Hi SECT NEMBA Members!

2020 has been a long year and it’s been a long time since we’ve heard from all of you! I hope this note finds you and your families well and that you’ve been able to get out and enjoy the trails this year. We miss you all and the fun group rides we used to do each year! Due to circumstances, we are unable to have group activities this year, but still want to stay in touch with you and stay connected as a community.

With less daylight and dropping temperatures, sometimes it can be challenging to stay motivated and get out and ride all the places we enjoy so much. So to keep the motivation going, we’ll be running a fun challenge in December -

Challenge:

• Ride or hike different places in the Southeastern Connecticut region from Dec 1 - Dec 31 (areas listed below).

• Submit your ride/hike using this entry form.

• Share a picture and content to our SECT NEMBA Facebook page at @SECTNEMBA #sectnemba or on Instagram at @sectnemba #sectnemba related to these activities during December. Don’t forget to tag us!

  • Suggested content for posts: Tell us about your ride! Where did you go? Have you been there before? What did you like about the location?

For each unique area in Southeastern Connecticut that you ride/hike and submit, you will be entered into our holiday swag giveaway. If you ride 2 unique places, you will get 2 entries into the giveaway, and so on.

• Renewing your NEMBA membership for 2021 or becoming a new member of NEMBA, will also get you one entry.

• You must be a member of SECT NEMBA for your entry to be accepted.

• Please sign NEMBA’s once-a-year ride waiver if you haven’t already done so.

In January 2021, we will select 3 (or more!) members to receive some awesome swag from Wayfarer Bicycle, Cycling Concepts, Airline Cycles, Specialized, Voler Apparel and DeFeet.

We will make arrangements with you for delivery of prizes if you win. Winners will be announced on our SECT NEMBA Facebook & Instagram Page (unless of course you ask us not to release your name, we’ll check with you first).

Looking forward to seeing your awesome rides and adventures in December! Please reach out if you have any questions, and happy riding!

Things to note:

• Trail conditions - we do not encourage riding trail systems in inclement weather. If heavy rain is or has occurred in a 24 - 48 hour period, we will not accept the entry. If trails have had a deep freeze and then thawed causing there to be a lot of mud, we will also not accept entries.

• Please follow all the rules of the areas you choose to ride and maintain good trail etiquette.

• Please wear a face covering when near people. NEMBA COVID-19 guidelines.

• Please ride responsibly.

• Have fun!

SECT Mountain Bike Areas Include:

• Airline Trail

• Bluff Point State Park, Groton

• Candlewood Ridge Preserve, Groton

• Candlewood Hill Wildlife Management Area, Groton

• Day Pond, Colchester

• Darling Road Preserve, Salem

• Eight Mile River Watershed (mountain bike approved areas)

• Goodwin Trail, East Lyme - East Haddam

• Grayville Falls, Hebron

• Haley Farm, Groton

• Hartman Park, Lyme

• Hurd Park, East Hampton

• Johnston Preserve, Lyme

• Merritt Family Forest, Groton

• Mooween State Park, Lebanon

• Mount Archer Woods, Lyme

• Nehantic State Forest, Lyme

• Oswegatchie Hills, Niantic

• Pachaug State Forest, Voluntown

• Rocky Neck State Park, East Lyme

• Salmon River, Comstock Bridge, Colchester

• Sheep Farm Preserve, Groton

• Tilcon

ENTRY FORM

  Read more about SE CT NEMBA December Challenge

Housatonic Valley Ride Five Parks for Five Miles Challenge

Hi all, we could not have our usual holiday party and /or rides, so we are bringing this do your own ride series.

Check out each of five parks, ride a minimum five miles in each, and make a donation to the HVNEMBA chapter to help us further our trail building and maintenance efforts.

Post your rides on FB. You have a month to ride them all. 

This challenge runs from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15. 

Five trail systems are: Waldo in Southbury, Rockhouse in Oxford, Quillinan in Seymour, Upper Paugussett in Newtown, and Trolley in Woodbury.  All Trail Systems are on Trailforks. 
Donations can be made via pay pal to HVNEMBA@gmail.com or via Trail Karma on Trailforks. 

For any other info , please contact Paula Burton peburton@aol.com

   Be sure to sign NEMBA's annual ride waiver if you haven't already done so.

  Read more about HV NEMBA Challenge

HV NEMBA New Trail Build at Trolly Trails

The event is Sunday November 22nd starting at 9am in Woodbury, CT.

We will be working on the Trolley Trails. This is still Trolley property but there is no trail on this parcel so it will be all new trails.

We'll meet on Tuttle Road.

Be sure to bring some kind of a face covering for when you're close to others.

Leader is Bill Lake. Contact him for more details, including directions to the starting location.

Save time by signing NEMBA's once-a-year Trail Care Waiver ahead of time.

  Read more about HV NEMBA Trail Care Day @ Trolley Trails

HV NEMBA & Woodbury Trolley Trail Grand Opening

On June 6 the town of Woodbury wants to hold a grand opening of the Trolley Trails.

The event will be on the same day as Connecticut Trail Day which is supposed to be a celebration oftrails in CT.

We will start with a beginner and kids ride with a ride leader at 9:00.T

hen we will have a 10:00 intermediate ride that will be all of Trolley trails and then we will go to Whitamore Sanctuary trails on the full white loop.

The town of Woodbury will be handing out maps that day and there may be a bike demo too.

   More details will be forthcoming as we get closer to the event.  Stay Tuned.

Note:  You Can save time by signing NEMBA's once-a-year Annual Ride Waiver ahead of time if you haven't already done so. Read more about HV NEMBA Trolley Trail Grand Opening

TRAIL WORK AT DIVIDEND POND, SATURDAY MARCH 7.

The Town of Rocky Hill has graciously given us permission to build singletrack at Dividend Pond, a local recreational park with hiking trails.

The end goal is to build a total of 1.5 - 2 miles of fun, flowy singletrack.

The terrain in the area we are building in is reminiscent of the rolling terrain at River Highlands. For this session, we hope to make headway on a half mile portion of the trail.

Please bring a rake if you have one.

Wear sturdy shoes or boots, and bring water and a snack.

    Also, make sure you have signed the once a year Trail Care Waiver.

We will meet on Pleasant Valley Road, along Dividend Brook in Rocky Hill for 9:00 a.m.

  Read more about Central CT NEMBA Trail Day @ Dividend Pond

HV NEMBA Waldo Trail Maintenance

Housatonic Valley NEMBA will be hosting a trail day at George Waldo State Park on Sunday 12/13 starting at 9:00 AM.

Waldo moving dirt and maybe making some jumps rescheduled to Sun Dec 13. 

However Pre- Registration required. Contact me for more details and the starting location.

Bring shovels, buckets and if anyone has an extra wheelbarrow, that would be helpful. Bring gloves, water, and snacks.

Wear a mask.

Paula Burton 203-733-2963 or .

We are very fortunate to be able to get outside and acomplish things this late in the year.

So let's enjoy it while we can.

Thanks!

Paula

   Oh! Save time by signing NEMBA's once a year Ride & Trail Care Waivers ahead of time if you haven't already done so.

  Read more about HV NEMBA Trail Day @ Waldo

Due to the Covid-19 crisis this even has been cancelled.  It may be rescheduled later in the year.

HV NEMBA Trail School

This Trail School is presented by the Housatonic Valley Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association, Western Council of Governments and Flanders Nature Center. It will be held at the Nature Center which is located at 596 Flander Rd in Woodbury.

   While this is listed as an HV NEMBA event it is not limited to HV NEMBA members. 

To sign up go HERE!

This one day course is perfect for riders, trail enthusiasts, land stewards and land managers interested in learning about what makes for sustainable, enjoyable multi -use trails and how to take care of them.

The course will include classroom presentations on the best practices of trail design, building and maintenance in the morning at the Flanders Nature Center and after lunch we will head outside for hands-on practice.

Coffee, snacks and lunch will be included.

The cost is $20.

The clinic will run from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, and there may be an optional group ride after.

Bring work gloves, sturdy shoes, and water bottle.

We will supply tools.

   Save time by signing NEMBA's once-a-year Trail Care Waiver ahead of time.

  Read more about HV NEMBA Trail School