Burke
10-26-2006, 09:53 AM
I personally don't see both A) what a half-dozen people from outstate would truly be able to offer MORC and 2) what MORC would be able to offer us…
I'm not a member because I feel that until morc grows outstate my dues would just be going to support metro trails.
I wanted to discuss a little further a couple comments that popped up in the MORC's Focus thread.
They both related to MORC and its outstate operations.
Starting with the context
MORC began in the south Metro. The founders lived in that area, and naturally, took on projects close to home. As those successes materialized, others in the close proximity got involved and began looking for other projects. Soon, we had things going on in the south, mid and east Metro.
At a point a couple years ago, we realized that we were having enough success in the Metro, that we could leverage that success and knowledge with other projects and groups outstate.
We made a commitment to becoming a statewide organization and began developing a chapter handbook. The idea behind becoming statewide is that a single recognizable group is going to be more successful than many localized groups trying to gain legitimacy on their own. It's a model that has worked in other states and regions, and is one that we feel will work well in Minnesota.
Since then, the most visible successes we have had are still in the Metro, but that's because we're 8 years into the "Metro Project" and only a little over a year into expanding our operations outstate.
MORC's Outstate Involvement
Grand Rapids
Were approached by the Grand Rapids mountain bike group about forming a club to build trail. Brandon Parr, Kurt Lange and I went up and visited with them and discussed their interests and protential projects. They have since formed the Mesabi Mountain Bikers chapter of MORC. We have assisted them with drafting a proposal to the county and city about mountain bike trail development. We are also sending Tim Wegner up to assist in laying out a singletrack proposal in November. Mesabi Mountain Bikers will be taking part in the annual MORC Strategic Planning Meeting this November, and will participate in MORC's budgeting process. They need tools to build trail, and will in all likelihood receive funding to purchase tools.
BLAST
MORC reached out to BLAST at last year's Strategic Planning Meeting and invited them to attend to help shape the direction of MORC's coming year. They took us up on the offer and helped plan last year's emphasis. Since then, they have become our third chapter and will be participating in the upcoming planning meeting and budgeting process. MORC (metro) is also devoting time to figuring out what is happening with Camp Manitou in the interest of preserving it as a mountain bike trail after any potential land owner changes take place.
Marshall
Two years ago, MORC was approached by a group in Marshall about developing trails in Camden State Park. We sent Erik Gerrits and Tim Wegner out to meet them and check out the park for potential. We were very impressed by the park and by the professional behavior of the group. We then invited them to attend the IMBA TCC visit at Steeplechase, which they took us up on. The assistant park manager also attended the TCC visit. Since then, we have been back to Marshall to give presentations to the mid level DNR managers about putting trail in and were successful in getting the approval for singletrack re-routes around eroding doubletrack while the master plan for a singletrack trail was being developed. The group in Marshall has a standing invite to become a chapter and to participate in the planning and budgeting process
MN Dept of Natural Resources (DNR) / State Parks
A couple years back, we approached the new director of the state parks system about putting in mountain bike singletrack trails in the state park system. He arranged a presentation where we spoke to him and some of his park managers. After the presentation, he said "we're doing mountain biking, and this is the group we're doing it with". Since then, we've had inquiries from various parks about putting in singletrack trail systems. We are still pursuing many of these inquiries.
The DNR is in the process of publishing a Natural Surfaces Trail Building Guidelines book. The book borrows heavily from IMBA's Trail Solutions, and includes 20+ pictures of features and stunts at Lebanon Hills as examples of how to build singletrack in MN State Parks. <---THIS IS HUGE--- I wager that in 5-10 years, we will have many state parks with singletrack trail systems in them.
Tim Wegner devotes a large portion of his advocacy efforts to making the relationship with the DNR work. When it's all comes to fruition, he'll be the one we can stop and thank.
Cuyuna State Recreation Area
This rec area outside of Brainerd is on the table because of the meeting we had with the director of state parks. It's a 5000 acre area with no real user group. They want mountain bikes in it. We have secured $600,000 in federal funds to build 30-40 miles of singletrack and build modern campgrounds with heated showers on site. We're trying, with IMBA's help, to track down $125,000 in matching funds needed for this to become a reality. If you've got any ideas, let us know...
Cuyuna Mountain Bikers
We have been approached by enthusiastic mountain bikers in the Cuyuna area about being the "on the ground" group that supports the Cuyuna SRA project, as well as other local mountain bike projects. We're still discussing things with them.
Steeplechase / Rochester Active Sports Club (RASC)
We partnered with RASC to bring IMBA to Steeplechase to put on an advanced trail school. We also had many MORC members go down to Steeplechase during the school to help build the downhill trail. Adam Buck spent considerable time after the school working on the trail.
We have discussed the future with RASC, and they will remain an affiliate of ours and are invited to attend and participate in our Strategic Planning Meetings.
Duluth
Adam Buck has spent many hours working with Spirit Mountain about developing the ski area as a lift assisted mountain bike destination. It's a project still in the works.
We have approached COGGS to see what their interest is in working closely together in developing more mountain bike opportunities in the Duluth area. They have not bothered to return any of the emails I've sent them.
Red Wing
I've chatted with Chris about MORC getting involved with the Red Wing group and chapter possibilities. He's been interested to continue the conversation, I've just dropped the ball in following up.
We also had a land owner approach us about 40 acres of property she had. She wanted MORC to develop it into a mountain bike trail system just outside of Red Wing. The Metro couldn't take her up on this opportunity because of the lack of members in the area that could take on this project and make it a long term success.
Minnesota Recreational Trail Users' Association (MRTUA)
MRTUA is the advisory board to the DNR that provides recommendations where the DNR should allocate it's $1.5m annual allocation in federal trail funds. MORC lobbied hard to get a seat in this board and two years ago we were successful in getting included. Since then, we have participated in the grant review process and allocated $75,000+ in funds to mountain bike projects. We have also taught the 9 other user groups that mowed doubletrack doesn't constitute "mountain bike trail".
The Future
Our future as an organization is to become the recognized voice of mountain biking throughout Minnesota. Land managers in the Metro are now approaching us about developing mountain bike trails in their parks. We used to have to fight tooth and nail to get in, now they're coming to us. This success can be spread throughout the state, and it will. We all need to participate. The Metro can't viably be the on-the-ground group that makes all outstate projects happen. We can assist as much as possible, and our shared voice and strength in numbers makes it all that much easier.
Your Input
We've tried including everyone in setting our direction. If we have missed a key area, speak up. We're not trying to be exclusive.
So I turn it back to the forum. Is this the right direction to be heading and how else can we support the development of mountain bike opportunities in the outstate region?
Scott
I'm not a member because I feel that until morc grows outstate my dues would just be going to support metro trails.
I wanted to discuss a little further a couple comments that popped up in the MORC's Focus thread.
They both related to MORC and its outstate operations.
Starting with the context
MORC began in the south Metro. The founders lived in that area, and naturally, took on projects close to home. As those successes materialized, others in the close proximity got involved and began looking for other projects. Soon, we had things going on in the south, mid and east Metro.
At a point a couple years ago, we realized that we were having enough success in the Metro, that we could leverage that success and knowledge with other projects and groups outstate.
We made a commitment to becoming a statewide organization and began developing a chapter handbook. The idea behind becoming statewide is that a single recognizable group is going to be more successful than many localized groups trying to gain legitimacy on their own. It's a model that has worked in other states and regions, and is one that we feel will work well in Minnesota.
Since then, the most visible successes we have had are still in the Metro, but that's because we're 8 years into the "Metro Project" and only a little over a year into expanding our operations outstate.
MORC's Outstate Involvement
Grand Rapids
Were approached by the Grand Rapids mountain bike group about forming a club to build trail. Brandon Parr, Kurt Lange and I went up and visited with them and discussed their interests and protential projects. They have since formed the Mesabi Mountain Bikers chapter of MORC. We have assisted them with drafting a proposal to the county and city about mountain bike trail development. We are also sending Tim Wegner up to assist in laying out a singletrack proposal in November. Mesabi Mountain Bikers will be taking part in the annual MORC Strategic Planning Meeting this November, and will participate in MORC's budgeting process. They need tools to build trail, and will in all likelihood receive funding to purchase tools.
BLAST
MORC reached out to BLAST at last year's Strategic Planning Meeting and invited them to attend to help shape the direction of MORC's coming year. They took us up on the offer and helped plan last year's emphasis. Since then, they have become our third chapter and will be participating in the upcoming planning meeting and budgeting process. MORC (metro) is also devoting time to figuring out what is happening with Camp Manitou in the interest of preserving it as a mountain bike trail after any potential land owner changes take place.
Marshall
Two years ago, MORC was approached by a group in Marshall about developing trails in Camden State Park. We sent Erik Gerrits and Tim Wegner out to meet them and check out the park for potential. We were very impressed by the park and by the professional behavior of the group. We then invited them to attend the IMBA TCC visit at Steeplechase, which they took us up on. The assistant park manager also attended the TCC visit. Since then, we have been back to Marshall to give presentations to the mid level DNR managers about putting trail in and were successful in getting the approval for singletrack re-routes around eroding doubletrack while the master plan for a singletrack trail was being developed. The group in Marshall has a standing invite to become a chapter and to participate in the planning and budgeting process
MN Dept of Natural Resources (DNR) / State Parks
A couple years back, we approached the new director of the state parks system about putting in mountain bike singletrack trails in the state park system. He arranged a presentation where we spoke to him and some of his park managers. After the presentation, he said "we're doing mountain biking, and this is the group we're doing it with". Since then, we've had inquiries from various parks about putting in singletrack trail systems. We are still pursuing many of these inquiries.
The DNR is in the process of publishing a Natural Surfaces Trail Building Guidelines book. The book borrows heavily from IMBA's Trail Solutions, and includes 20+ pictures of features and stunts at Lebanon Hills as examples of how to build singletrack in MN State Parks. <---THIS IS HUGE--- I wager that in 5-10 years, we will have many state parks with singletrack trail systems in them.
Tim Wegner devotes a large portion of his advocacy efforts to making the relationship with the DNR work. When it's all comes to fruition, he'll be the one we can stop and thank.
Cuyuna State Recreation Area
This rec area outside of Brainerd is on the table because of the meeting we had with the director of state parks. It's a 5000 acre area with no real user group. They want mountain bikes in it. We have secured $600,000 in federal funds to build 30-40 miles of singletrack and build modern campgrounds with heated showers on site. We're trying, with IMBA's help, to track down $125,000 in matching funds needed for this to become a reality. If you've got any ideas, let us know...
Cuyuna Mountain Bikers
We have been approached by enthusiastic mountain bikers in the Cuyuna area about being the "on the ground" group that supports the Cuyuna SRA project, as well as other local mountain bike projects. We're still discussing things with them.
Steeplechase / Rochester Active Sports Club (RASC)
We partnered with RASC to bring IMBA to Steeplechase to put on an advanced trail school. We also had many MORC members go down to Steeplechase during the school to help build the downhill trail. Adam Buck spent considerable time after the school working on the trail.
We have discussed the future with RASC, and they will remain an affiliate of ours and are invited to attend and participate in our Strategic Planning Meetings.
Duluth
Adam Buck has spent many hours working with Spirit Mountain about developing the ski area as a lift assisted mountain bike destination. It's a project still in the works.
We have approached COGGS to see what their interest is in working closely together in developing more mountain bike opportunities in the Duluth area. They have not bothered to return any of the emails I've sent them.
Red Wing
I've chatted with Chris about MORC getting involved with the Red Wing group and chapter possibilities. He's been interested to continue the conversation, I've just dropped the ball in following up.
We also had a land owner approach us about 40 acres of property she had. She wanted MORC to develop it into a mountain bike trail system just outside of Red Wing. The Metro couldn't take her up on this opportunity because of the lack of members in the area that could take on this project and make it a long term success.
Minnesota Recreational Trail Users' Association (MRTUA)
MRTUA is the advisory board to the DNR that provides recommendations where the DNR should allocate it's $1.5m annual allocation in federal trail funds. MORC lobbied hard to get a seat in this board and two years ago we were successful in getting included. Since then, we have participated in the grant review process and allocated $75,000+ in funds to mountain bike projects. We have also taught the 9 other user groups that mowed doubletrack doesn't constitute "mountain bike trail".
The Future
Our future as an organization is to become the recognized voice of mountain biking throughout Minnesota. Land managers in the Metro are now approaching us about developing mountain bike trails in their parks. We used to have to fight tooth and nail to get in, now they're coming to us. This success can be spread throughout the state, and it will. We all need to participate. The Metro can't viably be the on-the-ground group that makes all outstate projects happen. We can assist as much as possible, and our shared voice and strength in numbers makes it all that much easier.
Your Input
We've tried including everyone in setting our direction. If we have missed a key area, speak up. We're not trying to be exclusive.
So I turn it back to the forum. Is this the right direction to be heading and how else can we support the development of mountain bike opportunities in the outstate region?
Scott