Mikes BikesOn July 19, thirty people showed up for our third Saturday ride on the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail. Mike's Bikes sent out a mechanic and provided juice and fruit to get the riders going. The smoke was creeping up the canyon, but at 8:30 the riders took off before it got too bad. There were 8 novice riders and around 20 intermediate riders. When everyone got back to the picnic tables I had sandwiches and cold drinks laid out. Everyone had a great time. Come out on the third Saturday of August and join us for the next Try the Divide.

Burned TrailBe careful when you come out of the culvert on your way down to the off road vehicle area of the Confluence. There was a fire there recently and the soil is now very loose from fire break efforts. It will harden up over the next couple of weeks as we compact it with repeated use.Burn2

THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to join FATRAC for a weekend of camping at Donner Lake state park, trailwork, and epic mountain bike rides in the Tahoe area between Friday August 8 and Sunday August 10.

Northern California mountain bike clubs including Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, (MBOSC), Bicyclists of Nevada County (BONC), Responsible Organized Mountain Peddlers (ROMP), and others have also reserved campsites and will be joining FATRAC for this weekend of fun and mayhem. A couple of clubs have even received commitments from their local breweries to support the weekend!

Fellow California Mountain Bikers, please go to the Advocacy page for details on the newly introduced State Wilderness legislation. As you know, mountain biking is prohibited in designated wilderness. IMBA California is carefully tracking this bill. For further details, check our Advocacy page. For an easy way to send in your comments, go to www.imba.com and click on the link under "Take Action." Takes seconds and your voice will be heard. Questions? Contact Jim Haagen-Smit, FATRAC Advocacy Coordinator. Thanks!!!

There is a new bill to propose new California State Wilderness including Henry Coe State Park. Please write your CA Assembly members, CA Senators and the sponsors of the legislation to modify the bill to either permit bikes in California Wilderness, or not designate these areas as Wilderness.

Assemblywoman Noreen Evans
Assembly District 7
Sate Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249-0007
Room 315
916-319-2007
Fax 916-319-2107
Also to the Bill's Co-Sponsor Senator Pat Wiggins
Second Senate District
Room 4081
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249-0007
916-651-4002

Patrick in Park CityFATRAC had five club members at the International Mountain Bike Association's World Summit in Park City, Utah on June 18-21. The conference was an opportunity to meet mountain bikers from all over the globe and share stories about trails and advocacy. It was exciting to see pictures and hear about opportunities and challenges that other riders are facing in far-flung parts of the planet.

TtDGroup On June 21, Sharp Bicycles sponsored the Try the Divide ride out at the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail. The mechanic set up shop and checked out bikes. One person was so grateful for the mechanic that he pulled out his accordion and serenaded the group! Stop by Sharp Bikes at 701 Pleasant Grove Blvd. Suite #190 or give them a call at (916) 797-8894 and thank them for their support for FATRAC and the local trails.

GB6/8 On June 8 the FATRAC Urban Assault Team attacked the trails at Granite Bay for another session of singletrack enjoyment. With very little bloodshed but lots of sweat, the riders enjoyed the trails with multiple options. We then retired to the local deli for some refueling and rehashing the thrashing we gave (and took) from the trail.

June 7, 2008, REI handed out the greatest technical tshirts emblazoned with "Get Dirty" to 57 hardy volunteers at our National Trails Day event at Hidden Falls Regional Park, Auburn!

I received a phone call from a rider just coming off the trail after a wonderful ride. The endorphins were still rushing through his system and he was experiencing that high that comes from great singletrack shared with good friends. He had called just to thank me for everything FATRAC is doing. He was appreciative of the ride leader who organized the ride and the ability to have such great trails so close to home. As president it made me proud of what FATRAC has accomplished and made me realize that there are probably a lot of people whose lives are made better by mountain biking. Click on the link below and leave a comment about what FATRAC has meant for you. We have all experienced the singletrack high before, take a moment and share that experience with us. Being able to push myself to my limit (and beyond) while enjoying some of the most beautiful countryside with good people is why I ride a mountain bike. How about you? Let us hear from you. What does FATRAC mean to you?