Autumn Passion Trail Bikes News # 7
This week's Topics:
1. Barack Obama's positions related to bicycling
2. Cecily Harris unseats Midpen Open Space Ward 7 Board incumbent
3. SBTS North Yuba Trail Daze Downieville Nov 8th
4. Race for Tara Llanes 2 Sand Hill Ranch Nov 8th
5. Sunday morning shop ride at Waterdog Nov 9th
6. Prep for opening Saratoga Gap to bikes south of Hwy 9: Trailwork Nov 15th
7. Soil Saloon tour of SF dirt :: revised start time :: 11AM Nov 16th
8. Waterdog Trailwork is HERE! 9:00AM Saturday Nov 22nd
9. Turning Wheels for Kids bike build Saturday Dec 13th
1. Barack Obama's positions related to bicycling
Perhaps you are a bit curious, as we are, about our new President-elect's positions on bicycling. Well, the news is good. Our next President likes bicyclists! And bikes, too.
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., hugs two riders at the Little 500 women's bicycle race at the University of Indiana in Bloomington, Ind., Friday, April 11, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
On a more wonkish note, we thought you should know that Barack Obama made himself available to members of Bikes Belong for a personal meeting with bicycle industry leaders back in June 2008. The delegation that visited the Illinois Senator were pleased with their reception.
Stan Day, SRAM’s president, said that Obama “gets it.” He pointed out that Obama understands that bicycles can be part of a solution to issues as diverse as health care, obesity, energy and environmental policy. “He does his homework and he can connect the dots,” he said.
In a conversational 15-minute speech, Obama poked fun at himself telling the crowd that when he was photographed riding a bike with his children, he looked like Urkel.
You can find the following information about policies related to bicycling on Barack Obama's campaign website:
– Build More Livable and Sustainable Communities: Our communities will better serve all of their residents if we are able to leave our cars, to walk, bicycle and access other transportation alternatives. As president, Barack Obama will re-evaluate the transportation funding process to ensure that smart growth considerations are taken into account.
– Foster Healthy Communities: How a community is designed – including the layout of its roads, buildings and parks – has a huge impact on the health of its residents. For instance, nearly one-third of Americans live in neighborhoods without sidewalks and less than half of our country's children have a playground within walking distance of their homes. Barack Obama introduced the Healthy Places Act to help local governments assess the health impact of new policies and projects, like highways or shopping centers.
Read more about the bike industry meeting with Obama on the Bikes Belong website. As a member of the National Bicycle Dealers Association,
Passion Trail Bikes is also a member of Bikes Belong.
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2. Cecily Harris unseats Midpen Open Space Ward 7 Board incumbent
In the last 15 years at least, there has not been a defeat of an incumbent on the MROSD Board of Directors. On November 4th, Cecily Harris won 59.5% of the vote and Ken Nitz 40.5%. So far as we can recall during that time, the only way new people have gotten on the MROSD board was either through incumbents resigning or dying, and their replacements have been mid-term appointments by the existing BOD.
Cecily looks to be much more open minded about bicycling on trails and we think new blood on the MROSD board is awesome.
Congratulations to Cecily Harris!
If you found the MROSD Ward 7 race on your ballot this week, please feel free to contact Cecily and let her know you are interested in the protection of Open Space for its natural resources as well as recreational opportunities. You can find her contact info on her website at www.cecilyharris.net
For reference, you can read the answers Cecily and Ken gave to the ROMP questionnaire about their positions on mountain biking (word document).
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3. SBTS North Yuba Trail Daze Downieville Nov 8th
Patty is looking for a few more friends to join her and SBTS for our November Trail Daze event where we will be working on the North Yuba Extension! Meet at Yuba Expeditions in downtown Downieville. Bagels and coffee will be served from 9-9:30am. Lunch and an after work BBQ will also be part of the fun. Expect to be out for about 5 or 6 hours, before the prospect of cold beer and more food lures everyone back to town. Bring some work gloves, a backpack, layers, and some enthusiasm. All are welcome. No experience necessary.
SBTS Provides
* bagels
* lunch fixings for sack lunch
* refreshments
* after work barbecue
* tools
Bring
* backpack
* layers
* hat/sunglasses
* work gloves
* sunscreen
You can help build this trail! Please RSVP on the SBTS website so they have enough beer, brats, and trail tools for all of us! Send Patty an email at patty@passiontrailbikes.com if you want to join the Bay Area caravan or carpool. Patty is thinking maybe of going up on Friday.
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4. Race for Tara Llanes 2 Sand Hill Ranch Nov 8th
Never Give Up! Tara Llanes
On November 8th Gaint will be hosting the second annual benefit race for Tara Llanes called appropriately enough the “Race for Tara 2.” It is at Sand Hill Ranch and is a 4x race. We are really trying to raise the bar this year and raise more money to help Tara with her recovery efforts.
If you have not been to her myspace in a while here is the address for your convenience http://www.myspace.com/mtbtara You can see her putting a spin bike thru the paces in a short video and just catch up with her in general.
If you would simply like to make a contribution to Tara or buy a T-shirt or a hoody or whatever else she has available check out http://www.tarallanesroadtorecovery.com.
Sand Hill Racing reports:
The race will be similar to the one in 2007 except that this time Tara herself will be here, the raffle will be bigger and better, and we have put a face lift on the course. (Those of you who came last year will be shocked at how much work we have done. The entire rhythm section has been redone, so there is no longer that one-line low spot down the center, and the berms have all been lovingly groomed. The weeds are all off the course and the start hill has new dirt).
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5. Sunday morning shop ride at Waterdog Nov 9th
John H. has posted a ride up on MTBR for Sunday Nov 9th meeting at the shop at 9:00am, and we are loooking to recruit a few more fun-hogs to join in.
Rumor has it that Charles will be hot on his tail making him suffer for at least 52 minutes or until John bonks, whichever comes first. It would be great to have a group to join in that maybe isn't quite so competitive. Care to give it a try? Should be awesome tacky wonderful trail conditions! Burritos and beer at noon in the Passion Lounge afterwards.
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6. Prep for opening Saratoga Gap to bikes south of Hwy 9: Trailwork Nov 15th
Volunteers from the mountain bike community are NEEDED to help open Saratoga Gap to bikes SOUTH of Highway 9. This is the first project that needs to be completed on the way to converting this park to multi-use. Please do your part!!!!!
The Trail Center’s next workday will be Saturday, November 15, in Sanborn County Park above Saratoga. This workday is being sponsored by the Westgate REI store, and Trail Center volunteers will be joining forces with volunteers from REI, Santa Clara County Parks, and the Bay Area Ridge Trail. We’ll be working on the Skyline/Bay Area Ridge Trail widening segments of this trail to a standard four-foot tread for multi-use traffic (hiker, biker, equestrian). Our work will include tread repair, some brushing, drainage, and replacement of a retaining wall.
We’ll be meeting at 8:30am at the parking lot by Indian Rock across the highway from the Castle Rock State Park entrance and will work until about 1:00pm. In case of rain or dubious weather, a cancel decision will be made on site, and no early notice will be available.
If you want to participate in this workday, send Larry an email at volunteer@trailcenter.org to get on the list and he will send you additional details and directions, or you can visit their website at www.trailcenter.org. They will coordinate car pool arrangement for those who are interested, so please make sure you let them know. REI and other sponsors have promised food and give-aways, so please come and join us for this fun event.
Best regards,
Larry Stites
Volunteer Coordinator
Trail Center
Voicemail: (650) 968-7065
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7. Soil Saloon tour of SF dirt :: revised start time :: 11AM Nov 16th
The Soil Saloon crew have put together a race/adventure in San Francisco on November 16th. They've laced together seven parks with legal trails that vary in likeness from Skeggs to Tamarancho to China Camp. 35 miles with ~ 5,500 vertical feet of climbing with sweeping views of the city… Epic? yes.
Go to the Soil Saloon website for details.
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8. Waterdog Trailwork is HERE! Saturday Nov 22nd 9:00AM
Patty will be dusting off the trail tool cache this weekend, sharpening the Pulaskis and McLeods, and going over the list of trails we worked on last year.
Now that the dirt is softened a bit, and the rains have weighted down an entire years' growth of vegetation, it is TIME to get back out on the trails and give back a little love! The project has not yet been determined, but most likely we will do maintenance on one of the existing singletracks, brushing back and repairing drainage and any other damage that has occurred during the year.
Please RSVP if you would like to join in on the fun! Send Patty an email at patty@passiontrailbikes.com to get on the list and get detailed instructions on where we are meeting.
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9. Turning Wheels for Kids bike build Saturday Dec 13th
 Patty has signed up to bring a team of 10 volunteers to the Turning Wheels for Kids annual bike build at the San Jose Convention Center, to help build over 2000 bikes for disadvantaged children. We will assemble the bikes so that they can be distributed to a number of different charities who help children from low-income families experience the joy of getting a bike for Christmas.
We will be turning these boxes...
Into bikes for disadvantaged kids
Please send Patty an email at patty@passiontrailbikes.com if you want to participate. This is an awesome and inspiring event and volunteer spots are limited! Check out photos from last year here on MTBR.
This could be YOU!
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To contact us, email us at info@passiontrailbikes.com, or call the shop at 650-620-9798.
Happy Trails, the PTB crew
Charles, Patty, Berry, John, Bret, Sterling, Daryl, Daniel, Peter, Reba and Buster
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