Posted Mon, 01/12/2009 - 14:09 by CWilson
[img_assist|nid=551|title=Salmon Falls|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=200|height=187]On Saturday, Jan. 10, five riders came out for the FATRAC ride on Salmon Falls and Sweetwater trails. Salmon Falls on a 39 degree January day. Sunny and dry. Once pedaling
along we warmed up and wanted to ride for hours. What an amazing
alternative to the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail we often find ourselves
riding several times a month. We all have been experiencing the sloppy
freeze-thaw of Auburn. The shadiness there doesn't help to warm
cyclists on the cold, short days of winter. So go check out Darrington
aka Salmon Falls trail, one of the rare no-equestrians-allowed trails.
(The equestrian community years ago recommended to State Parks that
mountain bikers be allowed to build a biker/hiker trail on the
Peninsula. In the early 1990's the Darrington Trail was built mainly by
volunteers .) With the old Salmon Falls bridge currently out of the
water, one can cross over to pick up Sweetwater on the way back to the
trailhead. That provides a nice 18 miles of mostly single track, with
wonderful views of the ...
Posted Tue, 01/06/2009 - 08:07 by CWilson
By Patrick McDaniel, FATRAC Vice President
I moved to the Sacramento area four years ago knowing no one in the area. One of the first places I turned to find people who I share common interests with was the local mountain biking community and FATRAC in particular. After being a member for a year and getting to know the clubs leadership at the time, I was tapped to coordinate sponsorship of FATRAC events and advertising in the clubs quarterly newsletter. It’s been a fun and rewarding volunteer position as I’ve gotten to know a lot of bike shop owners on a personal level. Time moves on however and as the clubs newly elected vice president, I look forward to helping to take on other aspirations and challenges the club is involved with. But first we need to find a new bike shop liaison and eventually new sponsorship coordinator.
If you are interested in volunteering some of your time to FATRAC, and developing a personal relationship with the local bike shop community this is a great opportunity for you. The position requires a roughly a 2 - 4 hour a month commitment of mostly emailing, some coordinating things by phone, and stopping by to pick up swag at shops. The position requires writing and organizational skills, (your calendar and excel spreadsheet will be invaluable tools.) If you are interested, give me a call at 530 391-8109 or email me at mcdanielp@gmail.com.
Posted Mon, 12/15/2008 - 07:51 by CWilson
[img_assist|nid=545|title=Snowing|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=200|height=150]On Sunday, Dec. 14, three intrepid FATRAC riders braved the weather and rode 27 miles of the Pioneer Trail. The temperature was in the 20's when they started at about 9:15 AM from the Harmony Ridge Market with icy conditions and just a hint that it might snow. But they had to turn around before getting to the Omega Rest Area because of the increasing snow and cold. There were 3-4 inches of snow and the wheel resistance was like riding in sand. When they got back to their cars the chain control guys were out in front of Harmony Ridge Market. The hot food and drinks were good at Harmony Ridge Market afterward.
Posted Mon, 12/08/2008 - 07:55 by CWilson
[img_assist|nid=541|title=FDLT|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=200|height=125]On Sunday, 12/7, twenty-two volunteers turned out to finish the work we started on the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail. We were able to break up into smaller groups and use hand tools to shape the berms and polish the work started a couple of weeks ago. Our initial motivation was to fix erosion problems with these sections, but the side-benefit is they are now a lot more fun and swoopy! Come out on Saturday 12/20 during our Try the Divide Ride to experience the new sections and then go in to Bicycle Emporium and let them know how grateful you are for their support for this effort.
Posted Mon, 11/24/2008 - 15:46 by CWilson
I rode the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail yesterday and just wanted to say "Thank You!" to Randy Martin, Jim Haagen-Smit and the others who put in long, hard hours to fix some of the drainage issues. Randy owns the trail building company "Trailscapes" and was able to bring in a mini-excavator to move the dirt while Jim and his crew of volunteers shaped the berms. They moved through the area quickly with the plan of going back on our next trailwork day and finishing the job. Ride the FDLT this week and give a big thanks to Randy and Jim, then come out on Dec. 7 at 9 AM at Grizzly Bear House to join us in finishing the job.
Posted Mon, 11/17/2008 - 16:06 by CWilson
In my last Trail Ethics article I highlighted the dilemma of riding a mountain bike when it has been raining, but this is not the only dilemma we face. The list of 10 tips from IMBA included one about not riding on illegal trails. IMBA said, "Don't Ride On Closed Trails: Whether it is to protect the environment or for rider safety, a closed trail is off limits for a reason. Riding closed trails is not only illegal; it gives mountain bikers a bad reputation." This is especially important when you are riding with a club that includes advocacy as part of its mission. FATRAC's motto: Protect, Preserve and Enjoy the trails you ride" means that we hold ourselves to a higher standard than individuals. In the Sacramento area, this means that we need to stay off of horse trails. Some equestrians are already prejudiced against mountain bikers. When they encounter cyclists on trails that are closed to us, or even see tire tracks on their beloved horse trails, they get very agitated and try to get the rules enforced more strictly. Please stay off of horse trails and FATRAC will be stronger in our advocacy to open up new trails to us.
Posted Mon, 11/17/2008 - 15:53 by CWilson
The FATRAC Board has decided to cancel the Tuesday/Thursday "Night Rider Series" until further notice. We will not sponsor rides out of the Twin Rocks Staging area in the evenings until logistical and legal issues are resolved. Feel free to come out on any of our weekend rides. When we get a new ride series started during the week, we will post the information here.
Posted Mon, 11/17/2008 - 12:34 by CWilson
[img_assist|nid=530|title=Granite Bay Ride Leader|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=200|height=125]Seven of us decided to make the most of the gorgeous weather and rode the trails around Granite Bay on Sunday. The newly opened trails below the dikes are now in excellent condition. Enough rain and riders have compacted the soil and built berms around most of the corners. We then rode out to Doton's Point and climbed the hill to enjoy the view. We retreated to the local deli for lunch and stories about the great crashes. Keep your eyes on the calendar and join us next time.
Posted Mon, 11/10/2008 - 13:55 by CWilson
I am really glad that the rains have finally started because in addition to our statewide water needs, FATRAC can now use power tools to cut back the brush and there will be very little dust on our rides. But rain also brings up some important issues that we as mountain bikers need to deal with. One issue is the difficult decision of when to cancel a ride because of too much rain. To complicate this matter further, different trails shed water at different speeds. I once canceled a FATRAC ride half-way through because the trail got so sloppy that we were leaving indents in the trailbed. It had rained lightly the day before and...
Posted Mon, 11/10/2008 - 07:16 by CWilson
[img_assist|nid=521|title=Trailworkers|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=200|height=125]On Sunday, Nov. 9 FATRAC had 16 people volunteer to help cut back the brush off of the Connector Trail. Dan Tebbs from Victory Velo in Auburn brought coffee, bagels and gift certificates from his shop to reward these great volunteers. There had been enough rain that it was safe to use power tools again, so we were able to send four crews and cover practically the whole trail. If you rode by us, you probably received a patch kit and an encouragement to check this web site for the next trailwork date. Help us maintain our area trails and come join us on Dec. 7 at 9 AM at Grizzly Bear House on the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail.
