BV NEMBA Prez Eammon Carleton Says
May, 2008

The weather is warmer, the trees are greener and throughout the forests of New England you can hear the sounds of bicycle gears being shifted, squealing brakes and trail building activities as our season gets underway. It is springtime and that means time to dust off the bikes, lube the chains and brush up on those skills we left dormant through the winter. This means a few inevitable spills and some frustration as we remember how things work and of course smiles and laughter as we reacquaint ourselves with friends we may not have seen for a few months and share stories of our off-season adventures. Look around you, it’s happening now, get out and become a part of it.

Blackstone Valley NEMBA is a part of this excitement. We’re holding group rides every Wednesday night at locations throughout the area. We’ve already held one full day trail care event at Vietnam. Our Tuesday night trail work at Vietnam has become a popular after work stress reliever for many people. We also just held our annual women’s skills clinic and for the first time a companion ride for spouses and boyfriends. It’s been busy here in the valley and it’s only May!

Looking ahead into the season we’re not backing off our pace. We will continue our Wednesday rides, weather permitting on a weekly basis, details will be posted on the BVNEMBA home page every week. On Tuesday evenings a hard working crew of volunteers will meet at Vietnam to work on a variety of projects aimed at repairing and improving the trails on NEMBA’s property, for more information see the posts on the NEMBA website forums. We have several more major trail events scheduled at Vietnam and at other parks through the season as well and you can find more information on both the chapter and main NEMBA websites. Don’t forget that attending any of our trail care events this year will enter you in a raffle to win a new Trek Fuel X8, Trek Top Fuel 69’er or a Sinister GRUITR frame.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your bike, a shovel, and a few friends and come join us at one of our events. You’ll have a good time, possibly learn some new skills or techniques or help someone else learn, make some new friends and experience a part of what makes mountain biking in New England an unforgettable experience. Happy trails, keep the rubber side down!