May 01

Swap and Coe wknd post mortem

Categories:

News, Swap Meet, Trailwork

by

It was a big weekend for ROMP activity. ROMP was at Coe for the BCW. ROMP earned it’s pay running the Cupertino Bike Swap.Sunday’s bike swap was absolutely incredible. The deals and relics range from improbable to legendary. I could not believe my eyes when I saw a complete mint condition rare tandem roll out bought for only $100. I bought a rare brand new 98′ XTR crankset and bottom bracket for $100.

I arrived at 7:15 am and there were already a dozen vendors there, with more arriving every minute in vehicles of all varieties packed and overflowing with treasures large and small; a veritable petroleum powered flotilla of suburbanite Santa’s converged on the lot. I greeted them as your humble ambassador of ROMP and began the chaotic ritual that the Cupertino Bike Swap has become.

Afterall I reckon we entertained at least 500 buyers, some from as far away as Reno (specifically to indulge here), and around 60 vendors. ROMP mustered a hearty squadron of trustworthy volunteers, and we owe them our gratitude for helping. The money we’ll earn here goes toward the operational costs of the club. Indirectly these funds will help keep MTB advocacy alive all across Northern California with funding for NorCAMBA and benefit riding in all of our favorite haunts.

In Coe ROMP set up a station to help inform visiting mountain bikers in the backcountry. We also conducted rides. I was there only for Saturday, and lead that ride. It was kind of pathetic in that no one showed up for the ride except the ROMP people. However, to a great degree the listed ride (on the weekend program) was to be symbolic and make a complete list of activities on the BCW itinerary. So I laughed and was able to enjoy a sweet ride with my friends.

That ride’s central feature was riding the Bear Spring and Mississippi Ridge route complete from N to S. This corridor was brushed out by ROMP volunteers last year. It was formerly impassable. It was our first time ever to ride this completely and I enjoyed every pedal revolution of it.

As far as the Swap goes, I would like to receive suggestions on how to improve the experience for everyone, volunteers, vendors and buyers, while it may be fresh in your mind. We enjoyed a good turnout due in part to the weather. However, the biggest thing going for this event is the momentum of tradition. The promotion protocol seems to work, but this could be improved.

More important, in my view, is how to run the day of the swap itself. Some improvements may include:

1. Providing a porta-potty accessible to folks waiting in line to get in. Some waited for hours in order to access the best deals first.
2. Providing a valet bike parking service.
3. Providing a bike for sale consigment area for those wishing offer for sale only one bike for a small fee.
4. Stricter enforcement and advertisment of swap policies.
5. Parking lot maps of spaces for everyone to use.
6. Entertainment for people waiting in line and special prizes for random and exceptional folks.
7. Techno music (opinions will vary!) ; ).

I’n too tired to list more, and I’m sure you’re not that interested anyway, but let us know if you have anything to offer. After much consideration, based upon the opinions of sellers, I believe the swap should stay in the lot behind Cupertino Bike Shop.

This year we included representation by the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition at the ROMP area. I support the concept of a small bike advocacy expo. However, the focus of the event is the commercial activity itself, and I believe that advocacy activity should be subdued and provided only as a mild distraction from the fun.

These things would not be possible without members. Please renew your memberships and encourage your friends to maintain a membership as well. That’s all.

Thanks.

Paul

ps: Special recognition for Linda and Jeff. Without them the swap would’ve been a disaster. Thanks to Sully for cleaning the parking lot the night before. Thanks to Chris for running the burrito sales. Thanks to Charles for bringing the ROMP collateral down. Thanks to Rich for holding the bag all day. Thanks to Sheila for stamping hands. Thanks to Vance for being Mr Cupertino Bike Shop. Thanks to Adrienne and Camille and David, and the other volunteers whose names I forget right now.

This post has no tag

May 01

Coe Back Country Weekend Report

Categories:

News, Rides, Social

by

I headed down to the Coe Back Country Weekend Friday with Patty Ciesla. Despite the heavy traffic on 152, we rolled in about 6:30. We quickly set up camp near Brian Warkintine and set up the ROMP tent at Kaiser Aetna and County line Roads. Early the next morning, Philip Strenfel and Ligaya Yrastorza showed up, followed shortly by Paul Nam and Chris Vocinam. We hung out and Phil tried to outsell our neighbors, the Pine Ridge Associations’ uniformed volunteers in the new 2006 issue of the park map. Phil managed to sell 8 or 9, and I doubt the PRA sold half that many.
That was about when Senor Tomas Oshima arrived. He parked at Hunting Hollow and rode in to the back country. For mere mortals, those 15? miles and 3500′ would be more than enough, but for Tom is was just a little warm up.

Tom fueled up on fig Newtons (Where’s the bread?) and joined us as Paul Nam led a challenging ride for us up some crazy Coe ridge to Mississippi Lake, across the dam, and then up to Bear Mountain, and back. I think were headed towards Mississippi ridge when we ran into Ross Finlayson. It was a leisurely 3800′ and 21 miles – mellow for Coe.

After the ride, we pounded some chips and salsa, at some real food. Phil and Ligaya stopped by after a long day of working the tent. Ligaya managed not to get any Poison Oak, but did get a nice sun burn falling asleep in the sun. That night we were serenaded by the frogs and crickets, and reprimanded by a screech owl.

Brian joked about a night ride. . . Tom was serious.

The next morning we were woke by a most loquacious turkey, yoddling in the valley that Kaiser Aetna Road runs through.

After a nice breakfast, and a few hours in the booth, Ross led us up passed the Orestimba Corral and up the creek all the way to the border of the Wilderness and hiked out on the Rooster Comb Trail. I had spent most of my time in the tent meticulously cleaning and polishing my bike. I carefully lubed each link of my chain. By the 3rd creek crossing, I had incredible chain suck, and was stuck in my middle chain ring. I poured on the lube and it got better. The creek was stunning with wild flowers, and the Rooster Comb was an impressive rock outcropping, few ever get a chance to see. This ride was an amazing 15 miles and l500′ of climbing. How often does that happen in Coe?

On the way back, we rode up and over the Orestimba Creek Trail, and back into the Corral. At one point, I chose the high line over a boulder in the trail bed and my front shock bottomed out, shooting pain through my recently healed wrist. Ouch ouch ouch. Ouch.

After the pain subsided I headed on down, in stealth mode. I rode behind a few hikers really slow, until the trail switched back, and they saw me and let me by. I caught up with a group of hikers, and I was really sorry when their llama was the first to hear me and bolted in its master, who was thrust forward about three steps. It is amazing how easy it was to startle a draft animal. Master’s silence made it clear that being sorry is not enough. We all need to remember that bikes can be amazingly quiet, and we need to be vocal, ring bells, or put cow bells on our bikes when riding anywhere near our hoofed friends.

Brain Tom and I packed up the ROMp booth, and then packed up our camps. Brian helped Tom pick out a nice route back to hunting hollow. It included Willow Ridge and Grapevine, as I recall, and I was envious of spending the rest of the day riding. I wonder if Tom has made it home yet. Probably just barely. . .

It was a beautiful weekend. I had no idea how wonderful it could be to volunteer at an event and still be able to enjoy some great riding that is too far out for most of us to see from Hunting Hollow. I recommend it to anyone.

Pictures
http://www.romp.org/index.php?module=photoshare&func=showimages&fid=36&viewkey=&template=slideshow&iid=1074

Josh

Tags:

Apr 24

ROMP n Gearhead Earthday

Categories:

Events, Rides, Social

by

A few of us headed over to Pacifica to set up a booth and chack out the scene in Pacifica yesterday, to help celebrate Earthday.Pacifica is a wonderful location where the ocean meets the mountains in a very personable, friendly way. There is definitely a more laid back, “island” kind of atmosphere – the ocean has that effect on me – I imagine it has that effect on everyone.

The day started with a short easy ride up the old highway to the “saddle” and a brief hike a ways up some of the more rugged trails in the area. Our guide, Jim Sullivan, regaled us with tales of trail building, advocacy and plain old fun. I would have loved to ride some of them, but alas I just got out of a cast and the doctor told me not to fall for a few more weeks. I got the impression that there was a tremendous variety of trails in the area, and that all user groups were always having positive user experiences, with the exception of some illegal motorcycle use.

I was amazed by the numbers of flowers – Johnny Jump Ups, Wild Irises, and Blue Blossom that were blanketing the verdant mountain sides. Whoah! The Colors!

The afternoon was spent under the ROMP tent, listening to live Blues, Grundge and Funk, and talking to the natives about the recent Golden Gate National Recreation Area acquisition in Half Moon Bay, and raising awareness about advocacy in general.

By the way, Please consider dropping in the open house Thursday in San Mateo between 3:30 and 7pm at:
Peninsula Community Foundation
1700 South El Camino Real, Suite 300
San Mateo CA
And tell them you would like to ride your bike on narrow, rugged single
track on GGNRA lands.

Earthday Photos
http://www.romp.org/index.php?module=photoshare&func=showimages&fid=35&viewkey=&template=slideshow&iid=1043

Thanks for your support!

Josh

ROMP President

This post has no tag

Apr 16

Sea Otter IMBA Summit

Categories:

Advocacy, Meetings

by

The Sea Otter IMBA Summit was a long time ago it seems, and I have not written anything about this great event.

Leaders from the mtb industry and advocacy groups from all over converged on the Sea Otter, Friday afternoon, just before the awesome showers let loose on the racers and merchandisers, given us advocates a cool dry place to discuss a variety of topics. This Summit was much different than the first, which was much more of a workshop.I can’t seem to find my notes, so I am going to have to wing it. We went around the room, and from industry we had folks from Giant, Specialized, Bell/Giro, Fox and perhaps others. We had advocacy folks from as far north as Humboldt, as far East as Sierra Buttes, and as far south as Los Angeles. There were a bunch of IMBA folks too.

As you may know, IMBA has a part time advocate dedicated to California, and paid for by the kind folks at Specialized. Tom Ward used to work for State Parks, and wants to find some low hanging fruit to do trail use conversions in State parks. To me the obvious choice would be the Skyline to the Sea Trail, which goes from Highway 35 and 9 down to Highway 1, through Castle Rock, Portola Redwoods, and Big Basin State Parks. If you have any suggestions about what we should be working on, bring them up now, or come to the next ROMP business meeting.
IMBA CA Affiliates

There was a presentation by the head ranger for Soquel Demonstration Forest. We are truly blessed to have this kind of progressive land manager in our area. The difference between CDF and other and managers is that their mission is to teach forestry and permit some recreation. Most land manager missions are to, preserve and protect the environment, and where applicable permit recreation.
CDF SDF

Mountain bikers do the vast majority of the trai work here, and there is plenty to do as a result of the rains. Avoid riding here until the rains let up for a week, and be sure to put in some hours digging.
TrailWorkers.com

Another land manager who has permissive use is the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM is taking control of the Coast Diaries, which is north of Wilder Ranch in Santa cruz counties. This has the potential to be a great new multi use opportunity.
MBOSC Coast Dairies

Further North, North of Marin, there is the Lost Coast and King’s Range. This is also a BLM property our friends up north are busy building epic single track, called the Fools Paradise trail project. I hope to organize a ROMP trail building weekend up there this summer in July or August.
bigfootbicycle

We heard a presentation from the NorCal Mountain Bike League. They are organizing teams of young racers and raising advocacy awareness in their young impressionable minds, and hopefully making them into responsible trail users. As far as I know, their is currently teams in Burlingame and Redwood City. This is a great organization. I hope ROMP will work more closely with them in the future. I encourage you to consider starting a team. NorCal MTB League

So that is what I recall. I hope I will find my notes. If you were there and I forgot something, please fill in the holes. We will be discussing Norcal MTB and State Parks at our next meeting, April 24 at 7PM at Roundtable Pizza in Sunnyvale.
ROMP Meeting

Tags:

Mar 30

GGNRA General Master Plan Meetings

Categories:

Advocacy, Meetings

by

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) will host five Open Houses to solicit your input on the General Management Plan (GMP).

1. Wednesday, April 19, 3:30pm to 7:30pm at GGNRA Headquarters, Fort Mason Building 201, San Francisco

2. Thursday, April 20, 3:00pm to 7:00pm, Pacifica Community Center, 540 Crespi Drive, Pacifica
(across from Linda Mar State Beach)

3. Saturday, April 22, 11:00am to 3:00pm, GGNRA Headquarters, Fort Mason Building 201, San Francisco

4. Wednesday, April 26, 3:30pm to 7:30pm, Bay Model, 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito

5. Thursday, April 27, 3:30pm to 7:30pm, Peninsula Community Foundation, 1700 South El Camino Real, Suite 300, San MateoThe GMP provides the “big picture” long-range vision for the park. It sets forth the basic management philosophy, management concepts and operational guidelines for the next 20 years. The current GMP was completed in 1980. A new plan is needed to address lands added to the park since then and to reflect the current understanding of the park’s resources and regional context.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is one of the largest urban national parks in the world. The total park area is 75,398 acres of land and water. Approximately 28 miles of coastline lie within its boundaries. It is nearly two and one-half times the size of San Francisco.

One of the nation’s most highly visited National Park Service units, Golden Gate NRA comprises numerous sites, including Alcatraz, Marin Headlands, Nike Missile Site, Fort Mason, as well as Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, and the Presidio of San Francisco. Each has its own unique natural, cultural, and military history.

More Information

Not biking reviews

Tags:

Mar 30

Los Gatos Creek Trail Closure 4/24 – 6/23 2006

Categories:

News

by

San Jose Water Company (SJWC) will be begin construction on a pipeline replacement project in late April that will require the temporary closure of portions of the Los Gatos Creek Trail. The project involves replacing approximately 2,000 feet of water mains located on and crossing Main Street in downtown Los Gatos. The existing mains are almost 70 years old and their replacement is necessary in order to improve the reliability and performance of the water system. The new mains will be located on the Los Gatos Creek Trail from the Forbes Mill Museum parking lot southward towards the company’s Maple Lane Station. The project is anticipated to begin on April 24, 2006 and must be completed prior to the start of the Town of Los Gatos’ street resurfacing project (anticipated start date July 5, 2006).

During construction, the Los Gatos Creek Trail will be closed to public access in order to ensure the safety of the trail users and of the workers. To minimize the impact of the trail closure, the project will be divided into three phases. Phase I will involve the northern limits starting from the Museum southward to the Main Street trail access road. Trail users heading north from Lexington will be diverted up the Main Street access road and can regain access to the trail at Church Street. Users heading south from points north of the Museum will be diverted onto Church Street and can regain access with the trail via Main Street. This portion of the trail is anticipated to be closed for three weeks starting April 24 through May 12, 2006.

Phase II will involve the southern limits starting from the Main Street access road south approximately 600 feet. The trail will be closed from the access road to Lexington Reservoir since no alternate routes exist to divert users through the construction area. Trail users at Alma Bridge Road will be diverted onto the Jones Trail to Jones Road and College Avenue where they can regain access to the trail at Main Street. Users heading south will be diverted at Main Street and directed to the Jones Trail via College Avenue. This portion of the trail is anticipated to be closed for three weeks starting May 15 through June 9, 2006.

The final phase involves the installation of pipe on the trail access road adjacent to Main Street. Users wishing access to the trail at Main Street will be detoured onto Church Street. With the exception of the access road, the trail will be opened during this phase of work. The access road is anticipated to be closed for two weeks starting June 12 through June 23, 2006. Signs will be posted at the trail entrances to inform users of the trail’s closure and detours.

I understand that the trail closure will inconvenience the users and appreciate your understanding and patience during the construction activities to improve the public water supply system.

You probably have many questions about the project and trail’s closure and I would be happy to discuss this them with you. Please contact me at your convenience should you need additional information.

John
_____________________________
John B. Tang, P.E.
Community Projects Liaison
San Jose Water Company
1265 South Bascom Avenue
San Jose, California 95128
T: 408-279-7851
F: 408-279-7889
john_tang@sjwater.com
www.sjwater.com

This post has no tag

Mar 28

World Mountain Bike Conference June 20-23, 2006

Categories:

News

by

The IMBA Summit and World Mountain Bike Conference (June 20-23, 2006, in Whistler, BC) will be a premier event for trail advocates, land managers, resort and ski industry representatives, and members of the mountain bike industry.

“This much-anticipated conference is the first-ever merger of the IMBA Summit with World Mountain Bike Conference,” states Event Director Richard Juryn. “Our event plenary will focus on hard-hitting topics including risk management and liability, sustainability and multi-use trail access and other challenging topics from international experts.”

Register

Tags:

Older posts «

» Newer posts