In this issue:

1. Trail work wrap-up

2. EMT volunteers needed for 2011 Pow Wow

3. Vision Quest, Counting Coup and Traverse event update

1. TRAIL WORK WRAP-UP

We had a great turnout of club members for last Saturday’s trail work. Here’s the wrap up from Ned:

Many thanks to Eric Hull, Gene, Deb and Eric, Kathy, Treve, Andy, Heather, Drew, Vickie, Bob, Chip, Larry, Keith E., Keith P., Chris V., Regina, Denny, Reed, Bob Hale, Jim, Steve, Rob Rust, Pete Allen, Ned, Jeff and Nathan for brushing West Horse Thief last Saturday. Several members also repaired a “v-ditch” near the top of the Trabuco Trail that was caused by the storms we had in December and January.

The trail is now primed for the Vision Quest. The work done today will enable us to scratch West Horse Thief off the list of trails to be brushed for the 4-5 years. Thats a good thing as there are always more trails in need of some sort of work. Your efforts on West Horse Thief and the San Juan loop recently has made great trails even better and more sustainable.

Our next trail work project will be brushing the Holy Jim Trail.

2. EMT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE 2011 POW WOW

We are looking for certified EMT volunteers for the 2011 Pow Wow on April 2nd. Volunteers will be given and event t-shirt, lunch and be reimbursed for gas if their vehicle is used on the course.

For more information contact Chris Vargas at:

Avargas714@ca.rr.com

3. VISION QUEST, COUNTING COUP AND TRAVERSE EVENT UPDATE

A. Selling/transferring your spot in the event

B. Course conditions

C. Finish Line Change

A. SELLING/TRANSFERRING YOUR SPOT IN THE EVENT

We do allow you to sell/transfer your spot.

Once you find someone to buy your spot you must email us with their name and cc them on the email.

Once we get the email from you the person buying your spot (or you) must mail with the application that we will provide a transfer fee in the amount of $25.00 payable to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund.

It is important to write at the top of the app the name of the person who they are buying the spot from.

Once the app and the transfer fee are received you both will be notified that the transfer has been made. The mailing address is on the app.

No transfers will be made two weeks before the event (March 18th for the Vision Quest and Counting Coup and April 30th for the Traverse).

Thanks to Brice Stella for donating his position to an active-duty serviceman who just returned from Iraq (transfer fee waived) – and thank all of you who have transferred you position as you have so far raised $400.00 for the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund to support scholarships for the children of our vets killed in action.

B. COURSE CONDITIONS

All in all the course is in good condition – even after all the rain we’ve had. The first climb up Black Star, which is a fire road, has been reduced in one section that was washed out to a narrow line. We do not know if the road will be repaired in time for the event and if not we will post a person at this location as a safety precaution. Expect this section to be a bottle neck.

The Trabuco Trail had some of the lower creek crossings washed out but with the traffic that’s been on the trail lines being made through these. At our last trail work event we fixed a “v-ditch” that had formed at the top of the trail. We brushed Trabuco in December and gave West Horse Thief a “3 year” brushing at our last trail work event a week ago.

We will be brushing Holy Jim on Saturday, March 19th and repairing any thing else that comes up between now and the event.

C. FINISH LINE CHANGE

Warrior’s Society Co-Executive Director Sherry Panttaja has been working with the staff at O’Neill Park to move the finish line to the eastern boundary of the park nearest Trabuco Canyon Road. Riders will continue past the old finish line at the end of Trabuco Creek Road, cross Trabuco Canyon Road, and enter the park via a trail along the creek. Support staff will be posted on Trabuco Canyon Road, along with signage, to assists rider with traffic on the road.

We hope to have a more comfortable finish line for spectators by moving the finish line to an area that is more suitable and safer for them wait for their friends or family member to finish the event.

Shimano is the Major Component Sponsor of the Warrior’s Society

Rock N Road Bike Shops, El Pollo Loco and Switchback Cyclery are Major Sponsors of the Warrior’s Society

O’Hara’s Pub at the Orange Circle is the Official Watering Hole of the Warrior’s Society

Hammer Nutrition is the official Nutrition bar and gel of the Warrior’s Society

The Warrior’s Society is a Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC) affiliated organization

The Warrior’s Society is a Tax Exempt Organization under 501 (c) 4 of the IRS Code

“Far better it is to dare mighty dreams, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take the ranks with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in that gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat!”

Theodore Roosevelt

www.warriorssociety.org

In this issue:

1. Volunteers needed for the 2011 Rwanda Ride

2. Action needed to protect access to the Santiago Truck Trail

3. 2011 Mountain Bike Pow Wow update

1. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE 2011 RWANDA RIDE

Doug Grant is looking for volunteers, especially those with EMT training, to help with the 2011 Rwanda Ride to be help on Saturday, April 30th.

For more information contact Josh Kompa at:

jkompa@gmail.com

2. ACTION NEEDED TO PROTECT ACCESS TO THE SANTIAGO TRUCK TRAIL

The first mile of the Santiago Truck Trail is on private property. There is no public easement for the trail, only the landowner’s willingness to grant permission for use has allowed the trail to be open over the past many years. The landowner has offered to sell the property to the county, which will facilitate permanent public access to the trail (and construction of a parking lot at the trailhead). Funds for purchase of the land may be available through the OCTA Measure M program. In the interim period, the landowner has requested, and the County has granted an Access License Agreement to indemnify the landowner from legal action brought by users of the trail. This agreement expires at the end of April (there are two 4 month extensions allowed if approved by the Director of OC Parks). Access to the trail will likely be terminated upon expiration of the agreement IF there is no further agreement to facilitate the purchase of the land.

County Supervisor Pat Bates as Chair of OCTA Board of Directors (cc to Bill Campbell) needs to be lobbied by the mountain bike community, as the largest group of trail users, to prioritize the purchase of this land over other demands for the Measure M funds. Lettters/emails should be sent to Bates, expressing the importance of access to this area to mountain bikers, one of the most heavily-used trails in the area (as well as hikers and equestrians) and the long-term value that we would gain from acquisition of the property to assure continued legal access and suitable trailhead parking. Anyone who has a personal connection with Pat Bates or someone on her staff is encouraged to call and speak directly with them for the greatest possible impact.

Patricia C. Bates
Supervisor, 5th District
County of Orange
333 W. Santa Ana Blvd.
Santa Ana, CA 92701

Phone 714.834.3550
Fax: 714.834.2670

PatBates@ocgov.com

3. 2011 MOUNTAIN BIKE POW WOW UPDATE

We are happy to announce the re-signing of our major sponsors Shimano, Rock N Road, Cannondale, El Pollo Loco and O’Hara’s Pub for our 2011 trail work and event season.

Although there has been some damage to the roads in the forest, particularly Trabuco Creek Road, we don’t anticipate any problems.

For those of you who may not be able to participate in the event and would like to sell your spot the process is once you find someone to buy your spot you must email us with their name an cc them on the email.

Once we get the email from you the person buying your spot (or you) must mail an application (which will be provided when you notify us of the person buying your spot) and a transfer fee in the form of a money order in the amount of $25.00 payable to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund. Have them write at the top of the application the name of the person who they are buying the spot from.

Once the app and the transfer fee money order are received you both will be notified that the transfer has been made.

Chris

Shimano is the Major Component Sponsor of the Warrior’s Society

Rock N Road Bike Shops, El Pollo Loco and Switchback Cyclery are Major Sponsors of the Warrior’s Society

O’Hara’s Pub at the Orange Circle is the Official Watering Hole of the Warrior’s Society

Hammer Nutrition is the official Nutrition bar and gel of the Warrior’s Society

The Warrior’s Society is a Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC) affiliated organization

The Warrior’s Society is a Tax Exempt Organization under 501 (c) 4 of the IRS Code

“Far better it is to dare mighty dreams, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take the ranks with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in that gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat!”

Theodore Roosevelt

www.warriorssociety.org