Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance - Snakebite Volume 2 Number 6

Newsletters

Snakebite

Volume 2 Number 6
August 14, 2000

The Electronic Newsletter Of The Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance

Disclaimer: The Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance does not necessarily agree with or support the opinions/thoughts put forth by SNAKEBITE editors/contributors.

Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance
c/o Calgary Area Outdoor Council
1111 Memorial Drive N.W. Calgary, Alberta
T2N 3E4
E-mail: info@cmbalink.com
URL: http://www.cmbalink.com

IMBA Rules Of The Trail

1. Ride on open trails only.
2. Leave no trace.
3. Control your bicycle.
4. Always yield trail.
5. Never spook animals.
6. Plan ahead.

1. Roulez seulement sur chemin ouvert.
2. Ne laissez aucune trace.
3. Contrôlez votre vélo.
4. Cédez toujours le passage.
5. Ne faites jamais peur aux animaux.
6. Préparez vos sorties bien en avance.

http://www.imba.com/about/trail_rules.html

In this issue:

IMBA Trail Care Crew In Town

IMBA Trail Care Crew In Town

This weekend the IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association), will be in Calgary. There are numerous events that are scheduled thanks to the hard work of Laura-Lee. Below is a tentative schedule. Yes, I know it is the summer and some people are away on holiday but to be kind and brief, the response from CMBA members (including the executive) has been bloody pathetic. Trails do not stay open by themseleves. As far as I am concerened the whole lot of you (aside from a few people) deserve to ride on nothing but pavement. The trail care crew is an invaluable resource, a resource that has actually stopped many trails from being closed to cyclists and even helped to reopen trails. It is very hard for land managers to see the reason for keeping trails open to cyclists when no cyclists show up to events such as this weekends(which will included land managers, people). Throwing your gigantic wad of $10 at CMBA and then complaining about what the volunteers do, good on you. You want soemthing done, do it. Don't tell a friend and hope that they tell somebody on the CMBA executive and then get upset when it does not happen. Who the hell are you? Everybody is a volunteer. I can take the attitude because I have one myself! Other volunteers cannot. What in the hell do you think $10 gets you? You have proven to be a true redneck Calgarian, maybe you should go to another rodeo, hick.

This is the final SNAKEBITE I am writing. I am off to Europe to work and live in a society which is enlightened, to put it nicely. I have seen CMBA volunteers such as Laura-Lee D, Murray K, Glen K, Pete G, Ken B, Doug S and the awesome curly haired dude from P&R, come and go and come back again, most burning out, not due to hating the VOLUNTEER work but due to the apathy and utter ignorance they have encountered. Even I the SNAKEBITE dude have reneged on VOLUNTEER duties. I have yet to call members of the executive to confirm their attendance at this weekends events. Why? I should not have to call them, all of them know what is going on and so do the rest of you. All of the information below has been on the website for over six weeks and it was in the last issue of SNAKEBITE and the newsletter. To date only two people have confirmed for the weekend, two people out of a membership base of 400. Sorry, but I do not believe that 398 people are on holiday. Go to the IMBA website and check out how many people come out when the trail care crew is in their area. I am not saying we all have to bow down and worship them but IMBA is "THE" organization for our trail access. At the present moment I see no reason why the trail care crew should come to Calgary.

I have told other people this but I never thought I would actually say this in SNAKEBITE, Calgary is a city with an inflated sense of self-importance. It is to bad that a lot of people in this city are adopting that attitude as well. The majority of Calgarians have their heads shoved so far up their butts they can watch themselves swallow. Get over yourself, you are not cultured, you are a redneck. All the trends you follow have been out in "real" cities like London and New York for years. I was born and raised in Alberta but yet, I am still upset with the Alberta does not need anybody else attitude. Ride the wave baby, when the bottom falls out of the oil and gas market (or hopefully when the Libs bring back the NEP) your head is still going to be covered in caca. Read up on your history and come to terms with the fact that, yes, Ontario and Quebec did at one time carry the West. Also realize that Calgary is now a city of nearly a million people and with that population comes problems other cities have faced (such as trail closures, noise by the airport, so don't cry when you buy a house at the end of the runway! DUH!!). Lose the "I am omnipotent attitude." I am tired of hearing people say that they did not know, BS! You knew, you just thought you were to high and mighty to have it actually happen to you (trail closures). The previously listed execs have given up to much as far as I am concerned. I think they all need to quit and follow the mantra all of you have been following, ME, MYSELF and I. The 80's are alive and well in this hick town (Note: Calgary is not cosmopolitan, it never will be, so long as our major cultural event of the year is a rodeo.). To those who have worked their butts off for CMBA (very few, I do not include myself in their company), leave it, like I am, just up and go. Get on your bike and go for a ride. You have taken enough bullshit to last a hundred lifetimes and I think Calgary does not deserve to have you. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Maybe in twenty years Calgary will actually be cultured and all of the yuppies will be dead. One can dream. I hope you are angry and I hope you are upset, you should be. Due to your attitude and utter contempt your trails will be closed. I say, great, you deserve it, have fun riding on pavement, redneck.

Mr. Editor

Trail Care Crew Weekend Schedule

August 18 Canmore presentation 1 - 4 pm Nordic Center: general overview of who the trail care crew is and what they do/have done. Land managers will be at this presentation so you should show up if you would like to keep riding on trails.

August 19 Nose Hill Park walk through: 9 am 64th avenue/14 street parking. CMBA will be working on a loop trail around the park this coming summer (2001). This walkthrough is intended to determine some best route possibilities. Here is your chance for input on what you want to ride, don't suck and whine if you don't bother to show up and later find your fav trail closed. You snooze you lose.

BARBEQUE, 6 pm, Edworthy Park picnic site #15. Woodand lighting is being provided. This is a pot luck type dinner. Bring something to barbecue for yourself and a dish for the potluck.

August 20: ride in K-country. C.O.P. McDonalds at 8 am and go from there. Everyone is welcome. As the ride goes through K-Country the trail care crew will be talking about options for trail work. You can ask as many questions as you want.

August 21: The TCC will be giving there last slide presentation at the Old Public Building 8th Flr, 205 8th Avenue SE from 9 am - 12 noon. More land managers will be at this presentation as well. Get the hint!?