Blow out the Cobwebs in Snowflake

SST Ride Sunday Morning, 2/5/22: Hey everyone! We've been quiet here for a couple of months as the rains and snows, while very welcome, has made our little playground unusable for almost two solid months. While it is still too wet and snowy to ride anytime real soon, it does appear that the Snowflake Secret Trails are rideable . . . and there is new single track out there to ride that many of you probably haven't seen yet which was built in the late fall. Not only are there new trails, but there are cool bike-specific features out there now . . . kind of think Fort Tuthill in Flagstaff if you've ever ridden there. I think it time that we all go check it out as the temperatures will be close to 60 on Sunday over there!

So here's the plan. Meet at the bike park trailhead on 7th Street South at 10:00 a.m.. If you've not been there and are coming from the Show Low side, hang a left on 7th St. S. at the stoplight just past the Maverick gas station. And just keep heading straight down that road, across a bridge over a creek crossing, then up the other side until you see a wide parking area on the left. That's what you are looking for and you'll see some of the features that have been added from there. Not sure how long this ride will be, but even if we intentionally extend it I don't think it will be much longer than twelve miles or so. It may get windy toward the end of the ride, so be prepared for that potential. I'm sure we'll be done with the ride by 12:00 p.m., and afterwards we may consider doing a lunch up at What's Cooking in Show Low.

It's Is Not As Quiet As it Sounds: So what is going on with the Buena project anyway? Glad you asked. We received a firm and final quote from Logan Simpson, which specializes in doing heritage studies in November of 2022. After getting that, we shared it with the USFS and sought permission to have the heritage study done on USFS lands in the Buena. The USFS approved the form of the contract and gave the STBVF governing Board official permission to enter into a contract with Logan Simpson to conduct the heritage study for the necessary heritage study for our project on December 23, 2022. Our governing Board then had discussion on the matter, approved the contract, and gave Logan Simpson a Notice to Proceed on the work on January 20th, 2023.

Logan Simpson has some preliminary work to do in preparing for the heritage study. And they cannot begin work "on the ground" until the Buena is at least 90% clear of snow cover and it is not unreasonably muddy. the bottom line is that important progress is being made behind the scenes.

In addition to that, Todd Fernau has been hard at work trying to secure some additional funding. I shan't discuss it much here as I don't want to jinx it. But if successful, I know we will have the necessary monies on hand to finish the Buena project on the east side of the U.S. 60.

The bottom line is that important progress is being made behind the scenes, and a truly believe we'll finally be building new trail sometime in 2023!