Category: Accomplishments

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Accomplishments Advocacy Community Trailwork Reports

CAMBC Q4 2020 Membership Update

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 the trails.
  • Practice good trail etiquette and COVID safety.  Yield to hikers and runners.  Stop, move off the trail and let them pass.  Keep at least a 6 ft distance.  Give a friendly greeting.  If you see folks failing to yield or be considerate, please remind them of this need and that we’re all ambassadors for our sport.
  • Get a bell if you are riding locally.  We’ve sold out of ours, but we highly recommend investing in one (local bike shops carry them) and USE IT on busy trails as a warning when approaching other trail users.  Avoid startling other trail users.
  • Help with trail upkeep: Nick wet spots, pickup/move branches, and obstructions.  Pack a saw/clippers and keep the trail corridors clear.  Notify CAMBCs Board of any large downed trees that need clearing.  CAMBC works with City and County staff and RTF volunteers to clear downed trees.
  • Have fun, and stay safe.

Pump Track

Not much progress since our last update.  We still feel a pump track is needed in this town, for many reasons.  We are willing to pay for it.  We cannot seem to get the attention or interest from the City Parks and Rec. department.  Given the skate park’s success, it’s pretty clear a pump track as a destination would be as popular for many types of riders from all backgrounds and ages.

We’ll keep trying to keep the flame burning on this by preparing a proposal for another location at McIntire Park and looking into other locations that are more centrally located to diverse populations.

Trails Updates and Advocacy

Despite Covid’s impact on our local governments and communities, our local trail systems have made some amazing progress. CAMBC continues to help drive progress in these areas.

Triangle Trails

Our last report introduced the Triangle Trails area in McIntire park and all the good work happening there.  More dirt was delivered in the last month, and more volunteer work contributed to improving the existing trails and adding some kid-friendly features.  If you haven’t been over there, check it out.

Ragged Mountain

Still no concrete news on the court case where the County is suing the City about code violations (or whatever it is… if anyone knows exactly what the County is arguing for and why it failed arbitration, please let me know).  Despite the increase of users on the trails, including runners and bikers, there is still no concrete guidance on what activities are allowed and where.  For a quick talking points reminder if you encounter someone who questions your biking out there:

  • Clarity on whether Biking is or isn’t acceptable at Ragged is unclear until the Court case is resolved. Until the courts rule, this can be a sensitive situation, so please consider all users while biking at Ragged to help avoid ill will toward biking.
  • RWSA has no concerns about biking or pets impacting the water supply.
  • CAMBC supports a network of hiking-only trails that is separate from multi-use trails.
  • CAMBC and its volunteers are actively helping plan, build, and maintain sustainable trail re-routes.  Are any other groups doing this?

We just completed a workday to put a re-route in on the other side of the floating bridge to address the steep sections.  We also need to finish cutting roots and to smooth out some of the new re-route down to the bridge.

What you can do to help

  • If you ride Ragged, help keep the trails clear and help address wet spots.  
  • Don’t go when it’s wet.  It’s bad for the trail, AND tire tracks look much worse than footprints.
  • SLOW DOWN when encountering other users.  
  • Demonstrate to the community there that mountain biking can co-exist with runners and hikers.

Our Position

  • We will continue to help design and maintain sustainable shared-use trails at Ragged Mountain.
  • We support the idea of having hiking-only trails, as long as there is a shared-use trail that loops the reservoir.
  • We will advocate for trails that connect the Ragged/Heyward area by trail to Charlottesville’s OHill and RTF trail networks.

Heyward Community Forest

Great news to report.  First, the City is getting an additional 5 acres of land to add to Heyward via a grant. We’ll find out shortly when that becomes official.  Second, CAMBC has contributed $3275 to help pay for two new trail segments and committed ~$4000 for another in progress.

  • Dam to Round Top Saddle – Amppletrails.org put in a super fun trail that connects the Foxhaven/Round Top trails to the trail connecting the Lower parking area and the dam.
  • Saddle to the Road trail – Amppletrails.org added a switchback to bypass the steep section that significantly improves the trail.
  • The City has put in a trail that follows the stream, starting where the gravel road begins and ending at the Saddle to Road trail.
  • CAMBC is fully funding a trail up what we’re calling “Song Mountain” on the other side of the stream and has committed to completing ½ of it by hand and doing the finishing work on the rest.  Thanks go to Amppl Trails for the amazing work and passion they’ve brought to turn these dreams into reality in mere months and to the City’s Parks and Rec department for making this all happen.
  • We are exploring grants to help raise funds and recognition for this City/CAMBC partnership in creating a new trail system in a community park.

We have dreams and plans for more trails in the area.  Stay tuned.

What can you do to help?

  • Next time you ride there, bring some clippers and spend 10-15 minutes clipping the exposed root ends down to dirt level.
  • Slow down for non-bikers.  Reduce trail conflict and negative feedback from non-bikers.
  • Be prepared to help out when we put out calls for trail days for the upcoming trails.
  • Don’t ride the trails that are under construction.
  • Send in good feedback to the City Parks and Rec department saying how much you love the work they are doing there and being inclusive for biking.

Our position:

  • We will continue to help design and fund shared-use trails in Heyward.
  • We would like to consider some bike-specific trails on the side close to the highway.  

Biscuit Run

Not much to report here.  The County is re-submitting a plan for a parking lot entrance to get VDOT’s approval.  They are allegedly re-starting the discussion with the local HOA’s to get formal access to the Wegmans to Biscuit section.  We’re frustrated at the lack of movement.

Meanwhile, the trails there are being used.  They are lovely.  We want more. We’re willing to help flag, build, and maintain shared-use trails.

What can you do to help?

  • Don’t park in the Neighborhoods to access the Biscuit trails unless you have permission from a local resident—Park at Wegmans or Hickory St.
  • Don’t build new trails and get the County upset.  Let’s work with them.
  • Put pressure on the County to get things moving.  Ask during the Supervisor meetings.  Write emails to bos@albemarle.org.

Walnut Creek

The trails are clear.  It is riding well.  The County is doing a great job of keeping it clear.  If you do encounter issues, contact them via ???

Preddy Creek

Riding well and flows!  The park is incredibly popular these days, so please use a bell when you ride there and be a good role model.  If you encounter issues, contact the County via ???

Rivanna Trail

CAMBC continues working closely with the RTF, and we’ve contributed significantly recently to trail work and re-routes.  Some recent news:

  • The Woolen Mills bridge is officially closed, but people are using it.  We continue to work on the best way to improve the rock rip-rap section to be easier (aka dumbed down) and more friendly to foot/bike users.  Several small work parties have started working in this section.
  • The bridge across Meadow Creek just below Locust Ave. is in place to connect future trails to Penn Park has had its footings reinforced.  No news on when it will officially open.
  • RTF north around Belvedere is about to have a section closed for construction.  There are alternative options to get past Belvedere, and we’re hoping there will be signs to show where to go.
  • CAMBC members participated in trail work and brushing activities to keep the RT trails open this autumn.  As far as we are concerned, the RT is in the best shape it ever has been.  Thanks for your support and participation.
  • Consider becoming a member of the RTF if you use the https://www.rivannatrails.org.

Trailwork

Trailwork is an important part of what we do as a club and helps establish our reputation as trail advocates and trail stewards.  CAMBC is now considered a resource for trail design expertise by the local land managers.  We had established a monthly trail work schedule on the third weekend of every month.  It will resume post-covid.

We had several trail workdays pre-covid. Thank you to all of you who have participated.  Since our last update in August, we’ve

  • Several BIG volunteer days at Heyward and Ragged Mountain helped prepare the new re-routes and trails for use.
  • Several smaller groups helped with the RTF in various areas.
  • Nov. 14 Dave Stackhouse and a small group put in an amazing re-route near the Ragged floating bridge.  Check it out!

Trail worker of the Fall?  Eric Magrum – who has put in a significant amount of time rallying workgroups at Heyward, stoking enthusiasm for that area, and working with Amppltrails to get these trails put in at record speed.

Trail Champions

We are looking to find people who are willing to be the formal “trail monitors” for our area trail systems.  We hope that these monitors can act as liaisons between CAMBC and the trail system land managers and keep an eye on the trails, reporting issues, recommending work, and leading workdays.

  • Walnut Creek – Jenny Whedbee 
  • Preddy Creek – Bob Newman
  • Ragged/Heyward – 
  • OHill – 
  • RTF Trails – John Lewis
  • Mint Springs – 

Your Dues at Work

List of accomplishments since August.  

  1. CAMBC clothing order.  Raised $~500 for CAMBC.  So popular we had another round of orders, due to arrive in December.  Expecting to raise several hundred dollars more!
  2. $2350 to help fund the new trail at Heyward (Dam trail to Round Top Saddle)
  3. $1925 to fully fund the switchback on the Heyward Road to Saddle trail
  4. Committed ~$4000 to fully fund a new trail on the highway side

Thus far, all of our income for 2020 has gone right back into supporting local trail building in our area!

We depend on membership dues as our primary income and supplement it with donations and volunteer events (Fridays after Five etc.), which didn’t happen this year.  So, if you ride our local trails, please join CAMBC if you haven’t, renew if you’ve let your membership expire, and encourage others to join!

Also, we’ve activated an Amazon Smile account, so when you purchase via Amazon, we can benefit.

  1. Go to https://smile.amazon.com and register to donate to “Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club.”
  2. Use https://smile.amazon.com as your address when you purchase via Amazon, and we benefit.

And finally, you can donate directly to CAMBC via Paypal at money@cambc.org.

Upcoming Events

Socials & Rides – 

On hold until Covid gets resolved, and we can be safe with each other in groups.

ABOUT CAMBC

Mission

A reminder of our Club’s mission: Our purpose is to educate the public with encouragement to live healthier lives through trail use and stewardship.  Our goal is to promote sustainable multi-use public trail systems within Charlottesville and surrounding counties. We emphasize responsible trail use and bicycle safety. We strive to foster positive relationships with other trail users, clubs, and municipal and federal land managers. We also ride bikes!

Who We Are

CAMBC is a community of mountain bikers and trail advocates.  We are a Chapter of IMBA, an international trail advocacy non-profit that helps manage our membership renewals.  CAMBC has MOU agreements with UVA, the City, RTF,  Albermarle and Fluvanna Counties, and Virginia DCR to help build and maintain trails.  We provide trail maintenance assistance on approximately 100 miles of trails in Central Virginia.  The club currently comprises 200-225 paid members.  Our main club mailing list has about 600 subscribers who can post bike-related messages that reach all subscribers, a great way to meet people, find rides, learn about trails or trail work.  We have a shed located at Meadowcreek Park with various trail building tools that we use for trail building and maintenance efforts.  

Leadership

Our board of directors currently comprises the following biking and trail advocates:

  • John Lewis – President
  • David Stackhouse – Treasurer
  • Sam Lindblom – Vice President
  • Annette Dusenbury – Secretary
  • Shawn Tevendale
  • Bobby Casteen
  • Eric Magrum
  • Jip Palakawongs
  • Will Sanford

We meet every other month to vote on club decisions and provide updates on ongoing projects. 

We always want to hear from you, and we encourage involvement from all our members, friends, and fellow trail users.  Let us know if you’d like to join our Board or have ideas and initiatives to help CAMBC serve our community.  You can email us at board@cambc.org.

Pictures thanks to Annette Dusenbury, John Lewis, Jon Ciambotti, Eric Magrum

Categories
Accomplishments Advocacy Community Trailwork Reports

CAMBC Membership Update – August 2020

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 to increase the perception that mountain bikers are cooperative trail users and advocates:

  1. Practice good trail etiquette and COVID safety.  Yield to hikers and runners.  Stop, move off the trail and let them pass.  Keep at least 6 ft distance.  Give a friendly greeting.  If you see folks failing to yield or be considerate, please remind them of this need, and that we’re all ambassadors for our sport.
  2. Get a bell if you are riding locally.  We’ve sold out of ours, but highly recommend you invest in one (local bike shops carry them) and USE IT on busy trails as a warning when approaching other trail users.  Avoid startling other trail users.
  3. Help with trail upkeep.  Nick wet spots, pickup/move branches, and obstructions.  Pack a saw/clippers and keep the trail corridors clear.  Notify CAMBCs Board of any large downed trees that need clearing.  CAMBC works with City and County staff and RTF volunteers to clear downed trees.
  4. 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 the trails.
  5. Have fun, and stay safe.

Project Updates

Pump Track

CAMBC has offered the City to fund the design, materials, and construction of a pump track in the city to promote biking and to provide a place for kids and adults to work on bike skills.  Our proposal included help with the maintenance of the pump track in partnership with the City’s Parks and Rec team.  We hoped this would be our primary 2020  effort, and we had planned to do fundraising for the track, and solicit membership support for the construction and maintenance.

Before the onset of Covid, we met with City Parks and Rec leadership to propose several locations in McIntire Park.  Several weeks later, they responded saying our proposed sites were not approved and did not show much interest in continuing the conversation.  We’re disappointed in this response (or lack of).

Our town needs a pump track that is accessible to everyone.  We believe it should be located in McIntire Park for proximity to the skatepark and the Triangle Trails behind the YMCA, and, is a central location in the City.  We are pursuing some options that may involve something more organic vs. a formal approach.  If you are so motivated, please reach out to your City Council and the head of Parks & Rec with your advocacy for a pump track in McIntire Park.  And stay tuned as our Board continues to advocate for this much-needed pump track.

Trails Updates and Advocacy

Some updates on our local trail systems and advocacy opportunities are below.  Because of the Covid situation, funding has dried up for many initiatives. The focus of local governments on bike/ped activities has been distracted, as have we on keeping the pressure up.

Triangle Trails

Kyle Rodland, CAMBC member and the City’s head of Safe Routes To School program, created and installed maps and a user-friendly trail marking system for the trails behind the YMCA in McIntire Park.  CAMBC helped pay for the maps and signage, which encourages beginners and first-time users to easily identify safe and fun routes.  There are several miles of trails. All are friendly for beginners.  Spread the word, especially for new riders or anyone looking to get a ride in the City.  There’s convenient parking in McIntire and at CHS, and Triangle Trails are easy to access from the Rivanna Trail.

Ragged Mountain

Good news and bad news.  We’ll start with the bad.  Our understanding is the mediation effort between the City and County failed, and future permission to ride bicycles at Ragged is now back in line for a court hearing.  We’re not aware of any court dates, and don’t expect much as courts are very backed up due to Covid.  This means there is no clear direction for what is or isn’t allowed on the trails. The City allows biking. The County claims their “no bikes” code applies.  There are currently no signs posted to indicate whether biking is or isn’t allowed, and there’s no movement to define the formal hiking-only trails vs. the shared-use trails.  The common practice is to ride there but be mindful that some folks may still be opposed to that.  Practice good trail etiquette if you decide to ride there.

The good news?  The City did fund local trail builder AAMPL to rough in the CAMBC-flagged sustainable re-route from the east end of the floating bridge to the top of the hill, and a section to bypass the steep switchbacks, offering sustainable grade options that avoid the current extremely steep climbs and the muddy switchbacks.  The roughing in is completed.  What is needed now is the hand “finishing.”  CAMBC has set up some tools on that trail for individuals to help finish it as they have time.  If you’re an experienced trail builder and you have time, please pitch in while you’re out there.  What is needed is to cut the exposed roots, smooth the rough machined surface and assure good drainage for water, shape some berms, and reduce the exposed dirt by lightly spreading leaves to create a more natural trail appearance.

The City also recently acquired 140 acres of land adjacent to Ragged Mountain, which they call the Hayward Community Forest preserve.  The City hopes to put in several miles of shared-use trails on this new property.  We have already partnered with them to flag and help volunteers build the first trail in the system, which connects the lower parking lot at Ragged to the Dam And upper parking, bypassing the steep unsustainable climb out of the lower lot.  Trails in this area are not in the scope of the pending litigation between the City and County, so we expect to see some good progress on a trail plan and building.  This is a lovely bit of land, within riding distance of the city, that will expand the already amazing network of local singletrack trails in our area.  CAMBC has offered to contribute funding that will accelerate new trail building out there, and we are partnering with the City to flag new trails.  

Our position:

  • Biking should be allowed at Ragged Mountain.  It does not pose any threat to the water supply (as stated by RWSA).  
  • We support the City plan to have both shared use and hiking-only trails at Ragged.  
  • If you ride there, be considerate of the situation, practice good trail etiquette.

Actions needed for Ragged + Hayward

  • Help finish the roughed in trail section down to the bridge.  See above.
  • Be respectful of hikers and runners.  USE A BELL!  We need to reduce conflict and demonstrate that bikers are responsible users of these trails.
  • Help clear the trail of branches, blowdowns, etc.  Be role models.
  • During Covid, maintain 6 ft distance.

Biscuit Run

The County is still at the drawing board with a plan for a formal parking lot at the Avon Extended and Rt. 20 junction.  They still need VDOT approval.  There does not seem to be much momentum, and we’re not aware of any advocates putting pressure on the County to speed things up.  Meanwhile, negotiations with the HOA’s to get formal access approval to use the Wegman’s connector appear to have stalled.  We’re not sure why, and who has the ball.  We will continue to work with the county to be included in the Park trails planning.  Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, the trails there are being used.  They are lovely.  We want more. We’re willing to help flag, build, and maintain shared-use trails.

Action Items:

  • Don’t park in the Neighborhoods to access the Biscuit trails unless you have permission from a local resident.  Park at Wegmans, or Hickory St.
  • Don’t build new trails and get the County upset.  Let’s work with them.
  • Put pressure on the County to get things moving.  Ask during the Supervisor meetings.  Write emails to bos@albemarle.org.

Our position:

  • Allocate funding needed for a Soft Opening (which requires a minimal public access location, and allows the use of existing trails).  We want it opened now.  We don’t want to wait for years until a huge parking lot is built.
  • Allow parking on Hickory street.  Put in a trail that crosses biscuit run on temporary stepping stones that connects to the existing trail system.
  • Open the park as a “trail park” like Preddy, then incrementally add in the other features per the Master Plan as funding becomes available.
  • Have the County work with us in trail planning, building, and maintenance.

Walnut Creek

Trails are clear, and it is as challenging as ever.  Beach is closed.  The trail CAMBC put in on the Dam Loop last year is riding GREAT!

Preddy Creek

The new Rooster Trail has been completed, and it flows!  The park is incredibly popular these days, so please use a bell when you ride there.

Rivanna Trail

CAMBC continues working closely with the RTF, and we’ve contributed significantly recently to trail work and re-routes.  Some recent news:

  • The Woolen Mills development has put in the bridge across Moore’s creek.  It is amazing.  However, it recently closed until permitting approvals are complete.  It has brought a lot more attention to the section between Woolen Mills and Rt. 20, which is now clear to ride.  There is a lot of discussion on the best way to improve the rock rip-rap section to be easier (aka dumbed down) and more friendly to foot/bike users.
  • The bridge across Meadow Creek just below Locust Ave. is in place to connect to future trails to Penn Park, but apparently needs more work on the footings to strengthen them against future flooding and erosion. No updates to give you on this one.
  • RTF north around Belvedere is about to have a section closed for construction.  There are alternative options to get past Belvedere, and we’re hoping there will be signs to show where to go.
  • CAMBC members participated with trail work and brushing activities to keep the RT trails open this summer.  As far as we are concerned, the RT is in the best shape it ever has been.  Thanks for your support and participation.
  • Consider becoming a member of the RTF if you use the https://www.rivannatrails.org.

Trailwork

Trailwork is an important part of what we do as a club and helps establish our reputation as trail advocates and trail stewards.  CAMBC is now considered a resource for trail design expertise by the local land managers.  We had established a monthly trail work schedule, on the third weekend of every month.  It will resume post-covid.

We had several trail workdays pre-covid. Thank you to all of you who have participated.  Since our last update in November

  • January – OHill mud hole, put in a gravel surface.
  • February – Preddy Creek advanced loop maintenance.

Trail worker volunteer of the spring?  Dave Stackhouse! Dave has helped flag trails at Ragged and Hayward and put in several re-routes around downed trees on O-Hill.

Trail Champions

We are looking to find people who are willing to be the formal “trail monitors” for our area trail systems.  Our hope is that these monitors can act as liaisons between CAMBC and the trail system land managers, as well as keeping an eye on the trails, reporting issues, recommending work, and leading workdays.

  • Jenny Whedbee is our Champion for Walnut Creek
  • Bob Newman is our Champion for Preddy Creek

Your Dues at Work

List of accomplishments since November.  We’ve been so busy we’ve probably missed some!

  1. New clothing order.  Due to arrive early September.  Raised $~500 for CAMBC
  2. New CAMBC brochures, distributed to kiosks at all the local parks and ride areas, and to local bike stores.  The new brochures are informative and promote folks to join our thriving mtb community.
  3. Representing mountain biking and trail building at multiple community boards and government committees.
  4. Renewed our Insurance coverage for CAMBC sponsored events and trail work days (if they ever resume)…
  5. Funded the building of a Kiosk at the Blue Ridge School parking lot.
  6. Funded trail signs for the triangle trails at McIntire park
  7. Purchased new tools for the CAMBC shed.  This included 60 new rogue hoes, 10 sets of loppers, a new larger chain saw, and, most recently, a new string trimmer.  Contact a Board member if you need to borrow tools to help maintain trails in your neighborhood.

Upcoming Events

Socials & Rides – 

On hold until Covid gets resolved, and we can be safe with each other in groups.

ABOUT CAMBC

Mission

A reminder of our Club’s mission: Our purpose is to educate the public with encouragement to live healthier lives through trail use and stewardship.  Our goal is to promote sustainable multi-use public trail systems within Charlottesville and surrounding counties. We emphasize responsible trail use and bicycle safety. We strive to foster positive relationships with other trail users, clubs, and municipal and federal land managers. We also ride bikes!

Who We Are

CAMBC is a community of mountain bikers and trail advocates.  We are a Chapter of IMBA, an international trail advocacy non-profit that helps manage our membership renewals.  CAMBC has MOU agreements with UVA, the City, RTF,  Albermarle and Fluvanna Counties, and Virginia DCR to help build and maintain trails.  We provide trail maintenance assistance on approximately 100 miles of trails in Central Virginia.  The club currently comprises 200-225 paid members.  Our main club mailing list has about 600 subscribers who can post bike-related messages that reach all subscribers, a great way to meet people, find rides, learn about trails or trail work.  We have a shed located at Meadowcreek Park with a variety of trail building tools that we use for trail building and maintenance efforts.  

Leadership

Our board of directors currently comprises the following biking and trail advocates:

  • John Lewis – President
  • David Stackhouse – Treasurer
  • Sam Lindblom – Vice President
  • Annette Dusenbury – Secretary
  • Shawn Tevendale
  • Bobby Casteen
  • Eric Magrum
  • Jip Palakawongs
  • Will Sanford

We meet every other month to vote on club decisions and provide updates on ongoing projects. 

We always want to hear from you, and we encourage involvement from all our members, friends, and fellow trail users.  Let us know if you’d like to join our Board or if you have ideas and initiatives to help CAMBC serve our community.  You can email us at board@cambc.org.

Pictures thanks to Annette Dusenbury and John Lewis

Categories
Accomplishments Advocacy Trailwork Reports

CAMBC Membership Update – November 2019

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 board decided to wait for things to settle down politically in the city before starting again to propose this offer.  Now that there is a new City Manager, and soon to be a mostly new City Council, we plan to begin our process again, hoping to make some traction in 2020.  It will involve a presentation to City Council at a public hearing, meetings with the new Parks and Rec leadership, petitions and other advocacy if needed.

This is an important initiative for us, and we’d love your help when things get going.  Our town needs a pump track that is accessible to everyone.

Advocacy

There are a variety of ongoing trail access and funding initiatives in play right now.  CAMBC is monitoring them all and will provide updates and calls to action as needed.  MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.  If you like the way things are going with trails in our community, and feel it can be better, don’t complain, DO SOMETHING.  We provide several suggestions below.  :-).

Ragged Mountain

Good news and bad news.  We’ll start with the bad.  Our understanding is the mediation effort between the City and County failed, and it is now back in line for a court hearing.  We’re not aware of any dates, and don’t expect much.  This means no clear understanding of what is and isn’t allowed on the trails, no movement to build the hiker-only trails and no movement to complete the Council approved trail plan that was a result of multiple well attended public hearings.

The good news?  The City did acquire 140 acres of land adjacent to Ragged Mountain, which they will call a forest preserve, with hopes to put in several miles of shared-use trails.  We have already partnered with them to flag and build the first trail in the system, which connects the lower parking lot at Ragged to the Dam, bypassing the steep climb out of the lot.  Trails in this area are not in the scope of the pending litigation between the City and County, so we expect to see some good progress on a trail plan and building.  This is a lovely bit of land, within riding distance of the city, that will expand the already amazing network of local singletrack trails in our area.

Also, Chris Gensic authorized Dave Stackhouse to flag the proposed shared-use trail (as approved by City Ordinance that allows biking) that will form a sustainable re-route from the east end of the floating bridge over to the dam, eliminating the current extremely steep climb and offering a sustainable grade option that avoids the muddy switchbacks.  CAMBC presently has no calendar in mind for building this new trail but getting it flagged and approved by Chris is the first step.

Our position:

  • Biking should be allowed at Ragged Mountain.  It does not pose any threat to the water supply (as stated by RWSA).  
  • We support the City plan to have both shared use and hiking-only trails at Ragged.  

If there are any updates or action needed, we will let you know. 

In the meantime, biking is not not allowed at Ragged Mountain.  County code says only hiking, picnicking and birdwatching are allowed.  Interpret that as you like.  

Biscuit Run

With the approval of the FY20-24 Capital Plan for the County, $2.2 million originally allocated for Hedgerow was re-allocated to Biscuit to accelerate its opening initially as a trail park.  This is good news.  Most of these funds will go to the public parking area at the Rt. 20 and Avon Extended junction, which is needed as there are currently no formal public access points to the Park.  

The County is working with the Foxcroft and Mill Creek HOA’s to get permission to use the existing connector to connect 5th St. Station to Biscuit.  People in the Foxcroft and Mill Creek HOA’s are resisting and we’re not sure why. In the meantime, it is “not officially legal” to use that existing trail to access Biscuit Run (from the 5th st area). 

We will continue to work with the county to be included in the Park trails planning.  

Our position:

  • Allocate funding needed for a Soft Opening (which requires a minimal public access location, and allows the use of existing trails).  We want it opened now.  We don’t want to wait for years until a huge parking lot is built.
  • Allow parking on Hickory street.  Put in a trail that crosses biscuit run on temporary stepping stones that connects to the existing trail system.
  • Open the park as a “trail park” like Preddy, then incrementally add in the other features per the Master Plan as funding becomes available.
  • Have the County work with us in trail planning, building, and maintenance.

Action Items

  1. Write the bos@albemarle.org and state your support of opening the park officially, and to begin building the new trails per the trail plan, and to begin clearing away the invasives at the center of the park to open up the back half trails
  2. Even better, show up at a County Supervisor public meeting, sign up for a public speaking slot, and say what you’ve written. 
  3. If you live in Mill Creek or Foxcroft, or know anyone who does, please get active with the HOA’s to pressure them to allow the county to get an easement to use the path by the river to allow access from 5th St/Wegmans.

Hedgerow

Hedgerow had funding in the 2020 County budget proposal, which was re-allocated to Biscuit.  The County is in the process of doing an environmental assessment of the property.

Our position:

  • Allocate funding only for a “soft opening” to provide basic public access and an initial trail loop.  
  • Have the County work with us in trail planning, building, and maintenance.

Action Items

1) Write the bos@albemarle.org and state your support for a soft opening of the area, and to encourage the county to come up with a trail plan. CAMBC is willing to partner with the County to get these trails open, and maintain them.

Rivanna Trail

CAMBC continues working closely with the RTF, and we’ve contributed significantly recently to trail work and re-routes.  Some recent news:

  • With the Woolen Mills development comes a promised pedestrian bridge across Moores Creek at Woolen Mills.  The bridge plan has been approved, and as we understand it, in the last stages of state approvals before it starts getting built.  The developers did ask the county for a time extension of 6 months.  We expect to have some trail days there helping open the trail in preparation for the bridge opening.
  • The bridge across Meadow Creek just below Locust Ave. is in place to connect to future trails to Penn Park, but apparently needs more work on the footings to strengthen them against future flooding and erosion. 
  • CAMBC members participated in multiple trail days and brushing activities to keep the RT trails open this summer.  As far as we are concerned, the RT is in the best shape it ever has been.  Thanks for your support and participation.
  • Consider becoming a member of the RTF if you use the https://www.rivannatrails.org

Funding for Bike/Ped in local government budgets

City

The CIP (capital improvement projects) budget proposed by Dr. Richardson (new City Manager) ELIMINATES ALL FUNDING for bicycle infrastructure, while it REDUCES funding for city sidewalks from $500K to $200K, a reduction of 60%!.  See the Daily Progress article.

  1. See Peter Kreb’s letter the council that states why we should be INCREASING bike/ped funding.
  2. Write or even better, speak publically to Council stating your support for bike/ped.
  3. Other items we feel are worth advocating for:
    1. We want a tunnel under Railway connecting the Meadow Creek Trails to the John Warner Parkway trails.  
    2. More Bike lanes.  More greenways.  More separated bike lanes.  Safer streets for biking.

County

The County’s 2020 capital budget did include ~$6 million for parks/bike/ped in the 2020-24 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).  Most of this goes to sidewalks in various spots, and to complete the northway bike lane route (Berkmar to Rio) to connect the Berkmar Parkway greenway to the Warner Parkway greenway.  There was also ~$4million for Biscuit Run, most of which will go to the parking lot build on Rt.20

  1. See above for Biscuit Run and Hedgerow action items, which are future trail parks for singletrack.
  2. Other items we feel are worth asking or advocating for:
    1. Best use of spending for Greenways. Why go through the expense of building a bike path along Rio?  Why not explore alternate routes that won’t involve so many property acquisitions, right of ways and utility/driveway/road crossings?
    2. Bike lanes!  More separated bike lanes on all the entrance corridors to the City.  More bike lanes in the Urban Ring that surrounds the City.  More bike shoulders on key connecting roads used by bikers (53, Old Lynchburg, 250, Garth, Woodlands, etc.)
    3. We want a tunnel under Railway connecting the Meadow Creek Trails to the John Warner Parkway trails.  
    4. Withdraw the Ragged Mountain court issue (see below). Adjust the county codes to accommodate the usage proposed by the City.  The county adjusted the Chris Green Lake codes in weeks.  They can do it for Ragged.  Biking and running pose NO threat to the water supply.
    5. Don’t fund gravel road paving.  Gravel roads are safer for bikers.  Here is the county list of paving programs.
    6. Don’t treat the greenspace surrounding the Albemarle High School complex as future building sites.  Formalize it as green space and a trail system.

Trailwork

Trailwork is an important part of what we do as a club and helps establish our reputation as trail advocates and trail stewards.  CAMBC is now considered a resource for trail design expertise by the local land managers.  We have established a monthly trail work schedule, on the third weekend of every month.  

We’ve had several recent trail workdays. Thank you to all of you who have participated.

  • June – We rerouted the Wegmans connector down to the Biscuit connector.  Thanks, Sam Lindblom for leading, and getting the CATS runners to participate.
  • July – Preddy Creek trail maintenance. Thanks, Bob Newman and the Tevendales!
  • August – Walnut new section preparation.  Thanks, Jenny Whedbee, Eric Magrum and Dave Stackhouse
  • September – Walnut new section finishing.  Thanks, Dave Stackhouse
  • October – Preddy creek advanced loop maintenance.  Thanks, Bob Newman.

Trail worker volunteer of the summer?  BOB NEWMAN!  He lead numerous workdays at Preddy Creek, fixing all the drainage issues on the advanced loop off the Preddy Loop.  Plus he also showed up for all the trail work days at Walnut Creek.  Bob Newman rocks!

Next workdays

  • November 23 – David Stackhouse – Ragged Connector trail finish work

Trail Champions

We are looking to find people who are willing to be the formal “trail monitors” for our area trail systems.  Our hope is that these monitors can act as liaisons between CAMBC and the trail system land managers, as well as keeping an eye on the trails, reporting issues, recommending work and leading workdays.

  • Jenny Whedbee is our Champion for Walnut Creek
  • Bob Newman is our Champion for Preddy Creek

Your Dues at Work

List of accomplishments this year.  We’ve been so busy we’ve probably missed some!

  1. New Reactor Trail on Ohill
  2. New “mtb easy trail” on dam loop at Walnut.
  3. Repair drainage issues at Preddy Creek.
  4. Designed/flagged new parking lot connector trail at Ragged Hedgerow property.
  5. New connector trail at AHS (John).
  6. New trails at MHS and PVCC (Sam).
  7. New playground singletrack at Greenbrier Elementary.
  8. New entry trail at Wegmans for Biscuit Run.
  9. Sponsoring of 5 local scholastic mtb teams.
  10. Expansion of mtb clinics and adventure rides through Parks and Recreation (64 kids total).
  11. Purchase of 60 new rogue hoes. (Lending of these to City was key in recent trailwork at Ragged Hedgerow.
  12. Participation in multiple RTF workdays.
  13. Funded and built a Kiosk at the parking lot at Blue Ridge School
  14. Ran Aid Station 2/6 at the SM100 race
  15. Monthly meetings with local government land managers
  16. Representation at local Bike/Ped meetings, advocacy groups and workshops.

Upcoming Events

Socials

We are starting with having monthly socials, starting with the third Thursdays of every month at Peloton Station.

  • November 21.  Several board members will be there to answer questions, get feedback, and talk about advocacy opportunities.  Come join us!

Rides

Mitch Sims and Bobby Casteen are organizing Wednesday night rides.  You’ve seen the emails in the list.  

Micky Hall occasionally leads rides on Monday nights at Forest Lakes.

Morgan Cruthirds led a bunch of Thursday Night rides from Belmont.  These are on pause for the winter.

Events

Pantani –  February sometime.  It will be cold.

BRS MTB Fest  – March 28-29

SERS Rides

Matt McClelland graciously volunteered to organize this year’s SERS rides.  There were some really great, well-attended rides.  A huge success.  Thank you, Matt and all the ride leaders for helping showcase some of the region’s great trails.

Stokesville

CAMBC supported the SM100 Aid Station 2/6 for this year’s 20th SM100 race.  THANK YOU to all the volunteers who participated.  So much fun to watch all the racers, and the crazy fans.

We are looking to lock in a weekend in June to have a CAMBC weekend at the Stokesville Campground, with organized rides etc.  More as we get details.  

ABOUT CAMBC

Mission

A reminder of our Club’s mission: Our goal is to promote sustainable multi-use public trail systems within Charlottesville and surrounding counties. We emphasize responsible trail use and bicycle safety. We strive to foster positive relationships with other trail users, clubs and municipal and federal land managers. We also ride bikes!

Who We Are

CAMBC is a community of mountain bikers and trail advocates.  We are an affiliate of IMBA, who help manage our membership.  The club currently comprises of 179 paid members.  Our main club mailing list has almost 400 subscribers.  We have a shed with a variety of trail building tools that we use for our trail building and maintenance efforts.

Leadership

Shannon Tevendale has stepped down from the board due to an ever increasingly busy life.  Thank you, Shannon, for all your idea, energy and time!

Annette Dusenberry will be stepping up to take Shannon’s place.  Many of you know Annette and her passion for riding, leading and encouraging others to ride, and taking pictures of riders.  Welcome aboard Annette!

Our board of directors currently comprises the following biking and trail advocates:

  • John Lewis – President
  • David Stackhouse – Treasurer
  • Sam Lindblom – Vice President
  • Annette Dusenberry – Secretary
  • Shawn Tevendale
  • Bobby Casteen
  • Eric Magrum
  • Jip Palakawongs
  • Will Sanford

We meet every other month to vote on club decisions and provide updates on ongoing projects. 

Categories
Accomplishments Advocacy

CAMBC Quarterly Update – May 2019 – Addendum and a Clarification

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 and Rec:
    • CAMBC teaching mountain biking beginners clinics (for ages 6 to 16) this summer through City Parks and Rec.  Clinic dates June 8, July 6, and August 3.  Interested participants register at City Park and Rec department.  Coaches and assistant coaches are needed. Contact Dave Stackhouse at davecambc@gmail.com.
    • CAMBC leading three 4-day mountain bike “adventure ride” caps this summer through City Parks and Rec.  Adventure ride dates are June 10 to 13, July 8 to 11, and August 5 to 8.  Interested participants can register at the City Park and Rec department.  Coaches and assistant coaches are needed.  Contact Dave Stackhouse.
  • CAMBC has a robust schedule for weekly group rides:
    • Tuesday beginner rides at Preddy Creek at 6 pm.
    • Wednesday Ladies rides (location TBD).  
    • Thursday urban ride from Champion Brewing, 6 pm.  Usually lead by Morgan Cruthirds.
    • Did you know that anyone can post their own ride?  Don’t be shy.  Use our email list to find folks in your neighborhood who want to join you for a ride.
  • Walnut Creek trail update:  
    • CAMBC floated the idea of creating a new section of trial at Walnut Creek that will make the blue dam loop friendly for beginners (think to avoid the rock gardens down at the stream and the grunt climb leading back up to the dam when traveling counterclockwise).  
    • Jenny Whedbee and Dave are flagging this trail this week.  Once the County blesses the proposed route we intend to schedule construction of this new trail to begin in August.
  • CAMBC supports mountain biking in local schools: 
    • CAMBC sends sponsor money each year to each of our local high school MTB teams (Monticello, AHS, WAHS, and CHS).
    • CAMBC is working with an involved parent to design and construct a small MTB trail system at Greenbrier Elementary school.  The first trail work day is scheduled for this Saturday, June 1.  Meet at Greenbrier track at 9 am Saturday.  This effort is being led by Tom Connaughton, parent of a student at Greenbrier.  CAMBC is providing design assistance and tools.
  • Other CAMBC advocacy efforts:
    • John Lewis acts as CAMBC liaison to Rivanna Trail Foundation.  CAMBC and RTF work together to maintain and improve the Rivanna Trail.
    • Dave Stackhouse sits on Charlottesville Bike Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC).  BPAC advises Neighborhood Development Services, City traffic engineers, and City Council in all issues relating to infrastructure for bike and pedestrian access and connectivity.
    • John Lewis and Dave Stackhouse host monthly luncheon meetings with trail planners at Albemarle County Parks and Rec and City of Cville Parks and Rec.  These meetings keep CAMBC informed of plans and implementation in the City and County and help CAMBC be strategic and instrumental in advocacy for more and better trails throughout the City and the County.

And a clarification about Ragged Mountain.

In our newsletter, we said biking was not allowed.  Silly word correction routines.  What we meant to say is biking is not not-allowed.
More specifically, mountain biking at Ragged Mountain is not not-legal as the City passed an ordinance that allows it, while the County has an ordinance that does not specifically outlaw mountain biking but also does not specifically allow it.  The City and the County are involved in a lawsuit to determine who has authority at Ragged Mountain.  This ongoing litigation is into its second year with no resolution in sight.  Since birdwatching is specifically allowed, anyone who decides to bike there should indicate they are bird watching and they should follow signs for the Upper Loop until they get to the far side of the reservoir, then use the lakeside loop.  

Folks who ride Ragged Mountain are reminded of the need to always be courteous, to be good ambassadors for our sport, and to yield to all other trail users.  Also, it is a good idea to avoid riding Ragged during busy periods such as nice weekend days.  

Categories
Accomplishments Advocacy

CAMBC Quarterly Update – May 2019

 

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 site in McIntire Park at the bottom of the McIntire parking area.  There are no user conflicts that we are aware of, the site has parking and water access, and is close to the McIntire trails. We presented our proposal on February 25 to Parks and Rec’s director and got no response, even after a followup request.

Our next step is to prepare a presentation based on this proposal, and introduce it to the City Council at one of the public meetings.

Fundraising Items for Sale

We have the two items for sale for fundraising

  • CAMBC Cups – $20 each – Aluminum cups, silver or black, with the CAMBC logo.  These are the same ones we’ve sold in the past.
  • Tinder Bells – $25 each – Bells for the handlebar with a slider to leave the jingle on when needed vs. using your thumb to ring it.  Great for crowded trails to give fair warning that a rider is approaching vs. scaring walkers/runners with a manual bell when it’s too late.

We will be selling these at events, and are working to make them available on our website.

Albemarle High School Trails

We had a great CAMBC workday in March to connect two trail systems behind the schools.  Members of the AHS MTB team and CAMBC members participated in the effort. The existing trails are open for use, but still need to be marked.  Additional work for the area is in planning, with some re-routes and new trails. A reminder for those interested in exploring the area: this is school property, so is closed to the public during school hours.

Advocacy

There are a variety of ongoing trail access and funding initiatives in play right now.  CAMBC is monitoring them all and will provide updates and calls to action as needed.

Ragged Mountain

A judge referred the case to mediation, where it has been for the past several months.  We understand there was one actual meeting with the assigned mediator, with no resolution.  We are not sure what the next steps are. In the meantime, the City just approved funding to pick up more acreage adjacent to the existing park and plans to put in more trails.

Our position:

  • Biking should be allowed at Ragged Mountain.  It does not pose any threat to the water supply (as stated by RWSA).  
  • We support the City plan to have both shared use and hiking only trails at Ragged.  

If there are any updates or action needed, we will let you know.

In the meantime, biking is not allowed.  County code says only hiking, picnicking and birdwatching are allowed.  Interpret that as you like.

Biscuit Run

With the approval of the FY20-24 Capital Plan for the County, $2.2 million originally allocated for Hedgerow was re-allocated to Biscuit to accelerate its opening initially as a trail park.  This is good news. Our understanding is that most of these funds will be to put in formal public parking at the Rt. 20 and Avon Extended junction, which is needed as there are currently no formal public access points to the Park.  A county project manager will be assigned to the effort. The County is also working with the Foxcroft and Mill Creek HOA’s to get permission to use the existing connector to connect 5th St. Station to Biscuit. The expectation is to put in a small trailhead across from the Wegman’s Pub, re-route the trail to be grade friendly that will connect with the “Mill Creek Connector” trail that leads into the Park under 64.  If there are any readers of this newsletter that live in Mill Creek or Foxcroft, can you please contact me so we can discuss how you can help get this permission granted?  

We will continue to work with the county to be included in the Park trails planning.  We expect to do some trail work days there as the details firm up, with the first being to help re-route the trail from Wegmans down to the Mill Creek Connector.

Our position:

  • Allocate funding needed for a Soft Opening (which requires a minimal public access location, and allows the use of existing trails).
  • Open the park as a “trail park” like Preddy, then incrementally add in the other features per the Master Plan as funding becomes available.
  • Have the County work with us in trail planning, building, and maintenance.

Hedgerow

Hedgerow had funding in the 2020 County budget proposal, which was re-allocated to Biscuit.  The County is in the process of doing an environmental assessment of the property.

Our position:

  • Allocate funding only for a “soft opening” to provide basic public access and an initial trail loop.  
  • Have the County work with us in trail planning, building, and maintenance.

We will be advocating for funding for the above in the FY21 budget cycle this fall/spring.

Rivanna Trail

CAMBC is working closely with the RTF, and we’ve contributed significantly recently to trail work and re-routes.  Some recent news

  • The Willoughby horseshoe is now formally part of the RT!  The RTF has already brushed the trail to demonstrate our interest in keeping it open and hikable/ridable.  Trails into the neighborhood are private, and the RTF will be putting up signs stating as such.
  • With the Woolen Mills development comes a promised pedestrian bridge across Moores Creek at Woolen Mills.  This would provide access to that section of trail (Woolen Mills to Rt. 20), AND provide future trail access to Monticello.  Bridge planning is in the process of design and approvals. FEMA just approved the plan, which is always a significant hurdle for bridges in flood plains.  The hopeful target for bridge building is this fall/winter.
  • Brushing – it is growing season.  The RTF is trying to keep the trail clear but depends on Volunteers to do the work.  Lots of work has been done already to open Rt. 20 to 5th St., Sunset to Stribling, and OHill to Barracks.

Trailwork

Trailwork is an important part of what we do as a club and helps establish our reputation as trail advocates and trail stewards.  CAMBC is now considered a resource for trail design expertise by the local land managers. We have established a monthly trail work schedule, on the third weekends of every month.  

We’ve had several recent trail work days. Thank you to all of you who have participated.

  • March – John Lewis led a group to build a new connector trail connecting two trails behind the AHS schools.  
  • May – Bobby Casteen led a small but productive group at the Blue Ridge School with wet spot remediation.  Thanks, Bobby!

Next workdays

  • May 31 – John Lewis at Walnut Creek with the Cutaway Kids teams and parents.  4:30 PM
  • June 15 – Sam Lindblom – Wegman’s Biscuit trailhead re-route?
  • July 20 – Shannon Tevendale – TBD
  • August 17- Eric Magrum – Walnut?
  • September 21 – David Stackhouse – OHill?

Trail Champions

We are looking to find people who are willing to be the formal “trail monitors” for our area trail systems.  Our hope is that these monitors can act as liaisons between CAMBC and the trail system land managers, as well as keeping an eye on the trails, reporting issues, recommending work and leading work days.

  • Jenny Whedbee is our Champion for Walnut Creek
  • Bob Newman is our Champion for Preddy Creek

Upcoming Events

Socials

We are starting with having monthly socials, starting with the third Thursdays of every month at Peloton Station.

  • June 20
  • July 18

Events

We’d also like to have quarterly CAMBC club events that include guided rides, skills training, fire pits and food, kids and camaraderie (and even some camping…)  

This April we had a “Take a Kids Mountain Biking Day” at the Teventrails in conjunction with a Trek and Pivot demo, with free hotdogs for the kids (and kids at heart) and several guided rides.  Thanks to Jip for organizing, and for those of you who let rides, and attended.

We will be exploring a group CAMBC potluck/ride event at Walnut or Penn Park this summer and a camping trip somewhere this fall.

Also, on June 1, National Trails Day – CAMBC will be co-hosting a group ride around the Rivanna Trail with the RTF.  9:00 AM at the IX building. Expect 4-5 hours.

SERS Rides

Matt McClelland had graciously volunteered to organize this year’s SERS rides and led the first ride on May 26.

We are still looking for volunteers to lead rides! You really can be a ride leader — it just means you get to pick where you want to ride and send out an email telling people the date, time, and location to meet to go on the ride.  If you meet those requirements, you can be the ride leader. You certainly don’t have to be the strongest person on the trail to be the ride leader. If there are no volunteer ride leaders, we may have to cancel the ride. Can you help us out?  Sign up here.

Upcoming Mountain Bike Races

VORS race schedule

ABOUT CAMBC

Mission

A reminder of our Club’s mission: Our goal is to promote sustainable multi-use public trail systems within Charlottesville and surrounding counties. We emphasize responsible trail use and bicycle safety. We strive to foster positive relationships with other trail users, clubs and municipal and federal land managers. We also ride bikes!

Who We Are

CAMBC is a community of mountain bikers and trail advocates.  We are an affiliate of IMBA, who help manage our membership. The club currently comprises of 179 paid members.  Our main club mailing list has almost 400 subscribers. We have a shed with a variety of trail building tools that we use for our trail building and maintenance efforts.

Leadership

Our board of directors currently comprises the following biking and trail advocates:

  • John Lewis – President
  • David Stackhouse – Treasurer
  • Sam Lindblom – Vice President
  • Shannon Tevendale – Secretary
  • Sean Tevendale
  • Bobby Casteen
  • Eric Magrum
  • Jip Palakawongs
  • Will Stanford

We meet every other month to vote on club decisions and provide updates on ongoing projects.

Categories
Accomplishments Advocacy

CAMBC Update – February 2019

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 mission: Our goal is to promote sustainable multi-use public trail systems within Charlottesville and surrounding counties. We emphasize responsible trail use and bicycle safety. We strive to foster positive relationships with other trail users, clubs and municipal and federal land managers. We also ride bikes!

Who We Are

CAMBC is a community of mountain bikers and trail advocates.  We are an affiliate of IMBA, who help manage our membership. The club currently comprises of 179 paid members.  Our main club mailing list has almost 400 subscribers. We have a shed with a variety of trail building tools that we use for our trail building and maintenance efforts.

Leadership

Our board of directors currently comprises the following biking and trail advocates:

  • John Lewis – President
  • David Stackhouse – Treasurer
  • Sam Lindblom – Vice President
  • Shannon Tevendale – Secretary
  • Sean Tevendale
  • Bobby Casteen
  • Eric Magrun
  • Jip Palakawongs
  • Will Stanford

We meet every other month to vote on club decisions, and provide updates on ongoing projects.  Our January meeting minutes are available.

Project Updates

Pump Track

CAMBC is offering to fund the design, materials and construction of the site, and help with maintenance of it in partnership with the City’s Parks and Rec team.  This is our major 2019 effort, and we expect to do fundraising for the track, and solicit membership support for the build and maintenance of it.

We are currently working with City Parks and Rec to get formal permission on a site in McIntire Park.  We have three options:

  1. We’d wanted the location to be adjacent to the new skate park, but since this was never in any master planning, we’re concerned that the approval process would take too long, if we got approval at all.  
  2. The second best option is in the flat area between the softball fields, but this site is needed by the Dogwood Festival, so also would likely run into approval issues.  
  3. The third option is at the bottom of the McIntire parking area.  There are not user conflicts that we are aware of, has parking and water access, and is close to the McIntire trails.

We presented our proposal on February 25 to Parks and Rec.  Next steps are to hear back from the city, and possibly present to the Parks and Rec advisory board to get permission.  After that, we formalize the pump track design, engage a contractor to build it, acquire and deliver the dirt, and get building!

Our dream is to have it in place, or in progress in time for the May 5 Bike Festival that is in planning for McIntire park.

Fundraising Items for Sale

We have the two items for sale for fundraising

  • CAMBC Cups – $20 each – Aluminum cups, silver or black, with the CAMBC logo.  These are the same ones we’ve sold in the past.
  • Tinder Bells – $25 each – Bells for the handlebar with a slider to leave the jingle on when needed vs. using your thumb to ring it.  Great for crowded trails to give fair warning that are coming vs. scaring walkers/runners with a manual bell when it’s too late.

We will be selling these at events, and are working to make them available on our website.

Albemarle High School Trails

John Lewis has been building support and permission to improve and expand the trail system on the School property that surrounds the AHS, Jouett Middle School and Greer Elementary school property.  There are several hundred acres, with about 4 miles of trail now, and potential for another several miles. This is a great opportunity to create a trail system for the local kids team to practice on, have races on, and provide more local trails for the community to use.  More updates and planned trail work events will be announced.

Trail System Monitors

We are looking to find people who are willing to be the formal “trail monitors” for our area trail systems.  Our hope is that these monitors can act as liaisons between CAMBC and the trail system land managers, as well as keeping an eye on the trails, reporting issues, recommending work and leading work days.  We’ll publish the list of local trail systems shortly and existing monitors shortly. If you ride a particular trail system regularly, please consider stepping up to be our monitor.

Advocacy

There are a variety of ongoing trail access and funding initiatives in play right now.  CAMBC is monitoring them all, and will provide updates and calls to action as needed.

Ragged Mountain

Last we heard the City and County were supposed to meet with a Judge on February 15 to arbitrate over the current lawsuit.  A reminder that the County sued the City for allowing uses on the City Property in the County that violated the County codes.

Our position:

  • Biking should be allowed at Ragged Mountain.  It does not pose any threat to the water supply (as stated by RWSA).  
  • We support the City plan to have both shared use and hiking only trails at Ragged.  

If there are any updates or action needed, we will let you know.

Biscuit Run

We are pushing the county to work with us on trail design and building, and to have a “soft opening” of the park ASAP.  While a Master Plan has been approved for the park, it requires millions in funding, none of which is in the County’s 2019 or 2020 budget planning.  

Our position:

  • Allocate funding needed for a Soft Opening (which requires a minimal public access location, and allows use of existing trails).
  • Open the park as a “trail park” like Preddy, then incrementally add in the other features per the Master Plan as funding becomes available.
  • Have the County work with us in trail planning, building and maintenance.

The county Budget planning for 2020 is in progress.  Please see the call to action posted February 19.

Hedgerow

Hedgerow has funding in the 2020 County budget proposal.  

Our position:

  • Allocate funding only for a “soft opening” to provide basic public access and an initial trail loop.  
  • Have the County work with us in trail planning, building and maintenance.
  • Allocate the unused funds for the Biscuit Run soft opening.

Rivanna Trail

CAMBC is working closely with the RTF, and we’ve contributed significantly recently to trailwork and re-routes.  Some recent news

  • The Willoughby section is very close to becoming a formal part of the RT
  • With the Woolen Mills developement comes a promised pedestrian bridge across Moores Creek at Woolen Mills.  This would provide access to that section of trail (Woolen Mills to Rt. 20), AND provide future trail access to Monticello.

Trailwork

Trailwork is an important part of what we do as a club, and helps establish our reputation as trail advocates and trail stewards.  CAMBC is now considered a resource for trail design expertise by the local land managers. We are establishing a monthly trailwork schedule, on the third weekends of every month.  We need your help getting trailwork leaders to sign up to fill out our calendar. Trailwork leaders don’t need to be trail builders, they just need to help with choosing the location, type of work needed, and organizing the event.

We’ve had several recent trail work days. Thank you to all of you who have participated.

  • January – Dave Stackhouse led continued work on the OHill Reactor Trail.  This was building a new section of trail, extending the Reactor trail up the hill.
  • February – Jason Hiser led a group to extend the Reactor trail further, connecting with the Perimeter trail.

Next workday – March 16 – John Lewis will be the leader.  Location most likely will be at Albemarle High School, finishing a new connection trail between the Jouett trails and the Greer trails.

Future dates need leaders and locations.  Who can volunteer to lead? What locations need work?

Upcoming Events

Trail Work Opportunities

We will be having monthly Trailwork days on the third Thursdays of every month.  Usual timing is 9-12AM on Saturday mornings, but we want to keep it flexible depending on the Trailwork leader’s preference during that weekend.

  • March 16, Saturday – Monthly CAMBC Trail Work Weekend – (AHS Trails – John Lewis)
  • April 20, Saturday – Monthly CAMBC Trail Work Weekend – Location TBD
  • May 18, Saturday – Monthly CAMBC Trail Work Weekend – Location TBD

Socials

We’d like to start having monthly socials, starting with the third thursdays of every month.  We’ll start with touring the local establishments. Usually the timing will be 7PM to whenever…

  • March 21, Thursday – Monthly CAMBC Social – Location TBD
  • April 18, Thursday – Monthly CAMBC Social – Location TBD
  • May 16, Thursday – Monthly CAMBC Social – Location TBD

Events

We’d also like to have quarterly CAMBC club events that include guided rides, skills training, fire pits and food, kids and camaraderie (and even some camping…)  We’re working on something this Spring, and will let you know as soon as we have something locked down.

Upcoming Mountain Bike Races

 

Categories
Accomplishments

Making Mountains out of O’Hills

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 later learned that UVAMBC was a group of energetic students with little experience and minimal faculty guidance. Later, they merged with the “roadies” and formed the UVA Cycling club, which still exists today.

I never saw the trails that day, as I was too out of breath by the time I got to the top of the hill to wander down the trail. But I darned sure knew I’d be back soon. I have since lost count of how many times I visited, and over time the sign faded until no one could read or even really remember what it all it said, and it eventually fell off its post. Maybe if one looks hard enough, you can still find remnants of it on the ground somewhere near there…

I’ve seen that sign a lot of times since that first day. I remember passing it, completely out of breath as I was on the 3rd lap of “The O’Hill Meltdown”, the race held in the spring by the UVAMBC to raise funds for attending other collegiate races. The race, named after the abandoned nuclear reactor, was notoriously hard as it packed in over 1,000 feet of elevation gain in a six-mile loop. And then you had to do multiple laps to get to the finish line. And a few times a version of the race was held in the fall, too, but renamed to the Grilled Cheese Heave for the collegiate circuit.

For years, Sue G. lead the CAMBC night ride on O’Hill, and we would see that sign at the start every week, all year long. I actually remember reviewing the rules at one of the CAMBC beginner rides, the few times the beginners ventured onto O’Hill. I definitely remember passing the sign on the CAMBC “Mother Nature” ride – the ride held on the coldest day of the year. O’Hill is always the choice to ride when it’s cold, as it’s so aerobically challenging, you can never get cold.

Over the years, all the visits to O’Hill gave me a lot of insight.

Of course, it taught me the need for fitness and exercise. It did that the first time I saw that sign, as it’s still not the top of the hill and I was already long passed my fitness limits. But it also taught me about how to be safe – whether that be group riding etiquette about not leaving people behind, when to walk the bike on dangerous terrain, or when to slow down and share the trail with other trail users.

O’Hill also taught me about the need to be good stewards of the land. Of course, CAMBC helped here with classroom sessions in partnership with IMBA and on-the-ground trail work sessions. I learned about things like how water running down the trails causes erosion, and that leaving the trail can form what I now call “social trails”. Social trails are prone to erosion because they do not follow good design principles.

O’Hill has taught me the need to be actively involved in building relationships. For example, CAMBC and UVA recently formalized their relationship with a memorandum of understanding (M.O.U.) This relationship has yielded some excellent opportunities. First, a master plan for O’Hill to improve safety, usability, and minimize the potential for user-caused erosion. The plan includes addressing variety of issues. One example is addressing a trail placement where the trail had been placed too-close to a dangerous cliff. Another example is rerouting and rehabilitating areas where erosion is out of control, or installing erosion-control features such as grade dips. Further, we are working on better signs and trail markings to help everyone find their way safely back to where they want to be. If you want to help our efforts, watch for upcoming trailwork days at O’Hill.

These days, I spend my efforts trying to share the things I have learned on O’Hill. I organize trail work days to get the word out about how to prevent erosion, so that O’Hill can teach its lessons for generations to come. During these trail work days, besides directly solving erosion issues, we teach these things I’ve mentioned. We start every session with a safety lecture, where we cover how to safely use hand tools and to stay out of people’s “circle of death”. The club is very happy to have such excellent trail work partners these days – the Rivanna Trail Foundation, UVA Cycling, Madison House, Charlottesville Area Trail Runners, the boy/girl scouts, as well as organizations we occasionally work with.

I am not sure what lesson O’Hill will teach me next, but I am sure the wise ole hill will at least remind me once more that there is a reason it is not called “O’Flat.”

Categories
Accomplishments Advocacy

IMBA Trail Care Crew Visits Charlottesville

IMG_20151017_104915Trails 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 impact of trail design on various trail use types. IMBA promotes mountain bike friendly trails, but the vast majority of their projects are shared-use; appropriate for biking, hiking, running, and often equestrian use. The goal of the day was to learn to build quality, sustainable trail, instead of just following the shortest path through the woods. “You are leaving a legacy”, Lani said of properly built trail.

Following the workshop, 30 volunteers worked on a new 800 foot section of Rivanna Trail behind UVA’s campus. This section of trail will reroute a 100 foot section of steeply sloping and unsustainable legacy trail. The new trail follows more closely to the contours of the hillside, and will handle water runoff much better than the legacy trail. The work site had many steep slopes to deal with, and where bench cuts were not enough to secure the trail, rock retaining walls were constructed. The crew of volunteers worked hard, and completed more than we had anticipated for the day. Remaining work includes connecting the ends of the trail to the existing trail, moving an existing bridge to a new stream crossing, and removing the legacy trail to encourage use of the new reroute.

It was a great honor to work with IMBA’s Trail Care Crew. It had been 12 years since their last visit to Charlottesville. We hope this visit will encourage our club and other local trail use communities to push for sustainable multi-use trail in our area. The knowledge this small group gained can be shared with thousands of other trail users. Special thanks to Lani and Jordan from IMBA, and Dave Stackhouse from CAMBC for hosting this event.12122687_618229088315802_3428516918974402531_n

Categories
Accomplishments Trailwork Reports

Mechanized Trailwork Training

IMG_2669A 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 of Richmond City parks showed the teams around Bell Isle, a machine-built cross-country trail. Nathan described trail building as a three-dimensional planning process, illustrated by Bell Isle’s undulating flow, and noted the Richmond pump track as another possibility machines open to trailbuilders.

The visit provided some fresh ideas and reinforced the value of a close partnership between municipal teams and local trail use volunteers, who in Richmond dedicate thousands of hours per year toward building trails. Richmond City Parks and residents have come to rely on one another to create trails everyone wants to use.

Breaking Ground

On March 25th and 26th, CAMBC invited Professional Trail Builder Association (PTBA) member Brock Lowery of Ironwood Outdoors to come share his extensive experience in trail design and construction. He was joined by colleague Geoff Allen of Bergrad Trails, and a pair of Ditch Witch machines. Crews from Charlottesville City and Albemarle County parks departments, led by Chris Gensic and Tucker Rollins, met up at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir trails. Andy Guptill brought along the Miller School’s Mini-Excavator, and Tucker brought the county’s Ditch Witch.

Nate working a steep section

Brock and Geoff demonstrated taking small layers off the trail in multiple passes using a Ditch Witch. This minimizes damage to the machine, keeping it from spinning its tracks and widening the trail excessively. On many sections, the trail is initially sloped inwards, and left with a large berm on the outside. This is important on very steep slopes, they said, because the insloping leans the machine toward the hill in case of a rollover, and the large berm on the outside acts as a “rumble strip” warning the operator they may be backing too far over the edge. On subsequent passes, the berm grows, but the trail surface flattens and begins to develop a proper outslope. The machine moves on leaving a heavy berm, and a sharp cut in the hillside. After the Ditch Witch has moved on, the mini excavator or workers with hand tools then knock down the remaining berm and topslope to give the trail a finished look, and allow water to sheet off properly.

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Completed 4 foot wide corridor with a grade reversal, ready for finishing with hand tools.

Proper grading of the slope was discussed throughout both days, with methods like grade reversals or undulating the trail to control how and where water flows downhill, and to protect trees. Additionally, Brock and Geoff taught techniques for operating the Ditch Witch safely on steep terrain, as well as how to perform maintenance and repairs on the trail using hand tools.

About a quarter-mile of trail was built over two days, with everyone getting a turn training at the controls of the equipment. CAMBC is extremely pleased to have facilitated this event, and look forward to opportunities to work with the city and county putting this training into practice. Thanks to all CAMBC members and volunteers. This is how we put your membership dues, volunteer fund raising efforts, and donations back into the trails. Please join us on trailwork days. There is always something new to learn when you play in the dirt.

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Categories
Accomplishments Trailwork Reports

New Trail Park at Ragged Mountain Natural Area

image4The 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 in order to expand the water reserves.  Most of the existing trails were destroyed or submerged with the construction and a new effort was begun to relocate/rebuild the trail system.  Ivy Creek Foundation decided to give up their management of the property.  CAMBC and other partners including the Rivanna Trails Foundation, Charlottesiville Area Trail Runners, saw this opportunity to open up a dialog with the land manager, the City Department of Parks and Recreation.  We collectively advocated that when the trail system was restored it should be designated for shared use, including bicycles.  We’ve been in continuous dialog with the City’s Trail Planner for the last year discussing the change in use for the area, and planting seeds for a shared use trail park.

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In the fall of 2014 the City held a public meeting to discuss changing use at this area and, thanks to advocacy from the club, there was unanimous consensus recommending the City open the Ragged Mountain Area to shared use.  The City’s trail planner now indicates the City is preparing an announcement changing the park trails to shared use.  In January CAMBC met with the City Trail Planner to begin a comprehensive trail plan for the park area.  Working with the endorsement of the City, CAMBC’s plan for the area would be part of a system of approximately 15 miles of nearby single track trails for beginner, intermediate, and expert use.

0 (1)The City then slated February 14 for a day to begin putting that plan to ground.  Working with the land manager CAMBC members flagged about one mile of new trail in preparation for the February 14 work day.  The day of the event CAMBC members provided tools and instruction to approximately 40 volunteers, including a UVA service fraternity.  This group cleared and benched approximately one mile of new trail on that day.  After the work was completed CAMBC broke out the grill in the parking lot and served food to the volunteers.  The land manager was so impressed with the turn out and the amount of new trail that was created in one day that he invited us to store trail working tools in the City-owned utility shed in the new park, and to continue to work with him to design and construct the rest of the trail system!

Thanks to all of our volunteers!

Keep it up CAMBC, together we are building a network of local, shared use trails that rival any place!

 

Articles of Incorporation
Bylaws
Albemarle County P&R MOU
UVA O-Hill MOU
Trailwork Logging