Spring is here... well sort of.

Just got back from clearing trees off of some of the trails with the chainsaw (Upper Jungle, White Dot, Upper Doe, Lower Doe, White Pine Road, Middle Jungle, Old Turnpike and Chestnut Lodge). Only took about 4.5 hrs pulling the Bob trailer loaded up with the chainsaw and my lunch.

Cleared a few really tangled messes that have been in the way for too long - felt good to be out there opening up the trail.

Updated our website this week with information about the Olen Sharron - Warren Mays Memorial Fund - look for the pop up nav under 'Donations' or just go here...
http://www.mtnlakeconservancy.org/donations-OSmf.html

Thanks goes to Tom McAvoy for his help in writing the content.

Tuesday AM I joined Brad Buchanan for a meeting of the New River Valley Regional Bikeway Walkway Committee where I gave a 15 minute power point to inform folks of the trail development we are doing here at the Conservancy. They have invited the Conservancy to attend the next meeting on May 20th.

'Yield to Life' has expressed interest in coming up for the Dirty Dawg Cycling Weekend in June.

VT Cycling is holding an ACCC Time Trial on the Rt. 700 on Sunday April 6th. The finish line will be at the crest of the mountain as you first see the lake. We are opening up the Activity Barn and our parking lots to accommodate the racers and support staff as well as spectators. Should be fun - hoping for nice weather - last April 6th we got 6" of snow.

RideRiverRun has a website up for their event to be held in Pearisburg on July 6th. More info will be up soon - keep an eye on it - should be a neat event.

BCCS...
Last Friday evening Emily & Jeremy, joined my son Henry and myself for a trip up to Bath County for the annual Butler Cave Conservation Society 'Pancake Weekend'. We camped out near their old homestead - built about 1740 - and went to Williamsville early on Saturday AM to enjoy their amazing pancake breakfast featuring fresh maple syrup. We ate our $7 worth then spent the rest of the morning helping out with improvements at the homestead before joining in on a cave dig not far up the road. The weather held for us until late in the evening when the clouds finally burst.

--dB

Kiosk updated - Trail Access sign painted

Yesterday we discovered that the fork on our trusty Bob Gear Trailer was not going to work with our new Gary Fisher Cobia 29'er mountain bike - we needed a trailer fork that was just a bit longer to accommodate the larger wheel. So we gave Bob Gear a call... they were happy to help us out and have joined our list of corporate sponsors.

Thanks Bob Gear!!!

We updated our Trail Access kiosk this morning with some new information for our trail users and also painted a rock beside the parking lot to point people in the right direction.

We're hoping to get to work on new trail maps in the next couple weeks. Our trail access stickers are now available for sale - get yours!

--dB

Trail Access passes are ready!

We have received our new Trail Access stickers from the printer and they will be available at East Coasters and Tangent Outdoors beginning Wednesday. Cost will be $30. Proceeds will fund trail improvement projects and also help us pay for the gravel we just spread in the new lot.
Check it out...

Trail Access Parking Lot is OPEN

Over the past two days we have been busy preparing our new Trail Access parking near the stables. The cold rain did not dampen our efforts as we poured five tandem loads of gravel into the lot this morning. Charles Gallo donated his time, tractor and diesel fuel to grade the lot and spread the gravel for us.

HUGE Thanks goes out to him for his generous efforts that made this new lot happen.














Other projects we've been busy with include cleaning up abandoned research projects from off the old golf course in preparation for sewing alfalfa for food plots for wildlife, rewriting the hotel newsletter and in-room booklets, and putting finishing touches on our new website.

Shimano & IMBA release economic study about mountain biking

The International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) and Shimano American Corporation released a new document titled "The Economics and Benefits of Mountain Biking" this week at the US National Bike Summit in Washington, DC.

"We want legislators, policy makers and the public to understand how significant mountain biking is to both the economy and to keeping people healthy," said Kozo Shimano. "To put the activity in perspective, 50 million Americans ride a mountain bike – more than one and a half times the number of people who play golf."

The study reports that one in five Americans aged 16 and over ride a mountain bike, and contribute US$26 billion annually to the American economy while enjoying the sport. The benefits go beyond recreation. A recent cost benefit analysis concluded that every dollar invested into trails corresponded to almost three dollars in direct medical benefit, and The World Health Organization has recommended riding a bike as a way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Scientific research has also shown mountain biking to be a low impact, environmentally sustainable activity with no more impact on natural resources than hiking, and far less than many other recreational activities.

IMBA Executive Director Mike Van Abel highlighted the role of mountain bikers as conservationists who volunteer their time, labor and money to protect the natural and cultural resources where they ride. "From the beginning, IMBA members have embraced a stewardship ethic that benefits conservation of our natural lands and waters," said Van Abel. "This timely publication shows how that conservation mindset also gives back with economic benefits."

March eases in...

Sunny skies and in the shade temps at 50 degrees today. This will take care of the rest of the nice snowfall we received on Friday nite. Saturday was a blast, XC skiing with the Buchanan family on Middle Jungle Trail and the stables' bunny slopes. Ann and Ruth even built a snowman! If Brad gets up here soon with the pictures I'll post them.

I spent most of Saturday nite - till 2AM finishing up and FTP'ing the new MLC website - 28k dial-up is painful. Still have some teaks to make and a bit more polishing and testing - but it is up.

www.MtnLakeConservancy.org

Planning to work on Toejammer (trail) this week while the wx holds.
--dB