Creve Coeur Park Trail Update

Due to a very light turnout for the workday 2 weeks ago we were unable to open as much of the trail as hoped. Brian and Glenn, along with Drew Black, Aaron Coburn, and Eric Walter then went on their own time during the week and grubbed and raked the corridor connecting the 2 largest sections which had been cut. While only a relatively small section of trail is ridable, hopefully it will give you a taste of what's to come at this park. There may be another workday there this Spring, scheduled on short notice, so keep your eyes on the GORC Calendar.

This is going to be a fun place to ride. It's been described elsewhere as being like SIUE with climbing, so if that appeals to you, then please try to make an effort to come out, if not this Spring, then in the Fall.

Castlewood Maintenance Day- April 26th

As most of you probably know, the river bottom trails at Castlewood were under water for quite awhile. As a result Sam's plan for the maintenance day has changed:

The flooding has changed our plan from a half dozen small projects, to two small projects and a new one, clearing the river trails of the logs that floated in.

The plan:

1) One crew to do benching on the rollercoaster and armor one ditch.

2) One crew to modify the uppermost bridge on the 3%LoveMtRidge Trail.

3) I am hoping for four crews to do chain saw work on the river trails. I am putting out a call for Certified Sawyers to lead crews, and we need helpers to clear the logs.

Saturday, April 26th, 9am at the Rangers Office.
Lunch will be served.

As for the rest of it, I'm not quite sure. It sounded like Sam had been drinking a lot of wine, because he was sort of raving. Something about him, Kirby, and MikeD riding endless loops on a Pugsley to flatten everything back into place...

Midwest MTB Festival May 2-4 Reminder

This is a quick post to excite / ignite the upcoming 2wheeled fun-fest. I didn't make it last year but I'm looking forward to the '08 edition.

This is all taken from the official website...

Friday May 2nd, 2008
IMBA Advocacy Summit

8 am – 10 am – Registration open @ Five Points (pre-registrants only)
9 a.m. - 10:30 - Club Care with IMBA TCC
10:30 to 12pm - Plainfield Bike Park presentation
12pm to 1 pm - Lunch
1 p.m - 2:30 - Leadership Roundtable with Ryan Schutz from IMBA
3:30 - Group Ride at Farmdale
4 - 6pm - Registration booth open at Farmdale
7:30 pm - IMBA TCC night ride!!

Saturday May 3rd, 2008
8 am – 12pm – Registration OPEN – Farmdale Reservoir
9 am - vendors open
10 am - Group Rides!! Jubilee & Black Partridge Park
noon - beer sales open!
1 pm - live music!
1 pm - family hash hike
2 pm - Mud Maids Ladies Ride
3 pm - GAMES! stage area
4 pm - Raffle!
7:30 - Night Rides!
9:30 - Movies! - Radical Films - Kackle Factor!!

Sunday May 4th, 2008
10 am - Epic Ride!! Independence Park & Dirksen Park
5 pm - campground closes! Make sure you don’t get locked in!!


Farmdale Reservoir is the host site of this year's festival. It will be the main site of all the festivities, and camping is available. This park offers over 20 miles of tasty singletrack with a balanced mix between multi-use and hike/bike specific trails. It features tight twisty sections, fast open stretches, up-downs, creek crossings, a downhill course, stunt loop, and new mountain-X/dirt jump area.

Jubilee houses the largest single trail system in the area. Most of it is "doubletrack", and the park is frequented by both mountain bikers and equestrians. There is a area on the south side of the park with plenty of singletrack dedicated to hikers & bikers only. This park offers a bit of everything, from blazing fast downhills, gut wrenching climbs, easy flowing sections. Most of the trails are non-technical, but there is plenty for the intermediate rider on the singletrack.

Independence Trail offers 12+ miles of 100% sweet singletrack! It also offers some of the most challenging terrain in the area. Plenty of logs, creek crossings, up downs, and hill climbs. The system is one long loop, but has several outs for the meek of heart.

Creve Coeur County Park Workday- Saturday, April 19th 9 a.m.

The new trail is in blue at the bottom right.

Come and help build the first section of brand new singletrack at Creve Coeur County Park. There is currently 2-3 miles of trail flagged, approved, and ready to build, with more to come. The trail is rollercoaster-like dirt singletrack with a few climbs thrown in for good measure. The first phase consists of a loop connecting to an out-n-back. We'll begin building the out-n-back, and depending on turnout, attack the loop.

Momentum Cycles is supplying coffee and bagels in the
morning, and we'll have schwag from Sunset Cycles and O'Fallon Brewery.

Enter the Park on Streetcar Drive (off Dorsett Rd), follow the road past
the first baseball field and tennis courts, park in the large gravel
parking lot just past the tennis courts on the right. St. Louis County
Parks is providing lunch afterwards - bring gloves, water, work shoes,
and weather permitting, your bike.

GORC Bike Patrol

Over the years GORC has done a number of things to help spread the
word and educate people as to the consequences of their actions on
the trails:

1) Developed a page on the GORC website listing IMBA's Rules of the Trail
which advocates adhering to certain principles while riding.
2) Created Trail Conditions forum on website where users can describe
the current state of each trail.
3) Published blog and newsletter with educational articles intended to
explain how natural phenomena, and riding in certain conditions affect trails.
4) Erected kiosks with signs at SIUE asking that users respect the
rights of others when using the trail.

Taking the next step, we're going to try to reach users more directly, on the trails.
IMBA has created a program modeled after the National Ski Patrol, called the National Mountain Bike Patrol. Although the name sounds a little serious, the intent of the Patrol is summed up by its motto "Assist, Educate, Inform." There is no enforcement component whatsoever to the Patrol. Patrollers will be doing pretty much what most GORC members already do anyway: riding the local trails, offering to help anyone with mechanical or medical problems, and just trying to be goodwill ambassadors for the sport. The difference is that we now have formal approval from the landmanagers to do so officially. To date, we have approval to Patrol SIUE, all St. Charles County Parks, and Lost Valley & the Hamburg Trail.

If you're interested in joining, or have more questions about the NMBP, post your questions on the GORC Forum, or get in touch with Rockboy aka Rob Horn, the program's coordinator.

Diabetes Mellitus, Nutrition & Exercise

It is very important that as a diabetic you get plenty of exercise. Along with exercise there is nutrition. Most of us non-diabetics out there think nothing of hopping on our bike and tool around the park. A person with diabetes needs to have more forethought in the activity. Those with diabetes should carry with them, at all times, a quick sugar(hard candy, raisins, glucose tablets, cliff shot, gatorade) and a longer lasting sugar with protein (package of peanut butter & crackers for example). A medic alert necklace or bracelet could be a life saver as well.
Before performing exercise it is a good idea to take your blood glucose level. Check it at least 30 minutes prior to exercising. If your glucose level is between 100-250mg/dl, then it is safe to exercise. If it is below 100mg/dl then you need to bump up your level before exercising. A snack like cheese and crackers would be good.
If you are planning a long vigorous bike ride you should intake 15g to 30g of carbohydrate every 30-60 minutes. If you are just getting back into shape, it would be a good idea to ingest at least 15 g every 30 to 60 minutes. It is also recommended, until you know how your body is going to react to exercise, to take your blood glucose level during exercise. As always, speak to a physician before partaking of a new exercise program. We are getting to the hotter months in St. Louis and your body starts to react to the heat and humidity.
During exercise if you become nervous, shaky, confused, or just don’t feel right stop! You may be experiencing hypoglycemia. Stop, take off your helmet, eat, drink, rest. It may also be helpful to put your head between your knees or raise your feet above the level of your heart. Do not perform any sudden movements as you may be unstable and could fall.

These are just a few tips, nothing replaces what your physician tells you.

Broemmelsiek, SIUE Make-Up Workdays this Weekend

Due to the wet weather this Winter and Spring, a number of workdays have had to be cancelled. They will be rescheduled if possible. The first of these make-up days will be this weekend with ones at Broemmelsiek on Saturday, and a rare Sunday workday at SIUE. As usual, there will be food provided, and weather permitting, you can ride the trail you were working on that day.