It was a good week, we want to share

Maybe we saw you on Saturday at Ales & Trails?  We were already pretty buzzed from a week of teaching kids to ride trails, and then we had a blast mixing it up with mountain bikers from all over the region, and beers from all over the bay.  We are feeling the love for IMBA, our national partner that helps us build and ride trails all over,  from the City of New York to our fair burg of San Francisco.  Without them, well, we can’t imagine what trail riding would be like without IMBA.  And without trail riding, where would we be?

Fortunately, we are feeling like SF Urban Riders is getting some respect that moves us toward better trail riding in SF.  Our big short term objective has been and still is establishing a Bike Park in McLaren.  We have proven the cycling community and the local community both want and support it (thanks to the 443 people who have signed our petition), and SF Rec and Park are working with our bike park proposal while they draft an overall plan for McLaren Park.  At the moment, that is all we know, but we will keep you posted.

Another objective of SFUR is to improve off-road riding in SF Rec & Park lands, with the development of a favorable department policy towards this type of use.  Recognition of our sport is key, and we have had 2 very favorable events this week.  At the annual Neighborhood Parks Council meeting with the Mayor and SFRPD, Phil Ginsburg, General Manager of Rec & Park,  stated that he believes that mountain biking – if done properly -will be good for our parks.  He even joked about taking an “illegal” off-road ride with our Dan Schneider, that of course was legal upon further review. We take this as a positive response to our community, and evidence that we all have shown ourselves to be responsible, active members of the community, we have legitimized ourselves and our sport.  Go ahead, pat yourself on the back.

Phil  has also voiced his support for a 1 day kids’ mountain-bike course, as part of Sunday Streets in August.  SFUR, along with the Presidio Y plans to set up a small off-road course in Golden Gate Park on the main Sunday Streets route.  While this may not seem that big a deal, it is.  Park managers have been reluctant to approve off-road cycling events in GGP, with the annual Pilarcitos cyclocross race being the only exception, and even that has been challenged recently.  This will also be our first event with Sunday Streets.  Finally, the location is a maze of little trails that the kids are going to love!

Off-road cycling , although currently not prohibited in most areas, remains an issue in Golden Gate Park. Some SFRPD land managers are concerned that bicycles will hasten degradation of the trails, increasing the maintenance required.  We share this concern and  want to protect the park, so don’t ride in areas where signs prohibit cycling.  SFUR would like to bring a  trail enhancement program to GGP which would  create better a trail  way finding  system for recreational users, and resurface more of the trails for sustainability.

In the meantime, SF Urban Riders wants you to ride on, and ride sustainably.  Remember the rules of the trail.  Remember you are part of a greater community, and you can be a bike ambassador every time you interact with someone on the trail.  Remember you can join us on Mount Sutro the first Saturday of every month to build and maintain  sustainable multi use trails.  Remember that none of us are perfect, we learn and grow at individual paces, and  we all slide out in a corner sometimes and need to put a foot down.  However, if we keep practicing it the right way over and over again, we all eventually ride the whole trail and leave nothing but  a positive  trace behind.