BTCEB Buzz August 2022

The East Bay Regional Park District Public Advisory Committee (PAC) received a presentation on Monday June 27th from Asst. General Manager of Operations Jim O’Connor regarding proposed pilots at Briones regarding trail conflict, resource protection, and optimizing trail user experience.    A multi-discipline team from within the park district has been working developing this pilot program.     The plans for the pilots are not finalized but there is a significant structure proposed and staff was seeking input from the PAC as they work toward implementation.   The meeting is available on YouTube at the link below.   Slides have not been posted yet on the park district website.   Listen to or watch the video if this topic is of interest to you (link is cued to the start of the conversation).

Some of the details aren’t exactly clear but you’ll get a feel.

The proposed pilot includes:

• It applies to a specified area in the eastern portion of Briones from the Hank n Frank zone  just north of the Alhambra Creek Trail (road) south to Sunrise trail
• Even / odd day weekend access for mtb / horses to several unsanctioned trails
• Some bike access will be bike only, directional downhill (purple on map)
• Some access will be bike/hike during bike days (blue on map)
• Bike bells required (Jim O’Connor had a positive experience while hiking rogue trails doing recon)
• Trail restoration is planned for some trails (pink/fuschia on map)
• See map below for the best information on the pilot zone and actions on specific trails.
• Additional signage needed to communicate the pilots
• Pass through restrictors of some sort at congestion points.   Locations were not discussed but this is likely where trails merge
• Outreach, education, data collection, and enforcement will be significant elements
• Data collection to include field surveys on experiences, trail counters, field counts, trail cameras
• Enforcement of pilot area restrictions
• Dedicated staff will be applied for implementation, management,  and data collection during the trial
• November 2022 to November 2023 timing.   A longer time frame would be preferred.
• Emphasized a need to try some things and learn.     The status quo is not working and inaction does not improve the situation.
• Details on stewardship/environmental surveys so it’s unclear how much has been done to date
• Success criteria were not specifically defined
• Trail user engagement and participation is CRITICAL to success

It’s still a work in progress and the information on plans has changed over the months indicating they have been considering feedback that has been provided.   It’s likely there will be some changes from what was presented.  

These pilots are temporary and aimed at learning if these trail management practices can be used to improve resource protection, trail user experiences, and reduce trail conflict.   There are still questions to be asked and answered but this is a significant step by the park district to try some things that have not been tried in EBRPD.    Details on the path forward were not discussed. 

 Stay tuned for more information as this effort continues!

East Bay Regional Park District planning has selected it’s preferred option based on public input from planning meetings and site open houses.   The preferred plan contains about 4 miles of multi-use trails with bike access to all trails and 1.6 miles of accessible trails.  The plan contains provisions to expected future trails to Deer Valley park connecting to Black Diamond Regional Preserve.   This option also includes 2.7 miles of channel restoration/creation/enhancement and 2 acres of enhanced seasonal wetlands and vernal pools.   Dedicated equestrian and bus parking is inclulded.

Please take a moment now to view the plan and make a public comment    Your comment doesn’t need to be long or complicated.   If you’re happy with the bike access that is there then let them know that to increase the chance that it remains in the final plan.   If there are things you’d like them to consider that are not included then ASK them for those things.   It’s important to participate in the process even if it’s hard to see it makes a difference.    It does make a difference but it takes a long time.   Project information including the preliminary options can be found on their Roddy Ranch page.

The district is aiming to finalize their plan this summer.

Bicycle Trails Council was selected as a grant recipient as part the Two for the Trails 2022 Grant program offered by Athletic Brewing Co. This year 190 applications with requests totaling $6.2 million were received! BTCEB is ecstatic to learn that our organization as been been awarded a Two for the Trails grant in the amount of $5,289.00.

This project will purchase additional tools, a bike trailer, shirts for volunteers, and lunch for volunteers to enable our trail maintenance work days and encourage volunteerism on our beloved East Bay trails. The Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay conducts volunteer trail maintenance days primarily at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland, CA and Crockett Hills Regional Park along with other East Bay Regional Park District and John Muir Land Trust open spaces.   

Our work scopes consist of drainage maintenance, tread and erosion repair, brushing, downed tree clearing, removal of invasive vegetation, and repair of grazing cattle damage to trails.   Volunteers are drawn from the mountain bike community, the trails community, and local NICA middle and high school mountain bike programs. BTCEB volunteer maintenance days teach trail stewardship to our volunteers.

About Athletic Brewing Co.

Do you want to participate in land management decisions in our regions largest conservation and recreation land management district?  Maybe not you but you know of somebody?  The East Bay Regional Park District will have FOUR Board of Directors positions up for election November 8th, 2022.    The EBRPD Board is the ultimate decision making body in the park district.   

Generally, the wards include the following areas:

• Ward 3, which comprises the election precincts of Castro Valley, Fairview, a portion of Fremont, a portion of Hayward, a portion of San Lorenzo, and Union City. This ward is within Alameda County.
• Ward 5, which comprises the election precincts of Dublin, a portion of Fremont, Livermore, Newark, Pleasanton, and Sunol. This ward is within Alameda County.
• Ward 6, which comprises the election precincts of Alamo, a portion of Alhambra Valley, Blackhawk, Byron, Camino Tassajara, Castle Hill, Clayton, Concord, Contra Costa Centre, Danville, Discovery Bay, Norris Canyon, North Gate, Pleasant Hill, San Miguel, San Ramon, Shell Ridge, and a portion of Walnut Creek. This ward is within Contra Costa County.
• Ward 7, which comprises the election precincts of a portion of Alhambra Valley, Antioch, Bay Point, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Clyde, Crockett, Hercules, Knightsen, Martinez, Mountain View, Oakley, Pacheco, Pittsburg, Port Costa, Rodeo, and Vine Hill. This ward is within Contra Costa County.

The qualifications required for each office for which the candidates are nominated are: Each director shall be a resident and a registered voter in the ward from which he or she is nominated. A nomination paper containing the name of the candidate to be nominated shall be signed by at least 50 voters residing within the ward. (PRC § 5531).  Nomination papers must be filed not later than 5:00 pm, Friday, August 12, 2022.

For more information including details of how to file follow this link Election Information

Volunteers are still needed for the final trail work day on August 13 following the conclusion of the highly successful JMP Enduro Race benefiting BTCEB. Volunteers will receive free cold drinks and snacks courtesy of Mike’s Bikes.

Sign up and more info at Sign Up Genius

Race Results here

For August, it’s back to the East Bay at Anthony Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley. Join ride leader Rebecca Lewington on August 20th at 8:30am at the trailhead at Redwood Canyon Golf Course on Redwood Road. 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 https://www.meetup.com/bicycletrailscouncil/events/287278701/

Our basic route will cover about 12 miles with 1,900 feet of climbing, so be prepared for a workout, but the downhills will make it all worthwhile. For those who find themselves with something left in the tank near the end of the ride, there will be an opportunity for an extra singletrack loop which adds about three miles and 600 feet of climbing. These trails are suitable for less-experienced riders.

As always, the mission of Ride Like a Girl 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.

Please bring your mountain bike, obviously, in good working condition. (No ebikes, please. They’re not allowed in this park.) 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 always hang out for a while after the ride, so bring along your favorite beverages and snacks if you feel like joining us. And a chair!

And please consider joining BTCEB! We are much more than a group that puts on rides. BTCEB tirelessly advocates for better bike access on trails in the East Bay and we need your support.

If you have questions, please comment at the signup link and we’ll get right back to you.

Last month’s trails at Tamarancho were tight and tricky, so forJune’s ride we switched it up with a new-rider-friendly double loop at Tilden and Wildcat Canyon Regional Parks in the Berkeley Hills.

15 riders, with lots of first timers (welcome!), joined me as we took in lovely views and entertaining downhills. Both Tilden and Wildcat Canyon are busy places; everyone shared the trail in exemplary fashion, trading smiles and greetings with other trail users.  This is how it’s done.

Follow BTECB on Facebook or Meetup and we’ll let you know when signups open.  We always ride on the third Saturday of the month, block your calendars now and into the future!

Lauren Haughey and Scott Bartlebaugh attended the 2022 California Trails and Greenways conference held in April.   Lauren is our BTCEB Vice President,  a board member for CAMTB, and works for NICA.  Scott is  the BTCEB Advocacy Director, participates as a member organization on the CAMTB Advisory Council, and is our Lead Trail Steward at Crockett Hills.  The conference is an opportunity to attend sessions on topics ranging from trail project development, planning and execution,  trail organization formation and experiences, E-bike policy development,  trail conflict & user education, CEQA experience, and cutting green tape. 

Equally important is an opportunity to have in person discussions with land managers which included EBPRD board members Barbara Lane and Dennis Waespi, the entire Trails Program staff and several other EBRPD staff.   Attendance at the Trails and Greenways conference by mountain bike oriented groups has steadily increased over the past several years and are now one of the most significantly represented user and advocacy segments in attendance.   

Mountain bike oriented groups in attendance included California Mountain Bike Coalition (CAMTB),  BTCEB, Redwood Trail Alliance (formerly REMBA & Sonoma County Trails Alliance), San Diego Mountain Bike Association, San Francisco Urban Riders, Folsom Auburn Trail Riders Action Coalition FATRAC,  Santa Cruz Mountain Trail Stewards (formerly Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruze),   Concerned Off Road Bicyclists Association CORBA, Access 4 Bikes, Marin County Bicycle Coalition MCBC, Orange County Mountain Bike Association, IMBA and IMBA Trails Solutions,  Bay Area Ridge Trail,  Slow and Say Hello.   

As a member organization BTCEB has significant on-line interaction with the CAMTB board and the council members from the other 29 member organizations but it’s no replacement for in person discussions. 

Additional land managers represented included California State Parks and US Forest Service.   BTCEB founder Michael Kelly who now is active in ebike access presented an ebike policy session.  The conference is also attended by trail industry related businesses including Trail Boss trail tools, SWECO trail machines, and ECO Counter trail counters to name a few.   

A take away from the conference is that the East Bay is a difficult area to affect change in MTB access but the work we are doing with land managers, our MTB community, other trail users, and interacting with opposing concerns is in line with successful efforts in other regions.   Attendance and participation at this conference, with CAMTB, and with other advocacy and trail organizations are one we strive to continually improve our advocacy, trail, and MTB community building efforts.

April rounded out our best start ever to trail work at Crockett Hills.   Two work days were held with San Ramon Valley High School and Oakland Devo mountain bike teams with both days being focused on the Sugar City trail.    We were able to make a significant dent in the cattle damage and also get some berm and roller repairs done.     Despite the significant portion of work done this spring on cattle damage this is the first berm and roller work we’ve been able to get to in years.   Drainage and vegetation have been the primary focus for the last 4 years. 

The limitation of 1 large work day per year also affected work scope focus and support for additional work days is game changing.   While the cattle damage repairs don’t get the trail back to pre-damage condition they do help.   The tread continues to wear back in but it will be a while until it’s back all the way.   These two work days take us to 4 large work days for the year at Crockett Hills thanks to the support of park supervisor David Kendall and his staff.   This is the first time we’ve been permitted to have more than 1 large work day in a year.   David and staff have stepped up the mowing even further this year mowing Sugar City twice and more extensive mowing on Tree Frog and Warep.   

We recognize that more people would like to do trail maintenance and we’re doing what we can to make trail work opportunities more accessible.

Ride Like a Girl was big fun last Saturday with great trails, perfect weather and friends old and new. Sixteen awesome women joined me for a serpentine feast as we wound our way up through Pogonip OSP, though the UC Santa Cruz area and across Empire Grade into the top of Wilder Ranch. Big thanks to Lisa S for leading the way through the maze of trails at UC Santa Cruz.

Follow BTECB on Facebook or Meetup and we’ll let you know when signups open.  We always ride on the third Saturday of the month, block your calendars now and into the future!