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Category Archives: Accomplishments

CAMBC Q4 2020 Membership Update

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November 2020 Winter is coming, eventually.  We hope.  This fall has been amazing—weeks of dry weather and beautiful colors.  On top of that, we have some updates for you. Riding in the time of Covid First, Covid safety practices are still in effect.  We can’t have socials, big trail workdays, and group rides.  We CAN be good role models and help keep our trails open and in good shape, especially as the winter season kicks in. Don’t ride on wet or muddy trails.  Don’t skid.  Don’t ride at crazy speeds on crowded trails. Don’t use or create shortcuts.  Stay on … Continue reading →

CAMBC Membership Update – August 2020

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It’s been a while since we’ve last communicated with you.  We blame it on Covid as we practice social distancing, doing our part to reduce spread.  Several updates on ongoing projects, trail systems, and our accomplishments are below. Riding in the time of Covid The Covid epidemic has impacted our club’s organized events.  We miss riding with and seeing all of you.  While we wait this out, we are aware that our local trail systems have experienced a considerable increase in usage, both with hikers/runners and new riders.  Here are some encouragements on how to be leaders and responsible riders … Continue reading →

CAMBC Membership Update – November 2019

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Project Updates Pump Track CAMBC is prepared to offer the City to fund the design, materials, and construction of a small pump track in the city to promote biking and provide a place for kids and adults to work on bike skills and help with the maintenance of it in partnership with the City’s Parks and Rec team.  We intended this to be our major 2019 effort, and we had planned to do fundraising for the track, and solicit membership support for the build and maintenance of it. City Parks and Rec leadership did not respond to our communications.  The … Continue reading →

CAMBC Quarterly Update – May 2019 – Addendum and a Clarification

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We’ve got so much going on that I missed some important updates that CAMBC is doing to grow and contribute to the community. May Membership drive: Paid members are up from 180 to 220.  Thank you, loyal members! Kudos to Eric Magrum for leading this drive.  We have many more bikers on this mailing list.  Please consider joining CAMBC as a member.    BTW: you can go to IMBA.com and create a personal login so you can view/manage your membership yourselves.  No need to ask the board if their dues are paid up. CAMBC teaching mountain biking through City Parks … Continue reading →

CAMBC Quarterly Update – May 2019

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  Project Updates Pump Track CAMBC is offering to fund the design, materials, and construction of a small pump track in the city to promote biking and provide a place for kids and adults to work on bike skills and help with the maintenance of it in partnership with the City’s Parks and Rec team.  We intended this to be our major 2019 effort, and we had planned to do fundraising for the track, and solicit membership support for the build and maintenance of it. We expected to work with City Parks and Rec to get formal permission on a … Continue reading →

CAMBC Update – February 2019

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Mountain Bikers, an update on CAMBC, the ongoing projects we are working on, some background on various advocacy issues and a schedule of trailwork and social events for the next 2-3 months. I inherited the role as President in January 2019, taking over for Sean Tevendale.  Thank you Sean (and our past Presidents) for your leadership of and commitment to CAMBC, promoting trails advocacy and growing our mountain biking community in Charlottesville. Let me know if you have any questions or need any clarification. John Lewis and the CAMBC Board CAMBC Update February, 2019 Mission A reminder of our Club’s … Continue reading →

Making Mountains out of O’Hills

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Observatory Hill is a place Thomas Jefferson most certainly used for exercise, relaxation, and recreation. Today, students, faculty, and townspeople use this near-campus oasis likewise. The Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club (CAMBC), has a long history of caring for this much-loved land, but cyclists actively cared for this land even before the club existed. For me, the story starts almost 20 years ago when I first set foot on, what is lovingly referred to as O’Hill … The sign read “Trails constructed by the UVA Mountain Bike Club” and had a list of rules that needed to be followed. I … Continue reading →

IMBA Trail Care Crew Visits Charlottesville

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Trails are one of the earliest and clearest markers of society, CAMBC president David Stackhouse reminds us. To move about efficiently, early humans created trails. Trails provide protection to our surrounding natural resources by concentrating travel patterns as we explore our world. And above all, trails unite communities. Dave shared this message of unity to kick off a trail building workshop led by the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s Trail Care Crew. The attendees included mountain bikers, hikers, and trail runners from various areas of Virginia. Our IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders, Lani and Jordan reinforced this message as they discussed the … Continue reading →

Mechanized Trailwork Training

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A core focus of CAMBC is to provide education to volunteers and other trail stewards in order to promote sustainable multi-use trail building principles. On March 25th and 26th, we hosted a two-day, hands-on training event for our partners in Albemarle County Parks and Recreation, the City of Charlottesville, and the Miller School. Albemarle County and the Miller School both recently purchased narrow gauge equipment specifically to help build and maintain area trails. A Solid Foundation In January, we invited the trail crews from Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville to join us in a trip to Richmond, where Nathan Burrell … Continue reading →

New Trail Park at Ragged Mountain Natural Area

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The City of Charlottesville owns approximately 1000 wooded acres a few (bike-able) miles outside of the City proper where the City’s reservoir is located.  This terrain is mountainous mature forests with a dam that creates the reservoir.  A local foundation (Ivy Creek Foundation) had previously been granted permission to create and maintain a primitive trail system at Ragged Mountain Area, but bikes and other shared uses were prohibited.  Ivy Creek Foundation did a great job of managing the site for many years.  Last year the City undertook a large construction project to raise the Ragged Mountain dam about 50 feet … Continue reading →