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  • 21 Dec 2017 8:57 AM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)

    Rick Wesselhoff has been a top real estate agent in the Sedona area for years. What you might not know about Rick is that besides being a mountain biker, trail runner, and wilderness explorer, Rick, along with co-founder John Lupo, were the driving force behind the creation of the Sedona Dog Park!

    For all of your real estate needs, Rick and the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage team in Sedona AZ has been the #1 selling Sedona real estate company for the last 20 years. 

    Thank you Rick for your generosity and community service.

  • 15 Dec 2017 5:31 PM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)


    A huge thank you to Will & Tracy Guerts for giving back to our community through their recent VVCC Silver Level Sponsorship. Trail Sports bike shop provides locals and visitors alike with great bikes, epic tours, friendly service and a whole lot of combined experience! 

    Trail Sports is also a unique tour company, as Will & Tracy have lived and biked here for over 30 years and hold permits from the Coconino National Forest Service to safely conduct mountain bike tours on forest service lands.

    Find out more about Trail Sports, Will & Tracy by clicking here.

    Thank you Will/Tracy and see you on the trails!

  • 13 Dec 2017 11:08 AM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)

    The Mountain Bike Association of Arizona "MBAA" Board recently approved a $500 grant to the Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition for the Western Gateway Trail System Project. 


    The VVCC was one of 12 recipients of $23,000 granted by the MBAA this year. The MBAA promotes, protects and preserves the Arizona trail experience through advocacy, education and responsible recreational and competitive mountain biking.

    2017 MBAA Grant Recipients:

    – Arizona High School Cycling League

    – Arizona Trail Association

    – Colorado River Area Trail Alliance (CRATA)

    – Tucson Off-Road Cyclists (TORCA)

    – NavajoYes

    – Navajo Nation

    – Arizona Devo

    – West Valley Trail Alliance

    – Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition

    – Rim Country Mountain Bike Association (RCMBA)

    – Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists (SDMB)

    – Prescott Mountain Bike Association (PMBA)

  • 12 Dec 2017 8:58 AM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)


    The Verde Valley's newest bike shop - Verde Valley Bicycle Company - has decided to support the VVCC at our highest sponsor level! 

    The Verde Valley Bicycle Co. "VVBC" was founded out of passion and commitment to the sport we love so much. Creating a space to share our passion has always been VVBC's owner Bill Jackson's dream and he is excited to share it with everyone. Whether you have been biking for years or just starting out, Bill would love to have you stop by the shop and see what it's all about.

    The Verde Valley Bicycle Company is a huge supporter of VVCC's Bikes-for-Kids Program. They have committed to donating three new bikes per year beginning in 2018 for the program and to selling bikes parts and helmets to the VVCC in support of the program at their cost as well as assembling the bikes at no cost to the VVCC and discounting repair pricing. The Verde Valley Bicycle Company is offering a $50 trade in allowance on used kids bikes when customers purchase new bikes.

    For VVCC members, the Verde Valley Bicycle Company is offering a 10% discount on all goods and services. Excluding helmets and bikes for donations which any member of VVCC can purchase at VVBc's cost with zero mark-up. 

    The VVBC is located at 743 North Main Street in Cottonwood. Store Hours: Tuesday - Saturday | 10am-6pm

    A huge thank you to the Verde Valley Bicycle Company for all its doing for cycling in out community!

  • 11 Dec 2017 7:47 AM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)



    We recently caught up with Rich Leever, VVCC Board Member, Road Advocacy Committee Chair and Bikes for Kids Program Manager.

    Rich, what’s happening with the VVCC's Bikes for Kids Program?

    We met with Cottonwood Superintendent of Schools, Steve King, and Elementary School Principal, Jessica Vocca, to discuss creating a mountain bike club at the school. Two teachers have volunteered to set up this club. We’ve donated one used bike so far to Cottonwood Elementary and have provided the school with a budget to purchase additional bikes for the club as well as funds to help maintain the bikes. 

    Once your name gets out in the Community that you want to help kids with bikes you never know what your inbox will reveal. Frank Martson, a teacher at Cottonwood Elementary School, reached out asking for financial support for an elective class called Tool Time. Frank teaches about basic electronics, basic carpentry, and a unit on bicycle repairs. We’ve provided several bike stands to Frank for the class. We have partnered with Chain Reaction for the school to receive bikes to repair beyond the ones donated to the VVCC and for bike transport to/from the school. This class reduces the need for Chain Reaction and the VVCC to expend funds for program bike repairs.

    I also met with VVCC Member, Scott Keller, who is the principle at West Sedona Elementary several times. West Sedona School’s bike club wants to use donated/purchased bikes to expand the club as they have kids waiting to join. Teacher and VVCC member, Kaitlyn Propps, who runs the club, would like volunteers to help with training the kids on how to ride. We’ve been working to get members involved.

    At my meeting with Cottonwood Mayor Tim Elinski and Yavapai County Supervisor Randy Garrison, they put me in touch with Kirsten Hastings who runs the Cottonwood Youth Center. We have provided two donated bikes to the Youth Center along with four kids bikes donated to Chain Reaction whose focus is on adults in need. The bikes have been brought up to serviceable standards and we have provided a budget to the Youth Center to keep the bikes maintained. We also let Kirsten know that we would like to donate a new bike to the Youth Center as something to be earned by a child. Kirsten’s working on figuring how best to implement this initiative.

    Every child we get on a bike will be healthier and that will lead to other good things.


    Rich Leever displaying VVCC/Chain Reaction donated bikes to the Youth Center

    How’s fundraising been going?

    Fundraising has been a real learning experience. You must ask folks and so far, no one who I approached has turned us down.  The team at Verde Valley Bicycle Company “VVBC” consisting of Bill Jackson (owner), Doug Brown and Randy Young have really stepped up to the plate in support of the program. VVBC has committed to provide bikes at cost and assemble bikes at no charge in support of the program.

    Absolute Bikes is providing free slime tubes for West Sedona Elementary. 

    Three local bike shops and VVCC sponsors, the Verde Valley Bicycle Company, Absolute Bikes and Trail Sports have agreed to offer a kids bike trade in program for parents shopping for new kids bikes. The VVCC purchases used bikes at reasonable cost creating a win-win for the child, parent, bike shop and VVCC.

    The financial support from the community has been amazing. One VVCC member has contributed $1,500 to the program and we’ve received multiple $50 and $100 individual donations. Harkins Theater in Sedona is running the below Bike-for-Kids public service announcement over the holidays and we’ve submitted multiple grant applications for the program.


    How else is the program supporting local schools?

    This spring, the program will be supporting the bike rodeos at Cottonwood & West Sedona Elementary Schools. A bike rodeo is an event to celebrate the joys of bicycle riding and to teach the skills necessary to ride a bike safely. At the rodeo, VVCC volunteers will help with the various stations – helmet inspection, bike maintenance and bike riding skills – and we will be giving away three new bikes at each rodeo. Since I believe you can’t give bikes to kids without them having some skin in the game the Cottonwood and Sedona West Elementary Schools have created the following criteria for at need students to earn bikes:

    • Select students earn bikes based on exceeding normal expectations for
      • Grades
      • Behavior
      • Attendance
      • Citizenship
      • School principals create the challenge for students to undertake to win a bike

    Kids that earn bike are kids that don’t have the means to own a bike as well as the motivation to use the bike.

    Do you have any plans to expand beyond Cottonwood and Sedona?

    Expanding to Clarkdale and Camp Verde is contingent on finding program champions. In the school system, this is one more thing added on during the day and they equate “we’re here to help” as “creating work” so the key is designing the program so that the result is not more work but rather visualizing the need. Example, just can’t donate bikes, you must provide funds for repair.

    Any last thoughts?

    I could sure use volunteers to help with all aspects of the program.

    5 Minutes With is a running series of articles celebrating VVCC members who are making a difference for bicycling in the Verde Valley. If you know of a VVCC member that fits this description, please send their name to VVCC's Treasurer at moretrailboss@gmail.com.



  • 9 Dec 2017 9:07 PM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)

    Over 60 members and guest attended the VVCC Holiday Party on December 9th, held at the Mystic Hills  Club House. Catering courtesy of Bigfoot BBQ.


    Raffle Prize Winners were:

    Camelbak - Bruce Alt

    Camelbak - Rebecca Ellis

    Carson Palmer Autographed Football - Felicia Jackson

    $500 Gift Certificate - Marty Glinsky




  • 24 Nov 2017 7:26 PM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)


    Come to dance, eat, drink and be merry! Play games for all ages, connect and meet the many 'Angels' - including the VVCC - who live next door to you and me! Go home a winner of the 50/50 Split Raffle! Find a treasure in the Silent Auction. You WANT to be a part of the BEST Annual Festival of Angels ever!!! (and the 1st) ;) So don't miss it! 

    Meet, learn about and support the many people and organizations that make a difference every day! Perhaps they’ve helped you or a love one…you may become passionate about what they do and want to join their cause! Enjoy the live performances of Saffire, Barbie Edwards and Pash Galbavy to name a few and oh yes, the glorious wines available! 

  • 20 Nov 2017 7:26 AM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)

    From December 8, 2017 - January 4, 2018, look for the below VVCC's Bikes for Kids public service announcement "PSA" as you're eating popcorn waiting for the movie to start at Harkins 6 in Sedona. Don't blink as PSA are shown for only 15 seconds. The PSA was designed and donated by award winning Phoenix Marketing, Graphic & Web Design Studio, Avenue 25. Harkins Theaters is running the PSA in response to a grant request by the VVCC. Huge thank you to Rusty Pile, Rob Tinsman and the rest of the Avenue 25 and Harkins teams! 


  • 7 Nov 2017 8:50 PM | Kevin Adams (Administrator)

    Please join in the fun at the upcoming Red Rock Ranger District Volunteer Work Day Schedule.


   
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The VVCC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2003 (incorporated in March 2004) to promote road and mountain bike advocacy in, and around, the Verde Valley of Northern Arizona.


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