Something El Jefe said last night at the meeting got me to thinking about the Trailblazers and how awesome this club is. Jim talked about clubs often rising up and turning into great things but then imploding after time because they sort of run out of steam, and how clubs can counter that by having turnover in leadership and attracting new members and reaching out in new directions. 

I remember one of my first dealings with the club several years ago, in that same room (the Godfather's era). I can't remember who all was there, just a few folks who'd been at the forefront and a couple of us then newbies, not even ten people probably. The Dirt Divas were in their first or second full year, and Neal was starting his (I think) second annual race series. As I recall it the bank account was less than $1000 and we had an insurance bill looming. I don't think we even had 100 members, but there wasn't a membership director so we really didn't know. Our tools fit in the back of Frankies old Pathfinder. Neal was asking for help so he could produce an even better race series that might've been what, 40-50 riders then? There was real concern the club might disolve. But after a lot of talk and ideas got kicked around, we decided to make a run at it and change the way we did everything and reinvent the club. 

Compare that to what and where we are today. In those few years we've had some awesome leadership and countless people stepping up in countless ways. We have web hosts, membership directors, grant writers, advocacy, on and on. By making our name known we had some dude from Davidson come to a meeting to see who we were and offering to spearhead an effort to build a trail up there. Now we have Fisher Farm. Someone else envisioned some great trails on a little known piece of land and offered to step up and lead the charge there, and now we have Sherman Branch. Because of our reputation Parks & Rec actually asks us to build trails, and now have Jetton and we'll soon have Southwest Park. Lake Norman has grown and is now in the fold. North Meck, Beatty, etc, all have more miles then were originally envisioned. We even have a fleet of mobile equipment now. 

It is so important for this club, and the entire mtn biking and trail using community here, to have people continue to step up and pitch in. Complacency almost killed us back then and we should never let that happen to this awesome club and community. Yeah, money is important, but that's not all that makes this work. If you want to build a trail, offer! If you see some land you want to try for access, pursue it! Come out and help work on trails, offer to write grants, offer your tech skills or any other skills you have. Leadership roles are very important and please consider those too, but even the little things help. 

Let's keep the Trailblazers at the top of the heap and keep the mtn biking an awesome force in our community. 

OK, time for happy hour, carry on.   

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Dude...all I did was join the club in Dec. of 2003 (after riding since 1996) and then get a call from my wife who works at Davidson College and go to an open house for a new park that Davidson had purchased and talked to P&R about MTB trail and found out they were just looking for someone to build it.  Then 2 years later I open a bike shop down the road from it.   

Ain't it weird how that stuff works out sometimes? 

Mark

BTW  This club has done some amazing things since I joined and seen some amazing growth, too.

agood wrote on 05/03/08 at 10:04am:

No. Had to come in the shop because Sonitrol called and told me about a "sound event".  They played what they recorded and it sounded like something falling.  Came in to find out what it was so 5.0 didn't have to be called out.

Interesting bit of history on the club. Enjoyed reading this thread. Someday before I die, I will make a monthly meeting. Sounds like a good time and good conversation.

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I vote Mike for club historian!

Historian 

Are you people sure the statute of limitations has expired on some of those things? Can we say for sure that the club doesn't owe some bar tabs from way back when?

Is this "Jack" guy still "with us"? Moved away, passed on, prison?

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I have heard people say that Mark doesn't know Jack.....looks like he just confirmed it to be true. 

I guess I would be considered a old-timer when it comes to the Tarheel Trailblazers and it's history.  Yes, back in the day when bike parts came in a rainbow of anodized colors and rear suspension didn't exist in the line-up of the most innovative bike manufacturers.  I first met our founding father, Mr. Crouch, at a TB meeting in early '92 when the meetings were held at Picasso's Pizza (back when it was on Kings Drive near CMC main campus).  That Picasso's Pizza has been long torn down and is now the site of a parking lot next to the ABC store.

I've been involved with this fine group almost since the beginning and can't be any prouder of what this club has accomplished over the years.  Our relationship with Park & Rec alone is amazing and with the leadership this club has seen over the years, it has truly turned it into a well oiled machine.  With the longstanding friendships I've made, this club is more like a family to me (ok, dysfunctional at times, but still a family none the less).

Many thanks to my fellow Trailblazers who have made Charlotte a great place to live, love and ride!

Bri

Can we say for sure that the club doesn't owe some bar tabs from way back when?

It's all good, I picked up Tom Mathews at Jack's

Does anyone remember the Halloween ride out of Jock and Jill's? Who was the guy wearing the diaper and nipple rings?