BTCEB Buzz, September 2021

Saturday September 25th – 9:00am to Noon
Joaquin Miller Park Oakland, CA​

Editor’s Note:  Due to the hazardous air quality back in August we had to cancel the Gala Ride at JMP so let’s try it again in September!

The Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay (http://www.btceb.org) invites you to our monthly Gala Ride.  THIS MONTH WE WILL BE RIDING ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 25TH AT JOAQUIN MILLER PARK IN OAKLAND!!!

We will gather at the large parking area after the Ranger Station off of Sanborn Dr (the lot on the left just past the Community Center/Ranger Station lot on Sanborn).

We offer ride groups for ALL SKILL LEVELS, from novice to intermediate to advanced. All rides are ‘no-drop’ rides (we won’t leave you behind or let you get lost) and are fully supported. A novice rider should be able to ride 8-10 miles on hilly narrow trails for 2.5 hrs.

Rides are free and open to the public and led by experienced local mountain bikers familiar with the trails. Medical coverage is provided to all paid BTCEB members, one more reason to join. So go to our web site and hit and JOIN TODAY button.

We start gathering at 9:00am and hit the trails promptly at 9:30am. Join us for refreshments and snacks after the ride. Safety glasses are suggested. A well-tuned mountain bike is a must!

Remember! Your membership on MeetUp is not a membership in the BTCEB. To enjoy the full benefits of the Club and to support Bay Area MTBing, go to www.btceb.org and hit the JOIN TODAY button.

Look for more ride-related details on our Meetup page and be sure to RSVP to join the ride.

Also please note that due to the potential for smokey skies please be sure to consult the Meetup event the morning of the ride for any last minute changes or cancellations.

Saturday September 18th – 8:30AM to Noon

The Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay (BTCEB) hosts a women-only mountain bike ride, usually on the third weekend of the month. The intent of the ride is to have fun, learn new trails and meet other women who love to mountain bike. We’ll take care of you: these are no-stress rides where no one is left behind.

The next episode of Ride Like a Girl will be on Saturday, September 18th at scenic Fernandez Ranch, which is located not far from Martinez. Fernandez Ranch is quite lovely and has a singletrack trails that are, amazingly, fun for all skill levels. Our route will cover about 12 miles with 1,600 feet of climbing, so be prepared for a moderate workout, but the downhills will make it all worthwhile.

Join ride leaders Rebecca Lewington and Ariana Milelli (fresh from racing in Europe against some of the best riders in the world!). We’ll gather at 8:30am at the parking lot at 1081 Christie Road, Martinez, CA 94553. This will give us plenty of time to sign in, go over how the rides work and answer any questions you might have before rolling out at 9am.

Sign up at for the ride on Meetup. Please bring your mountain bike (no ebikes) in good working condition. Whether you’re running tubeless tires or not, please make sure you have a spare inner tube to fit your wheels, plenty of water and some food for the trail.

We usually hang out for a while after the ride, so bring along after-ride beverages and snacks if you feel like it. If anyone needs a little help with their technique, we can do impromptu skills classes then.

And don’t forget to join BTCEB! We are much more than a group that puts on group rides. BTCEB tirelessly advocates for better bike access on trails in the East Bay and we need your support. Join today at memberplanet.com/btceb.

Please RSVP to join the ride or post ride specific questions on the Meetup page. 

By Yvette Skinner

Thank you for your support of the Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay!  One of your membership perks is access to the Columbia Sportsware Employee Store in Richmond from 9/3 through 9/26. 

Present this invitationand your BTCEB membership card and enjoy deals and discounts on quality outdoor gear. 

Not a member of BTCEB?  Then JOIN today and get the full benefits of supporting advocacy for East Bay mountain biking trails and access to this Columbia discount!

By Rebecca Lewington​

A dozen dirt lovers joined ride leader Rebecca Lewington at Anthony Chabot Regional Park on August 21st. They stitched together most of the good bits on the East Side of the park and a good time was had by all.

And how classy is this group? Pretty classy: the post-ride hangout featured ceviche, watermelon and kombucha! There was also a lively discussion on future ride locations. Expect us to be ranging far and wide across the Bay Area over the coming months.

The next episode of Ride Like a Girl will be on Saturday, September 18th, at scenic Fernandez Ranch, which is located not far from Martinez. Follow BTECB on Facebook and Meetup to be alerted when signups open. Join us!

Are you interested in participating in public comment to advocate for more and better trails?  We need your support and would like to continue to ramp up the number of public comments related to increasing mountain bike access to narrow trails and more advanced mountain bike trails on East Bay Regional Park District lands.

EBRPD holds its regular first and third Tuesday schedule in September on the following dates:

• Tuesday September 7th, 1 pm
• Tuesday September 21st, 1 pm

Can you make a live comment or written comment for one of those meetings?  Please add these dates to your calendar as a reminder.

There is a 3 minute time limit but all written comments become part of the meeting record and are supposed to be sent to the board.  You message doesn’t need to be long so don’t sweat that–we just need to hear from you!  

Public comments may be submitted one of three ways:

1. Via email to Yolande Barial Knight, Clerk of the Board, at ybarial@ebparks.org. Email must contain in the subject line either “public comments – not on the agenda” or “public comments – agenda item #”. It is preferred that these written comments be submitted by 3:00 pm the Monday before the meeting. These comments will NOT be read during the meeting but made a part of the final board packet. 
2. Via voicemail at (510) 544-2016. The caller must start the message by stating public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item # followed by their name and place of residence, followed by their comments. It is preferred that these voicemail comments be submitted by Monday, August 9, 2021 at 3:00 pm. These comments will NOT be read during the meeting but will be made a part of the final board packet. 
3. Live via Zoom. If you would like to make a live public comment during the meeting this option is available through the virtual meeting platform: *Note: this virtual meeting platform link will let you into the virtual meeting for the purpose of providing a public comment.

If you do not intend to make a public comment please use this YouTube link to observe the meeting. It is preferred that those requesting to speak during the meeting contact the Clerk of the Board at ybarial@ebparks.org by 3:00 pm on the Monday before the meeting via email or voicemail (510) 544-2016 to provide name and the subject of the public comment or item to be addressed.

By Yvette Skinner

The new BTCEB long-sleeve shirts will be available soon!  Featuring our rebranded logo and made from moisture-wicking fabric this shirt will look and feel great.  We tested out several brands of shirts for fit and feel on the trail and we are proud to offer this shirt in consideration for a $50 donation to the BTCEB.  Yes, ladies, there is a ladies-cut shirt for you too!  

Check out the photos for how this shirt will look.  The new BTCEB logo will feature front and center on the shirt as well as down the sleeves.  On the back of the shirt the BTCEB name will be printed between the shoulder blades.

One burning question remains… How many shirts should we order?  Would you be willing to support your local MTB club and sport a fine new technical-fabric shirt in exchange?  Will you do us a favor and fill out this form indicating your size and style preference. NO OBLIGATION.  We would just like to get an estimate of how many shirts to order.  So if you are at all interested in having the new hotness please fill out the form.  We appreciate your support!

By Scott Bartlebaugh

The Dixie and Fly fires in Plumas county have severely impacted the existing and approved future trails to be built by the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship.  Mt. Hough had 32 miles of new trail under construction and will now be closed until 2023.  This loss of project work puts their trail crews at risk.  Please consider donating to help keep them going during an extremely difficult time if you have the ability.  

Beta has a great article containing more information:

By Mike Udkow

We all love JMP, a mountain biking jewel in the heart of an urban metropolis. The City of Oakland has no budget for an “open space supervisor” so the city gives the park no love or attention. As we all know especially given the increased level of use the park needs attention!

To this end, Friends of Joaquin Miller Park and Friends of Sausal Creek have outlined several immediate projects to repair, maintain, and beautify the park:

• Rebuild and repair 3 restrooms
• Build a bridge in Fern Ravine over Sausal Creek
• Install fencing along the Fern Ravine Trail
• Restore the cascades
• Trail signage and fencing in Big Trees
• Reroute a portion of the El Chaparral Trail 

Even with the help of the volunteer community (that’s you) money is needed for these projects.  As past BTCEB President and current FOJMP Board Member I ask you to please go to the FOJMP website and donate now.  And then when the time comes, please help out and volunteer as we implement these much need projects.

Thank you for your consideration!

Editor’s Note: Friends of Joaquin Miller Park is a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit.  Tax ID #94-2751052