*FCC FACEBOOK WEEKLY WRAP-UP* *(An anti-social media compendium for our non-Facebook members)*
*NATIONAL BIKE MONTH CHALLENGES*We’re 7 days into May, National Bike Month, but there’s still time to join a challenge and be eligible for prizes. You can join one or both!
National Bike Challenge by the League of American Bicyclists:
www.lovetoride.net/usa
Ride More Challenge by People for Bikes:
www.pfbkeepriding.org/challenges
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*CLUB OFFERS FREE CLINIC TO MEMBERS*We will be offering a free one-hour online cycling clinic in June with coach and former pro cyclist Robbie Ventura, but the clinic will be open only to FCC members! Read more about it here.
www.fairbankscycleclub.org/2021/05/club-to-offer-free-one-hour-online-cycling-clinic-in-june/
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*VIDEO OF PRO BIKER ON ESTER DOME TRAILS*Professional mountain biker KC Deane took to the Ester Dome Singletrack Trails a while back and here’s the video to prove it. Those Ester Dome trails are NOT ready for riding yet. Please let them dry out so the trail tread doesn’t get rutted up. We’ll let you know when they’re ready.
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*PETITION FOR STATEWIDE TRAILS PROGRAM*Mountain bikers and others who like trails should consider signing this petition asking Gov. Dunleavy to create a statewide trails workforce development program.
Shared from Charles Bingham May 4 Trail Mix, Inc. With $1 billion in new federal stimulus funds coming to Alaska, Governor Dunleavy should invest in our people, land, and economy through a trails workforce development program. We can put hundreds of Alaskans back to work while building outdoor infrastructure to spur tourism. Take action now: bit.ly/trailsworkforcepetition
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*FCC RIDES PAGE UPDATED*We just recently updated our weekly rides page. Most FCC road rides have already started. The Goldstream Sports road rides have started. The Beaver Sports MTB rides and FCC Tuesday Night MTB Rides will start soon. Come out and have some fun! (Pic from a recent WOW ride.)
www.fairbankscycleclub.org/rides/
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*PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS*A penny-farthing in Cordova? In this century? (Sorry, non-FBers, this was a FB video)
Anyone have one of these in Fairbanks?
Adventure Cyclist magazine recently had a story on a daughter and father bikepacking across the country on penny farthings. Read it here: www.adventurecycling.org/blog/riding-high/
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*TAKE CARE OF FRAGILE TRAILS*This is from the Mat-Su, but it’s good advice for interior Alaska, too. Trying road riding this time of year. You can explore subdivision roads if you don’t like the busier main highways. Once you do start checking out the trails, be willing to turn back if the trail’s too soft. Damage done now can last all summer and fall. And consider filing a trail report using the Trail Forks app: www.trailforks.com/
Mat-Su Borough Recreation and Library Services April 27 It’s that time of the year….BREAK-UP!! Although the sun is shining and everyone wants to get out and play, we ask that you don’t use the natural surface trails during this time. They are highly susceptible to damage right now and that damage can last all year.
If you find yourself leaving boot, tire, or hoof prints in the mud, please find a drier or hardened surface trail to enjoy. Some great alternatives are the paved bike paths along many roads, the gravel/sand bars downstream of the Matanuska River Bridge, the gravel Matanuska River Trail from the Matanuska River Bridge to the Matanuska River Park campground, the gravel and wooden steps of the West Butte Trail, the paved trails at Alcantra Sports Complex, and the gravel trails at Settlers Bay Coastal Park. Please be patient and help to protect our trails. Thank you.
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*TV STORY ON PROPOSED STEESE-RICHARDSON INTERSECTION*Here’s a KTVF story on the proposed new intersection at the Steese-Richardson intersection near the Fort Wainwright entrance. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any information on how the new intersection would affect bikers and pedestrians, so if you use this intersection, please check out the website and online open house (which lasts until May 25).
BTW, Carl Heim, the DOT engineer interviewed in this story, is a cyclist, so there’s a good bet he’s viewing this project with cycling in mind!
notice.alaska.gov/202183