February 2023 Journal

Trailblazers have worked behind the scenes on some of your favorite Northwest Arkansas trails and paths for the last 20 years. Our history of projects is extensive, and we recommend checking most of them out on our website. We mentioned highlights like the Razorback Greenway, Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, Centennial Park, and Blowing Springs trail system. Trail runners, families, and naturalists enjoy these projects and many types of wheels! Coler hosts Airship Coffee, where you can walk and roll to get your java fix, the Greenway connects NWA’s four major cities, and Centennial Park has hosted the WORLD UCI Cyclocross Championship (and many other races), bringing people from around the globe to Fayetteville. 

Trailblazers’ are looking for New Board Members 

If you are interested in trails and active transportation development or community outreach and advocacy and giving back to your community, then joining our Board of Directors is the place for you.

We are currently accepting self-nominations from members of the public.

TAP Moves To Trailblazers

We are excited to announce that Trailblazers will manage the TAP(Trail Adoption Program) program. In 2022, Trailblazers partnered with FAST(Friends of Arkansas Singletrack) by hiring staff (Ciara Logan) to grow and scale the volunteer initiative. As a result, the number of people adopting trails increased from 200 to over 500. Those adopters spent over 10,000 hours maintaining trails in the Bella Vista, Bentonville, and Rogers areas. FAST will still be involved as they will host a monthly Trail Maintenance Education series, in partnership with Trailblazers, that encourages more trail stewardship.

The move to Trailblazers allows for more resources to be provided for the program to continue its growth. With support from Signature Bank and Bike Rack Brewery, we will host quarterly appreciation events and start awarding a Volunteer of the Month. We will also unveil a new system for signing up as an adopter and logging volunteer hours.

We look forward to expanding the program’s reach in 2023 by adding more trail systems for volunteers to adopt. So stay tuned for additional announcements!

Community and Opportunity with Bicycles 

From teaching helmet fit to pedaling, Trailblazers had another great time working with Canopy NWA to bring Adult First Ride to our new Afghan neighbors. 

"Access to bike riding helps individuals get to work, to the grocery store, and many other day-to-day activities in an area with limited public transportation." -Canopy NWA

Thank you to the Yvonne Richardson Community Center for hosting us!

For more information on how you can support Adult First Ride through volunteering or sponsorship, e-mail Gabriela@WeAreTrailblazers.org

 

Gordon Hollow

The Trailblazers crew spent a lot of time working on the Gordon Hollow area of Tunnel Vision. The neighborhood next to this section of trail added in a retaining wall made of clay, when we went in we realized that the material that they used would never dry. Our internal crew decided to rock armored 100ft of Tunnel Vision, this will allow riders to use this section in all types of weather. 

Tech Gnar

We are extending Tech Gnar to mimic an advanced version of Rim Trail. The riders asked repeatedly so they shall recieve! Walter’s Whistler will be reopened this upcoming weekend hopefully.

Back 40 Bridge

With extreme winter weather conditions, our trees have a tendency to fall on our features and bridges. Which it did on the Back 40 Loop, Chuck Wood’s and the Woodsman removed the tree and then our internal crew went in and replaced the support beams, decking boards, and mesh wire that keeps the wood from being too slippery. 

Mark Your Calendars! Upcoming Events

Weekly Rides and Runs

• Weekly Runs with Benton County Run Club
• Weekly Rides with Fayetteville United Cycling
• Weekly Rides with Fayetteville Wheelmen
• Wednesday Night Rides F.A.S.T.
• Weekly Rides with Ozark Off-Road Cyclists
• Weekly Rides with Springdale Bike Club
• Gravel Rides with Ozark Gravel Cyclists

Click here to see more rides, clinics, workshops, and volunteer opportunities!

*We are always looking for more events and rides/runs to be included in next month's newsletter. Please email us if you know of any we are missing.