Happy Trails "Summer 96"
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WORBA AND RIDE JOIN FORCES
Through negotiation, begun at the mega-successful IMBA Summit Conference
in Tucson, Arizona (this January) and through the superb leadership of Andy
Swartz, WORBA (Wisconsin Off Road Bicycle Association) has become a RIDE
Chapter. To accommodate this compromise, Chris Kegel has become President
with Andy as Vice-President. By combining the leadership of RIDE and WORBA
in Wisconsin, mountain bikers will speak with one voice to open more trails
and continue to recondition and maintain the Wisconsin mountain bike trail
system. Now for $38, 1996 RIDE members become WORBA and TURF members along
with an annual IMBA membership.
OUTLINE OF AN UNDERSTANDING REACHED IN COOK
COUNTY, ILLINOIS
After three years of negotiations with the Cook County Forest Preserve District
(Chicago Area) it appears that a mainstream consensus has been reached with
various trail users and environmental groups {including the Nature Conservancy,
Sierra Club, Illinois Trail Riders and The Palos Restoration Group). The
District owns and maintains some 87,000 acres of Forest Preserves, which
accounts for more than 11% of the land in Cook County (that holds most of
the bio-diversity in the Northern part of Illinois).
- In Deer Grove, the environmentally sensitive ravine area will be closed
to bicyclists and equestrians. However, an approximately six-mile looped
trail system for those users will be marked open and redeveloped and maintained
as a designated trail by the District. TURF (Trail Users Rights Foundation
and a RIDE Chapter) will be involved in future plans for volunteer maintenance
and patrol.
- In the Palos Area (the largest heavily wooded, moraine dotted park
in a large metropolitan area) will have 32 miles of Designated Trails and
some 26 miles of Proposed Trails, some of which will be marked open with
special signs. All trails will appear on a map with the Proposed Trails
marked as a dotted line and the Designated Trails as a solid line. Included
in the Open Proposed Trails will be the highly desirable single track trails
of Dynamite Road and the Three Ravines. Proposed Trails will have a three
to five-year window of opportunity to be included into the Designated Trail
System. All trails not indicated as Designated or Proposed will be considered
closed and subject to enforcement methods, including fines. TURF will be
involved in future plans for maintenance and patrol .
- IMBA and RIDE will assist in offering their expertise and the expertise
of master trail builders to help the District make an assessment of the
cost of implementing the Proposed Trail System. RIDE will continue to solicit
financial support from a Partnership of the bicycle industry, bike dealers
and bicycle riders. We already have a commitment of $25,000 from Sram Corp.
(Grip Shift) and CABDA (Chicago Midwest Bicycle Dealers Association). TREK
has offered assistance with a combination map/education pamphlet and trail
signs.
- The trail Committee will continue to function to alleviate conflicts
and to form Task Force Committees as necessary to suggest solutions for
specific problems and tasks.
- The organizations represented on the trail committee will be committed
to finding solutions that are of benefit to the entire trail community
and where appropriate, support efforts to influence the budgets of the
Cook County Board and Forest Preserve District to implement the Trail System.
HARD WORK AND MORE
TO COME
BIG CONGRATULATIONS to the hard working members of TURF; President,
John Siwinski, Bruce Glaser, Lyle Distel, Don Palermini, (he is also the
IMBA/RIDE Illinois Coordinator) and Charles Kurre of the Chicago Bicycle
Federation. A lot of work went into obtaining this agreement. As quoted
from the front page in the June IMBA Trail News, John O'Lear of the Forest
Preserve District was quoted as saying I've been amazed how people kept
coming to meetings, butting heads and coming back. It's impressive how people
keep volunteering time to hammer this out". Special Thanks to
trail Committee Members John Sharon, Roger Keller, Chris Parson and Laurel
Ross affiliated with the Nature Conservancy, to Jeannette Falk and Candy
Hartell of the equestrian Illinois Trail Riders Association. Keith Mistrik
of CABDA and Christine Williamson of the Sierra Club; Greatful Thanks
to Forest Preserve Superintendent Joe Nevius, John O'Lear, Dave Kircher
and Tony Ponziano for allowing us the time and patience to reach consensus.
Heroic Thanks to Commissioner Herb Schumann of the Cook County Board
and his assistant Dan McCain for keeping progress on track. We will continue
to need the cooperation of all involved so that Cook County has one of the
best, environmentally responsible recreational trail systems in the country.
The hard work has just begun. Call the TURF hotline for more information.
847.470.4266.
WHY JOIN RIDE?
Ride, Inc. (Recreation for Individuals Dedicated to The Environment) was
formed to:
- Encourage the preservation of the natural environment and advocate
public access to natural areas for education and recreation by means of
silent sport use,
- Alleviate real or perceived conflicts between user groups and provide
an open communication forum where multiple use problems may be openly discussed
for the mutual benefit of all trail users and
- Promote the construction and use of off-road green ways for non-motorized
transportation.
Now, for one price you can participate in promoting mountain-bike access
and raising responsibly awareness on a national, regional and local level.
Your 1996 membership fee of $38 will include membership in:
- IMBA (International
Mountain Biking Association), including their newsletter, etc.
- RIDE, Happy Trails newsletter and other benefits,
- TURF
(Northern Illinois) (Trail Users Rights Foundations), and their newsletter,
- WORBA (Wisconsin
Off Road Bicycle Association) State of Wisconsin, Kettle Moraine and
- access to other local coordinators to keep trails open in your area.
Keep informed. Get involved. Join Now!
To join now, Click on Sponsorship
and Membership.
3RD ANNUAL KETTLE MORAINE FALL COLOR FESTIVAL,
SEPTEMBER 28, 1996
For your free application call 414.247.8100 (first come first serve). We
expect to be oversold, so register now!
Carl M. Birkelbach, RIDE President
312.853.2820
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RIDE
is a non-profit organization and and has obtained Tax Exempt Status under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Copyright 1991 RIDE Recreation for Individuals Dedicated
to the Environment.