Trail News April '98 Next Meeting: Wednesday, April 8, 6:30 PM, at the Community Rm behind the library

Foresthill Divide Loop Trail Progress
The trail cat is here! We will be very busy moving dirt for the entire month of April. We will be needing people to help out Greg Wells most every day of the week. If you have some time, please phone Jim Haagen-Smit to schedule it (home 663-4626 or work 785-4589).

The IMBA Trail Care Crew will be visiting the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail on Monday April 13th, meeting at 9 AM at Upper Clementine Parking area. This should be a fine day to help and learn from the mountain bike trail professionals.

Greg has started working on the paper ground-work for extending the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail up to the Monte Vista Estates development. It's very exciting to actually see some of our dreams for a trail network begin to come true. Let's help get this trail done!

California Trail Day Project - April 25th
We are planning to do some work on the upper section of Todd's Valley Trail between Todd Valley Rd and the fire-safe/healthy forest demonstration site. There are several trails through the area which is owned by BLM. If you haven't explored this area, this would be a good time to do so. This is an important connection between the trail along Foresthill Rd and the Todd Valley Trail (historic section of the Western States Trail). We need to work with BLM to get easements in place in case the land is sold. We'll be cleaning up some garbage and doing general trail work. Meet at 9 AM at the intersection of the trail and Todd Valley Rd.

Oh So Scenic 50K Fun Run/Bike - March 15th
The weather was perfect for the Oh So Scenic 50K and we had a 100 percent finish rate. John Scott, Janet Rivard and Lucinda Fisher did back to back ultras, having finished Way Too Cool the day before. This is a very tough course with LONG hills and pavement. It was inspiring to watch everyone persist and finish. The scenery is interesting and varied - incredible waterfalls and river canyon views, Yankee Jims Bridge and Ponderosa Bridge crossings, classic rural mountain establishments (tin buildings and junk collections complete with dogs) and the Ponderosa in Weimar with the airplane sticking out of the roof. There was one really sad incident. A driver, possibly distracted by our runners, hit two dogs who were in the middle of the road on Canyon Way. There were some heavy hearts as well as heavy legs on the second half of the course.
I do want to thank the volunteers - Charlie Gabri who did a superb job of marking the course and the aid station people - Russ and Diane Melanson, Andrea Rigel, Jack Meyers, Dorothy Cleveland, Lore Clarke, Lori Lunsford and Mike Winslow.

Runners:                               Mountain Bikers:
     Ken Gregorich     4:40               Scott Doss       4:06 *
     Bernd Leupold     5:11               Judy Gonzales    4:06
     Linda Elam        5:59               Skip Lauderbaugh 4:06
     Steve Reagan      6:29               Steve Palmer     4:06
     Dan Baglione      7:02               Andrew Reid      4:06
     Jan Lambert       7:26               Jeannie Ennis    4:06
     Brandy Saum       7:26 1st Ultra     Linda Worrell    4:06
     John E. Scott     7:41   
     Janet Rivard      7:43
     Lucinda Fisher    7:43

* The mountain bikers rode and finished as a group.  

Proposed OHV Area Expansion at Mammoth Bar
The members in attendance at the March meeting voted to send the letter Larry Clarke drafted supporting the OHV Expansion at Mammoth Bar. The vote was 8 in favor, 4 opposed, with one abstaining.
The next public meeting on the Mammoth Bar expansion is scheduled for April 22nd, 7 PM at Granite Bay High school, 1 Grizzley Way in Granite Bay.

Voting
There was some discussion at the last meeting regarding how members of the FTA can vote on issues. From the Bylaws of Foresthill Trails Alliance, Inc. Article II section 3 regarding voting:
Each dues paying individual or two individuals of a dues paying family membership shall be entitled to one vote each at any meeting of the FTA.

So, according to our current bylaws, you have to be present at a meeting to vote. We discussed that this is difficult for some members who live out of the area or are unable to attend meetings for other reasons, and perhaps we should change the bylaws to allow for proxy voting by mail. The bylaws can be changed by a vote of members at a meeting. This is on the agenda again for April, so if you want to vote by proxy, try to attend or lobby with someone who will be there.

Next Youth Outing - Friday, April 10th
We're going to hike part of the Western States Trail from Foresthill to Dardonelle's Creek. It will be about 3 miles round-trip. Meet at the Middle School at 3PM. If you'd like to join us, please call Sherri at 367-3928.