Trail Ambassador training for CT NEMBA in the works....

CT NEMBA Trail Ambassadors: Apply directly to the trails!

CT NEMBA Trail Ambassadors: Apply directly to the trails!

CT NEMBA Trail Ambassadors: Apply directly to the trails!

In the spring of 2008 CT NEMBA trained 25 new Trail Ambassadors from areas in CT as diverse as Bethel to Bristol, and Westport to Groton. The 2008 season was a great success for CT TA's. We cleared countless trails of deadfall, developed and fostered many relationships between TA's and land managers, and assisted fellow mountain bikers in need of a spare tube or a repair. This all adds up to lots of volunteer hours contributed to CT NEMBA!

Trail Ambassadors are the eyes and ears of land managers and land owners on the trails we ride. They are also helpful folks who are always willing to lend you a tool when you've got a mechanical, or move deadfall off the trails. If you ever rode by a nice big branch at just about neck height and thought to yourself "That seems DANGEROUS!" and then went back the next day to find it cleared, it just may have been a CT NEMBA Trail Ambassador who came through with their official CT NEMBA folding saw and cleared the way for you and all other trail users!

In the short training session (about 2 hours) you will learn a little bit more about CT NEMBA, typical trail encounters and how to handle them, basic trail maintenance techniques, and what your responsibilities will be as a Trail Ambassador. The CT NEMBA TA program is not a "patrol" but a group of riders who ride their normal rides while being aware of their surroundings and are happy to help any trails or trail users who need it!

If YOU would be interested in representing CT NEMBA and the larger Connecticut mountain biking community by volunteering as a Trail Ambassador we would love to have you! It's an easy 3-step process! If you are already a NEMBA member, you're done with step 1... Step 2: Simply send me an email at mayhew.eric@gmail.com and let me know that you would like to participate. The current training dates are one Saturday morning in late March and one Sunday morning in April and this will be confirmed with all respondents. (Weather permitting we will have a short ride after the session…) And Step 3…Go ride your bike!

Eric