SingleTracks 167

What is NEMBA?

As I reflect on my first year as NEMBA’s Executive Director, I come back to a question I’ve asked myself and others numerous times - ‘What is NEMBA?’. While that might seem like a simple question, there are so many possible answers.

Structurally, NEMBA is a non-profit organization with 30+ chapters, 7000+ members, that amplifies local efforts with a regional presence. But that doesn’t necessarily answer the question.

In all of these situations, NEMBA is a collective of passionate mountain bikers who are working together to guide the future of the sport in New England.

NEMBA comes in many flavors, many shapes, many sizes, but we are held together by a common glue: mountain biking.

Is NEMBA perfect? Of course not. Will everyone join NEMBA? Of course not. But that has not kept us from making incredible progress over the past 35 years. And I’m hopeful we continue to make impactful and meaningful progress for the next 35 years as we grow the community and create an even stronger organization.

NEMBA has and will continue to evolve. What began as an advocacy effort to ensure trail access outside of Boston, has grown into something so much more.

We have put hundreds of thousands of hours of volunteer efforts into trails, hundreds of thousands of dollars into trail creation and improvement. We have formed connections with land managers, conservation commissions, state officials, and other partners that we will continue to foster and grow into more mountain biking opportunities.

As I traveled around New England meeting with chapters this summer, I was impressed by the variety not only in the trails, but in the attitudes towards mountain bike access. Some chapters have ample space to build with ample support from the community, while others face challenges to maintain existing trails, let alone construct new trails.

Mountain bike advocacy is often a local issue, but can be improved with regional collaboration. That’s where NEMBA comes in. We have over 3 decades of experience to work from and a network of strong mentors to guide the way. Together we can improve mountain biking access across New England.

In some places we still face an uphill battle when it comes to access. In others we might feel more relaxed. But regardless of the current situation, it is always important to emphasize riding with gratitude and being a responsible trail steward. This is especially true as the trails become more and more popular.

What we have is still fragile and we must all work together to sustain it. Opportunities will continue to grow as the importance of recreational access becomes common knowledge. The fewer mishaps along the way, the better trail experience for all.

So, have fun out there, but remember to be mindful of other users. Be nice, say hi.

Trails are common ground, let’s make sure everyone feels welcomed. Happy Trails.

TRAVIS COUNSELL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

P.S. NEMBA can also be a weekend of riding with friends, like the 10th annual Dirt Bag weekend I wrote this at!

NEMBA can be the local trail steward or builder.

NEMBA can be the connection to a land manager.

NEMBA can be a group ride, or a beginners skills clinic.

NEMBA can be an organization.

NEMBA can be a formality.

NEMBA can be a festival.

REGIONAL TEAM

BOARD OFFICERS

President

ADAM GLICK, GREATER BOSTON Vice-President

MATT SCHULDE, RHODE ISLAND

Treasurer

ANNE SHEPARD, BLACKSTONE VALLEY

Secretary

TOM GRIMBLE, GREATER BOSTON

STAFF

Executive Director TRAVIS COUNSELL Operations Coordinator CRYSTIE MCGRAIL Outreach Coordinator BILL BOLES

DESIGN

RICKY BLOXSOM

ISSUE 167

nemba.org

NEMBA, the New England Mountain Bike Association, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to creating epic riding experiences, preserving open space, and guiding the future of mountain biking in New England.

NEMBA, PO Box 2221. Acton, MA 01720. office@nemba.org

John Puziss Glenn Vernes Central CT

Mike Malwitz Fairfield County Paula Burton Matt Tullo Housatonic Valley

Jonathan Regan Brian Vibert Northwest CT

Serena Dupuis Heather Merson Quiet Corner

Brett Severson Janet Andersen Kim Bradley Southeastern CT

Chris Gardner Scott Hall Belfast Area

Julie Coleman David Hughes Warren Gerow Carrabassett Region

Christopher Riley Hjordys Fedorowicz Central Maine

Matthew Warner Sam Morton Greater Portland

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Trevor Mills John Anders Midcoast ME

Aaron Brasslett Carson Carney Penobscot Region

Chuck Wagenheim Piscataquis County

Kristian Haralson Kristin Jhamb Six Rivers ME

Kevin M Delaney Alison McGee Berkshire

Laura Zimmer Kris Munroe Blackstone Valley

Frank Merola Lev Malakhoff Cape Cod

Tom Grimble Mary McCarthy Adam Glick Greater Boston Louis Hall Martha's Vineyard

Barry Moore Karen Korza Merrimack Valley

Frank Lane Hank Kells North Shore MA

Phil Pless Benjamin Jankowski Pioneer Valley

Thomas Walker Stephanie Beaudoin Southeast MA

Brett Russ Jeffery Ardinger Wachusett

Michael Davern Pete Schrader Brattleboro-Keene

Grant Drew Central NH

Tim Clough Joe Harrison Franconia Area

Kevin Luce Pemi Valley

Matt Caron Christopher Gaudet Southern NH

Paula Churchill Maryanne Dunfey Leo Rossignol White Mountains

Matt Schulde Chris Hughes Wayne Asselin Rhode Island

COVER PHOTO OF EMILY CROTEAU

NEMBA TRAIL SCHOOL

NEMBA TRAIL SCHOOL

PHOTOS

BY JOSHUA T. FOOTE PHOTOGRAPHY

On Sept. 25, 2021, over 50 people attended NEMBA Trail School which was held at Stonewall Farm in Keene NH. After a hiatus of 2.5 years, it was great to hold this important event again to educate trail users, trail builders, and land managers on best practices for designing, building, and maintaining sustainable natural surface multi-use trails. Due to Covid and the uncertainty of restrictions, the committee organizing the event pivoted to a hybrid model which included a series of short videos and a zoom webinar. A big shout out goes to Works Bakery Cafe of Keene for donating breakfast and lunch. Attendees from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut learned about best practices for trail design, benching, and maintenance. As the attendees cycled through the sessions, much sharing of experience, lively discussion, active practice and excellent weather ensured a great day. Stonewall Farm is a not-for-profit farm and we thank them for welcoming us to their facility and trails for the day. A special thanks goes to the instructors, Tom Grimble, Adam Glick, Mike Davern, Matt Caron, Mike Hoefer, Peter Ponessa, and Paula Burton.

New England Mountain Bike Association

EMILY'S

EMILY CROTEAU RECENTLY BUILT A BRIDGE ON THE VIETNAM MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL AS PART OF HER GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD PROJECT. IT IS LOCATED ON THE HOLLISTON HIGHWAY ON THE MILFORD SIDE. EMILY HAS BEEN A MILFORD GIRL SCOUT SINCE KINDERGARTEN AND IS CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT MILFORD HIGH SCHOOL. SHE NOT ONLY HAS ENJOYED GIRL SCOUTING FOR THE FRIENDSHIPS, CAMPING, FIELD TRIPS, ADVENTURE, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE BUT ADDITIONALLY EARNING THE LEADERSHIP AWARDS OF BRONZE, SILVER, AND NOW GOLD. FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR, THE GOLD AWARD IS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IN GIRL SCOUTING. IT BEGAN IN 1916 WHEN THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST UNDERTOOK PROJECTS THAT IMPROVED THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE GOLDEN EAGLET INSIGNIA MARKED THE BEGINNING OF A LONG TRADITION OF RECOGNIZING THE EXTRAORDINARY GIRLS. NOW REFERRED TO JUST AS THE GOLD AWARD IT IS THE AWARD HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER BY HIGH SCHOOL GIRL SCOUTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

NEMBA HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH EMILY ON HER GOLD AWARD PROJECT TO CONSTRUCT A BRIDGE ON THE TRAIL. WE WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW THE PROCESS CAME ABOUT WITH GIRL SCOUTS AND WHAT INTERESTED HER IN MOUNTAIN BIKING. EMILY SHARED HER THOUGHTS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND CHALLENGES OF COORDINATING A PROJECT OF THIS SCALE.

https://www.facebook.com/vietnamtrails

BRIDGE

I knew I wanted to earn my Gold Award for the past several years but first I had to think of an idea. I have 13 girls in my high school troop and several of us had been brainstorming with our troop leader over different ideas. We were strongly advised that it was important to find something you enjoy because the project would be 80-100 hours and probably take at least a year to complete. I have always enjoyed the outdoors and picked up mountain biking during quarantine because I was really bored. My brother, Alex, is really big on mountain biking and he would race at Highland Mountain Bike Park. Since he was home because of COVID-19 quarantine, we would go all the time. Alex is a patient and good teacher and taught me how to ride.

While I was mountain biking one day, I was going over a bridge and thought this would be a fun project. This was when the idea turned into a project. I had to get approval from Girl Scouts of Central and Western MA, the Milford Conservation Committee, NEMBA, as well as find an advisor, assemble a team, fundraise, and a variety of other planning steps before I could even begin building.

My dad is an engineer, and he likes to mountain bike too, so I knew he would be a big help. Joe Ferreira, a local builder, agreed to be my advisor. Girl Scouts approved and gave me a volunteer advisor to guide me through the process. Finally, Kevin Keenan was my liaison to NEMBA. It all started to come together over the year of planning.

The funding of the project came from several sources. For the past two years I have been collecting cans, which didn’t seem like a lot, but it added up over time. My troop has been collecting donated sneakers too, which also added up as we can redeem them for cash. Then, to my surprise, Lobisser and Ferreira Building Corporation donated most of the wood for the bridge, which was a huge help to the budget! Friends

New England Mountain Bike Association

and family made some financial donations and NEMBA completed the contribution. I am grateful to all those that contributed with dollars, supplies, and their time to make this bridge project a reality.

For the designing part, my dad and I went on a ride to look at some other bridges. We found one at West Hill Dam that had two whoops on the bridge. We both thought that was a cool feature and fun to ride. We took the measurements on that bridge and picked out the ideas

we liked best. My dad and I sat down one day and drew out the whole bridge and the measurements for what we thought would fit in our space on the trail. My bridge location was about 60 feet, so we decided that three whoops would be better than two.

As I got ready for the build day, there was prep work to do the week prior. Two of my Girl Scout troop members, Tessa and Natalie, spent the afternoon with me pre-cuting the wood at my house. Thankfully they are very

good with tools and a chop saw. This was a huge help as the three of us along with my sister, Brianna, and my dad were able to get all the boards cut and ready to go. I borrowed my Papa’s trailer, and we loaded all the wood for the construction of the bridge.

On build day we arrived early and were ready to go! I was very grateful for Kevin Keenan and his ability to round up 8 NEMBA members that volunteered to hike some of the wood about a mile to the bridge site. They helped teach

me how to build a bridge for mountain bikers and were willing to donate their time to construct the bridge in the rain and with mosquitos biting us. This was a major accomplishment, and they were a tremendous help. Brian Forestal gave me lots of advice and I learned so much about building from him as he has built many bridges and was more than happy to help me. John Goeller was also very familiar with bridge building and a big help as he took lots of pictures during the construction. Later in the morning,

New England Mountain Bike Association

more friends and family showed up to help. I am very grateful to NEMBA, my uncles, brother, sister, neighbor, girl scout friends, parents, and all who came out to assist. Everyone had a different role and we worked very well together. I was surprised at how quickly the bridge was assembled and very happy to be nailing the last board in place and taking my first ride over the bridge in the early afternoon.

https://www.girlscouts.org

President GLENN VERNES Vice President TRICIA DOWCETT

Secretary BRUCE TAYLOR Treasurer FRANCISCO PEREZ

As we write this in early October, we’re starting to feel the first breaths of fall-- the cooler, dryer air, chilly nights, and technicolor leaves that herald the best riding of the year. Of course, those leaves, and ball bearing acorns, will eventually blanket the trails and create a new, seasonal challenge, but that’s all part of riding in New England. The past summer was a challenge, one of the wettest on record. Thanks to everyone who behaved responsibly and stayed off the trails when they were too wet to ride.

Watrous Park in Cromwell is now open and has become a magnet for families. It looks like our goal of creating a place where parents and young kids—even toddlers!-- can ride together has been met. Places like this ensure that mountain biking will have a future, and we want to create more like it. If you’re interested in helping us, let us know.

We’ve had great participation on our Saturday morning rides. The record so far has been 20+ riders at Naugatuck State Forest. We try to ride unique and interesting places that might not otherwise get ridden. Check the chapter’s Facebook page -Central CT NEMBA- for the weekly itinerary. The Wednesday evening women’s rides at West Rock have expanded to include all genders, and this has generated more interest. We will continue to ride the lower trails and sections of Baldwin Drive until the snow flies. Updates for this ride will also be posted to the Facebook page weekly.

The Mount Sanford block of Naugatuck State Forest in Cheshire and Hamden was a very popular place to ride in the early days of the sport 25 or 30 years ago. Then mountain bikers all but abandoned the place due to the main access point being restricted. Trails are a mix of tech and flow, and the

topography is very unique. The problem is it’s hard to get to. As part of our effort to improve riding opportunities in the New Haven area, we’re implementing a plan to revitalize the trails, repair an old bridge, and make access easier. Substantial work has already been done to unblock and improve the trails, and they’re riding great. Thanks to Francisco Perez for taking the lead in this effort. Next step is to improve parking and access.

West Rock continues to benefit from our dedicated volunteer crew. Last spring a small team of volunteers built two bridges, which were added to a brand new trail that CCT NEMBA opened up last fall with the blessing of the land managers. The bridges, designed by member/volunteer Paul Wetmore and Bob Bergen, were carried in piece by piece and assembled in quick fashion. They were needed to cover an area of a trail that has suffered from run-off. This section was also cleared of debris, and as a result of the efforts of these volunteers, this flowy trail now has better drainage. Many thanks also to Francine Bergen, Lisa Maloney, Bill Kurtz, Bruce Taylor, and Joel Schall and his sons! Elsewhere on this section, member/volunteer Camille Keeler, sporting a self-designed backpack chainsaw, cleared a recently fallen tree from a section of the same trail during a Wednesday night ride. If you haven’t explored this section yet, what are you waiting for?

And as always, if you’d like to volunteer let us know. We’re especially looking for ride leaders. Contact us by emailing any board member. Ride on!

GLENN VERNES, LISA MALONEY AND TRICIA DOWCETT

West Rock Group Build. Photo by Lisa Mahoney

Apollo Petersen and Christopher Campenelli shred the trails at Watrous

President MIKE MALWITZ Vice President GUNNAR WALDMAN Secretary MONIKA STOKES Treasurer ERIC SCHONENBERG

Coming off the wettest summer in recent memory, including 2 tropical storms, our trails are holding up well but washed out bridges, fall-line erosion, downed trees, and overgrowth have been keeping us busy. In addition, we’ve been dealing with vandalism from anti-MTB hikers in Huntington State Park, including disappearing bridges and booby traps. We’ve reported these issues to the State DEEP but there isn't much they can do. We hope everything settles down a bit as we come through the pandemic and start getting back to normal, but for now we advise everyone to keep their eyes open at Huntington.

Our new 2 mile trail in Seth Low Pierrepont State Park in Ridgefield Connecticut, designed and built with the permission of CT DEEP, has been getting great reviews. We even got a nice article in the local newspaper, Ridgefield Press: “Cyclists Install New Trail that will Last for a Long Time at Ridgefield's Pierrepont State Park.” David Cronin of the Ridgefield Conservation Commission said: The group’s done “very good trail work.” “They build trails that will last for a long time,” he said. See The Ridgefield Press for the full article.

Seth Low Pierrepont State Park is part of the largest remaining open space in Fairfield County containing over 30 miles of trails that span Hemlock Hills, Pine Mountain, Bennett’s Pond, Wooster Mountain, Tarrywile and Terra Haute open spaces. Our next major project is Terra Haute in Bethel, near the former Cannondale Bikes location. We’re still working on approvals and hope we can begin work Spring 2022.

Our weekly group rides have been attracting new members, which is great to see! We ride Sundays at 9am and Tuesdays at 5:30pm. The Sunday rides are usually 3 hours and are suitable for intermediate/advanced riders. We split into 2 or 3 groups depending on who shows up and there is always a “Social paced group” for riders who want more rest stops, so come on out! We’re also trying to start up an “inter-mellow group this Fall for folks who want to ride less technical trails. Please contact us if you are interested in joining the group.

Tuesday evening “Fitness Rides” are offered while there’s still some daylight at the start of the ride. In the Fall, you need to bring lights for the return home. These are usually 1-2 hour rides with some climbs to help us keep in shape. Rides are posted on our FCNEMBA Facebook Group. Also, thanks to Michaela Lawlor for setting up our FCNEMBA Instagram account! We already have 2,600 followers which is fantastic!

MIKE MALWITZ

Ryan Tucker and Dave Francefort keeping the trailer and tools in shape. Photo by Mike Malwitz Michaela and Kathryn looking for new inter-mellow riders.

Photo by Mike Malwitz

Tuesday Fitness Ride at Bennett’s Pond State Park.

President MARK LURIE Vice President BILL LAKE Secretary LISA BILODEAU Treasurer BRAD ACCETTELLA

As the leaves begin to change, we look back on a summer filled with fun group rides, events and trail work, and start to look forward to what’s planned for 2022. The pressure our trails saw in 2020 due to an increase in pandemic users largely subsided this summer, with a core group of new participants continuing to enjoy all our trails have to offer.

HV NEMBA ran a regular series of Monday and Tuesday evening rides, that, despite being occasionally canceled by wet weather, were ultimately a return to the enjoyable get-togethers from years past. In early August, we hosted the “Rockhouse Hill Showcase,” which was well-attended, despite our unwanted guest – an early morning rainstorm that none of the local metexzorologists predicted! Advanced, Intermediate, and Family rides went out despite the slippery conditions, and then joined back afterwards for burgers and dogs to relive the adventure. Thanks to everyone that helped out, especially the high school students from Oxford’s Youth Conservation Corps, without which many of the trails at Rockhouse Hill wouldn’t exist. Thanks also to Greg Meghani from Southbury’s Class Cycles, who provided a mechanic’s tent to handle any mechanical issues that might have popped up. Local bike shop support is very important to what we do!

Speaking of the Rockhouse Hill Sanctuary trails, HV NEMBA is very excited to announce we are one of the recipients of Athletic Brewing’s “Two for Trails” grant in the amount of $22,200! This much appreciated grant was applied for by RHS Land Manager Joe Lanier, and will be put to good use on several parking projects and trailhead improvements around the trail system, including a parking lot for the Moose Hill Family Loops, as well as adding spaces to the main parking lot below Oxford High School. The lot at Moose Hill will be a great addition now that the YCC Trail Crew has completed work on a variety of kid-friendly skinnies, stunts, and a bermed downhill trail, all designed for the youngest riders amongst us. Many thanks to Joe and the great folks at Athletic Brewing for securing and enabling this grant. As Athletic Brewing says, “We only get one chance at this world and once chance at our health –let’s make a difference together!”

Moving on to our other trail systems, one of our local riders, Connor Dillon of Dillon Excavating and Tree Service in Roxbury deserves a big shout out for taking care of a large tree that came down on the new boardwalk over the Yellow trail at Waldo State Park. Vice President Bill Lake and several dedicated volunteers have been making progress over at the Trolley Trails Preserve in Woodbury, recently building over ¾ of a mile of new trail, while also re-routing several problem areas. The trails are coming along nicely, and look to be an up and coming spot in the area. More work days are planned for the future - follow our facebook page if you'd like to help out. If you haven’t had a chance to check them out yet, put this spot on your list!

Fall riding is quite possibly the best time to ride in New England, offering cooler temperatures, a respite from the summer bugs, and an up close and personal view of one of nature’s most impressive shows – fall foliage in the Northeast! We encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the trails before the cold darkness of winter takes hold. Remember to respect local hunting laws, and wear blaze orange this time of year for proper visibility. Now is a great time to get out and ride – we hope to see you out there!

Trolley Trail Build. Photo by Bill Lake Tree Removal, Waldo State Park. Photo by Connor Dillon

President JON REGAN Vice President JOHN LUISI Secretary BRIAN KELLEHER Treasurer CARA REGAN

The fall riding season is quickly coming to an end and the short days and cold nights of winter are fast approaching. Last chance to get in those epic rides before the leaves camouflage the trails and the first snowfall blankets everything in white. The seasons are changing, so shift gears, get the lights charged, the fat bike tuned and the snowshoes at the ready.

The summer and early Fall have been extremely challenging from a weather perspective here in Northwest Connecticut. High winds, tropical storms, over the top humidity and the never-ending parade of rain events have certainly influenced the available time to ride and more importantly taken a toll on some of our favorite riding areas. From strong thunderstorms, the winds of Henri and the torrential soaking unleashed by Ida our trail volunteers have had their hands full. The high winds from thunderstorms and TS Henri combined with the blight of the ash trees from the Emerald Ash Borer have left a plethora of down trees across trails in all areas. In many cases they were falling faster than they could be cut and removed.

Perhaps the most damaging weather event was the remnants of Hurricane Ida and the 7+ inches of rain it brought to our part of the state. Trails were turned into rivers and remained unrideable for almost a week in many instances.

At the Harwinton Recreation Area virtually every bridge was washed from it’s foundation by the powerful waters of Leadmine Brook and its tributaries. Fortunately, by design, all the bridges are cabled to retain the structures from taking a long trip downstream. Local Volunteers quickly assembled and had all back in their original locations in very short order. Another area taking a big hit during Ida was Northfield Brook Lake. Many of the trails are located within the impoundment area of a flood control facility operated by the Army Corp of Engineers. The waters collected behind the dam during the storm rose to the highest levels ever recorded since the dam’s construction following the great floods of 1955. Sections of trail were submerged under 20 feet of water and debris was left everywhere as the levels were allowed to slowly drop. For the most part the trails were left relatively unscathed but due to damage to the existing facilities in the park, the recreation area was closed for the season to repair the damage. Not to fret, the trails remain open and can be accessed from parking areas outside of the main recreation area. Once again, many thanks for the trail stewards and their efforts cleaning up the mess and getting things back open.

Speaking of Bridges, as part of the signature trail grant awarded to us last year for the Johnnycake Mountain project, our trail stewards designed, fabricated and installed a massive new bridge spanning Whigville Brook on the White-Yellow blazed (Hinman) trail here in Burlington. To satisfy safety requirements as dictated by our Land Manager, this 20-foot clear span bridge is five feet wide with railings and has the

structural strength to support the weight of an all-terrain vehicle should one be needed for rescue efforts. The structure was so large that it was fabricated off site, disassembled into pieces and transported as close to the build site as possible. Our great team of bridge erectors was able to carry it in to the build site and have it fully assembled in less than 4 hours.

Another new addition in Burlington is a beautiful information kiosk at the entrance to the Johnnycake Mountain trail network across from the designated parking area on Scoville Road. This project was also completed as part of our signature trail grant by Eagle Scout candidate Declan Bernetich. It’s beautifully constructed and will serve the trail system for years to come. Congratulations Declan on a very well-conceived and implemented project. Thank-you for your efforts.

Our group rides have concluded for the year. Despite the many challenges working around the weather, we were able to assemble some great groups who had loads of fun exploring. Many thanks to the Organizers and Ride Guides for making it all happen. We look forward to another season of rides next season kicking off around Memorial Day, if not sooner.

In conclusion, as we pedal into the late fall a reminder that we are also entering into the heart of hunting season. Please take a few moments to review some basic hunting safety and the Connecticut rules and regulations. A little knowledge on this front can help keep you safe while you’re out enjoying the woods. Know the different hunting seasons and where hunting is allowed in relation to bike/hiking trails and try to cater your ride plans to reduce conflict with the hunters. Here's a couple tips that will help:

• Avoid riding during peak hunting times (early morning/evening hours).

• Ride in areas where hunting is not allowed

• Wear an article of bright orange clothing

• Avoid wearing items that are white, brown or red.

• Plan your epic rides for Sunday when hunting is not allowed in Connecticut.

The hunting season is short and enjoyed by many so please show this group respect. Let us try to give them the ability to enjoy the forest during this short window of time as much as we do the rest of the year. By being informed and respectful, we as mountain bikers can generate much good will between the user groups. As always respect gets respect.

JON REGAN

Saved by the Cables. Photo by S. Roderrick

President SERENA DUPUIS Vice President JEFF DOYLE Secretary CRIS CADIZ Treasurer HEATHER MERSON

This April, we began to create a new trail system in Pomfret Forest (thanks to NEMBA for our Signature Trail Grant!). To date, we have more than 8 miles of singletrack, all hand built, and there’s more to come. Volunteers have worked nearly 1,000 hours on this project. ALL of our volunteers have been tremendous. Our chapter leadership team wants to recognize the following people who have worked non-stop, quietly and happily carving paths in the woods for all to enjoy. We also thank he who does not want to be mentioned—he is hard-working, humble and his many hours of service deserve praise. Please meet a few of our Trail Heroes… We are so grateful!

Irving Fenner

has been our most steadfast trail gnome at Pomfret Foresthis second home this summer. Almost any day you could find him out there, usually with his dog, Willow. Irving has history with this land. In the early 70s he roamed the woods on horseback. His mom took them to the “Manor” (the adjacent estate and original landowner) to swim in the pond. Irving can tell you about interesting artifacts on the property: the giant swimming pool--its sunken basin now full of dirt and trees—a huge, rusted water pump by the pond, the remnants of chain link fence, which used to keep the estate’s exotic animals safe. Just ask him.

Irving’s purchased his first mountain bike in 1984 and still loves to ride cross country. To him, trail work is “an excuse to be outside and enjoy Mother Nature's beauty…plus spend time with my buddy Willow.” He loves “the satisfaction of creating something.” After 30 years of owning/running a contracting business, he is now retired and “part-time trail gnome.” You can appreciate Irving’s building skills as you ride the bridges throughout Pomfret Forest. “I love watching others enjoy what’s been created,” he says, “not to mention the teamwork and plenty of fun making trails.”

Wayne Warner

raced BMX as a kid and rode his bike everywhere, including the woods behind his house. The bike riding stopped with his driver’s license…until a friend talked him into mountain biking four years ago. “Soon after, I bought an entry level hard tail and started riding twice a week.” He caught the bug, upgraded to full suspension and started riding throughout New England and beyond.

Wayne met Irving Fenner at a weekly ride group and soon Irving asked Wayne to help maintain a local trail system. “We both enjoy improving trails and finding features ridable by different skill levels.” Wayne jumped at the chance to help when he

heard about Pomfret’s new trail system. “I get a great sense of satisfaction when I work on a section for hours and then stand back to see the results. It’s even better to see people riding the trails and features and enjoying themselves on our creations.”

David-Peter Santarcangelo

does trail work because “mountain biking is more than just riding, it’s a lifestyle. That means putting in work. I’m a firm believer in ‘Work Hard Play Hard’ and I apply that to everything I do.” He’s only been mountain biking for 2 1/2 years, but his passion comes from riding moto for decades. “My favorite thing about trail building is having a vision and making it reality. It a good feeling.”

David’s mechanical skills have been invaluable. “I was the 5-year-old taking the new VCR apart to see how it works. It’s satisfying and a building block of who I am. Being in charge of operations and maintenance in a gas turbine power plant is the same thing but on a much larger scale. If something breaks you need to know how to fix it in a timely fashion.”

David’s love of free riding unfortunately ended in a bad crash that needed surgery in late September. David still came out to see our progress, his arm in a sling. We enjoyed his company and that we could lift his spirits. We wish him speedy recovery!

Vaughn Winkler aka “Beastmaster”

has been riding trails since the mid-90s, when he became “mesmerized and obsessed” with the North Shore in BC. “That style of riding sunk its teeth in me and never let go!” He bought his first freeride bike in ‘99, began watching NSX Bike videos, then building stunts. Vaughn has created many of Pomfret Forest’s most exciting features, including “The Thing,” a skinny with a tight turn and a drop, carved out of a huge fallen log.

“The challenge of North Shore stunts always appealed to me. I have mellowed with age, but I still love a good man-made skinny, drop or ladder.” Lucky for us, Vaughan has “become addicted to trail building. It’s so creative and exciting to build a feature, line or trail that we get to ride and enjoy for years to come.”

Vaughn’s features are more “freeride” than the average trail, but to him, “mountain biking allows people to expand their reality of what’s possible and for constant progression, no matter who you are. Most importantly it’s FUN! I’ve met so many great people and made so many friends. Anything worth doing in life is hard work, but if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life!”

Other volunteers who devoted many hours to our trail build are Shane Merson, Cheryl Doyle, Tom Campbell, Christian Smutnick, Sam Houde, Rob Lussier, Eric Ingram, Ray Wishart, Tim Sabrowski, Matt Danis, Dan & Liz Bove, Nicole Salisbury, Sean McClintock, Jay Smith. To all the others who helped build Pomfret Forest: Every single minute mattered. THANK YOU! To support us at Pomfret Forest, please donate to QCNEMBA’s PayPal through Trailforks.

CRIS CADIZ

President BRETT SEVERSON Vice President KIM BRADLEY Secretary TODD ROMILY Treasurer JANET ANDERSEN

SECT NEMBA members enjoyed an amazing summer riding bikes, working on trails, and hosting group rides and trail work days!!

Work continues on the Nathan-Hale-Ray Middle School trail system in Moodus. Volunteers completed a boardwalk that was the final phase in bridging the river that runs through the center of the property. The planks are locally sourced and milled white oak, and getting the very heavy materials from the parking lot down to the work site was quite an undertaking - fortunately SECT member Brad Thody not only volunteered use of his tractor, but is also a very skilled operator!

Students took part in exploring the trails this summer in a joint effort between the newly formed school mountain biking club and Airline Cycles Muddy Mayhem youth cycling group. Weekly rides included over 50 kids on the trails exercising their skills!!

Work paused during the hot summer months, but has since resumed in September with new trails added to the system along with many improvements and features. The trails now feature hand-made school-themed trail signs created by SECT member Christian Beisel! The system now has 6+ miles of trails, with more planned. Maps, trail kiosks and Trailforks routes will also be added. Stay tuned for a grand-opening event this fall!!

The SECT NEMBA Ladies rides continued throughout the summer when the weather cooperated. It’s been great to have the rides back this year after the long wait! The Mountain Bike Adventure Series ride that was originally scheduled for Bluff Point in August was postponed due to a tropical storm. Many hours of trail work and event planning went into hosting the event and fortunately we were able to reschedule to November.

Hand-crafted school-themed trail signs by Christian Beisel. Photo by Christian Beisel Brad Thody maneuvers a heavy load down tricky trails. Photo by Brett Severson

Lots of benchcuts needed to navigate the steep terrain. Photo by Brett Severson

BRETT SEVERSON

BELFAST

AREA ME

President CHRIS GARDNER Vice President SCOTT HALL Secretary DAN GREELEY Treasurer ROY CURTIS

Mountain biking has officially arrived in Belfast! We have some exciting new single track! We have a strong crew of riders, and the enthusiasm and potential for much more.

In the spring of 2020, a weekly ride leaving the Frosty Bottom Brewery in west Belfast gained traction. Roy Curtis, master brewer and founder of FBB, hosts the ride. In the tough summer of 2020, it took off. We do a 9 mile mixed ride. The ride concludes with a challenging climb to a spot we call ‘the top of the world’. There are incredible views in all directions, including a great look at Penobscot Bay. A thrilling down lands us back at FBB. There is a hearty group of riders that will continue to do this Wednesday ride, leaving FBB, Hunt Road, Belfast at 5:30, until the trails are no longer suitable to ride. Lights are already necessary. All are welcome.

The exciting new single track, freshly cut just a mile from downtown Belfast, is ready to ride! The new trails are the brainchild of Chris Gardner, owner of CG Bikes, and our new NEMBA chapter president. Chris talks about his motivation of creating these local trails:

“After riding the trails at the Thomaston Town Forest with my then 9-year old daughter Gabi, it was clear that mountain biking was something we were going to keep doing together, and I wanted to have similar trails closer to home. When looking at some of Belfast's public land and thinking of places that would make sense for trails, the old ski area stood out because of its terrain and proximity to the rail trail and downtown.”

The initial trails were flagged in the spring, and the hard work of side cutting the steep slopes began. El Depot was open as a public ski hill from 1966-1973. A hiking trail was cut in the 90’s on this town property.

Chris speaks on the process of getting permission to create these trail:

deciduous trees, with some areas of older growth that promote a clean forest floor and great site lines. Many volunteers have logged countless hours swinging a maddox, working out big rocks, sculpting berms, and raking it all smooth. Big thanks to Joe Kovaz and his group of students who are enrolled in the Ecology Learning Center located in Unity. Without the effort of this enthusiastic group, the trails would not be in nearly the shape they are in today.

Creating a new local NEMBA chapter is very exciting for us local riders. Chris has again led the charge. “It was clear from our first volunteer trail work day that we had a lot of enthusiastic people on board, and that we could get a lot done with an organized structure. Looking at the success of our neighboring chapters and recognizing that Belfast sits a little past their range, we decided to approach NEMBA about creating our own Belfast Area chapter.”

October 17 is a big day. We will be hosting a day of riding along with my cousin Max Greeley at Common Hill Farm in Jackson, Maine. For years Max has been curating miles of single track. A group ride is planned for 11am, with a 5k (1lap) and 15k option. There will be other fun activities, including the ‘skinny ride challenge’ (see photo). There will be two beer sponsors, FBB, and Orono Brewing. There may be some food on sight, but folks should come prepared to feed themselves. Riders are encouraged to come early to check out the course. Register on our chapter's Facebook page. All are welcome, as there is plenty of space, and it should be a very festive atmosphere!

The future looks great for mountain biking in the Belfast area. Chris speaks about the chapter moving forward:

“Over the winter, we plan on continuing to cooperate with Coastal Mountain Land Trust in a quest to link El Depot to some of their existing land and trails so that we can make it part of a much larger trail network. We're also looking to put other trails in our area on the map and will continue to seek out new opportunities!”

Come ride El Depot, I hope to see some of you in Jackson on the 17th!

“I joined the city's Pedestrian, Bicycling, and Hiking Committee and used that platform to gain support for the idea. Parks and Rec was supportive right away. Jack Shaida from the Land Trust worked closely with me. In the Fall of 2020, the City Council voted unanimously, paving the way for the trail work that began in Spring of 2021.”

The property at El Depot is not huge (19 acres), but it is interesting and beautiful. There is a mix of coniferous and

Rod Norberg, new Belfast Area NEMBA member and rider extraordinaire, guides students from the Ecology Learning Center in building the bridge at El Depot. Photo by Chris Gardner

CARRABASSETT

REGION ME

President WARREN GEROW Vice President EDWARD GERVAIS Secretary LORI GERENCER Treasurer MARK SCHWARZ

After a very early start to riding in Carrabassett Valley Region this summer, the season seemed to fly by and it is hard to believe we are well into the fall now, being reminded of short days and riding on damp leafy trails. The western mountain area of Maine was very dry this summer, unlike more southerly areas. Fall rain was welcomed for the soils and the rivers, which were very low.

The summer was busy with several big bike events on the calendar after a quiet events season last year. The Tuesday night group ride was very popular and well attended this summer, with the last ride taking place at the end of September. Thank you to Spencer Lee and others who coordinated that ride weekly and kept the enthusiasm going and thank you to the Hostel of Maine for hosting those rides. Similarly, the Wednesday night Spinnin’ Sugar rides were well attended. Many thanks to the ladies that have kept that ride rolling for many years now. Group rides are a great way for new riders and riders new to the area to connect with others and learn the trail networks.

The Town trail crew spent a good portion of the summer with maintenance projects. This included larger projects that saw reconstruction of areas of existing trails that needed attention. Typical smaller drainage and general maintenance and mowing projects also took place as usual. Later in the summer the crew moved back up to the Stoney Brook zone, which is a challenging multi-year project that straddles Wyman Township and the Town of Carrabassett Valley on the south side or Route 27. Planning, permitting, and fundraising have been ongoing for multiple years at this point. Several sections of trail have been constructed, which eventually will be linked together. This year some significant bridge and boardwalk projects were undertaken with more to be completed. Look for more details and updates on this new development in 2022.

Other significant trail infrastructure was added to the Valley this summer on Sugarloaf. Enduro tracks were carved out under the leadership of Adam Craig with help from numerous volunteers on multiple occasions. A few organized volunteer events were held and multiple organically formed efforts took place. Raw gravity trails were added for hosting an Eastern States Cup event in September, which included an Enduro and Downhill event. By all accounts the trails were super well received by the riders and it is nice to see another segment of riding being introduced to the Valley. More on the events below.

July saw the return of the Carrabassett Backcountry Cycle Challenge (CBCC), which was host to a sell-out crowed of 350 racers. An all-new course was rolled out this year with a 50k loop completed twice by the 100k folks and once by the 50k racers. The word from the field was the course was excellent, very challenging until the last drop. This event is the largest fundraiser of the year for CRNEMBA. The event is produced entirely by volunteers and relies on an army of volunteers for race day. A big thank you to all of those involved and those that

come out and race. Without all of you there is no event. There was a lot of uncertainty in 2021 around how many racers would be allowed and when registration would open. For 2022 registration will hopefully return to February and a few more racers can attend. Stay tuned to the social media channels for information in the new year.

September saw the Eastern States Cup enduro event come to Sugarloaf, which was an awesome addition to the region and went very well. This event also relied on a charge of volunteers to produce and operate, big thanks to all that showed up. There were large crowds on the mountain and around the base area all weekend, which was super fun to be a part of. It was great to see the parking lots full of campers and riders buzzing about throughout the weekend. Thanks to the Sugarloaf crew for making this happen, and now it is onward to hosting the world in 2022 with a stop by the Enduro World Series in August. If you enjoyed trail building on the mountain this summer, 2022 will be another building season.

Riding in Carrabassett Valley occurs on a vast area of trails covering many square miles. Somewhat unique in New England, this wide area is owned by just a handful of landowners, including the Town of Carrabassett Valley, the Penobscot Nation, Sugarloaf, the Sanitary District and The State of Maine, among others. We are very grateful for the use of this land and the ability to develop new trails and ride existing corridors. It is more important than ever that we respect these lands and treat it as if it is your own. Please be mindful of this as you are out and about, be nice to others recreating and be respectful of the resources and land.

It will not be long before snow flies and talk turns to fat bikes, winter grooming and Nordic skiing in the Valley. The CRNEMBA team hopes you are all safe, active and are getting outside as much as possible! See you on the trails!

WARREN GEROW

Photo by topshots.smugmug.com

President CHRIS RILEY Vice President DISA FEDOROWICZ, FRANK JALBERT, MATHEW SWAN Secretary GARY HINKLEY Treasurer LESLIE WILSON

If it’s raining it must be race day, at least that’s how the summer seemed to go. Both the Central Maine Cycling Challenge at Titcomb Mountain in August and the 9th annual Treadfest celebration in September began under threatening skies. Riders ignored the weather and despite the adverse conditions appeared happy, smiling all the way. This infectious enthusiasm brought blue skies and warm sun out just in time for final laps and awards each time. Riding bikes to support the trails. It doesn’t get much more symbiotic than that now does it.

While the Odyssey is back this year we elected to forgo the auction this fall. This year's Odyssey lasted 3 days, October 15th to the 17th. It’s geographic footprint got trimmed back leaving off Coburn Woods in Skowhegan but picked up Surry Hill in Fayette. Thank you Lost Valley in Auburn for hosting our end of season party and providing a spot to camp!

In trail news Piney Loops, just of the Junk Yard at the Res in Hallowell, is finished and riding to rave reviews. Titcomb mountain has had numerous improvements to the tread and the finish to the Miracle MIle is now oh so sweet. Bond Brook has several new trail sections including an all new downhill trail. A bridge between Lizard and 6 Back completes the grand loop making a return to the stadium unnecessary. Additionally 6 Back is getting a bench cut for a more modern appearance. Quarry Road is under construction. Several new benched sections have been roughed in along the Messalonskee. This could end up being one of the prettiest trails in our forest. On a sad note we will be losing a substantial portion of Pine Ridge in Waterville to solar farm development near the Airport. You can’t stand in the way of progress but you can hope for some extra mitigation funds.

Plans are in the works for developing a trail system on Surry Hill in Fayette. We hope to have a teaser for this new area on tap for the Odyssey.

Winter fatbiking continues to grow in popularity. We are abandoning the shoestring approach and raising funds for two new, to us, grooming machines. One for the Allen Whitney forest where Josh Staples has been using his own equipment and the other for York HIll where Brian Alexander has been doing the same. Winter grooming is incredibly time sensitive not to mention labor intensive. Support our volunteer groomers. Donations for this effort will be matched 100%, so in addition to your hearts please open your wallets. Ride Bikes, Smile often.

IAN

Central

9th annual Treadfest Bond Brook Augusta. Photo by Ian Ogilvie

9th annual Treadfest Bond Brook Augusta. Photo by Ian Ogilvie

Maine Cycling Challenge, Titcomb Mountain. Photo by Ian Ogilvie

President MATT WARNER Vice President SAM MORTON Secretary KATHLEEN PIGEON Treasurer CASEY BROWN

What has GP NEMBA been up to? Well, let’s see, not much other than bringing on our first employee in chapter history, using our Signature Grant to build an awesome new flow trail in Gorham, building and maintaining miles of singletrack throughout southern Maine, helping launch a new chapter for mountain bikers at Lowell Preserve, and the list goes on.

GP NEMBA took a big step this summer by bringing on our first ever employee. Matthew Keast became a regular sight on the trails around Blackstrap and Gorham this summer, always with one trail tool or another in hand. His tenure was short lived as he departed for school in September, but a big thank you to Matthew for his hard and to all our members for the funding that made it happen.

Next, led by Sam Morton and Rob Lavoie, we’ve been furiously building, improving, and tweaking the new Signature Trail in Gorham, funded in large part by the NEMBA Signature Trail Grant. This trail, around and adjacent to the pump track, is already seeing a lot of love even as improvements continue. It’s fun for all ages and all levels, so we’ll see you out there.

Our chapter has also been working closely with Presumpscot Regional Land Trust and the Town of Windham to reinvent Lowell Preserve as yet another destination for riders. For those who haven’t checked it out, Lowell has always been a fun place for some old school (read: rocky, rooty) single track. Now, PRLT and the Town are dedicated to expanding the options for mountain bikers, and we’ve been working with them to make this happen. Stay tuned for some trail days in the coming month or two, and other opportunities to lend a hand.

Finally, Scott Libby, Mike Sandora and Andy Haynes have been leading regular group rides all summer with awesome turnout and great feedback. We’re planning on a couple more weekend rides before the seasons turn altogether so, again, check out our Facebook page for announcements on group rides.

The new Signature Trail's gonna take a whole lot of dirt.

Photo by Sam Morton

Looks like we put all that dirt to good use.

Photo by Sam Morton

This is just a really awesome action shot. Photo by Peter Caty

President TREVOR MILLS Secretary DARBY UREY Treasurer STACEY KEEFER

It's hard to believe fall is already here. As I write this, we just finished Camden Snow Bowl Trail Fest, in collaboration with our friends at Baxter Outdoors, Trail Runners of Midcoast Maine and Coastal Mountains Land Trust, with impressive rides by all, but the Camden Hills High School Mountain Bike team blazing their home rocks and roots, lightly greased for enjoyment by all. Lights are on the charger for the early morning dawn patrols or the post-work cruise. The changing (and falling) leaves are already starting to change the visual cues on trail and as often happens around here, the puddles are draining a little slower and the ground is a little softer and the rocks are a little slimier. You’ve probably noticed that trails seem to dry out slower in the fall than the summer, but ever wonder why? The largest factor is the trees are beginning go dormant for winter, and the trees are generally responsible for removing much of the surface water we experience while riding. Lack of sunlight and heat, as well as leaf clogged drains are a factor as well.

This year, MCNEMBA’s focus has been primarily been maintenance and planning. No new trails were built this year (except for our partners at Coastal Mountains Land Trust who are close to opening another segment of the Round the Mountain trail), but new partnerships and relationships have been forged. We’ve worked closely with Sidecounty Trails to coordinate their trail crew and our local riding communities priorities. We’ve brought our land managers along so they understand what new opportunities exist with the extra bandwidth that Sidecountry Trails brings to the table.

Together, McNEMBA and Sidecountry Trails coordinated for a full re-tune of the pump track at the Camden Snow Bowlafter 10 years, it was due. Special thanks to Chris Rogers and John Anders for leading each of our organizations to get this highly visual and popular attraction fully tuned, drained and riding better than ever while demonstrating our commitment to the Town of Camden to complete high quality projects in environmentally sensitive areas. Special thanks to all the members of our community who contributed time or finances to the efforts, and thanks to the folks at IMBA for the Dig-In grant opportunity in the first place!

Sidecountry Trails has led our local efforts at Thomaston Town Forest, putting significant time, money and love in. These are where our true beginner trails lie. They’ve been fixing drainage and sight lines to make it enjoyable in more weather conditions and improve safety of all users, and keep the flow flowing! The next building phase in Thomaston is being planned as we speak, and will improve connectivity to other trail systems as well explore some amazing terrain, unlike any of other local trails!

We’ve also been working closely with our land owners and land managers to plan out what comes next. The local community is a strong supporter of mountain biking and is excited to see and build the future. The McNEMBA Board is working hard on coming up with a 10 year plan for our local community,

and we’d love your input! We want to know about your crazy, pie-in-the-sky ideas, and your “Two guys, two Rogue Hoes, two hour” ideas to improve the trail experiences of all users, both local and visitors, and families to experts. If you’d like to collaborate on the planning process in anyway, whether its a quick idea, or to participate in the plan writing, please reach out to:

tmills@nemba.org

. We’d also love to add you to our team in other ways as well: a Board member, a volunteer trail project leader, trail mapping guru, Trail Forks administrator, social media czar or maybe a weekly ride leader! If you have an inkling to pitch in, let me know and we’ll find the right fit!

Pump Track Overhaul. Photo by Chris Rogers Pump Track wrap up. Photo by Chris Rogers

President CARSON CARNEY

Vice President DEB MERRILL Secretary MICHELE BENOIT Treasurer STAN MACARTHUR

Summer hitting its peak in Maine spilled into good riding and trail days in PRNEMBA territory. Here’s our back-to-school essay about how we spent our summer vacation.

University Trail Day

Six riders spent a July evening pedaling around with loppers poking out of their packs clearing downed trees on some of the regions oldest and most popular trails at the University of Maine DeMerritt Forest in Orono. Some trees were cleared by eager volunteers wielding handsaws on Novocaine and Gateway, and others were large enough to warrant a reroute on Voodoo. A few turns that had been long forgotten were made obvious again, and we trimmed back branches that hung throughout our University loops. Others worked to beat back weeds and saplings on a private land access trail connecting to a popular trail network in Orono. We worked and rode until twilight when the mosquitoes became too feisty; standard fare in July.

Group Skills Rides Return

In late August, long-time PRNEMBA member Emmy Monahan (a.k.a, the Duchess of Dirt) led a group of 12 riders on a skills ride. Emmy’s own words capture the scene. “Today’s skills ride was a success! Twelve riders participated, ranging from beginner to advanced, and including gen-z through boomer. An awesome, enthusiastic, fun loving group! We covered position & balance, how to maintain cadence for efficiency, and trail scanning, and took each skill to the trails to apply the technique.” Emmy enjoyed leading the skills ride so much that she has committed to leading another this fall!

Caribou Bog Conservation Area Trail Days

As September came, temperature and humidity levels fell, creating great working conditions for double header trail days. PRNEMBA members and new volunteers worked closely with Orono Land Trust members to make improvements to a trail connecting Bangor Hill to Newman Hill in the Caribou Bog Conservation Area. A Thursday evening well into the dark, and a Sunday morning fueled by coffee and doughnuts were spent creating fresh tread and functional drains to divert water away from the trail tread, as well as fixing problematic areas. These efforts took an existing trail and revitalized it with options to excite both old school root and rock hoppers and those searching for flow. The trail still offers up classic New England tech, plus a new skinny to rock roll A-line for more advanced riders, but a smoother tread now weaves through and around all the technical trail features CBCA is known for, creating a B-line appealing to a much larger swath of riders.

Support Local for Local Change

PRNEMBA held its September chapter meeting at a local brewery (“Not unusual,” you say). Orono Brewing Company is a rider favorite in the area being practically trailside, and recently brewed the “One Bike IPA” for co-owner and PRNEMBA member Abe Furth’s “One Bike Can…” fundraiser with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Abe will ride his mountain bike from Orono, Maine to Washington D.C. in an effort to raise $50k to fund an earn-a-bike program in our area, as well as support the standing earn-a-bike program in Portland. Our chapter decided to donate to this cause, matching beers sold on meeting night towards the fundraiser.

As we look ahead into a change in seasons and riding through the beautiful fall foliage New England is known for, we find ourselves eager to keep building momentum in creating an inviting riding community and consistently improving the trails we all know and love. Board elections are poised for November, giving board members a few quieter months while the sun sets early to hunker down and create a game plan for the spring thaw, ensuring the next riding season is even better than the previous. Until then, we have flannels and lights to don, leaves to both ride through and blow off the trail, and plans to set for winter grooming to keep tires rolling as the snow begins to fall!

Putting the "All Terrain" in All Terrain powered wheelbarrow. Photo by Carson Carney

President KRIS HARALSON Vice President KRISTIN JHAMB Secretary JARET REBLIN Treasurer CHANNING JONES

Fall is most definitely in the air up here in Maine. We are grateful for many things as this pandemic hopefully winds down. Kids are back to school, parents back to work and new normal habits evolving with everyone learning how to exercise their flexibility muscles. It’s a brave new world out there and one of the best outlets for stress is right in our backyards! Mountain biking in our community with friends has been a pandemic friendly activity. LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY, I say!!!!

Summer Rides

We had a wildly successful series of summer rides. Channing Jones and Charles Lopez shared the lead for the Wednesday evening rides which were geared towards intermediate/advanced riders and primarily held in Bath on the Lilly Pond trails. This was a fast paced, mostly testosterone fueled group.

Our Thursday night rides were women specific rides; hosted and led by a rotating group: Jen Fox, Kristin Jhamb, Heidi Pomerleau and Melissa Stearns. Thank you ladies! This was primarily geared towards beginner/intermediate riders and we alternated trail systems between Brunswick’s Neptune Woods, Freeport’s Bradbury trails and Topsham Pond trails. It was a great way to connect and meet other local riders.

Finally, our Saturday rides were a big hit with the early birds in the area. Led by Kris Haralson, they had departures at 8 am from Center Street Cycles and Kris could be seen leading his group of sometimes upwards of 10-12 riders like a pied piper. He just needed a cape or a big S on his chest!! There have been many new faces at these rides with folks coming from the Portland area and elsewhere to explore our trails.

Trail Work

Quite a bit of trail maintenance continued over the summer with bridging and reroutes completed around Nevaroney. Thank you to Bill Milam and Jaret Reblin and others. Lowes was very kind in donating wheelbarrows and shovels for our crew.

A great trail work day in Topsham on July 20 organized by Kris Haralson and attended by Travis Counsell, Executive Director of NEMBA. A new .6 mile connector trail was made to connect the parking lot with the first trail section. It is named after the Topsham town planner, Rodney, who has been instrumental in our trail system in Topsham.

We have paired with Brunswick Topsham Land Trust in donating money and time to repair wet trail areas and do some bridging. Plan is to finish that before the snow flies!

We continue to be in debt to all the trail work warriors out there who tirelessly just GSD (get s*** done)!

Thanks to James Fagan, a professional arborist for getting the widow makers out of our trails!

Topsham Pump Track

We will build it and they will come! Thus far over $5500 raised and more to come. We are actively gathering quotes from builders.

Kids Programming

Led by Ernie Phillips with Kris Haralson and Mike Romac this has served approximately 45 kids in Brunswick and Topsham. Parent volunteers have helped out as well. Happy kids and happy parents!

Youth Cycle Project

We have teamed up with these awesome folks to help support their events. Sunday October 3rd was a super fun event in Topsham for youth riders. Their parents had the opportunity to gorge on guacamole and fish tacos from Taco the Town while watching their tykes roll across the finish line! Good fun and the trails were in great shape.

Fall Events

Six Rivers hosted a fall fundraiser for the Topsham Pump track project on Sunday October 24, 2021 starting at 8 am at Neptune Woods on the Brunswick Landing (formerly known as the base!). Suggested donation of $25 with guided rides of 5/10/15 and 20 mile loops. We will show folks how to link up some sweet trails that Brunswick has- Neptune Woods, Furbish East and Town Commons. We will come together to support a cause, celebrate community and enjoy a beautiful fall morning.

KRISTIN K JHAMB

Topsham trail work. Kris Haralson getting it done!

President ALISON MCGEE

Secretary RUTH WHEELER Treasurer CHRIS CALVERT

This August, the Berkshire Chapter partnered with staff from Notchview, a Trustrees of Reservations property in Windsor, Massachusetts, to open up the nordic ski property to biking during summer months. This was a fantastic collaboration with some really amazing staff including both Trustees property directors and stewardship experts. NEMBA members from both the Berkshire and Pioneer Valley chapters joined forces to install seasonal signage and maps, clear brush and downed trees, and test out the trails. The event was a two-day experience and Notchview staff were gracious enough to host volunteers interested in camping out overnight, providing a fire and grilled items. Approximately 15 miles of trails (primarily double track and gravel roads) was opened up for bike use on the 3000-acre property. Biking is allowed from August through October on a trial basis.

Current NEMBA members were able to purchase a pass from the Trustees at a discounted rate, while those who volunteered for the weekend received a complementary pass for the season as a reward for their hard work. The Trustees is a paid membership organization with properties throughout the state, however very few are open to mountain biking. We found that through discussions with Matt Krumme of Notchview (who manages multiple properties and is a Greater Boston NEMBA member!) that the Trustees is slowly becoming more comfortable with mountain biking on designated properties. We were extremely happy to be a part of showing how this can work and are looking forward to how it can grow in the coming summers.

We are in discussions with Krumme and Notchveiw about the logistics for opening up some options for fat biking this winter and hoping to coordinate some groomed trails that won't conflict with nordic skiers. This property is absolutely stunning, and while the trails themselves are geared more toward beginner and intermediate riders, there is at least one challenging technical climb/descent option and enough amazing views to make any ride there worth it. We’re looking forward to some more bike + yoga events, guided beginner rides, and youth activities at the property as well as fall events and continued partnership.

Thank you to the volunteers from both chapters--many of whom have been active nordic skiers at the property for years and showed such enthusiasm for this new connection! Thank you also to the Trustees for being open to this new adventure and to the staff at Notchview for their support and collaboration throughout it all.

Berkshire NEMBA and Pioneer Valley NEMBA volunteers celebrate the new mountain bike access at Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Massachusetts. Photo by Matt Krumme Pioneer Valley NEMBA president Sam Veggeberg (right) and volunteer Beau Fair strike a pose after some tough chainsaw work on a downed tree on one of the trails. Photo by Alison McGee

After a long day’s work, Berkshire rider Beau Fair makes his way through the fields on the newly-identified bike route through the Notchview Reservation. Photo by Alison McGee

President LAURA ZIMMER Vice President RYAN OLIVA Secretary KRIS MUNROE Treasurer JUSTIN SCHROTH

If there’s one word that comes to mind this summer it’s BRIDGES! With nearly 10” of rain every month the bridges and boardwalks are worth their weight in wood this year. Say ‘thank you’ to the trail stewards whenever your feet remain dry as you traverse a former mud-hole.

As the season heated up and restrictions were eased our activities and work projects did too. The Newbie rides at West Hill Dam enabled new folks to pick up pointers, practice on some features and make connections with fellow chapter members. If the weather cooperates we may be able to sneak one more ride in so keep an eye out. Also the Tuesday morning ride has been touring the parcels in our area and bringing riders to check out some new spots.

In keeping with the bridge theme, Vietnam benefited from a Girl Scout Gold Award project (the equivalent of the Boy Scout Eagle Project) on Hopkinton Highway. The picture explains the need rather well. Emily Croteau designed the bridge, procured the materials, gathered the volunteers and directed the work party. A very welcome feature for sure. Thank you Emily!

The Trustees of Reservations allowed a reroute to be done at Cormier Woods where some rock ledge presented a challenge to work around. The result was a more sustainable line for all trail users.

The Greenway Challenge was back in town this year. Our core group of volunteers was tasked with herding cats, err roadies, into and out of Douglas State Forest while trying not to lose the mountain bikers on the 6 mile course on the trails. It was a perfect day for all the participants. If you haven’t tried this event before; you really should: solid day of fun and food for all at the end.

Lastly, you just missed our major event of the year: the Best Dam Ride at West Hill Dam. We managed to score food, music, raffle prizes and food samples. We’d love to hear how it went for you and if you thought it was great to have some fun times again!

Now that we’ve got some momentum after the ‘great shutdown’ we’re aiming to continue that. Several towns have reached out to us to seeking our assistance in trail creations on their land. It may be a slow process to bring the trails to life but the end result is legal and protected trails for all to enjoy. We’ll be looking for help when the time comes so please lend a hand to a project in your area.

As always: ride with respect, keep the rubber side down and enjoy the dirt!

Cormier Woods reroute Emily and her bridge on Hopkinton Highway Newbie group at West Hill Dam

President FRANK MEROLA Vice Presidents LEV MALAKOFF DAVE LAFRENIERE Secretary KAREN ZUNTI Treasurer BEN ERHARD

Cape Cod is officially now enjoying the nicest riding of the year. After a cloudy spring and a humid summer, the crisp clear days of autumn are just what we all have been craving to get out on the trails. We were spared the worst of the hurricanes and volunteers worked hard to clear any of blowdowns from recent wind damage. Many years we seem to have “endless autumn” due to our “mild” winters and well-drained soil.

We just had a “perfect storm” of riding conditions: great temperature, clear skies, low tide and a full Harvest Moon for a 10+ mile jaunt at Sandy Neck. About 30 fatbikers were out riding the beach and trails on a magical night! Friday night rides at the West Barnstable Conservation Area (“ToT”) continue to be a hit – thanks to Perry & Kris Ermi for getting the grill going and providing after-ride snacks. The September chapter meeting was a success with a great ride and pizza to follow. In June (at Hathaway’s Pond) and July (at Nickerson State Park adjacent to Cliff Pond) several riding groups were guided to lesser known trails and had opportunity to swim after.

The newest jewel in the crown of Cape Cod riding is the Maple Swamp Conservation Area. About 2.3 miles of new trail was created from the parking area at Service Road up to the NEMBA-build observation deck on Sam Nye’s Mountain. Starting out from the beginner trail (“Swamp Thing”) at the parking lot you come to a choice of ascents: Intermediate (“The End is Nye”) or you can ride the Advanced trail up the spine (“Spinal Tap”) to the top of the mountain. Many folks enjoy a “Deck to Deck” ride (3+ mile one-way trip from Walker Point in West Barnstable to Sam Nye’s Mountain). Cape Cod NEMBA is proposing connections south of the peak including a one-way downhill sidewinder-type trail and a two-way/climbing trail. Our proposal also includes improvements at the parking area such as a youth riding area with features and a picnic table.

We restored two trails at the Cape Cod Community College (“Scrub Forest” and “Pond-Well”) that will become important connections for those of you on adventure rides from West Barnstable (“ToT”) to Old Jail Lane and beyond as well as riding around the campus.

Cape Cod NEMBA has received permission from the Falmouth 300 committee and begun restoration of the Moraine Trail and looks forward to improving many important northsouth connections in that area. A great resource for exploring this and many other areas are our “Great Routes” (#greatroute) – a resource available on our official Facebook page (about 2,100 registered members) and our chapter has 234 paid dues members and continues to grow!).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/211078219081530

We’ve also started to install signage at some of our riding areas (“The LAW” in Hyannis and on Sam Nye’s Mountain at the Maple Swamp Conservation Area in Sandwich). The idea is to get NEMBA into public view in a positive way as well as encourage folks to use the trails in a responsible manner. We have heard many supportive comments from non-bikers (e.g., quote: “We love NEMBA!”) and look forward to a safe, fun, and healthy trail experience for bikers and non-bikers alike.

Dave Lafreniere at Sandy Neck Tom Cee at Sandy Neck

President MARY MCCARTHY Vice Presidents ADAM GLICK Secretary COREY BOLLIER Treasurer JUNKO KATO

So here we are, are back to the short days and cool mornings. Sadly, our led ride season is over until next year… or is it? We had a very nice ride season despite more than a few rain cancelations and several 100+ degree days that sapped the energy from even the strongest riders. Somehow, we still turned out in force and got in those miles at Landlocked Forest, the Fells and Beaver Brook. We even got in some amazing skills sessions at the Monday Practice Your Technique (PYT) evenings. Every ride this season had big turnouts of riders including both new faces and a lot of those who have been coming for years. We need to give a big shout out to our ride guide volunteers, both the new ones and those that have been helping out for years - thank you all for stepping up and helping with these rides. This has been said before, but we will say it again: Special thanks to JRA Cycles for sponsoring the Monday PYT ride with Dan McCormack at the helm, accompanied by Ali and Mike!

The Monday Night Beginner/ Novice Ride with Adam Glick, Brandon Morphew, Emily Thibodaux, and Julia Magnusson, The Tuesday Women/Non-Binary Ride re-emerged thanks to the initiative of Kristen Ann, Priya McCoy, Julia Magnusson and special guests Margaret Kosmala and Ania Sobieszek! The Wednesday Fells Ride came back to happy legions thanks to Maciej Sobieszek, Rob Auffrey, Mark Bialas, Eugene Krylov, Craig Molway, John Donnellan, Jon Kranes, Ilana Michele, Corey Bollier, Andrea Jones, Tom Gemelli, Matt Conlon, Christopher Pouliot, Garry W, Andy. Finally, Thursday's LLF was back to the good Ole fun thanks to leadership from Rob Auffrey and generous pizza sponsorship from Cycle Loft with leads & sweeps including Reenie Greene, Tom Greene, Jon Kranes, Ilana Michelle, Vlad & “Pinkshirt”, Chris Thurrott, Chris Andrews, Eugene, Anne Raymond and Matt Conlon!

Thank you all, we have so much gratitude – without our ride guides we don’t have a successful led ride season. If you’re interested in stepping up to help with these rides, please reach out to any guides you got to know. We always need more people to help- especially with our growing number of attendees.

What was that mention of the led ride season not being over? Well, historically GB NEMBA hasn’t really held group rides on the weekends- we’ve done some here and there, but they are a little harder to organize. Additionally, in the before times we had the Mountain Bike Adventure Series that we didn’t want to overlap with. Anyways, this year in the September chapter meeting we decided it might be fun to add in a few weekend rides for September and October (maybe November if we have volunteers). To make it even more interesting we thought of throwing in a couple of “field trips” to other trails not in the GB NEMBA territory. As of writing this, we have held two of these at Lowell Dracut Tyngsboro State Forest (LDT) and the next two are at the Fells and Beaver Brook respectively – thank you Mark and Mary for offering to lead these! If these rides

have the interest and feedback is good, this might be something we can continue in the future. The timing and other info has been posted up on Facebook in the GB Nemba Rides page and spread around to other pages. Sorry if you’re not on FB – at this time it’s the main place these are being posted. They were also mentioned the GB NEMBA chapter minutes posted on www. nemba.org.

It is the opinion of many that this time of year is when some of the best riding in New England happens. The temperatures are perfect, and the mosquitos are much fewer. The ground is tacky, and the woods are so beautiful with the vibrancy of the leaves turning and the plethora of mushrooms out there in every color you can imagine. We get a couple of months of this stellar riding then it’s time to start thinking about fat biking or heading south to find dirt- both are excellent options to continue the excitement on the trails. One of the best things about the riding season is meeting other people who are enthusiastic about the sport. So even though the led ride season is winding down, the riding does not need to stop! Make those connections with your fellow riders and get out there to enjoy the amazing conditions.

Mark your calendars

The Wicked Ride of the East – Harold Parker State Forest October 31, 2021

D. BOLLIER

COREY

Dave Lafreniere at Sandy Neck

Tom Cee at Sandy Neck

President BARRY MOORE Vice President MALEN ANDERSON

Secretary KAREN KORZA Treasurer CHRIS PETERSEN

MERRIMACK VALLEY MA

President’s Message

The 2021 riding season is headed into the fall season. Our weekly rides are winding down or requiring lights. The highlight for 2021 season has been the new Friday night skills and PYT ride hosted by coach Marty Engel. The feedback has been excellent and passion from the students has been impressive. Thank you Marty all the hard work and effort it took to put this event on throughout the year. while we did not host any largescale trail maintenance days, that doesn't mean that work wasn't being done. A big thank you to all the volunteers. The projects have been successful because of you. Our next chapter meeting will be November 22nd it will take place at the navigation a brewery in Lowell. The 2021 riding season was not entirely back to normal, but we have high hopes for the 2022 riding season to get back to our normal riding schedule as well as scheduling trail maintenance projects. We have approval to build a larger skills area within Russell mill in Chelmsford. We will be moving the practice features that have been in the back parking lot up to this new area after some pre site work has been completed. we hope to have the pre site work completed in 2021 but it will be a limited event due to most of the work requires chainsaws. I look forward to seeing this new area develop.

Group Rides Wrap-Up

Tuesday

• The Lowell Dracut Tyngsboro Tuesday Night Ride Series was attended by most of the regular crew with some guests here and there throughout the season. The season felt like we were dodging rain and or thunder every Tuesday. Big thanks to all the rotating ride leaders. We hope to return to normal for 2022.

• The Women’s rides continued two progresses to the point where the women have split into two separate groups. A huge thank you to Karen Korza and Lon Hohberger for leading the rides but bringing the energy every week. There were many new faces this year. The weekly rider numbers surpassed all our other group rides. These ladies have a great attitude and just love being in the woods on a bike.

Friday

• The Friday Night ride series at Russell Mill offers a fast-paced ride that can be 20+ miles with a trip to Billerica. We plan to continue the Friday night event as a Fat bike event through the winter. Big thanks to all the rotating ride leaders.

• Skills night\PYT ride. A new ride for us hosted by Marty Engel. The new event had great energy and was a complete success in its first year. There were lots of new faces and these returned week after week to participate in the skills clinic. I expect to see this event rolling into 2022 with some minor improvements but I believe that Marty has filled a much asked for need in our chapter with this event.

The Friday night Skills crew. Photo by Marty Engel Way Poh trying new features. Photo by Karen Korza

President LOUIS HALL

Vice President TODD CHRISTY Secretary BILL RUSSELL Treasurer KARA SHEMETH

History of Vineyard NEMBA

Organized riding and Martha’s Vineyard have never quite gone hand in hand. Martha’s Vineyard is home to beautiful vistas, fun singletrack (albeit little elevation gain) and most significantly a ton of lone wolf riders. The year round population is a diverse group of riders from young to old and representing nationalities ranging from Canada to Jamaica to Brazil to Eastern Europe and beyond. The largest unifying aspect of riders on Martha’s Vineyard is that most of us are Lone Wolves. We ride when we can and rarely are there large group rides. Of course there are weekly rides, both on the road and trail, however there has been little explicit organization and with some of our recent trail controversies it seemed time to make that change. A small group of us, who were really interested in collaborating with the land conservation groups, schools and towns, felt that what MV seemed to need was positive trail advocacy coming from a group of passionate cyclists. We believed that our love for the trails would help to lay the foundation for building a larger and more cohesive community of riders. Thus began Vineyard NEMBA.

Trail Spotlight

Waskosims Rock Trails- If on the Vineyard make sure to make your way to this small trail section. It is off the beaten path and well worth making the trip to the foothills of “Upisland.” Waskosims is characterized by massive glacial erratics (big boulders leftover by the glacier that created MV), incredibly rooty sections of trails and beautiful fields surrounded by ancient stone walls. There are many connector trails that can take you to other parts of the island so if you are interested in continuing your exploration make sure to download the TrailsMV App created by Sherrif’s Meadow Foundation.

Louis Hall and Steve Cobble exploring Cedar Tree Neck

Chapter Meeting Ride August, 24 2021.

HPSF NSNEMBA ride July 27, 2021. Photo by Hank Kells

Willowdale SF NSNEMBA ride August 30, 2021.

Cooler temperatures, shorter days and colorful foliage signal that fall, probably the best season for mountain biking in New England, has arrived. After all NEMBA group rides and events were cancelled last year due to Coronavirus Pandemic, NSNEMBA’s weekly ride series resumed in 2021. The rides were very popular due to pent up demand and ran from May through the end of August at various locations on Boston’s North Shore. Mother Nature didn’t always cooperate, especially on Thursdays in the month of August when many rides were cancelled due to rain.

Plans are well underway for the 2021 Edition of The Wicked Ride of the East (WRE), NSNEMBA’s marquee annual event. DCR approved the permit application in August and this year’s event is scheduled for Sunday Oct 31 (rain/snow date Nov 7) at Harold Parker SF (HPSF) in Andover, MA. There will be an Expo area in the Campground where JRA Cycles, Cycle Loft and other vendors will be setting up shop for the day. We have been informed, however, that demo bikes are in very short supply this year due to supply chain issues. For the first time at the WRE there will be a Kid’s Ride, organized by Andrea Jones and Lee Hollenbeck as well as a led beginner ride for adults. Food will be available. Bob Ganley will be in charge of the Merchandise Tent where newly designed T-Shirts and other items will be available for purchase. Pre-registration for the event is available via the NEMBA Website.

The first in-person NSNEMBA Chapter Meeting in two years took place on Aug 24 at the home of Andy Sherman in Andover, MA with a pre-meeting ride in nearby HPSF. Thanks to Andy for hosting and for the BBQ! WRE planning continued on Sept 27 with a Zoom Meeting attended by chapter leaders. Bob Ganley has produced marked routes (beginner, intermediate and advanced) for the event but designing the routes proved to be more of a challenge this year. The bridge over the Skug River between A29 and A30 (near the campground) is about 25 years old and is in very poor condition. In the past, the trail that includes the bridge has been part the WRE marked loops but this year, it must be avoided. NSNEMBA wants to repair or replace the bridge but plans have stalled because the project requires permitting and DCR approval. Andy Sherman talked to Steve David (HPSF Park Supervisor) about it and we are waiting for a response. The WRE marked routes also avoid flooded trails in other parts of HPSF, especially around Delano Pond. However, HPSF is a large park with an extensive trail network (thanks to the hard work of NSNEMBA over the past 20+ years), so there are still plenty of trails to explore.

The Chapter App is now up and running thanks to Karen Whittier. Search for NSNEMBA in the App Store to download the app. Weekly ride updates, meeting and trail project announcements will be posted on the app. Stay tuned for information on NSNEMBA’s final chapter meeting of the year which will take place in early December.

HANK KELLS

President FRANK LANE Vice President KAREN WHITTIER Secretary HANK KELLS Treasurer MICHELLE MILTON

Photo by Thyra Sherman

Photo by Mark Ouellette

President SAM VEGGEBERG Vice President KAIT KEHOE Secretary SARA DRAPER Treasurer HAROLD GREEN

What a Summer of rain, fallen trees, and mountain bike advocacy! While tons of work has been done by individuals on a local level keeping trails riding smooth, I want to highlight a few larger, long term projects that have been going on.

A long standing project in one of the most popular riding areas in the region is finally starting to come to a close. This area, while being well built, was done without any landowner permission which has complicated talks with the many different landowners. The unclear nature of the legitimacy of the network coupled with the high traffic has also meant the trails are in dire need of maintenance. Through working with DCR and Kestrel Land Trust we are on our way to having the network legitimized and mapped within DCR and have already installed a new trail head kiosk and map with a beginner and intermediate loop blazing and tread revitalization project to increase accessibility and fun for all.

Another long term project that we are in the beginning phases of is building the Deerfield River Trails in Charlemont, MA into a full featured trail network. These trails have been the subject of past NEMBA trail projects and are a ton of fun to ride but are mostly an enduro riding destination. The terrain and existing infrastructure are well suited to creating a more well rounded and destination worthy network of pedal access trails. The large swath of land is owned by the same people that run the lift assisted bike park on the other side of the river so they understand the economic value of destination mountain biking. We are working with them to coordinate plans but initially intermediate trails are being built out now with plans to keep adding quality singletrack and eventually a skills park.

Over to the east, FirstLight Power, the operator of a hydropower dam in Northfield, MA are in the midst of finalizing a licensing agreement that requires them to allocate resources to recreation at Northfield mountain. Currently the area is set up for cross country skiing and has maintained double track, more than ample parking and a trail head lounge. All of this is great as base level infrastructure for a trail network so we are working with the administrators there who are also eager to increase their Summer recreation usage. Given the topography we are looking to build it out at least initially as a pedal accessed machine-built flow park given their popularity and the lack of similar trail access in the area.

Putting in a Berm at the Deerfield River Trails.

Photo by Paula Burton

Benching a new, more mellow trail section at the Deerfield River Trails. Photo by Paula Burton

A particularly terrifying blow down at the Parsons Brook trails in Northampton. Photo by Sam Veggeberg

President THOMAS WALKER Vice President SAMUEL GREENUP TIMOTHY FRIEDMANN

Secretary PETER WILLIAMS Treasurer STEPH BEAUDOIN

With an amazing summer of riding ending and fall being upon us, there has been an even greater change within our Chapter! Our esteemed president of 14-years has decided to step down. Words cannot describe the amount of hard work and dedication that Steve Cobble has put into advocacy, stewardship, and contributing the growth of the mountain biking community in Southeastern Massachusetts (and beyond).

On Monday September 27th our chapter held its election and confirmed three new members to leadership positions. Thomas Walker was elected as our President, Samuel Greenup was elected to a Vice President position, and Timothy Friedmann was also elected to a Vice President position. Our Treasurer, Steph Beaudoin and our Secretary, Peter Williams will stay on in their respective positions. We are extremely excited to have a new leadership team and to what lies ahead for us. Below is a little background on the newly elected members in their own words.

Thomas Walker

“I am extremely grateful to have been elected as SEMass Chapter President! As far as Mountain Biking goes, I rode a ton as a kid and into my teens (some 15-ish years ago now) – unfortunately, life happened, and I got away from this amazing sport. I started riding again last November and instantly fell back in love. I joined our chapter earlier this year and was instantly connected with a ton of local riders who, I have to say are just impressive people all around (thank you Steve Cobble for all the connections here). I love the idea of promoting Mountain Biking, stewardship, relationship building, and advocating for the thing we all love to do so much.

I live in Milton with my wife Danielle and my 5-year-old daughter Savanna. Blue Hills is my go-to track and is within riding distance of my house. As President of SEMass NEMBA, I will strive to grow our organization and really look forward to working with ALL the current members in figuring out the best ways to do so. I am excited at this opportunity to contribute to our chapter and add to my MTB family.”

chapter of NEMBA. I’m 34 years old and have always loved riding bikes. I grew up in Milton MA. I got my first bike at Dave’s Bike infirmary (RIP) when I was about 5. Prior to that I was ripping my old sister’s hand me down pink bike with some killer training wheels. I did my first mountain biking at Blue Hills in my early teens. I lost touch with the sport and bike riding in general for several years as life has a habit of getting in the way of our interested. I got seriously into mountain biking during the pandemic to get some exercise, help with stress management, and connect with nature. My family and I live right at the entrance to Wompatuck State Park in Cohasset, and I ride there almost every day.

I discovered NEMBA about a year ago, joined this past June, and have not looked back since! I regularly participate in group rides in Wompatuck and most recently raced in the Land Mine Classic. After being introduced to Steve Cobble by way of our mutual friend David Farrell, I decided that I wanted to get more involved in the mountain biking community, help with trail stewardship, and generally do all I can to make our sport even better than it already is. I have started leading NEMBA rides in Wompatuck so that I can share all the joy that I have discovered in the park with other people. If you are ever in the area, come say hello at the visitor center at 10:00am on Sunday’s. We ride at 10:15!

Samuel Greenup

My name is Samuel Greenup. I’m one of the newly elected Vice Presidents of the SE Massachusetts

“I have been an active member of the chapter board since 2014. I have been the chapter alternate for the regional NEMBA board of directors for the last few years. I look forward to helping Tommy and Sam in growing our chapter and creating fun ride and events. Look forward to seeing you all on the trail!”

Our chapter also held an epic event on Sunday September 26th. “SEMass MembaFest” at Adam’s Farm in Walpole, MA. There was live entertainment, prizes, Forza G BBQ, food trucks, demo bikes, local bike shops and Castle Island Brewing Co. was there with a beer garden set up. None of this would have been possible without our Event Coordinator Tom McKenna and all the volunteers – so THANK YOU all for the hard work.

The chapter is working to put bike workstations in DCR parks. Wompatuck has had one for a few years. One has been purchased for Borderland and is scheduled to be installed in the fall. Once it is installed, we'll work on signage to let everyone know it's provided by NEMBA

We are working with the town of Sharon to make sure mountain biker interests are represented now that Rattlesnake Hill is a state managed property

We are working to build new trails in the Flyaway section of Easton, often working with local Eagle scouts

This year’s “Turkey Afterburner” event will be held at Hale Reservation on November 28th (tentative date) is being coordinated - more details are forthcoming

Timothy Friedmann

President BRETT RUSS Vice President SEAN BLOOD Secretary LESLIE CHOQUETTE Treasurer LYDIA BARTER

Leominster News

Summertime living's easy...and NEMBA trail projects in the LSF/Leominster City properties have been in accordance since a fairly busy spring. Several NEMBA members responded to a call for help on the city properties with the construction of a mixed-use trail to connect from the "K-Mart'' overlook on N. Monoosnoc hill, down to Mt. Elam Rd. (right off Rt. 2 eastbound). This was a United Way "Day of Caring'' event hosted by the Leominster Trail Stewards, and was a great success. By the time you read this, the new red dot trail is ready for rolling tires!

The Wachusett chapter recently performed a poll, mostly distributed through the WaWa FB pages, and of the areas within the chapter limits, Leominster State Forest was by far the most frequented venue. While we are looking to plan a trail maintenance day in LSF proper in the fall with Jim Wrightson, we are excited to explore opportunities for collaboration within the city properties for MTB/mixed-use trail building. The caveat to this proposal is that we need volunteers to make it happen. With this fresh opportunity, there is much discussion, planning, and work needed to make it happen. Particularly, the thought is to examine areas in the proximity of this freshly created trail, though only rough ideas at the moment. Forging a strong relationship between NEMBA and the various entities involved in the city properties is crucial. In short, I feel there is a need and desire for new trails in the area, but it's up to us to make it happen. Looking forward to more new faces and ideas in the near future. JEFF A.

Chapter Stuff

We’ve got a few irons in the fire right now, and we’re planning a fall chapter meeting to get things going in earnest with you all. I know we still have covid concerns so we’re trying to find a venue that works. We have items to discuss, such as buying a chapter tool trailer from BV NEMBA, updating our tool supply, and a look at the artwork Roger Cameron created for us to get some chapter merch.

The other big thing, like Jeff said above, is volunteers, the lifeblood of our local trail systems. NEMBA focuses on three key areas: advocacy, community, and trails, and we’ll need you and the rest of our local riding community to help us succeed at them. Advocacy is attending meetings, building relationships, and being a positive voice for mountain bikers, enabling us to enjoy our local trails. Community is hosting chapter rides, events, and clinics which play a huge part in growing both our

sport and our chapter. Trails is field work, techniques of building and maintaining trails, but also includes things like permitting, signage, and mapping. We’re seeking volunteers to help in any of those three areas, email me anytime.

icycle@gmail.com

More News

• We’re working with the Town of Holden to bypass a bunch of water on the Bob Elms trail and build a new bridge over Ball Brook in a two phase project.

• We re-flagged our proposed routes in Oakham State Forest in early October for DCR and Oakham Cons Comm’s review. The long-awaited logging is underway right now in other parts of the forest.

• We met with the Hubbardston Open Space Committee in early October as well. We discussed several projects to collaborate on, including fixing or re-routing the Link trail and re-routing parts of Mill Pond trail to avoid wet areas. They and the town are in the middle of drafting a master plan which includes mountain biking access and have asked that all trail building go through the proper channels.

• We’re drafting an MOU with the Army Corps of Engineers at Tully Lake for trail stewardship and they’re also planning a new parking lot for riders. Beavers are still a problem on the MTB loop, as well as other storm damage. Remember their #1 ask: please don’t use chainsaws on their property. Instead, post a Trailforks report with photo and location and they will cut it.

• The Ware River Watershed Advisory Comm met in June, possibly the only meeting this year, and received no updates from DCR on the public access plan that’s been held up since Feb 2020. But, it seems the Prison Camp ruins will be spared destruction after public backlash and Senator Gobi’s support.

Thanks for helping make MTB happen.

BRETT RUSS

Mountain bikers Rebecca and Mike helping build trai in Leominster

President MICHAEL DAVERN Secretary SHARI LAPIERRE Treasurer PETE SCHRADER

As the leaves slowly start to change, the bugs disappear, and the humidity goes away here in Southeast VT and Southwest NH we reflect on the summer of 2021.

We welcomed the return of group rides, formal workdays, and mountain biking events.

Brattleboro rides came back, under the leadership of Shawn Severance and have been extremely well attended. Shawn and the crew traveled the Connecticut River Valley. Joining the WCOTA Chapter of VMBA group rides, teaming up with the West Hill Shop for some rides, and hit all the usual spots in the greater Brattleboro area.

After a great (too great?) start in Keene, the group ride numbers have settled down to something more manageable. We have had enough riders to organically split into two groups to keep everyone comfortable with the pace and terrain. One nice observation is an uptick in younger riders and families. Kid and family involvement is key to the chapter’s success and having them join on the group rides has been fantastic.

The Keene Bike Park continued to be a popular attraction in the summer of 2021, though not on the same scale as 2020! The spring tune-up efforts and new additions to the park really helped with flow and rider safety/enjoyment. In late summer we secured some new clay to use in our rehabilitation of the track. We started using it on the dirt jump side, improving the jump take-offs. Investing in good material will really pay off. Formal workdays at the park were less consistent in 2021, but lots of individuals stepped up and a lot of maintenance occurred impromptu. Thanks everyone! The Keene Bike Park was also awarded a grant from the East Hill Foundation that will be used to enhance the park using site appropriate, low maintenance ecological plantings to increase shade, control erosion on bike park features, and manage circulation; and to use limited hardscape to delineate car and bike traffic adjacent to the bike park, for safer circulation and aesthetic value. Work will happen in the fall of 2021 and spring of 2022. The bike park was also featured at the Radically Rural Summit’s Livability Slam at the events closing ceremony.

In September the chapter hosted the Fall 2021 Trail School. This was slated for 2020, but we know how that worked out… The event was held at Stonewall Farm in Keene and was very well attended. We had nearly 50 registrants from across New England join us. BK-NEMBA wants to thank all the attendees and instructors for coming out. We also owe a huge thank you to Stonewall Farm for hosting us, as well as The Works Bakery Café – Keene for providing all the food for the day. Thank you!

Fall rides have continued. Keene moved the start time from 6PM to 5PM to push back the mandatory lights. Attendance continued to be strong.

For fall 2021 projects we have some Keene Bike Park work slated, follow-up on projects that developed at the Trail School, and we really hope to jump on the bridge replacements in Drummer Hill.

Back in June BK-NEMBA was awarded an Eco-Counter grant for two people counters to be used in Drummer Hill/ Goose Pond. We received the counters in late July (supply chain issues…) and got them installed. We’ve been moving them around to every trailhead, collecting two weeks’ worth of data at each location. The counters have confirmed a lot of prior beliefs, but also led to some surprises. The most popular trailheads are the old and new trailheads on East Surry Rd, followed-up by the Drummer Rd/Green Acres trailhead. The construction traffic at the mid-gate has prevented us from getting any meaningful counts there. Weekends are obviously the busiest days, with Thursday seeing the least amount of traffic. When the project is over, we’ll share some more data and reports. The City of Keene is very excited to see this data. Having baseline numbers is critical to help measure the success of any actions that come out of this. Parks and Recreation is looking forward to being able to put some actual data behind their park usage claims as well.

Looking ahead to our usual fall events, we have the Thanksgiving morning Turkey Baster Ride and the New Years Eve Day Kick 2021 to the Curb ride to look forward to. These are usually well attended, and a very fun time. We never know if they are going to be fat bike rides or regular bikes. Keeps it fun. See you on the trails.

MIKE

by Josh Foote

Josh Foote, Falls from Grace. Ascutney. Photo by Mike Davern Ian Bresnahan and Andrew O'Donnell, Keene Bike Park. Photo

President MIKE GELDERMAN Vice President GRANT DREW Secretary JERRICA BLACKEY Treasurer JESSE MCGOWAN

The annual Concord Hospital Payson Cancer Center fundraiser ride, Pedaling for Payson, attracted a sizable crowd of mountain bikers this year. This community cycling event attracts riders with its road loop options, mountain biking loop options and, new this year, gravel option. CNHNEMBA continued its tradition of hosting the MTB portion of the event, and our request for a perfect weather day was honored with sunny skies and 75° temps.

In the weeks prior to the event the trails at Elm Brook Park in Hopkinton, NH received many hours of attention from our members and community volunteers. Bridges were repaired, trail sections upgraded, brush trimmed, trees cleared, and rocks moved. The Saturday prior to the ride crews were back out marking trails to ensure riders could easily stay on course and enjoy the ride and the rest stops. Our first rest stop provided riders with plenty of good snacks, drinks, and an opportunity to learn about the NEMBA organization and mission. As always, the second rest stop on the MTB route gets all the attention as it’s hosted by Henniker Brewing Company and serves up cold pours to eligible, thirsty riders. Post ride burgers, BBQ, beer and ice cream were all served up courtesy of The Common Man restaurants and New Hampshire Distributors. Local NEMBA sponsor S&W Sports provided onsite bike repairs as well as roadside SAG to all the riders.

Elsewhere around the chapter, trail improvements continue at the new Oak Hill bike trails. Working together with the City of Concord signage has been installed and hiker bypass options created to enhance the trail experience for both walkers and riders alike.

CNHNEMBA officers are contributing input to the formative efforts of the Foothills Foundation NH. Their “vision is to expand outdoor recreation opportunities, connect existing trails, and make Northfield, Tilton, Franklin, and the surrounding areas of Belknap and Merrimack County a recreation and mountain biking destination.” The popularity of the public Franklin Falls Dam, Great Gains and Page Hill trail networks, the Norther Rail Trail and with the lift served downhill thrills of Highland’s MTB Park provide the current foundation on which to expand and grow the Foothills vision.

Future trail work days are being planned for our newest network at Great Gains in Frankin Falls, NH. Tentative plans call for a trail day in early November, we’ll post date and time to the FB page in advance of the event.

Pedaling for Payson Start Finish Line

Pedaling for Payson CNHNEMBA Rest stop for MTB Route

President TIM CLOUGH Vice President GARDNER KELLOGG Secretary JOE HARRISON Treasurer THOMAS SHOVLIN

FA Nemba is pleased to announce that the construction of our first "flow trail" is officially under construction. This .5 mile trail is replacing a long standing trail that is now on private land. The new landowner has been incredible to work with and we look forward to many more years of working together. We can't wait to share Pebble Beach 2.0 with you this fall.

We have been very busy this summer reconfiguring our board and committees. Thanks to some great new volunteers things are really starting to take off for us. Joe Harrison has joined us as our new Secretary. Joe and his wife Adrienne moved up to Franconia full time during the pandemic and fell in love so decided to call Franconia their year around home. We couldn't be more excited to have them join our community.

Bill Whelan has taken on the role of maintenance lead. Bill spent the better half of the summer months putting together a very thorough maintenance plan for our 45+ trails throughout Franconia and surrounding towns. We can't wait to see all of his hard work put into action with our new members.

FA Nemba was also able to work with two neighboring MTB communities to form the 3 month North Country Tricycle. Parker Mtn in Littleton, Bethlehem Trails Association in Bethlehem NH and FA Nemba came together to create a 3 month race to the peaks. Each of the three trail systems had a summit with an antique tricycle. The goal, get to the three peaks as many times as you could in a three month window. We had multiple people complete the task in one day logging 45 miles and over 5,000' of climbing. We had one individual run to a single peak for 30 straight days. What we found out is we have tremendous neighbors and a bunch of crazy riders out there :)

We have a lot more exciting things coming this Winter and Spring and can't wait to share them with everyone! Cheers!

Dr No Tricycle - FA Nemba. Photo by Tim Clough Tricycle Pebble Beach 2.0. Photo by Tim Clough

SOUTHERN NH

President MATT CARON Vice President DAN DWYER Secretary CHRIS GAUDET Treasurer NORIE KNOTT

If you attended the Bear Brook Boogie in early September, you were lucky enough to ride some great trails on a spectacular early Fall day. For the first time, we held the event at Hayes Field in the very heart of the park. This new venue allowed us to implement a new concept in route layout, giving riders the options of easily riding one or more shorter loops, instead of larger single loops. This allowed more tentative riders the opportunity to “stack” shorter rides without having to commit beforehand to a more demanding ride. It also allowed riders who wanted to ride “just a little more” to easily add another one to five miles to their earlier ride. Hayes Field and the route layout made it very convenient to have a central location to allow refueling and a brief rest in the middle of the rides. The venue also made for a great Family loop, which was flat, not technical, and short, so that little ones could safely and easily experience the greatness of Bear Brook State Park. It was great to have our Friends at Philbrick’s Ski & Sport on site; they offered demos and free tech support for those unfortunate enough to experience equipment mishaps. Thanks to all attendees, to our sponsors, Goodales/Trek, JRA Cycles, DG Cycle Sports and the Northern Forest Center, to Forza-G BBQ for filling our stomachs with their delicious food while raising money for such a wonderful cause and especially to those of you who volunteered to make the event such a success.

While this issue is going to press, the State of New Hampshire is about to commence a logging operation at Bear Brook State Park. Though several harvests have occurred over the years in the park, this is the first that will occur in area where singletrack trails reside. The state forester in charge of the project has committed to minimizing the impact on the trails and the expectation is that the trails will remain, primarily intact, after the harvest. If you have any questions, please reach out to our chapter leadership or to the NH Division of Forest and Lands. If you wish to provide feedback to the state of New Hampshire, please contact your state representative or email or call the regional forester, Scott Rolfe, at Scott.Rolfe@dncr. nh.gov or (603) 227-8741.

Two trails have been added to the newest trail network in our region, Clyde Pond in Windham. Beeline provides a nice gentle climb from the new lower parking area to a Jag, a loop that artfully uses the hillside to provide some super fun flowy runs interspersed with short moderate climbs. I was honored to make my inaugural run of the trail with its architect and primary builder, Pete Burant. Pete’s hard and tireless work, including 34 hand-made bench cuts on Jag, with assistance from Fran Boucher, Derek Monson, Matt Gaudio, Chris Harding and Ted Korza, is helping to make our chapter’s venues even better.

This year we saw an overwhelming response to our chapter’s expanded group ride offerings. We are very thankful to have such a dedicated group of ride leaders who make these

rides the success that they are. Although we are very much now in the heart of needing lights for our evening rides, that does not mean the fun has to stop. By the time this issue hits the stands, some of our group rides will have ended for the season, but there will be many that will continue on throughout the fall and winter so stay tuned to our chapter page on the NEMBA website or to our Southern NH NEMBA Facebook Group; which is really the best place to keep up on all of our event postings, updates and cancelations. While some rides might not happen weekly as the seasons goes on, many of our ride leaders do their best to host rides as long as weather and trail conditions allow. New to night riding? Haven’t been on a ride where you’ve needed lights before but would like to give it a try before you commit to buying the necessary equipment? We’d love to show you how fun it is at our Weekly Tuesday night Coed Novice Ride at Mine Falls Park in Nashua. Just drop me a line at cgaudet@ nemba.org to let me know that you’re coming and don’t have your own lights and we’ll make sure that we have a light for you to borrow for your first night ride with us. What have you got to lose? We realize that night riding isn’t for everyone so if we don’t see you this fall/winter, we certainly look forward to welcoming you back to our weeknight group rides next spring. In the meantime, you’ll still have our special pop-up weekend ride events that will be hosted throughout the fall/winter so keep your eyes out for those as well. Ride on!

DAN DWYER & CHRIS GAUDET

QCNEMBA Representing at the Boogie (Top Left to Bottom Right) - Cori Paton, Cathy Cody, Criz Cadiz, Serena Dupuis) Photo by Thomas Campbell

President MARYANNE DUNFEY

Vice President MICHAEL SIMONEAU Secretary DAWN CANALES Treasurer LEO ROSSIGNAL

As mentioned, the majority of OS riders are mature adults/Medicare eligible but we do attract some younger dudes and dudettes too. Every year we have new riders join, where we help build their skills, confidence, and courage to ride some features. There is a ‘no drop’ rule and sometimes we even pick up a biker or two during the ride! Of course, it is a pretty social group that gets together socially several times each year. We care about each other and reach out for encouragement when someone is sick or injured.

Meet the OLD SPOKES Mt Bike Group whose home base is in the North Conway, N.H. area of the Eastern White Mountains. But don’t be fooled by the title, some riders are no slow pokes, we have some pretty fast and technically adept riders that can shredd and clean’em up too!

The origin of the Old Spokes (OS) group began over 20 years ago with a small, informal group of Mount Washington Valley (MWV) riders led by Peter Minnich. Peter is a long time resident of the MWV, best known as a Mt. bike trail map maker. He led Mt. bike rides for many years but started riding with a smaller group of aging riders after he retired in 2010. He turned leadership over to Mike Sachse in 2015 where over time, the number of riders has grown. The OS have always been an informal group although most participants are NEMBA members.

The OS typically ride 3 times per week. Our home base offers a diversity of trails; we frequent the Hemlock, Thompson and Cranmore trails on the East Side; Marshalls, Mineral Site and Lower Moat on the West Side; and a Wed. ride out-of-town (e.g., KT, the Gorhams, and Green Woodlands to name a few). Our facilitator (Mike Sachse) who announces the ride and leads the pack, solicits input from the group on where to ride. He also verypatiently puts up with our shenanigans! We try to behave ourselves but like all MTBers, we do like our brewskis so a local brew pub generally follows our out-of-town rides!

Besides riding our favorite trails, we do volunteer trail work. That’s fun too since it usually turns into a social event with BQ and beers. We adopted the Electric Loop trail in the Lower Moat area where we do general trail maintenance. We also have some carpenters and engineers in the group that allowed us to replace the ‘banana plank bridge’ this year. We also do work with the WMNEMBA’s Tuesday Night Trailwork group, backs permitting!

We have a lot of fun so come join us sometime; just give us a shout on the Old Spokes facebook page at https://www. facebook.com/groups/115393433936988. We love to meet new riders and share the love of the sport.

• “There is no whining in mountain biking” Ken-age 71

• “It is better to wear out than rust out” Scott-age 70

• “We’re not dead yet” Mike-age 74

• “Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike”

OS at the pillar on Hemlock trails

OS at the 'View' on the Gorham, NH trails.

Photo by Dave Kinsman

OS new bridge placement on the Ultimate Single Track in the Lower Moat area. Photo by Diane Lynn Sirota

“We’re Old and Slow but Still Wanna Go”

President ALAN WINSOR

Vice President CHRIS HUGHES Secretary JENNA DUCHARME Treasurer SHANNON LONARDO

We’re getting our mojo back! This summer has been great, and a flurry of activities have kept RINEMBA busy. First, we had a major three bridge project approved by the RI Department of Environmental Management at Browning Mill Pond in the Arcadia Management Area. Our President, Alan Windsor had several fruitful and important meetings with RIDEM which led to the first bridge project being built on August 21st with lumber provided by the State of RI. Alan along with board members Chris Hughes, Dennis Wilson, and many volunteers completed the 25’ bridge and it looks killer. This is a very important step in working with DEM to get more trail work and projects approved. The bridge project continues to build goodwill and a positive working relationship between NEMBA and the state of Rhode Island, which in turn will only make our trail networks even better.

Fun Ride, Fun Ride, Fun Ride. We are so excited to see the return of group rides and Fun Rides throughout New England. We held our first Fun Ride in nearly two years at Arcadia on September 18th, and what a ride it was. A team of volunteers led by board member Dennis Wilson cleared and tidied up close to 18 miles worth of trail to get the Arcadia loop running fantastic. The Mt. Tom trails that were obliterated by a logging project in 2020 were restored to all their downhill glory. The ride, limited to 75 riders, quickly sold out and everyone seemed to have a good time. With great weather and great trails, riders took in some of the awesome backcountry trails Arcadia has to offer. Thanks to everyone who came out, it was nice to see some familiar faces after a long hiatus. Thanks to the volunteers who helped arrow, clear trails, and check in; Wayne Asselin, Tabitha Harkin, Jim Grimley, Fred Basset, Linda Brocato, Jenna Ducharme, Joe Ducharme, Mark Savage, Mike Morris, Nick McCarthy, Alan Winsor, Sean Donahue, Adam Brule, Josh Richardson, Paul Kintz, Glenn Tourtellot, and of course coordinators Shannon Marie and Dennis Wilson. It was a good day to be in the woods.

Our community is what makes it work. Tropical storms Henri and Ida blew through our area and made a huge mess here as it did in other areas. We were taken aback by the coordination and sheer volunteerism that was on display in our area. Many folks came out and helped clear over 250 trails, and in only a short time got them back up and running. Volunteers coordinating through social media and Trailforks, had our area opened so fast you might not have noticed we had back-to-back tropical storms cause so much damage.

Trail School is cool. As a chapter we decided to offer up free tuition to some of our members. Paul Kintz, Marc Troob and Chris Perez took us up on the offer and off to school they went! Thanks to them for taking the day to drive up to NH and attend. We look forward to them sharing their new knowledge with our area.

We continue to build our relationship with the state and land managers, and we continue to do the best we can to keep the trails in RI running great. Two more Fun Rides planned for the Fall, and we look forward to seeing you all on the trails.

Browning Mill Pond bridge build Arcadia Fun Ride

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