President's Report, April, 2006
| President/Treasurer: | Rich Kordell 508 263-9227 |
Ride Coordinator: | Jeff Gallo |
|---|
Area Reps
| Callahan State Park: | Anne Shepard | Hodges Village Dam: | Eammon Carleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam: | John Goeller | Hale Reservation: | Jack Maxwell |
| Douglas State Forest: | Steve Barnes | Upton State Forest: | Jeff Gallo |
The Blackstone Valley NEMBA Area Reps met to get ready for the 2006 riding and trail care season. We have some exciting plans in the works.
We will be running our fifth (!) annual Women’s Mountain Bike Skills Clinic this year on May 6, 2006. This year we’re moving the event to the Rayburn Trails in Millbury MA. Once again we have an excellent group of volunteer leaders: Andy Snow and Lydia Barter from Team Bike Alley, Blackstone Valley’s Anne Shepard, Team Bum’s Mary Misiaszek and Laura Zimmer. There will be groups for various experience level:
- Beginners – focus on bike positioning, shifting, easy climbs, easy descending, braking.
- Intermediate – focus on gearing for climbing and descending, approaching and going over logs – hills a bit tougher that beginner level.
- Advanced – rocky descents, small drops, hop-ups, rock gardens.
You must be pre-registered to attend. Attendance will be limited in number and open to NEMBA members only.
Several trail care projects are already scheduled and will be part of the Merlin Trail Care Series. Even if you don’t normally ride the trails at these locations, it’s a great opportunity to meet those that do, lend a hand and maybe get out for a ride.
- April 23 (Sunday) - Hale Reservation, Dover, MA. Contact Jack Maxwell.
- May 6 (Saturday) - Hodges Village Dam, Oxford, MA. Contact Eammon Carleton.
- May 9, (Tuesday PM) – Viet Nam, Milford MA. Contact John Goeller.
- June 3 (Saturday) - Hodges Village Dam, Oxford, MA. Contact Eammon Carleton. This is National Trails Day.
- June 13 (Tuesday PM) – Viet Nam, Milford MA. Contact John Goeller.
Additional details and contact information can be found on our website.
On the topic of trail care, we will also be acquiring a number of new tools for our chapter.
Our “HUFF” series rides has always been popular with our members. We will maintain the Wednesday evening schedule and keep the same HUFF (Hodges, Upton, Framingham, and Floater) locations. You just need to show up and be ready to go by 6:00 PM. Pace varies according to who shows up, and often we will split into groups of different speeds and technical abilities. All are welcome. As always, we encourage our members to suggest alternate places for floaters. Jeff Gallo will continue to serve as the ride series coordinator.
Traditionally, our official ride series kicks off on the first Wednesday following the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. That will be Wednesday, April 5 at Hodges Village, weather permitting. Mark your calendar.
Keep an eye on the website, e-mail announcements and NEMBA Forum for rides. And don’t hesitate to post your own announcements. I’m sure people are always looking for new places and new people to ride with.
Rich