April 2022

Rhode Island Chapter

New England Mountain Bike Association

April 2022 Meeting Agenda

RINEMBA April Meeting: 7:00 p.m. April 5, 2022 at Black Oak, Coventry and Zoom.

1.      Administration

a)      Election of Secretary:       -Open Vote. Dennis elected

b)      Member #, account $, etc              -Dennis to reach out to NEMBA for current membership numbers, $2000ish in bank. Approximately $200 spent for Woody Hill bridge

c)      Golden Volunteer is a (NEMBA) volunteer tracking and engagement platform. Chapters will enter all non-paid/free events (incl trail days, meetings, group rides).      -Who should be administrators of this? President? and Secretary?                 -Dennis and Mark will be the admins for the chapter. Alan to send info to them.

d)      Document store                 -Suggestion to set up Google Workspace for $75/year -Approved Dennis to set up. Does NEMAB already have something in place?

e)      General meeting discussion

1.      Frequency (monthly? quarterly?) Possible rotating meeting.            -We will try a rotating location. May meeting Adam to find location. Board votes to go hybrid going forward for all meetings.

2.      May meeting venue (in person, hybrid, remote, TBD), Hybrid.        -See above

f)       Board attendance -Alan, Shannon, Adam, Cyndi, Chris H, Peter G, Paul K, Chris P, Mark, Dennis, Peter H, Linda, Wayne

2.      Welcome to any newcomers.

3.      Comments/requests/concerns/questions/complaints from newcomers?        -None

4.      Meeting etiquette.

a)      Finish meetings in a reasonable time

b)      Keep on topic

c)      Finish meetings in a reasonable time

d)      No sidebars

e)      Finish meetings in a reasonable time

f)       Give everyone a chance

g)      Finish meetings in a reasonable time

h)      Please

5.      Browning Mill bridges. Waiting on President to cut lumber and schedule.   -Next section to be completed is immediately before the last boardwalk built.

6.      Diamond Hill trail cleanup. Event permit requested for 4/16. Not yet approved.   -Patrick Sullivan to lead. Rain date for 4/17

7.      Ryan Park. They are waiting for DEM to approve plans.

8.      Roger Williams Park. Scope identified. Waiting on President to flag.

9.      DEM:

a)      Maintenance MOU request. Nothing new.

b)      Night riding pilot.

1.      No problems reported

2.      Discuss in June meeting

Pilot ends on April 27th

-Glenn to resume Taco Tuesday rides at Woody Hill. Mello pace to be off DEM land by dark.

-Alan put in for request with DEM to bring back Thursday night (daylight) rides

c)      Trail re-route POC discussion... AMC. Waiting on President to get off his keister.        -No movement

d)      Special license for >75. Nothing new. Not in time for 5/15 Fun Ride.

e)      Big River. Permit approved to remove blockage near Burnt Sawmill. Bridge permit to follow.       -Alan to handle clearing of debris from current bridge

f)       Greasy Joe’s parking.        -There is a commercial enterprise moving into the property where Greasy Joes was. Loss of trail parking possible or even likely. Pete G has talked with water resources board on the issue. Alan is talking to DEM and pushing for new trail parking lot. Alan and Pete have sites in mind.

g)      NEMBA corporate partnering with People for Bike to study class 1 ebikes (no throttle) and their impact on trails. Alan reached out to DEM to try to be part of this. DEM willing to be part of study. Study mangers did not go with RI due to a bureaucratic stall.

10.  Beginner Clinic comments? (Chris P)            -Went really well. Everyone seems very excited and happy. Dennis to Bring free t-shirts for participants on final 4/10 event.

11.  Women’s Advanced Skills clinic (Chris N)                -Find a creative way to pay coaches using ALL the funds generated from the event. Possible donation on their behalf? Gift Certificates? Dennis to coordinate solutions with Chris N. Will there be a CoEd class in the future? It’s a possibility if Chris is willing to put it together.

12.  Ride area reps? (Mark S)

a)      Ryan Park? President has a person (incl Cocumcussoc) if no one else is anxious to take.          -Alan Has a person: Emily Guzas. Board vote yes for Emily.

13.  Emergency access for main riding areas.       - Do we want ride area reps to work on an Emergency access map? Glenn has prepared one for Woody with Dunn’s Corner Fire Dept already and will share it with the group. Conversation to continue next month.

14.  Glenn- Snake Den looks wildly different.  Trials are blazed out. A trial kiosk has been installed. Glenn and Dennis will see if any map edits need to be made on Trailforks

15.  Possible RINEMBA board member group ride at Snake Den this spring?

16.  Diamond Hill Fun Ride discussion.

a)      Map needed ASAP to submit permit.

b)      Limited to 75 people.

c)      Will be an event for advanced riders. Not typical XC route but a route focused on riders being able to session features.

d)      Do we need a police officer detail to cross the highway? How much will it cost? Dennis to do research.

e)      Where do the proceeds go? Can we give them to the town or parks dept?

f)       Jay S and Dennis to lead event.

g)      Are there insurance concerns regarding the advanced features?  Wayne- as long as we mark the features, advertise it as an ADVANCED riders only, and make sure everyone has signed the waiver we will be OK.

17.  Donation to Westerly Land Trusts to become partner? Board Votes Yes. $150 up to $200 to become Corporate Sponsor for WLT. Paul and Shannon to handle.

18.  First Aid training. Options:

a)      Do nothing

b)      Offer 10 hour (2x incl study) video course ~$81.            -Must complete in 60 days to qualify for onsite hands on event.

c)      Add hands-on to ????       -Possible

d)      Add IFAK to NEMBA members

e)      25 minutes on this topic with no firm resolution. Continue for further discussion.

19.  WLT MOU (Chris P/Paul K). On hold?         -MOU on hold due to trail issue in Glacier Preserve (Westerly) with mountain bikers opening braids. Waiting for issue to blow over before submitting MOU to board.

20.  Glacier Preserve Trail discussion.      -Great job Paul and Chris for diffusing situation with WLT.

21.  Any news from corporate?    - Next Quarterly meeting April 21srt.  

22.  New Business from board?

a)      Chris Hughes. Riders with e-motorcycle in Big River recently.

b)      Big River Cleanup- 4/23 Need to give conservation commission a $300 check. Who has trash hooks? Alan may have them. Meet at exit 6A @ 8:30 Free lunch at Tavern on the hill after.

c)      Rhody Rovers dates?

d)      Eastern state Cup Race 4/23-4/24 -Dennis to attend and run tent. Distribute shwag and sign-up new members.

e)      Woody Hill NEMBA trail grant proposal. Due April 15th. Final stages of preparing the application. Waiting on approval letter an insurance info with Westerly Land Trust

f)       1PVD Cycling has been granted permission by the city of Providence to build MTB trails in Merino Park. Trail this Saturday 4/9 at 9am. Dennis to attend.

g)      Former President John Sumner has NEMBA tools in storage. Dennis and Linda to coordinate pick up. Can be stored at Alan’s place.

For reference, 2022 event dates:

•        Diamond Hill Trail Day 4/16 - approved

•        Big River Cleanup 4/23

•        Arcadia Trial Day 5/7

•        Diamond Hill 5/15 (pending approval)

•        Arcadia 6/12 (pending approval)

•        Woody Hill 8/14 (pending approval)

•        Big River 9/11 (pending approval)

•        Lincoln Woods 11/13 (pending approval)