Weekend Update: Workday/Meeting and Do Something For Doolittle Ride
Boy Scouts and SORBA members at the Brunswick Nature Park. Photo by Jay Pearce
Hello everyone! My goodness what a busy weekend it was! We had a great trail day at Brunswick Saturday and a very important memorial ride on Sunday. So…lets recap!
WORKDAY
Trail work is always a task that its hard to get participants for. Sometimes we get only a few and then sometimes we get more than we could have hoped for. Saturday was certainly the later as we had a HUGE turnout compared to our usual. 15 SORBA members and 24 boy scouts worked together on Saturday to help build large portions of our beginner trail. While they were completely new to trail building you wouldn’t be able to tell by the work they did. With a little help and guidance from Armando Sanchez (thanks for building those Berms Armando!) and other club members, the boy scouts and their mentors were building trails like a pro in no time!
There is certainly still work to be done though. Based on the amount of work completed on Saturday and the mileage that still needs work, Greg Brinson estimated that we were looking at the end of May to have the beginner trail complete and ready to ride as a part of the trail system. This system will be utilized for everything from family rides to races when its all said and done. It should be a fun and enjoyable addition to the park! I would also like to thank Clif-Bar for the donation of 200 mini Clif-Bars to our trail day! Everyone loved having them as a snack and they certainly fueled us all through the day!
CLUB MEETING
Next up on Saturday was our club meeting. The first topic was club outreach. How can our club reach out to the local riders more often? I proposed that we begin having members sit at a SORBA booth once a month to help drum up interest in what we are doing. In addition, I plan on incorporating more social and educational aspects to our outreach program. This will include more group rides for beginners that can help them learn basic skills and basic repair clinics that can help the beginner riders in our area learn how to fix a flat or repair a broken chain.
Also, I want to build up to a “Membership Drive” in the month of October that will have events like Take a Kid MTBing day and group rides as well as cool raffle prizes. If you are interested in helping out with the outreach program, please email Vice President Austin Fenwick at austincycles@gmail.com.
Following the discussion on outreach the club then discussed two events. First a time-trial series that would take place on Thursday evening each week during the month of June at Brunswick Nature Park. The second would be a short track race that would also take place there in early November. Both events were met with a positive response so look for more information regarding these events in the near future.
Finally we had the election portion of the meeting. As mentioned in yesterdays post Greg Brinson was re-elected to his position, as was Austin Fenwick. Bryan Weinkle moved up to the position of Treasurer and Jay Pearce has joined the board as the new club Secretary. I look forward to what the new version of the CFSORBA board can do in the next year to continue what the first ever board started!
Do Something for Doolittle Memorial Ride
Riders take to River Rd in a memorial ride for Trey and David Doolittle. Picture by Peter Schultz
On a more somber note, today the memorial ride for Trey and David Doolittle was held starting from Murray Middle School. Trey and David were run down on River Rd at 9:30 am on April 3rd by a drunk driver. The ride was arguably the largest ride I have ever been apart of. Riders of all shapes and sizes took part in a ride to remember father and son.
Cape Fear SORBA had a contingent there and with so many people there it was hard to know exactly how many of us actually were there! At least 7 members were there that I know of but it could easily have been more. Considering that the riders numbered over 500 it was easy to miss someone.
It is clear that something needs to be done about the accidents that happen on River Rd. It is our hope that something positive can come from this tragedy.
If you would like to make a donation please send it to the Tyler and Turner Doolittle Educational Fund – 15029 Superior Street, Charlotte NC, 28273.
QUICK REMINDER
Quick reminder everyone that the next CCORS race will be held at Blue Clay on Sunday the 17th! Come out to help race or just watch the fun! Email if you would like to help!
See you on the trails, be safe out there.
Austin Fenwick, VP Cape Fear SORBA
