News

The Catena Foundation today announced that the Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition was awarded a grant in the amount of $102,000. $100,000 of the grant will be used to expedite completion of Phase 2 of the Blowout Wash Project by funding AZ Conservation Corps crews to work on the following project actions: 

• More remote hand-build sections that are not feasible for volunteers, and
• Restoration actions including ground surface stabilization of the hill climb south of the Yavapai College Campus by shortening slope lengths, reducing water flow and trapping sediment through wattle and seeding. 

Work is expected to begin on this project phase in Fall 2020. 

The Blowout Project is a community-driven trails initiative that was conceptualized in 2008 by the City of Cottonwood to provide recreation opportunities to the residents and visitors of Cottonwood, Clarkdale and Jerome in the Verde Ranger District of the Prescott National Forest. The Project will encourage positive stewardship of Forest Service (FS) lands adjacent to these communities that have historically incurred unmanaged recreation, illegal off highway vehicle use, trash dumping and concentrated recreational shooting. 

The Blowout Wash Project is the first of several community trails envisioned as part of the Verde Trails and Access Plan (VTAP). The FS approved the VTAP environmental study in September 2018. The VTAP includes approximately 120 miles of non-motorized and 5 miles of motorized trails within the Verde Ranger District (VRD) of the Prescott National Forest (PNF).

The Project (~27 miles) is a stacked loop system to facilitate opportunities close in (easiest) and farther out (more challenging). The Project does not stand alone as it will be connected to the larger Mingus Mountain Trail System and with the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail. Additionally, the Project connects to the Yavapai College campus and several residential areas in Clarkdale and Cottonwood. 

Two public trailheads, Blowout Wash and Yavapai College Verde Valley Campus, provide access to this system. The Yavapai College trailhead, will include all weather paved parking, restrooms, signage and interpretive trail safety opportunities. 

$2,000 of this grant will be used for VVCC indirect costs associated with the project.

Many thanks to Kevin Adams for his diligent work in making this happen...

May 15 was the date for the reopening for some of the recreation sites, trailheads, and developed campgrounds within the Coconino National Forest. Current status for all sites is listed in alphabetical order on the Coconino Recreation web page, which will be updated whenever a recreation site opens or closes. Regardless of where you decide to recreate, you are responsible for your health and well-being. Do not overcrowd sites, and be sure to take your trash with you to keep the forest clean!

Did You Know?

By: Kevin Adams

President, Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund

Treasurer, Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition

Many VVCCers in the know, know that the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival attracts shedders, spouses, and other assorted characters to Sedona for an extended weekend in March each year and that the Festival is the largest single VVCC annual fundraiser. The past two years, the VVCC and Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund (SRRTF) collaborated on a joint raffle culminating at the. But did you know what role Festival organizer and VVCC sponsor Mike Raney does to help make the VVCC/SRRTF festival fund raising a success?

Mike works with Festival sponsors to provide raffle items and to do their own local trail fundraising at their booths with the SRRTF as the recipient of the latter. Mike also provides premium tent space to both the VVCC and SRRTF at no charge to sell raffle tickets at the event. Mike also turns down dozens of non-profits each year coveting the opportunity to raise funds through the Festival's beer sales, instead setting aside that lucrative opportunity exclusively to the VVCC. 

In 2019, Mike's generosity permitted the VVCC/SRRTF team to raise $24,000 over the three day Festival. This year's combine VVCC/SRRTF Festival proceeds were $26,251.75.

Yes, that's right, over the last two years, the Festival has raised over $50,000 for local trail maintenance and enhancements. And, Mike Raney makes it all possible!

The SRRTF will use the $15,222.00 of this year's combined raffle proceeds for maintenance and enhancements of the non-motorized trails near Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek. The VVCC will use the $11,251.75 in beer/tip proceeds on hiring AZ Conservation Corps youth program workers on Phase 2 of the ~29 mile Blowout Wash Trail System in Cottonwood beginning this fall. 

Mike is the co-owner of Over the Edge Sports in Sedona. When you get a minute, please stop by the shop and let Mike know just how appreciative you are for what he's doing for our trails. Better yet, buy something or a gift certificate and take advantage of specials he offers exclusively to VVCC members.

Thank you Mike! 

The Arizona Office of Tourism has put together recommendations regarding recreation around Arizona during the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can read about it at:  https://tourism.az.gov/responsible-recreation-across-arizona/ and http://tourism.az.gov .

Conner Hunt was one of the original group of bike club students at Oak Creek Elementary. For those coaches who haven't had the opportunity to meet Conner (or his younger brother Nolan), Conner and Nolan really took to the program.  In May 2019, as a rising 7th grader, Conner earned a new bike and the only reason he didn't participate in bike club last fall was because he joined the NICA team and his mom was getting him to practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Conner, Nolan and their older brother Wille have been building bike jumps in their yard.

Unfortunately, Conner's new bike got run over by a car and destroyed late last year. When Principal Nayadin told me about it, we conjured up a scheme where, by performing community service around the school, Conner could earn a replacement bike. The attached video shows his being surprised to receive it. If you listen closely, you can hear Conner say "I though I had to do more..." 

 Conners bike.mp4

So far, 46 new bikes, helmets and locks have been awarded to students in the Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary School District and 26 bikes/helmets/locks are on order for Beaver Creek and Camp Verde students who have earned them and will be delivered later this month. With a little luck, over 80 bikes will be awarded this year throughout the Verde Valley.

The Bike Park at Oak Creek Elementary (and Mountain View Academy in Cottonwood) moved another step closer to reality on Wednesday. The Catena Foundation, in conjunction with Progressive Trail Designs (PTD) out of Bentonville, AR, awarded a joint grant/in-kind donation for PTD to work with the schools and FUN on the concept design. We have a kickoff call on Monday. PTD did a site visit in early March and the grant deliverable will be a report on both schools’ proposed bike parks with maps, site plans, estimates, descriptions, etc. The budget estimate will be a rough order of magnitude and the designs will be conceptual. PTD will also provide a budget for more detailed plans and construction documents if necessary. Catena is funding up to $14,500 and Progressive Trail Design is donating up to $10,500 in services for this phase of the project.

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary School Superintendent, Steve King, has agreed to provide the land necessary for these bike parks and has coordinated with Valley Academy for Career & Technology Education (VACTE) Superintendent Robert Wier to commit to having VACTE provide the student labor and heavy equipment for the project as part of VACTE's hands on vocational training offering. We just need to raise $$$ for material and a professional trail builder foreperson and we have been invited to submit a grant application by the Northern Arizona Healthcare Foundation. Keep your fingers crossed and stay tuned!

The Western Gateway is now complete!!!! 

Details of the Western Gateway:

• Originally conceived over two decades ago, this ~29 mile non-motorized trail project was approved on May 31, 2018.
  
• Construction occurred during two six month seasons.
• Ground broke on November 8, 2018 with the first of 19 volunteer trail work days over the first season construction season. Season one construction ran through April 2019. The SRRTF sponsored 12 of the 19 workdays through a generous grant from REI. Other volunteer trail workday sponsors included, the VVCC, Over the Edge Sports, Friends of the Forest, Wildlands Trekking, Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau and Keep Sedona Beautiful.
  
• Two four person youth crews from the American Conservation Experience in Flagstaff conducted 8 weeks of work beginning in January 2019. This crew began work during the Federal Government shutdown. 
• The second season began on October 26, 2019 with the first of 15 volunteer trail work days over the Season 2 construction period which ran through early April 2020. The SRRTF and VVCC sponsored 12 of the 15 workdays through generous REI and National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance grants. Other volunteer trail workday sponsors include: Friends of the Forrest, Over the Edge Sports and Enchantment Resort.
• Two eight person youth crews from the American Conservation Experience in Flagstaff conducted 8 weeks of work beginning in January 2020 (report below). Majority of these crews were female and both crews were headed by females. The FS gave this year's ACE effort glowing reports. ACE Report, RRRD 2020.pdf
• The project was 100% community funded.
• • The Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund supplied:
  • • $78,000 to the Forest Service for the project
    • ~$157,000 for the ACE crews during the project
    • ~$4,000 for apres work day refreshments
    • ~$1,500 for mapping
  • VVCC separately spent over $2,800 for signage and trail markers
  • Forest Service provided gatorade and water during season 2
  • Famous Pizza supplied pizza at half price throughout both project seasons on SRRTF and VVCC sponsored volunteer workdays
  • Lagunitas Brewery in Petaluma, CA supplied the beer during season 1
  • Largest project contributors to the SRRTF:
  • • VVCC (~$77,000)
    • National Forest Foundation ($50,000 - two separate $25,000 matching award grants, one for each season)
    • Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau ($45,000)
    • Enchantment Resort ($25,000)
    • REI Flagstaff ($11,000)
    • Hundreds of individual contributors.

Nayadin Persaud, Principal of Oak Creek School put together a little video of the kiddos who picked up their new bikes to thank the coaches and the Wheels for Fun program for what we do. Naya also sent over a draft of her letter of support for a grant opportunity we're pursuing that if successful, will result in a small bike park at the school.

FinalBike Program Letter .pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtE1gzzjt6w&feature=share

Forest Service Order Number: 03-04-20-10

PROHIBITION:

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551, and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) and (b), the following acts are prohibited in the areas, and on the roads, and trails described in this Order and depicted below, within the Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino National Forest, in Coconino County and Yavapai County, Arizona.

1. Entering or using a developed recreation site or portion thereof. 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(b)

2. Being on a trail. 36 C.F.R. § 261.55(a)

3. Being on the road. 36 C.F.R. § 261.54(e)

Due to the current need for social distancing and reduced group numbers the board has determined it is in the best interest and health of all VVCC members that the 2020 Spring Picnic should be canceled. Updates will follow as the year progresses. Be safe and stay healthy.

Great social ride today and our 1st all girl group. Missing Sandy, Kelli and Pam.

Sending Rebecca off  to be a grandmother!

                        Prickley Pear shorts today!