News – Page 18

Riding Responsibly – Hunting Season

September 22, 2020 By Chris Norfolk

Hey riders,

Moose season 2024 continues in New Brunswick this week until Saturday Sept. 28th. This means that there will be a lot of excitement in the woods as some hunters can wait for decades to be drawn in the lottery for a license. Beyond moose, it’s deer season until December and hunters can try for smaller game later into the winter.

While it is a hunter’s responsibility to identify his/her target there are a few things that riders can keep in mind:

Hunting is legal and expected at several of the trailheads that riders frequent.
Odell Park and Deer Park are good choices if you want to stick to areas where hunting isn’t permitted. There’s also the UNB Woodlot which is designated as a wildlife sanctuary and offers some good gravel riding circuits. Take a road trip and check out Rockwood Park!
Wear blaze orange and other bright colours.
You can wait until after dark. Hunting is legal until dusk. Charge those lights up and go for a night ride!

Although it’s extremely unlikely, riders have been involved in hunting accidents.

Remember that many of the trails we ride on are on private land. That hunter you encounter this week may be the landowner, or may be there with the landowner’s permission.

Stay safe and share the woods.

New Route into Islandivew

August 5, 2020 By Chris Norfolk

Recently RVC has enjoyed great cooperation from the Provincial Tree Nursery at Islandview. They’ve been very accommodating of our recent trail work by allowing vehicles through the property. Through those discussions we’ve also settled on a more straightforward route through the nursery. It’s a small tweak, but it involves fewer twists and turns.

The new route is all signed up (thank you gnomes!) so it should be easy to follow! Please make sure you stick to this access and don’t stray off into the tree orchards.

Remember, riding at Islandview is open to RVC members only after working hours (5:00 pm) and on weekends. The nursery is in operation at the crack of dawn so no early morning rides here.

Turning Over New Ground

July 22, 2020 By Chris Norfolk

Hey Riders,
RVC’s major project for 2020 is now underway and we’re turning over new ground in Penniac. This is exciting. Let’s have a look at what’s going on.

For several years now RVC has been developing a positive relationship with several local landowners in Penniac. In fact, some of these landowners are avid supporters of the mountain biking community and riders themselves. The club has recently come to several agreements that will see several new, well built trails that are knit into larger plans for sustainable forestry in the area.

The project includes a gradual climbing trail from the valley to the top of Stone Bridges as well as a new full-length downhill trail that will be machine-built with progressive features that are accessible for riders of all skill levels. This will diversify the trail styles available in Penniac, and open up new possibilities for riding loops.

Builds like this require a significant investment and that’s why RVC is thrilled to report that this project is being supported by 2020 RVC Trail Sponsor – Remsoft. Although they are a company with a global reach, Remsoft have been supporters of local trails for several years now beginning with the build of ‘La Woodstock’ at MVP. The company has provided generous financial assistance to this build as well – thank you Remsoft!

Earlier this month, the machine was delivered to the site and it made the long walk up to the top of the ridge, where it has been humming right along ever since. The machine doesn’t do much on its own though. A dedicated trail build team has been on site and has already invested more than 100 hours of sweat equity on the project. A huge shout-out to:

Marie-Eve F.
Yves B.
Max G.
Mike B.
Alex M.
Jase F.
Justin L.

Mike B.
Adam B.
Stephanie B.
Matthew G
Chris F.
Bev B.

Now… what can you do to make this huge project successful?

Volunteer. The work is far from done. We need volunteers willing to come out and clear slash and brush, shape features behind the machine, and work with hand tools on the climb trail. Contact us through email or Facebook if you’re willing to help and we’ll connect you with work!
Join RVC. That’s right. If you like what you’re reading the club can use your support. Your membership contributes to trail work directly and the behind-the-scenes arrangements with landowners that make it possible.
Respect the worksite. For now, these trails are under construction and closed. If you see the trail build crew testing things out that doesn’t mean they’re open to ride yet. Patience. When they are ready to open RVC will make a splash and let you know… trust us!

Odell Park’s Plan – What does it mean for riders?

July 17, 2020 By Chris Norfolk

On July 13th Fredericton’s city council unanimously passed the final park plans for Odell park and Killarney Lake park after considerable debate. Both plans contain a future for mountain biking in Fredericton, so long as the trails are designed sustainably and riders consider themselves as responsible partners in park stewardship and use.

This is a remarkable development if you consider where we were as a riding community a few short months ago. Riders approached the consultations on these plans from a vulnerable position. City Councillors were on record calling for a ban on mountain biking in Odell park and organized community groups were actively campaigning to portray the cycling community as reckless vandals in the park responsible for irreversible damage to old growth forests. Mountain biking stories in the local media focused on conflict.

Earlier drafts of the plan called for the immediate and summary decommissioning of all existing single track. For many of us who learned to love riding in Odell park it was an unexpected and hurtful punch that left us wondering how this happened. That narrative flies in the face of what we knew about our fellow riders. You care for the environment, you share the trails, and you benefit the larger community. We had to set the record straight.

Riders were not happy and so RVC set to work on your behalf this spring. You spoke up to the City — and they listened. The door opened for the club to meet with park staff and contribute constructive ideas about how the trail network could transition to sustainable outcomes. We spoke about ways to minimize environmental impact and maximize the benefit to Fredericton’s outdoor community. We worked with staff to improve the draft plan, keeping it focused on conserving Odell park’s forest, while securing access for the next generation of mountain bike riders. We saw our suggestions reflected in the plan passed by City Council.

The hard work of compromise and collaboration is yet to come. We and the City recognize the need for good-faith implementation on all sides as being the key to long-term success. The Park Plans provide a conceptual framework for ongoing collaboration to guide action on the ground.

Our understanding is that a secondary plan will be developed that will address trails in Odell. There will be the opportunity for further dialogue as the secondary plan is developed. RVC expects the city will assemble a multidisciplinary team of ecology experts, trail builders, hikers, runners, and park staff to inform decisions about which existing trails get improved, which get rerouted away from sensitive areas, and which get retired and returned to the forest. The same team will help design new single-track that replaces what is retired. We are excited to see that start. RVC will approach the discussion with an open mind, with an expectation that trails may change but riding will remain a part of the park. We’ll bring evidence and experience to the discussion and we’ll expect no less from the other groups that will participate in the process. We know that the potential impacts of mountain biking can be effectively managed.

It’s not certain what changes will come but we could imagine and support:

Better signage, better seasonal debris clean-up, and more visible signs of management.
Trails being re-routed out of riparian areas and watercourse crossings installed.
Seasonal closures for all user-groups when soils are wet and prone to erosion.
Sections of trail being designated for foot traffic only
New names for trails that we are familiar with.
In some cases, trails with significant conservation issues being decommissioned and returned to the forest to regenerate.
New trails, purpose-built, and ready for riding bikes.

If there are trails that need to be decommissioned and regenerated, the plan speaks to a principle that new trail building will follow the same pace.

RVC will need your support for what comes next. We’ll rely on you to supply ideas, and to show up and volunteer when the time comes to move dirt or plant trees. If you’re not already an RVC member we need you to join. Most of all, we all need to act as ambassadors for the sport every time we mount our bikes in Odell park. There will be a lot of expectations to exceed over the next year. The club will be in touch with park staff and we’ll report back with more specifics about the roll-out of this plan.

You provided input and the City listened. This is a win.

July 2020 Newsletter

July 1, 2020 By Chris Norfolk

Welcome to the July 2020 Newsletter. RVC Newsletters are intended to keep you up to date on events in our community as well as RVC initiatives. 2020 has been a strange year so far for everyone, but there are some positive developments to talk about. Please have a look and drop us an email with suggestions that you might have to improve the newsletter.

Coronavirus & RVC’s Focus for 2020

Several months of social lockdown was hard. Many of us took to the trails where we could get fresh air, exercise, relieve stress, and focus only on the 2 metres in front of us. Having a number of well maintained trail networks was a blessing for the whole community when there wasn’t much else that one could safely do. If you felt the same way, say thanks to the next person you see out clearing deadfall, blowing leaves, or tuning a berm. We have not escaped impact though.

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that RVC made the difficult decision to cancel all of our events that involve large gatherings. So 2020 will be the first in many years without the Woolastook 4 race, the short-track series, or the skills clinics that have become rider favorites. Instead, RVC will be focusing on trail access, trail building, and strengthening relationships with the landowners and land managers in our community. It will be a lean year for RVC, as many of the events that we’ve had to cancel are big sources of revenue for the club. Not to worry though, as we’ve already seen our members and businesses in the area rally to our cause (more on that later).

Trail Updates

MVP

It has been a challenging spring at MVP, arguably the heart and soul of our trail network. First, we had to say good-bye to many of the most popular intermediate (blue) trails in the city when our access to Mr. Wilson’s woodlot was withdrawn. Favorites like Wilson’s Loop, Country View, Hole-in-the-Wall, Swanky, and Best Bitter are now closed. As sad as we were to announce this change we thank Mr. Wilson for his generous cooperation with RVC over the years. His property was a catalyst that accelerated mountain biking in Fredericton and it’s unlikely we’d be where we are today without it.

Next MVP experienced a rash of vehicle break-ins that resulted in thousands of dollars in property damage and theft. We haven’t heard of any new reported incidents in the last 3 weeks but we encourage everyone to continue to Park Smart!

Despite all this there has been some exciting work going on at MVP, particularly over in the ‘enduro zone’. Fern Gully, V-Fib, and DNF have all been tuned-up by the trail crew and work on a new climbing trail has started thanks to an early June trail day! Looking good.

A busy spring at MVP has resulted in a lot of fresh features. Look at that fresh loam!

Woolastook

Woolastook has never been in better shape and it’s seen a lot of traffic this spring. In fact, so much traffic that RVC partnered with the campground operator to install an expanded parking lot at the trailhead. The Woolastook loop route is a great family-friendly option for introducing new people to mountain biking.

Islandview

Improvements are also coming to Islandview thanks to a partnership with the Maritime College of Forest Technology (the land manager). RVC and MCFT will be posting all new trail signage this summer in order to help riders navigate the area. This is good news. That terrain can get you turned around and there are spots where cell service isn’t happening. Signage will be a nice improvement project to build upon as the club develops a relationship with the MCFT. Expect to see a call for a volunteer trail day or two in order to get everything installed!

Odell Park

Odell Park’s plan has been in development by the city for more than 2 years now and it’s now nearing an outcome that will have a place for riding in the long-term. RVC, and the mountain-bike community engaged with the city’s process in an organized, respectful, and considerate manner. We met with city staff leading up to the most recent plan and presented solutions for sustainable multi-use trails. We believe the city has listened.

The final management plan for Odell park will place the park’s ecology as the top priority. We are calling for a multidisciplinary team that involves city staff, local ecologists, RVC trailbuilders, and other stakeholders to assess each trail individually for sustainability. We expect there to be a need for upgrades and re-routing in some areas, and the retiring and reforesting of certain trails. Our key ask to the city was that when one trail must end, another begins at the same time – and that RVC be given the opportunity to be involved in delivering both processes. We are hopeful this plan passes full council in July!

Membership

Like we talked about above, 2020 is going to be a tough year on RVC financially and that’s why we are depending on you more than ever to spread the word about the work we do. We have memberships available at an affordable cost for everybody and there’s options to contribute more if that’s something you’re able to do. Already 2020 has been a record year for Gold and Platinum members so thank you so much for your support! Feeling like you’d like to upgrade your membership after reading this sweet newsletter? No problem! Just contact us and we’ll take your money and sort you all out. We are constantly looking to provide new value to members so if you have ideas about how we can do that drop us an email or message and let us know.

Communications

Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. This summer we plan to spend more time talking about good trail etiquette and riding responsibly. Have you seen our latest posts on: