MOUNTAIN BIKING NEWS

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2nd Annual Ski Resort Conference was held May 7, 8 9 at Stowe Mountain Resort. This year we had two tracks, one for ski resorts and another for communities and recreation departments on how to run mountain bike programs. Presenters from IMBA and Gravity Logic made for a tremendous event. Gravity Logic is the group from Whistler that built and ran the bike park there.

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Bike park stands up to scrutiny
Stowe’s new bike park at the Mayo Farm is built the way it was supposed to be.
That conclusion was issued by the Stowe Select Board, at a meeting attended by more than 30 people — some of them members and supporters of the Stowe Mountain Bike Club, and some of them concerned neighbors.

Vermont Mountain Bike Association Partners With State Cooperative Agreement With Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation Makes VMBA Corridor Manager on State Lands
Waterbury, Vermont — The State of Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) has co-signed a cooperative agreement making the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) a corridor manager for mountain biking on State land. The landmark agreement was signed by FPR Commissioner Jonathan Woods and VMBA Chair Matthew Swartz and witnessed by members of FPR and the VMBA board.

Under the accord the State and VMBA will work "cooperatively in and maintaining, through environmentally sound action, a safe, functional, attractive and user friendly trail system." VMBA will join the ranks of the Green Mountain Club, which is the corridor manager of all hiking trails on state land.

Through its eight chapters and more than 600 members state-wide, VMBA will work with the State Lands Stewardship Foresters in each district to coordinate construction and maintenance projects. Plans must be submitted to the district no later than November 1 for inclusion in the State Lands Annual Stewardship Plan each year. All trail maintenance and construction projects must be pre- approved by FPR. VMBA will also work with FPR to develop an appropriate method to monitor use of the trails, develop a trail signage program, and follow the recommendations of the VT Department of Fish and Wildlife for water crossings and habitat. Following the creation and signing of the agreement, the existing mountain bike trails at Perry Hill in the CC Putnam State Forest in Waterbury and the Howe Block in Camels Hump State Forest were designated as mountain bike trail systems by Commissioner Woods. Any new trails will only be developed in accordance with FPR's long- term management plans and managed by state foresters.

"This agreement recognizes the growing popularity of mountain biking," said FPR Commissioner Woods. "This is a public/private partnership that facilitates the administration of public outdoor recreation on state land. This is important because (the state) can't go out and manage and maintain these trails systems cost effectively."

But with hundreds of volunteers, already responsible for hundreds of miles of single track on both private and town land throughout the state, VMBA can.

"This is a landmark agreement and a huge step forward for mountain biking in the state of Vermont," said VMBA President Matt Swartz. "Through this agreement, the State recognizes mountain biking as an important recreational activity and supports its development state-wide. The agreement is symbiotic with the mission of VMBA: to educate cyclists and non-cyclists about mountain biking, develop a sense of community through trail development and cultivate bicycle- friendly legislation and policy."

"The agreement also recognizes the trail-building practices of the International Mountain Bike Association," Swartz said, adding that mountain biking on properly designed trails is a low impact, non-polluting form of recreation embraced by residents and visitors of all ages.

"Too many of our young people are focused on video games and passive recreation," Woods eschewed. "Mountain biking is a great way to encourage an appreciation for the outdoors and healthy exercise."

VMBA is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting trail advocacy through education, planning, funding, establishing and maintaining multi-use trails throughout Vermont. They endorse responsible, environmentally sensible trail use and the creation of community recreation trail networks for the health and benefit of local citizens and visitors.

Important Meeting August 7, 2006 Public input requested. The meeting will be telecast via Vermont's Interactive Television (V.I.T.) system. The meeting will take place from 6:00-8:00 PM and the five sites that are included are St. Albans, Lyndon, Johnson, Williston and Waterbury. For more information contact: Lamoille County Region: David Pelletier, Lamoille County Planning Commission, 888-4548

The Friends of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail seek to ensure that non-motorized users have a strong voice in decisions that are being made right now and in the immediate future regarding the long-term management of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail which at 96 miles will be Vermont's longest rail trail. There is a very serious effort by some in the ATV community to open the Trail for use by recreational ATV use despite the commitment over the past five years to keep ATV's off this trail!

For more information about the public meeting, or the Friends of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, contact us by reply e-mail, write us at FLVRT, PO Box
995, Morrisville, VT 05661 or call Heidi Krantz at 802-343-3108, or Laural
Ruggles at 802-748-7590.
6/13/06

Heather M. Furman
Executive Director
Stowe Land Trust
info@stowelandtrust.org

4/21/2006 - Call Governor, Legislators - about ATVs on rail-trail

Act now to prevent ATVs on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail - Call the Governor & your Legislators
Summer motorized use threatens a corridor poised to become Vermont's longest bicycle, pedestrian, & equestrian path.

For the past 5-6 years, all public discussion and support for the 96-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail across northern VT has centered on a snowmobile and non-motorized summer trail. This promises to be an important statewide resource and beyond -- we expect that it will attract vacationing bicyclists from the eastern U.S. -- if ATVs are not permitted. Our elected and governmental officials have publicly stated, many times, that ATVs would not be permitted, and in fact would be excluded under federal law. Most recently, the "no ATVs" reassurance was presented by VAST, the VT Agency of Transportation, and the regional planning commissions at meetings held in the fall of 2005.

Now, in the final weeks of the legislative session, a proposal has surfaced that would change the federal funding stream in a way that would allow ATVs to be permitted on the trail. The state ATV association and the VT Agency of Transportation (as directed by the Governor) are advocating for this ATV-compatible funding stream to be used. Right now they not advocating for ATV use of the trail. They are saying that ATVs would only be permitted to cross the trail, and/or to use a short stretch of the trail for purposes of linking ATV trails. However, by administering the funds through the Recreational Trails Program, our decision-makers would *forever* be opening the door to possible, future ATV use of this trail for the full length of the trail.

Here's what you can do, right now!

Ask our decisionmakers to keep the original promise that was made for this rail-trail: direct the Agency of Transportation to administer the funds through the Transportation Enhancements Program, to close the door to ATV use of the trail in the future. Do not allow a last-minute, back-room deal to override years of public process.

*It is our understanding that "straight across" crossings of the trail by ATVs would still be permitted, and we believe this is enough access for ATVs to connect to their trail network. ATVs should not be given permission to travel along the trail corridor for even a short distance. If ATVs need to cross the river, they should instead be given permission to use roadway bridges.*

Call your Legislators - call them over the weekend!
All legislators' contact info is listed at: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/legdir2.htm
Calls are most effective, but you can also fax them a note at: 802-828-2424 -- please do not email.

Call the Governor's office: 802 828-3333 (toll-free in VT only: 800 649-6825)
Calls are most effective, but you can also fax him a note at: 802-828-3339 -- please do not email.

If you have time, you can also call:
Call the Secretary of Transportation's office - Secretary Dawn Terrill: 828-2657
Ask her to administer these funds through the Transportation Enhancements Program, and to keep VTrans' promise to the communities along the trail that this trail will be non-motorized for summer use. You can also fax her at: 802-828-3522 or email at - Dawn.Terrill@state.vt.us

Call the Chairs of the following Committees - IF YOU ARE A CONSTITUENT, call at home. IF NOT, CALL THEM AT THE STATEHOUSE NEXT WEEK.
House Transportation - Rep. Rich Westman (R- Cambridge) - 644-2297 (Statehouse 802-828-2228) House Appropriations - Rep. Martha Heath (D-Westford) - 893-1291 (Statehouse 802-828-2228) Senate Transportation - Sen. Dick Mazza (D-Chittenden/Grand Isle) - 863-1067 (Statehouse 802-828-2228) Senate Appropriations - Sen. Susan Bartlett (D- Lamoille) - 888-5591 (Statehouse 802-828-2228) You can also fax them a note at: 802-828-2424

Again - that message is:
Please direct the Agency of Transportation to administer the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail earmark through the Transportation Enhancements program, to close the door to ATV use of the trail. Do not allow a last minute, back-room deal to override years of public process. (Simple "straight across" crossings would be permitted.)

Here's how you can get involved, ongoing:

The Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition is a founding member of a newly-formed "Friends of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail" organization, uniting non-motorized users of the trail (bicycling, walking, equestrian, and mushing). The Friends LVRT group is regularly meeting in Morrisville, although we have in mind to try meeting further east and west along the corridor as well. We seek to support the development of the trail, serve as a voice for non-motorized users, and work cooperatively with VAST.
To get on the VT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition's contact list for the non-motorized use of the trail, please email lvrt@vtbikeped.org

THANK YOU for your support for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail for quiet, muscle-powered uses.

Ancient Roads

A bill currently in the Vermont House of Representatives seeks to abolish public ownership and use of "ancient roads" (Discontinuance of Ancient Roads, H.334). As defined by the bill, public right-of-way, roads, and trails which are not on a Department of Transportation map as of January 1, 2005 could be at risk. That means that Class IV roads that are mapped would be preserved -- but Class IV roads that are not mapped could be at risk. Other old roads you may encounter in the woods -- 'old logging roads' and other tracks -- may be of unknown status. You, I, and just about anyone else will probably not know if you are on an ancient road or not, unless you spend some considerable time researching in town records.

Passage of this bill could be an incredible loss to all trail users in Vermont. The fact of the matter is that we just don't know right now how many hundreds or thousands of miles of public right-of-way (ROW) could be lost -- that are used (or have the potential to be used) as foot and/or mountain biking trails.

There are several proposals currently in circulation for how to extinguish these Ancient Roads. The various proposals have different amounts of time or processes for municipalities to research and document the ROWs before they would be extinguished. There is also one version of the bill that has these ROWs convert to non-motorized trails. Other versions of the bill would keep the ROWs as open to all users (snowmobiles, ATVs, other 4WD vehicles). It is not clear at this time which, if any, of these proposals has support from legislators on the House Commerce Committee. The full text of this bill as submitted is available through the Vermont legislature tracking system at http://tinyurl.com/b6xup
OR
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2006/bills/intro/H-334.HTM

This bill, is primarily being pushed by title insurance agencies, concerned about keeping clear title to properties in VT, and minimizing their risk in the case where an ancient road is found on a property that was insured to have a clear title.

American Trails Awards

American Trails is pleased to announce the winners of the National Trail Awards for 2004. Once every two years, American Trails gives out awards as a way to recognize the tremendous contributions of volunteers, professionals and other leaders who are working to create a national system of trails for all Americans. The awards were presented on October 23, 2004, at the 17th National Trails Symposium held in Austin, Texas.

The following Vermonters were recognized for their hard work:

Hardy Avery
Hardy is the Trail Manager with the Stowe Mountain Bike Club. His accomplishments are many and include developing trail networks in Sterling Valley and Putnam State Forest, sponsored two IMBA trail building schools and worked with various planning commissions on local trail projects.

Hans Jenny
Hans is Chair of the Fellowship of the Wheel. Fellowship of the Wheel is a mountain bike and trail advocacy group for Chittenden County. Hans' advocacy efforts include organizing trail work crews and forming partnerships with various groups and local officials to build trails in several cities and towns throughout Vermont.

David Hooke
David is the project coordinator with Rivendell Trail Association. He has been a major contributor and supporter of trail planning, development and maintenance throughout Vermont for the past two decades.

Tool Grant
Stowe Mountain Bike Club is one of 100 lucky recipients of a tool grant, courtesy of IMBA and REI. In November, bike clubs nationwide were selected to receive an eight component kit to enhance the club's on-the-trail volunteer efforts.