Subject: Alert: Protect Fruita Trails
Organization: International Mountain Bicycling Association

All,

We need your help to protect Fruita and Grand Junction Mountainbike trails.A pending auction by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM),scheduled for May 6, puts trails in jeopardy from oil and gasdevelopment. These trails are world-class and are enjoyed byriders from all 50 states and many other nations, as well as the localriding community.

Take action today.(Comments must be received by April 26.)

http://go.imba.com/site/R?i=d7myqybNo4Z6rzHnkG6-2A..

Your message will support the Colorado Plateau Mountain BikeTrail Association's (COPMOBA) request to withdraw key parcelsfrom BLM's proposed May 6, 2006 lease auction. By clicking on the link above, your message will be sent to Catherine Robertson, Field Manager, BLM Grand Junction and Sally Wisely, Colorado BLM State Director.

IMBA thanks for your support!

Share the Road Plate

798 Applications as of 17-Apr-06

(From Georgia Bikes!) -- The Georgia SHARE THE ROAD specialty license plate is really going to happen... once the state receives at least 1,000 applications of $25 each in 2006. So lets make it quick and fun. Lets turn it into a race. The challenge is a friendly, unofficial, competition with the new NASCAR plates to be the first to the 1,000 point line.

On Tuesday, January 3, go to the local “tag office” in your county of residence. Take your identification and $25 directly to the counter staff asking to apply for the Georgia SHARE THE ROAD specialty license plate. Be sure to get and save your receipt. Once there are at least 1,000 applications (hopefully we will have won the race with NASCAR), the state will begin manufacturing the plates and distributing them to those county tag offices where applications were submitted. You will can get your tag on your normal renewal date; or you have the option of getting the plate early for an additional $25. The standard fees will be a one-time, $25, plate manufacturing fee (which will be credited if you provide your application fee receipt) and the annual, $25, specialty license plate fee. You are still responsible for your standard, annual, $20, registration fee and any of your applicable ad valorem taxes.

Note that ALL of the $25, annual, SHARE THE ROAD specialty license plate fee is intended to go to the Governor's Office Of Highway Safety (pending the state's yearly general appropriations process) for use in motorist and cyclist safety, education, and awareness projects and programs. Note also that $14.75 of the NASCAR plates annual $25 fee will go to the Governor's Office Of Highway Safety. Note too that the $25 application fee will be refundable in the unlikely event that 1,000 are not received by the end of 2007.

Georgia Bike Sense: A Guide for Cyclists and Motorist

This recently published book is a great primer for riders and motorist, to help explain the basics of bicycle riding in Georgia. It has a lot of great tips, check it out.

You can download this file directly from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) website.

It is a fairly large PDF file at 9.3 meg and approximately 35 pages, but it's still worth the time. Many thanks to all the hard working people that contributed to this effort.

RDC Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan

The draft report of the Regional Bicycle-Pedestrian Plan Plan has been completed and has been loaded on the RDC website for review and comment.

There is a link on the RDC website at www.mgrdc.org or you can access it directly by going to RDC Bike/Ped Plan

Local Issues

What kind of club do we want to be? We can focus on bike lanes, multi-use trails, helmets for kids, fitness awareness, maintenance and safety, commuting, promote riding to women, ride to school programs, etc.....

I guess the point here is that as an organization, what do we want? If it's just group rides, then why do we need club officers? Everyone can ride off in their small circle of friends and nothing gets done; or we can channel all this enthusiasm to effect positive change.