Race Across America? - Spokes Magazine

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COLUMNS SINGLETRACK by JOEL GWADZ gwadzilla8@yahoo.com IT WAS A WEEKEND MORNING a few weeks back; my single speed was tuned, my brand new hydration pack was filled, my head to toe black and red riding gear was set aside in the basement, and most importantly I had clearance from my wife Lisa to go riding. As I drank my morning coffee I glanced outside the kitchen window and asked myself that question that we as mountain bikers are forced to ask ourselves so often the night/morning before a ride/race... are the trails too wet for mountain biking? It is known that mountain biking leaves a footprint; all of our actions leave a footprint. Everything we do has some sort of impact therefore mountain biking has its impact. It is a matter of being a responsible mountain biker when considering the footprint that we leave and how we can balance our impact. How we ride and when we ride can dictate the amount of impact we make as mountain bikers, but there is a greater responsibility than just that. This has me thinking that I should share with the readers of SPOKES what it means to be a responsible mountain biker.... and no, I did not go riding on that day, it would not have been responsible to go mountain biking on the trails after that much rain but I did have a fun day with my family. In an effort to get a greater understanding of The Responsibilities of a Mountain Biker I turned to some members of the local mountain bike community for some answers with more weight than my thin opinion. One of the first people I contacted was teammate Joe Foley. For years Joe Foley has been volunteering for MORE: The Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts in Members of MORE working on a trail at Greenbrier various capacities but this will be Joe’s first year as the Maryland/DC At Large More representative. Joe’s response was simple... respect your abilities and respect the trails... keep singletrack single... don’t ride around puddles or obstacles. Stay off trails when you may damage them, if you are leaving a visible track than you may be damaging the trails. Joe finished with the basic notion of respect. Respect other trail users... courtesy goes a long way; respect your sport... give back; do trail maintenance or advocate your sport in another manner, and of course respect the trails. When I spoke with Scott Scudamore (aka Scud), the DC Metro Representative for the International Mountain Bike Association, I was given pretty much this same set of ideas in greater detail. In effort not to miss anything Scud delivered the IMBA: Rules of the Trail as a set of bullet points for easy memorization. and I quote... IMBA Rules of the Trail The way we ride today shapes mountain bike trail access tomorrow. Do your part to preserve and enhance our sport’s access and image by observing the following rules of the trail, formulated by IMBA , the International Mountain Bicycling Association. These rules are recognized around the world as the standard code of conduct for mountain bikers. IMBA ‘s mission is to promote mountain bicycling that is environmentally sound and socially responsible. 1. Ride On Open Trails Only. Respect trail and road closures (ask if uncertain); avoid trespassing on private land; obtain permits or other authorization as may be required. Federal and state Wilderness areas are closed to cycling. The way you ride will influence trail management decisions and policies. 2. Leave No Trace. Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you. Recognize different types of soils and trail construction; practice low-impact cycling. Wet and muddy trails are more vulnerable to damage. When the trail bed is soft, consider other riding options. This also means staying on existing trails and not creating new ones. Don’t cut switchbacks. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in. 3. Control Your Bicycle! Inattention for even a second can cause problems. Obey all bicycle speed regulations and recommendations. 4. Always Yield Trail. Let your fellow trail users know you’re coming. A TREK • Seven Pinarello • Colnago LeMond • Raleigh Giordana • Hincapie Descente • Louis Garneau Sidi • Shimano • DMT Bontrager • Mavic • Rolf • HED www.thebicycleplace.com 8313 Grubb Road, Silver Spring MD 301-588-6160 18 May 2008
friendly greeting or bell is considerate and works well; don’t startle others. Show your respect when passing by slowing to a walking pace or even stopping. Anticipate other trail users around corners or in blind spots. Yielding means slow down, establish communication, be prepared to stop if necessary and pass safely. 5. Never Scare Animals. All animals are startled by an unannounced approach, a sudden movement, or a loud noise. This can be dangerous for you, others, and the animals. Give animals extra room and time to adjust to you. When passing horses use special care and follow directions from the horseback riders (ask if uncertain). Running cattle and disturbing wildlife is a serious offense. Leave gates as you found them, or as marked. 6. Plan Ahead. Know your equipment, your ability, and the area in which you are riding – and prepare accordingly. Be self-sufficient at all times, keep your equipment in good repair, and carry necessary supplies for changes in weather or other conditions. A well-executed trip is a satisfaction to you and not a burden to others. Always wear a helmet and appropriate safety gear. Keep trails open by setting a good example of environmentally sound and socially responsible off-road cycling. It seemed that Scott Scudamore had covered all the bases with his well rehearsed answer, but I still needed to fill the column so I got in touch with a few other people. The response I got from new president of MORE: The Mid Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts Jason Stoner was very similar to the IMBA Rules of the Trail with a heavy emphasis on respect; respect for the land, respect to the wildlife, respect to the trails, respect to other trail users, respect for others users groups and respect to other mountain bikers. Several of the points Jason made to me pertained to how the actions of the mountain bikers dictate the future of sport of mountain biking and how giving proper respect will aid in having mountain biking recognized as a legitimizing outdoor activity. Then I spoke with Michael Klasmeier (aka MikeK) a management specialist for the Maryland Environmental Service I got a more light hearted response, but a response that is backed with decades of riding and equally as much time in the bicycle industry as well as long history of mountain bike trail advocacy. MikeK tells me that a responsible mountain biker looks out for the trails as well as fellow riders. MikeK stressed that we should all get involved in one way or another. We can pick up a shovel on the trail days or we can teach someone to mountain bike. MikeK ended in saying that riding is fun, racing is fun, but to love mountain biking is more than just riding a bike. One Sunday in April while riding out at Greenbrier State Park I had a good time talking with Jim Carlson of the Potomac Velo Club. Jim was hard at work with a solid gathering of MORE volunteers. On each of my three laps I slowed and said hello to the volunteers. I snapped a few photographs and tried to express my gratitude for all that these people are doing for the trails. Part of me felt guilty for riding the trails while all these people were working to build and maintain them. So here I am making my contribution to the cause by using my public voice to share the word of the responsibility of the mountain biker and to encourage the Singletrack readers of SPOKES to get involved. How can you get involved? Frank Raiti, the Virginia Advocacy Directory for MORE, spoke of how we can all get started with our contribution to the sport of mountain biking by sharing the 20-25-25 Rule. IMBA: the International Mountain Bike Association has created a simple rule for the base level contribution for a mountain biker; 20-25-25; it used to be a clever and cute 20-20-20, but inflation changed that. This little collection of numbers asks that each mountain biker contribute 20 hours of trail work, 25 dollars to local trail advocacy, and 25 dollars to an international mountain bike trail advocacy group... maybe IMBA. That is the base level... do not be shy about exceeding the minimum. Give a little and get a whole lot! Give back to the sport that gives so much to you! The numbers do not match up! The numbers of mountain bike riders in the Mid-Atlantic is far greater than the numbers that contribute to MORE. Chris Scott, the IMBA State Representative for Virginia, stressed that if the people that rode Schaeffer Farms, Wakefield Park, and Fountainhead were MORE members... those trails would be even sweeter than they are... and those trails are SWEET! But for some reason people have not been doing their part as responsible mountain bikers... maybe it is because they were not aware of their responsibilities as mountain bikers. Spread the word, share the word, and contribute where you can... the minimum is not too much to ask. The people at MORE and IMBA do far more than trail repairs. These are the people working hard to keep trails open and open new trails. The responsibilities of the mountain biker can be seen in how we ride, when we ride, our volunteer efforts, and our support to our advocacy groups. Be a responsible mountain biker. Go straight to the computer and become a member of both IMBA and MORE—it is your responsibility as a mountain biker. This responsibility to the trails is not just up to the mountain biker. The hikers, the runners, and the dog walkers need to also be aware of their personal responsibility. When the trails are super soggy it is unlikely that any mountain biker responsible or not will bother to go riding. Slipping, sliding, clogging and crashing... well... time would often be spent better doing other things. A little mud splatter is one thing, but it is not responsible to be snailing through deep mud, sliding We have always been focused on trying to make your cycling experience as wide on each turn, being forced to skirt the trail to maintain speed, thus widening the trails and risking cutting deep ruts in the rail. On these days the mountain biker may ride on the road or stay home and watch the game. Meanwhile the runners, hikers, and dog walkers stay the course and hit the trail. Then what happens? The hikers, runners, and dog walkers will walk on the slippery trail often avoiding getting too wet by skirting puddles and walking on the trail's edge, staying on the perimeter of the trail rather than its soggy center. This widens the trail. This is not an effort to point fingers, but to explain a little trail use/misuse along with aiding to dispel that the mountain bike is the villain on the trail. Because any good mountain biker knows that responsible trail riding causes no greater impact than the impact of hiking or running. As mountain bikers we all have the potential to be ambassadors to our sport. How we behave when riding dictates how outsiders perceive us. Use common sense, basic courtesy, and respect when representing the sport of mountain biking. In my talks with Jim Carlson of PVC there was mention of the satisfaction of knowing that he is “giving back” to the local riding and racing community. This May MORE is hosting a number of trail work days at various locations in the Mid-Atlantic which will allow for you to get a taste of that satisfaction. Check the MORE webpage for details. The discussions with Chris Scott and Scott Scudamore brought up the Virginia IMBA Mountain Bike Festival which will occur Memorial Day Weekend. More information can be found on the IMBA webpage. IMBA: The International Mountain Bike Association http://www.imba.com/ MORE: Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts http://www.more-mtb.org/ Laurel Bicycle Center enjoyable as possible. Striving to provide the highest quality of service plays a big part in reaching that goal. Whether you ride only a few times each year or cycle every day, have a basic bike or the latest racing machine, we make a point of treating every cyclist as an important customer. We want you to have fun riding! Regardless of what and how much you ride, we are here to help. We have a small but talented staff of older and extremely experienced people, dedicated to making your visit to our store a great one. They are truly motivated to help people, and really care about you, not just how much you spend. We know how to work on bikes old and new, and our advice and guidance for purchasing a new bike is simply the best. We are proud to have been here to serve this community for over 50 years, and intend to be here for many more. —The Sawtelle Family and staff of Laurel Bicycle Center Laurel Bicycle Center 14805 Baltimore Ave. US Rt.1 across from Laurel Mall www.bicyclefun.com 301-953-1223/301-490-7744 Monday-Friday 10 am-7 pm Saturday 9-6/Closed Sunday May 2008 19
Page 1 and 2: Serving Cyclists in the Mid-Atlanti
Page 3 and 4: ON COVER THE Having completed many
Page 5 and 6: The American Diabetes Association p
Page 7 and 8: Shuart (left) with RAAM teammates J
Page 9 and 10: ANNAPOLIS MAYOR ENVISIONS BIKE FRIE
Page 11 and 12: COMMUTER CONNECTION by RON CASSIE r
Page 13 and 14: Arlington County Board member Chris
Page 15 and 16: ARLINGTON TO HOST TWO PRO BIKE RACE
Page 17: THE CYCLIST'S KITCHEN by NANCY CLAR
Page 21 and 22: manage my travel, training, and wor
Page 23 and 24: COLUMNS SPOKESWOMEN by ANNE MADER
Page 25 and 26: At press time we are rapidly approa
Page 27 and 28: CALENDAR OF EVENTS Griffin Cycle 49
Page 30 and 31: CALENDAR continued from p.28 JUNE 7

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