Gwinnett Area Trail Riders: G.A.T.R. | A Chapter of S.O.R.B.A

Southeast Bike Expo Feb 25-26, 2012

claycombs — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:32:03 +0000

Check out the Southeast Bike Expo February 25th and 26th, 2012. This is the inaugural year of the event and all proceeds will be donated to IMBA/SORBA.

http://sebikex.com/information/

REI – Shore Clean Up at Tribble Mill Park

claycombs — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:22:41 +0000

Date: 2/25/2012
Event Location: Tribble Mill Park
Event Fee: See event details

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EST)
Partner Organization: Gwinnett Parks and Recreation

Description: This rain or shine event will consist of lifting, building, planting and more. Kayak/canoeing in lake welcome after the event. All ages welcome. Meet at the Holley Pavilion/Ozora Meadow area-Follow the signs. For information and registration, call Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation Volunteer Resource Office at 770-418-2331. Tribble Mill Park is located at 2125 Tribble Mill Parkway Lawrenceville, GA 30045.

http://www.rei.com/event/34477/session/43179

2012 Chain Buster Taco Stand Classic at Tribble Mill Course

claycombs — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:26:32 +0000

Chain Buster Productions Taco Stand Classic information.

GATR Gets 3 Additional Nights Rides for 2011-12 Season.

claycombs — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:44:56 +0000

We have 3 additional GATR Night Rides for the 2011-12 season. They are available on the Gwinnett County website to sign up. The cost is $5 per ride for Gwinnett County residents and $10 for non-Gwinnett County residents. You must pre-register. There will be no onsite registration.

Gwinnett County Online Registration Site : You will need to search with the location set to “Volunteer Resources” and the event type set to “Special Events” or use the codes below.

The remaining rides are:

Thurs, Jan 19, 2012, 6:30p – Harbins Park
Meeting Place: Main parking lot.
GCPR Activity Code: VOLR14130
GCPR Activity details page.

Tues, Jan 24, 2012, 6:30p – Yellow River Park
Meeting Place: MTB parking lot.
GCPR Activity Code: VOLR14131
GCPR Activity details page.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012, 6:30p – Tribble Mill Park
Meeting Place: Ozora Meadows parking lot next to the restrooms and playground.
GCPR Activity Code: VOLR14132
GCPR Activity details page.

Thurs, Feb 23, 2012, 6:30p – Harbins Park
Meeting Place: Main parking lot.
GCPR Activity Code: VOLR14133
GCPR Activity details page.

Harbins Park Night Ride for Jan 19, 2012 Is Now Available for Sign Up.

claycombs — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:27:30 +0000

See the original 2011-12 night ride post for details.

GA State Parks Proposed $2 Trail User Fees for Mountain Biking.

claycombs — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:52:39 +0000

Please plan to attend a meeting and submit written comments to director.gsphs@dnr.stat.ga.us with a CC to comments at comments@sorba.org.

Public Meetings Set to Discuss New Bike Trail Fees in State Parks

ATLANTA, December 20, 2011 — 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 at Fort Yargo, Hard Labor Creek and Unicoi state parks to help offset operational and maintenance costs. 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.

During the past few years, Georgia’s State Parks have been challenged with finding ways to rely less on state funding while keeping parks open for public use. To meet this challenge, officials are looking at user fees and annual passes to cover activities such as horseback riding, disc golf, miniature golf and mountain biking. Revenue from equestrian and mountain bike trails could be especially useful since high-impact trails require more maintenance.

Fort Mountain State Park near Chatsworth already charges a $3 bike trail fee, which is not expected to change. The new proposal includes a $2 bike trail fee for Fort Yargo, Hard Labor Creek and Unicoi state parks, as well as a $25 annual pass good for all state park bike trails. To learn more about biking in Georgia’s state parks, visit http://www.gastateparks.org/outdoors#biking.

For directions to the public meetings, go to http://www.georgiastateparks.org.

Written comments may be submitted to Director.GSPHS@dnr.state.ga.us before January 20, 2012.

IMBA-SORBA Examining Proposed Fee Change for Mountain Biking at Georgia State Parks

Tue, 12/20/2011 – 11:49am — Robin Allen

Robin Allen
IMBA-SORBA Communication Director
robin@sorba.org
4048194655

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks Division has proposed $2 per-user fees for mountain biking at Unicoi, Fort Yargo and Hard Labor Creek State Parks, while maintaining the $3 fee at Fort Mountain State Park (in effect since 1997). The proposed new fees would go into effect in March, 2012.

IMBA-SORBA is gathering information from the State Parks Division on the proposed fee so that we can better understand how the fees will be disbursed, and whether the fees will directly benefit mountain biking trails. The Board of Directors is gathering input from our members, as well. Our goal is to work with the State Parks Division and ensure that if any fees are implemented they will be beneficial to mountain bikers.

Please read the following statement from the Georgia State Parks Division that describes the fee proposal. IMBA-SORBA will keep the mountain biking community informed as we move through this process.

Your voice will be heard. Contact IMBA-SORBA with your comments by sending a message to comments@sorba.org.

During the Georgia State Parks Division’s review of fees and charges
for 2012, we determined that we should consider implementing a $2 per
person recreational facility use fee for our mountain bike trails
sometime during 2012, possibly as early as March when the new trail at
Hard Labor Creek State Park opens.

Under our current concept, the $2 fee would be charged for use of the
mountain bike trails at Unicoi, Fort Yargo and Hard Labor Creek state
parks, with the $3 fee at Fort Mountain State Park (charged since 1997)
remaining in place. In addition to the daily per person fee, our
concept includes a $25 annual pass good on all the mountain bike
trails.

We are considering this fee in order to generate additional revenues to
support our state park system and make our parks more self-supporting as state funds are reduced.
Other recreational facility fees already being
charged include horse trails, disc golf, mini golf and swimming pools,
among others. Generating revenues from users of the horse trails and
mountain bike trails would be especially helpful, since these particular
facilities require a great deal of maintenance.

Each of the three parks with new mountain bike trail fees proposed will
be holding a public meeting after the first of the year to discuss our
plans further and seek input from recreation users. Please contact one
of the three state parks where you ride most so you can be notified and
attend.

Sincerely,

Becky Kelley
Director
Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Division

SORBA Forum Topics:

http://www.sorba.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38274

http://www.sorba.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38381

http://www.sorba.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38383

News articles:

http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2011/dec/23/ga-proposes-new-fees-to-ride-bikes-at-state-parks/?c=11064

http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/60992/

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-proposes-new-fees-1270924.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2011/12/mountain-bike-trail-fee-considered-for.html

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/16379548/bike-trail-fees-proposed-for-georgia-state-parks

Google News Search

GATR will host the GA Dirty Spokes Duathlon Series Finale.

claycombs — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:13:30 +0000

The Series Finale will be at Tribble Mill Park May 12, 2012. Dirty Spokes is offering two race formats to compete in this year for the first time. The two formats are a traditional run, bike, run; or a novice run, bike, your done.

More details for the Tribble Mill Race.

More details for the Duathlon Race Series:

GATR will host the season opener for the Chain Buster Endurance Series.

claycombs — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:52:39 +0000

The season opener for the 2012 Chain Buster Endurance series will be February 18, 2012 at Tribble Mill Park.

More details can be found at http://chainbusterracing.com/tribble.html

GATR Family Day 2011 Pictures

claycombs — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 15:16:45 +0000

The GATR Family Day was a lot of fun. I believe everyone had a good time and ate all the BBQ they could fit.

Full Photo Album

GATR Night Rides 2011-12

claycombs — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:51:10 +0000

The first two GATR Night Rides in the 2011-12 season are available on the Gwinnett County website to sign up. You will need to use the activity code to search for the events because of a glitch in the county’s system they are working to resolve. The cost is $5 per ride for Gwinnett County residents and $10 for non-Gwinnett County residents. You must pre-register. There will be no onsite registration.

Gwinnett County Online Registration Site

The rides are:

Rescheduled due to rain - ~~Wed, Nov 16, 2011, 7p~~ Tues, Nov 22, 6:30p - Tribble Mill Park
Meeting Place: Ozora Meadows parking lot next to the restrooms and playground.
GCPR Activity Code: VOLR14330
GCPR Activity details page.

Tues, Dec 13, 2011, 6:30p – Yellow River Park
Meeting Place: Mountain Biking parking lot.
GCPR Activity Code: VOLR14331
GCPR Activity details page.

Thurs, Jan 19, 2012, 6:30p – Harbins Park
Meeting Place: Main parking lot.
GCPR Activity Code: VOLR14130
GCPR Activity details page.