2011 Annual General Meeting

Nov. 13, 9:30-11:30am, Uxbridge Uxpool Meeting Room

You are invited!  Mark you calendars and come out to our 2011 Annual General Meeting on Sunday Nov. 13th, at 9:30am at Uxpool, 1 Parkside Dr. in Uxbridge. Map: http://maps.google.com/?q=1 Parkside Dr, Uxbridge, Ontario

Meeting obligatory 9:30-11:30am: We’re getting together to celebrate our successes, update you on the highlights of this year, get your feedback and input, refresh our Board of Directors, give you a glimpse into 2012 directions, and then go for a ride in EDH on some new, rarely ridden trails.

“Big Meanie’s 72 Big Foot Boardwalk”

Ravenshoe Forest (Brownhill Tract) – Sunday, October 30

This past Sunday was a “Big” day for DMBA and York Region.  It was DMBA’s first opportunity to put a stamp on York Regional soil.  And what a “Big” stamp that was!

It was a bright and frosty morning when 15 DMBA volunteers gathered to construct a 72 foot boardwalk.  With the help of many screw guns, a couple saws, and a pile of lumber (provided by York Region) the crew managed to construct nine 8 foot boardwalk sections in under 2 hours.  Thanks to one of the locals, the crew had a place to work off-site before transporting the sections into the forest.

After carrying the giant 8 foot sections, by hand, deep into the forest, the boardwalk installation commenced on the infamous “Big Meanie” trail.  York Region was kind enough to provide two forest technicians to help clear the old structure from the site.

The volunteers worked tirelessly and craftily to install this beautiful boardwalk.  What an experience.  This is the first of many structures to come. The Big Foot Boardwalk lives!

Thanks DMBA! Thanks York Region!

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

You are invited to help with the construction and/or installation of a brand spanking new boardwalk in Ravenshoe Forest (Brownhill Tract) on the “Big Meanie” trail.

Important!

If you wish to help with the construction of the boardwalk sections, please go to 22843 McCowan road (just north of Ravenshoe road) between 8-9am, which is where we will build the boardwalk in 9 - 8′ long sections.

Any time after 9am we will start to make our way over to the site on the “Big Meanie Trail”.

8am: -boardwalk construction

9am: -removal of the old ladder bridge/double teeter-totter on-site in “Big Meanie” trail.

-transportation of boardwalk sections to the site.

-installation of new boardwalk on site.

We should be finished by around noon.

Please RSVP if you plan on attending and let me know if you have any questions.

Erich Baumhard
baumhard at hotmail.com

Almost overwhelming, but a nice problem to have;  those are some of the words that could be used to describe Saturday’s turnout for DMBA’s latest trail build.  Terry S. put out the call and you showed up in numbers.  A record number in fact.  Something like 80 people.  More people than tools it seems and that’s the nice problem to have.  A problem we can solve and will solve with an order for more McCleods please. 

Brodie Bartlett attended the build, this time as a filmmaker and we look forward to those results.  The limited edition DMBA hats were almost all distributed in one shot.  What will we think of next?

Mike Sweet will be updating the Durham Forest map in due course and we’re thinking we’ll just carry over the Bowes name at this point.

I rode the trail on Sunday and ran into alot of smiling riders with the same idea.  The enthusiasm was noticeable.  People with a sweat invested in the trail are happy riders.  

When you combine all the positive elements of Durham Forest, we do have a gem.  And to think we’re in a position to have a positive impact on this rare asset.  

See you at the Spring Build!  I wonder where that one will take us?