Event Hours
February 25th 10:00am – 4:30pm and 6:00pm – 9:00pm (night light testing)
February 26th 10:00am – 4:00pm

We are pleased to announce that all proceeds will be donated to IMBA/ SORBA

Start Date: 2012-02-25
Start Time: 10:00
End Date: 2012-02-26
End Time: 16:00

Trail Inventory Workshop

Learn the techniques used by the Applied Trails Research team, including GPS basics, field inventory forms, photo logs, feature inventory, maintenance needs, and how to use the information collected in a trail evaluation and assessment.  This workshop will have a minor focus on mountain bike trails.

When: Saturday February 18^th, 2012 9:00am – 4:00pm

Where: Blue Ridge Ranger District, Upper Green Mountain

Trail: Upper Green Mountain Trailhead at Deep Gap on Aska Road

From Blue Ridge, GA, go south on Aska Road 4.4 miles to Deep Gap parking area.  The parking area is located south of the gap and on the right side of the road.

Latitude: 34.816767

Longitude: -84.299576

Contact: John Campbell, jwcampbell@fs.fed.us, 770-297-3066

Come prepared for inclement weather and bring your lunch.

For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/conf or www.cotrails.org

You have until March 2, 2012 to take the survey.

Trail Assessment Survey

A mega trail work party and some riding in the Chattahoochee National Forest of North Georgia.

IMBA-SORBA and the Ellijay Mountain Bike Association (EMBA) are hosting a trail work party at the Bear Creek, Pinhoti 1 & 2 trails in North Georgia, near Ellijay.

The Bear Creek, Pinhoti 1 & 2 trails need YOU! Come out on March 10, 2012, from 9a – 2p to do some much needed maintenance on Bear Creek Trail, Pinhoti 1 (Pinhoti connector from Bear Creek to FS 90) and Pinhoti 2 (Pinhoti section from FS 90B parking lot to Conasauga Road). You will join fellow trail users, local residents, EMBA (EllijayMountain Bike Association, SORBA, Mulberry Gap, CoTrails, and the U.S Forest Service to make a difference on one of the most popular trails in North Georgia.

Come join us for a day, and enjoy volunteering in one of our nation’s greatest treasures, the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

8:30a – 9:00a Welcome & Sign-In: Mulberry Gap camp dining hall (coffee will be available)

9:00a – 1:00p Trail Work on Bear Creek, Pinhoti 1 & 2

1:00p – 2:00p Lunch at Mulberry Gap – Mule Barn

2:00p SORBA sponsored Free Prize Raffle for Volunteers

3:00p – 6:00p Riding on your own (maps will be available)

7:00p – 8:00p Dinner with a Bonfire at the Mulberry Gap ($12 per person, please RSVP at Mulberry Gap)

Sunday, March 11, 2012

10:00 Group Ride or ride on your own (maps will be available)

Meet at Mulberry Gap Located 9.3 miles from Ellijay Square (historic downtown Ellijay) on 52W, turn right on Conasauga Road, proceed 3 miles and Mulberry Gap is on the left. Go in second gate and park in designated areas (there will be someone there to direct). Please don’t block camp sites or park up at the Barn.

These trails need drainage repair, trees cut out, trash picked up, and brush cut back. We will be breaking up into groups and traveling to the areas needing work. See the Trail Maintenance section in the IMBA Trails Solutions book, starting page 191.

No experience required to volunteer. Please bring a hard hat or helmet (bike or riding), gloves, water, and a snack. Dress for working outdoors safely under the prevailing weather conditions. Stinging insects are active at this time of year, so if you have a severe allergic reaction to stings please bring your Epi-Pen or other device.

Eat a good breakfast on Saturday before you get to the work party. SORBA-EMBA and Mulberry Gap will provide lunch, if you register here in advance. Only those who register are guaranteed a lunch. Online registration closes on Wednesday, March 7 at 11:59 PM.

Camping is available at Mulberry Gap at a discount (please contact www.mulberrygap.com or 706.698.2865 for reservations, mention Mega Work Day) or at Bear Creek Campground http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/conf/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=10473&actid=34.

Rain Date: March 17, 2012

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When

March 10th, 2012 8:30 AM through March 11th, 2012 10:00 AM

Contact

Email: walt@sorba.org

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and CoTrails Volunteers
work together to launch strategic effort to connect volunteers
with sustainable trail needs

The Chattahoochee-­‐Oconee National Forests and the CoTrails volunteer group announce a weekend of meetings and workshops January 20-­‐22, aimed at identifying problem areas and solutions in the national forest trail system, helping determine maintenance needs, and providing volunteer training.
The public is invited to these gatherings, all to be held at Unicoi State Park and Lodge near Helen, GA and offered at no cost.

Trails don’t take care of themselves—CoTrails volunteers do! Please join us!

COTRAILS STRATEGIC PLAN LAUNCH AND GENERAL MEETING: Friday, January 20, Unicoi State Park Lodge, Masters Hall, 6:00-­‐8:00pm, with social hour including complimentary food and refreshments to follow (this replaces the January CoTrails general meeting previously scheduled for January 24). This meeting is open to anyone interested in supporting and becoming active in CoTrails’ mission to “provide diverse, quality trail experiences that are maintainable and ecologically sustainable” on the Chattahoochee-­‐Oconee Nationa Forests. George Bain, Forest Supervisor, will be speaking.

This meeting will be followed by a weekend of Trails 101 training for interested volunteers. The meeting is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to John Campbell: jwcampbell@fs.fed.us.

For the CoTrails Strategic Plan, visit www.CoTrails.org.

TRAILS ASSESSMENT KICK-­‐OFF AND TRAILS 101 COURSE: Saturday and Sunday, January 21-­‐22, at Unicoi State Park Lodge near Helen, GA beginning at 9:00am each day. The Saturday morning kick-­‐off will include presentations from Chattahoochee-­‐Oconee National Forest, CoTrails volunteer group, and Applied Trails Research, with the goal of providing an introduction to a trails assessment process that will be occurring on the national forest. The classroom portion of the Trails 101 course will follow and last until 4:00pm. Sunday will be the Trails 101 field session on Smith Creek Trail ending at 3:00pm. The meeting and course are free and open to anyone interested. Please RSVP to John Campbell: jwcampbell@fs.fed.us.

DIRECTIONS AND LODGING: Unicoi Lodge is offering attendees a special rate of $69 for lodge rooms that weekend. When making reservations, refer to “CoTrails” or event #E05170. Lodge Reservations and Directions: (800) 573-­‐9659, http://gastateparks.org/info/unicoi/. RV and other campsites are also available.

1. We were recognized by the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce as 2010 Business of the Year! (the award resides at the Cartecay River Bicycle Shop) This means that the business community understands and appreciates the contribution that our club makes to Gilmer County by way of maintaining trails and promoting mountain biking in our area. Mountain biking is a key player in recreational tourism and economic development for Gilmer County and I make sure everyone knows it.

2. Robert McBride has built and we have done the finish work on about 1.5 miles of trail at Carters Lake. Robert has also re-cut the Nature Trail at Carters Lake Headquarters and Lance Armour, Patrick Sheahan, Brady McCollum, Taylor Maybry, William Bailey, and Dustin Norris (our youth volunteers) have taken the intitiative to do the finish work (honest, I didn’t twist their arms or nothin).

3, We have performed over 500 hours of volunteer work!

4. We have increased our membership from 36 in 2010 to 51 in 2011. (if you haven’t re-newed, now is a good time. 40% of your dues come right back to our coffers).

5. We are now working hand in hand with other groups that also use the great outdoors. I have been working with Cotrails, a group working alongside the US Forest Service in creating a sustainable trail system. I have established contact and working relationships with our land managers.

6. We got the ball rolling in setting up fun rides (Amadahy Time Trial Series) and other events.

7. We did 2 youth programs. Bike Rodeo at Walmart and Powder Horn Camp at Ft. Mountain under Dondi Fontenots leadership and club volunteers.

8. We are compliant with SORBA club rules. Well, almost, have to work on a few more things.

9. Moderately successful with fundraising. Don’t have the figures, but we have more in our account then the year before.

10. Last but not least, got a fantastic website up and running, thanks to the hard work and diligence of webmaster extraordinaire, John Conneely.

EMBA would like to do more for our members!

ANNOUNCING!

Anyone completing 25 volunteer hours in the year before their membership expiration date will have their membership dues paid for by EMBA!

EMBA members can have 10% off all accessories at the Cartecay Bike Shop!

Volunteer hours can be accumulated by trail work, leading rides, attending meetings, working at fundraising events.