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CORBA eTerraTimes for December 3, 2009

eTerraTimes Archive


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In this issue...

  • Urgent News
     
    • Cyclists urged to attend Dec 9th LA City meeting
    • Comments needed for LA City Bike Plan
  • Upcoming Trailwork
     
    • Jan 9, 2010 - Middle Sam Merrill Trail / Lunch
  • General News
     
    • Facts ignored in article that promotes anti-mountain biking agenda
    • Give the gift of Trails this Holiday!
    • State Park Closures Updates
    • MBU recruiting for 2010
    • Is the SoCal horse culture disappearing
    • Annual reregistration for Ralphs' Community Contribution Program needed
    • New on the CORBA website

Get this eNewsletter as a PDF document!


The Mountain Bike Unit is recruiting for the Class of 2010. Training starts in early February, 2010. View the story.

 


Urgent News

Cyclists urged to attend Dec 9th LA City meeting

It is important that cyclists come to Wednesday's LA City Council Transportation Committee meeting! Here is the announcement sent by Councilmember Rosendahl's office:

Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl invites the public to attend an upcoming meeting of the Transportation Committee that will focus its agenda exclusively on cycling issues.

When: Wednesday, December 9, 2009 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Where: Los Angeles City Hall
           200 N. Spring Street, Room 1010
           Los Angeles , CA 90012

Items on the agenda will include:

  • An update from the Planning Department and DOT on outreach efforts relative to the Draft Bicycle Master Plan
  • Report from LAPD on bicycle incidents and conflicts between bicyclists and motorists
  • The Sharrows pilot program
  • A bicycle sharing program for the City of Los Angeles
  • Bicyclist anti-harassment ordinance
  • Revisions to the Zoning Code that would increase and refine bicycle parking requirements for new development

The public is encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion of these important issues. Please join in the conversation and help us shape a cycling friendly future for the City of Los Angeles. See you all there!

Comments Needed for for L.A. City Bike Plan

The draft Los Angeles City Bike Plan was recently released and mountain bicyclists should be concerned with the direction it has taken. We need comments not only from L.A.-based riders, but from anyone who has positive stories about relationships with equestrians and other trail users on California trails.

Public comments can be submitted online or via postal mail. The comment period has been extended to January 8, 2010.

See the article in last month's eTerraTimes for details.


Upcoming Trailwork

January 9, 2010 - The Middle Sam Merrill Trail with Lunch

This is a heavily used trail and is in need of some brush and tread work. We will drive up the Mount Lowe fire road to the end of the pavement. From that point one group will load a couple of BOB Trailers and attach them to their bikes and ride 3 miles up to the top of the trail near Inspiration Point. That group will work down from there. Another group will hike in via the Echo Mountain trail and then work up the Middle Merrill. CORBA will provide lunch from El Pollo Loco after we finish working on the trail around 2:00 pm. Details are on the CORBA calendar. Or you can view the flier.

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.


Other News

Facts ignored in article that promotes anti-mountain biking agenda

Certain individuals who are determined to keep off-pavement bicycle riding out of L.A. city parks have been speaking and publishing a lot of hearsay about mountain bikers and CORBA to attempt to sway public and City officials' opinions.

A recent article in the North Valley Reporter by Mary Benson, Vice President of the Sun Valley Neighborhood Council, exemplifies such rubbish. Benson’s November 2009 article titled "Local Activists Kick Consultants to the Curb," makes numerous incorrect claims. View CORBA's response...

Give the gift of Trails this Holiday!

Give a CORBA membership as a holiday gift to the mountain biker in your family or among your riding buddies! Or give a gift of a donation to the trail project of your choice! Make this a special MTB holiday - give the gift of trails! 

State Park closure update: The National Park Service grants nearly a million dollars to local State Parks

California State Parks announced on October 27th that park districts across the state have finalized their Service Reduction Plans.

Now, outdoor enthusiasts in the Santa Monica Mountains owe a huge “thank you” to the National Park Service (NPS). On November 20, NPS granted $939,169 to the Angeles District of California State Parks. This ensures that state parks in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area will remain open and operating at last year's service levels. The plan had been approved to reduce services and hours at Leo Carrillo, Topanga, Will Rogers, Point Dume, Malibu Creek, Point Mugu and Thornhill Bloom State Parks and Beaches. However, thanks to this grant, the public should experience no reduction in services or operating hours. The grant closes a funding shortfall identified by California State Parks for fiscal year 2009-2010. See this article in the Los Angeles Daily News for more information.

Meanwhile, the California State Parks Foundatation and others are working towards a ballot initiative that would fund state parks through an $18 fee on annual vehicle licenses. Details.

MBU recruiting for 2010

from Joseph Lang

Calling all mountain bikers age 18 and over! The Mountain Bike Patrol Unit (MBU) is currently recruiting for its 2010 New Recruit Training Class. If you enjoy mountain biking and are interested in giving back to the community by volunteering some time to assist our understaffed Park Rangers in patrolling their parks, then the MBU may be just what you are looking for ... the MBU support and are sponsored by the National Park Service (NPS), the California State Park Service and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).

Here's what it's all about. The MBU assists in providing park visitors with a quality outdoor experience and preserving natural resources while patrolling over 60 thousand acres of public parkland in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Beginning in Feburary 2010, training will include visitor contact skills, State & National Park radio use, park rules & regulations, first aid & CPR and field training exercises. Patrol areas include the following National Park Service locations:  Cheeseboro/Palo Comado, Zuma/Trancas Canyons, Rancho Sierra Vista and Circle X Ranch; State Park locations: Malibu Creek, Will Rogers, Point Mugu and Topanga. In addition, we patrol MRCA areas near metropolitan Los Angeles along with participating in various other events such as the LA and Malibu Marathons, Wheels to the Sea and the Ventura County Fair. The MBU also help support CORBA's Youth Adventure Program which offers disadvantaged youth the opportunity to enjoy the mountain biking experience in our beautiful parks.

All of our Patrols require at least two patrollers which are self scheduled on our website. We ask each of our volunteers for 100 patrol hours annually (roughly two 4 hour patrols per month).

Would you like to learn more? We invite you to come to King Gillette Ranch Auditorium at 9:00 am on Saturday, February 06, 2010 for an indoor orientation meeting where we will share with you more details about this wonderful program and what patrolling with the MBU is all about. We encourage you to bring your bike and helmet because we plan on going for a bit of a fun ride after the presentation (weather permitting). For more details, visit the MBU training web page. To see the MBU in action, view our gallery of MBU photos.

Is the horse culture in Southern California disappearing?

This article in the Los Angeles Times recently came to our attention.

Ralphs Community Contribution Program requires reregistration

For those of us who have linked our Ralphs Club Card to support CORBA, Ralphs requires that we reregister on an annual basis so that they continue to contribute to CORBA. Please register or reregister your Ralphs card now! To learn more about this program, see these details.

New on the CORBA Website


Recreational Rides

For a list of upcoming recreational rides, please visit the CORBA Calendar.


Free Mountain Biking Skills Clinic

Saturday December 5th 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!

Monthly Beginner Ride

CORBA holds a recreational bike ride for beginners the second Saturday of every month, a week after the Skills Clinic. This is the perfect opportunity for the clinic attendees to practice their new skills! But you don't need to attend the Skills Clinic before you come on this ride; everyone is welcome. This is a great ride for first-timers to the CORBA recreational rides. The ride leader will go over the basics of riding a mountain bike along the route. Check the Calendar for details.


Follow CORBA on Twitter

We have set up an account with Twitter to help keep people informed of the lastest developments in our trail advocacy, recreational rides and trailwork days. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CORBAmtb.


Support CORBA

Join or Renew your membership today on our membership web page.

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

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


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