New Freeride Trails in the Bay Area

[goin' medium]

Howdy all,
I am freaking tired of cool trails getting shut down, so I am going to build my own. I am currently checking out land for sale in the Santa Cruz mountains. I am also working with a lawyer to set up waivers and insurance. The plan is to build well made double-black diamond trails in the Bay area that are LEGAL. The downside is that I will REQUIRE that everyone sign a waiver and PAY for insurance. It looks like you will have to join a club to get access to the trails, not my preference, but the way it's got to be.

If you want to know why just read any of the threads about places being shut down. Right now I am in the early stages, and would like useful recommendations, and any help people can give. Even a :thumb: is appreciated at this point.
As this progresses I will need some skilled volunteer trailbuilders. I know you are out there, imagine KNOWING that you stuff will not be torn down. All the stunts will be Whistler quality. Built safe and built to last. I will keep everyone informed as this progresses. Anyone interested in helping get thing set up, feel free to drop me a line. Any leads on Lawyers willing to do some Pro Bono work would ROCK :help: .

And no, there is NO CHANCE of me putting in a lift. If I get some sponsership I may be able to buy land we can shuttle :drool: Let me know if you have any sponsership leads. This is going to happen either way, but it could be way bigger with some corperate cash!

Also if you know someone selling forest land cheap (not on MLS I can search that myself) please let me know. Maybe someone who is pro bike and would like to see this happen.

Scott

[punkassean]

Cool Scott!

if you get the ball rolling I'd love to help. I have been jonesin just to find a place with an acre or two where I could build some jumps and just basic stuff. But your idea would be so much better.

[yojimborace]

:thumb: That is an awesome idea. I really hope it works :cool:.

[scurban]

I always wanted to do this, but never had the balls to try. Go for DUDE!

[IronJim]

i would be up to help you and i know i have a lot of friends that would also want to help. Great idea!!!

[bikeninja]

Holy ****in Moly. If you are serious, then getting help to build will not be an issue. This is an awseome idea... keep us posted. :thumb:

[The Kadvang]

Props Bro! Keep us posted.

[lonewolfe]

I've always thought this would be an awesome thing to do ever since I heard about Viet Nam being purchased by a large group of riders back in Mass. if I'm not mistaken. Keep me posted! I suggest you start a group email list for all interested. So, you can start building your database now.

Here's my email address:

lonewolfe59@yahoo.com

[levisghost]

So so so cool!

levisghost@hotmail.com

[-BB-]

You should contact the "NAM" people and get details from them on the key steps.

[bikenweed]

Where abouts in the Santa Cruz Mountains are you planning on buying land? If there is good dirt, I can build you some rad dirt jumps.

[911]

You would be a local hero if you pulled this off. Getting people to help build shouldn't be a problem... you just need a decent piece of land (preferably one with an access road to make shuttling possible). You could probably find something out in the boonies of the SC mountains… maybe off Summit or Old San Jose Rd. somewhere, or even way out on Empire Grade. My advice would be to write up a professional proposal and submit it for corporate sponsorship. Try hitting local companies: Specialized, Santa Cruz, Giro, Fox (both clothing and shocks). Figure out exactly how much it will cost to make this happen and then you can start doing fund raising.

[goin' medium]

Howdy All,
I won't be checking back here till Monday. So far everything is looking good. Thanks for all the support. I am meeting a lawyer tomorrow to figure out liability. I also talked to Shaun Reid, our local IMBA rep, and he is very interested in seeing this happen. I am looking at several potential properties this weekend.

Feel free to mention the project to local companies, but I will not be actively soliciting donations until after the 501(3)(c) non-profit is formed. Then I will try to get firm commitments from local companies with a proposal. Based on interest I will choose an appropriate property. That looks like the hardest step right now. I would like around 40 acres, but personally can only afford around 10. If I get the money I will buy more land. Anyone that knows of unlisted land, especially zoned for Timber Production (better tax rate) please drop me a pm. I may have to do a timber harvest when I get the property to establish roads, and defray some of the purchase price. Then we get to build build build.

Til' Monday

Scott

[jimw]

Scott, count me in! This would be excellent!

[markk]

Count me in to help dig or whatever. I've thought about doing this for quite a while but thought it would be extremely expensive with land prices around here as they are. I heard someone at ABS talking about a piece of land that might have been for sale up next to Demo but that was months ago. I'm pretty sure he was one of the Redwood Riders. Have you talked with MBOSC since they already have the Non-profit thing going? They have a grant writer. Maybe she could scare up some money for land purchase.

[wXman]

Just had no clue how to proceed and am NOT flush with cash sooo.....

GREAT idea. You can count myself and my two boys in, as well as most of the guys I ride with. Let us know when you need the "sweat equity" and my kids and I will be more than happy to contribute!! :cool:

[IronJim]

hey scott,

just woundering how it went with your lawyer?

[Heath Sherratt]

Hey Scott, are you going to design the trails before you build or just go with the flow of the land or both? I did some design work with skate parks and you can really help with visual by pre designing stuff and then taking it to the mountain.
Definetly call the vietnam guys back east. This is really a great way to go. You have my support. :thumb:

[DLo]

Do you still need a lawyer, possibly to seek different opinions? Let me know, I may be able to refer you to one.

[goin' medium]

Howdy All,
Talked to the lawyer over the weekend. It looks like I will have a very hard time doing this as a non-profit. If I want to hold onto the land, I would not be able to run the non-profit that does all the trail building, which scares the heck out of me... Since I am willing to put up some cash I would like to own the land. That means I am looking at doing a for profit club, like a hunting club, that will have exclusive rights to ride the trail network. I found a couple of potential properties. Nothing perfect yet, but I would like to start getting some funding in place so that I can get up and running. I am still looking high and low for the perfect property to set this up. When I find the right property the rest should flow. Nothing much else to report. Happy Holidays everyone.

Scott

[builder666]

i have a crew. let me know and we'll be there with tools.

[Benton]

I'd be interested in investing a little money into your venture. I bet you could get a group of less than 20 people together which would have percentage ownership in the venture in exchange for unlimited access and a share of ownership. Worst case scenario those people who invest get to share a big chunk of land to ride on, best case scenario they get to share that land and those trails with a whole bunch of other riders.

Selective logging first sounds like a great way to start, especially to make some nice logging roads for going up. Maybe the logging road could even be shuttled?

[B_LOWrider]

Check this out http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/news/?op=articleview&id=2323
. I dont know if you could benift but it may provike ideas.

[DownhillnDunkey]

cool scott, you have my support, and if you need some people to help build let me know.

[vova]

I live the Los Gatos Mountains and have 2 acres. Made a few sections to ride and it's a blast.
How many acres where you thinking about?

[punkassean]

Vova, Nice to see you over here! 2 acres could make for some fun stuff especially if the terrain was right, but I think ideally he'd be looking for more. Something where we could make a semi-long (3-5min) run.


-Sean_at_TLT (on pirate)

[vova]

I meant I live on 2 acres, not to selling it :)
There is lots of land for sale around Felton and Bolder Creek.

[Raacerx]

I meant I live on 2 acres, not to selling it :)
There is lots of land for sale around Felton and Bolder Creek.

is that Vova from Pirate?

[punkassean]

Vova, did you mean there is a possibility of building a little stuff on your property? Or were you just taunting us with the fact that you have land and I live in teeny 1br apt? :D

BTW: We all need to get out there and ride Niscene a few times before it becomes official!

[ghettogt76]

Good to see pirate peeps on here...

Anyway, I'm pretty far from SC, but I'd be willing to help. I'm willing to drive down to SC to build/ride on the weekends, especially in the off season when whistler/N* are closed. I can also donate some money into this thing...... keep me updated!

I'm expecting dirt merchant/A line style jumps :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :D

[black noise]

I think this is a really cool idea. You could talk to the guys at Another Bike Shop and they could put a little donation jar in their shop or something, and I'd be willing to donate money for the property and time to build the trails.

I think to build the trails a few people who we trust to build a good trail should go up there and follow the flow of the land. Build some big air lines, some flowy stuff, and some mellow trails. If the design team gets to be more than a few people too many ideas start coming in and progress stops so I think it would be best for a couple of people to just do it and get the design down. Then a big team can go to build.

BTW, I'm new to the site, I'm Miles from Santa Cruz.

[whatroad]

I've got a mini bobcat, and am willing to help out with it on initial trail cutting..

[IronJim]

is there any update with land or any thing

[goin' medium]

Well,
Since you brought it up... I am looking at a promising property this weekend. I have started talking to the Planning Office in Santa Cruz, and it looks like it will be a tough battle to get this thing going. It's all about the zoning and permits. It looks like I will be starting a club, or group, or Co-op, some sort of organization of riders. I am thinking "Own the Trail" for a name. The goal of the club is to put in kick ass trails on private land. Wanna join? Okay, not ready for people to join yet, but it looks like I will be doing something like that. I am trying to bring IMBA on board, and maybe Specialized, but I need to have some level of confidence that I can get permits BEFORE I ask for money, and I need to know what parcels of land I want to build on BEFORE I can get permits, so land shopping it is. I am taking a day off work next week to go try and get the whole permit situation settled. Then I can work on actually getting money to buy stuff :) Then I can start actually scheduling work days. Thanks again to everyone that offered to help out. I will be calling on every one of you once I can get through the red tape. Have a good weekend. I'll be in the Demo on Sat and Sun. Say howdy if you see me.

Scott

[IronJim]

Wanna join?

Hell Yes

[ghettogt76]

Well,
Since you brought it up... I am looking at a promising property this weekend. I have started talking to the Planning Office in Santa Cruz, and it looks like it will be a tough battle to get this thing going. It's all about the zoning and permits. It looks like I will be starting a club, or group, or Co-op, some sort of organization of riders. I am thinking "Own the Trail" for a name. The goal of the club is to put in kick ass trails on private land. Wanna join? Okay, not ready for people to join yet, but it looks like I will be doing something like that. I am trying to bring IMBA on board, and maybe Specialized, but I need to have some level of confidence that I can get permits BEFORE I ask for money, and I need to know what parcels of land I want to build on BEFORE I can get permits, so land shopping it is. I am taking a day off work next week to go try and get the whole permit situation settled. Then I can work on actually getting money to buy stuff :) Then I can start actually scheduling work days. Thanks again to everyone that offered to help out. I will be calling on every one of you once I can get through the red tape. Have a good weekend. I'll be in the Demo on Sat and Sun. Say howdy if you see me.

Scott

Keep us updated!!

[IronJim]

did you find a lot yet?

[justhuckit]

theres a spot right of the road 2 demo and me and my friends r down 2 biuld and im good with ladder

[justhuckit]

http://www.versuscycles.com/
hit up versus cycles they might help and there pretty cool

[IronJim]

i am very interseted in this, and i am wondering if you found a pice of land yet??

[K Crager]

about the club, i know people can't join yet, but would it be located in a convenient area within the bay area, or up in santa cruz?

[IronJim]

i hope it is in santa cruz, but i ment that im interseted in the whole park idea

[bikenweed]

HAHA I grew up right off Highland, about four miles from Demo. My parents still live there, too. If you guys get everything together, and the land looks good, has hoses, etc, I'll stay home this summer and build you some rad stuff, jumps, berms, ewoks, whatever. Otherwise, I'm going to Colorado... Good luck with everything!

[scurban]

don't let the county discourage you. I know you live over in the 510 land. Just to let you know Santa Cruz County honestly has 1 person that over see's the building permits. It's a way for the county to keep its "0 growth" policy, and to scare all potential builders off. If you are persistant you may be able to get everything approved. It will probably take a long time though. If you get local companies with environmentally friendly missions to help you, you'll have a much better chance. Try Giro, of course fox, and Santa Cruz in the mountain bike world, but don't over look other Santa Curz companies. Try to get New Leaf Markets behind you, along with Whole Foods, Odwalla, etc. etc. In addition, write as many letters to the Sentinel as possible, and explain how skate parks are illegal to bikes, how people digging trails in illegal areas is damaging to the environment, and how adults and kids alike want to ride challanging trails in a lawsuit safe environment. Bring up the recent closure of Nisene Marks, and explain how the new breed of mountain bikers want a legal place to perform their sport. In additon you could mention something about keeping kids away from their Televisions, and obesity induced illnesses. If you get front page coverage, permits are sure to follow.

[mtbhead]

Awesome Scott :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: As others, I've always dreamed of doing this too. Scurban's advice sounds really good. It doesn't sound like you'll have any problem getting experienced builders and plenty of hands to help. Count me in for sure, and I should be able to recruit a posse from my team (Team Wrong Way) and other places.
-S

[justhuckit]

my step dad owns a truckin co. and we can get trackters and i got about 20-25 that will help biuld
-kyle

[b12yan88]

Summer's approaching, we need to revive thiis thread. Is there any new info ?

[markk]

I second that, any news on that tip?

[RobsterCrw]

Dunno, I just signed up with ownthetrail.com and I'm anxious to hear the latest.

[Dirtbike]

I really hope this happens. It would be a blast to ride, as well as get to know new people when building the place. Hopefully an awesome place to ride and good friendships will come out of this.

[NorCalDFS]

bump for more info