Legal MTB trails in NYC!

[gravitylover]

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
>
>

[wintermittent]

Yeah, this is awesome news. Last year I had a chance to sneak-preview the trail plans, and the plans had something for everyone... DJ, pump track, technical XC stuff.

In Manhattan.

[flowtron]

, dirt jumping on the dirt jump
>trails, freeride sessions on the freeride trail, >

In Manhattan?! Siiiiiick!
Where is the park, and how big is it?

[Sutter]

Eric,

This is sick buddy! I will definitely be happy to help with the PR angle. Are you going to the meeting next week? Where is Highbridge Park though?

[Sutter]

In Manhattan?! Siiiiiick!
Where is the park, and how big is it?

I just looked it up Flow, and it's WAY up on the tip of Manhattan, starting at 155th and Amsterdam and going up to the 190s, making it about 2 miles long, directly across the river from the Bronx.

http://www.google.com/maps?hl=en&cli...local&ct=image

[wintermittent]

In Manhattan?! Siiiiiick!
Where is the park, and how big is it?

I remember hearing about the area between Dyckman Street and 180-somethingth. Googling... yahtzee. It's right on the Harlem River, and you cross over it if you're on 95.

IIRC, park's only a couple hundred acres at most.

edit: dblatto outgooglemapped me.

[gravitylover]

Eric,

Are you going to the meeting next week?

I'm gonna try to make it.

So now you really need that new bike we talked about last year Come in NOW and take advantage of the last few days of my winter sale on mountain bikes

[Sutter]

I'll try and swing by this Saturday, but don't try and sway me into spending my last 4 dollars on a bike. I'm a dreamer........

But let's talk about what kind of really clean ss set up for dirt jumps and we could throw together.

[s.p.c]

as it gets warmer, april/may, i would definately be down to do some trail work or whatever is needed to help. if you need marketing/ blogging pr/ etc. let me know and i can help.

oh and blotto, buy a fucking bike already.

[gravitylover]

Like the guy said in that email, get on the forums at http://www.nycmtb.com/phpBB2/index.php
and post up your desire to help.

[Benny Profane]

You know, there's been a bunch of stuff up in Van Courtland Park for years, off the old Putnam rail line that becomes the Westchester (paved) bike trail. It's probably not legal, but that doesn't seem to stop a lot of people.

[gravitylover]

Nope, not legal. Watch out for the parks dept cops on horses.