Being that i'm addicted to mtn biking now I've become interested in joining the trailblazers.   

I see that you can join on the front page and by paying $20.

What does the money go toward?  Trail maintenance?

Also, by becoming a member, what do I need to do?

Thanks

PS, also interested in getting one of those red or blue jersey's i see people rocking, they are sweet!!!!

Thanks for your interest Top Chef. 

One of the best ways to learn about the club is to attend our monthly meetings (first Thursday of the month - normally at the Fuel Pizza in the Park road Shopping Center - but not in July...). We review most all of the club's ongoing activities and upcoming events. It's a great opportunity to hear what's happening and to meet lots of fellow fat tire enthusiasts. (Both the bike kind and the beverage kind.)

In addition to our own funds, Tom mentioned the grant money we also put into the trails. This year we used $10,000 in grants received from REI and the NC Adopt-A Trail  grant programs. So we've put MORE than $22,000 in hard cash into our local trails this year alone. We are adding approximately 10 to 12 miles of NEW TRAIL to our existing 70 plus miles of singletrack. That's a 16% increase in an already sizable portfolio. 

Slated for next year, we have another 4 plus miles at Lake Norman, 1.5 miles at Fisher Farm, and a 100 acre property that may support another 4 to 6 miles of more technical riding.

In the wings are another 15 miles + of additional opportunities.

Times couldn't be better for oppportunities to build trail - and we need to really take advantage NOW while we can. However, to build this much trail each year, we absolutely must continue our recent foray into paying for machined corridor construction by experienced trail builders. Sure, we can continue to build great trail by hand (as Frankie and crew have done this year at USNWC). But we can't build this much mileage by hand this quickly.

New grants will continue to be a key component. We also need the support of the entire local mountain biking community - with memberships, additional donations, and time helping out on the trails. We especially can use help behind the scenes: writing grants, leading new membership efforts, organizing social activities, helping with the website, graphics and maps, working with local shops, etc. 

flyinelvis wrote on 06/09/09 at 7:23pm:


Whoa, I've been a member for over a year and never knew there were any levels of membership other than the $20. Are those options posted now for anybody signing up?

JasonB wrote on 06/11/09 at 12:23am:


Well, we had them listed in a blog on the homepage, in the news section on the homepage, under Trailblazer News in the forums, sent out an email blast to the registered members, discussed them at great length in the meetings, offered up the shirt at the $40 level...Don't know what else we can do to get the word out...

One issue is that we are working toward a website upgrade and hopefully e-commerce so that we can offer all tiers of membership online and with a credit card, not PayPal...

Mike wrote on 06/11/09 at 11:48am:



or the hartsell "burning crap hot nympho kung foo look at me nekkid cause i like that stuff" thread.  that would have gotten mondo exposure.

So what's the upgrade process? I could use a new T-Shirt anyways.

flyinelvis wrote on 06/11/09 at 1:33am:


Sorry... I haven't been to a meeting in awhile because I work out of town most Thursdays and apparently I was the only one who didn't get the memo...

JasonB wrote on 06/11/09 at 8:56pm:


No Jason, you aren't the only one, not by a long shot...This is an issue that we struggle with all the time...How do we get the word out on important issues?  We know and understand that only a small portion of our membership actually makes meetings (let's face it, Metro-Charlotte is huge and growing all the time).

We have tried to launch smaller groups of the club (Lake Norman is a great example).  We hold a monthly meeting in the LN region, largely b/c there is little chance that members in Statesville are going to motor on down to central Charlotte for a Thursday night meeting...We have hopes that one day other groups would form and the word could be spread move effectively in that manner...And it's a good way to meet fellow riders...

I would reason to guess that many log into the site directly through the forums and seldom (if ever) venture to the homepage or utilize the wealth of info posted elsewhere on the site...

We do send out occasional email blasts, but you must register for that service (again on the homepage)...We don't want to spam anyone with possibly unwanted club updates, just because they are a member...We never share our list with others, so it's relatively safe (I can't say that in the 5+ years that we have been using Topica, that I have ever received an email somehow tide back to this provider (Topica)...

Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated...

Hey Tom and gang!

My son Drew and I joined at the June mtg...we are glad to be joining such a "kick-dirt" group!

Drew raced this past Sunday at the WWC and toughed it out for his first finish. Go boy! I told him I'd be ready for next year's 40-49 Beginners group! LOL 

We look forward to being involved, helping out Gramps with some dirt work, and getting/giving some feedback and making inroads in the Rock Hill / York County Area to get some trails 'blazed' down south!

Here's mud on your bike! 

Donn

mtbchk wrote on 06/11/09 at 9:12pm:

i think he means a case each....if so, i am in