Get your calendar out: all kinds of great local spring bike events, plus a call or donations and volunteers… all passed to us by Nick Cedar of the BTC!

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RIDE THE RIDGE, SATURDAY April 26th

A benefit for the Bay Area Ridge Trail.

Bikes have been included this year in the annual Ridge to Bridge event in Marin County. Riders will meet at Tennessee Valley in Mill Valley and be bussed to the start of the ride, bikes will be transported in the Backroads Van (Thank you Backroads!). The ride begins in Samuel P Taylor park and will take the Ridge Trail, as well as some other fun trails that feature spectacular views of the Pacific coastline, the Marin Headlands, Sausalito, and San Francisco. The ride is approximately 27miles long. There is also a shorter, 10 mile option. For ride details go to: www.access4bikes.com

Registration is open now and is limited to 20 riders. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to do a point to point shuttle ride in Marin County.

Registration includes bus transportation, map, water and food. To register go to:

http://ridgetrail.org/about/news_detail.cfm?id=101

Participants can raise additional funds to help complete the Ridge Trail and support CA State Parks by asking friends and family for sponsorship. Top Fundraisers will win prizes donated by REI.

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Mountain Bike Hill Climb Time Trial, Sunday April 27

A benefit race to support High School mountain bike teams.

Lynch Canyon Hill Climb Time Trial
Sunday, April 27th, 10:00 AM Start

This first time event, located at the beautiful and newly opened Lynch Canyon Park (near Vallejo), is limited to the first 100 registrants. The hill climb time trial meanders up a 2.5 mile course, first on fire trail and finishing on nice single-track that includes oak knolls and a rock garden. From the top, finishers can see (on a clear day) Mt. Diablo, Mt. Tam and the Sierras as they catch their breath. Proceeds benefit the NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League. Come test your fitness against some of the League’s best riders.

Twelve Categories:

1) High School Boys/Girls
2) Varsity Boys/Girls
3) Open Men, Open Women
4) Masters 35+ Men/Women
5) Masters 55+ Men/Women
6) First Race Ever Category

For more information and/or to register, visit Nor Cal High School Mt. Bike Racing League http://www.norcalmtb.org

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SECOND ANNUAL MTN BIKE FILM FESTIVAL AND PARTY, SUNDAY, MAY 18TH, 5PM

Access 4 Bikes presents the 2nd Annual Mountain Bike Film Festival and Party

May 18, 2008
5:00 – 6:30 Happy Hour and Dinner
Music by Red Paint in the Beer Garden
6:30 – 9:00 Film Screenings

Join us at the San Rafael Community Center (618 B Street) for an exciting night of food, beverages, and entertainment provided by independent filmmakers and bike enthusiasts. The evening will feature the local premiere of The Way Bobby Sees It, a gripping documentary about Bobby McMullen, a blind mountain bike racer on a mission to race the Downieville Downhill, the most difficult downhill mountain bike course in the country! Filmmakers Jason Watkins and Wendy Todd will be on hand to take questions following the movie.

Several short films will also be screened, including Trial and Error: Progression. This movie, created by Bjorn Enga of Canada is about the creation of the most progressive and challenging mountain bike line possible through an old-growth forest. This short showcases World Class Trials Rider Ryan Leech’s incredible bike handling skills!

Included, with your donation/entrance fee of $25 is: beer and wine, appetizers, dinner, dessert, beverages, musical entertainment, and of course, the best mountain bike films projected digitally in HD. Bring your buddies!

All proceeds from the event will go to Access4Bikes (A4B) and the International Mountain Biking Association of CA (IMBA CA). A4B is a volunteer organization that is working to establish equitable access for bikes on the public trails of Marin. IMBA CA is assisting many of the bike organizations in California to open up trails across the state.

This event is made possible with sponsorships from Ceasar’s Cyclery, and other Marin County bike shops, and is brought to you in partnership with The Bicycle Trails Council of Marin.

www.access4bikes.com

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FAIRFAX FAT TIRE FESTIVAL & TAMARANCHO RACE, MAY 24 & 25

Saturday May 24 – Fairfax Fat Tire Festival
Velo Club Fairfax presents the 4th annual Fairfax Fat Tire Festival at
Peri Park, noon-5 pm. Free Admission includes Live Music, Bike Museum & Vendor Area. Valet bike parking available from MCBC.

Sunday May 25th- Friends of Tamarancho Invitational Mountain Bike
Race. All age groups and classes, NORBA sanctioned. 415-457-8687

www.fairfaxfattirefestival.com

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ALES AND TRAILS AT CHINA CAMP, SAT. JUNE 28

The fifth annual Ales & Trails is a fundraiser for the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s California efforts and initiatives. Enjoy guided rides and clinics for all levels of riders. A skills progression course, bike demos and tune-ups, silent auction, fantastic BBQ and endless Beer, live music, pro rider skills demo, hefty swag bags for all attendees, and much, much more. Don’t miss it!

www.AlesandTrails.net

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DONATIONS WANTED FOR HIGH SCHOOL MTN BIKE TEAMS

Hey all-

There is a huge wine barrel (empty-sorry) at Paradigm cycles (San Anselmo) that the NorCal league has placed in order to collect donation for the riders in the league.

Locally, Paradigm supports a couple teams, primarily Branson and
Redwood, but also a others in the area such as Marin Catholic and even Tam HS.

If you have MTB parts/components or even frames (in good condition please), please consider donating to the league. More valuable items can get a tax deduction letter. Just email me and I will have that arranged. Please please look through your things and consider a donation- grips, posts, pedals, headsets, are all valuable to these kids.

We got one donation of a carbon frame and drive train from a very
generous individual in the area. That was spectacular for the team!
Please pass this on to any one you know, especially mountain bikers.
Thank you,
Julia Violich
jviolich@violich.com
415.454.2949

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MARIN BIKE PATROL RECRUITING

The Marin Bike Patrol is a volunteer organization dedicated to keeping Marin trails safe and accessible. We partner with local land managers to help riders and promote responsible mountain biking. Patrolling in pairs and equipped with radios, Marin Bike Patrol members provide a vital link between recreational trail users and park staff.

Bike Patroller Responsibilities Include:
· Reporting and responding to injuries and accidents
· Troubleshooting trail hazards, obstacles and dangers
· Assisting riders with faulty equipment
· Educating trail users about safe and low-impact trail-usage
· Building relationships among the various trail users

The Marin Bike Patrol is sponsored by the Bicycle Trails Council of
Marin and Access4Bikes, and affiliated with the IMBA National Mountain Bike Patrol.

If you are interested in joining, contact Tom Boss at sharethetrail@gmail.com or call 415-272-2756.

From our friend Danny Forer at the Bicycle Trails Council (BTC):

Saturday Jan 26 – Last Trailwork Day of the Season

The trails at Tamarancho, were built by volunteer cyclists, under the direction of Jim Jacobsen, and the Bicycle Trails Council of Marin. It took 6 years to build the 8 mile loop.

Each winter, since the completion of the loop, in 2001, volunteer bicyclists, do trailwork to maintain, and improve the trails.

This winter, volunteers, including HS students on their mountain bike teams, and the Forest Knolls Freewheelers, and many other individuals, built 3 small bridges, removed invasive plants, cleared down trees from the big storm, and improved drainage on the trails. If you have been on the trails recently, I am sure you notice what great shape they are in.

The last trailwork session of this season, is this Saturday, January 26. We will be working on White’s Hill Trail, and Porcupine Trail. These trails are on Marin Open Space land, and provide access to Tamarancho. We are looking for a large turn out to improve drainage, and remove invasive plants, to benefit all trail users.

Support bike legal singletrack in Marin. Help improve the trails. No experience necessary.

Details:

Date/Time- Sat, Jan. 26. 10am sharp. We usually work until 1pm or so.

Location- Meet at the parking area at the bottom of White’s Hill Trail. This is on Sir Frances Drake Blvd, a couple of miles West of Fairfax, at Browns Bridge, near the top of the road climb.

Bring- Sturdy boots, work clothes, work gloves. We supply all tools, snacks and drinks.

Rain- Steady rain cancels.

Info- For information about trailwork contact Jim Jacobsen BTCJim@comcast.net

What a perfect day this past Thursday as the 32nd Appetite Seminar went off with over 800 riders, perhaps the largest ride ever! We’ve got some photos coming, but for now: ever wonder about the history of the ride? Check out this article from original organizer Charlie Kelly for some great stories and old photos.

From Danny Forer, Tamarancho Bike Coordinator comes news that the new annual passes, good for calendar year 2008, are now available and are only $40 thru January 15, 2008 ($45 after that).

As always, we at Sunshine strongly support legal singletrack and the fine work the BTC and Forest Knolls Freewheelers have done at the Boy Scout Camp over the years to make the Tamarancho course the finest it can be, from the basic fact that it exists to the fine trail work they do.

Buy your pass online or by mail, all the info is right here!

Bike community fixture Steve Gravenites is facing federal misdemeanor charges for poaching in Pt. Reyes in June. SF Chronicle Marin IJ

In case you missed it, check out this story in today’s IJ about the work BTC Marin, Access4Bikes and others have been doing to work with California State Parks on trail access and openings: http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_7347039?_requestid=1054679

Be sure to vote on the poll in the article asking if there should be more trail access!!!

Hot off the presses, we’ve got DVD copies of Billy Savage’s award winning film “Klunkers”.  It tells the story of the mountain bike’s birth around here. Great film, everyone’s in it… definitely a timepiece to own and give for the holidays.

$27.99, get yours while they’re hot! info: www.klunkerz.com

MTBers with a love of helping trail health, take note, our friends at Access4Bikes and the BTC have announced a visit from the IMBA trail crew for 3 days of events Oct. 25th through 28th. A workshop, trail building course and work, and a ride make up a fun three days of events! Check out info here.

Spotted on the mountain recently: Marin Sheriff and MMWD Rangers teaming up with radar guns.  Asked the goal: public awareness.  So…consider yourself aware!

Our friends at Z-Team & the NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League announce they’re throwing a benefit road ride with none other than Bob Roll.

It’s November 11th starting out of Woodlands Market and offers a 45 and 75 mile option out in West Marin. Check out the details here: www.bikereg.com (type ZteaM or Bob Roll in the search field). You can also write zteamcycling@gmail.com