pasted from an email I got at work today:
In the last general e-mail I sent out, I mentioned the NOAA forecast
>for a mild winter. That prediction certainly did come true, and I
>hope all of you have taken advantage of the unseasonably warm winter
>and snuck in rides over the past few months. NYCMTB trail builders
>have been working when possible thanks to the temps, making
>remarkable progress on many of the trails at Highbridge, and we
>recently hosted a successful trail preview ride.
>
>Now that the cold has set in, our sights turn to planning for warmer
>days, and it's with overwhelming excitement that we announce the
>grand opening festival for the Highbridge Park trails. That's right-
>we're not just cutting a ribbon and turning riders out on the trails.
>This is a MONUMENTAL, HISTORIC occasion- the first legal mountain
>bike trails in New York City- so you can bet we're going to throw one
>heck of a party! Our Grand Opening Festival will take place Saturday,
>May 19, and will feature bike demos, raffles, group XC rides,
>organized events and fun competitions, dirt jumping on the dirt jump
>trails, freeride sessions on the freeride trail, and lots, lots more
>for everyone from casual riders and kids to hardcore freeride/dh'ers.
>On Sunday, May 20, we're hosting the first-ever XC mountain bike race
>in Manhattan. That's right- we're going all-out with two days of
>mountain biking fun.
>
>Here's the catch- we need help planning and executing these events.
>If you've got ideas for events you'd like to see at the festival, or
>would like to lend your professional experience with event
>management, PR, DJing, sponsorship sales, or just moral support, we
>would LOVE to see you at our first planning meeting next Thursday
>night, February 15th, 7:30 PM at Sids Bikes (34th street between 2nd
>and 3rd Aves). NYCMTB will provide the pizza and beverages for all
>who attend.
>
>In our push toward the grand opening, we'll be doing a blitz of
>trailwork days throughout March, April and May. IMBA's professional
>trailbuilders will be coming out in mid-March to construct the dirt
>jump park and work on some technical aspects of the other trails, so
>each weekend while they're here, we need to amass a small army of
>volunteers. It's not often that we get the solid attention of high-
>caliber trailbuilders for 3-4 weeks straight, so we want to make the
>most of it! I'll send out a more concrete schedule toward the
>beginning of March to lock down specific dates and times, but please
>come out and support this important trail work. Every hour that our
>volunteers work on the trails helps meet our requirement to match 20%
>of the $100,000 grant we've received from New York State, so your
>contributions of time are vital.
>
>Once again, if you missed out on a NYCMTB jersey, you can purchase
>them now at NYC Velo (East Village- 2nd Ave betw. 3rd and 4th
>Streets), Sids Bikes (34th Street betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves) and Gotham
>Bikes (Tribeca- West Broadway betw. Duane and Reade Streets). The
>jerseys have been a hit over the past few months on the trails, and
>once this batch is gone, they won't be reprinted.
>
>As always, you can keep up-to-date on the latest goings-on by
>visiting the NYCMTB forum:
>
>http://www.nycmtb.com/phpBB2/index.php
>
>Thanks for supporting mountain biking in NYC. Get out and ride!
>
>New York City Mountain Bike Association
>http://www.NYCMTB.com
>
>
