MMCC Trail Added…

The Mid Michigan Community College Trail has (finally) been added to our TRAILS tab.  Steve Hoffman and Vaughn Murray are the trail coordinators. There is a link to our MMCC Trail Report topic on the MMBA Forum.  Please use this topic to report any issues, make suggestions, share a ride story, etc.  The trail is seeing a lot of action this Summer.  If you haven’t ridden it yet, you should.  Also note that this trail is posted “no hunting“…so ride it safely, until the snow start dumping.

MMCC Trail Nearly Complete (Now Ridden)

MMCC Trail (not completed)

Enough with the rakes, loppers and axes already…we’re going ridin’!  The new trail at Mid Michigan Community College has about 2 miles left to be cut in, but we were eager to ride it. Wednesday night a great group of riders met and did exactly that.  I plotted the 8.1 mile route on my GPS to give you a visual.  The combination of the heat and hill climbing earned us a spot at Ruckle’s (in Clare) for post ride beers, burgers and laughs.

A big thanks to Vaughn Murray and Steve Hoffman for their leadership and dedication to this project.  I could almost name the many others that volunteered their time as well, but I’m sure that I would miss someone.  Thanks to all that helped!

Stay tuned for details on the next build project…a mountain bike skills park at Midland City Forest, that will include dirt jumps, skinnies, drops, teeters and a pump track.  Approvals have been granted and we are finalizing the design.  Until then…RIDE!

Work Party @ MCF

This spring’s main project at the MCF will be to armor and reroute as necessary to fix the mud problems in the part of the South Loop we affectionately call the dismal swamp. We’ll work on a rerouted section of the South Loop this Sunday, March 22, at 1:00 PM. Meet in the SOUTH LOT OFF EASTMAN ROAD — that’s the driveway across from the paint store. Bring eye protection, work gloves, a water bottle, and the sort of sturdy footwear that would make your mother proud. Also please bring a leaf rake and/or a pick if you have one. The latter is to break up the old compacted surface of the trail segment that will be closed and made to look like we were never there. If you arrive late, walk the Gnu loop connector west to its intersection with the South Loop. The reroute starts just west of that intersection. Or, just walk about 300 yds WNW from the parking area and follow your nose toward the smell of sweat.

There will probably be one more work party focused on the South Loop mud, after which our attentions will turn to Matt Zawisza’s Eagle Scout project which is construction of a skills park and pump track in the clearing near the south toboggan tower. Be sure to keep track of your hours for valuable volunteer awards from the MMBA — you’ll need 10 for the year to get one.

Oh, and does anybody want to volunteer to make cookies for the work party? The hours count!

See you out there!

Jim Crissman
Midland City Forest Mtn Bike Trail Coordinator

UPDATE:  Yes, this date has been revised.  We had April, but meant March.  Hope that you can help on such short notice.

The Biking Wino Blog

If you get a chance, check out the Biking Wino blog.  A good source for riding destinations, bike building tips and more.  BW takes the time to snap some pics along his travels and point out the highlights.

If you contact BW at bikingwino@gmail.com you can get connected with his Google group and receive notices of group rides.  BW is also helping to keep our local trails safe by volunteering as a certified Bike Patrol.

Thanks Biking Wino!