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BIRMINGHAM URBAN MOUNTAIN PEDALERS

November 1998

Saturday. November 14 - BUMP is taking a group ride to Bankhead (Double Springs area). Ken Hester will be the Trip Leader. We will meet at 8:30 a.m.; Chic-FiI-A location at the Wildwood Center (Lakeshore Drive). Will leave at 9:00 a.m. Look inside for an overview and map of this trail. Sundav. November 22 - BIKE POLO at George Ward Park located in Green Springs. Time: 2:00 p,m. Come join the fun or just come and find out what it is all about! Bring your bike and helmet. Event leader is Joe Catlin. Sunday. December 6 - Elmore County SWAYBACK Trail. Located in Monigomery. Join BUMP in experiencing a newly developed trail.. Swayback was featured in the August Mudslinger.

, Highlights and Upcoming Events

Nov 14 Bankhead Ride Nov 15 Race Committee Meeting Nov 22 BIKE POLO Dec 2 BUMP Meeting I Vote Dec 5 Trail Workday Dec 6 Elmore County Ride Dec 12 BUMP Xmas Party Call our hotline 592-BUMP (2867) for any recorded changes or additions in BUMP events.

1998 WORKDAY CALENDER

Meet for work days at the South Trailhead at the new BUMP shed. Time to meet is 9:00 a.m. Call the hotline for any possible changes. Workdays subject to weather cancellation.

December 5 - Saturday
1999 Workday Calendar to come soon. Thanks for all of your effort in keeping our trails maintained.

NEABC (Anniston)
IT IS HUNTlNG SEASON Lqnce Nichols, President of Notthest
AI;jbama Bicycle Club, wanted to inform ;jll the Birmingham riders that it is hunting se;json on their Iron Legs and Genes Loop courses. Local hunters and NEABC have agreed to a schedule of activities. From now until Febru;jry 1 t, riding the 2 main mountain bike courses will be limited to between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The new times will be posted at each trailhead for both riders and hunters to read. Keep informed of the changing season. You ;jre welcomed ;jt ;jny time on this public land ;jnd you h;jve the right to ride. The times were ;jgreed upon for everyone's s;jfety.
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Trail Work
Our next scheduled workday has been changed FROM Sunday 12-6 TO Saturday 12-5. We will be out at Oak Mountain. Our past few wOikdays have been gieat successes, and please continue the appreciated work. October 24 (Oak Mountain Location) We had a great turn out for the repair of two bridges located at the north trailhead and one close (sorta) to the RC track. Thanks for your participation: Dan E., Colleen, Chris H, Steve B, Mickie, Joe C, Mark R. Jon K, Anne, and Derrick .

November 7 (Oak Mountain Location) This trail day was a banner day. We cut down a dangerous tree at Johnson Mountain and worked on two bridges that desperately needed BUMP MEMBERSHIP FEE IS DUE BY DECEMBER 1 help. One bridge was located at Join BUMP!- BUMP is an organization formed to promote fun and safety in recreational the last part of the '7 bridges' and mountain bike riding, the preservation and development of trails, fun and fellowship for the other bridge was close to the aU-terrain bicyclists in Alabama. Your membership fee goes toward materials for trail water treatment service road on the maintenance and bridge building, newsletter printing, and occasional parties and club lower part of the red trail. Thank' sponsored events. Please help protect and support mountain biking in Alabama. you.!!!." JohnsQll for the great job of being the Workday Leader! Also, New 1999 BOARD Nominees - Dan Ellis and Anne Traeger - - Additional ~ thanks to the rest of the team for nominations can be made at our next meeting. Voting to take place Dee 2. All members that day: David P, Hardwick, Jack, in good standing will be able to vote:..... Leo H"Kevin, and Anne.
The BUMP Club meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Hoover Public Library, downsuirs'.' ,.

Check the BUMP Hotline for any changes in dates and time. 592-BUMP (2867)

Our ride at Munny Sokol

Almost had a record show in Tuscaloosa 15 in all. We also saw some fellow bikers from the Cycle Path shop. It was good seeing them! David P. arrived early to warm up the trails for us! We had a great time zooming in and out and up and down the numerous loops at Munny Sokol. We arrived around 10:30 and most left around 1:20. It was a great ride. Thanks for riding with us: Dan E., Colleen, Laura, Joe, Leo H., Libby, Nancy, Charles, Mickie, Mark S., Paul, Mark R, Anne, Derrick, and David P

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1999 BUMP RACE

COMMITTEE MEETING
If your are involved with the race planning committee, please attend the next meeting th on November 15 at Taco Mac in Five Points South. Meeting time is 6:30 pm. We are getting c1oser-and-c1oser to the May 22-23 event.

Get! Your Wlleel~fullen!

JJ

Best Tune Deal In Town.

Accessorie;, Parts. Sale; & Professional Sel'\ice

Ctcst!IDc C!CIE

Mon,Fri,: 10-6 Saturday: 9-5 ill Dexttr Avenue CrtSUine Village 879-62jj

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Trail Features
The Place: The place of this month's feature is The Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area or Bankhead. Located near Double Springs, AI, the area offers several horse and OR V trails for riding. To reach the traii from Birmingham, take 1-65 north to the exit for Highway 278. Head west (about 25 miles) towards Double Springs. Take 33 North to County Road 246 (pine Torch Road). Turn right on 246 and park at the trailhead. The Trails: Several loops are shared with horses, bikes, and hikers. Three distinct loops are; Pine Torch Loop (11 miles) marked in Blue, Brushy Loop (6-7 miles) using yellow blazes, and the Key Mill Loop. According to Hardwick Grigg, the trails are fast easy flowing trails that are essentially wide single track. Horses are present and their present must be respected and one should yield accordingly. Other ORV trails exist, but the status of these is not known. If bicycle usage is allowed, a new map will be posted. The Place: The trails are part of the Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area operated by the US Forest Service. Brushy Creek Lake is present south of the trails and offers a recreational area. Owl Creek Camp can be used for overnight stays. They can be reached at (205) 489-5111.

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TRAIL TALK IMBA I NOC T.ail Ca.-np - Anotbe . Success

By Derrick Seys

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An educational experience is the best way to summarize the NOC / IMBA Trail Work Camp. Over 120 individuals made the trek to Nantahala Outdoor Center's facility in North Carolina to enjoy a weekend of trail construction and maintenance. Mark Smithers and I attended the weekend event. We met up with several members from the Elmore County Trail Association, a great group from Nashville, and met many others from across the country. With the guidance of IMBA's Trail Designer Kurt Loheit, several miles of new trail have been planned behind NOC. All of this planning requires implementation. It started last year and has not stopped since. The trail camp has proven to be a success for all involved. The second annual event built upon the efforts of several past teams. The goal is to produce approximately 7 miles of trail that will be able to sustain the effects of 1'-.1other Nature and heavy riding, and others would maintain local trails already in use. The event (November 6-8) started with a delightful greeting team from NOC and a swag bag. Friday evening we would be entertained with a slide show presentation discussing the finer details of trail design and past problems Kurt had witnessed. The show emphasized design, techniques, tools, and safety. All participants were asked to select a work location; Tsali for maintenance or NOC for new trail construction. Maintenance would focus on general trail work and construction of a new bridge. The NOC construction would include benching, crib walls, and switchback turns. The trail construction was intended to cut an additional 1500 feet of new trail. To accomplish this, several segments required benching or side-hilling as it commonly referred to. Mark joined the NOC Switchback Team and I chose the NOC Rock Crew. Saturday, Mark and his teammates were to create a turn that will shed water

and allow for the safe transition from one section of grade to another. The swithcback required the construction of two retaining walls to hold the turn platform. This was accomplished by placing timbers cut from the trail on top of each other to create two walls nearly 5 feet tall and 10 feet long. The platform was actually dirt fill excavated from the trail area and placed to create a level surface. The whole task took the dedication and labor of ten or so individuals working all day. The Rock Crew was tasked with building two stone walls or foundations to support the trail tread. Large rocks from a local blast site were moved up the mountain by hand. These were put in place and secured with fill dirt. The work was physical, but a solid section had been built that would support the trail tread, and not be eroded away due to water flowing over it. The day of work finished with a slew walk back to NOC. After supper, a question and answer session or a seminar on working with land managers could be attended. Both areas offered insight into specific problems and offered very useful information. Sunday, was a free day. Several headed to Tsali to see what the others had done, and enjoy some of the southeast's premier riding. Some attended a Trail Design discussion on the newly constructed segment. Everyone seemed to enjoy the event and left with something extremely beneficial. Ken and the NOC staff, IMBA, Trail bosses, and all the supporters of the event should be commended on an event that was very successful. When the trail is complete, it will be enjoyed by several, but savored by those who had the pleasure of working on it. Plans are being made by NOC to host next year's event on November 12-14. The lodging is again free at the base camp, and lodges available at a modest fee. Make your plans now! NOC may be contacted at (888) 662-1622, ext 600 or www.nocweb.com.

TRAIL TALK
Buying A New Bike Deduction
Are you in the market for a new bike? Consider gifting your current bike to the Boy Scouts Mountain Biking program. By giving your bike to this program, you can receive an income tax deduction (if you itemize) for the fair market value of the donated bike. The Greater Alabama Council, Boy Scouts of America serves over 90,000 youth members annually in twenty-two counties of North Alabama. With five major camp properties, it is the Boy Scouts goal to provide mountain biking opportunities as standard pregram-ej3pcrtun:ty-. Currently, the Council has a mountain bike program at Camp Sequoyah located in Cleburne County.

Get a Tax
Plans are in the works to develop a trail open to public access at the Winnataska Outdoor Education Center located outside of the LeedsMoody area in Brompton. Additionally., trails will be developed in Florence at Camp Westmoreland, Mentone at Camp Comer, and Scottsboro at Camp Jackson. The availability of these trails for public usage will be determined at a later date. TO facilitate the growth of this developmental biking program for youth, the Greater Alabama Council needs quality, used bikes and input from mountain bike veterans. For more information or to lend your support, contact Matt Holdbrooks at (205) 970-0251.

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If you would like to run a classified ad, please submit by the next meeting for inclusion in next month's newsletter.

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Wanted:

Road Bike - 54 cm

Call Mark 665-4944.

BROOK HIGHLAND PLAZA - INVERNESS

For Sale: 1998 Bump and Grind T-shirts. Several shirts remain from the race. Sizes are limited to large and XL Contact Ken Hester or one of the board for purchasing at $10 each. For Sale: Pearl Izumi riding jerseys featuring BUMP artwork. $65.00 only a few are left and sizes are limited. Call Ken Hester B79~8373 to purchase or if you are interested in ordering a new one .. BUMP is considering having more made. We have to order a minimum quantity. So, if you are interested please le~.BUMP know. Wanted: COOL old bikes 1930's - 1960's Especially Absolutely any condition. Call Joel 252-1612 Schwinn.

(205) 991-3335

An Experience by David Passmore A buddy and I went to Oak Mountain and decided to ride the Red Trail backwards on November 11. We had nearly finished and entered the trail near the lake. When, 25 ft into the trail ... I heard some tire slipping behind me, or no wait was that the sound of a tree falling? No a slipping tire for sure. But wait, I looked around and it was a tree falling. The tree was falling on a fellow rider. By the time I recognized this, I could only yell, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!!' And he missed the 25 foot long I foot diameter tree by inches. He wound up sliding under the tree, but was not severely injured. He did pull up and said he had to take it easy. He had stated his chest had started to hurt from the panic. Whew, a close call and be prepared for everything.

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www.BUMP.org
Able to connect to the internet, and haven't been to BUMP.org? Well, look for past articles, maps, etc. and soon a link to local trails LOOK for it on the web!!!

America Recycles Day is Nov 15

ReLeaf Project
The re-Ieafing project was going on the same day as our trail workday in October. A few of us went to plant trees and a few of us went to work on the trails at Oak Mountain. A few BUMP members showed up to help plant various trees (red buds and oaks). The holes, which we all were sweating, had already been drilled so it made the job faster and easier on everyone's back. Meg Sculley (PBC), Stan Palla (City Forestry), BUMP and other volunteers knocked the job out within 2 hours. Other trees were given away to the volunteers. We also received 'how to plant and maintain your tree' booklets and a pin. Thanks to the BUMP members that participated: Bill Johnson, Hardwick Gregg, Ken Hester, Anne Traeger, Derrick Seys, Bill Garrett

~.ttb,-,CYCLES
Hoover Cahaba Heights Oak Mountain

~CAHABA
967-2003

822-6600

987-4043

1998 BUMP Board of Directors

BUMP is a not for profit organization President Joe Cotlin Vice Pres. Jim Tyndal Vice Pres. Jack Bransdorf Treasurer Mike Herring Secretary Hendrik Snow Member Joel Robertson Member Jon Kirchoff Trail Czar Newsletter Ken Hester Anne Traeger 849-8298 879-6255 978-7070 663-6083 879-6255 252-1612 870-9538 879-8373 969-7033

1410 Montgomery

Hwy, Vestavia

(205) 979-3460

The t.\VP5LiNQf~ is published to inform the local mountain biking community of current happenings in the area, and promote safe and responsible use of mountain bicycles. If you would like to submit information of any kind, please let BUMP know. Your ideas and suggestions will be appreciated. Leave a message on our Hotline at (205) 592-BUMP or send an e-mail to iBykDoU@aoLcom.

IMBARULES
1. Ride on open trails only.

Leave no trace. 3. Control your bicycle. 4. Always yield trail. s. Never spook animals. 6. Plan ahead.
2.

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Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers Newsletter I' ?-.:/ .>! Post Office Box 590061 \, ".,: "I I . "" Birmingham, AL 35259-0061 Internet page www.BUMP.org '''''"~., _-I ". " C' /

Ken ester 1341 Shades Run Circle Birmingham AL 35244