There was also the glorious moment of the planning commission revealing the data gathered from the last survey.  Another hearty thanks to everyone who took time to fill out the second survey.  Just look at these figures! The people have indeed spoken.

What’s that? Can’t read the text? Lets have a closer look.

So now we just need to keep pushing.  Within the hallowed halls of the great institution known as SFUR, which could easily be mistaken for a dive bar, we’re working to get a second draft of our bike park proposal submitted.  Then comes assurance that we can have a space to work with, then comes fundraising and building.  Then comes some sweet, sweet play time for you, me, and everyone who loves bike riding in the bay area, and many who do not yet know how much they (will) love it.

Many thanks, and if you have time, please fill out the second survey, located here.

Note that this survey is not as open ended as the first, and it is a little disappointing to not see any mention of a bike park within, especially given the results of the first survey.  Please take some time with the second survey to select the ‘other’ option and note how much you would appreciate a place for you and your children to ride bicycles off road in a structured environment.

We’re making progress on the McLaren Bike Park.  We’re gathering support and reviewing proposals to submit to the city.  Thanks to everyone who has already joined our McLaren Bike Park facebook page.  Thanks to everyone who has visited our new MBP page here on this site.  A very special thanks to everyone who signed our support petition and wrote a letter.

We’re also making a separate website just for this project.

Come by and visit us @ www.mclarenbikepark.org.

With enough voices, our momentum towards a bike park and mountain bike trails in McLaren and elsewhere will be unstoppable.  We really need everyone’s help to spread the word.  Tell people on facebook, tweet it out, send some emails, or just talk about it after your next big ride.

SF Urban Riders wants to be sure you know all the opportunities out there, whether it is to make/maintain trails or check out the meetings, and help you understand better the big old machine that is the San Francisco planning process.

So much going on, we don’t want you to get overwhelmed, we know you have busy lives, but we want you to know as much as we do about upcoming events, and why we think its important to go participate.

and with that (drum roll please)

We would like you to know about a Public Meeting about a space that is near and dear to our single-track lovin’ hearts -  Mt. Sutro.    The SF Rec & Park is proposing to reopen the section of the Interior Greenbelt that connects Sutro to the Stanyan St. Trailhead.   See the official flyer for a little more information.

Stanyan St. Trailhead -Interior Greenbelt Mtg – Public Notice 2-8-10

Why we think this is important – > This is about opening up an old trail and its entrance at Stanyan.  It is a route that anyone coming over from the Haight and East would be interested in and Rec & Park has said it would be multi-use.  This could be a beautiful new trailhead, with direct connection to our Mt. Sutro trails

And of course, its plain-ole important that we cyclists make a special effort to attend any meeting that is about trails in SF.

Grab a burrito on your way over, and enjoy the civic process.  If you can, think through why this trail is or would be important to you and yours, and speak up.  We always have to work to improve the public perception of who mountain cyclists are, so remember, you are helping represent, and we all appreciate it.

So there you go.  This Monday night, Feb 8, 2010.  from  6 to 8pm at Grattan Elementary.

But paperboys on the corner are a thing of time past, so we’ll have to do with spreading the news electronically that we’ve made some print news.   If you’re feeling a little strained from reading on a computer all day, head down to the local newsstand and pick up a copy of the SF Examiner.  They’ve put together a nice article in the 6/13/09 issue regarding our efforts and designs on bringing a mountain bike park to San Francisco’s McLaren.  You can see the electronic version here, or by clicking on the riders below

If you go by the digital article, we’d love to have you leave a supportive comment, as that’s one way we can demonstrate public support of the Bike Park plan.  I know I’m going to grab a paper copy for posterity, and perhaps the kitty’s litter box as well.  Or perhaps some arts and crafts.   Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you ’round the trails.

Click below to have a look at the proposed Mclaren Bicycle Skills Park!!!  Just as some folk can remember the days when San Francisco had no skate parks, one day people will strain to remember when McLaren Park wasn’t home to an amazing bicycle skills park.

Come out to our work party on National Trail Day, June 6th, from 9am-1pm at the Woods Lot @ Mt Sutro.  We’ll help you get your old shirt dirty while building some great trail, and you can buy a nice new SFUR shirt afterwards.   Or buy a new SFUR tee and roll in the dirt with it.  The choice is yours.

Not only did we have Jason and Inga, but lots of the folk who had attended the training and trail work on Saturday came along for the ride on Sunday. In total our group had 27 riders of good spirit and ability. 

We gathered at the Crocker Amazon skatepark. While we waited for the stragglers (you know who you are) we took a leisurely circuit on the Pilarcitos cyclocross course, stopping to take in the view of San Bruno Mountain where we would later be riding. Once we had the full crew we set off for the grind up South Hill Blvd. and then a circuit of lower San Bruno Mtn. County Park. We stopped off for a break and photo-op at a vista point looking north back at Crocker Amazon.

Coming out of the park, we crossed Guadalupe Canyon Parkway and took a nice bit of single track/fireroad back toward the Cow Palace. That short stretch took its toll on the hardware, with one broken frame and one flat tire. Fortunately, when you’re on bikes some kind of entertainment is always at hand. A long stretch of freestanding curb served as a skinny to challenge the waiting riders.

We finished the ride back to Crocker Amazon with a high speed pavement section down Carter Ave and then set off over to the adjacent McLaren Park. We followed a clockwise route around the park, first up to a vista point at the water tower, then on trails to the Jerry Garcia amphitheater, and then back up and over Mansell to the old BMX track. The track’s heyday was in the 1970 – 80’s. The big sweeping berms are still there, but long gone is any family activity which was so prevalent during its BMX days. 

As we pedaled north parallel to Mansell, we looked down on the web of singletrack that has built up over the years on the hillside above the Gleneagles golf course. It looks inviting, but we’re not headed that way today. Instead we continue on until the roadside trail pinches in at the quarry above the water tanks.

Here we found a secluded bicycle play spot with drop offs, some jumps and a few bermed turns. Not everyone was up for this sort of riding, but we soon had six or seven riders trying out the features. One of our woman riders (Becky) took the lead on a big drop, followed by some of the seasoned freeride hands and then several other riders slowly worked through the visualization process and took the plunge. One rider went a little too big on the lower hip jump and landed “off by inches”. The result was a bit dramatic, but after a careful inspection by a wilderness first aid responder in our group, he was back at it in no time.

From the quarry, we proceeded down a nice bit of singletrack to the main path and back over to Crocker Amazon. That was about it for the ride. It was great to share it with our friends.

It certainly won’t be the last day we get together to enjoy the flow, friendship, and beauty that comes from riding a bicycle through trails and trees.  Stay tuned to this site for mention of upcoming group rides and events.  Thanks to Ruedyshots for the keen eye and swift shutterfinger.

Saturday April 4th

Join SF Urban Riders as we join the International Mountain Bicycle Association’s (IMBA) trail crew, Jason Van Horn and Inga Beck as they lead a trail building workshop that includes a morning presentation followed by an afternoon of on trail experience.  We are proud to announce that Jim Jacobson (China Camp, Camp Tamarancho) and Zack Anderson (Forest Trails Alliance) will also be lending their knowledge to the project. We will be realigning the East Ridge Trail and adding THREE unique switchbacks to divert the original trail from sensitive habitat and mitigate steep elevation loss.

Don’t Miss Out – Register today!
http://go.imba.com/sanfran.

Food and refreshments will be provided all day.  Free food, free education, and working to make your world a better place.  Does free get any better?

Below this fine photo, you will find some well-honed event details, and as always, feel free to contact SFUR with any questions you may have.

DUE TO CONSTRUCTION: Remember to travel via Clarendon to Johnstone then down Medical Center Way.

Parking is available for volunteers only during scheduled activities.