USA Cycling announced the recipients of the 2006 USA Cycling/International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Trail Tune-Up Grants.
Funded by USA Cycling, two US$1,000 grants and six US$500 grants were awarded to several groups seeking to jump-start trail improvement projects with an emphasis placed on trails used for competitive racing.
After receiving applications from all corners of the United States, USA Cycling and IMBA selected recipients from Virginia, Colorado, Wisconsin, California, Ohio, Alabama, and New York. In order to be eligible for the funding, clubs had to be members of both USA Cycling and IMBA.
The Shenandoah Mountain Bike Club in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association in Cable, Wisconsin were awarded US$1,000 each.
The Shenandoah Mountain Bike Club, in partnership with the Massanutten Four Seasons Resort, is in the process of completely rebuilding a 2.5-mile section of trail featured prominently in the Massanutten Hoo-Ha mountain bike race. The funds awarded will be allocated to help road-to-trail conversions of old logging routes, leaving behind environmentally-sustainable trails full of table-tops, berms, and hand-constructed rock gardens.
The Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association is home to the nationally-recognized Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, a 40-mile race that caters to 1,800 riders annually. The funds will be used for a trail construction initiative proposed by the club in order to take better advantage of the active Midwestern racing scene. The construction efforts will be centered around the community of Hayward, Wisconsin, where a 29-mile cluster of trails will be groomed to increase racing opportunities.
The six US$500 grants were awarded to the Platte Canyon High School Mountain Bike Team in Bailey, Colorado, the Bicyclists of Nevada County/Nevada Union Independent Mountain Bike Team in California, the Miami (Ohio) University Cycling Team, the Trail of Legends Association in Wetumpka, Alabama, the Elkhorn Valley Cycling Club/Andrew Bicycle and Fitness, and the New York-based Westchester Mountain Bike Association.
The Platte Canyon High School Mountain Bike Team will use the funds to purchase trail construction tools that will assist in the construction of a competition-oriented course for the team.
Bicyclists of Nevada County/Nevada Union Independent Mountain Bike Team will use the money to improve existing race courses at the Old Nevada City Airport in Nevada City by installing permanent trail signage and undertaking additional maintenance activities.
The Miami University Cycling Team, in conjunction with school’s engineering department, will construct two trailhead kiosks, an additional 2.5 miles of trail and five small bridges in Hueston Woods State Park, its primary training ground.
The Trail of Legends Association plans to re-route and lengthen sections of the course used in the Attack on Swayback race.
The Elkhorn Valley Cycling Club and Andrew Bicycle and Fitness are teaming up to support trail improvements of the Maskenthine Lake Mountain Bike Trail. The improvement will feature an extension of the trail system used for a race in the Nebraska Psycowpath Mountain Bike Race Series.
The Westchester Mountain Biking Association plans on using the funds to permanently mark the course used in the Chainstretcher Mountain Bike Race and assist in the promotion of the riding and racing opportunities provided by the club.
