Mountain Bike Inside...

If you hadn’t noticed, SNOW’S HERE! And the COLD’S HERE! Okay, so we're not really mountain biking inside...but we do have some cool stuff going on. Check out these bike related activities going on in this great city!

Here’s a quick list of cool stuff happening around town…

BOARD ELECTIONS – Final two days to vote for either Doug Baker or Corey Rhodes for the empty Board of Directors Seat. If you haven’t voted yet, please get your vote to Ron Chambers before midnight tomorrow night, December 8th.

KLUNKERZ Movie Night – Tonight, December 7th, Overland Mountain Bike Club’s hosting the first in a series of free Winter MTB Movie Screenings. We’ll be meeting up at The Tap Room at Catalyst Coffee, talking bikes, talking H.S. MTB League, having a beverage or two, and watching the MOVIE about the guys who started this whole crazy mountain bike thing. The General Public is invited. Door Prizes will be given out. Club apparel will be for sale.

Light Up the Night – Overland Mountain Bike Club, in partnership with FC Bikes, handed out close to 400 sets of Knog Lights this past Friday night! Great turnout even though the temps were heading towards ZERO. Thanks to everyone who came out and enjoyed the event down in the Gallery Underground. And if you haven’t yet gotten out to hear our very own BluChris, (Chris Whitman by day) spinning tunes, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Bikes for Tykes - Lee's Cyclery is looking for donations of bicycles (new or near new), and volunteers who can help make them safe and presentable. Please help by donating your time, energy and a new bike. Lee's contact person on this project is Colin, at the south Lee's Cyclery store. Call Colin at 970-226-6006 or email him at colin@leescyclery.com for more details. All bike maintenance and beautification needs to be completed by December 10th.

Training Somewhere Warm – Dan Porter over at YourGroupRide, the area’s most complete electronic bike news resource, has made available a training domicile for those of you who’d like to get out of the winter and ride somewhere warmer…Tucson, to be exact. Check out the info HERE. Pretty sweet rates, pretty sweet temps.

IMBA News - Colorado Mountain Bike Summit, April 2 and 3, 2010 - Salida, Colorado. Mark your calendars to attend the Colorado Mountain Bike Summit. Hosted by Bicycle Colorado, IMBA, and the Bureau of Land Management, the two-day event provides opportunities for advocates, land managers, and trail builders to network and create strategies to improve mountain biking around the state. Is there a topic that you would like to see addressed at the 2010 Colorado Mountain Bike Summit? Please let us know by replying to this email! Stay tuned for registration information in early 2010.

Eye Candy – Because I know everyone needs a little break at work…Here’s a little SOMETHING to make you go, “Wow, I’m amazed at what some people can do on a bike…”

And that, my friends, is about it. Kudos to those of you who’re getting out and riding in this cold….

Berthoud-Roubaix

Yeah, it's cold, but if you work up a sweat and wear the right clothes, biking's still darn fun. Check out this FUN RIDE this weekend and get after it.

KLUNKERZ, Bike Travel, and BluChris

Is it really the first Week in December? Hope you have your Santy Claus list is made. What’ll it be this year? Rechargeable lights for evening adventures? Tubeless tires? A shiny new two-wheeler? All of the above? Whatever it is, let’s hope this season smiles on cyclists. (And ice sliders everywhere...Thanks Kevin Cullen for the Kodak moment...Is this what we'd be forced to do if there were no trails? Oh, and you oughta see this guy on skates...)

(BTW: That's Dave Sanders dropping down the stairs on Sawmill before stuffing himself on Thanksgiving.)

Vote Today - Election Time Running Out
Overland Members - Please remember to send Ron Chambers your vote for the empty Board of Directors seat. If you didn't receive the email, contact Ron or Kory and we'll get it to you. Deadline for voting is December 8th.

Local Jr. Cyclist Heading to Belgium
Skyler Trujillo, with the help of Overland Mountain Bike Club and some cool t-shirt sales at the NBB Cyclocross races, has been invited to Cross Camp in Belgium. More info HERE.

Don't Forget
Dan Porter over at Your Group Ride works diligently to keep everyone in the area up-to-date on local cycling events. There's been some great stuff recently about local riders, etc. Put it in your favorites list and check it daily.

And just because it's December doesn't mean stuff ain't happening. Check out what's heading your direction in the next week or so in the NoCoFoCo cycling world:

Tuesday, December 1st, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Bike Travel Presentation at New Belgium Brewery sponsored by Bike Fort Collins
Interested in bike travel and what types of resources are available to cyclists? This is the presentation for you.
Who: Jim Sayer, Executive Director of Adventure Cycling Association, North America’s largest cycling membership group, based in Missoula, MT, will give the latest info on bike travel.
Where: New Belgium Brewing Company, 500 Linden Street
Why: Meet people interested in cycling, bike travel and touring, and find all the resources and inspiration you’ll need to enjoy the life-changing activity of bicycle travel.
Cost: Free and open to the public. Bring friends interested in cycling and bike travel.

First Friday, December 4th, 6-8 p.m. – ‘Bike Winter’ Fort Collins - Kick-Off and Light Giveaway Sponsored by Overland Mountain Bike Club and FC Bikes
You’ve seen ‘em – barely. The invisible riders who along the roadside who don’t use lights. Working with FC Bikes, Overland MTB Club will help light up the night by giving away Knog Light Sets to FC residents who ride their bikes to First Friday. More info about other ‘Bike Winter’ activities can be found HERE.
Where: Gallery Underground, 109 Linden St/Old Town Square
Entertainment: None other than BluChris (You know him as Overland’s Chris Whitman) will be spinning the night away.

Monday, December 7th, 7 p.m. – Winter Movie Series Kick-Off featuring KLUNKERZ
So, it’s gotten a bit chilly and maybe you haven’t been hitting the trails much. No need to stop thinking about mountain biking! Join us as we show Klunkerz, the award winning movie about the history of mountain biking. We’ll also talk a bit about the High School Mountain Bike Leauge. Door prizes for a few lucky souls. We’ll also have Overland socks and jerseys for sale along with a few extra copies of Klunkerz. Admission is free. Bring a friend. Get there early. Seating is limited. Where: The Tap Room at Catalyst Coffee, 3501 S. Shields Street

And that's about all she wrote for this week, folks.

Winter Biking? YES!

FC Bikes has partnered with Overland for an event on December 4th where we'll be passing out sets of Knog lights to FC Residents who ride their bikes to the Gallery Underground where it just so happens that the unofficial dj of Overland Mountain Bike Club - Chris Whitman, aka, BluChris - will be spinning the unofficial tunes of mountain bike madness. Hope to see you there. Check what else is going on at WINTER BIKE WEEK.

Go Fast, indeed!

Here’s a link that Kate Rau with the Colorado League sent along. This is a video of the 2009 Mountain Goat Challenge, the 3rd race in this year’s NorCal League series. It was held in early April in Pilarcitos Canyon off Eucalyptus Road at Fort Ord, just a little North East of Monterey, California. Pretty cool, eh? –Dave Skram

Quick Bits for Thanksgiving Week

Hey All,

Just a few things on the horizon:

Elections - We have two eager fellows who'd like to fill the empty Board seat. Corey Rhodes and Doug Baker have thrown their hat in the ring. Thanks guys!
Overland members - please submit your vote to Ron Chambers via email as soon as possible. Election closes December 8th.

Trails Team - Interested in trails? We all are, of course. Have a pet project in mind? A trail you think really needs some TLC? Our Trails Team will continue the good work it started this past summer and continue to meet throughout the winter. Stacy Schroeder will take the helm of the Trails Team and let people know when/where the meetings will be held.

December 4th - First Friday - Light Up the Night with FC Bikes and Overland.
In conjunction with FC Bikes, we're passing out free Knog light sets to F.C. residents who rides their bike to the Gallery Underground for First Friday.

December 7th - Winter Movie and Presentation Series - KLUNKERZ
In an effort to keep everyone thinking mountain bikes throughout the winter, we're working with the Tap Room at Catalyst on a series of bike movies/presentations. Our first one will be Klunkerz. (See the post below for more info). We'll give away a few prizes, watch a movie, have a beer or two. See you there.

Enjoy your feast on Thursday. Hope to see you on the 7th!

Winter Movie and Presentation Series

Want more info about Klunkerz? Click on the flyer.

And for those of you who've been inside too much because our trail are muddy... Get your mountain bike fix HERE! And we'll see you on the 7th.

Break out the Winter Gear and Lights...It's Time to Ride

And the Winners Are....

Well, the Season Finale came and went. Congrats to Pete Skram for winning the Silver Sprocket. Congrats to Joe Perrin for winning the top Patrol Award. It’s Joe’s job to come up with a name for that cool little bike sculpture he’ll have to pass on next year. And thanks to everyone else who made Overland Mountain Bike Club’s introductory season a huge success. Also, a big thanks to each and every Patrol member. We understand the time and commitment that goes into getting certified. We look forward to improving that experience, making it easier to get trained, and supporting the Patrol as is needed.

Events Made Possible By You – Our Members

Here’s a brief list of things that were accomplished this year thanks to you, our members.

Patrol Hours – We logged 623 hours patrolling over 333 patrols. That’s raw hours and not by patroller. According to the last IMBA Patrol Newsletter, that’s more than 300 hours over their top patrol – and yes, we plan on reporting our hours to IMBA from now on.
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day – Spring
Community Classic Bike Tour
Friends of Lory Trail Day
Lory State Park Mountain Bike Fest
Family Bike Fest @ Fossil Creek Park
Summer Slam @ Curt Gowdy
Summer Campout @ Curt Gowdy
The Tour de Fat
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day – Fall
Bike to Work Day Station
Outreach Days at Horsetooth Mountain Park and Devil’s Backbone
Singletrack Social Rides on Wednesdays – A huge success ( I miss them…)
Trail Days – Too many to count… We worked at Curt Gowdy, Bobcat Ridge, Lory State Park, Hewlett Gulch, Horsetooth Mountain Park, and Shoreline ( I’m sure I missed something…)
Trails Team – Our Trails Team got up and running. Lots more to do but the groundwork has been laid.
Stone Temple 8 race support

And don’t forget the collective power we have just getting out and riding our bikes and letting people know who we are and why we’re out there. Thanks everybody! Keep spreading the good word.

Just Because It's Winter...

Well, even though the ‘Season’ is officially over, that doesn’t mean we have to stop hanging out and talking mountain bikes. Here’s some stuff to look forward to:

Night rides – Those of us who’ve done it know how much fun it is. We’ll keep you posted when they happen.
Weekend rides – Weather permitting, we hope to collectively get out and ride a bit. We’ll keep you posted.
Movie Nights – Once a month we’d like to get everyone together to talk mountain bikes, watch a cool mountain bike movie and socialize. Our first one will be in early December.. We’ll be showing ‘Klunkerz’. Invite your friends! Details are in the works. We’ll keep you posted. If you’d like to help organize these, contact Monty Seitz
Trail Team Meetings – We’d like to get that Pineridge Beginner Loop proposal done and start working on other plans for next year. This is a great time to sit down and hash things out. Look for more info soon.

High School Mountain Biking Coming to the Front Range
Thanks to Dave, Eric, and Pete Skram and the Ed Cleary’s for putting in some time to figure out how to help get a mountain bike league started for our high schools. They still need willing participants who can help out with Rocky and FC High. If you know someone or would like to help yourself, let them know.

Get the ‘Skinny’ on the Bobcat Trail Day

Greg Mazu of Singletrack Trails posted up this link to a very successful trail day at Bobcat. Thanks to everyone who came out and worked! http://blog.singletracktrails.com/2009/11/16/bobcat-ridge-volunteer-workday/

Rattlesnakes Hold Party at Red Mountain

Apparently, the parking lot at Red Mountain makes a great place to shake your tail. Check out this article at the Coloradoan and keep your eyes peeled the next time you’re up there. Thanks to Rodger Thompson for the link.

This year’s Board of Directors:

President: Ron Chambers
Patrol Director: Bill Heisterman
Vice President: TBD
Treasurer: Josh Shafer
Website Director: Kevin Cullen
Communications Director: Kory Swanson
Todd Thibodeau
1 open seat - TBD in email election

Please note: The Board of Directors meets often during the offseason. If you'd like to join us or have info or ideas for us, please let us know.

High School Mountain Bike League Info

Here's some exciting stuff from Kate Rau about High School Mountain Biking in Colorado:


Colorado Outreach Events
Thanks to those who participated in recent Colorado League outreach events. Some of the most common comments heard:

“It is about time this comes to Colorado."

“Wow, how cool, I wish they had this when I was in high school!”

The Press Release distributed Thursday, October 22 created a buzz according to the numerous Colorado League visitors at VeloSwap. Scores of people dropped by the Colorado League booth, including several teachers who are excited to form teams. Thank you, VeloSwap, for your
support!

The Inaugural Bácaro /Ride to Eat, Eat to Ride/ with Tom Danielson, Team Garmin-Slipstream was certainly memorable: 62 riders, 32˚F temperature, snow, a brisk pace and a plentiful gourmet Italian meal. Thanks to Fabio Flagiello and Bácaro for choosing the Colorado League as the benefactor for this new Boulder tradition. We appreciate the support provided by the Boulder TREK store, Full Cycle, FasCat Coaching, Colorado Athletic Club, Wheat Ridge Cyclery, Pro Peloton, Cycle To, Vermarc, and SMBA. * We strongly recommend attending Fabio’s next ride at Bácaro!/*

*Upcoming: *Full Cycle, 1795 Pearl Street will host a festive Colorado League informational event on Wednesday Novemaber 11th, 6:30 PM.


*2. General Schedule of Events*

April 24, 2010: Cylcefest Dinner with Dave Wiens (Denver)

June 2010: Leaders Summit (Training for Head Coaches, Asst. Coaches, and Ride Leaders)

August 2010: Beginner/Intermediate Rider Camps

August 2010: Team Training begins

August 2010: Team Registration opens

September 2010: Races 1 & 2

October 2010: Race 3 & CO State Championship


*3. Ways to Contribute*
A big thanks to those who donated their hard earned cash and valuable time to the organization, thus far. The pedals are turning and we need more of you to demonstrate your interest by making a contribution no matter how small. Please help us share your passion for the sport by
supporting us in these efforts. Donations can be made at www.coloradomtb.org and are tax deductible. All the work on the Colorado League, thus far, has been voluntary and we are making the Colorado League the best it can be.


*4. Join a Committee*
We are very grateful to those who are championing the Colorado League such as *Matt Tomasko*, *Max Bradley*, *Herschel Goldberg*, *Mark Eller*, *Ron Gager*, and *Leslie Bohm*. Please consider joining one or more of the following subcommittees:

*/Venue Committee/ *Help us locate, inspect, and choose four or five
courses perfect for young high school racers

/*Special Event Committee*/ Help us produce high quality outreach and fundraising events, such as movie screenings and a classy benefit dinner

/*Outreach Committee*/ Host an outreach event in your local area at a school or bike shop

*/Development Committee/ *High school racing is funded primarily by the passionate stakeholders who want to bring the benefits of cycling into our schools -- help us connect with potential donors and sponsors

/*League Rider Committee*/ 8th-11th graders who would like to represent this movement

*/Race and/or Camp Volunteer/ *League events will count on your help in areas such as course marshaling, registration, venue set-up and take-down, and scoring

/*Coaches Committee */ Those interested in being a Head Coach, Assistant Coach or Ride Leader, please let us know which school(s) you would like to work with

_We thank those who have expressed interest in joining the Colorado
League's* Board of Directors*._ Our application process is under review and will be announced by year's end.

Colorado League on Facebook
*Are you a Facebook user? Search and join the group "Colorado High School Cycling League" as an additional source for League news.

For more information about high school mountain biking visit: www.coloradomtb.org and www.norcalmtb.org

This Week - Abbreviated

Hey All,
Not much time to get this done...sorry. I'll post it to the blog but it's also below.

Tuesday Night, October 20th, Cyclocross at New Belgium. Fun to ride. Fun to watch. Bring $20 to buy a t-shirt to support local young rider, Skyler Trujillo in his bid to make the national team

Wednesday Night, October 21st, Final Group Ride. Meet at 5:30. For those who want to ride a bit longer, bring a light. We'll break into 2 groups. Weather permitting, of course. Social hour at Josh’s afterwards

Monday Night, October 26th, Season Finale followed by the 2nd Annual Costume Cruise. We’ll be eatin’ pizza, handin’ out awards, laughin’ at each other’s costumes, and then heading out for a cruiser ride around town. Make sure you have lights and some dough.

Saturday, Halloween, Bobcat Trail Day. Meet at Bobcat at 8 a.m. and help with maintenance and some cool new alternate lines. Food will be provided. Bring water, wear boots, gloves, a snack and your charming personality.

Still looking for a winner for the Patrol Competition this month. Who's going to pull it off. You've got all weekend to get 'er done.

--Kory

January in October? What's going on?

This just in from the Arctic Tundra that has become October along the northern Front Range of Colorado…

Yep, a day late and a dollar short…but still a ton of valuable info, nonetheless. Hope you’re all feeling toasty. I’m just happy I got a mountain bike ride in on Friday with Joe before Mama Nature got her months mixed up…

Anyway, here’s what’s happening with the club and around town.

Trails Team Meeting Tonight
Care about the trails you ride? Join the Trails Team tonight at Café Vino to discuss trails maintenance, trail building, trail projects on the burner, etc. Hope you can make it. Meeting starts at 6:30 and as always, Café Vino has one of the best beer and wine menus in town.

Cross Races Continue to Be a Huge Success
Cyclocross races at New Belgium got started with a bang. Three more weeks of great racing and spectating await. Kids races start promptly at 4:20 so that daylight does not become an issue. Several club members beat themselves up last week at the first race including Bill Heisterman, Jim Fu, and Covey Potter. Racing is $5 but you might as well bring an extra $20 and purchase a really cool long-sleeve t-shirt in support to young Black Sheep Jr. racing phenom, Skyler Trujillo, who’s working to make the national racing team. All proceeds from the t-shirts will go to support Skyler’s bid to make the team. T-shirts provided by Overland Mountain Bike Club, an official race sponsor, and designed by local artist, Amanda Acheson of Acheson Art.

The County Needs a Bit of Fire Assistance
Volunteers have been requested to assist with public education during a Prescription Burn in the Indian Creek area at some point between Mid-October and Mid-November. Weather conditions will define when and if the burn can occur and volunteers able to assist will have to be on-call. Duties to include sitting at the Blue Sky Trail and alert landowners to prescribed fire in the valley. All volunteers will have a radio and will be working with Natural Resources staff and the burn boss on when land owners and recreators can use the area.

If you are interested in this opportunity please contact CJ Cullins, Volunteer Program Coordinator, for further information. (970) 679-4552 or ccullins@larimer.org

Warm Someone Up
With the cold weather blasting in, wouldn’t it be nice if you could help someone else keep warm? Well, you can! Our friends at Recycled Cycles are collecting warm clothing in exchange for a $10 gift card to Recycled Cycles during the month of October. Limit 1 gift card per person.
Bring any warm clothing down to Recycled Cycles at 4031 S Mason. If you have any questions, contact Brent Straw, manager at (970) 223-1969.

Fort Collins RioSwap
Our friends over at Your Group Ride have organized the first annual Fort Collins RioSwap this Saturday evening at the Rio. Here’s the 411:

I want to invite everyone to the first annual Dia de los RioSwap or Day of the RioSwap. It's going to be an all inclusive bike swap and party. Entry to the Agave Room as well as table reservations are free. The only thing you pay for are the drinks. Come out on Saturday Oct. 17th from 6:00pm to 10:30pm to buy some stuff, sell some stuff and celebrate the bike. Word on the streets is that there will be a couple of pros on hand including a National Champion or two. For questions or to reserve a table visit: Your Group Ride for more info. Remember this isn't only a bike swap its also a party with a fully functioning bar. The Agave Room is located upstairs from the Rio Grande Mexican Resturant, at 143 Mountain Ave. Fort Collins. The door to the Agave Room is just west of the main entrance. The Fort Collins Bike Co-op will be on hand to recycle your unwanted and worn bikes, parts and accessories (including tires and tubes). If you can't sell it donate it! Spread the word!

Trail Day at Devil’s Backbone
One more trail work day is on the books for Devil’s Backbone. It’s this Saturday, October 17, 2009 9 am- 2pm. RSVP to Sean Paul at mailto:teleportal%40yahoo.com if you plan on attending. As always, wear sturdy shoes, bring some gloves, a snack and water.

CSU Working on Trails Website

This past summer, CSU received a new contract to create a public trails website using the data they have collected in the past few years for all of Larimer County trails. In developing the actual web interface, CSU seeks public input on what people like, don’t like, expect, etc., of a variety of existing trail websites. This is where they’d like your assistance. Michelle Kinseth, a graduate student working on this project, has developed a survey instrument that asks users to evaluate some existing trail websites elsewhere in the country. We want to hear what people think of them. The results of the surveys will help guide us in developing the interface for the Larimer County trails project. If you are interested in taking the survey, please let Michelle know and she will send you the necessary links. Email: cotrails@warnercnr.colostate.edu
CS would LOVE to have your input, as you are the real trail users and hopefully will be the ones who USE this site in the future! Thanks very much for your consideration. If you want to be kept up to date on other aspects of the project, or if you want to become more involved, please let CSU know. It would be nice to hear back from you!

And now the calendar:

(As always, check the Overland Mountain Bike Club Calendar for updated info)

Tuesday, October 13th
Trails Team Meeting at Café Vino at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 14th
Social Ride at Maxwell weather permitting. All riders welcome. Social hour at Josh Shafer’s afterwards. Rumor has it someone will be bringing some tasty sausages for the grill… As always, please bring something to share – food or beverage wise.

Saturday, October 15th
Trail Day at Devil’s Backbone. See contact info above.
Fort Collins RioSwap at 6 p.m. See info above.

Important Upcoming dates:
Monday, October 26th – Season Finale, Costume Contest and Cruiser Ride 6:30 until… At New Belgium Brewery. Bring $5 for your own pair of cool Overland MTB Club socks.

Saturday, October 31st – Trail Day at Bobcat Ridge. 9 a.m.

And that’s about all…well, almost…

As the season winds down and the Board of Directors begins planning for next season, please send us your suggestions about what you’d like to see in the future. We’d love to have as much input as possible from the membership in order to help guide our decisions making.

So far, the October Patrol Contest seems to be in the hands of Pete and David Skram. They each have 3 patrols on USFS lands. Can't somebody beat Pete?

Mountain Bike Jersey Order - Several of you have expressed interest in purchasing one of the 3/4 sleeve mountain bike specific jerseys with the Overland Logo. Minimum order is 5. Cost is right around $70.00. Please let Kory know if you'd like to order one.

And, a loud ‘Happy Birthday’ goes out to Joe Perrin today as he turns….hmmm…I’m not exactly sure. Less than 50, I think...

See you on the trails.

More Cyclocross. Weekly Blog Below.

Hey All,

A little addition to this week's blog. Didn't get this until the afternoon off of Your Group Ride.

The rest of this week's blog is below this one. Read on.

Cheyenne CX races
Here is what came through the emails. I remember it costing only $5 last year. Clear Creek Park is accessed coming from the south by exiting I25 at Exit7 (College dr) head east and the the first left (Southwest Dr.) pass under the interstate and park is on the left. CCC contact: cheyennecyclingclub (at) gmail.com for more info.

CHEYENNE CYCLOCROSS SATURDAY'SOCTOBER 3, 10, 17, 24
TIME: 4 -6 p. m. LOCATION: Clear Creek Park
A & B Level Racing- Prizes- Fantastic course for all levels- Big time CX Racer? Come out and compete with the best in Cheyenne in an all-out "pain fest"- Never done it but wnat to try it? Come see what CX is all about and have a blast with other riders!!!-Want to watch? Come watch our racers in the most heart pounding 45 minutes imagineable!!! CYCLECROSS IS A SPECTATOR SPORT SO BRING THE FAMILY FOR AN INCREDIBLE AFTERNOON OF BIKE RACING ACTION!!! DON'T FORGET YOUR COWBELL

Great Day for the Kids and this Week's Shenanigans

Take a Kid a Great Success
Another great event has passed and another week enters the fray. Good Monday morning to you all, albeit a bit of a wet one. Hope you found a little time to get out and hit the dirt this past weekend. The kids did and sure had a great time. Check out the gallery at the Coloradoan for a few photos of Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day and the article that made it into the Sunday news. If you don’t get the paper, Overland had a nice little pic on the front page as a lead-in to the article. Nice to get a little press. Thanks to everyone who came out in support of the kids on Saturday. It’s great to see all the smiling faces and hear the kids whoopin’ it up. Makes you want to be a kid again, don’t it? Maybe that’s why I still ride my bike…

A huge thanks to Take a Kid Sponsors: TWEEK'd Gear, Backcountry Provisions, Fort Fun, Recycled Cycles, Road 34, Full Cycle, Lee's Cyclery, REI, Phoenix Cyclery, IMBA, Colorado State Parks, Liberty Commons Athletics, and of course, New Belgium Brewery

New Board Members
Congrats to Todd Thibodeau and Bill Heisterman on being elected to the Overland Board of Directors. They don’t know what they’re in for yet, but they’ll soon find out. Once again, the board can’t do it all. If you have ideas, programs you’d like to see started, etc, let the board know and get involved.

Overland Supports Cyclocross
The New Belgium Cyclocross Series starts this Tuesday. We’ll be there in support. We could use a handful of people to come help with the kids races. If you can help out, let me know. We’ve also contributed some funds to help with kid prizes and a few lucky riders will walk away with some of the hot new Overland socks. If you’re looking for specifics, go to Your Group Ride. It’s well stocked with info for racers, parking, etc. Also, Overland is helping send Skyler Trujillo to U.S. Cycling camp in order for him to have a shot at earning a spot on the national team. T-shirts will be available at the cyclorcross series. All proceeds go to helping Skyler get there.

Join Georgia
Georgia Gould leads a cross clinic tonight if you’re interested in finding out what it’s all about before you show up to race tomorrow night. Info is HERE. The cross races are good fun and lots of folks do them on their mountain bikes.

Tidbits
A new online bike magazine has hit the intrawebs.

If you raced the Oval this summer, standings have been released and can be found HERE.

And now for this week’s happenings…

Monday,October 5th: Cyclocross Clinic with Georgia Gould, Board Meeting for Overland.

Tuesday, October 6th: New Belgium Brewery Cyclocross Races start at 4:20 p.m.

Wednesday, October 7th: Singletrack Social, 5:30 p.m. at the Maxwell parking lot. All levels of riders welcome. Social hour afterwards. Please bring something to share.

Saturday, October 10th: Crankin’ Contest. Meet at the Spring Canyon Bike Skills Park at 1 p.m. Be ready to ride. (Weather permitting, of course) RSVP to the email that Kory sent on Monday if you plan on attending.

Looking into next week...
The Trails Team meets at Café Vino on Tuesday, October 13th at 6:30 p.m. This committee’s really looking at getting some great stuff accomplished. Come on out and help out if you can.

Oh, can’t forget October’s Patrol contest: Get out and patrol the trails on Forest Service lands. Whoever gets the most patrols in on Forest Service land, wins a prize. So far, nobody has stepped up, but I’m sure somebody will.

Here’s hoping for dry trails and sunny skies. I ain’t ready for snow and cold just yet…

Elections, Contests, and the Season Finale

Greetings Wheeled Wonders,

October’s almost here. A chill is in the air and we still have lots of fun stuff ahead of us.

Elections Tonight!

Elections are tonight at our monthly meeting. Ron Chambers, Bill Heisterman, Monty Seitz, Kory Swanson, and Todd Thibodeau have thrown their hat in the ring for the 4 open board seats. If you cannot attend the meeting, please email your vote to Barb Allan, director. Vote for 4 of the 5 people.

Curt Gowdy Does IT!
Curt Gowdy State Park achieved IMBA Epic status on Saturday, Sep. 26th. Congrats to Todd and his crew and all the volunteers who made it possible!

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

We are still in need of volunteers for Take a Kid. Please sign up as soon as possible in order to help us plan for food, etc.

Overland Sponsors Cyclocross Races

Once again, we’re helping our main sponsor, New Belgium, run some great races out in the back 40 behind the brewery. With the October chill comes the heat of Cyclocross racing. We’ll need some volunteers to help with the kids races each week for the next 4 weeks. Hope to see you out there. The races start Tuesday, October 6th and run until the end of the month. Click HERE for more info.

First Ever Crankin’ Contest Coming Your Way!

Don’t forget. On October 10th, we’ll gather at 1 p.m. in Spring Canyon Park for a little bit of cycling fun. Pitting Overland Team against Overland Team, members will compete in a series of zany activities to see which Team rules the roost. No preview of the activities will be given as no one is allowed to practice ahead of time. Following the activities, a bbq will commence at Kory Swanson’s house. Team members are encouraged to ride their mountain bikes to the event as this will affect your overall score for the day.

Kooky Costume Cruise Coming Soon

After last year’s successful costume cruise, we’ll be doing another one after our Season Finale. The date? October 24th. Barb will stay out late one more time!

And this Week's Calendar...

Monday, Sept 28th,6:30 p.m. Monthly Meeting and Elections at Catalyst Coffee located on Shields, just north of Horsetooth.

Wednesday, Sept 30th, 5:30 p.m. Singletrack Social. As always, meet at Maxwell. Be ready to ride by 5:30 due to impending darkness. Hang out at Josh's afterwards. Bring something to share.

Saturday, October 3rd, 8 a.m. for set up and on...Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. Help the kids enjoy a day of riding out in Lory State Park on IMBA's National Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day.

I almost forgot...This month's Patrol Contest...We're targeting Forest Service trails for the month of October. Who can get the most patrols completed up the Poudre Canyon, in Redfeather, etc. There's still plenty of time left to patrol!

And that's about it for this week. See you soon!

IMBA Epic on Horizon and Lots More

Patrollers Still Getting Out

Looks like we’re still getting lots of patrollers out on the trails. Looking at the patrol list I’m seeing patrols almost daily from Curt Gowdy and Redfeather to places closer to town. Keep up the good work y’all. And if you haven’t hit the trails up the Poudre Canyon lately, now’s a great time to start going.


Take a Kid Registration Still Open

Due to a slight mistake in the registration setup, some people may have encountered a 'This event is closed' message. Sorry about that. The glitch has been fixed. Please let people know that we still have plenty of slots open for the upcoming Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day and that they should register their kids before Saturday, Sept. 26th when registration officially closes.

IMBA Epic Designation on the Horizon

If you haven’t strapped your bike to your car and made the drive up to Curt Gowdy State Park in Wyoming, you just don’t know what you’re missing. The fine folks at IMBA, however, seem to be clued in. Join them this Saturday after the Stone Temple 8 as they designate Curt Gowdy as an IMBA Epic.

Help IMBA Bring Mountain Bike Racing to the H.S. Level here in Colorado
(from a recent IMBA release. If you’d be willing, Overland would love to support you.)

You may have heard about the incredible success that the Norcal and Socal high school mountain biking leagues have enjoyed in California. We now have a chance to launch the Colorado version -- high-quality racing and a comprehensive bicycle education program designed for young riders. We are asking for your help to make the Colorado High School Mountain Bike Racing League a reality. How can you get involved? Start with three simple steps:

Learn about the successes of the sister programs in California.

Forward this message to your riding friends, club members, cycling parents and anyone who might want to get involved.


Let us know if you'd be interested in attending a gathering (or hosting one) for like-minded supporters to help build momentum in your part of the state.


IMBA's goal is to raise enough interest and support to launch the Colorado High School League in the fall of 2010. With your help, we can do it!

Rattlesnakes Hatchin’
(Janice from Team BOB doing a little research for us all…)

I've noticed A LOT of baby rattlers (3 today) and finally figured out I always saw the little ones this time of year, so decided to investigate. This is what I found:The young are born between August and October. The newborn rattlesnake is about 10 inches long and has a small horny button on the tip of its tail. Rattler babies have venom, short fangs and are dangerous from birth. In fact, they are more pugnacious than the adults. Although unable to make a rattling sound, the youngsters throw themselves into a defensive pose and strike repeatedly when disturbed. Keep your eyes out because you won't hear them!

Crazy Joe Cross on Tuesdays

(From Dapper Dan at Your Group Ride)

Cyclocross racing sponsored by Your Group Ride began at 6pm on Tuesday September 15th in the field just South of Fossil Ridge High School (NOT at Fossil Creek Park where Joe Sap. ran it) and runs every Tuesday for the rest of September (15th, 22nd, and 29th). We’ve set up a great course on the on the High School cross country course. We’ve got barriers, we’ve got creek crossings, we’ve got run-ups, we’ve got dirt and we’ve got pavement. We’ve got it all, ‘cept tons of elevation gain and beer. Turns out they don’t allow alcohol on high school campuses anymore. Plan on running hot laps until it gets dark or some sort of winner is declared. Course layout by Troy Heithhecker - 2nd place at the 2004 Collegiate National Cyclocross Championships.
Check out the map

Note: New Belgium Cyclocross will be starting Tuesday Oct. 6th with a free Cyclocross clinic being hosted by Coach Ben Ollett and Olympian and all around speed demon, Georgia Gould.

And this week’s calendar: (Keep an eye on the weather…lookin’ like rain…)

Wednesday, Sept. 23rd
Singletrack Social starting at Maxwell – Leaving at 5:30 p.m. Please note the time change. We’ll leave the parking lot at 5:30 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. as the sun starts leaving us sooner. Snacks and refreshments at Josh’s afterwards. Everyone is welcome. Bring something to share.

Saturday, Sept. 26th
8:30 -Trail Day with the Boy Scouts up in Redfeather. If you can help out, contact Doug Cutter. He can use some trained trail people and has a couple of different shifts available.

9: 30 a.m. - Stone Temple 8 Race at Curt Gowdy. Volunteers still needed. Sign up on our website.
5:30 p.m. - IMBA Epic Designation at Curt Gowdy. Come and join the party!

Sunday, Sept. 27th

Outreach Day at Horsetooth Mountain Park. We need about 6 volunteers for this. Sign up on the website.

Monday, Sept. 28th

Monthly Meeting at Catalyst. Election Time! Come on out and vote for new board members.

A little farther out…

October 3rd - Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day – We’re still in need of volunteers. So far we have 50+ kids signed up. We need ride leaders, photographers, etc. etc. Sign up HERE.

And that’s about it as summer gets slammed into fall…

Colorado Trails Need Our Help!

An Important IMBA Email Release this week.

Three Vital Issues for Colorado Mountain Bikers: Apex Park, Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal and Roadless Protection

1) Ask Jefferson County to Reconsider Its Strategy for Apex Park

On Sept. 3, 2009, Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS) released its recommended, revised management plan for improving visitor experiences at Apex Park. IMBA and its local affiliate the Colorado Mountain Bike Association (COMBA) believe the plan needs substantial revisions before it will be fair and equitable to mountain bikers. If adopted in its current state, the JCOS plan would be a huge loss for the mountain bike community. It would also represent a dangerous precedent for JCOS, and potentially other public lands across Colorado. The only travel restrictions imposed by this plan are against cyclists' interests.
Please join us in asking JCOS to improve its management strategy for Apex.

2) Update on the Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal
The Hidden Gems Wilderness Campaign is a proposal to greatly expand Wilderness areas in central Colorado. IMBA-affiliated clubs, including the Roaring Fork Valley Mountain Bike Association (RFMBA) and the Summit Fat Tire Society (SFTS), have expressed strong concerns about the plan. While mountain bikers support protections against development and resource extraction, we also know that Wilderness designations -- which eliminate bike use -- are not the only tool for protecting public lands.
Please visit the RFVMBA advocacy webpage for comprehensive information about the Hidden Gems plan.

3) Tell Governor Ritter to Support Strong Roadless Protection in Colorado
What's the common factor for the 401 Trail, Rabbit Ears Pass and Monarch Crest? They all include Forest Service lands known as "roadless areas." There are more than 4 million acres of Forest Service roadless areas in Colorado, all of it open to mountain biking. The state is looking for input on how all these wild lands should be managed -- they need to hear from mountain bikers. IMBA has been working with its collegues at Outdoor Alliance to make sure roadless areas in Colorado are protected and remain open for all of us to enjoy now, and in the future. Click here to file your comments.
Want to get a better sense of what roadless protection really means? Check out this online video.

Bring the Pain and the Weekly Outlook

Not much goin’ on this week – unless you like ice cream, single speedin' (aka: pedal pain) or trail work. Lots of stuff to look forward to, however. Cross races, Curt Gowdy IMBA Celebration, Take A Kid Mountain Biking, Crankin’ Contest, Bobcat Ridge Trail Day, and more. The season ain’t over yet and it’s showin’ no signs of slowing down! (Picture: Nice shot looking north towards Breckenridge on Sunday)

Events off in the distance we’d love to see you at: On Sep. 26th, the Stone Temple 8 Endurance race returns to Curt Gowdy. Following the race will be a celebration as IMBA designates Curt Gowdy as an Epic Trail. We’d love to see the whole Overland Crew out to cheer Todd and the boys on as they receive the 'Academy Awards of Trailbuilding'.

On October 3rd, Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day returns. Parents, register your kids using the link to the right of this page. Volunteers sign up HERE or on the link at the right of this column. We’ll be hosting somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 kids at Lory State Park. We’ll need ride leaders, photographers, etc. to make sure this day is awesome for all of these kids. We’ll also be giving away a free bike to one lucky kid.

On October 10th, we’ll host the Crankin’ Contest – a day of Team Competition followed by a bbq. Details to follow soon. If you’d like to help organize this fun afternoon, let Kory know.

On Halloween, we’ll be scaring ourselves out at Bobcat Ridge working on some new features. This will most likely be our last trail day of the season. Hope to see you there.

Tim G. shared this week's video/article about guys who embrace pain. Check it out HERE.

And now for this week’s stuff:

Tuesday, Sept. 15th – Ice Cream Social w/the Buckingham Neighborhood. Volunteers needed. Click HERE, login and find the Root Beer Social event.

Wednesday, Sept 16th – Singletrack Social followed by Social Hour at Kory and Jen’s. (Josh ‘Bring the Pain’ S. may already be heading to Singlespeed Worlds in Durango so I don’t want to overwhelm him.) Kory and Jen will have directions from the trailhead if you don’t know where they live. As always, bring something to share.

All Weekend - Lookin' for some madness? Make the jaunt to Singlespeed Worlds in Durango and watch the crazies compete for a tatoo. Go Josh, go!

Saturday, Sept 19th – Curt Gowdy Trail Day. Come on out and work on the trails at Curt Gowdy. Want to carpool? Check with Rodger Thompson. He’s towing the tool trailer up.

And a little bit farther out…

Sep. 26th-IMBA Epic Awards at Curt Gowdy

Sep. 27th – Outreach Day at Horsetooth Mountain Park. Details to follow.

Lesson for the week: Knee caps – although solid – are no match for tree stumps which can end your riding season prematurely. OUCH! That had to hurt.

Oops, almost forgot the points tally:

Pete S. – Umm, apparently Pete’s trying to set a record with 300 points total so far including 49 patrols. Ain’t nobody catchin’ the Petester.

Team Points – Umm, yeah. Pete’s team, of course. Bill H and Thuan T have done a great job rallying their teammates with almost 1400 points for the season. Team 3 is within striking distance, however.

And that my sprocketed friends, is about all. Keep the rubber side down.

Tour de Fat a Success! And this Week's Stuff

Well, we did it. Another Tour de Fat rolled in, rolled through, and rolled right out of town. Don’t worry. It’s not going far. If you want to participate in the beauty of bikes head on down to Denver this next weekend and bask in the glory of all things bike-ness. Check here for more details. You won’t have to pour beer, check i.d.s, patrol the parade, etc. You can simply sit back, enjoy the music and sip.

Speaking of the Tour de Fat, a huge thanks to New Belgium Brewery for supporting our organization through this wonderful event. A huge thanks to each and every volunteer who worked one shift or twelve and took time out of their 3-day weekend to make the event run smoothly. A good time was had by all. Oh, and before I forget. A quick shout out to Jess M. who, even after checking i.d.s for hours on end, nabbed a young fellow’s i.d. that well, quite frankly, wasn’t his. Nice work Jess.

Curt Gowdy State Park = IMBA Epic

The Stone Temple 8 race takes place on September 26th. After the race, a ceremony will be held to designate Curt Gowdy as an IMBA Epic. Plan on coming up for the race and for the ceremony. Also, if you can lend support to the Stone Temple 8 Race, you won’t be turned away.

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day on the Horizon

National ‘Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day’ happens on October 3rd. For the fall event we’ll be up at Lory State Park. Parents, sign your kids up HERE, tune up their bikes and bring them on out for a free day of mountain biking. Kids, write a cool essay and win a bike. Of course, we’ll need volunteers to help make these kids smile and smile. Look for info on volunteering soon.

That’s about all the jabbering I have in me. By the way, that's Todd Thibodeau up top at the 'Tour de Float'. And speaking of pictures, a ton of new ones from throughout the season have been added to our gallery. Check it HERE. Here’s the calendar for the next week or so:

Tuesday, September 8th:
6:30 p.m. - Trails Team Meeting at Café Vino. Got a ‘Trail Idea’? This is the meeting to attend. Plus, check out this ARTICLE about illegal trails. One more reason to get involved.

Wednesday, September 9th:
6 p.m. - The best group ride in town. Leaving Maxwell at 6 p.m. so be there a few minutes early to get geared up. Hitting Josh’s house for social hour around 7:45. Hope to see you out there. All level of riders welcome. Some go slow. Some go fast. The rest of us fall in accordingly. Hope to see you out there. As always, bring something to share.

Saturday, September 12: (Busy day!)
All weekend - The Beaver Meadows Mountain Bike Fest and Collegiate Race – Info here. Possible volunteer opportunities also.
9 a.m. – Our Saturday Singletrack Social leaves the Soderberg Parking Lot at 9 a.m. Please be ready to ride by 9 a.m. Team 2, who’s battling it out with Team 3, hosts.

That’s it for this immediate week, but…

Sat. Sept. 19th – Trail Day at Curt Gowdy. Help tidy up Curt Gowdy and work the trails before the IMBA Crew gets up there on the 26th. Might as well plan on riding afterwards. Also, Todd, Paul and the Crew need the tool trailer for the day. Can someone plan on taking it up there?

Sun. Sept 20th – Trail Day with our Friends at New Belgium. If you can’t dig in the dirt on Saturday, you can on Sunday with the crew from New Belgium Brewery at Hewlett’s Gulch. Help support our main sponsor and one of the most popular trails in the region.

Don’t forget to lube your chain…

Oh, I almost forgot. We’re working on getting the points thing figured out for the TdF and all those extra shifts and volunteers people recruited. Check the website in the next few days and add your name to the appropriate column.

Oh, and please get out and patrol! Especially up the canyon. We'd love to see an upswing in patrols as we roll into the fall.

Once again, thanks for helping out on Saturday. Make sure you find time to ride.

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day

Sign up now for the Fall Edition of Overland Mountain Bike version of the International Mountain Bike Association's, Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day, October 3rd at Lory State Park. Space is limited. Sign up HERE.

Tour de Fat on the Horizon and Other Fun Stuff

It’s Almost Here! Welcome to almost September. Labor Day weekend is just a stone’s throw away and we all know what that means…Three day weekend! Three day weekend! Along with the biggest bike party this side of the Mississippi. The TOUR de FAT rolls into town on Saturday September 5th, just in case you hadn’t heard. ! Got your costume ready? We are still in need of VOLUNTEERS. The Tour de Fat supports two local non-profits. Overland Mountain Bike Club, Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming’s mountain bike resource and Bike Fort Collins, an organization dedicated to getting people out on their bikes and helping make Fort Collins safer for cyclists. If you haven’t yet signed up, please do so. If you have signed up but your neighbors, friends, and/or family haven’t, what are they waiting for? Volunteers receive a t-shirt, food, and two drink tokens. VOLUNTEER HERE.

Devil’s Backbone Outreach Day

Blue skies and moderate temps made for a great day this past Saturday to set up the tent at the Backbone and talk trails and bikes for a few hours. We talked with several trail users, handed out all sorts of literature, went for rides, and had a thoroughly enjoyable morning. Thanks to everyone who came out and helped out. I think it was a relatively calm day too. No crashes of note except for 3 year old Ella wiping out in the loose gravel on her little blue bike. Good thing she was wearing a helmet. Speaking of helmets…If you do happen to crash and hit your noggin’, please replace your helmet. Even if there’s no visible damage, the structural integrity of it could be compromised. It’s cheap insurance.

Monthly Meeting and Upcoming Elections

Last Monday evening we gathered once again at Catalyst Coffee to talk mountain biking and socialize. It was good to see everyone. Three members threw their hat in the ring for the upcoming Board of Directors election that will take place at our September meeting. Todd Thibedeau, Bill Heisterman, and Monty Seitz each gave a little talk about the direction they'd like to see the club head in. If you'd like to discuss their ideas with them more, seek them out. Most Wednesday evenings, Monty and Bill can be found at our Singletrack Socials. Todd will be at the Tour de Fat this weekend and you can always find him somewhere near Curt Gowdy State Park.

EXPAND Disabled MTB Clinic

The Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance and the City of Boulder could use your help on September 12th. Here's a great way to help share our love of mountain biking with a truly inspiring group. The City of Boulder EXPAND Program needs volunteers to tow adaptive riders up Marshall Mesa & support them thru tricky sections on the trail. More info HERE.

To register a disabled person that would benefit from this FREE clinic, or to volunteer for a morning or afternoon shift contact: Jenn Heilveil 303-413-7474 or email her at: heilveilj (at) bouldercolorado.gov

That’s about all the chatter I have in me this week. Here’s what to look forward to.

Monday, August 31
Tour de Fat Lead Training, 6:00 p.m. at New Belgium Brewery

TIPS Training, 7:00pm at New Belgium Brewery

Wednesday, September 2
Singletrack Social Group Ride – Meet at Maxwell. Be ready to roll by 6 p.m. Social hour at Josh’s house afterwards. Bring something to share. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Saturday, September 5
Tour de Fat. Need I say more?

Tuesday, September 8th
Trails Team Meeting - Come on out and talk TRAILS! The Trails Team meets monthly to discuss local trail issues and plan for future trails in and around the area. We’d love to have your input.

Thanks and Points Leaders

A huge thanks to Doug and Mary McCartney for being the shutterbugs that they are. Check out the wonderful uploaded photos of recent events in our gallery.

Oh, and that points thing. Leaders as of this morning:

Total Points Leader: Pete Skram - 220 points

Patrol Points Leader: Joe Perrin - 113 points

August Rolls to an End

That’s right. August rolls to an end here this next week and rolls right into the Tour de Fat! The greatest bike parade and fest lumbers into town on September 5th with wacky bikes, original entertainment, and several thousand of your best friends. We are still in need of VOLUNTEERS. Help us make this day a success. The Tour de Fat benefits Bike Fort Collins and Overland Mountain Bike Club. Thanks ahead of time.

Two Trail Days

This comes from Mary and Doug who helped us divide and conquer over the weekend of August 15th.

“ The Curt Gowdy Trail day was a success. About 30 people came out to work on the trails including 15 members of Boy Scout Troup 101 from Wyoming. The trail work involved placing culverts, planting sign posts and rock armoring the soggy areas. Rock On wheels of Laramie provided a spaghetti lunch for everyone and although it rained throughout the day much was accomplished.”

And as mentioned last week, the trail day on the Shoreline Section of the Foothills trail was a success also. Check out last week’s post for more info.

A Couple of Helpful Patrollers

Many of us have taken the training to become ‘Certified Mountain Bike Patrollers’ for Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol. We go through First Aid and CPR classes. We meet with land agencies. We learn how to help people with mechanical issues, etc. And even though we spend the hours doing these things, not many of us get a chance to put our skills, especially our medical skills, into play, aside from bandaging our own injuries, of course. I guess this is a good thing, but it’s also a good thing to have those skills.

Recently, however, Patrollers Bill and Jess were out on the trail when their skills came into play with a rider who had a head injury. Here’s a little bit from both of them.

Bill: "…As we were loading up the truck at the trailhead, a man came up and asked if we could help him. His wife had had a bad crash coming down the trail… When we got to her, you could tell things were a little fuzzy but she was a trooper. Her helmet was cracked in a few places but it had done its job… Head injuries are always scary and even though I have more than basic first aid training the important thing to remember is to always stay calm. If you're calm and joking with them, they'll stay calm and be observant. Fortunately she was at the trailhead so the rangers arrived quickly an evacuation was quick and simple. From what I understand, she’s going to be fine… So don't ever think that bike patrols aren’t important. You never know."

Jess: (Who had crashed earlier on her ride with Bill and was in a bit of pain.) "…When we got there she was definitely a little loopy. She surely wasn't very sure of anything, but at least she was smiling and aware that she wasn't very aware. We hung out with her. Bill checked her out. The rangers showed up (three trucks worth)... I kept doing my best to tell bad jokes and stay out of the way.... I did ONE useful thing – blankets are a good thing. I helped keep her warm… They stuck her on one of those backboards and off she went. Poor girl. Glad I was there to bring some femininity to the whole male cavalcade of ubber-trained professionals swarming the area. I must say, it was quite the show for a mild concussion and broken finger. Better safe than sorry, and I was even able to re-use the single-use ice pack they took away from her broken finger for my shoulder. No no, I didn't TAKE it, they simply didn't want to continue using it, and well, I was in a bit of pain myself."

Nice work, Bill and Jess. Are you ready for an incident on the trail? Patroller or not, you may want to consider what you’d do if someone you know or don’t gets hurt out on the trail.

And now for this week’s calendar (and a little more…)

Mon, Aug. 24th – Monthly Meeting at Catalyst Coffee. 6:30 p.m. Night ride to follow at 8:30 p.m. for those who are interested.

Tues, Aug. 25th – Laramie Mountain Bike Series. More info here.

Wed, Aug. 26th – Singletrack Social leaving Maxwell Parking Lot at 6 p.m. Social hour afterwards at Josh Shafer’s. Bring something to share. These rides are a great way to break up the week. They’re quite fun and well attended. Hope to see you there.

Thurs, Aug. 27th – TIPS Training for the Tour de Fat. Info here.

Fri, Aug. 28th – F.C. Cycling Fest hosts the Oskar Blues Cruiser Ride and Concert in Old Town – the prologue to the Ride de Rist 5:30 p.m. Info here.

Saturday, Aug. 29th Ride de Rist. 7:30 a.m. Info here.
Outreach at Devil’s Backbone. Singletrack Social meets at Devil’s too. 9 a.m.

Mon, Aug. 31st – TIPS Training and Lead Training for the Tour de Fat. Info here.

Sat, September 5th – Tour de Fat. Volunteer here. Info about the event here.

Oh, yeah, and a quick review of points totals.

Pete S. still leads the way with Total Points at 185.
Joe P. leads the way with Patrol Points at 94.

Will anyone catch either of them?

Keep the rubber side down and don’t forget your helmet. See you on the trails.

Trail Day Volunteers Needed this Weekend

Volunteers Needed for Trail Work Day at Horsetooth!

Trail work is an important part of keeping our outdoor community properly maintained and environmentally sustainable. We use our parks throughout the year for hiking, biking, horseback riding, walking our dogs, snowshoeing, and so much more! Giving back to our parks is a great way to show your appreciation and get outdoors and enjoy the trails, too.

We have one more trail work day this year, and we could use your help! We will be meeting at the Horsetooth Mountain Park trailhead at 8:45 am on Saturday, August 22nd. Northern Colorado Outdoors will be providing lunch from Backcountry Provisions, so RSVP to: info@NorthernColoradoOutdoors.com with your name, phone number, and lunch preference.
You can also go to our website and RSVP: www.NorthernColoradoOutdoors.com - just click on "Event Calendar" and sign up at the event date.

The trail work day will last until approximately 2:00 pm, so come prepared to stay for the duration. Bring water, gloves, a hat, and sunscreen, and ensure that you are wearing sturdy, closed-toed shoes and comfortable clothes.
Thank you for your continued support! We look forward to seeing you Outdoors!

Sincerely,

Kristina Brown
www.NorthernColoradoOutdoors.com

Weekly Outlook for August 17th

Hope you're getting out and riding! The Tour de Fat heads our way in 19 DAYS! Yep, that’s 19 DAYS! If you’ve already signed up, THANKS! If you haven’t, we need your help. Please sign up to volunteer for a shift or two or three. Volunteer sign-up has been pretty light so far. Please rally some friends and family members and sign them up! We have plenty of slots open for people who don’t want to get TIPS trained. Then again, we have plenty of spots open for people who are TIPS Trained. (TIPS Training info is also on the sign-up page.) Thanks again! And if you haven’t gotten your costume together yet, get on it!

The Trail Day on Shoreline turned out to be a huge success. If you’ve been out there since Saturday afternoon, you’ll have noticed a big difference. We no longer have to worry about someone falling off the side of the earth as they zip along the trail. Working together with Todd, Richard, and Dan from the Larimer County Trail Crew, members of Team BOB, the CSU Cycling Team, the UNC Rec Center, New Belgium Brewery, and Overland Mountain Bike Club, moved a 350-foot section of trail up the hill about 10-20 feet in order to mitigate a constant erosion problem, help the trail drain better, and make using the trail a bit more pleasant. Thanks to everyone who came out and got dirty with us. Also, a huge thanks to Backcountry Provisions in Old Town for donating awesome, tasty, mouth-watering sandwiches for lunch.

The Silent Auction at Peloton Cycles for Stu Culp raised somewhere in the neighborhood of $4k. Check out Your Group Ride for updates on Stu and Dr. Tim. Thanks to Dan at YGR for keeping us all up-to-date.

And now for this week’s events:

Wednesday, August 19th – Singletrack Social Group Ride. Meet at the Maxwell Trailhead to ride by 6 p.m. Meet at Josh Shafer’s house to socialize afterwards. Please bring drinks or a snack to share. By the way, we had a season high 20 riders show up and break into two groups last week. These rides are turning out to be quite fun and break up the week quite nicely. I’m sure we’ll be riding the re-route on Shoreline this week. Please join us!

Thursday, August 20th – Bike-In-Movie at New Belgium Brewery. It’s back again and will be better than ever! Grab your cruiser, your bar bike, your fixie, your trike, load the fam in the burley trailer and head on over to New Belgium at dusk every Thursday for films, brews, and good times. The way they were meant to be - car free. This year NBB supports Wolverine Farm Publishing and Bike Fort Collins with our beer sales. So come support your local community.
This week’s movie – CLOSE ENCOUNTERS of the THIRD KIND

Saturday, August 22nd- Singletrack Social at the Soderberg Trailhead. Team 4 Hosts this week. Meet to ride by 9 a.m. Come and check out the work the county did on Loggers and Carey Springs. I’m curious to see what it’s like.

Monday, August 24th – Monthly Meeting at the Tap Room at Catalyst Coffee. Tour de Fat pre-game planning, socializing, trail talks, etc. Bring a friend. See you there!

Points Update: As of Monday morning, the points competition looks like this:
Overall Points Leader – Pete Skram with 142 points. Doug and Mary McCartney aren’t far behind
Patrol Points Leader – Joe Perrin has leapt onto the scene with a whopping 68 patrol points and 21 patrols.

That’s about it. Enjoy the ride and the week. See you at the trailhead or at the meeting! And don’t forget to sign-up for your shifts at the Tour de Fat!

Tour de Fat Heading This Way!

The wild and crazy bike show and parade that is the Tour de Fat heads this direction in 3 weeks. This year's show on Saturday, September 5th benefits Overland Mountain Bike Club and its service arm, Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol, along with Bike Fort Collins. Plan on being there! And if you can help out and volunteer for part of the day, click HERE or on the link at the top right corner of this page and sign up. Thanks ahead of time, get your bike tuned up and start designing that costume!

Weekly Outlook for the Week of August 10th

Top of the Monday mornin’ to you,

Area cyclists in need…

Please keep Tim Anderson, president of the Fort Collins Velodrome Association and organizer of the Oval Races, and his family in your thoughts this morning. Tim crashed in a bike race over the weekend and has had to have emergency surgery. More details about Tim can be found at Your Group Ride.

Also, if you are unaware, the family of Stu Culp has asked for donations of gift cards to help as they begin Stu’s recovery. To support the family, there will be a Silent Auction this Saturday, August 15th at Peloton. More details can also be found at Your Group Ride.

A few reminders:

Tour de Fat is just around the corner – 4 weeks away. Please spread the word. Sign-ups will be available in the next day or so. Keep an eye out. Also, don’t forget to get your TIPS training dates down. They’re on the Overland calendar.

We'd love to see an upswing in our patrols from now until October. The land agencies depend on our feedback and reports. Thanks to all of you who have been out there actively patrolling. From looking at this past week's totals, it looks like we've seen an upswing in patrols. Nice work. Joe Perrin has leapfrogged Dave Frisbie in patrol points. Pete Skram seems to be running away with the overall points totals at this point in time. Will anyone challenge?

Here’s what's happening this week:

Tuesday

Laramie MTB Series. Check the calendar for details. Also, the Trails Team Meeting was rescheduled to last week. It is canceled tonight.

Wednesday

Singletrack Social – Leave Maxwell by 6 p.m. Social hour at Josh's afterwards. Bring something to share.

Saturday

Curt Gowdy Trail Day – Head on up to Wyo and dig in the dirt. Please sign up on the website under Member Resources if you plan on going or email: dpmbp2008 (at) gmail.com

Shoreline Trail Day – Time for a little re-route on Monty’s favorite trail. Meet up at the Rotary Parking Lot at 8. (This is the parking lot at the top of the Maxwell Trail across Centennial) So we can plan for lunch, please RSVP by signing up under Member Resources on the website or by emailing dpmbp2008 (at) gmail.com At this point we need a minimum of 11 more people to sign up.

Singletrack Social @ Soderberg - CANCELED - Due to having two trail days on our plate, we'll cancel this week's Singletrack Social for Saturday

Silent Auction for Stu Culp – 5:30 p.m. Peloton Cycles

REMINDER: The next monthly meeting was rescheduled to August 24th at Catalyst Coffee due to a conflict with TIPS Training. Please make a note of it. We'd love to have a big turnout as this is the meeting where we go over a lot of the Tour de Fat information and procedures.

That's about it. Thanks for getting out there.

Shoreline Trail In Need of Help

A tire’s width of trail is about all you’ll find in a handful of spots along the Shoreline section of the Foothills Trail, a well-traveled trail used by mountain bikers, hikers, and runners alike. With the generous amounts of rain Mother Nature has bestowed on our region, the trail has dangerously eroded away in several spots.

On Saturday, August 15th at 8 a.m. Overland Mountain Bike Club will host a trail maintenance day in conjunction with personnel from Larimer County. The goal for the day will be to re-route a portion of the trail, fix sections where drainage problems have caused ‘bog-like’ areas after rains, and armor a section or two to prevent further problems.

We’d love to invite you all to grab a shovel, a Pulaski or a McCloud and come out and help. Overland will supply lunch and tools. Please wear long pants, sturdy shoes, gloves and bring plenty of water. Meeting place is the Rotary Parking Lot off of Centennial. (Rotary is the parking lot at the top of Maxwell – The ‘A’ Trail) In order to plan for food, please email: dpmbp2008 (at) gmail.com.

Hope you can come out and help us make Shoreline even more enjoyable. Ride on.

Kory Swanson
Overland Mountain Bike Club/DPMBP

Monthly Meeting in Review

Great turnout for our meeting last night. I think I counted 45 people. Great to see so many faces interested in banging their shins on rocks and going over the bars:)
Here’s a quick report on what was discussed…

1. Kristy Wumkes of the USFS attended the meeting and announced a new trail system that has just opened for mountain bike use up in the Red Feather area. Park at the Mount Margaret parking lot and look straight across the road. The entrance to the Molly Moon trail system is right there. At this time, trails aren’t marked. Trail maps and a kiosk are in the works. If you plan on riding or patrolling up there, check in at the Forest Service’s Visitor Center off of Centre street for more detailed info. Or, do as our fearless leader, Barb Allan, did and head up there and explore. Sounds like a variety of trails are up there, some similar to the Mt. Margaret trails and some more challenging.
2. Database Issues: Info from our database seems to have mysteriously disappeared. Please check your patrol rides and event participation for the first couple of weeks of July. If something is missing, please re-enter it. We are now doing nightly back-ups of our database.
3. Certified Patroller Issues: Have you completed all of your requirements for becoming a Certified Patroller but the info isn't registered on the website? Please contact a board member if this is a problem. We’ll get it taken care of as soon as possible.
4. Group Rides: Saturday Group Rides have been assigned to Teams. This Saturday, Team 1 is responsible for having someone at Soderberg to lead the ride. Remember, these are ‘No Drop’ rides.
5. Nathan from Pedal to the Point Bike Tour is in need of 10-15 volunteers for the August 9th event that raises money for Turning Point. Sign up on our website if you can volunteer.
6. October 10th has been designated for the Crankin’ Competition – Overland Team Games with a bbq to follow. Get it on your calendar. More details to follow.
7. Rob Foster talked about the goals of the Trails Team. If you are interested in being actively involved in trail building, maintenance, and access issues, the Trails Team meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month at Café Vino. Note: yesterday's blog stated that it was next week. This is not correct. Check the calendar for the correct date.
8. Shoreline Trail at the top of Maxwell continues to erode. We are in discussion with the County as to how to go about fixing it. We’ll keep you posted.
9. This Sunday, August 2nd, Barb Allan will lead the Adopt-a-Highway Clean Up. She needs a handful of people to help out.
10. Overland MTB Club jerseys are available for $40.
11. If you have an idea for a project that the club can help fund, please contact one of the board members.
12. Tour de Fat is right around the corner. This year there will be 2 shifts instead of 3. TIPS Training info is on our calendar.
13. There are a ton of events coming up. Check the calendar for dates. Trail days at Hewlett, Wathan, and Curt Gowdy. Lou’s Cruise, Outreach at DBB, etc.
14. Results for some Fort Collins Riders at Nationals in SolVista. Congrats to 4 local riders!

• Fellow Overland Mountain Bike Club Member, Georgia Gould took the Gold Medal in the Women’s Pro Short Track.
• Jon Vivolo, CSU Cycling, took the Gold in the Cat 1 Men’s 19-24 Cross Country Race
• Teenage Phenom, Skyler Trujillo took home two Silver Medals – 1 in the Cat 1 Men’s 17-18 Cross Country Race and on in the Cat 1 Jr. 15-18 Short Track Race.
• Heath Garvey over at Lee’s Cyclery took home the Bronze Medal in the Cat 1 Men’s 30+ Short Track Race.

15. Todd Thibedeau announced that Curt Gowdy has been selected as an IMBA Epic Trail this year. A celebration will happen in September some time. Keep an eye out for details. Congrats to Todd and all the trail builders and volunteers who have put untold hours into making Curt Gowdy a great place to ride.

Oh, and here's a quick update on points for the season so far.
Events Points Leaders: Doug Baker and Pete Skram, tied at 62 points
Patrol Points Leader: Dave Frisbie with 43 points
Total Points Leader: Pete Skram with 88 points
Team Points Leader: Team Two with 573 points