford, CT (FairfieldCounty). I think this was the first ever TM event that no drainagework was performed (all lopper stuff). The crew was also treated toa hayride out to the various work sites. You should have seen thosecows move when they realized their hay was on our wagon. Theother work party took place at Brookvale Town Park. I don’t knowany of the details of the actual work performed but I do know therange of ages was 14 to 67 and that a small cookout was enjoyedby all.

CT NEMBA Trail Maintenance Makes the GradeSteve Clarke —TM Director

NEMBA hosts first ever MTB Fells Open ForumColleen Haggerty

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Greater Boston NEMBAPresident: Philip Keyes Vice President: Michael Good Secretary: Colleen Haggerty Treasurer: Scott BriereMeetings 3rd Wednesday of the month. Call 800-57-NEMBA for location and time.

The Fells Forum held on September 2, 1998 was great. The turnout was better than any of us could have anticipated; our estimat-ed attendance was around 66 people. I was standing at the backof the room checking people in and I was able to ask "how did youhear about the meeting" it was interesting to get the responses.Everything from the flyers in the shops to the web to other riderswhich shows that if we really want to get the word out to the rid-ing community we can get the job done.

We opened up the floor fordiscussion, the first area wehit on were what did peoplesee as the problems, of courselack of legal single track andthe loop not being enough foreveryone to ride were first tobe mentioned. They also saida lack of communication withthe riding community and gen-eral awareness of the issues,riding when it is too muddyand poor riding techniques.Another key point raised wasthe rudeness of both otheruser groups and other bikers.A key problem seemed to bethat we are the largest user group with the smallest "piece of thepie". They mentioned the lack of enforcement of the mountainbike policy as a problem.

The key trails everyone would like to see opened to riding are theWhite Trail and opening up of the east side. Also mentioned weresome additional loops of different levels of difficulty.

The most interesting part of the evening was hearing the solutionsto some of the key problems. The most surprising recommenda-tion was that someone mentioned user fees and when we asked

for a show of handshow many peoplewould pay to ridethere, 80% of thepeople in the roomraised their hands.They were also in favor of enforcement with conditions. Solutionsof better designed trails and more of a variety of trails also were

mentioned. Key points raisedwere having the information boothset up more often and also explor-ing holding some riding clinics tohelp people improve their skilllevel. We should be rememberingour on trail manners with otheruser groups. Getting maps post-ed at all the main entrances withthe loop marked on them and acomplete list of the rules werehigh on the solution list.

Everyone was in favor of expand-ing the maintenance series. Wewant to work on the other trailsnot just the loop. There wasstrong interest in using the trail

work as a bridge to other park users and as a way to show theMDC that we are willing to work with other user groups such asthe AMC.

All in all it was a great meeting. For those of you who were unableto attend and would still like to help out, we have formed a com-mittee and are starting to put some of the things we discussedinto action. Please feel to contact me at colleen_haggerty@milli-pore.com. I will be happy to get you hooked up with the rightpeople.

NEMBA/Merlin Fall SeriesCall 800-57-NEMBA for details

Oct. 17 Lynn WoodsOct 18 Leominster SFOct 26 Great Brook Farm SP

Occasionally, you may needALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION

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28 Cambridge St.

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(Elaine McEvoy)

(Elaine McEvoy)

28

Rhode Island NEMBA Steve King, President Jim Grimley, Vice-President Phone: 401-322-6005 or 401-397-8127Secretary: Tina Hopkins Treasurer: Julie Ayars

Well, it’s about a year since we all decided that we needed todo something to protect our right to ride in our favorite

spots, such as Arcadia. We are a year old and still crawling. Likeanything we do in life, it takes time to get the hang of how thingswork. Remember, the first time you rode in the woods? Damn, thatkind of hurt. And we all fell a lot, but if we gave up then we wouldnever have found out how much better we would get and howmuch we would enjoy this crazy little sport. Just like riding, we aretossing those God forsaking toe-straps aside, and clipping in for aserious ride. It' s all up-hill from here, not your typical Rhode Islandhill either! OK, we (well, some of us) have done some pretty goodtrail projects in our first year. That's cool, but come on! lets get outthere and be seen doing some good, instead of doing the, so call"damage" we do. LET'S STOP CRAWLING AND START WALKING.Wow, that was deep! —Jim Grimley

'Tis, the season for, HUNTING and NIGHT RIDING!

Them are only a couple of rules (I mean laws) that the DEM wantus to follow! Orange during hunting season and no Nightriding.

As some of us know, the fun loving hunting season starts the 3rdSaturday in Oct. That means if you are on state land, riding hikingor anything, you MUST WEAR BLAZE ORANGE! Not red, not yel-low, BLAZE ORANGE! How hard is that to understand? It' s for ourown good, DUH. Oh and it' s a law. Arrows and bullets hurt a lot

worse than pedals in the shins! I know most of you reading thisalready know the rule, but we are all guilty of not passing the infoon to other riders we see out in the woods or in the parking lots.I'm sure someone might appreciate the life saving info! Do whatsome have done in the past. Next time you are at the Wal-K-martjoint, go to their fine sporting dept. and after you get off the floorfrom laughing at the new Muffy Mt. bike, pick up some of the $.99blaze orange vests. So, next time some guy, all deck out in his lat-est mail order riding outfit is in the parking lot, you can top hisoutfit with a nice plastic vest. Make sure he isn't a lawyer first.

NIGHTRIDING sure is fun, isn't it? Well, it is illegal in any RhodeIsland State parks or forests. Sorry guys! Again, many of us knowthis but still do it. To you I say, "DON'T RUIN IT FOR THE REST OFUS." What I'm trying to say is, right now the DEM only has twoeasy rules they ask bikers to follow, and if we can't obey them,then we are pretty dam sad! It' s not too much to ask is it? I' m surea few of you are saying" well I'm going to ride anyway!" Hey, I ain'tyour mommy but if you're going to nightride be smart. Don't parkyour car in the parking lot, of your favorite state riding place. Thebike rocks and No Fear stickers all over the car usually tips the DEMoff that someone is out riding. The DEM officer may be waiting,with a pocket full of fines, for you when you get back to you car. —Jim Grimley

Our RI-NEMBA/AMC trail maintenance day was a huge suc-cess! On Saturday, September 12, 1998, Twenty-one peo-

ple showed up to work on a variety of projects on the Mt.Tom/Arcadia Trail inArcadia ManagementArea. The agenda for theday included building abridge, putting in a cul-vert, laying 20' of cor-duroy, and putting in acouple of waterbars.With 21 workers the pro-jects went quickly—wewere done and ready toride by 1:00! On this pre-viously muddy/barelypassable section you cannow ride smoothly (orhike) over the bridge, cul-vert and 'corduroy withno problems what so everand more importantlywith no damage to thetrail. Thanks go to thefollowing RI-NEMBA

members: Ron St. Jean, Michael Shea, Jim Bowski, TinaHopkins, Jim Christensen, Sara McEntee, Jim Grimley, GeorgeHopkins, Paul Ricci, and soon to be members Jono andElizabeth Billings. Thanks also go to the AMC hikers (Martha,Henry, Joe and all the rest) for allowing us the opportunity towork with them. We appreciated the use of their tools as wellas all of the valuable trail maintenance training they provided.—Tina Hopkins

Help Save Riding in Arcadia

Fall Trail Maintenance Project

(Tina Hopkins)

Southeast MA NEMBAChristie Lawyer, President Bill Boles, Treasurer Phone: 508-583-0067

Trail MailSEMass@NEMBA.org is almost ready to go. Join the list to get up tothe minute information on trail conditions, informal rides, technicaladvice, trail tips and anything else you can think of.

If you’d like to be ‘listed’, send an email to NEMBABILL@yahoo.com.

In the headline write subscribe SEMASS-NEMBA and you’ll be includ-ed. —Bill Boles

Trail Maintenance DatesWe will be doing a couple of informal projects in the Foxboro StateForest later this fall. The dates for these events have not been cho-sen yet, but they will be posted on SEMASS-NEMBA, the NEMBAhome page and the next issue of the SEMass Irregular. For moreinformation call me at 508-583-0067 —Bill Boles

29

Shays NEMBAJohn Dudek, President Greg Coccoluto, Secretary Russ Benson, Treasurer17 Pleasant St. Greenfield Ma. 01301 Phone: 413-772-0496

Hooves and Pedals was GREAT!This was great fun to help organize, and a lot of fun for all thehorses and bikes that partook. Thanks to all who came!

The seven and one half mile loop provided some exciting riding andmany people chose to do an extended loop that included a rimheating technical down hill section. An excellent time was had byall and we proved that indeed, we could put aside the differences inour two sports to come together on what is most important to allof us; building, maintaining, and enjoying trails. Plans are alreadyin the works for next year’s event, so if you missed it this year, besure to look for the announcements for the Aug. '99 date. I would

like to take this opportunity to thank Pat Gillespie of BSTRA whowas the spark plug for this program from the very beginning. It washer hard work, through grant writing, trail work and organizationthat allowed this project to come together. I would also like tothank all the members of NEMBA and BSTRA who helped with theevent . Finally, I would like to thank our sponsors, IMBA, Cliff Bar,and the Peoples Pint for their kind donation of prizes.

The top finishers were:Place Mountain Bikers Equestrians Juniors 1st Mark Bialis Ken Anderson Tonya LaFerriere 2nd Ronald Corporon Gayle Beaudion Lynn Mero 3rd Philip Keyes Sharon Cochran

Freetown Mountain Bike Patrol UpdateThe Freetown-Fall River State Forest bike patrol is up and running!Patrol members acting as extensions of the forest’s staff redirectlost trail users, hand out maps, assist people who have brokendown, and report blowdowns and/or new dump sites to therangers. This patrol is somewhat informal. Basically it’s just abunch of people who ride there a lot keeping an eye on things dur-ing their normal rides.

If you’d like to be involved, and get a neat T-shirt to wear whileyou’re patrolling, please contact me any evening at 508-763-5801. If I’m not there, please leave a message and I’ll get back toyou as soon as I can. Reports have it that someone is out in thewoods ‘marking’ routes. This is frowned on by the rangers. If yousee anyone doing this, please ask them to stop. The DEM consid-ers the ‘rogue’ marking of trails to be vandalism. —Scott Pachico

Meeting/RidesThe July and August chapter meeting/rides were held at the FoxboroState Forest. On both occasions over a dozen of us got in a great ridebefore dark. If you thought about coming, but didn’t, you missed out ona couple of great rides. On 10/21, and on the third Wednesday of eachfollowing month, SE MASS NEMBA’s meetings will return to theBridgewater Public Library. The meetings start at 7:00 pm, and are overby 8:00. And they are always followed by a ride. You will need lights forthese rides. For more information or directions, call Christie Lawyer at508-643-2453 (days). —Bill Boles

Looking Ahead To The WinterWhile most NEMBA members will be putting their bikes awayduring snow season, we here on the South Shore have optionsbesides x-country skiing, snowshoeing and stationary trainers. Ifwe want, we can usually ride all Winter long. Paul Peasley haspromised to keep his Tuesday evening rides going all Winter, as hedid last year. And The Bike Barn will also be leading Sunday morn-ing rides, at some mostly snow free place on the South Shore.Depending on conditions, studded tires may be needed on some ofthese rides. When the snow’s deep, we’ll still be riding, but onthe top of packed snowmobile trails. So you don’t have to hiber-nate this Winter. There will be plenty of opportunities to gomountain biking. See you out on the trails. Bill Boles

30

his normal ride is about 3-5 miles. Mikeends his dog rides after 1 to 1.5 hours andwarns that, "Once a dog is showing he'sreally tired, he's already hurting." So it's upto us to monitor our dogs carefully and tryto do what's right for them.

The Ideal Trail Dog

If you're looking to get a new dog, you maybe wondering, "what type of dog should Iget?" I asked Mike which breeds he recom-mends for riding, since he has experiencewith all sorts of breeds. He listed retrievers,shepherds, pointers, Dobermans, thoughany athletic dog will do.

Dr. Levy emphasized that personality is justas important as build; you want a trainabledog with a good temperament. And consid-er what they were bred for; for example, theinstinct in herding dogs can be so strongthat they can be a pain to ride with. Dr.Levy wryly added it's wise to get a breedwith short hair and "good nostrils" (sincedogs with squashed noses have troublewith endurance). In all cases, the individualbuild and personality of the dog make a dif-ference, so talk with the breeder or adop-tion agency about your intentions.

If you get a purebred dog, Dr. Levy suggestsseeking a breeder that uses sporting linesrather than show lines. Learn the commongenetic problems to the breed, like hip dys-plasia, and make sure you see the actualpapers proving that the parents passed therelevant tests. (Especially with retrievers,ask to see the OFA certification for hips andelbows from the parents.) If the breederdoesn't seem concerned or knowledgeableabout the genetic problems, be very sus-pect. Getting a pedigreed or AKC registeredpuppy doesn't guarantee she will behealthy.

Trail Hazards

Did you know that if a dog drinks from apond with an algae bloom, she could die anhour later? I didn't either, until I read a bookcalled "On the Trail with Your CanineCompanion." Since dogs are susceptible tothe same unpleasant diseases we can get,like Giardia, it's worth teaching your dog todrink only from a water bottle if possible. Ican imagine doggie diarrhea is no fun.

Dr. Levy suspects cut pads are the mostcommon trail injuries, and suggests gauzewrap and a bandage should stop the bleed-ing until you get to a vet. Rover has to work

up to running on rough surfaces, and some-times even the toughest pads can't handleit. Bag balm will help toughen the pads andhelps heal them if they're nicked, andbooties are a good option if the trail's extrarough. We use Polar Paws in the winter tokeep the snow from balling up between thepads.

If your dog breaks a leg, stabilize it with athick shirt or whatever you can find, justlike you would for a person. That brings upsomething to think about when planningyour ride. If you ride 6 miles out and yourdog goes down, could you carry him to thetrailhead?

If your dog shows sudden signs of swellingon the face or elsewhere, Dr. Levy suggestsit may be an allergic reaction to a bee stingor bug bite. Our vet recommends 50 mg ofBenadryl up to 3 times per day for our 55pound dog (you should check with yourown veterinarian before hitting the trail).

Any dog owner should talk to their vetabout insect hazards like fleas, ticks, andheartworm passed on by mosquitoes. Otherdiseases can be picked up on the trail, likeLyme disease (see June issue ofSingleTracks), so it's best to be watchful ofchanges in your dog's behavior and visit thevet if you suspect anything.

I've seen dogs with a small cow bell to alertriders and other wildlife that something'scoming their way, which seems like a greatidea in some places. In the fall, my biggestworry would be hunters. Though orangedog vests are available from retailers like L.L.Bean, I'd still worry in some places thatDarwin might end up between thecrosshairs of a clueless schmoe who bor-rowed someone's rifle one day.

Plants can be a hassle, like foxtails whichcan eventually imbed themselves into yourdog's skin and abscess if not removed.Poison ivy won't bother the dog, but I'velearned we can get it from him after a rompin the bushes! After a ride, it's a good ideato check for ticks, foxtails, and cut pads. Ilike to have extra water and a towel readyfor when we return to the car.

On the Road

Selecting a good place to ride is important.We like to take Darwin to places wherewe're slowed down by technical singletrackor killer climbs, and we avoid places withbig ring downhills or loose gravely rocksthat can imbed between pads. (We'veclocked him well over 20 miles per hour for

short bursts, but I'd hate to push it for toolong!) The ideal park has lots of wateringholes.

I've found "The Boston Dog Lover'sCompanion," by JoAnna Downey andChristian Lau, invaluable in discovering newplaces to explore near Boston where dogsare welcome off leash. Other cities may alsohave their own versions.

For traveling farther away, I've found a veryhandy directory of hotels that allow dogs:"Vacationing With Your Pet," by EileenBarish. Another suggestion I learned from"On the Trail" is to find the phone numberof a local vet in the area ahead of time, soyou don't have to go searching in case ofemergency. Also, it's a good idea to putyour local phone number and address onthe dog tag!

A quick note, which most of you alreadyknow by being both mountain bikers anddog owners, we may suddenly be twice asoffensive to some trail users out there. Sowhen we visit a park, being respectful ofothers is as important as ever. Teaching ourdogs to poop well off the trail (and in morepopular parks, carrying plastic bags andpicking up after him) is important to keep-ing us welcome.

As Jason warns, it can be hard at first tokeep your exuberant dog from "jumping allover other bikers and hikers (with their chil-dren) with wet, muddy, snowy feet." Buttraining our dogs and keeping them undercontrol is not only a polite thing to do butcan keep your pooch out of serious trouble,too.

Go For It!

There's nothing better than coming homefrom a ride with Darwin and watching himcurl up exhausted for once while I makemyself a smoothie! A dog ride can't be quitethe epic hammerfest that you might usuallydo. But sharing a mountain bike ride withyour best buddy is a great experience in itsown way.

Dog Ridingcontinued from page 11

31

ence, etc.? (Beware of overreaching on thisone: people who say "and I know I speakfor hundreds of others" usually don't. Also,avoid waving the banner of groups likeNEMBA or Audubon unless they've offi-cially taken a position on this specificissue.)

Who can I get on my side (what othergroups might be allies)?What is the official's past record on thisand similar issues?Where are the voters in my district on thisissue? (Can I show that this issue is notjust mine, but shared by others?)Where is the official's party? (Few politi-cians will buck the party line without acompelling reason.)Who else is pressuring the official (includ-ing her own party and peers) and withwhat leverage? (It pays to know whatyou're up against.)Can I help her look good?Can I help her get support, political cover,or positive publicity from others?Can I help her broaden her base of sup-port, reach out to other voters, or shareher message?Working with politicians is a lot like work-ing with children—you have to frame yourinterests in ways they find useful andappealing, or they aren't likely listen.

Affecting the Coming Election

How will any of this help you affect theupcoming election? Rather than provide astate-by-state analysis of the elections andcandidates, let's take a hypothetical case: arace for county commissioner, where thedecision to sell off a piece of county land isa major issue. You could decide to join thefray as a partisan (supporting a particularcandidate or party), an issue advocate(promoting a particular point of view), oras a "process" person (trying to improvethe quality of debate or raise votingturnout).

Whatever route you take, a few time-test-ed strategies could have an impact:

Write a (polite) letter to the candidates(individualized, if possible), explaining whythe open space is important, who caresabout the issue, and what they could doto improve the situation. Ask them toexplain their position, and request ananswer.

Learn a little about the players and inter-ests in the campaign (who abuts and usesthe land, who could benefit or lose fromthe sale, the tax implications of a change,etc). Then see if any of them might beopen to working with you on achieving acommon goal.

Figure out who the candidates look to forsupport, advice, and "permission" (forexample, do they get money and votesfrom hunting groups or landowners). See ifyou can influence their influencers.

Write a Letter to the Editor of your localpaper. Though simple, this can be veryeffective. Write in a way that makes senseto your neighbors, not as an "expert" orsomeone with an ax to grind, and appealto their better nature.

Find respected spokespeople or endorsers;ask them to write thoughtful, well-placedLetters to the Editors or speak at townmeetings about the issue, or ask questionsof the candidates at election forums. Or,become a respected person yourself!

Persuade powerful potential allies to comeoff the sidelines and increase your resourcebase (for example, see if your state repre-sentative or senator, or a statewide home-owner's group or an outdoors coalition hasan interest that might overlap with yours,and then reach out to them).

Vote, and persuade your friends, neigh-bors, and anyone sympathetic to yourcause to vote. Local elections can be wonwith a concerted "get-out-the-vote" effort,and state and national elections some-times hinge on a few dozen votes.

No matter what happens in this election,remember: partisan and issue politics arefull of ups and downs, but relationshipscan go on for a very long time. Even if youdon't win this round, beware of burningtoo many bridges. You may need them thenext time. Recognizing the strengths ofthe mountain bike community (activism,demographics, knowledge, involvement)and building on our relationships can pro-vide us with a lasting impact that reachesfar beyond our numbers.

Getting Information on….

who the heck represents me, anyway. Justenter your zip code at www.vote-smart.org, and Vote Smart will link youwith your federal or state legislators, andprovide information on their voting recordsbased on issues (e.g., environment), infor-

mation about candidates in the upcomingelection, etc. A great place to start learn-ing about politics.

what the heck's going on in theLegislature, anyway. For the latest on legis-lation at the national level www.vote-smart.org/congresstrack orwww.thomas.loc.gov.

contacting and influencing legislators. Toget in touch with federal legislators trywww.clerkweb.house.gov/mbrcmtee/mem-bers/teledir/members/congdir.htm orTHOMAS atthomas.loc.gov/home/thomas2.html. Forstate officials, try the addresses listedbelow orwww.nasire.org/ss/STlegislatures.html.

Once you've got ahold of them, look towww.lwv.org/tell.html for advice on whatto say and how to say it.

local government and elections. Althoughthe Web is a great source of informationon national and state politics, informationabout local (town and county) governmentis generally sparse. Your best bet at thatlevel is the telephone or a trip to City Hall.You can also try the local chapter of theLeague of Women Voters.

statewide candidates, issues, ballot ques-tions, and voting. The League of WomenVoters, again, is a great source(www.lwv.org/ or call the local chapter).Stop snickering, this is not your mother'sLeague. Their national, state, and local (forexample, Arlington, MA and Darien, CT)Web sites are generally well-maintained,and offer useful information and referrals,and they've moved to the forefront onissues of serious political engagement.Also, see Vote Smart at www.vote-smart.org/state/other. Also, www.elect-net.org has lots of articles about candi-dates and issues.

To get "official" (and sometimes useful)information on your state legislators andgovernment, follow these links:

Connecticut— www.state.ct.us/Massachusetts— www.state.ma.us/Maine— www.state.me.us/New Hampshire— www.state.nh.us/Rhode Island— www.state.ri.us/Vermont—www.state.vt.us/

Each contains information on your repre-sentative and her voting record, committeeassignments, etc. In addition, you can also

Guide to Politicscontinued from page 13

Continued on page 32

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nizant that they represent the newwave of trail users, and that comeswith its own baggage. He says officialsat Maudsley State Park in Newburyporthold off-road cyclists to a higher stan-dard of responsibility, though there'sno documented reason to do so.

"You'll never see dogs banned from thewoods, even if some pit bull tears apartanother dog into little pieces - some-how, that's sacred," says Streeter. "Buta mountain biker zooming past a groupof walkers, that sets off an emotionalthing."

Signs of unrest

Helen Bethel, executive director of theManchester Conservation Trust, saysshe doesn't have any problem withmountain bikers and equestrians usingdesignated trails. But there are a num-ber of trails that snake through theroughly 400 acres managed by hergroup that have been deemed off limitsto bikes and horses.

"Unfortunately, there are renegade bik-ers that think no trail should be offlimits," says Bethel.

The problem of mountain bikers sneak-ing onto banned trails is exacerbatedby the fact that two "No Biking" signsby the head of the Ancient Line Trailhave been torn down, presumably bycyclists, she says. The result is thatother cyclists, unaware that the trail isclosed to them, ride it. A similar signbanning horses was left untouched.

"We want to keep the lines of commu-nication open, but we've got to haveresponsible behavior," says Bethel.

At the heart of this problem is the defi-nition of the word "suitable" as itapplies to trails and trail users. Clearly,some of the trails that the ManchesterConservation Trust has deemed unsuit-able for mountain bikes are consideredgreat places to ride by more advancedoff-road cyclists.

"Some hikers, especially the older ones,have the perception that bicycles causemore damage, but studies have shownthat bikes and foot travel do the sameamount of damage," says Tieger. "Wesuffer from the perception that bikesare more damaging, and it colors the

relationship in a bad way."

There is a second problem of percep-tion for mountain bikers - MadisonAvenue. Tieger says television advertis-ing, showing mountain bikers actingand riding recklessly, has done a disser-vice to the group.

"It's no wonder that mainstreamAmerica, middle America, sees moun-tain bikers as a bunch of yahoos out inthe woods," he says. "It takes anenlightened person to see the realmountain bikers."

Signs of progress

Despite the impressions created bymodern-day advertising, Curiale andRuth McClain, treasurer for ECTA, saythey've witnessed a revelation in trail-side relations.

"In the last two years, I've seen atremendous improvement in the rela-tionship between equestrians andmountain bikers," says Curiale.

"The word is getting out - people cancooperatively share the trails," saysMcClain, adding that ECTA memberscongratulated Thorne at a meeting lastfall for the positive influence well-man-nered mountain bikers have brought tothe mix. "I really have to credit the bik-ing organizations and the bike shopowners."

Several landmark meetings with EssexCounty land managers - including rep-resentatives from Essex CountyGreenbelt, The Trustees ofReservations, state forest and park offi-cials, and local trail user groups - havehelped spark ongoing dialogue andimprove relationships between all par-ties. In areas such as Gloucester'sDogtown and Lynn Woods, mountainbikers have received some credit fordiscouraging less-desirable types fromloitering. Tarr says the same holds forhikers and equestrians.

"The bad guys are everywhere, peoplewho use the woods as a dumpingground, drug users, partyers" says Tarr."The best way to keep them out of thewoods is to have good people in there."

Since responsible trail users can alsoserve as the eyes and ears of localauthorities, Tarr would like to see the

Share the Trailscontinued from page 14

Guide to Politicscontinued from last page

learn more about various state agencies that have animpact on outdoor activity, such as theMassachusetts Department of EnvironmentalManagement:www.magnet.state.ma.us/dem/dem.htm. (At this siteyou can also search for the state parks that allowmountain biking and then pull up a description ofthat park.)

federal issues and elections. In addition to their Website, which has information on both federal and statelevel officials and elections, Vote Smart's publishesthe "Voter's Self-Defense Manual" and "U.S.Government: Owner's Manual." Both containCongressional members' contact information, positionstatements, performance evaluations, voting records,and campaign finance contributions, and both can bedownloaded from Vote Smart's Web site: www.vote-smart.org.

For official info on your Congressional representatives,try THOMAS (thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas2.html) orwww.house.gov/ or www.senate.gov/. For more onvarious Federal agencies, try the Federal InformationCenter: fic.info.gov/.

Democracy Net, though still under construction,promises to work in conjunction with the League ofWomen Voters to provide detailed information onraces across the country (and around the world):www.democracynet.org.

For a look at the future of voter information on theWeb, check out the California Voter Foundation, apioneer in the field: www.calvoter.org.

bicycling and environmental issues. Look to theLeague of Conservation Voters for info on how yourrepresentative in Congress voted (www.lcv.org/score-cards/), and the Sierra Club for a broader perspectiveon politics and the environment(www.sierraclub.org/politics/) or www.vote-smart.org/issues/ENVIRONMENT for Vote Smart'sscorecard.

For breaking issues in Congress, try:mail.igc.apc.org/nrdc/field/state.html.

For specific information on the primary bicycling issueon the federal level (formerly called ISTEA, now calledTEA-21), try: www.outdoorlink.org/bikes-istea. Forinformation on Massachusetts bicycle issues, try theMassachusetts Bicycle Coalition atwww.massbike.org/lawlegis/lawlegis.htm. (If anyoneknows the sites for other states, please write andwe'll publish it!)

Ken White, NEMBA Memba #45, confirmed grouch,and a board member of Common CauseMassachusetts, reminds Massachusetts voters thatQuestion 2 on this November's ballot deals with cam-paign finance reform.

Why a Patrol?continued from page <None>

33

woods opened throughout theyear, even during dry spellswhen the threat of forest firesis high. He recalls a fire nearPigeon Cove last year that wasuncovered "by a couple of bik-ers that didn't know theyshouldn't be in there. Theyreported it, and the thanksthey got was catching hell forbeing in the woods."

North Shore NEMBA recentlyimplemented an "adopt yourfavorite riding area" program,in which members monitortrail conditions, communicatewith the property man-agers/owners and other trailusers, and deal with any situa-tion affecting access.

Education is key

The one item that all trailgroups agree on is education.In their efforts to expandmembership, ECTA officials aredrawing up trail use etiquetteguidelines for equestrians andother users alike. It's essential,says McClain, that equestriansdon't assume that other trailusers are aware of the unpre-dictable nature of horses.

"One of our missions is toeducate people," says McClain."Horses are all very different,so when you come upon themyou never know what toexpect."

"The mountain biker has tounderstand the mind of thehorse," says Curiale. "When amountain biker comes aroundthe corner, even at five or 10miles an hour, the horse does-n't know what it is and canreact, can spook."

The results can endanger rider,horse and mountain bikeralike.

Cycling organizations such asNEMBA and the InternationalMountain BicyclingAssociation also have well-established rules governingcorrect off-road biking behav-ior (see related story). PhilipKeyes, executive director ofNEMBA, in a recent address to

members, wrote: "Withoutmountain trails, we're notmountain bikers. That's whywe must join together andbecome trail advocates. That'swhy mountain bikers mustbecome mountain stewards."

Tieger says he'd like to see bikeshops take a more active rolein educating prospective buy-ers on the rules of the trail.

"It has to start at the point ofsale," he says. "Otherwise,they'll be selling mountainbikes to people who can onlyride them on the road."

Thorne agrees, but says shopemployees also have to beconcerned about a myriad ofissues, such as whether thebike was properly assembledand the buyer knows how toride it. He says he'd like to seeparents become more involvedin trail education.

Further, Thorne says leaders ofthe Essex County Velo grouprides from member shops inHamilton, Gloucester,Manchester and Newburyporttry to impart basic rules of thetrail, leading by example.

Despite the disparate trailuses, and corresponding view-points, one essential truthremains for all groups.

"We all have to work together,support each other, to getmore trails open and take careof them once they're open,"says Tarr. "It's the old goldenrule - treat the land as if itwere your own land."

Brion O'Connor is an editor atthe Salem Evening News, andan assistant editor at TheRide. He is also an avid moun-tain biker, and belongs to theEssex County TrailsAssociation, the Trustees ofReservations, Essex CountyVelo, the New EnglandMountain Bike Associationand the InternationalMountain BicyclingAssociation.

maintenance programs are part of the mountain bike community’seffort to show that we are responsible and legitimate trail users.The purpose of the NEMBP is to educate and assist all trail users aswell as help land managers in the operations of the park. This isconsistent with NEMBA’s charter of educating off road cyclists andpromoting responsible, sustainable trail use.

Although mountain bike patrols never perform enforcementduties, it is easy to see how members of the NEMBP could be seenas enforcers because we wear very recognizable and visible uni-forms and communicate the park regulations. The NEMBP tellspeople about the current park regulations as established by theland managers because the first step to following the rules isknowing them. We believe that riding in the local parks is a valu-able privilege, and, even if we do not always agree with the landmanagers’ decisions, the best way to bring about change is byshowing that we can abide by them. It is a consistent criticism ofmountain bikers that we do not follow the rules. Even if the rulesare seen as "unfair" by the mountain biking community, floutingthe rules is only counterproductive when it comes time to sitdown with the land management and talk about policy changes.So, even though NEMBP members follow the park regulations atall times and let other mountain bikers know about the rules, wedo not necessarily believe they are right and do not enjoy tellingother cyclists about them.

What mountain bike patrollers enjoy is getting out to ride and talkwith and help other people who are out for a ride. Patrollers loveriding and see their involvement with the NEMBP as a way to giveback to the parks they use while having fun. Most will stop tohelp with directions or lend a tool even when they not officially"on duty". Many Patrollers are also trained in trail maintenancetechniques and perform minor maintenance such as clearing blow-downs or drainage while riding, and report more major mainte-nance needs to the NEMBA Trail Maintenance Coordinators and tothe land managers. All Patrollers are certified in CPR and at leastbasic first aid and carry cellular phones for contacting emergencyagencies when necessary.

One of the arguments against the need for mountain bike patrolsis that mountain bikers form a sort of "fraternity" and look out foreach other. While this may be true, it is unlikely that manymountain bikers are as well trained, equipped, and organized todeal with trailside emergencies and to educate newcomers to thesport as members of mountain bike patrols. There is no doubtingthe sincerity and well-meaning nature of most riders, but withoutthe proper supplies and knowledge it can be difficult to be aresource in times of need.

I hope this article has helped dispel some misconceptions aboutmountain bike patrols and helped you understand some of what’sand why’s of patrolling. Next time you see a patrol jersey pleasedon’t think you’re about to get your ear talked off about "this ruleand that rule". You might get a capsule summary of the park regu-lations and a map of the area, but I hope you’ll get to talk aboutmountain biking and maybe learn a riding or maintenance tip ortwo. I also hope you’ll find that most patrollers are "bike nuts" (Iknow I am, I’m running out of room to keep bikes and bike parts inmy apartment). Happy trails…

34

Haas and others agreed patrols at the MDC reservoirs in WestHartford are particularly beneficial since the area is one of themost well-known biking areas in the state, and one of the firstplaces new cyclists are likely to go for their inaugural ride. TheMDC reservoir property has more than 30 miles of roads and trailssnaking past pristine lakes and through wooded forests. "It's aprime example of a place where a mountain bike patrol is reallyeffective, where they can be really visible, where they can stopand meet and greet the riders and educate the riders about thetrails" Haas said. As a sport, mountain biking is one of the fastestgrowing outdoor recreation activities, out distancing golf in termsof general participation, according to the Sporting GoodsManufacturer's Association, which also estimates that 10 millionadults in the United States ride their bikes off road at least sixtimes a year. Mountain biking has been around since 1975, whenthe first fat-tire bike was sold in California. The sport grew slowly,at first with only a few thousand bikes sold each year. By 1983,the number of mountain bikes Sold in the United States reached200,000, and by the end of 1995 that figure reached 42 million,according to the International Mountain Bicycling Association.The sale of mountain bikes since 1990 has surpassed that of roadbikes, with about eight million bikes sold each year to adults inthe United States.

But the growing number of mountain bikers has resulted in heavycriticism of cyclists who are blamed by hikers, walkers, horsebackriders and others for every thing from rude behavior to erosion."Mountain biking is not the most well regarded sport" Smith said"There are a lot of negative stereotypes we are trying to workagainst... like Mountain Dew ads showing crazy yahoos jumpingoff cliffs with little regard for their safety or anyone else's. That's aminority of users but because we all look alike- Lycra, helmets,glasses- its difficult to tell one from the other, so our primaryfocus is safe 'and shared use of the property." And educating peo-ple about MDC's concerns about liability. While there have beenno mountain biking deaths on the MDC property this year, a 54-

year-old bicyclist was found dead in Penwood State Park late lastmonth. Carlisle "Bud" Lustenberger of 26 Ridge Road, Simsbury,died of multiple blunt traumas. His body was discovered by ahiker at the bottom of a Rocky Cliff after the hiker noticedLustenberger's Cannondale~SX800 mountain bike caught in treesjust off the Metacomet Trail. Officials from the state Departmentof Environmental Protection said Lustenberger had dropped about200 feet about 24 hours before the hikers found him. The causewas still being determined earlier this month, but the DEP saidthe incident was accidental.

Dick Allen, manager of water treatment at 'the MDC, acknowl-edged the vast majority of cyclists obey the-safety rules and"operate as our 'eyes and ears' and get to places we don't see. It'sa benefit to have bikers on the premises." But he also said so-called renegade bikers are still a concern, whether they ride thewrong way on a paved trail or do more damage such as rippingdown signs or coming on the property after-hours. He said he wasskeptical that the mountain bike patrol would make a difference.

"There was some skepticism, only in respect if they could getenough people to patrol the area, and to approach it in a non-confrontational manner," Allen said. "I haven't had a single com-plaint. The lack of that kind of feedback tells me they areapproaching people properly." The patrollers don't have theauthority to ticket offenders, and at this point are only allowed toapproach other cyclists. The majority, patrollers said, react posi-tively when asked to put on a helmet. Many, Staley said, simplyare unaware of the new rules and already have helmets goingunused in the back seats of their cars, "We don't see them aspolice in the woods," said Jennifer Lamb, of the InternationalMountain Bicycling Association based in Colorado, which has 27affiliated bike patrols in the United States. "We see their functionas one of education and assistance. They are out there to informfolks on the trails where they can ride, where they can help some-one who is lost or injured, and where they can inform land man-agers of spots where trails work."

Labor of Love, CT Patrolcontinued from page 23

chewed the fat about tires, downhill racing, and mountain bikingin Europe with quiet teammate Kim Sonier. Apparently when youride by hikers on the trail in Europe, instead of yelling AT you,they jump out of your way and cheer you on, like a much-herald-ed athlete!

Missy Giove joined us and we hung out for a long time talkingabout good trails near Mount Snow, backcountry skiing inColorado, and her involvement with advocacy in Durango. She'ssuch a character - asking Missy a question is like starting anavalanche. I've never met someone with so much energy before inmy life. No wonder she's so fast on the trail!

The Connecticut natives, John Turchi and Kerry Combs, hung outwith the crew until the cows came home, while Bill Boles, PeterBrandenburg, Ed Clausson, and I left back for Boston. Our NewYork guest, Patrick Lau, managed to sneak into the Cannondaleteam van for a photo with Tinker and Missy before he left! Andwe all went home thinking that's a pretty cool place, and somepretty cool people.

Cannondale Team Party...continued from page 6

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NEMBA rides are led by individual NEMBA members for other members and prospective members. So if you haven’t yet joined NEMBA, pleasedo. Rides are usually for small numbers of people and vary with the location and the personal style of the host. Rides have been known tochange location or time at the last moment. So be sure to call the ride’s leader, both to sign up, and to find out more about the ride. If youcommit to a ride, go, since space is limited. That way the rides will stay manageable and be enjoyable for everyone. Helmets are required onall NEMBA rides. Contact the ride leader if the weather looks questionable.

Note: During the Winter, some NEMBA rides change into ski or snowshoe tours if riding is not possible.

HEY! - Why nor lead a NEMBA ride, Ski or snowshoe tour yourself? Contact Bill Boles at 508-583-0067 or nembabill@yahoo.com for moreinofrmation.

(*) Indicates a Friends of the Blue Hills ride. (**) Indicates a Blue Hills Trail Watch ride.

(d) Indicates a weekday daytime ride. (sk) Indicates a possible ski tour.

(sn) Indiactes a possible snowshoe tour.

N E M B A R I D E S E R I E SBill Boles

Cape Cod & Islands10/14 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480710/18 Cape Cod Int. & Adv. Int. Cape NEMBA 508-564-480710/18 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490510/21 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480710/25 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490510/28 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480711/01 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490511/04 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480711/07 Pocasset Beginner Ted Rowan 508-540-220011/08 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490511/11 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480711/14 Pocasset Beginner Ted Rowan 508-540-220011/15 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490511/18 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480711/22 Cape Cod Int. & Adv. Int. Cape NEMBA 508-564-480711/22 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490511/25 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480711/29 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490512/02 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480712/05 Pocasset Beginner Ted Rowan 508-540-220012/06 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490512/09 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480712/12 Pocasset Beginner Ted Rowan 508-540-220012/13 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490512/16 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480712/20 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490512/20 Cape Cod Int. & Adv. Int. Cape NEMBA 508-564-480712/23 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480712/27 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490512/30 Pocasset Intermediate True Wheels 508-564-480701/03 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490501/10 Vineyard Intermediate David Whitmon 508-693-490501/17 Cape Cod Int. & Adv. Int. Cape NEMBA 508-564-4807

Central, Wachuset & Western Mass 10/11 Shelburne Falls Intermediate John Dudek 413-772-049610/15 Wachusett Intermediate Richard Donoghue 978-545-155110/17 Wachusett Adv. Intermediate Richard Donoghue 978-545-155111/14 Wachusett Adv. Intermediate Richard Donoghue 978-545-155111/15 Mt. Toby SF Intermediate Rus Benson 413-774-779012/06 Wendell SF Intermediate Bike?Ski John Dudek 413-772-0496(sk)01/10 Wendell SF Intermediate Bike?Ski John Dudek 413-772-0496(sk)

NEM

BA Rides are for N

EMBA

Mem

bas!Call 1-800-57-N

EMBA

to join.

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Connecticut & Rhode Island10/14 W. Hartford Res. Intermediate Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)10/19 Hamden, Brooksvale Park Intermediate Alex Sokolow 203-281-078910/21 W. Hartford Res. Advanced Int. Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)10/26 Branford, Supply Ponds Nov.-Int. Alex Sokolow 203-281-078910/28 W. Hartford Res. Beginner Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)10/31 ??? Mystery Ride Intermediate John Turchi 203-653-503811/04 W. Hartford Res. Intermediate Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)11/11 W. Hartford Res. Advanced Int. Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)11/18 W. Hartford Res. Beginner Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)11/25 W. Hartford Res. Advanced Int. Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)11/27 Turkey Burner Special Novice John Turchi 203-653-503812/02 W. Hartford Res. Advanced Int. Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)12/09 W. Hartford Res. Beginner Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)12/16 W. Hartford Res. Intermediate Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)12/23 W. Hartford Res. Advanced Int. Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)12/30 W. Hartford Res. Beginner Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)01/06 W. Hartford Res. Intermediate Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)01/13 W. Hartford Res. Advanced Int. Charlie Beristan 860-521-7188(d)

Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont10/98-01/98 Randon Dates/Places SNEMBA Rides Jason Record 603-742-9462

Metro Boston, Merrimac & North Shore10/17 Wilmington Beg & Adv. Beginner Andy Good 978-998-977510/18 Dracut State Forest Intermediate Mark Bialas 978-452-159010/24 Wilmington Beg & Adv. Beginner Andy Good 978-998-977510/31 Wilmington Beg & Adv. Beginner Andy Good 978-998-977511/01 Townsend State Forest Intermediate Norman Blanchette 978-453-921211/15 Dracut State Forest Intermediate Scott Noring 978-957-903111/21 Blue Hills Novice MDC 617-689-1802**11/21 Groton State Forest Intermediate Norman Blanchette 978-453-921211/29 Dracut State Forest Intermediate Mark Bialas 978-452-159012/12 Blue Hills Intermediate MDC 617-689-1802**12/13 Carlisle State Forest Intermediate Norman Blanchette 978-453-9212(sk)12/19 Dracut State Forest Intermediate Scott Noring 978-957-9031(sk)12/27 Dracut State Forest Intermediate Mark Bialas 978-452-1590(sk)

South Shore & Metrowest Boston10/13 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251210/15 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)10/17 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245310/18 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446910/20 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251210/21 Bridgewater Novice & Intermediate Bill Boles 508-583-006710/22 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)10/24 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245310/25 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446910/27 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251210/29 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)10/31 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245311/01 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446911/03 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251211/05 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)11/07 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245311/08 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446911/10 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251211/12 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)11/14 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-2453

So Many Rides...... So Little Tim

e.......

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11/15 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446911/17 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251211/18 Bridgewater Novice & Intermediate Bill Boles 508-583-006711/19 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)11/21 Blue Hills Novice MDC 617-689-1802**11/21 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245311/22 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446911/24 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251211/28 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245311/29 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446912/01 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251212/03 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)12/05 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245312/06 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446912/06 Middleboro Intermediate Bill Egan 781-293-727912/08 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251212/10 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)12/12 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245312/13 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446912/15 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251212/16 Bridgewater Novice & Intermediate Bill Boles 508-583-006712/17 Callahan S.F. Intermediate Jeff Gallo 508-877-2028(d)12/19 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-245312/20 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446912/22 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251212/27 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446902/29 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251201/01 8th Annual Hangover Beater Adv. Intermediate Bill Boles 508-583-006701/03 SE Mass Advanced Int. Bike Barn 781-447-446901/05 Wompatuck SF Intermediate Paul Peasley 781-925-251201/09 Foxboro SF Women’s Adv. Novice & Int Wombats 508-643-2453

NEM

BA Rides are for N

EMBA

Mem

bers!

These ride categories are only general guidelines. You should ask the leader exactly what type of ride he or she is planning interms of distance, pace and technicality. Also, be realistic about your level of riding skills and don’t join a ride that is beyondyour present ability or fitnes level.

Kids/Family: 2-10 miles, usually easy pace & terrain. These rides are aimed at parents with young children.Beginner: 2-7 miles, easy terrain, easy pace. These rides are aimed at riders with little or no riding experience.Novice: 4-8 miles, mellow pace, easy terrain, frequent stops.Advanced Novice: 6-10 miles, mellow pace, either mostly easy terrain, or could be technical terrain done slowly,

frequent stops.Intermediate: 12-20 miles, moderately technical, somewhat faster pace, occasional stops and bail out points.

Intermediate rides are designed for people who ride frequently, and have some skills, but whoprobably don't enter races.

Advanced Intermediate: The same as intermediate except faster and harder terrain.Advanced: 20-30 miles, high technical difficulty, fast pace, few stops or chances to bail out. These rides are

intended for advanced riders or racers who would like to go for a challenging ride at lessthan an all out race pace.

Women’s rides: Can be any level of difficulty. Call for more information.

Ski & Snowshoe events can be any level. Check with the leader.

38

JOIN NEMBA’S HEROES

Master Trail Builders$1000+Bill Boles

Trail Builders $500Al FarrellKrisztina Holly

Benefactors $250+Richard DonoghueMichael & WinnieGnazzoPeat KrimminRick Smith

Sponsors $100+Andrew & CarolynCoffinRoxanne K.CunninghamPenny DavidsonTom DoucetteDavid & Tammie DunnNeale & BenjaminEcksteinSusan EdwardsDavid Eggleton FamilyTim EliassenRichard FletcherBob GirvinDorothy HeldBob HicksEric JohnsonStuart Johnstone

Philip & Nanyee KeyesEric LorentzenMark T. LudersMarla MarkowskiDavid MarkunRobert McNeishCarolyn & Scott MenzelDonald O. MorinDan MurphyDavid M. ReichmanE.C. RobertsonMichael SalernoAllison SalkeRichard SchatzbergDon & Kristen SeibMitchell SteinbergDan StreeterJohn TrudeauRichard Warner

Supporters $50+John AldersonJim AmidonMark T. AndersonPaul AngiolilloJared BergeronJeff BerlinScott BerryNorman BlanchetteStephen P. BoninCharles BrackettPeter BrandenburgScott & Laurie BriereTim & Hilary Bugbee

Regina BurtonHolly CampbellBrian & Isabel CaseSteve & Lauren ClarkeSteve CobbleJoe CristaldiTom DeakinsHunt DureyJeffery C. EddyVictor EvdokimoffHans FernsebnerRobert FerrellBruce FinaSteven A. FuchsJerry GeriboDan GlassClyde GourleyMatt GuffeyKenneth HanRichard HicksJohn R. HoffmanMario IppolitoDavid IwatsukiMargaret & J. JellyWes JewettBob JordanDavid KleinschmidtEero KolaSharon LambRobert A. LevinsonJohn LevyScott LewisJoyce LockertJohn Lockwood

Ronald G. MacDonaldChris McGrathR. Pfetsch and BrianMcKellerMyles McPartlandFred MollicaPhil O'DonnellJoseph OrtolevaTrish PalmiereJohn A. PewsPeter & Kim ProctorChris & Diane RanneyCharles RatcliffeMarian ReynoldsJill RynkowskiJonathan SainsburyJonathan SalingerHarvey SerrezeAnne ShepardBrian SmithJoe StadelmannKarl W. SteinbrecherAndrew ThompsonPatty & Paul TravaglinoJohn TurchiConrado VellveGlenn VernesLeonard A. WeissCarl H. WeymouthGary T. WhittemoreMark WickershamD. Froehlich & K. YoungD. Chin & SueZimmermann

NEMBA is fortunate to have a membership which cares deeply about mountain biking, the environmentand our organization. These folks are NEMBA’s Heroes, and we hope that you’ll join their ranks. Yourdonations and membership are fully tax-deductible to the full extent of the law, and we urge you to con-tribute what you can. We thank all our members and supporters in keeping NEMBA financially strong, sothat we may better serve New England’s trails.

New England Mountain Bike PatrolSponsorsThe all volunteer New England Mountain Bike Patrol is a programof the New England Mountain Bike Association, a not-for-profitorganization dedicated to the ideal of responsible, sustainable trailuse and the preservation of recreation opportunities for off-roadcyclists. As such we are dependent on the generous support ofour sponsors to help offset the costs of producing educationalmaterials and maps and providing training, equipment, and sup-plies for Patrollers. The Greater Boston Unit of the Patrol is deeplygrateful to SCHWINN for financial support and tools and supplies.We thank the Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates MedfordCenter for providing first aid supplies and training for Patrollersand Metropolitan District Commission personnel, especially SteveOullette and Kevin Tucker, for providing first aid and CPR trainingfor Patrollers. We are also thankful to Pilgrim Ale, the MDC, theMassachusetts Department of Environmental Management, the

City of Lynn, NEMBA, IMBA, Rock Shox, and Moore MedicalSupplies. The Connecticut Patrol is thankful for the support theyreceive from Cannondale for supplying packs, water bottles andjerseys (at cost) and the donation of a Super V 2000 for a fundraising raffle. St Francis Care provided first aid training and sup-plies as well as funding.

While the Patrol is grateful for the support we have received ourexpanding operations require more resources and we are solicitingsupport from other sponsors. If you or someone you know wouldbe interested in supporting the Patrols' efforts by donating goods,services, or funds or providing discounts to Patrollers for goods orservices please contact Erik Evensen at 617-776-5020 or by e-mailat erik@avalon.harvard.edu. We could especially use help with theprinting of our educational materials and reducing our cellularphone expenses. —Erik Evensen

39

Dealer Members$1000Belmont Wheel Works, Belmont MA Bikebarn, Whitman MA

$500Mystic Cycle Center, Mystic CT $250Bicycle Junction, Pembroke MA

$150 - 200Cycle Loft, Burlington MAMean Wheels Bike Shop, Lenox MAGear Works Cyclery, Leominster MAEpicycle, N. Attleboro MAVictory Cycles, Wyoming RITravis Cycle, Brockton MABay Road Bikes, S. Hamilton MAWakefield Cyclery, Wakefield MA

$100Benidorm Bikes & Snowboards, Canton CTBicycle Bill, Allston MABike Express, Randolph MA

Central Wheel, Farmington CTFrank’s Spoke N’ Wheel, Sudbury MAPig Iron Bicycle Works, Glastonbury CTSilver City Bicycles, Inc. Raynham MASummit Mountain Bike Supply, Canton CTThe Bike Shop, Inc. Manchester CTTony’s Cyclery, Dover NHTrue Wheels, Pocasset MAVillage Cycles, Buzzards Bay MAWethersfield Bicycle, Wethersfield CTWheel Power, Exeter NHYankee Pedaler, Hudson MA

Industry Members$2000 PlusCannondale, Georgetown CTEastern Mountain Sports, Peterborough NHMerlin Metalworks, Cambridge MA Seven Cycles ,Watertown MA Ted Wojcik Custom Bicycles, Hampstead NH

$400-1000Back Country Excursions of Maine, Limerick MEEastern Fat Tire Association

IMBA, Boulder CORhygin Racing Cycles, Charlestown MARock Shox, San Jose CASchwinn Cycling & Fitness, Wakefield MA The Ride Magazine, Woburn MA

$200-250Bicycling, Emmaus PADirt Rag Magazine, Pittsburg PADowneast Bicycle Specialists, Fryeburg MELowrider Promotions, Cavendish VTMorning Dew Espresso, North Conway NHMountain Bike, Emmaus PAPilgrim Ale, Hudson MARedbones, Somerville MARock Shox, San Jose CASpecialized, Morgan Hill CA

$50-100Peter White Cycles, Acton MAParamount Mobile Bike Repair, Somerville MA

SOS: Support Our Sponsors. They Support Us!

Membership ApplicationJoining NEMBA is one of the most important things you can do to help preserve New England trails and keepmountain biking part of the New England outdoor experience. We are a non-profit 501 c 3 organization dedi-cated to maintaining trails and educating mountain bicyclists to ride sensibly and responsibly. We need yoursupport to accomplish these goals.

With your membership you will receive a membership handbook and card, a NEMBA sticker for your bike orcar, and six issues of our bi-monthly newsletter, SingleTracks. NEMBA membership will open up to you hun-dreds of different places to ride through out New England. You'll also receive the satisfaction of knowing thatyou are helping the trails on which you ride!

Name _________________________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________

City ____________________________________________ State _______ Zip _____________________

Homephone _____________________________ Chapter _______________________________________

At Large Berkshires Blackstone Valley MA Cape Cod & Islands CT NEMBAGreater Boston Merrimack MA North Shore MA Seacoast ME/NH Shays NEMBASoutheast MA Rhode Island Vermont Wachusett MA White Mtns NH

New:____ Renewal: ____ Visa/MC# _________________________________________ exp__________

Individual $20 ______ Family $30 ______ Supporting $50 _____ Sponsoring $100_____

Benefactor $250_____ Trail Builder $500 ______ Master Trail Builder $1000 ______

Dealer Memberships:Basic $100 _____ Supporting $200_____ Benefactor $500_____ Lifetime $1500_____

Industry Memberships:Basic $75_____ Supporting $100 _____ Benefactor $500_____

Mail to: NEMBA, PO Box 2221, Acton MA 0172010-98

(Rich Donoghue)

(Jason Record)

New England Mountain Bike AssociationPO Box 2221Acton MA 01720

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PaidPermit #148

Plattsburgh, NY

A NEMBA MEMBER

We’re Mountain Bike Central!

Here’s an invitation to all Mountain Bikers tovisit the spectacular White Mountains. We’renestled in the National Forest, and you can

ride endless miles of awesome downhill, singletrack, and wide open trailsright from our door. When you return, relax in our outdoor heated jacuzzi,laze in our cool mountain stream, or take a refreshing dip in our 40’ pool!

•Secure indoor bike storage •Rentals & Parts Available•Hose-down area with workstand •Guided Rides•Discounts available at local bikeshops with NEMBA membership

•Non-smoking •Three diamond AAA •All Rooms with private bath and phones •10% Discount to NEMBA Members!

Also ask about our independent hostel • Rates start at $17 including breakfast

Call us! 1-800-356-3596 603-356-2044www.cml1.com Email: mtnbike@cml1.com