www.rockymountaindirtriders.com
Autumn 2011
NEWS
Oct. meeting CANCELLED We’re just too busy riding and doing trail maintenance right now to meet. Check back in November.
Volunteer hrs. Rocky Mountain Dirt Riders members have logged approximately 4,000 hours of volunteer trailwork so far in 2011, putting us on target for 5,000 hours again this year. Wow!
IN THIS ISSUE: Trailwork update Racing Rider Profile
Aaron gets to work on Barwell Trail at McLean Creek using the club’s Trailblazer.
LITTLE MACHINE, BIG WORK RMDRA Trail Maintenance Director Aaron Bauer restores trails at McLean Creek using Morrison Trailblazer After spending last winter laboriously restoring a moribund Morrison Trailblazer from the ground up, Trail Maintenance Director Aaron Bauer put the little dynamo to work on Barwell Trail at McLean Creek Forest Land Use Zone over the summer. The reviews speak for themselves: “The Guided Rides gang made it out to Barwell and down the switchbacks and all I can say is WOW. They looked great, no signs of erosion or rutting . . . Kudos to Aaron and the mighty Trailblazer for this work.” -- Dobi “Awesome” -- Axel99
“That looks incredible, Aaron. Nice work.” -- Trailguy Bauer describes how the machine worked on its first real project since he restored the machine in his workshop. The modifications he made to the Trailblazer, like adding a rear hydraulic boom, were a definite plus: “The rear boom helps a ton to stabilize the machine when benching on steeper uphill slopes and keeps the machine from rocking backward. It also helps to get a better view of where you are working, as you can lift up the back end and level-off more.”
The work he was doing is all in the name of preserving and maintaining the trails on which we ride: “I did some blading on the way down the hill to trim up the trail. This works really well, as you have the weight of the machine working with you. I did add some cross drainage in several spots and pulled up the banks on downslopes to assist with drainage and prevent channelling.” The Trailblazer adds some serious punch to our trail-maintaining efforts. For more on its work in the woods, go to the MEMBERS FORUM and follow the thread down.
Signs, signs, everywhere signs
Alex (from left) Ken and Aaron check the SRD map for install locations.
Aaron expertly lashes two 8-foot-long steel signposts to the tailpipe mount on Zook’s bike. The posts are then towed to the install sites where they’re pounded into place. Rod has done an excellent HOW-TO-DO-THIS. Just follow the thread down.
After pounding in a post, Ken attaches the intersection number to it.
Page 2
Aaron (from left) Ken and Alex plug the location co-ordinates for intersection 212 into the GPS following an install at McLean.
SIGNS GOING UP AT MCLEAN CREEK Aaron, Rod, Ken, Alex and Co. have been busy pounding posts and installing intersection signs
Continuing with our summer tradition of earning our privilege to ride in Kananaskis Country and the Eastern Slopes, RMDRA members have been busy with other trailmaintenance endeavours outside of the awesome work Aaron Bauer is doing with our club’s Morrison Trailblazer. Not the least of which is the ongoing trail-intersection sign installations at McLean Creek Forest Land Use Zone. Aaron “Bark” Brassard has worked very hard on this Alberta Sustainable Resources and Development initiative to better chart the trails at McLean Creek for the SRD map. He’s organized several install days attended by guys like Ken, Rod, Alex, GDG530 and Marcel. So we’re making some GOOD PROGRESS. But, because the winter was so severe and the spring melt so robust, we were unable to get started until midsummer. So there’s still much to be done. To that end, we’re having a CLUB INSTALL/GUIDED RIDE on Saturday, Oct. 1 at
McLean. We’re meeting at Fisher East (5 km point) at 10 a.m. for some installing, riding and socializing -- BBQ and bevvies. So come on down!
GHOST/WAIPAROUS TRAILWORK It’s also happening in the Ghost. Thanks to the organizational efforts of Guided Rides Godfather Dallas Wyman, we’re doing two days of HEAVY LIFTING AND RESPONSIBLE RIDING at Fallen Timber, Ghost/Waiparous Forest Land Use Zone. These days are highly recommended because the riding out there is world-class, and we want to keep it that way.
LAND ADVOCACY RMDRA Land Advocacy Director Jamie Kromrey, past-president Mike Dobovich and Trail Maintenance Director Aaron Bauer have all been busy keeping up with the goings on at the GHOST WATERSHED ALLIANCE SOCIETY and OTHER GROUPS. We’ll have much more on what’s happening outside the woods in the next issue. Just know that if you’re not riding responsibly, you’re not helping. So let’s get out there and do it up right.
RMDRA NEWS
Racing The RMDRA Dirtier Moose X-Country race was yet another smokin’ good time out at Fallen Timber. Stop 6 in the Kermaxx Offroad Series saw hundreds of riders competing in several classes on various courses created by the RMDRA’s tireless course creators. The ususal suspects like DB, Dobi, Scott, Steve-O and Co. made sure there were challenges for all skill levels. On another racing note, club members had great success racing in the woods this summer. Guys like ThirtySeven, Hendrix13 and AJRJ have been schooling racers in their classes. For a look at the Kermaxx Offroad class winners go HERE and scroll down. For 2011 CEC results go HERE. Junior racers fly into the first turn before shooting into the woods at the 2011 RMDRA Dirtier Moose X-Country in August.
The Businesses that race with RMDRA CYCLE WORKS HIGH RIVER MOTORSPORTS SPINAL GUY VP RACING FUELS TWO SQUARE AUTO REPAIR MAVERICK DISTRIBUTING MOTOVAN A&E RACING and MARINE BLACKFOOT MOTORSPORTS BOW CYCLE GW CYCLE WORLD SEITZCO MOTORSPORTS EVOLUTION PLUMBING MRSI RMDRA NEWS
Race Director Sean Brenan waves his magic wand during the pre-race gathering. His magic worked; everyone had an awesome ride. Thanks also to all the race volunteers and sponsors who make this race great every year.
page 3
THE BUSINESSES THAT RIDE WITH THE RMDRA
TWO SQUARE AUTO REPAIR GERMAN CAR SPECIALISTS 403-571-3650
page 4
rmdra news
RIDER PROFILE: HOWARD LAWRENCE The lowdown Name Howard Lawrence “thirtyseven”
Congratulations, thirtyseven!
Game RMDRA Member 2011 CEC Vet Champion
Joined RMDRA In 2005
Rides 2011 KTM 250XC
First Rode A Honda CT90 in the mid-1970s
Places he rides Wherever they’re racing
Favourite tire Michelin M12, front Michelin S12, rear
Favourite machine Current ride
Currently on the iPod Everything from the Bulgarian Women’s Choir to AC/DC to Adele
Dream ride BOEING 787 DREAMLINER
When he’s not riding he’s A pilot
rmdra news
page 5
Autumn
2011
Zook had no idea what he was in for when he gave in to the dark side . . .
-- photo by Tim Bruce
GUIDED RIDES While the 2011 Guided Rides season has officially come to a close at McLean Creek, there is still a lot of riding and trailwork going on. Rookie Guided Rides Director Joe “Giant Joe” Franklin did a bang-up job this year organizing this popular and well-attended club activity. Thanks to all the ride-captains, guides and sweepers for their hard work on Wednesday nights this summer. Special thanks to Deb “Stretch” Gilbert for ramping-up our Ladies Guided Rides. The grrrrrrls were really flying. Check for Guided Ride photos HERE.
page 6
And, along with organizing this popular initiative in 2011, Giant Joe was also busy filming and producing some totally off-the-track videos for our enjoyment. The quality is pure pro. For instance, check out THIS MASTERPICE. Totally. Awesome. By bringing in guys like Giant Joe, Membership Director Marcel Brassard and Executive-at-Large Aaron Brassard, we’re only adding to an already deep pool of talent and enterprise. We’re really starting to go places because of people like this. Nice!
RMDRA NEWS conceived, designed, assembled, written and edited by club V-P Brendan Nagle. All material, except that credited to outside sources, is property of the RMDRA. Reproduction and redistribution of our stuff without our permission is a serious transgression and puts you at the top of our roost list.
rmdra news