[Macomb-Cycling] night ride at Jim Edgar trails (fwd)

Jeffrey R. Calhoun jeff at outfitters.com
Thu Oct 16 14:41:37 CDT 2003


Forwarded message:

>From danamiller88 at msn.com  Thu Oct 16 13:31:08 2003
>Delivery-Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 13:31:08 -0500
>X-Originating-IP: [143.43.166.92]
>X-Originating-Email: [danamiller88 at msn.com]
>From: "Dana Miller" <danamiller88 at msn.com>
>To: jeff at outfitters.com
>Subject: night ride at Jim Edgar trails
>Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 13:31:00 -0500
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: text/html
>Message-ID: <BAY3-F13ttoRaD689cM00010b7a at hotmail.com>
>X-OriginalArrivalTime: 16 Oct 2003 18:31:00.0695 (UTC) FILETIME=[A6021670:01C39413]
>X-DCC-NIET-Metrics: infobahn.outfitters.com 1080; Body=1 Fuz1=1 Fuz2=1

><html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
><P>Hi Jeff,</P>
><P>I wanted to let any Macomb MTB riders who are interested, tonight we're riding out at Jim Edgar trails a night ride (some people from SAMBA) . Some are meeting at 7 and me and another friend can't get out there until about 8:30 or 9. If anyone wants to go, or follow me coming through Rushville please tell them to email me, or call after 4 pm at 217-322-6674. Its short notice, but thought maybe someone else crazy as we are riding in the cold and dark (bring lights...!!!) might want to join the fun.</P>
><P>Have a great day,</P>
><P>Dana Miller</P>
><P>&nbsp;</P>
><P><BR><BR>&nbsp;</P></DIV>
><DIV></DIV>&gt;From: "Jeffrey R. Calhoun" <JEFF at OUTFITTERS.COM>
><DIV></DIV>&gt;To: danamiller88 at msn.com (Dana Miller) 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;CC: jeff at outfitters.com 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;Subject: Re: Argyle Trails 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 09:01:51 -0500 (CDT) 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;No problem: There are two sets of trails out at Argyle. 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;A. The officially sanctioned park trail which is a multi-use horse/bike 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;trail. Portions of it are gravel, swampy, and rutted. Less than a third 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;of it is single track, and it is far more widely used by horses than bicycles. 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;This is where the race will be held. Many of the regular Macomb singletrack 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;riders will not go near it. 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;B. The good trail. About 5 yrs ago, the same folks who designed and 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;built the trails at Spring Lake got informal permission from the Argyle 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;ranger to create singletrack trails at that park. We put in hundreds of 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;-hours building bridges (supplying our own materials), 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;clearing trail, etc. The Blood Sweat and Gears race (officially 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;sanctioned by Argyle) was held on this trail at least one of its 12 years. 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;Then new staff came on the scene at Argyle. They said our trails 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;had been developed without proper state approval, were not multi- 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;use and implied they were created without permission by 'renegade' 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;bicycle fanatics. They removed the bridges - without warning any 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;bicyclists and drug brush across critial points. We inquired about 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;getting the trails 'state approved' and were told that it would take 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;at least 12 months, and that all bridges would have to be rebuilt 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;to horse trail standards. Meanwhile no new work could be done on the trails, 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;nor could they be used to ride on. It was at this point that the trail 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;builders abandoned their work at Argyle and approached Spring Lake for 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;permission to build trails. We have received nothing but glowing support 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;from Spring lake in our trail efforts there. 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;I have tried to convince our members we should not abandon efforts 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;for better trails and relations at Argyle. But those who did the most 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;work out there feel like they got burned and have vowed to never ride 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;out there again. 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;Sad story - but I hope it helps explain things. 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;-jeff 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;Hi Jeff, 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;There is some confusion with Springfield MTB Association over = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;single-track trails at Lake Argyle. Our group is planning a ride on = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;Sunday out at Springlake, and there are some who want to race in the WIU = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;Adventure Club race out at Lake Argyle in Oct.that would like to ride = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;the trail ahead of time to see what it is like. So, our VP, Kent Kraft = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;emailed you guys to see if any from Macomb wanted to join and meet each = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;and had a couple of responses that there are no single-track open at = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;Argyle. Then our web guy today got the promo from WIU Adventure club for = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;the race at Argyle, wanting SAMBA to help promote it. I've been at that = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;race a couple of times, and know it is in single-track out there at = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;Argyle. What is the truth, and why would MABC say nothing is open, where = 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;WIU is planning the race? Any info you have would help...Thanks!!!=20 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;Dana Miller 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;-- 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;Jeffrey R. Calhoun Infobahn Outfitters 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;jeff at outfitters.com P.O. Box 248 
><DIV></DIV>&gt;http://www.outfitters.com/~jeff/ Macomb, IL 61455 
><DIV></DIV>&gt; (309) 836-3706 FAX: (309) 833-3905 
><DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr> <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2746??PS=">Add MSN 8 Internet Software to your current Internet access and enjoy patented spam control and more.  Get two months FREE!    </a> </html>

-- 
Jeffrey R. Calhoun                     Infobahn Outfitters
jeff at outfitters.com                    P.O. Box 248
http://www.outfitters.com/~jeff/       Macomb, IL 61455
                                       (309) 836-3706  FAX: (309) 833-3905


More information about the Cycling mailing list