In this issue:

1. Female record holder Monique Sawicki and male record holder Cameron Brenneman to compete in this year’s Vision Quest

2. Our next Flying B Cross-Country Trail Building Event, Sunday, Feb. 5th.

3. Our next Public Trail Work Event, Sunday February 12th

4. Annual Forest Service Volunteer Training on Saturday, February 4th

1. MALE RECORD HOLDER CAMERON BRENNEMAN AND FEMALE RECORD HOLDER MONIQUE SAWICKI TO COMPETE IN THIS YEAR’S VISION QUEST

Male Vision Quest record holder Cameron Brenneman (4:50:29 in 2004) will return to this years Vision Quest – on a single speed. Cameron has had the fastest time in 3 past events in addition to setting the course record. We added a relatively downhill “rough” 4 miles to the course last year and his finishing time, under the worst conditions ever at the Vision Quest (after record rains), was 5:26:31. If not for the deep mud and wet conditions he could have shaved at least 15 minutes off this time if not more.

Female Vision Quest record holder and Warrior’s Society Club member Monique “Pua” Sawicki (6:35:08 in 2004) will be returning back on a geared bike. Monique has accomplished so much in the two years since she set that record. She has set female records in the 12-Hours of Snow Summit, the 12-Hours of Orange County in addition to winning the Female NORBA National Marathon Series Championship for the last two years.

At her first race of 2006, the 12 Hours of Temecula, Monique dominated a tough Female Division and over took all but one strong participant in the male division.

As her husband Ron writes:

“As her first race of 2006, she went thinking it would be a good training day. It turned out to be a real race! Louise Kobin (2004 NORBA National 24 hour Champion) came down from Northern California to challenge Pua, as did other “24 hours of Adrenalin” top female racers.

The race went from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, so night riding would be involved. The course was very technical with gnarly, rocky, steep descents, two major climbs and two tough hike-a-bike sections. Pua went out very strong from the line, finishing her first lap 30 seconds behind the first male and 5 minutes ahead of Kobin (second female). From then on she took the lead guy on the climbs and he would pull ahead on the descents.

Eventually she grew accustomed to the down-hills and stuck with him; this eventually wore him out and he conceded the lead. She was now in the overall lead with 9 minutes over the top male and 30 minutes over Kobin in second. An excellent nighttime rider, “Desert Dan” (top male), was able to maintain his daylight pace on the technical course in the dark, so he took Pua going into the last lap, holding on to the finish with both of them completing 11 laps in about 11 hours.

Neither of them continued to attempt a 12th lap. Louis Kobin came in over a half hour behind for 2nd place and all the other girls and guys that went solo were lapped over and over by the top three (Dan, Pua & Louise) in the end.”

We wish both Cameron and Monique a “Vision” at this year’s event.

2. OUR NEXT FLYING B CROSS-COUNTRY TRAIL BUILDING EVENT, SUNDAY, FEB. 5TH

Our XC trail course designers, Jason Martin and Eron Boyer, have laid out a killer single track with a great dual Solum like section for our 2006 Event Series at the Flying B.

We need volunteers to help build this single track; you will be assisted by a small tractor. If you’re free (and not attending a Super Bowl Party) we could use your help. All those volunteering to help build this single track will be invited to its grand opening party once it’s completed and they will also be invited to our end of the year Christmas/Thanks ride on Saturday, December 2nd. Food, drink and prizes are included in these free volunteer events.

Volunteer course builders will also be invited to private pre-rides/practices on the courses to be used in our 2006 Flying B Series of Events.

We’ll be meeting at the front gate at the Flying B Ranch at 9:00 a.m. Food and drink will be provided after the work; all you need to bring is a pair of gloves and water/snacks for during the work.

To RSVP contact Jason at:

mtnbikej@comcast.net

Our next cross-country trail building event at the Flying B will be on Sunday, February 19th. We plan on constructing a total of 3 new single tracks that will be a blast to race/ride on.

3. OUR NEXT PUBLIC TRAIL WORK EVENT, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12TH

At our next trail work event this Sunday we will be finishing up brushing Lower Holy Jim and stabilizing/rerouting the bottom sections of Upper Holy Jim.

Work left to be done:

Upper Holy Jim above the Main Divide:

Upper part was very rutted and slippery down the middle at the bottom switchbacks. We will work on improving and re-routing this section to stabilize the trail and enhance the spring where Upper Holy Jim now exits at the Main Divide and Lower Holy Jim.

Lower Holy Jim:

The upper part of the trail (that is below the spring and before the rocky sections) is brushed pretty well but will need some tread work done to keep the trail from “sliding away” down the hill.

The middle area (from the falls junction to up past the rocky sections) is in need of brushing. There are lots of sections where both sides of the trail have the brush and buckthorn encroaching on it. While it’s not bad now with two months of spring growth it will be.

The earthwork repairs and the placement of grade stabilizers on Holy Jim and Trabuco that were installed after last year’s record rains have kept the trail beds in great condition; the grade stabilizers should help prevent and trail bed scouring from this year’s rains.

We’ll be starting work at 8:00 a.m. meeting at Trabuco Creek Road (the dirt road next to the creek east of O’Neill Park) and Trabuco Canyon Road.

You supply gloves, water and snacks for during the work (and a beach chair for afterward) and we’ll provide the tools, as well as food and drink for when the work quits at 2:00 p.m.

Please RSVP to help insure there is enough food for everyone. Trail work volunteers will qualify to attend our end of the year Thanks/Christmas Ride on Saturday, December 2nd as well as our trail grand openings at the Flying B.

Volunteer course builders will also be invited to private pre-rides/practices on the courses to be used in our 2006 Flying B Series of Events.

Food, drink and prizes are included in these free events.

4. ANNUAL FOREST SERVICE VOLUNTEER TRAINING THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH

Dear Forest Volunteers,

This is a reminder that our annual training is nearly here. We’re pretty excited about this year’s training. We will be having several specialists coming to share interesting information about the forest as well as having District staff attend.

The day will be very full so please bring your lunch as we will not take the time for an extended lunch break in order to assure we end on time. (Kitchen facilities/fridge are available) See you on the 4th! Come early as we’ll start on time.

Cleveland National Forest
Annual Volunteer Training Workshop Scheduled

The Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest, will host the Annual Trail Volunteer Training Workshop on Saturday, February 4, 2006 for current and new volunteers.

Training will include how to patrol district trails and maintain trails, updates and review of visitor contact procedures, safety and hazard analysis process, radio procedures, fire safety information, resource reporting and mapping, trail maintenance and safe tool use, and volunteer scheduling.

The training will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Tustin Ranch Fellowship Hall located at 10200 Pioneer Road in Tustin. Please bring a lunch or a dish to share.

To insure that we have sufficient training materials for each participant, please contact Debra Clarke at drclarke@fs.fed.us or call (951) 736-1811 Ext. 3227.

***************************************************
Debra Clarke – Wilderness/Trails Manager
Cleveland NF, Trabuco Ranger District
(951) 736-1811 x 3227
(951) 736-3002 fax
email: drclarke@fs.fed.us
***************************************************

Although we will be providing Cytomax, water, Clif Bars, bananas and oranges at both Aid Station 1 (at the bottom of the Silverado Motorway) and Aid Station 2 (at the Holy Jim Parking area), many of you are asking if you can have a bag with clothes or other personal supplies taken to Aid Station 2 (as was done in year’s past).

To save support staff time and shipping costs, we will only allow disposable personal supply bags to be taken out to Aid Station 2.

If you want to bring your own supplies to Aid Station 2 – we must be able to throw away any left over contents and the clearly marked BAG they are in. WE WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY NON-DISPOSALBE ITEMS PLACED IN THE BAGS ONCE THEY ARE TRANSPORTED TO AID STATION 2.

Aid Station 2 bags must be dropped off at Switchback Cyclery when you pre-register there for the Early 5:00 a.m. start. Early starters are responsible for their transportation to the start at the end of Black Star Canyon Road (the event finishes 1/4 mile from O’Neill Park).

Those pre-registering because they are transporting themselves to the regular 6:00 a.m. start must also drop off their personal supply bags when they pre-register at Switchback Cyclery.

Pre-Registration will be open at Switchback Cyclery from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. beginning Saturday, February 25th and ending on Friday, March 3rd. Registration for those from out of town who are camping out at O’Neill Park will begin at 8:00 p.m. Friday night and end at 9:00 p.m.

If you are participating in the regular 6:00 a.m. start, and are taking the shuttle from the finish at O’Neill Park to the start at Black Star, you can drop off your Aid Station 2 bag at the registration table at O’Neill Park when you register Saturday morning. Registration at O’Neill Park begins at 4:00 A.M.

Those participating in the regular start can also pre-register at Switchback Cyclery to save themselves time the morning of the event; but allow at least 30 minutes for parking and the loading of your bikes at O’Neill Park Saturday morning.

The shuttle busses to the start at Black Star Canyon Road will leave as they are loaded beginning at 4:15 a.m.

THE LAST SHUTTLE BUS FROM O’NIELL PARK TO THE START AT BLACKSTAR CANYON ROAD LEAVES AT 4:45 A.M.

We will be providing baked goods, coffee, apples, bananas, oranges, OJ, instant oatmeal and hot chocolate at the start at Black Star Canyon Road for both the early and regular starters beginning at 4:30 a.m.

The Warrior’s Society

In this issue:

1. Pow Wow event Update – the Counting Coup and Vision Quest are sold out.

2. The “Epic” that wasn’t – By Bob “Howling at the Moon McCarter”

3. The first “Young Braves” ride of 2006

1. POW WOW UPDATE – THE COUNTING COUP AND VISION QUEST ARE SOLD OUT

Many people are requesting to be put on a waiting list for the Vision Quest and Counting Coup. We usually have around 5-7 openings prior to the event due to injuries or family emergencies and our waiting list is well beyond those numbers.

If you’d like to participate in either one of the events your best bet is if the event are postponed and people have to drop out due to other commitments. If that occurs we’ll put people who want to sell their spots in contact with those willing to purchase them; as a reminder, there are no refunds beginning two weeks before the events (2/18) or if the events are rescheduled. If you are injured prior to the event you can sell your spot to a person on the waiting list.

If you were unable to participate in the events because they sold out, here’s a bit of advice:

The Vision Quest and Counting Coup sell out two weeks earlier every year. This year the Vision Quest sold out on January 1st and the Counting Coup sold out a week later – so when we open registration for the 2007 Vision Quest and Counting Coup this November 1st we expect it to sell out sometime in mid-December.

If you want to participate in next year’s 2007 Vision Quest or Counting Coup we suggest you register when we open up registration on November 1st.

Participation in all our 2006 events, including the Toad Festival and the Flying B Series of Events, will be limited to 250-290 participants. If you’re interested in any of our remaining 2006 Events we suggest you sign up as soon as registration opens for them in February.

Remaining 2006 Events:

Spring Mountain Bike XC Classic – April 22nd – Flying B Ranch

JAX Toad Festival – May 13th – Cleveland National Forest

24-Hours of Orange County – June 3rd – Flying B Ranch

Switchback Cyclery 6-Hours of Orange County – Oct 21st – Flying B Ranch

Fall Cross Country Event – Nov. 18th – Flying B Ranch

Volunteer Event – December 2nd (Free event for our volunteers)

We also plan on having a Super D event in the Fall.

2. THE EPIC THAT WASN’T – BY BOB “HOWLING AT THE MOON” MCCARTER

Here is a story written by Club member Bob McCarter on an epic ride he “almost” did that resulted in his club name “Howling at the Moon.”

http://www.warriorssociety.org/News/EpicThatWasnt.html

3. THE FIRST BRAVES RIDE OF 2006

We will be having our first Young Braves ride for Jr. Riders on Saturday, January 28th. We will be riding a loop at El Moro starting at 10:00 a.m meeting at the main parking lot next to park headquarters.

The ride has some steep climbs so parents are encouraged to bring tow ropes if your child has difficulty climbing. Parents must attend the ride.

For further information on our Young Braves program go to:

http://www.warriorssociety.org/Braves/

To RSVP email us at:

countingcoup@warriorssociety.org