Passion Spring News #11

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Today's Topics:

1. National Trail Day June 7th: Waterdog Care and Trimming
2. Soquel Forest may reopen soon after Summit fire
3. New ECdM trail map with ratings
4. Team Luna Chix Mountain Biking Clinics
5. Wednesday rides reminders




1. National Trail Day June 7th: Waterdog Care and Trimming

Please join us and help us recruit for this upcoming project! Care and Trimming of Waterdog Park will start at 9:30am, Saturday June 7th and end around noon. We need your help to celebrate this important date when trail lovers all across the nation give back to the parks that keep us smiling!

We are noticing that despite a fairly dry spring, we have a lot of vigorous growth along the singletrack in Waterdog that is making shades, gloves and long sleeves darn near mandatory. Belmont has decided to help boost our productivity by providing a hedge trimmer to speed the process of hacking back the vegetation.

We need helpers to use loppers on the thick stuff, and rakes and other implements of destruction to move cut brush off the trail. We will probably concentrate our efforts on the John Brooks and Rambler Trails high up in the park, making the trails wide enough to be able to stay out of the brush and pass other users.

Please sign up for this important project, and recruit your friends! Food and refreshment will be provided at the trailhead in the morning, as well as back at the shop afterwards.

Please sign up at www.trailworkers.com so we can plan ahead. Thanks for your support!

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2. Soquel Forest may reopen soon after Summit fire

Currently Soquel Demonstration State Forest is still closed to public use following the firefighting operations related to the Summit Fire. CalFire anticipates that remaining hot spots and hazard trees will be dealt with shortly and visitors can return to enjoy the trails.

For updates on trail closure status, please visit this thread on MTBR.com.

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3. New ECdM trail map with ratings

Patty has been busy updating the map on our website that helps you navigate the complex trail system in El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve. Updated just today, the new map, now shows the new South Leaf Trail connector between Methuselah (914) and gate 8.5. Reports are this trail is AWESOME, if you like highly technical, narrow, steep and rolly polly trails.

Download and print your copy today!

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4. Team Luna Chix Mountain Biking Clinics

TEAM LUNA CHIX BAY AREA INVITES WOMEN TO GET OUT AND RIDE!

This season, join us at two beginner/intermediate mountain bike clinics for women being offered in San Rafael and Oakland:

Sunday, June 1st
Joaquin Miller Park, Main Meadow (Oakland)
9:00-11:00
RSVP by May 27th to bayareamtb@teamlunachix.com.

If you have already registered and received confirmation, you do not need to RSVP again.

Directions: Exit off Hwy 13 onto Joaquin Miller Road, proceed up hill, and take left onto Sanborn Drive to parking lot in the Community Center.

Sunday, June 22nd
China Camp State Park, Main Entrance (San Rafael)
9:00-11:00
RSVP by June 17th to bayareamtb@teamlunachix.com.

If you have already registered and received confirmation, you do not need to RSVP again. Directions: Take the North San Pedro Exit, by the civic center, Stay on North San Pedro Road about 3 miles east of101. Kiosk is on the Right at the beginning of China Camp State Park.

Who: Women of all ages with beginning to intermediate mountain bike skills.

What: A FUN mountain bike clinic that covers the basic skills needed for safe and successful mountain biking. You will finish this clinic amore confident rider--guaranteed! This clinic is taught by the women of TLC MTB who are experienced riders and coaches. Each clinic will include a coached ride where you can practice your new skills.

Cost: Suggested donation of $15 - $20, and 100% goes to Breast Cancer Fund (www.breastcancerfund.org).

What to Bring:
* A bike in good working order. If it's been awhile since you've seen a bike mechanic, it's advisable to do so before the clinic.
* Your helmet and appropriate shoes. You will not be allowed to participate without a helmet.
* Food and water. LUNA bar samples will be provided.

Coming August 2-3:
Special two-day clinic with Alison Dunlap!! A two-time Olympian, Dunlap represented the U.S. in road cycling at the1996 Summer Olympics and mountain biking at the 2000Summer Olympics. She won the World Cross Country Mountain Bike Championship in 2001 and has two Mountain Bike World Cup victories to her credit. This clinic will be geared towards the Intermediate to advanced rider looking to take their skills to the next level. Women who attend this clinic will get one full day of skill building and drills and a second day on the trails with Alison to practice what they've learned. Normally Alison offers these intensive two-day clinics for $300.Since this is a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Fund, we are able to offer this opportunity to women for $150. More details will follow this summer - if you are interested in being alerted when sign up begins, email bayareamtb@teamlunachix.com.

To register for a clinic, email bayareamtb@teamlunachix.com. Thank you for your support! Best, Julie Homan Team LUNA Chix Bay Area Mountain Bike

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5. Wednesday rides reminders

Wow. We drank and entire keg of rootbeer. Hot Dog! And speaking of hot dogs, this Wednesday Patty promises and endless supply of grilled dogs and sausages with all the fixins, including her famous rosemary potatoes as a side dish. Also NOTE the Stragglers ride may have a ride leader this week!

Sunset is at 8:18pm this Wednesday 5/28/08. Come on down and enjoy the twisty narrow singletrack that makes Waterdog famous. All rides start from the shop: Passion Trail Bikes, 415 Old County Road, Belmont, CA 94002 650-620-9798

The EARLY ride group will go out at at 6:15 PM. This ride might consist of people who have been doing a lot of riding this winter and have some juice in their legs. Note this is not a "fast" ride, but our leader is feeling frisky. Regroups will occur, but maybe only at critical intersections. Expect to cover most of the trails in Waterdog, some maybe even twice.

The REGULAR ride group will go out at 6:30 PM. The ride leader will enforce a social pace through trickery or other devious methods. The regular ride is a good group for people who enjoy talking while climbing and perhaps enjoying a moment at the top to take in the views before getting grins on the descents. Expect several loops of the sweet singletrack that defines Waterdog Park. Frequent regroups and maybe even a sweep rider will help keep the pace manageable for all. Extra large groups will split up to reduce the repetition of saying "Howdy, howdy, howdy" when we pass other trail users.

The FBG or Fat Bottomed Girl ride will go out at approximately 6:10 PM. Usually Patty, our resident Fat Bottomed Girl, leads the ride. Sometimes the ride leader is Charles, the Flabby Bellyed Guy. No matter who takes responsibility for this most relaxed outing, you can be assured that we enjoy taking out unfit, unsure, unskilled, or uncompetitive mountain bikers to experience a taste of trail riding. Our mantra is Equal Fun for Everyone! The FBG ride goes about half as far as the regular ride, maybe only doing a single short loop. More than just a pleasant pedal in the woods, the FGB ride usually involves coaching, tips, tricks, and laughter. It may also feature a chance to practice skills playing around the area next to the dirt jumps. The FBG ride will get back either a little early or at the same time as the other rides, so we all get to socialize together once we are off the bikes.

For those that can't sneak out of work on time, or are habitually late, we will be offering a STRAGGLERS ride group that goes out at 6:45 PM. We will try to provide a leader for the stragglers this week, so come on down and join the party in the park!

Please bring a blinky light for the back of your bike, and maybe even a white light for the front. We will be returning on paved roads at dusk and you want to be seen by drivers and Belmont's fine Police officers who look out for our health and welfare. Speaking of which, all Passion Trail Bike rides will obey all traffic laws, stopping at stop signs and red lights; and all park rules, yielding to other trial users and riding as courteously, safely and predictably as possible.

All groups will meet back here at Passion Trail Bikes shortly before dark (about 8:30pm) for the usual story telling & beverage enjoyment. We will have stuff for the BBQ along with some carb laden side dish, chips and fatty snacks and EANABS to pair up with the Devil's Canyon Full Boar Scotch Ale. We will hang out until about 10pm, so come on down, even if you can't make the ride! Passion Parties are better with YOU in the mix!

Visit our website for directions to the shop, etc. www.PassionTrailBikes.com

Reminder: Even if you don't join the ride, the shop is basically open until really late. Like, 10:00pm! So if you want to shop, or drop off or pick up a repair, we will be here LATE on Wednesday nights, although there's a strong possibility there will be a frothy cold pint o' beverage on the counter. Yes, you can have one too. Please bear with us if you have to go into the lounge to find the help. Yes, you can have some chips too.

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Happy Trails, the PTB crew
Charles, Patty, Berry, John, Bret, Sterling, Daryl, Daniel, Peter, Reba and Buster

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