Congratulations Dave! Thanks for all your hard work at Wilton Woods and Bradley Park!
Of course, you need two additional things in order to do this task successfully: a cell phone, which Glenn had lost earlier on the trail, and the menu, which after losing his cell phone on the trail, Glenn rode back to the parking lot to pick us up so that we could go find his cell phone. Thus, another successful Trail Ambassador mission at Wadsworth Falls State Park.
This was a unique CT NEMBA member ride and maybe the first of it's kind, half the riders were on 29ers! Al Tinti was riding is Niner Air Nine, Tom Lamourine on his Voodo Canzo (below), Glenn Vernes had his Redline with a rigid fork (above), and I (Mark Lurie) had my Qball. Also riding with us were Art Roti, John Yeich, Nathan Lundstrum, and Al's riding buddy Mike (?). Tren was supposed to meet us but got lost following Google Maps to the park. We met him later in the park.
The ride started out on a mixture of dual and single track culminating with a fall line climb up an old logging road to one of the highest points at Wadsworth Falls State Park and a major intersection of trails. At the top, a few us older guys hung back to help (or to catch a breath) with the first mechanical of the ride while Glenn, Art and Mike rode off in search of Glenn's Cell phone.
On this big climb, John snapped his chain and Al learned that his Crank Brother's chain tool (not the official CT NEMBA Trail Ambassador Issue) wasn't long enough to push the pin out. John had to jump in and use his official TA chain tool to break the chain. What John forgot but Trail Ambassador Mark had readily on hand was a quick link.
The repair was made, the Pizza was ordered, and some other riders stopped to say hello, while Glenn guided Tren in via cell phone to the park. Then we took off on some tight, twisty single track that you know was the work of a professional. While the size of Wadsworth Falls State Park is dimunitive the trails are exquisite!
The group takes a breather before going in search of Tren.
We picked up Tren after making the loop back and headed off towards The Little Falls. In the picture below, that's Tren in white nearly getting taken out by Art on the decent to Little Falls.
Here is a little map of our ride. The ride lasted 45 minutes and we covered 3.9 miles. The June meeting ride will be held again at Wadsworth Falls State Park, this time will be meeting at 5:30 PM and please be prompt. There is the potential of hitting some little known trails that connect to Wadsworth to the tune of 14 miles!
Eric Mayhew presented his CT NEMBA Trail Ambassador pitch and training slides to a packed house at the Veterans Memorial Pavalion at Brooksvale Park Sunday Morning. There were NEMBA members from all points of the state, and some even from out of state looking to get their own Trail Ambassador Program off the ground.
Learning to become a Trail Ambassador is about common sense and your role and responsibility while riding. It's also about local knowledge and being an expert on the trails that you know and ride frequently. The training was more like an open discussion and flowed smoothly, however, while the forecast initially called for showers, Sunday morning was turning out to be a glorious spring day and everybody was itching to ride.
from Left to Right: Vic, Mark, Tom, & Eric
Trail Ambassador Training Ride:
The Ride of Mechanicals
The ride started off with a fun climb up the Red Trail through Brooksvale Park and then picked up a little offshoot trail that finally took us to the back entrance of Naugatuck State Forest. This trail was really fun, tight twisty single track that gave way to technical dual track. There were a few minor mechanicals along the way: Nathan was having seat post problems and Steve's derailler got realligned with a stick.
from Left to Right: Nathan, Steve, Eric, & Patrick
Prior to hitting the State Forest, we had our first big mechanical problem when Tom's tubeless rear tire sprung popped the bead and was dead! What is the advantage of running tubeless again?
I gave Tom my spare 29er tube to save him from the walk of shame back to the parking lot. Again, what is the advantage of riding tubeless?
Following closely on Tom's heels, one of the guys that came all the way from Massachussetts must have hit a stick that pushed his rear derailler into the spokes and got jammed up. The crew applied their newly awoken Trail Ambassador knowledge and got Chris rocking again, and saved him from the dreaded walk of shame.
Tom finishes up his repair.
Eric extols the finer points of Trail Ambassadoring on trail edicate and trail useage, including the Rules of the Trail (Courtesy of the International Mountain Biking Association):
These guidelines for trail behavior are recognized around the world. IMBA developed the "Rules of the Trail" to promote responsible and courteous conduct on shared-use trails. Keep in mind that conventions for yielding and passing may vary, depending on traffic conditions and the intended use of the trail.
1. Ride On Open Trails Only: Respect trail and road closures -- ask a land manager for clarification if you are uncertain about the status of a trail. Do not trespass on private land. Obtain permits or other authorization as may be required. Be aware that bicycles are not permitted in areas protected as state or federal Wilderness.
2. Leave No Trace: Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you. Wet and muddy trails are more vulnerable to damage than dry ones. When the trail is soft, consider other riding options. This also means staying on existing trails and not creating new ones. Don't cut switchbacks. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in.
3. Control Your Bicycle: Inattention for even a moment could put yourself and others at risk. Obey all bicycle speed regulations and recommendations, and ride within your limits.
4. Yield to Others: Do your utmost to let your fellow trail users know you're coming -- a friendly greeting or bell ring are good methods. Try to anticipate other trail users as you ride around corners. Bicyclists should yield to all other trail users, unless the trail is clearly signed for bike-only travel. Bicyclists traveling downhill should yield to ones headed uphill, unless the trail is clearly signed for one-way or downhill-only traffic. Strive to make each pass a safe and courteous one.
5. Never Scare Animals: Animals are easily startled by an unannounced approach, a sudden movement or a loud noise. Give animals enough room and time to adjust to you. When passing horses, use special care and follow directions from the horseback riders (ask if uncertain). Running cattle and disturbing wildlife are serious offenses.
6. Plan Ahead: Know your equipment, your ability and the area in which you are riding -- and prepare accordingly. Strive to be self-sufficient: keep your equipment in good repair and carry necessary supplies for changes in weather or other conditions. Always wear a helmet and appropriate safety gear.
Shortly after this, I discovered a problem of my own. My rear tire was loosing pressure, inidicative of a small leak, and I just gave out my only spare 29er tube. Of course I could have thrown on a 26er tube, I keep 2 extras in my Camel, but we were running late and with the setup I have on my 29er rear wheel with the tug nuts it was easier stopping every so often and putting air in the tire.
Below is a shot of Nathan on the gas line that runs through Naugatuck SF and as you can see it's a straight shot for miles and miles. This was the high point of the ride because it was all downhill from here, and what a thrilling downhill ride it was.
Trail Ambassador Aaron doing some bike maintenance.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
