What a great weekend at Lake McClure! The Groveland Trail Heads first “affiliate” the Exchequer Riders Club have an incredible project going on. Here is a quote from Josh Malcolm, fellow TROGS(Trail Riders Of Greater Stanislaus)member and an experienced trail builder- “There are plans on making this accessible for beginners, paracyclists, HS racing and already has some reasonably advanced trails with potential for some nastiness. There are plans for bike repair stations in multiple locations. Want to build a super tight techy trail? Cool. Want to build a trail your mom or daughter could ride? cool. Want to build a teeter totter followed by a bridge and a 30 ft gap jump? cool. Want to build a DH rock decent that may make your friends crap their pants? Cool. Want to build and xc or enduro race course? cool.” Could not have said it better myself…

Keep an eye open for future trail build days and go ride the mountain bike only trails that are already ready to ride.

Here are some pictures from the Trail Work Weekend: Jan.24th- 25th, 2015. There were 20 people on Saturday and 6 people Sunday. In two days we cut 3/4 of a mile of trail!!!

Meet the Groveland Trail Heads and learn how this group of cyclists is working to improve the year- round economic potential of Groveland and surrounding communities by creating a World Class Mountain Bike Destination for ALL skill levels to enjoy. We have a lot of support and incredible partnerships to make this happen. We’ll talk about the potential for community benefits and growth, youth involvement, community volunteerism, Forest Stewardship, sustainable trail building, jobs and increases in off season business. Please join us February 21st from 3pm- 5pm at Camp Tuolumne Trails. Our presentation will be followed by a Q & A then a screening of the documentary film Pedal Driven! We’ll have snacks and drinks… this event is free

Super fun ride last Saturday with Bob Bonomo, Gary, Ryan, Jeff, the Sherpa(Mark Muscio) and DangerBoy(me). There were six of us! That’s the most people I’ve ridden with here. Here are a few pics…

Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope you all are enjoying this time of year

It has been a while since we wrote about our project- Mountain Bike Destination, Groveland- so here is where we are in the process… Back in September we were hoping the NEPA would be completed by Winter 2014. That isn’t going to happen unfortunately but it is understandable. The Forest Service is dealing with the consequences of the Rim Fire. I don’t think I need to remind people how much damage that fire caused. Reforestation is a HUGE project for the Forest Service and takes a lot of personnel, resources and funding. Our 500 acre area suffered no damage thankfully but 50 yards away is a vastly different story. So to still have our project on the table is awesome.

OK, back to the NEPA stuff… BananaSeat, Big Ring, Lil Ring and I(DangerBoy)met with Red Tape recently to discuss progress on completing the NEPA. The issue is that the personnel(Forest Service) needed to complete the process won’t be available for a while. Totally understandable. So what do we do? Well, we are going to work with Red Tape on completing the NEPA. Not going to get into details on this process because it’s a lot of writing! Luckily we have KickStand! He has experience with NEPA stuff and will be our leader for this. No guarantees but we’d like to have this done by April/May 2015. The Groveland Ranger District personnel know we are getting impatient

We are working on a meeting date(Jan/Feb)with the key personnel(District Ranger, Supervisor, etc…)from the Stanislaus National Forest. This will be an opportunity for them to get to know who we are, put faces on the Groveland Trail Heads. We’ll also share our overall vision for more trails for all user groups within the Stanislaus National Forest.

After the meeting with the Stanislaus National Forest Service personnel we are going to have a presentation regarding the economic and community benefits our project will bring. We’ll be inviting a lot of people to this event so stay tuned! BananaSeat has been working hard on the presentation. The presentation will take place at Camp Toulumne Trails. We don’t have a specific date yet as we are waiting for the date to be confirmed for our meeting with the Forest Service. Sometime in February is all we have now but will announce the date as soon as we know.

More news!!!! The Groveland Trail Heads are teaming up with the Exchequer Riders Club. This group has started building a Mountain Bike Park on 700- 800+ acres at Lake McClure! Sweet! We’re working with IMBA on the paperwork stuff, we’ll be the Exchequer Rider Club’s “fiscal sponsor” so they’ll be under our and IMBA’s 501c3 until they are able to become their own IMBA Chapter. Achieving nonprofit status now will help this group get funding, grants and donations for their Mountain Bike Park build- by the way, mountain bike only trails

The Exchequer Riders Club will be hosting a Volunteer Trail Work Weekend January 24th- January 25th for the Exchequer MTB Park at Lake McClure’s Barrett Cove. Details are still being worked out and we’ll post info as it becomes available. Here is a link to their FB Event page-https://www.facebook.com/events/743311299057344/?ref=6&ref_notif_type=plan_user_invited
There is a link on our FB page to their group FB page.

Again, thanks to all the people that have joined the Groveland Trail Heads through IMBA! Your membership helps our club stay alive and as we grow you all will benefit too Last thing… if you’re in the Groveland area during the holiday season or any other time please let us know. We’re happy to share our local riding knowledge!

Cheers,
Groveland Trail Heads

Volunteers Needed for Trail Work Day on Saturday, October18th

Work will include basic trail maintenance involving brushing, tread repairs, rock work, and water control feature clearing. The project will include hard physical work and volunteers should be in good physical shape. Please show up dressed for working in a remote location by bringing work or hiking boots, a backpack for lunch or snacks, a filled water bottle, insect repellent, sun protection, long pants and a long sleeved shirt. Tools and safety gear such as hard hats, safety glasses, and gloves will be provided. Parents or legal guardians must be available to sign volunteer agreement for volunteers under age 18. All volunteers must meet at the Groveland Ranger Station at 8:00 am and will ride in Forest Service vehicles or car pool to the trailheads. Volunteers will return to the Ranger Station by 4:30 pm. The Groveland Ranger Station is located at 24545 State Highway 120, just west of the community of Buck Meadows. Volunteers are requested to e-mail rebecca@tuolumne.org to sign up.

Sept 27th was National Public Lands Day and also a volunteer trail work day with our own Groveland Ranger District, Stanislaus National Forest. I put info on this page about it… Well when I showed up for the work day I was the only person! Not a bad thing as it actually turned out to be an awesome day with the Recreation Specialist for the Groveland Ranger District!!!! We have the greatest relationship ever with our Recreation Specialist, we refer to him as “Red Tape” And I feel we are incredibly lucky to have someone so dedicated to making our forest fun!!!! I’ve said it before but without Red Tape’s cooperation our Mtn Bike Destination dream would still be in our heads

So what do you think DangerBoy and Red Tape did that day? All the Forest Service’s toys at our deposal, hmmmmmmmmm… I’ll let the pics tell the story but again what a great day we had!!!!!

Our friends at the Groveland Ranger District, Stanislaus National Forest need some help this Saturday… I know this is short notice but I hope some of you will be able to make this. The Groveland Ranger District has been nothing but supportive and positive about our big project. Here’s a chance to give back:

Volunteers Needed for Trail Work Day on Saturday, September 27st for National Public Lands Day!

Work will include basic trail maintenance involving brushing, tread repairs, rock work, and water control feature clearing. The project will include hard physical work, and volunteers may be exposed to steep, uneven terrain with loose soil and rocks, hazardous overhead trees, poisonous insects, animals, and plants, and hot weather. Volunteers should be in good physical shape and be prepared to work in a remote location during a 6-8 hour-long day.

Volunteers needs to be dressed for outdoor working activities including work or hiking boots, have a backpack for lunch or snacks, a filled water bottle, insect repellent, sun protection, long pants and a long sleeved shirt. Tools and safety gear such as hard hats, safety glasses, and gloves will be provided. Parents or legal guardians must be available to sign volunteer agreement for volunteers under age 18.

All volunteers must meet at the Groveland Ranger Station at 8:00 am and will ride in Forest Service vehicles or car pool to the trailheads. Volunteers will return to the Ranger Station by 4:30 pm. The Groveland Ranger Station is located at 24545 State Highway 120, just west of the community of Buck Meadows.

Volunteers are requested to e-mail gdvaughn@fs.fed.us to sign up.

Here’s an update on our Big Project…We’re in the process of finalizing the conceptual trails plan, making sure it says exactly what we need it to say. This is super important as we’ll use this plan to generate funding for the project. It’s a multi page document which details why Groveland is a perfect location for an IMBA/Trail Solutions Ride Center or Mountain Bike Destination

The actual trails map designed by Trail Solutions for this project has just under 24 miles of singletrack to start with!!!! We have everything from beginner/family friendly trails to super bitchin’ fun advanced trails It is truly an awesome design with room to add more trails in the future!

After submitting the trails map design to Red Tape at the Groveland District Ranger office Banana Seat, Big Ring, Lil’ Ring and I(DangerBoy) met with Red Tape after he had time to look the trails map design over. Red Tape likes the trails map Trail Solutions designed!!! Now more detailed info will be sent to Red Tape so he will be able to send the detailed info to the “ologists” who will complete the environmental process(NEPA). There is a chance this may be completed by the end of Fall this year… sweet!!!!

There is more stuff we’ll be posting in the next few days but wanted you all to know what we’ve been doing to make the “dream” come true!

OK, last thing for this post- wanted to say a big, huge “thank you” to those who have joined the Groveland Trail Heads! You all are awesome and want you all to feel free to contact us… we’re still learning as we grow but don’t want any Groveland Trail Head to feel ignored… If you’re in Groveland or somewhere close and want to ride please let us know- info@grovelandtrailheads.org

Cheers,
DangerBoy

Had some fun in Santa Cruz a couple weeks ago on a real short visit. I lived there for 12 years so it was nice to go back. I did get a nice ride in with some of my bestest friends

We started on the Emma McCrary trail and that trail is a piece of art… go ride it. I was lucky to have been part of the initial crew that walked the area and flagged sections. To see this trail now is amazing, Drew Perkins is the person who made that trail what it is and I tried to be a sponge while volunteering with him on that project.

After Emma MCcrary it was the climb up UConn to the sign then Blair Witch to The Maze. I love these unofficial trail names! Thru the Maze to the Hippie Dome then back on The Maze to the Tanks then Pipeline to 420 and out to the Playground then back the way we came.

Super fun day with super awesome friends!!! 3 of us on cx bikes- you don’t need no suspension brah!
~DangerBoy

We’ve been remiss in our updates! A few weeks ago, IMBA’s Trail Solutions sent Shane Wilson out to scope out the 500 acre parcel we’re planning to develop for mountain bike use.

We spent several days hiking the entire acreage and discussing the types of trails that will best suit the topography and soil conditions.

We’re awaiting the finished proposal with the trail designs but Shane estimates we’ll be able to create between 15 and 19 miles of single track in this area alone.

While we were hiking, we got to take full advantage of the gorgeous views we got from the tops of the hills and ridges in the area. The trails will top out on these spots and will offer nice views of the foothills and the sierra and will provide mileage and terrain for all ability levels.

Part of the proposed plan will include a beginner or kid-specific skills area as well as trails that will be rated from beginner to advanced with plenty of climbing, descending, and flowing.