GoPro HD Hero2- Mountain Bike Stunts: Mike Steidley

Singletracks SEMass Chapter Update November 2011

(GoogleMap 'Eaton's Pond'....)

Lots of good news lately. The management at Blue Hills has decided to listen to some of our RMP comments—most notably the dropping of the winter ban on riding in favor of a March-only closure. This will give the trails a break when they really need it—mud season—rather than all winter, when the trails are typically frozen solid…..This is a big improvement in policy, the first real change we’ve seen in over 20 years. Another change, that was recently made official, is that the Ponkapoag(affectionally known as ‘Ponky’) section of the Blue Hills(BH) is now open—for now, however, only the ‘Green Dot Loop’(GDL). The GDL circumnavigates Ponkapoag Pond and is the most heavily-used trail in the BH. Some sections are actual dirt road shared by buses, trucks, cars, and park vehicles. A section enters the Ponkapoag Golf Course, so keep your helmet on in case of stray golf balls….You’ll encounter traffic in the form of joggers, strollers, horses (of course), fishermen, and lots of dogs. In other words, you’ll have to keep your speed on a leash for most of the GDL. The good news there is that this is the first of three-stage plan that BH  DCR management assures us that more of Ponky will be open with a year or less. And a lot of that is singletrack (WHAT? Singletrack in the Blue Hills?—yes, kids, we may finally get some!), and includes access over the million-dollar bridge over 24, with more trails on the other side. Most of the trails in consideration are either hardly used or heavily damaged by horse traffic, meaning that either way, they’re in dire need of maintenance. Stay tuned to the SEMass facebook page and yahoogroups list for progress updates and upcoming trail days in 2012.  The section east of rte 28 is still posted with no bike signs, with no legitimate reason why…. Ironically, bikers are responsible for clearing most blowdowns as they happen over there. ‘Maybe someday’ BH management will realize the efforts and concerns of local riders ARE legitimate!

…..in other local news, NEMBA was approached by the town of Braintree to  design and build new mountain bike trails in a small parcel of an old quarry area near the Braintree/Quincy line. Directly behind Walmart and bounded by an active RR line a pond and residential areas, this area is ripe for improvement. The town is rightly concerned about sketchy users including homeless, drug users and party sites. There are other areas in Braintree that local riders would like to explore, so here’s our opportunity to show our stuff and make an impression. It IS a small area, but with the right combination of loops, rocky features,  and access points, it will be fun.(the Braintree Conservation Ranger, who originally approached us and is working with us every step of the way, IS a Mountainbiker!!)
Again, stay tuned to the fb page and emails….we present to the ConComm next week, so if they like our ideas, we’ll be starting work in January, and do as much as we can this winter.

Back in September, the Foxboro crew hosted their 3rd annual MBAS event, on an awesome fall day with record numbers of riders and lots of new members! By the time you read this, the snow will be flying and Winter Buzz(my local fb page)will be buzzing with snowshoe hikes, cross country ski outings, and of course, Snow Biking. Catch the Buzz!
Hope I didn’t forget any other good news, but that’s all I got for now, as I’m heading to the NEMBA Volunteer Appreciation Night at the Harpoon Brewery.
Cheers!,
Steve Cobble  

 side note: since I wrote this, more news:

-the Harpoon V.A.N. was great, with at least 8 SEMass members present, many other chapter movers and shakers, and 12 brews to choose from.
--The Eaton’s Pond Braintree Parcel has been approved ‘in concept’ by the Braintree ConsComm! Barring any major issues, we’ll be able to start work early 2012.
---The Annual Blue Hills Toys Ride is Sunday, Dec 4th, 10 am.
Bring an unwrapped  toy for a child in need, ride like a child indeed!

Tom Waits - "Satisfied"

Winter Buzz Crosspost

Winter Buzz

When the temps go low and the ground gets slippery and/or snow-covered, I put my mountain bike away….generally this means I while away  January and February on my indoor windtrainer trying not to be bored… The windtrainer is a contraption that allows me to turn my bike into a stationary bike. If I keep up the regimen a few days a week, I’m feeling pretty good come spring and ready to bust out of the cabin full speed ahead….

But it IS boring. And many of those days are glorious sun-shining winter days, bringing back memories of when I used to try to ride all year-round, when  I was younger. Ironically, and finally(!)the new Blue Hills  Resource Management Plan in place now allows mountain biking year-round in the Blue Hills, with the exception of the March ‘mud season’.

The past few winters I’ve discovered snowshoeing. I would say re-discovered, as I did start a collection of old-school wooden rawhide-laced snowshoes back in my early 20’s while living in Vermont. But those old-school ‘shoes needed lots of care and the leather straps generally didn’t last more than a couple of years, before crumbling away…. The last time I used my old Canadian ‘shoes, I used old bicycle tubes as bindings, to hold them on to my boots. They worked, but were cumbersome, and in most situations, the 42” length was way overkill.

As the snowshoe companies moved into the modern age, some of my friends were bragging about their new, lighweight designs that were easy to put on and didn’t fall off after every 100 feet down the trail…So I went shopping. I found the selections at my local ‘outdoors’ store varied enough—and all seemed well-made….

That was 3 years ago. Now, I own two pairs of modern snowshoes that will take me just about anywhere I want to go. Trail or no trail, the built-in crampons bite into the slippery stuff. They are light enough to strap onto my hydration pak if I find I don’t need them.

As I began to enjoy the slower pace of winter-hiking, I fine-tuned what I needed for clothing layers. Most of my bike stuff works fine for moisture-management, and an on colder days, extra outside layer gives me a place for the camera, cell phone, GPS, and snacks.

I also discovered Micro-Spikes, an ingenious invention that stretches over any boot and gives instant traction on ice with ½” stainless-steel spikes. These also pack small and light, I now consider a necessity on almost every winter hike, when snowshoes aren’t needed. Good insurance against falling on cold hard ground….

Oh yeah, and the most important thing to take care of is my feet. I wear a pair of insulated winter boots, with toe warmers. You need to keep your feet happy!

Now that I’m prepared for winter actually I look forward to it. As much as I love my mountain bike, I find that I can create a similar workout in about the same time, hiking with snowshoes or Micros.

 On a typical winter day, I can hike any of the Skyline Trail. Climbing is the most fun, and the Blue Hills vistas are always worth the effort. Rattlesnake Hill is challenging on a dry day, even more so in the snow… Deeper snow even better, to cover up the rocks and roots and allow for some ‘flotation’.

One of my favorite snow-hiking areas is Tucker Hill. Athol Path, and/or the Green Loop, mixed up with following deer tracks, it’s a good workout and gets me out there for at least 1.5 hours.

Another of my favorites is to try to follow old heritage trails such as the Great Dome Trail, which was officially taken off the DCR map a few years ago. Some un-named sections still exist, but you really need an old map to find it in its entirety. I usually don’t promote off-trail use, but when there’s 2 feet of snow on the ground,  it can’t hurt….

When there’s less snow down here, Gunstock or Cranmore areas have some great climbs…

By the time you read this, with luck we’ll be knee-deep in the white stuff. If not, it’s back to the mountain bike(yippee!) or windtrainer….

Steve Cobble