2015 CRAMBA Bike Patrol Year in review
The Clinton River Mountain Bike Association’s (CRAMBA) National Mountain Bike Patrol continues to grow and provide a great service for all trail users in Southeast Michigan.The mission of the CRAMBA Bike Patrol is to Assist, Educate and Inform mountain bikers and other trail users in safe, responsible and respectful use of bike trails and parks. This is accomplished through volunteers “patrolling” local trail systems. The CRAMBA Bike Patrol is not an enforcement agency, yet we Assist all trail users in times of need, Educate users of proper “rules of the trail” and Inform land managers and officials of conditions and concerns of the trails.
CRAMBA Bike Patrol has significantly grown since its inaugural year in 2013. Over the last 3 years our numbers of patrollers increased, our working relationship with land managers and trail users are improving and many people are recognizing what the Bike Patrol provides.In 2015 we started off strong by extending our patrol season to all year. With the increase of fat bikes, more and more patrollers are out on the trails throughout winter as well. CRAMBA Bike Patrol also improved by hosting two new patroller orientations and training sessions. The training sessions included First Aid/CPR, trail etiquette, trailside maintenance, conflict resolution and Land Manager relations.37 active CRAMBA patrollers put in a remarkable 2919.86 hours of volunteer time in 2015 from 1087 logged patrols! They also logged more than 14,000 miles of trails patrolled. Log reports showed trail assistance provided anything from providing maps and directions all the way to stabilizing efforts, 911 activation and patient transfer to local EMS. All of this is provided free of charge, by volunteers.Also, in September, the National Director of the IMBA-National Mountain Bike Patrol in Boulder, Colorado flew out to meet with CRAMBA Patrollers and film a promotional video for the Bike Patrol. Several CRAMBA patrollers participated in the video that helps explain what the Bike Patrol is and what we provide. The video can be seen on YouTube at https://youtu.be/negBTR1m4wc . This was a great honor for our group to be featured and highlighted on the national level.
The group is planning for training in the spring of 2016 to add to our wonderful group of volunteers. For information about requirements and basic program overview, please go to CRAMBA-IMBA’s Mountain Bike Patrol page. If you are interested in joining or have any questions, please send an email to bikepatrol@cramba.org. This is a great opportunity for you if like to ride and like to help others.
| Total hours | Total miles (est.) | Total impressions (est.) | |
| 2919.86 | 14306.23 | 43069.5 | |
| Impressions are defined as individuals who were seen observing the presence of a Bike Patroller | |||
| CRAMBA Trail | hours | miles | impressions |
| Addison Oaks | 350.75 | 1344.26 | 5138 |
| Bald Mountain | 138.25 | 611.8 | 907 |
| Bloomer | 136.5 | 577.3 | 907 |
| Clinton River Park Trails | 220.75 | 1533.17 | 3812 |
| Clinton River Trail (rail-trail) | 27 | 266 | 272 |
| Holdridge State | 34.5 | 121 | 153 |
| Macomb Orchard Trail | 35.1 | 343.7 | 344 |
| Metro Parkway Trail | 35 | 99.2 | 152 |
| Orion oaks | 10 | 69 | 33 |
| Paint Creek Trail | 80.35 | 650 | 1604 |
| Polly Ann Trail | 15 | 110 | 140 |
| Pontiac Lake State Rec | 57 | 264 | 292 |
| River Bends | 568.25 | 2736.88 | 5415.5 |
| Ruby Trails | 12 | 54 | 74 |
| Seven lakes | 1 | 7.5 | 3 |
| Stony Creek Metropark | 644.05 | 3346.52 | 14992 |
| Other Trails | hours | miles | impressions |
| 54 other trails | 554.36 | 2171.9 | 8831 |
Thank you,Jeremy VerbekeCRAMBA Bike Patrol Director
December 2015 Board Meeting
December board meeting minutes can be found here: December minutes
CRAMBA-IMBA January 2016 Chapter Meeting
While we can't change the fact that it's winter, we can at least bring you a smile by inviting you to our first chapter meeting of the new year!We have state level updates, membership updates and some other good stuff to talk about. We will also introduce our (mostly) new board! Hopefully they show up! Since biking and beer go well, we'll be at Rochester Mills Beer Company, January 12. Meeting starts at 7 PM.For those of you who have not heard of Google search and maps (hee hee), the address is:400 Water St Rochester, MI 48307See you there!Click here for the Facebook page event: CRAMBA January Membership meeting Facebook link
November 2015 Board Meeting
Minutes from the November CRAMBA Board meeting.CRAMBA Board Meeting 11-19-2015
October 2015 Board Meeting
The minutes from our October Board Meeting can be found here:CRAMBA Board Meeting Minutes 10-20-15
Bald Mountain Trail Day Recap: October 25, 2015
This past Sunday, October 25th, CRAMBA volunteers met up with Paul Majchrowski, the Lead Worker for Bald Mountain Recreation Area, for another successful trail day. For years the segment of trail located between along Predmore Roads and Carpenter Lake on the Orange Loop of the North Unit between markers 13 and 14 (map) has been muddy and frequently impassible. The section downslope from what's commonly referred to as The Ranger's House (a DNR-owned house) was one of the worst spots.By 
clearing deadfall and reusing and improving existing, casually-created trails we were able to move the trail 3-6 feet above the wet area, establishing a route that should remain dry year-round. This will benefit all trail users including mountain bikers, hikers, runners, skiers, and dog walkers.While a few other wet spots remain, by working in partnership with the DNR, CRAMBA volunteers like you have fixed numerous problem areas, helping to make the trails at Bald Mountain better than ever.In additional to Paul, Adam Lepp, and the rest of the DNR staff at Bald Mountain, we would like to thank all the volunteers who showed up and worked to make our trails better:Tony McGee, Todd Parkinson, Kristen Barry, Jeremy Kozak, Paul Culbertson, Dave Jackson, Scott Cervin, Konrad Kucharski, Steve Vigneau, Dan Blodgett, Deanna Velasco, Rodney Gullett, and Mark Senyk.Thank you everyone! See you on the trails!(An album of photos taken by Kristen Barry, CRAMBA Treasurer, can be found here.)
¡Ay CRAMBA It's Cold Out! Fat Bike/Snow Bike festival January 31st 2016
Noon-5pm January 31st 2016https://www.facebook.com/events/1031674640210310/
Please join CRAMBA-IMBA for ¡Ay CRAMBA It's Cold Out!, a celebration of cold weather riding at Shelby Township's River Bends Park. Come on out and join us for a group ride, fatbike demos, hot bonfires, chili, and tasty beverages. Please feel free to bring food, snacks, and/or drinks to share.
Fat bikes or normal mountain bikes, everyone is welcome!
September 2015 Chapter Meeting and Election Minutes
The September Chapter Meeting minutes, with Board Election results can be found here:CRAMBA September Chapter Meeting 2015Thanks for all who attended and especially those who stepped up to form the new board!
Massive Fallout: September 26th 2015!!
Massive Fallout: September 26th, 2015
Massive Fallout is a large-scale group ride organized by the volunteers of the Clinton River Area Mountain Bike Association (CRAMBA-IMBA).The ride features four prominent trails in Macomb and Oakland Counties: Stony Creek, Bald Mountain, Addison Oaks, and Bloomer. These trails are all connected via a series of safe roads, paths, and rail trails creating a fun, flexible ride. Whether you’re a beginner or expert, the ride can be configured to your experience level and desired length. The total estimated mileage is roughly 50-60 miles including Bloomer.All trails and routes will be marked clearly. Maps will be handed out during starting hours. Join us for the mass start to be part of one of the largest mountain bike group rides in Southeast Michigan.This ride is a CRAMBA event and will be insured under the CRAMBA group event policy. SAG support and aid stations will be available during the ride should you need help or fuel and we will be working closely with area bike shops to provide the best support possible to all that attend. T-Shirts will be available for sale the day of the ride. All proceeds from T-Shirt sales will go to CRAMBA.Starting Hours: 8:00am – 10:00am, with a 10:00am mass start!Start Location: Stony Creek Metro Park – West Branch Picnic Area CRide Cost: Free! (purchase of Stony Creek Metropark day pass may be required)GPS routes:Stony to Addison Aid Station: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10192645Addison to Stony (no Bloomer): http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10193210Addison to Stony (easy route): http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10192933Turn-by-turn directions:Stony, Bald Mountain, and Addison: http://utabintarbo.com/files/MFORidingDirections2015.pdfBloomer "add-on": http://utabintarbo.com/…/MFORidingDirections2015-Bloomer.pdfMap (Classic): Massive Fallout Map (Classic)
Addison Oaks Fall Classic XC Race THIS WEEKEND!!
Just less than 48 hours left to register online for the Addison Oaks Fall Classic.Expert/Elite waves start going off at 10:00AMSport waves start going off at 12:30PMBeginner waves start going off at 2:00PMDay of registration is open till 30 minutes before the first wave of a category goes off, but you can save yourself the time and hassle of registering the of the race AND save $5 over day of rates by preregistration today.We'll be grilling up burgers, dogs and brats, free for the racers, starting around noon. Of course, food is available for everyone attending, but we ask that you help us out with a donation for non-racers.The weather looks to be nice a cool, a welcome change after the heat wave of Labor Day weekend. The weatherman says that it looks like it'll be a clear day, so conditions will be perfect for the race. Pauly and Oakland County Parks have been working to make sure that the course and park are ready and perfect for us, so sign up today and we'll see you on SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!!!https://www.bikereg.com/addison-oaks-fall-classic-cramba-benefit-race
May and June 2015 Board Meeting
It's been a busy couple of months! Just getting caught up on old minutes...See them here:CRAMBA Board Meeting Minutes 5-21-15CRAMBA Board Meeting Minutes 6-25-15
July 2015 Chapter Meeting
For those who couldn't make the Group Ride / Meeting at Stony Creek last week, here are the minutes from the meeting.CRAMBA July Chapter Meeting 2015
July Chapter Meeting at Stony Creek
July 8th at Stony Creek Metropark.https://www.facebook.com/events/404423869731764/This will be our third quarterly meeting of 2015. For a change of pace, this will NOT be held at our normal location, but will be held at Stony Creek Metropark. Beginning at 5:30PM, there will be rides heading out from the West Branch C Lot pavilion. If you can't make it at 5:30, that's fine, we'll be riding till 7:30PM.At 7:30PM, we'll meet at the pavilion for a quick meeting, talking about what is going on in the chapter and future plans, and then we can socialize with some food off the grill and some beverages.We hope getting the meeting outside, and combining it with some food off the grill and some riding will get some new people out the ride, and give us a chance to hang out and hopefully ride some new faces. If you aren't familiar with Stony Creek, this is a perfect time Please note that to drive into the park, you need an 2015 Metropark pass, or will need to pay a $7 daily fee at the gate.
CRAMBA Mountain Bike Patrol orientation May 30th
Our next scheduled New Patroller Orientation is scheduled for May 30th 10am at Shelby Twp Fire Station #1.Located at 6345 23 Mile Rd, Shelby Twp, MI 48316 Enter the West entrance.Training will last 2ish hours. At 1pm there will be a group ride at River Bends Park. This will co-inside with a beginner/novice group ride.Please bring your bike, helmet and any medical training you have to the training.If you have any questions please ask, otherwise we will see you Saturday May 30th. Please share this email with anyone else you think might be interested.Please RSVP by email bikepatrol@cramba.org or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/982835151734830/
Bald Mountain North Unit Trail Day
Bald Mountain Recreation Area, North Unit, has long been a local favorite trail featuring smooth, flowing, open routes and beautiful views. Unfortunately, it also has some low-laying muddy areas. On Saturday, May 9th, 2015, a CRAMBA-IMBA-led group of volunteers worked with the Michigan DNR to repair one of the worst and most visible problem spots. Just south of the main parking area at Harmon and Predmore roads (map) the old, collapsed drainage and unofficial patches were removed and replaced with a french drain system, raising the trail surface above the water table.
The image to the right shows how it looked before the work was done.With 18 volunteers representing CRAMBA-IMBA, Metro Detroit Mountain Bikers, and the Friends of Bald Mountain Recreation Area, 90 volunteer-hours were worked, totaling $2066.40 in volunteer time† donated.This was CRAMBA-IMBA's first trail day working with the DNR at Bald Mountain and what we hope to be the start of a growing relationship that'll enhance the mountain biking opportunities throughout the park.Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help with the work: Matt and Karen Koneda, Mike Hartrick, Drew Williams, Kristen Barry, Scott Mackela, Rodney Gullett, Deanna Velasco, Lisa Apone, Mark Senyk, Pete Kresmery, Carl Moody, Steve Vigneau, Mike Webb, Konrad Kucharski, Chris Westerlund, Max Larroquette, and David Jackson.Particular thanks to:
- Adam Lepp and Paul Majchrowski, Michigan DNR at Bald Mountain Recreation Area, who arranged for the materials and with whom CRAMBA-IMBA has been working closely.
- Lisa Apone and Mike Webb for bringing both a vibrating compactor to pack the trail surface and pizza and water for hungry workers.
- Rodney Gullett and Deanna Velasco for getting mid-day food that kept our volunteers going.
- Pete Kresmery and Mark Senyk for bringing small tractors and trailers used to move the repair materials.
More photos from before, during and after the trail day can be found here. Thank you to Jeremy Verbeke, Lisa Apone, Kristen Barry, and Max Larroquette for getting pictures of the work in progress.† https://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time (2014 value)
April 2015 Chapter and Board meeting minutes
Please see here for the April Chapter Meeting minutes:CRAMBA April Chapter Meeting 2015And here for the April Board Meeting minutes:CRAMBA Board Meeting Minutes 4-16-15Thank you!
CRAMBA Bike Patrol is recruiting for 2015!
Do you enjoy mountain biking in Michigan? Are you that person who always wants to help others? Always prepared? Want to get more involved with bettering the sport? Then the National Mountain Bike Patrol may be for you!WhenFirst Training is April 18th in Shelby Township. Contact bikepatrol@cramba.org for more information. Who Is IMBA National Mountain Bike Patrol?The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) NMBP exists as a non‐profit entity to maintain and develop mountain biking trail access, support relationships with land managers, and promote responsible mountain biking and outdoor recreation in Michigan.
What is the National Mountain Bike Patrol?A chapter of the National Mountain Bike Patrol is a volunteer mountain bike organization dedicated to promoting responsible riding and trail use on our public lands, providing assistance and education to trail users, and participating in this mission by riding our bikes. Our patrollers ride designated Township, City, County, State and U.S. Forest Service trails and provide simple, helpful assistance (such as giving directions to trail users, helping with minor mountain bike repairs, and educating riders about the rules of the trail). Patrollers report patrol activity via an easy web form after completing their rides.Our MissionThe mission of the Mountain Bike Patrol boils down to:
- Assist in medical and mechanical emergencies
- Educate trail users of proper etiquette
- Inform land managers, land owners and trail users of trail conditions through monitoring efforts
- Work with land managers to maintain and/or gain trail access for mountain bikers
- Offer volunteer services at outdoor races and events
If you are interested in joining or have questions please contact:Jeremy VerbekeCRAMBA Mountain Bike Patrol DirectorBikepatrol@cramba.org
January 2015 Board Meeting
The minutes from our January 2015 Board meeting can be read here:CRAMBA Board Meeting Minutes 1-22-15
Addison Oaks Groomed Fat Bike Route and Map
We just heard from Addison Oaks that the groomed fat bike route is a go! Working with Oakland County Parks and Recreation, CRAMBA-IMBA suggested a machine-groomable route through the park, and Addison Oaks has put it in place!Click here to download a map of the route which starts at the main parking lot. Please let us or the park know how you like the route!See you out there!