Cuyuna Park trails - a timeframe?

[SuperClydesdale]

Well, our nitwit president just signed the new transportation bill which included $700,000 for bicycle and pedestrian trails in the Cuyuna Recreation Area. Now that the funding has been approved, what is the timeframe for getting this area up and running? Tim? Erik?

Thanks
Mark

[Oddbjorn]

I have the same question. I'm ready to volunteer to help out.

[sroberts_3@charter.net]

I live up here and bike the trails almost daily. I know they just got done paving a section of trail from the Croft Mine to Riverton. My understanding is that now there will be trails built off this trail. I also am interested in helping to build trails. Most of them are already cut pretty good. They just need mapping and the boundaries defined. Much of the trails are snowmobile trails in the winter. Grew up here and when we were kids the pits were good party spots, now they are really a haven for bikes, but relatively undiscovered. If anyone is up here on a weekend and wants to ride, I know the trails pretty well. I'll leave my card at "Canoe, Path, and Paddle" in Crosby if you want to look me up, I'm always looking for a partner to bike with. Happy trails.

[Tim Wegner]

Nice to see some interest in this area. First off no work can commence before the money is released. Once the money is released this fall I can't spend any of it until I find the 20% match. That means I have to find about $180,000 in the next 5 years. The money is released at about a rate of 20% per year, so roughly $140,000 per year can be spent on trails.

My plan is to build between 40 and 50 miles of multi-use trails. The trails will be built to IMBA standards. That means we will be building on the sideslope of the spoil piles and will be abandoning most of the old trails since they are either fall line trails or built on the flat part of the terrain. All trails will be single track trails with ALL levels of challenge built into the trail system. This system will be a stacked loop system meaning the easier trails will be near the paved trail and the further you get into the system the more difficult the challenge of the trail will become.

I know the cost of the finished trails will be around $14-15,000 per mile so if we build a 40 mile trail that will consume about $600,000 of the money. That leaves about $280,000 for signage as well as improvements to the campground facility, specifically the showers. If this is to become a true destination trail it needs to provide the basic services that a camper/biker needs in order to have a good time. My plan is to hire some of the trail building companies that I know have experience building to the specifications of sustainability. I have been assured by these companies that they can build about 10 miles in 30-45 days. So the trails will be built without a lot of volunteer assistance. Volunteers will be asked to maintain the trails throughout the year. Since this will be a major trail system exacting standards of construction MUST be followed in order to minimize maintenance needs.

Here are my challenges:
Finding the cash match
Convincing MNDOT that a trail does not need to be paved in order for it to be sustainable
Having enough time to coordinate all of this and still work my REAL job fulltime
Getting buyin from the local communties
Finding a sponsor to administer the cash preferably not MNDOT. If possible I would like state parks to administer this grant.
Finding volunteers to form a chapter of MORC and agree to maintain the trail.
Bringing a major EXTERRA type event to the area for trail running, mountain biking and swimming or kayak race.

Here are the usages that I forsee on these trails: birders, mountain bikers, hikers, trail runners, back country skiers, snowshoers.

I have 3 people that have agreed to help with the initial portion of getting this set up. I have also gotten e-mails from many people in the Brainerd Lakes area expressing support and encouragement. Right now I am meeting with DNR, State Parks and MNDOT to work out the detail of how this will all happen. I will continue to post here as progress or obstacles occur.

Oberstar and his office have offered incredible support and have said they would be willing to assist me in overcoming problems that might occur. I have to thank Representative Oberstar for his support in all of this. Oberstar along with his chief aid Bill Richard were instrumental in making this all happen. When I was in Washington DC this spring to lobby for this project they were the only delegation where I actually got to meet with the #1 guy. Oberstar gave me almost an hour of his time and pledged his support for this program. I readily admit I don't usually vote democrat but in this mans case I would support and vote for him if I lived in his district. I was impressed with his sincerity and support

I also have to thank MORC for its support with this project. They funded my trip to Washinton DC and IMBA made all my appointments with the elected officials. Thanks to Gary Sjoquist for his assistance when we were in Washington DC as he was my guide for getting around all those buildings.

Tim

[Oddbjorn]

Tim:

This is exciting. As I said before: count me in. I'll do whatever I can to help out.

[sroberts_3@charter.net]

Very exciting. Please count me in as someone who can help from this area. As I said, I use the park almost daily and have a group of guys up here who likely would be interested in coordinating any sort of help that you need when it comes time to build. I might put out feelers with some of the local bike shops as to some cash donations as well. Please keep me posted of any new activities. In terms helping out, don't hesitate to email me. I am new to the forum, but am very interested in making this a rideing destination.

shawn