February Chapter Meeting

The February Chapter meeting was held at Freight Kitchen in downtown Woodstock.

Jay opened the meeting with a discussion and description about the SORBA Summit. Denise passed around a volunteer sign up sheet for the Summit. 

Jay gave a update on the Fierce Trail fundraising efforts. He introduced the Mud Butt Academy mountain biking group who recently wrote and applied for the Bell Grant. We will know more about the Bell Grant in a few weeks. 

Gary spoke about the new "Race Cut" that was put into VMT recently. This cut was originally put in for a Mountain Goat Adventure race and we received good reviews on it. Gary recently changed the entrance to the cut through to make it more sustainable. The work party this month will address the race cut. 

Jay brought to everyones attention who is looking for a new home. Houses are being built behind VMT and some will have trail access. Would be great real-estate for any mountain biker!

Gary gave an update on the construction of the parking lot. The construction has been delayed due to the amount of rain we have received in the last few weeks. The decel lane will be paved instead of the original gravel idea and the construction crews are waiting on the weather so they can pave the decel lane and the entrence at once. Once this is completed, the parking lot can be flipped and final grading can begin. 

Jay gave an update on the Fierce Trail construction. He let everyone know we have received a stop work order by the USACE due to a boundary issue. Construction is stopped until an archeologist study can be completed. The City of Woodstock has graciously agreed to pay for the archeologist study. Once the study ahas been completed, the trail will be relayed out and construction will move forward. 

Gary provided an update on the wood structure inventory for the USACE. Gary and volunteers were able to document all of the wooden structures around Blankets Creek,. We are not in search of a structural engineer with a PE license to inspect and approve the structures. 

The February work party will be held this Friday, February 16th. Work will be on the VMT cut through, Mosquito Bite, and the debris under the Hop Bridge.

Jay closed the meeting.

January 2013 Meeting Minutes

The January meeting was held at Freight Kitchen and Tap in downtown Woodstock. Jay began the meeting by introducing Neil. Neil welcomed SORBA Woodstock to Freight. 

Jay provided a update on the Fierce Trail fundraising. Through our fundraising efforts, local government, local businesses, and private donations, the club has raised around $80,000. The project will need an additional $40,000 to complete the Fierce trail. Jay thanked all our supporters to making this project a reality. 

Jay brought up that the club will soon be making less monthly payments as the Dingo has 3 payments to go and once the parking lot is complete, there will be no more payments towards the Porta-Johns. This will be saving the club around $900 a month. 

Jay and Gary provided an update on the parking lot construction. The gas line that the construction crews have been chasing around has finally been located. Work is scheduled to move forward and now all that is delaying the project is the rain delays. The construction crews have internet, power, and water re connected to the clubhouse. We are hoping for the parking lot switch to happen by the end of the month. 

The SORBA Southern Summit to be held in Woodstock is only 3 months away! The major planning is underway and we are now looking for volunteers. Denise listed the possible areas people can volunteer in such as group ride leaders and sweepers. A list of volunteer positions that needs to be filled will be sent out as we get closer to the Summit. 

Bill gave an update on the SORBA Woodstock Jerseys and delivered several jerseys at the meeting. Jay gave Bill recognition for his work on the jerseys  newsletters, SORBA's Subaru wraps, and our trail maps. Thank you Bill for all your hard work! 

To end the meeting Jay gave a chapter membership update. SORBA Woodstock has almost reached the 300 member mark! 

Jay closed the meeting. 

November 2012 Meeting Minutes

This month’s meeting began with the club attending the Woodstock City Council’s meeting in support of a proposal by Brian Stockton, Woodstock City Planner, to grant SORBA Woodstock $40,000 for the building of the final trail at Rope Mill Park. The proposal passed unanimously.

Jay Wilkes kicked off our meeting with the announcement of the SORBA Woodstock’s Board of Directors' nominations for the 2013 Directors. All current positions will continue for next year with the exception of the Secretary position. The BOD have nominated Andrew Yun to take up this role for 2013. There were no nominations from the members attending. The vote for next year’s officers will be held at the December Christmas Party on Dec. 1. Gary Moore will be starting a new, non-board position of Assistant Trail Director for both trail systems.

Jay continued the discussion of funding for the Fierce Trail at Rope Mill by informing that John Hicks is heading a fundraising committee to organize our efforts to raise the additional capital needed to reach our $120,000 goal.

Bill Blount has taken over the chapter website as of this month and has already launched a complete redesign of the site. This includes a new logo treatment which is being used on the Facebook page as well. Bill is also working on launching an email communications tool that will allow for monthly newsletters to be sent to our members.

Bill provided an update on the club jerseys being prepared by Primal. Despite several setbacks and mistakes by Primal, the jerseys are finally being created and we are hopeful that all will be well on this run. Primal has issued a 20% discount to assuage our frustrations. Thanks to Bill for riding this project through. Jerseys are expected to be available at the Christmas Party.

We finally have a donation box completed and ready to install at Rope Mill. Plans are being discussed for moving the the main trail head kiosk to a more central location in the park and the donation box will be installed at that location.

Denise Ulrich has taken the helm of the Events Committee and is currently planning the Christmas Party with Lisa Randall. The Randalls have offered to host this year’s party at their home.

Jay proposed the Kerr Scott Trails in North Carolina for our Fall 2013 group ride. The idea was met with general agreement and is the tentative destination.

Jay also provided the details of his attendance at the SORBA Main meeting in Gainseville last weekend. In general, the meeting was productive and produced good information sharing amongst the attendeees. The creation of a standardized trail map to be created for all SORBA trails was among the announcements. SORBA Woodstock’s trail maps were held up as an example of the goal for the project. Nice job Bill!

Lisa Randall thanked all involved for making this past weekend’s Blankets Creek Half Marathon a huge success. The event went off without a hitch and more than 200 participants gave rave reviews of the race. Once again, MGA and SORBA Woodstock have combined to set the standard for trail races.

The November Work Party will be Nov. 17th at Blankets, 10am-2pm. The two main projects will be maintenance on South Loop and armoring of the creek crossing on Mosquito Bite.

Plans for the SORBA Southern Summit to be held here in Woodstock are beginning to take shape. The schedule is being prepared and we are working with SORBA, the City of Woodstock and the Greenprints Alliance to make sure the event is a hit. Greenprints is renaming their annual spring festival Trail Fest and will be taking a more trail/outdoor angle on the event. Live music will be a cornerstone both Friday and Saturday nights.

Jay closed the meeting.

October 2012 Meeting Minutes

Lisa Randall started the meeting with a discussion of the race event schedule for 2013. We are looking at 8 events this year and considering partnering with SERC. The addition of an XC race was the highlight.

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day was this past Saturday, October 6th. Group rides and kids games were the main activities. Thanks to all the volunteers, it was a great day and we had a lot of great young riders come out and have a lot of fun!

There will not be an October work party.

Jay Wilkes continues to attend the weekly construction meetings to stay abreast of the timeline and any changes to the plan. We need to finish the clubhouse cleanout and get the LP tank removed.

The FATS grooup ride weekend was a big success! We had about 30 riders and everyone came back ready to go again. We are considering this for the fall ride next year.

Bill Blount is working on the final signage for the Explorer Trail and we will be putting together a photo op with Dan Thornton from Free Flite.

Jay will be attending the SORBA Main Meeting in Gainesville on November 11th. Contact Jay if you are interested in attending too.

The Georgia-Lina Summit is to be held in Augusta, Georgia, October 10th-12th. This weekend will be focused on all types of riding advocacy.

Plans for the SORBA Southern Summit to be held here in Woodstock are beginning to take shape. The schedule is being prepared and we are working with SORBA, the City of Woodstock and the Greenprints Alliance to make sure the event is a hit. Greenprints is renaming their annual spring festival Trail Fest and will be taking a more trail/outdoor angle on the event. Live music will be a cornerstone both Friday and Saturday nights.

Jay closed the meeting.

September 2012 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes began the meeting with an update on the parking lot expansion. We can continue to attend the weekly construction meetings to stay abreast of the timeline and any changes to the plan. The project is moving smoothly and the construction company is confident that any lot closures will be minimal. Construction remains on schedule. We are looking into creating some picnic areas in the portion of the current parking lot that will be utilized in the new. This will largely be a rehabitation effort.

The trail to Rope Mill park from the Aquatic center is on hold until further notice.

We will be holding the awards for the Time Trial series at the October chapter meeting.

The September work party on the 15th will concentrate on grooming Quehl Holler.

Malanda is finalizing the arrangements for the fall group ride at FATS on September 29th. More info available on the website. We are also looking for more volunteers to help with the fall race events.

Jay called for anyone interested in joing the Board of Directors. Nominations will be announced at the November meeting and the vote will be held at the Christmas party.

Jay informed that we are needing to organize our fundraising efforts for the proposed new Skills/Yard and Pump Track features. We are in need of approximately $20K for these projects.

Pans for the SORBA Southern Summit to be held here in Woodstock are beginning to take shape. The schedule is being prepared and we are working with SORBA, the City of Woodstock and the Greenprints Alliance to make sure the event is a hit. Greenprints is renaming their annual spring festival Trail Fest and will be taking a more trail/outdoor angle on the event. Live music will be a cornerstone both Friday and Saturday nights.

Jay closed the meeting.

August 2012 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with a big thanks to Lisa Randall and Mountain Goat Adventures for running such a great event in this year’s Race To Sunset 6 hour race. The race grew from 207 racers last year to 270. The weather was perfect, there were not any major injuries and many participants were heard praising the event. Special thanks to the Bike Patrol members for their support. 

Jay provided an update on the parking lot expansion. The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved $830,000 for W.E. Contracting Company to complete the project. There will be approximately 15 closure dates for the current parking lot over the 8 month construction period. 

The next Time Trial is set for this Thursday for the Van Michael Trail. Free Flite is presenting awards for the time Trial Series at the September chapter meeting. They are providing gift cards for the top 3 finishers in each category and overall. 

There will be a work party on Saturday, August 18^th and we will be doing deberming maintenance and closing ride-arounds. Ideas are being considered for repairing the Mosquito Bite creek crossing. 

Malanda announced the fall group ride will be held at FATS on September 29^th. More info available on the website. 

Jay informed that we are needing to organize our fundraising efforts for the proposed new Skilss/Yard and Pump Track features. We are in need of approximately $20K for these projects. 

Jay closed the meeting.

July 2012 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with the announcement of the completion of the new Explorer Trail bridge that connects the 2nd and 3^rd loops. Special thanks again to Dan Thornton at Free Flite Bikes for the $10,00 donation for the building of the 3^rd loop. We will be arranging a photo op and an article in IMBA’s Enews to herald the completion and opening of the full, 3 loop Explorer Trail. Bill Blount is working on the signage. 

Jay also shared that the netting for the top of the wall ride is purchased and Tim and Brett are working on constructing the uprights to attach the netting to the top of the wall. Completion of this project is expected by the end of the summer. 

Jay continued with a discussion on upcoming events. Malanda has formed an Events Committee to organize the many events in the coming months. Volunteers are needed! Upcoming events include the Georgia Games, the two remaining Time Trials, and the 6 Hour Race. There will not be a monthly work party in July. 

Bill provded an update on the custom chapter jerseys. There are three weeks until the deadline for ordering. We have enough orders for the men’s style but still need 7 more women to sign up for that jersey to be a go. 

The parking lot renovation is to begin in September. 

Jay closed the meeting.

June 2012 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with a discussion of the upcoming Time Trial series at Blanket’s Creek. This is a fun club event offering timed laps over a two hour period on a Thursday evening. No entrance fee is required but a donation to the club is requested. We will be setting up the SORBA Woodstock tent to promote club membership at these three events being held in June (Dwelling), July (South Loop) and August (VMT). Free Flite is the title sponsor and will be providing some prizes. 

Jay continued on to discuss the bridge building project to connect the newly cut third loop on the Explorer Trail at Rope Mill. We will be building a single, double-wide bridge approximately 42’ long. The footer is already being prepared and the build will be on June 16^th at 9am. Volunteers are to meet at the Brookshire clubhouse. The lumber for this build cost $3,700. 

Efforts are beginning to develop some fundraising plans to be enacted in the remainder of this year. Upcoming projects such as the new advanced skills yard, pump track and expert trail at Blanket’s Creek will require an estimated $50,000 to design and build. We are also looking into some available grant opportunities to assist with the funding of these projects. 

Jay closed the meeting.

May 2012 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with a thank you to all the coordinators and volunteers for a great Pedalpalooza 2012. He continued with some notes from the SORBA Main meeting in Knoxville and the great ground-swell of support for mountain biking in that area. 

Jay also provided an update on the Blanket’s Creek parking lot project which has been fully laid out and is scheduled for ground breaking in September 2012. 

The safety netting for the Wall Ride on Quehl Holler has been purchased and the steel supports are being fabricated. 

VMT 2.0 redesign has been completed and the total cost of the project was $7,500. We also were forced to replace the gas engine in that dingo at a cost of $1,500. 

Bill provided details on the new IMBA sponsored jersey program. Men’s and Women’s designs are available for $60 with $10 of the purchase price coming back to the chapter and $1 going to IMBA. Sign-up is available on the SORBA Woodstock website.

The decsision has been made to start a Time Trial series for the three Blanket’s Creek trails for summer 2012. Details are being worked on and will be announced shortly. 

Mark provided details of this year’s Bike Patrol training classes to be held in May. Both the BP traing and CPR Cert. classes will be offered. 

Jay closed the meeting.

April 2012 Meeting Minutes

Gary Moore opened the meeting by thanking the volunteers and Bike Patrollers for their work in making this year’s Dirty Duathlon a smooth and successful event. Thanks also went out to Lisa and Scott with Mountain Goat Adventures for their hard work and continued support of SORBA Woodstock. 

Charlie and Ken provided an update on the Explorer Trail. Approximately two-thirds of the final loop is cut. Two bridges will be built for the trail in May and will mark the final step to opening the loop. The goal is to have this loop open by the end of May. 

Gary and Ethan Quehl gave an update on the progress being made on the VMT rework. About half of the machine work is completed and there will be two work parties on April 14^th and 21^st to provide the finishing work. 

Gary informed that Jay will be meeting with the County this Friday to discuss the detailed timeline plans for the parking lot expansion project. Updates and notices about the project will be made available on SORBA Woodstock’s website and Facebook page. 

Gary kicked off a disucssion of the upcoming Pedalpalooza on May 5^th. Tim L. provided an update of the vendors scheduled to attend. Chris Wyatt detailed the Skills Yard activities planned which will include skills clinics for kids/beginners, games and group rides. Andrew Yun outlined plans for the Quehl Holler area’s Jump Fest exhibitions and Super D competition. 

Mark Taylor gave a brief update on the Bike Patrol training to be held this Spring and announced that the Woodstock Fire Department will have 8 firemen joining the SORBA Woodstock Bike Patrol. 

Gary closed the meeting.

March 2012 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with Rope Mill trail news:

• The North Side trails are being laid out. The expectation is for 4-6 miles of singletrack laid out in a contour style with long straights and flowing turns.
• Explorer trail construction is underway with completion expected by the end of Spring. Two bridges will need to be constructed.
• In response to some recent complaints, Woodstock Police are stepping up patrols in the park. Users observing suspicious activity are requested to call 911. 

Streetfest 2012 is March 25^th and SORBA Woodstock will be sharing a tent with Greenprints. Volunteers are requested to man our side. 

Jay continued with more news for Blankets Creek:

• Parking lot construction planned for July. Going to bid this week.
• The Van Michael trail will be receiving some grooming at the hands of Ethan Quehl. SORBA Woodstock is renting a mini-excavator for Ethan to widen the radius on many of the switchback corners and adjust the entrances into these corners.
• Plans are being developed for the new skills yard.
• Fairbanks Engineering will be performing the annual inspections of all wooden structures at Blankets Creek for $350.
• We will be submitting a new MOU in April, discussions began about needed changes to the agreement.
• Boy Scouts will be working on building benches for the expanded Dwelling trailhead as well as a tool locker for the Holler Wall.
• Still working on the netting for the Wall Ride. Brett will be making the steel supports. 

Jay will be attending the SORBA Main meeting in Knoxville March 31^st. 

Lisa Randall provided a Dirty Duathlon update. A volunteer sign-up sheet was passed around and Lisa updated the MGA contributions tally to $9,600. 

Jay introduced the idea of a club group ride to Oak Mountain in May. 

Jay closed the meeting after a brief Q&A.

February 2012 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with an update on the Blankets Creek parking lot expansion project. The project is going out to bid next month and construction is expected to start in July 2012 with a 6 month completion time. 

Lisa Randall provided an update on the Dirty Duathlon race scheduled for April. Registration is strong and plans are being finalized. Lisa also confirmed a total of $9,100 in contributions to SORBA Woodstock are set for 2012. Her goal is to reach $10,000. 

Jay set the February work party details for the Dwelling Loop reroute. 

Jay continued with more news for Blankets Creek:

• New bridge on Mosquito Bite completed.
• The boulders for the skills area will be picked up this week.
• Tweaks continue on the Dwelling alt-line.
• Mosquito Flat extension will be receiving crush-and-run turnpiking.
• We’ve identified a drainage issue on Kevorkian and will be attempting a fix during the upcoming work party.
• Boy Scouts will be working on building benches for the expanded Dwelling trailhead as well as a tool locker for the Holler Wall. 

Charlie and Ken have started work on the third loop for the Explorer trail at Rope Mill. 

Mark Taylor provided some news for the Bike Patrol:

• Mark installed hooks on the patrol boards at each trail head.
• Each Patroller now has a name badge to hang on these hooks while riding the trails.
• Volunteers are needed for the SE Expo.
• Request has been made for Patollers at the Sling Shot race on March 4^th.
• Ken Franklin will taking the BP Instructor training. 

Jay closed the meeting after a brief Q&A.

January 2012 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with a recap of the trail counter data for 2011. Overall traffic on our trails is up 25% over 2010 with all trails seeing some increase in ridership. 

Jay announced the $10,000 donation from Dan Thornton of Free Flite Bicycles will be used to fund the construction of the 1 mile third loop on the Explorer Trail. We will be posting a sign on the trail to that effect. 

Jay continued with discussion points on SORBA Woodstock’s plans for 2012:

• Parking Lot expansion set for April 2012.
• Plans in development for the existing skills yard as well as a new skills yard to be built after the parking lot project. We are working on picking up a large number of boulders that have been made available from a local school construction project.
• Dwelling alt-line will receive at least one new feature and one will be moved to a better location.
• VMT will be the focus of our efforts in 2012 as we look to improve the flow and sustainability of the trail.
• Explorer Trail third loop construction to start immediately.
• Increasing chapter membership will be a focus for 2012.
• Mountain Goat Adventures will be holding 4 events on our trails this year and has made a pledge to donate a total of $10,000 from these events in 2012. 

Jay explained that the inaugural Southeast Bike Expo in Conyers is looking for volunteers for it’s Feb 25^th & 26^th event. Volunteers will be given free admission to the event. 

The final discussion was regarding the need for chapter members to get involved with our newly forming Events Committee. We are looking for members to assist in the planning and running of various events throughout the year. 

Jay closed the meeting after a brief Q&A.

December 2011 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with a presentation highlighting SORBA Woodstock’s events and accomplishments for 2011. 

He followed that by announcing that the Board of Directors will remain the same as 2011. All officers are returning to their current posts. There were no other nominations. 

Mark Heiman provided a brief recount of the IMBA-SORBA Main Meeting that was held in Gainesville in November. 

Jay informed that the December work party will be at Blankets Creek on Dec. 17^th from 9am -1pm. Clearing drains and deberming on the Dwelling Loop will be the focus. 

Jay provided some updates for the Blankets Creek Trails:

• Thanks to Chris and Richard for the reroute on Mosquito Flats in the area that has eroded too close to the creek.
• The Dwelling Alt-line is once again under development and will be receiving some additional features in December.
• All BC trails have been leaf-blown except South, which will remain unblown.
• The parking lot expansion is now set for an April 2012 construction start. Trail head improvements will include permanent restrooms, storage room, meeting space, bike washes and wi-fi hot spot.
• The major focus for trail improvements in 2012 will be the Van Michael Trail. Efforts will center on widening switchbacks, improving flow and adding some technical trail features. 

Jay continued with discussion points for the Rope Mill Trails:

• Charlie informed that the Explorer trail is now complete and open. Flagging has begun on a proposed additional 1 mile loop on this trail.
• Bill is working on the signage for Explorer.
• The Implementation Plan for trails on the north side of  Little River has been submitted. 

Jay closed the meeting.

November 2011 Meeting Minutes

Jay Wilkes opened the meeting with discussion points for the Rope Mill Trails.

• It’s been determined that the mini-ex is not suitable for finishing the backcuts on the Explorer Trail. The Board voted 7-0 to pay Ken Nicks $2,500 to complete the backcut by hand and do the final cut with the dingo.
• Jay presented a brief outline of some monies that may be available to the chapter in 2012 for funding the remaining trails at Rope Mill.
• Construction of permanent restroom facilities is planned for the hillside behind the pavillion. Construction date TBD.
• Jay informed the chapter that the proposed trail leading from Rope Mill to the Aquatic Center will need to be rerouted to avoid the existing road leading to the dredging yard. 

Malanda Murchison informed all that the chapter Christmas Party is to be held at the Crestmont Clubhouse and will be catered by Beetles BBQ. All members are welcome and encouraged to RSVP by 11/14/12. 

Mark Taylor gave a brief update on the Bike Patrol including the need to make the payment for the Fire Dept Bike Patrol jerseys.

 Jay Wilkes continued with discussion points for the Blankets Creek trails.

• The proposed expert trail will require a wetlands delineation study at a cost of  $1-2K. We are aslo working on the Implementation Plan for this trail.
• Jay and John Hicks will be attending a meeting on Nov 18^th to discuss the details of the BC parking lot and trail head improvements.
• We are pursuing a standard boardwalk engineered drawing that we can use for all future boardwalk installments.
• We’ve secured the county rate for the port-a-johns and are planning to reduce to two port-a-johns during the winter months.
• Some discussion around the current and future skills yards. There are some boulders available from a local construction project. It was decided that we are interested and need a method to transport them.

Jay announced that all current Board members are planning to remain in their seats for the upcoming year and informed the general membership of the process for nominating and electing officers according to the chapter by-laws. 

Jay closed the meeting.

October 2011 Chapter News

One of our tenets here at SORBA-Woodstock is to reach out to new riders and make our sport accessible and enjoyable for those interested in giving trail riding a go. IMBA’s annual Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day is an excellent vehicle for that effort and this year’s event was our most attended TAKMD to date. The weather was great and we had tons of young riders out to enjoy the rides and contests. 

Later that afternoon the Jump Jam at Quehl Holler provided fun and excitement for kids of all ages and gave everyone a chance to see just exactly how this trail should be ridden. There was a huge crowd that lined the full length of the course. We’re very much enjoying the new community of riders that have come to Blankets Creek to ride and develop the Holler; it’s great to have these guys join in our efforts and bring a youthful dynamic to the park. We’re also currently working on setting up some Holler riding classes led by the trail’s builder and namesake Ethan Quehl. Stay tuned for more info on that soon. 

The very much less interesting, yet ever so important side of managing our trail system at Blankets Creek continues as well. The Wall Ride safety netting is pending approval from the COE. We’re submitting an engineered drawing to the Corps for use as a template for all future boardwalk constructions. A Wetlands Delineation study will soon be ordered paving the way for the new Expert Trail’s Implementation Plan. The parking lot expansion project is finishing its 30 day public comment period and we are anticipating construction will begin in November. 

One of the major components of the parking lot expansion at Blankets Creek will be the new restroom facilities. We spent some time discussing the SORBA-W annual budget at this month’s meeting and, believe it or not, the Port-A-Johns at BC account for almost a quarter of our expenditures. We have recently secured the county rate for the Porta-A-Johns, but it will still be a great relief to get those off our books. 

On the income side of the ledger, the donation box at Blankets brings in on average about $12,000 annually and is our primary source of revenue. We want to say “Thanks!” to all those that contribute in this manner. Purchasing the raw materials and maintaining the tools that we use to build trails is a regular expense and we couldn’t do all this without your support. 

2011 brought us a new, much needed, flow of funds from the race events organized by Mountain Goat Adventures. The three very successful and popular events conducted so far this year have meant an additional $6,000 for our chapter. We are truly grateful to have such a competent and generous partner in Lisa Randall and MGA. The first ever Dirty Duathlon at Rope Mill in late October will be the final event of the year and we expect it to be a great one. Check their website for details. 

This Dirty Duathlon will send the runners down the new trail at the Taylor Randahl Memorial Trails which is inching nearer to completion. The trail consists of two loops with the first loop of .4 miles being a very smooth and flowy section of beginner trail goodness. The second loop, which has been rough cut and is rideable with caution, is 1.6 miles long and brings a bit more challenge. The entire trail is designed to provide a stepping stone for those that aren’t quite ready for the Avalanche loops. 

The leaves are piling up and the days are quickly growing shorter; soon our thoughts and efforts will be targeting winter projects. Keep us in mind and check the website often for opportunities to help us get some more trails built and more features added in preparation for next year! And night rides, who’s ready for some night rides?

September 2011 Chapter News

September was one of those months when we were again reminded of just how important our volunteer army is to the SORBA-W trails. We had an outstanding turnout for the bridge building party on the new trail at Rope Mill. Two bridges were constructed in very difficult positions in one long Saturday. Teamwork and manpower were the keys here and the day’s effort helped make a huge leap forward in the building of this promising new trail. Charlie and Ken continue to be the driving force as we strive to get the trail open. 

Mother Nature tried to complicate our lives by delivering a tornado through the heart of the Woodstock/Sixes area. Due to the fear of major damage and with an eye for the safety of our trail users we were forced to close all the trails. While major damage missed the trails themselves, several of the area's subdivisions suffered damage to many of their homes. Jeff Plyler and Richard Pilczuk were out there the next morning and with two outstanding individual efforts had all the trails cleared by mid-afternoon. 

Blankets Creek was again the beneficiary of volunteer contributions from several work parties formed informally by the Quehl Holler riders. One new feature, several tweaks and some drainage work was completed during the weekday evening sorties. A larger party was formed in the last weekend that added several benches and picnic tables to the Holler. 

The Wall Ride’s safety netting has been designed and ordered. The engineered drawings have been completed and submitted to the COE as well. The system will be installed this fall and when completed will provide some assurance of safe use by all riders. We are working hard for all parties involved to make this a feature that can be enjoyed for years to come.

Rounding out Blankets Creek news, the parking lot expansion is in the 30 day public comment period and a Wetlands Delineation Study is being planned for submittal to the COE with an Implementation Plan for the new expert level trail that we are planning for the eastern side of the park. Watch our website for more news about this new trail in the coming months.

Fall weather is here and it’s time to get out there and take full advantage before the short, cold days descend upon us. Ride baby ride!

August 2011 Chapter News

The Race To Sunset 6 Hour endurance race saw hot but dry weather and a terrific crowd. Participants and spectators alike enjoyed the event that was expertly staged by Mountain Goat Adventures. The only planned adjustment for this race next year will be a move to a Fall date for more comfortable temperatures. Up next for MGA and SORBA Woodstock is the Rope Mill Dirty Duathlon which will feature a Ride-Run-Ride format in October. Get the details on their website and make your plans to come on out. 

We’ve finally broken ground on the new beginner trail in the Taylor Randahl MTB Trails system. It will be a rolling contour trail, much like the hilly side of Mosquito Bite, and will be approximately 2.5 miles in length. Located on the west side of I-575, access to the trail is via the crushed rock doubletrack trail that leads from the west parking lot and travels under the I-575 bridge. We will be holding a work party on September 10^th at 9am to build the two necessary bridges and to do some finishing work on the completed sections of trail. 

The installation of the numbered trail markers is nearly complete on the Avalanche Trail. This system is the same as the markers recently installed at Blankets Creek and is designed to assist emergency personnel in reaching distressed trail users. To that same end, the Woodstock Fire Department has recently completed training and outfitting of a new unit of Firemen Bike Patrollers. This is really a special program and we’re very pleased to have this kind of support for our local trails. 

For our part in the safety of the trails, our IMBA Bike Patrol Director Mark Taylor has completed his Training Instructor certification which will allow SORBA Woodstock to conduct our own Bike Patrol training courses. This is also the final IMBA Bike Patrol criteria for us to meet as a chapter. Look forward to bike safety, maintenance and skills classes that will be held and facilitated by Mark and his band of Patrollers in the coming months. 

As the hot and dusty conditions continue at Blankets Creek, we continue to keep an eye on the future for the next steps in the development of this park. The parking lot expansion project is still forecast for an October 2011 start and we are drafting plans to take full advantage of it. Discussions are centered on making adjustments to the Mosquito Flats loops, creating direct access to Van Michael and relocating the Skills Area. 

Quehl Holler is also the subject of enhancement plans. We’ve been pleased to see a new community of riders form around the Holler and these guys have been great about doing maintenance and suggesting tweaks to some of the features. The As-Built engineered drawings for the Wall Ride have been completed and accepted by the COE, a very crucial step. Additionally, plans are being drafted to install a safety net along the top of the Wall Ride to meet the final requirements of our land managers and secure the future of this very popular feature at Blankets Creek. 

Rounding out BC news, the rescheduled Jump Jam is set to take place in tandem with the IMBA Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day on October 1^st. This will be a great day of family fun and outdoor entertainment. Watch our website and Facebook pages for more info in the next few weeks.

July 2011 Chapter News

Super big turnout for this month’s chapter meeting, thanks to all who took the time to come out and get the news over some free pizza provided by Free Flite. If you couldn’t join us, here’s what you missed.

Woodstock area trails, Greenprints Alliance and SORBA-W enjoyed some great press recently with write-ups about the Taylor Randahl Trails appearing in the Cherokee Tribune and Dirt Rag magazine. There’s a good deal of buzz around all that is developing in our little neck of the woods and we really appreciate all that the local community and leaders are doing to promote mountain biking here. You can do your part by coming out to enjoy the trails and telling your friends about our sport and our facilities. Well, and coming to a work party now and again, of course.

Blankets Creek received the majority of our attention this month. The “Turnpike” portion of Hamilton’s Hop has been built-out further to be wider. This allows better bi-directional traffic in that area as well as fixing some drainage issues. Quehl Holler got some new permanent signs and the Wall Ride got some finishing touches designed to meet the necessary structural codes. We are having an “as-built” drawing drafted to provide the COE with all they need to sign-off on this project. This is key to ensuring that we keep this great feature for many future rides. 

Up at the main trailhead for Blankets, our best estimate is still October for the parking lot expansion project to get rolling. We’re also working on getting a lower rate on the three port-a-johns there to try and stretch our donated dollars as far as we can. This is a substantial expense for us and it is funded entirely by the donations placed in the box near the kiosk. So if you’re a regular donor, thanks! 

The Rope Mill park pedestrian bridge is open! Unfortunately the land on the north side of Little River is not yet ready for primetime and it looks like a lot of effort will be required to get this area restored and developed. Much of the damage has been from ATV use and the City of Woodstock Police are encouraging anyone that sees any motorized activity out there to please call 911 so that WPD can respond.

We are fully expecting to start work on the next trail in the Taylor Randahl system in August. The City of Woodstock has provided us with the funds and we expect the final approval of the EA and Implementation Plan by the end of July. While this trail will be machine-cut, there will be lots of opportunities to come out and give it that loving touch that only a well-swung Pulaski can provide.

Some great events are coming up this summer. The Georgia State Games will be at Rope Mill for the trail running and mountain biking events the weekend of July 23-24. They are still in need of volunteers for both days – contact Malanda at events@sorbawoodstock.com if you can help out. 

Mountain Goat Adventures will be holding the Race To Sunset 6 Hour at Blankets Creek on August 13^th. This looks to be a huge day with a festival atmosphere leading up to the start of the race at 3pm and post race shindig after. Get all the details on MGA’s website.  

If you’re a fan of the Jake & Bull Mountain trails, you’ll be pleased to hear that there has been a great deal of new work done out there in the past year. Already considered an IMBA Epic Ride, this area is getting even better and there is a planned Mega Work Party being coordinated by all the nearby IMBA-SORBA chapters and the Chattahoochee Trail Horse Association on August 6th. We will be attending with two dingos and as many hands as we can muster. If you can swing it, we’d love to have you come out and help us lend a hand. Further details here.

May 2011 Updates

The return of Pedalpalooza and the Grand Opening of Quehl Holler are the top news stories this month. We had unbelievable weather this year for Pedalpalooza and a terrific crowd. Special thanks to Malanda and Jeff Murchison for getting this year’s spring festival organized and executed. We had a huge crowd jamming to some tunes and enjoying some great riding back on the Holler. The new freeride/flow trail is proving to be a great addition to the Blankets Creek system. Too many names to thank here, but we were glad to see Ethan Quehl make it out (on crutches) to personally see how much everyone is digging his design. 

Next time you're out on the Dwelling Loop, keep your eye out for the new Alt Line. Unofficially dubbed the "Dragon's Wing" this new advanced section provides an alternate trail that includes a table-top and then three fast, small jumps. This is a one-way trail everyday leading in the clockwise direction. So if you are riding Dwelling counter-clockwise, you'll pass the exit of the Wing first and then come around to the entrance. We will be continuing to tweak and refine this trail but it is ready to start getting ridden in so if you are up to it, give it a go.

Also at Blankets, Mosquito Flats has grown almost a half mile with it’s newly cut section on the northwest side of the loop. While not completely finished, it is ready to ride. We have a few more changes in mind for the Flats and are discussing options for all the traffic flow on the Mosquito trails and for getting out to Van Michael. Stay tuned! 

The pedestrian bridge at Olde Rope Mill Park is in place! The construction company is finishing the access to both sides of the bridge and it should be open for public use in the coming weeks. This, of course, will open up the north side of Little River for us to begin on the layouts for two new trails there. These trails are included in the master plan and the EA that we are currently waiting to be approved. 

The inside word is the EA is very close to being approved by the Corps of Engineers. The immediate impact of this will be the opportunity for us to get started on the beginner loop which has already been laid out for the west side of I-575. We’re very anxious to get this started and are excited to have this option ready to use in the Taylor Randahl system. 

Come join us for a group ride at Tanasi on June 4^th. Details are on the homepage.