The voice of off-road bicyclists  

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In this issue...

• Urgent News
• Upcoming Trailwork
• Upcoming Recreational Rides
• Free Mountain Biking Skills Clinic
• Other News
• Support CORBA
• CORBA news eMail list

Join Our Team! Do you have any ideas about mountain biking recreation in the L.A. region? Would you like to apply your skills and manage projects that contribute to the sport and lifestyle that you love? Is there an advocate in you? We are recruiting motivated individuals who work well with others. Send an email to info@corbamtb.com or come to a monthly Members Meeting to find out more about what we do and how you can help. Check the calendar for the next meeting on the evening of Monday March 16.

Urgent News

The Sea Otter Classic, a Celebration of Sport, will be held on April 16-19, 2009 at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California. This four-day cycling and outdoor sports extravaganza features a full schedule of amateur and pro mountain and road cycling events, as well as family activities for all ages. The Sea Otter Classic also plays host to one of the largest consumer bike expos in the world.

This year, CORBA is fielding a team that you can be part of! The advantages of being part of the team are

• 15% discount on athlete event entries and each registered cyclist will receive 1 complimentary 4-day festival pass
• 15% discount on additional festival passes. Kids 12 and under are free.
• 15% discount on club campsites (primitive sites only; SOC does not guarantee that campsites will be next to each other. Camping sites are limited to 8 people and 2 vehicles per site)
• Free Team CORBA T-shirt, socks or bike bell
• Hang out at the cozy Team CORBA club zone

For more information or to join Team CORBA at this year's Sea Otter Classic, email us at team@corbamtb.com now - time is running out!

A Few Bad Apples

Recently we were contacted about vandalism at Pt. Mugu State Park. Signage that indicates "no bikes allowed" had been tampered with, including removal of red tape and application of paint over the signs. While we object to inequitable trail-use policies on our publicly-owned land, we also object to vandalism, as it is a destructive and counter-productive means of protest, and is costly to our cash-strapped State Parks and taxpayers to repair. Most importantly, vandalism does not change the current trail-use policies, it only acts to upset the rangers and land managers who ultimately set the policies as to whether bikes are allowed on trails or not. We are also aware of similar forms of vandalism at the Hub in Topanga State Park, where somebody, presumably a hiker, brought liquid paper and wrote "Hike-Not Bike" on the kiosk and the horse hitch. These incidents were likely done by two unscrupulous individuals and it reflects poorly on each user group. There is also vandalism in our parks from non-bikers and non-hikers, just vandals. All of which are shameful and selfish acts of protest.

So, if you are upset about certain trails being closed to bikes, what's a guy or girl to do?

1. Play by the rules and ride only on trails that are open to bikes - riding on closed trails only incites anger from other trail users, causes complaints to land managers and ultimately works against mountain bike access (refer to park maps and signage, watch the CORBA web site for a list of trails open/closed to bikes in the near future)
2. WRITE - send an email, or better yet, a paper letter to your local land manager requesting that certain trails be designated as Multi-Use
3. Send more letters and have your friends do so as well
4. Work on advocacy with CORBA to address the issue of mountain bike access - the process takes persistence and time, but it is effective.

Please enjoy your parks and whenever possible, leave them cleaner than when you arrived.

COSCA Seeks Volunteers for Trailhead Outreach

• trail maps
• hike and event schedules
• environmental education
• COSCA volunteer opportunities

Training is provided on site on the day of the event.

Please email Steve Forman (Outreach Coordinator) if you would like to help out on any of these dates forman3d@hotmail.com

March 7th: Los Robles (south end of Moorpark Rd.)
May 16; Lang Ranch
June 27: Los Robles
October 3rd: Wildwood

Upcoming Trailwork

Why do Trailwork? If you've ever wondered this, take a look at this article in the Summer 2008 issue of Terra Times to learn more about why it's important. Visit the CORBA Trail Crew page for more information and links to photos of past events.

April 4 - Rogers Road Backbone Trail. This ia a joint trailwork project with the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council and REI. Details.

April 24-26 - Santa Monica Mountains Trails Days. This is a weekend event with CORBA, SMMTC and other trail user groups with camping at Danielson Ranch in Point Mugu State Park. You can come in Friday night and stay until Sunday or leave Saturday after trail maintenance. Some people just come in for Saturday. There will be a barbecue and raffle on Saturday evening. Informational flyer and registration form coming soon. Details.

The Santa Monica Trails Council conducts trailwork every Saturday. Here are the dates they will be fixing up trails that are open to mountain bikers:

• March 7: SMMTC Trailwork at Charmlee in Malibu
• March 14: SMMTC Trailwork Special Conejo Open Space Project and CLU Service Day
• March 28: SMMTC Trailwork Conejo Open Space Annual Spring Work Day
• April 11: SMMTC Trailwork on the Backbone Trail east of Latigo
• May 23: SMMTC Trailwork at Secret Trail in Calabasas

Upcoming Recreational Rides

Check the CORBA Calendar for the ride description, details on difficulty level, directions to trailhead, etc.

Free Mountain Biking Skills Clinic

Saturday March 7 is the next skills clinic.

The CORBA free skills clinic is held on the first Saturday of every month at Malibu Creek State Park.

Mountain biking is a lot like tennis or skiing. Just a few minor adjustments in technique can make a huge difference in your control and proficiency. If you want to get better faster, you need to know the fundamentals of mountain biking technique. Whether you're just  getting into mountain biking or have been riding for years, you'll learn some valuable tips from our Introduction to Mountain Biking  skills class that is offered each month. Check out our Skills Clinic web page for all the information. After the clinic, see photos of your new skills on the CORBA web site that you can share with your family and friends!

Other News

2009 Looks Great for the Mountain Bike Unit

Not all volunteer efforts focus on trailwork. Since 1988, The Mountain Bike Unit (MBU) has worked diligently to build a bike-friendly community in California's Santa Monica mountains. The volunteer-based, non-enforcement, educational patrol has built a strong relationship with the National Park Service (NPS), California State Parks and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).

The 2009 MBU recruiting efforts were very successful. Over 50 mountain bikers signed up for this year training sessions. The MBU's success is direct result of their commitment to high-quality training. During "Scenario Day," new recruits are faced with real-life circumstances created by volunteer actors. Requiring 40-60 volunteers and additional land agency staffers, the training events are impressive undertakings. "Scenario Days are extremely popular ... all the students love it.

MBU's commitment to advocacy and service have yielded results. Trail conflicts have been decreasing and mountain bikers are enjoying improved relations with hikers on Santa Monica trails. Especially in places that suffer from strained relationships between user groups, a committed volunteer force can do wonders.

A favorite MBU activity that always brings out many volunteers is CORBA's Youth Adventure Program where we provide inner-city and other at-risk kids with a chance to ride some trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. The kids all have a great time and many tell us that they had no idea that places like Malibu Creek State Park existed.

The Albertsons Community Partners program continues to be a great way for Albertons shoppers to donate to CORBA when they shop. We have been notified by Albertsons that supporters need to relink their cards prior to February 28, 2009 for their contributions to continue after March. Visit the Albertsons Community Partners page to relink your card. Thanks!

New on the CORBA Website

Latest Terra Times available on the web (Vol 17, #1) - February 27
CORBA now has Student memberships for $15 per year - February 11
February Skills Clinic photos

Support CORBA

Join Our Team! Do you have any ideas about mountain biking recreation in the L.A. region? Would you like to apply your skills and manage projects that contribute to the sport and lifestyle that you love? Is there an advocate in you? We are recruiting motivated individuals who work well with others. Send an email to info@corbamtb.com or come to a monthly Members Meeting to find out more about what we do and how you can help. Check the calendar for the next meeting.

Other simple ways to support CORBA

• JensonUSA: Shop for bikes, parts and accessories and help CORBA
• Ralphs grocery stores: Use your Ralphs card and help CORBA
• Albertsons' grocery stores: Use you Albertsons' card and help CORBA
• GoodSearch internet search: Search the internet and help CORBA
• GoodShop online shopping: Shop at your favorite online retailers and help CORBA
• Phones For Good: Help CORBA when you get your next cell phone
• Holmes Body Shop: Get that dent fixed and help CORBA

(Click on the links above to get more details!)

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