The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is the ONLY federal funding source for multi-use singletrack trails.
RTP is in grave danger in both chambers of the U.S. Congress. This week, both the House and Senate are expected to vote on their respective transportation bills.  Speak up for Trails today!  More info here:
http://www.imba.com/alert/urge-your-senator-vote-yes-save-rtp 

The trails are shaping up nicely, but there is work left to do so we've added more workdays to the Event Calendar. Come out and help us build the first offical MTB trails in Athens, GA. Bring a water bottle and gloves if you have 'em and meet at the EACP Trail Creek entrance. The workdays are all on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.:
- 2/12/12
- 3/4/12
- 3/18/12
- 4/1/12
- 4/15/12
- 4/29/12

Don't forget about the Southeast Bike Expo February 25-26, 2012.  They have recently announced that camping will be allowed for an additional $25 camping fee. This is the inaugural year of this event. The  goal is to educate the consumer about new and upcoming products. There will be at least 30 exhibitors and attendees will have a chance to demo a variety of new products. The event will take place at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, which is the site of the 1996 Olympic Mountain Bike cross-country course. This gives you the opportunity to use onsite world-class MTB trails. There will also be an area for road bike demos.  Best of all, all profits will be donated to IMBA/SORBA. Register here.

Want to learn how to build sustainable multi-use trails and get a Crew Leader Certification? Attend the three day Georgia Trail School Course taught by Georgia Trails Education Specialist Walt Bready at Gainesville State College. The January session starts this weekend (21st, 22nd, and 28th). There will be another session in March (17th, 18th and 24th).  The cost is $75 for all three sessions (Trail Design and Layout, Trail Construction and Maintenance, and Crew Leader Training) or $25 for a single session.  Enroll at the GSC Website.    

The EACP workday on the MLK Jr. Day of Service went really well. We had around 15 volunteers who helped clear the corridor of a new section of what will eventually be the lower loop. We also picked up trash and pulled some privet. Thanks to all of the volunteers who made it out, to Sunshine Cycles for donating some great prizes that were given away to a few lucky volunteers at the end of the day, and to Jamie Wiedeman for donating several tools for trail work. We now have the corridor cleared on more than a mile of trail and hope to open some of it in the coming months. A lot of progress has been made, but there is still much work to do. Check our Event Calendar for the workday schedule. The next workday is Sunday January 29th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.   

Monday 1/16/12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  We'll be clearing the trail corridor, removing trash, and pulling privet. This workday is part of Hands on North East Georgia's MLK Jr. Day of Service.  Sign up here:
MLK Jr. Day of Service  

This is the inaugural year of this event. The  goal is to educate the consumer about new and upcoming products. There will be at least 30 exhibitors and attendees will have a chance to demo a variety of new products. The event will take place at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, which is the site of the 1996 Olympic Mountain Bike cross-country course. This gives you the opportunity to use onsite world-class MTB trails. There will also be an area for road bike demos.  Best of all, all profits will be donated to IMBA/SORBA.  Sign up online for just $20:
     
http://sebikex.com/ 

Event Hours
February 25th 10:00am – 4:30pm and 6:00pm – 9:00pm (night light testing)
February 26th 10:00am – 4:00pm

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has scheduled two public meetings to discuss proposed mountain bike trail fees at three state parks. DNR officials are considering charging a $2 fee (or $25 annual trail pass) in addition to the normal daily fees and annual passes at Fort Yargo, Hard Labor Creek and Unicoi state parks to help offset operational and maintenance costs.  Read the proposal here.  This is your chance to give your input. The meetings are scheduled for:

• January 9, 7 p.m. at Ft. Yargo State Park in Winder. Camp Will-A-Way’s gymnasium.

• January 11, 7 p.m. at Unicoi State Park in Helen. Logo Meeting Room at the lodge

GA DNR has opened the comment period. They are accepting public
comments at Director.GSPHS@dnr.state.ga.us until January, 20, 2012.
Please copy comments@sorba.org on your email. 

That's right, Heritage Park is once again open for business.  Thank you to the 30+ volunteers who came out today. We had a great workday. The trail has been cleared and new signs, markers, and maps were added to make it easier to find your way around.  Blue circles for MTB,  orange squares for horses, and green triangles for joint use.  Go check it out.  [PHOTOS]

This workday has been cancelled. 
[Driving Directions]