What Greater Boston NEMBA is all about:
Meetings are held the first Monday of every month.
Go to www.gbnemba.org
for details. Contact GB NEMBA president,
Tim Post , 617-515-4812 for details.
The Greater
Boston area is a mecca for mountain bikes. We have some
of the best trails, greatest shops and best manufacturers
located right in our backyard. Like other mountain bike
meccas, such as Marin County, CA, we have also had our
share of controversy. NEMBA was born out of the need
for mountain bike advocacy in the Middlesex Fells. In
1987 mountain bike use on the trails in the Middlesex
Fells was threatened. NEMBA's early pioneers spoke up
on our behalf and were successful in keeping this area
open to mountain bike users. The Greater Boston Chapter
of NEMBA boasts the distinction of having the most members
but at the same time has the fewest trails and most
restrictions on trail use. This is precisely why it
is so important for NEMBA to have a presence in Greater
Boston. Our chapter is committed to maintaining a dialog
with the local land managers, other trail users and
fellow mountain bikers to ensure our access to trails
around Greater Boston.
Where we ride:
The major land resources used by mountain bike riders in the Greater Boston area are the Middlesex Fells, Lynn Woods, McLean / Rock Meadow / Met State, and Great Brook Farm State Park. Riders from the Greater Boston area also tend to spread out to other parks in eastern Massachusetts, and throughout New England.
What we do:
Greater Boston NEMBA has a number of different programs in which members can get involved. We host many trail maintenance events at Lynn Woods, the Middlesex Fells, Belmont Conservation land and Great Brook Farm SP. These trail maintenance days are part of the Merlin trail maintenance series. We schedule 12 events each year spread out from early spring to late fall. These events are the best way for people to get involved and meet people while giving back to the parks we love to visit. We also have park liaisons. These are members who are responsible for maintaining contact with the land managers in the parks. Being responsive to the land managers needs goes a long way toward maintaining our welcome status in the parks. We have lots of organized group rides. These vary from the relatively informal ride postings in "SingleTracks" or on the mtb-boston listserve to the more formal events such as the Mountain Bike Adventure Series. One of our most important functions is to disseminate information.
Our bicycle patrol, one of the
first in the country, is affiliated with IMBA's National
Mountain Bike Patrol. Called the New England Mountain
Bike Patrol, we can be found educating new riders about
trail etiquette or land managers about sustainable trail
building. The patrol is one of the best and most visible
resources we offer to land managers who are looking
to interface with the mountain biking public. These
trained volunteers patrol the trails at Lynn Woods,
the Middlesex Fells and Great Brook as ambassadors for
the sport with a mission to educate and assist anybody
in need. Lastly, we have regular chapter meetings, usually
scheduled for the first Monday of each month. All members
are welcome to attend, and to find out where the next
meeting is going to be held, contact our chapter president,
Tim Post.
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