Click here for our 2023 2nd quarter newsletter.

Click here for our 2023 1st quarter newsletter .

This is our third quarterly newsletter, in which we would like to share with you what we've been up to the last couple months, as well as upcoming events! As always, we welcome any feedback!

Please note we have included some pictures below; in case they do not display correctly.

Accomplishments/Events

Outdoor Recreation Trails+ Grant

A press release from the NMEDD recently came out discussing AMBA’s successful proposal acceptance for the Trails+ Grant via the Outdoor Recreation Department. We were awarded the full Tier 1 amount of $99,999, which requires a 1:1 match. A majority of the match will be met through volunteer trail work, so be on the lookout for future trail work days later this fall and into next Spring!

Albuquerque Mountain Bike Association (AMBA) ($99,999, Tier I): Albuquerque Mountain Bike Association (AMBA), in collaboration with the Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest, is requesting funds to build upon and improve the existing downhill designated mountain biking trails on the east side of the Sandia Crest. This scalable project was scoped and approved in the USFS’s April 2021 Sandia Trails Improvement Project but requires supporting labor and funding from the biking community and collaborating organizations. The project will use a hybrid development approach, pairing machine and hand-built construction mechanisms, to create unrivaled progressive features, while maintaining the character and experience of the existing trails.

The full article can be found here: https://edd.newmexico.gov/pr/outdoor-recreation-investments-set-to-benefit-20-communities-create-175-jobs/

Tool Purchase for Trail Work

We have been busy the past few months purchasing enough trail building tools to ensure our continued effort in trail building and maintenance. In addition to the tools purchased last quarter we have also acquired 2 weed whackers, a few brush clippers, and a wheelbarrow.

Socials/Reminders

Member Appreciation Event

Save the Date, Sunday October 23^rd. AMBA will be hosting a members-only appreciation event at Canteen Brewhouse from 12-3pm, in which you can expect food, drinks, games, prizes, raffles and good company! The event has been posted on Meetup and was recently rescheduled from the original date in September.

ABQ Zia Ride Dirt Fest Event

AMBA was present during the Zia Race this past September, offering information about the organization to potential new members, while also giving away free cow bells to add to the energetic support of the racers!

Bike maintenance classes

AMBA was able to offer two mountain bike maintenance classes this summer, one of which took place at the Zia Rides Dirt Fest in September by Zach Ratzlaff of Two Wheel Drive.

Group Rides

AMBA offers group rides that can vary in distance and difficulty and are planned by our gracious Ride Organizers when they are able to take time from their busy lives! These are offered via our Meetup.com website, which can be found here: https://www.meetup.com/AMBANM/. We are accepting applications for new Ride Organizers, however we do require that you: are an AMBA member, have attended at least 5 group rides in the past, are an intermediate to advanced rider, and familiar with the trails and trail etiquette. If you are interested in organizing group rides, please reach out to Tami Taylor @ tami@ambanm.org. Below is a pic from one of our rides this summer.

Get Involved

Committee Member Inquiry:

We are looking for individuals that would like to join our non-profit organization, helping to promote the love of mountain biking and participate in the following committee groups:

• Membership & Marketing (social media, conducting surveys)
• Technology (updating website)
• Sponsorships (help bring in new business sponsors)

Upcoming trail opportunities:

In conjunction with the US Forest Service, Albuquerque Open Space, the Placitas Area Trail Association, and other trail-oriented organizations, AMBA will be working to schedule and participate in local volunteer trail work opportunities. Keep an eye out for further information about these events on our social media pages:

o   Instagram: @albuquerque_mtb_association
o   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMBANM 

Events Meetup Page

Looking for upcoming group rides and volunteer trail work opportunities? Make sure to check out and join our AMBA Events Page: https://www.meetup.com/AMBANM/events/

Our Business Sponsors

Double Black Diamond Sponsor: THE GREENSIDE CAFÉ

The Greenside Café has been supporting AMBA for a long time at the “Double Black Diamond” level. They supply us with the most delicious breakfast burritos and other goodies for our trail work days, they donate gift cards for raffle prizes, and always seem willing to donate and help out when needed. If you’re riding in the East Mountains, be sure to stop by for a cold brew and something delicious to eat - and thank them for giving back to the trails!

Located in Cedar Crest: 12165 State Highway 14 N, Suite B-1, Cedar Crest, NM 87008
https://www.greenside.cafe/

NEW Green Sponsor: BICYCLE REVIVAL

We’d like to welcome our newest “green level” business sponsor, Bicycle Revival! If you haven’t checked them out, please stop by and show them some love.

“Just a small repair shop focused on quality repairs.”

Located on Juan Tabo between Candelaria and Menaul: 2506 Juan Tabo Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112
https://bicyclerevival.net

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Please email Rachel at rachel@ambanm.org!

Newsletter created by Carley Parriott, Hannah Russert & Rachel Bobka.

Hello All!

This is our second quarterly newsletter, in which we would like to share with you what we've been up to the last couple months, as well as upcoming events that are happening this Summer! As always, we welcome any feedback!

Please note we have included some pictures below; in case they do not display correctly.

Accomplishments/Events

Challenge Trail:

• The Challenge Trail Extension will be further constructed once the latest National Forest Closures have been rescinded and the trail corridor has been cleared by the USFS Crew. Trail Days scheduled later this summer and into fall will enable the connection between the Tree Springs trailhead down to Doc Long.

  

MTB Specific Training Course

• AMBA, in partnership with Elevate PHW, hosted a MTB specific training course, with Coach Jay English. The course consisted of 5 classes costing a total of $150 - ALL of which was donated to the upcoming AMBA North Course project! The first course class booked fast! The Course Objective focused on building a fundamental understanding of the multiple elements that lay the foundation for performance and longevity on the bike. Topics that were explored included: 1) purpose and options for on the bike training, 2) managing and balancing training objectives, 3) performance nutrition & hydration, 4) bike specific mobility & strengthening. We are considering hosting another if there is interest expressed.

Tool Purchase for Trail Work:

• We have been busy the past two months purchasing enough trail building tools to ensure our continued effort in trail building and maintenance. Up until this point, we have had to borrow tools from the Forest Service which can provide additional logistic complications and we now have our own tools. So far, we have been able to purchase 10 McLeods, 10 pick mattocks, 2 pulaskis, and 25 helmets. Hopefully by next year we will be able to purchase a trailer to store and haul these in too!

Socials/Reminders

Appreciation Event:

• Save the Date, Saturday August 20th. AMBA will be hosting a members-only appreciation event at Canteen Brewhouse from 4-7pm, in which you can expect food, drinks, games, prizes, raffles and good company! The event was recently posted on Meetup. Please note that the appreciation event has been changed to Saturday, October 23 at the Canteen Brewhouse from 12:00 - 3:00.

Bike maintenance classes:

• AMBA will be offering two mountain bike maintenance classes this summer, which are organized and run by Zach Ratzlaff of Two Wheel Drive bike shop in Nobhill. We will be posting these on Meetup soon!

Camping Event:

• Save the Date, weekend of October 1st! AMBA will be hosting a members-only camping event at Cedro Peak in Tijeras, in which you can expect a group ride, skills clinic, food, drinks, and tons of fun! Be on the lookout- details will be posted soon on Meetup!

Group Rides:

• AMBA offers group rides that can vary in distance and difficulty and are planned by our gracious Ride Organizers when they are able to take time from their busy lives! These are offered via our Meetup.com website, which can be found here: https://www.meetup.com/AMBANM/. We are accepting applications for new Ride Organizers, however we do require that you: are an AMBA member, have attended at least 5 group rides in the past, are an intermediate to advanced rider, and familiar with the trails and trail etiquette. If you are interested in organizing group rides, please reach out to Tami Taylor @ tami@ambanm.org.

Skills Clinics:

• AMBA will be offering member-only mountain bike skills clinics to our members later this summer/early Fall. Two of our Committee Members, Veronica Bruce and Rachel Bobka, attended a 3-day clinic and now hold BICP Level 1 mountain bike instructor certifications and are going to share their knowledge with our awesome members. Be on the lookout for both a women-only and a co-ed skills clinic later this year!

Get Involved

Committee Member Inquiry:

• We are looking for individuals that would like to join our non-profit organization, helping to promote the love of mountain biking and participate in the following committee groups:
• • Membership & Marketing (social media, conducting surveys)
  • Technology (updating website)
  • Events & Group Rides

Upcoming trail opportunities:

• In conjunction with the US Forest Service, Albuquerque Open Space, the Placitas Area Trail Association, and other trail-oriented organizations, AMBA will be working to schedule and participate in local volunteer trail work opportunities. Keep an eye out for further information about these events on our social media pages:
• • Instagram: @albuquerque_mtb_association

Events Meetup Page:

• Looking for upcoming group rides and volunteer trail work opportunities? Make sure to check out and join our AMBA Events Page: https://www.meetup.com/AMBANM/events/

Newsletter created by Carley Parriott & Hannah Russert

Starting this year, AMBA plans to send a quarterly newsletter to our members and community to share and inform about our current and upcoming events and projects. Given this is our first newsletter, we have included some project information that took place last year. We welcome any feedback!

Please note we have included some pictures below; in case they do not display correctly.

Accomplishments/Events

Bike maintenance classes:

• AMBA was able to offer two mountain bike maintenance classes, which were organized and run by Zach Ratzlaff of Two Wheel Drive bike shop in Nobhill. We will plan to hold more classes in 2022, starting this Spring!

Challenge Trail:

• Throughout Summer and Fall 2021 the AMBA trail committee, the Friends of the Sandia Mountains, an extensive list of volunteers, and of course the US Forest Service team were able to complete the initial Challenge Trail extension - connecting the Sandia Ski Resort to the Tree Springs trailhead. The new development offers a multi-use section, allowing users to ascend and descend the mountain on a more manageable intermediate (blue) trail; as opposed to the existing technical, rock-filled alternative. Further extension to the Doc Long Picnic area will be continued Spring 2022. 
  
  
• A large chunk of this work was completed at the National Trails Day Event on Saturday, June 5, which was followed by a catered lunch and prize raffle. Many thanks to those that contributed both food and prize donations for the event - Greenside Cafe, New Belgian Brewing, Elevate PHW, Bikeworks, Fat Tire, Specialized, and Picky Bars. 

      

Dirt Fiesta Zia Race:

• AMBA partnered with Two Wheel Drive bike shop this past fall, for the annual Zia Race in Oak Flats. We helped to support the infamous "Donut Station" for riders to refuel during the race, as well as providing gels, energy bars, water and lots of energetic support!

   

IMBA Dig-In Grant:

• AMBA submitted a proposal for and was accepted into one of the quarterly 2021  IMBA Dig In Programs. The program, founded by Shimano, provides an avenue for nationwide mountain bike projects to raise funds.  The ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between local and national fundraising efforts, while showing a new audience how inspirational and vital trails are to local riders and biking communities. Each project is eligible for $2000 of matching funds from Shimano, once the project reaches $2000 in online donations.
  
  
• Thanks to our amazing local, regional, and anonymous supporters, we reached our $2000 goal! We would like to acknowledge and thank all of our supporters, who contributed to our campaign via monetary donations, social media repostings, and word-of-mouth leads. Without the support of fellow mountain bikers and trail advocates we would not be able to continue our trail maintenance, development, and advocacy efforts.
  
  
• The funds will be utilized to help purchase the necessary tools, equipment, and signage to further enhance the Challenge Trail extension; along with, contribute to future project proposals and matching opportunities.

Memorial Bench:

• In Fall of 2021, AMBA worked with the Open Space to build and install a Memorial bench for our dear friend and fellow mountain biker, Kathy Thompson. This was funded by friends and family of Kathy, as well as AMBA. You can find this bench and overlook on the Ponderosa Loop in Oak Flats.

        

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day (TKMBD):

• On October 2, 2021, AMBA partnered with our local NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) chapter for our annual Take A Kid Mountain Biking event. TKMBD is celebrated annually on the first Saturday in October and this past year, included an obstacle course, hands-on bike maintenance, a group ride and Dion’s pizza picnic provided by AMBA.
• Created in 2004 and recognized by the U.S. Congress, TKMBD introduces the joy of mountain biking to the next generation. Hundreds of thousands of youth have discovered and celebrated the joy of pedaling two wheels on dirt at TKMBD events. Many have gone on to become passionate riders, volunteer trail advocates, and even high school mountain bike racers.

   

Tool purchasing for trail work:

• As part of our ongoing commitment to our AMBA Members, we would like to inform how funds are being spent. This Spring we plan to secure enough trail building tools to ensure our continued effort in trail building and maintenance. Up until this point, we have had to borrow tools from the Forest Service which can provide additional complications. By owning our own tools, we will be able to better assist in upcoming projects.

Get Involved

Committee Member Inquiry:

• AMBA will be sending out inquiries for additional committee members this Spring. We are looking for individuals that would like to join our non-profit organization, helping to promote the love mountain biking and participating in the following committee groups:
• • Membership & Marketing (social media, conducting surveys)
  • Technology (updating website)
  • Trail Development & Maintenance
  • Education (bike skills)
  • Events & Group Rides
  • Financial & Fundraising (assist Treasurer, create grant opportunities)

Upcoming trail opportunities:

• In conjunction with the US Forest Service, Albuquerque Open Space, the Placitas Area Trail Association, and other trail-oriented organizations, AMBA will be working to schedule and participate in local volunteer trail work opportunities. Keep an eye out for further information about these events on our social media pages:
• • Instagram: @albuquerque_mtb_association
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMBANM  

Socials/Reminders

AMBA Events Meetup Page:

• Looking for upcoming group rides and volunteer trail work opportunities? Make sure to check out and join our AMBA Events Page: https://www.meetup.com/AMBANM/events/

Group Rides:

• AMBA offers group rides that can vary in distance and difficulty and are planned by our gracious Ride Organizers when they are able to take time from their busy lives! These are offered via our Meetup.com website, which can be found here: https://www.meetup.com/AMBANM/. We are accepting applications for new Ride Organizers, however we do require that you: are an AMBA member, have attended at least 5 group rides in the past, are an intermediate to advanced rider, and familiar with the trails and trail etiquette. If you are interested in organizing group rides, please reach out to Tami Taylor @ tami@ambanm.org.

Newsletter created by Hannah Russert & Carley Parriott

Dear AMBA Members,

My name is Seth Bush, and I am the newly elected President of the Albuquerque Mountain Bike Association (AMBA). For those who don’t know me, I am firmly ingrained in the mountain bike community as the Owner and Race Director of Zia Rides Mountain Bike Events. AMBA has done a great job building a social organization, and I am committed to working with the board to take the organization to the next level. 

I am excited by the opportunity to make AMBA a force for mountain bike trail advocacy in the Albuquerque area. We have work to do to make AMBA the organization that I feel it should be. Some of the goals that I have for the organization include:

• Formalize and improve relationships with the land managers 

• Survey and listen to our members so we can represent your needs and interests

• Identify specific new AMBA trail projects in the region

• Recruit and establish new members to the AMBA board

• Make AMBA a more consistent presence for mountain bike advocacy in the community

• Better establish leadership progression in the organization

• Formalize the adoption of trails and maintenance projects with land managers

• Creation of formal committees to better engage membership

• Develop a 1% for trails program in Albuquerque Area to raise money for projects

• Continuing AMBA’s strong efforts to provide opportunities for members to interact on group rides and in social settings

But, we are going to need your help to make this happen. What can you do?

Get involved! 

• Join a committee and put your talents to work. Click Here to learn more: https://www.ambanm.org/committees

• Pay your dues and encourage others to join. Click here to join or renew: https://www.ambanm.org/join

• We will be sending out a member survey. Please complete it so we know how to represent your interests.

• When land managers send us surveys and invitations to provide commentary, please take the time to do it.

• Ride your bike and be a positive face for mountain biking in the community for fellow mountain bikers and all other trail users.

We have some exciting plans in the works and look forward to working with all of you. If you would like to contact me for any reason, please feel free to do so at seth@amba.org. I look forward to working with you all to continue to make Albuquerque a great place to ride.

Thanks,

Seth

Over the past year the club has grown tremendously in membership. We currently have about 250 members. It’s been a long time since we’ve had that many members.

First a big shout-out to ALL our amazing ride leaders. Thanks to them we hosted more rides on Meetup than in any other year - 245 rides. That comes out to a ride every 1.5 days. A special thanks goes to Lena, Babs, David and Tami. We now have over 1000 members in our Meetup Group.

AMBA has always wanted to be able to offer some basic mountain bike instruction to its members. Unfortunately, we were restricted by a lack of insurance coverage. Things have changed, and we are now covered to offer beginner mountain biking instruction. With this coverage comes a new opportunity, and the club will be sending two of our most popular ride leaders to become certified instructors. So, if you are a beginner, you can look forward to more instructional opportunities this coming season.

One of the goals of the club has been to get more kids involved with mountain biking, which is why we’ve always hosted a “Take A Kid Mountain Biking” day. We have supported the NICA “Goatheads” youth team financially for a couple of years now, but this past November we decided to increase our partnership with them to get more kids involved in mountain biking. In the past, members of the team were restricted by insurance coverage to only riding during their official season. Starting this year, AMBA has now incorporated the Goatheads family into our Meetup online application so they can ride year-round. Now you can expect to see Goatheads affiliated coaches leading AMBA youth rides throughout the year. This is a huge step to keep kids riding. This is also your opportunity to become a youth ride leader. For more information about NICA teams in New Mexico. Contact abqmtbkids@gmail.com and for more information about the AMBA youth rides contact contact@ambanm.org. Kids 5th grade and over are welcome without special approval, and you must sign our online application.

We had a great time supporting the Albuquerque Mountain Bike Festival with our donut station. The donut station has always been supported by Bikeworks, but they weren’t able to do it this year, so AMBA stepped in to carry the torch and continue this essential tradition. We also supported REI’s membership day and BikeABQ’s annual Meet and Greet. We had fun at both.

National Trails Day almost didn’t happen but we managed to squeeze in some trail work on the Challenge Trail and had a great BBQ (veggie burgers included) before the rain and lightning drove us to our cars.

Our board member, David Harding, has been a big supporter of Esperanza, the city run bike program designed to get people in need building and owning their own bikes. Over the summer the program ran out of brake cables which severely limited their ability to go forward with their mission. AMBA, in conjunction with Bikeworks, stepped up to purchase about $300 worth of cables so Esperanza could continue to build bikes. By the way, if you want to work on your own bike, or learn how to work on your own bike, or learn how to work on your own bike with the guidance of a bike “guru,” Esperanza is the place to do it. They have all the special tools and knowledge to get your bike running the way.

Thanks to David Burton, we have a new website. With the new website, you now have options when you join AMBA. You can join the same way you’ve always done, through IMBA, or you can join directly through our website. Joining through our website means all your money goes directly to the club. Also, on the site you can find links to Facebook, Instagram and Meetup as well as a list of our current board members.

Unfortunately, our amazing secretary and ride leader, Rachel Bobka, has moved back to Alaska. We will all miss her. Carley Parriot has graciously volunteered to be the club secretary as well as social coordinator.

As clubs mature, they inevitably go through growing pains. So, if you go on a Meetup ride, we ask that you postpone the celebration to after the ride. This means no alcohol or pot smoking on the ride, and if you listen to music please use ear buds.

Trek Superstore Donation

First, AMBA would like to thank our local Trek Superstore for its donation of matching funds to our December fundraiser. The club raised $1000 through individual donations and new memberships, and Trek has matched that amount with a $1000 donation. We also wish to thank BikeABQ (http://www.bikeabq.org/) for their significant contribution which helped us reach our $1000 goal. The $2000 raised will go towards local trails!

Sandia Collaborative

A big part of what AMBA does is build relationships with land managers and other organizations to advocate for mountain bikers. An example would be The Sandia Collaborative - the newly re-formed Landscape Team which was originally formed during the initial period of revision for the Forest Service Plan. While currently under revision, the purpose of the Collaborative is: ” ... to promote, preserve, restore, and enhance the landscape of the Sandia Ranger District for traditional and contemporary multiple use for current and future generations.”

The December meeting focused on team building and revising existing documentation. Additionally, Crystal Powell, head ranger for the Sandia Ranger District, talked a little bit about the focus of the Forest Service this year, which will be on trails North of I-40. While not official yet, there was some talk of making the downhill trails that start at the 10K trailhead official system trails. The Schedule of Proposed Action (SOPA), which will document trail plans, was supposed to be released early January but we’ll have to wait until after the shutdown to see it.

Meetings for the Sandia Collaborative are held at the at the James McGrane Public Safety Complex in Tijeras every third Thursday of the month from 9:30am-12pm. For more information about the Collaborative, contact Marsha Kellogg, Facilitator: marita.kellogg@gmail.com

Cibola/Santa Fe/Carson National Forest:

Plan Revision Update

It appears that all three of New Mexico’s northern national forests will be presenting their draft plans to the Washington DC office early in 2019. After incorporating any changes identified in that final review, they will be releasing the final draft Forest Plan Revisions and Environmental Impact Statement for the official (NEPA-mandated) 90-day public comment period. Given the government shutdown it's difficult to say when the public comment period will start.

This public comment period is the last official public comment opportunity and the one that establishes “standing” if one chooses to challenge the accuracy and appropriateness of Forest Service documents and decision. This links below are the most direct way of keeping track of the respective Forest’s Plan Revision process:

• Carson National Forest Plan Revision page
• Cibola National Forest Plan Revision page
• Santa Fe National Forest Plan Revision page

White Ridge/Mesa

AMBA met with Jackie Leyba, BLM land manager for Cuba, concerning White Ridge. Jackie is the land manager for the White Ridge and Cuba area, and we met with him at his request. AMBA was the first of the user groups he is talking to in order to form a user cohort to partner with to provide input and support. We discussed threats and opportunities pertinent to White Ridge. First was the mine expansion. The mine was granted an extension toward the bike trails, but it will be ten years until they get there. They have not yet been allowed access to the bike trail area. The second threat is a threatened species of flower (threatened by user generated trails spider webbing everywhere) and cryptobiotic soil preservation. Options for mitigating damages include education and physical barriers (roped off areas w/signs). Opportunity exists because Jackie fully realizes the recreational importance of the area. He’d like to develop the area with funding through grants. Development could include improved parking, information kiosks, picnic facilities, restroom facilities, creating an official trail system, signage and maps. We’ll keep everyone updated as we learn more.

Cuba, NM

The following comes to us from Dan Roper of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. You can reach Dan here if you would like more information: droper@continentaldividetrail.org

In 2018, a group of stakeholders from Cuba, New Mexico was awarded a Rural Pathways Project grant award to promote outdoor recreation-based tourism in the Cuba region. With assistance from the New Mexico Tourism Department, they are working to promote trails and outdoor recreation opportunities around Cuba, as well cultural and historic sites that appeal to the adventure traveler. Central to the Cuba project will be the development of a professionally-designed regional trail map highlighting opportunities for hiking, biking, equestrian use, and other outdoor opportunities on public lands around Cuba, as well as installing new kiosks and signage that direct visitors to the trails. Part of this project will involve identifying the best local trails for mountain biking and posting routes on popular trail apps used by mountain bikers. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) passes through Cuba and is open to mountain bikes on sections outside of designated wilderness areas. In addition, the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forests has over 200 miles of trails and dirt roads open for exploration, though not all trails are open to bikes. By identifying new mountain bike trails and routes in the area, locals hope to attract this user group to the region and improve the regional trail network for bikers in the coming years. Keep an eye out on apps like MTB Project and Trailforks for some new rides to try out, or grab a Santa Fe National Forest map and pioneer a route of your own.

Meetup - Meet Your Ride Leaders!

Our Meetup group is going strong with over 700 members. Our volunteer ride leaders have done a great job providing rides at all levels so make sure to thank them when you see them!

Meet Ride Leader: BRAD!

Tell me a little bit about yourself. I work as a business loan officer at TBK Bank

What got you into mountain biking? I discovered it by accident riding an old street bike on Tramway and coming across a dirt trail and giving it a try.

Where’s your favorite place to ride in NM, and why? South Tijeras trails just because of the extensive trail network and the variety of trails from smooth flowing trails to intense rocky terrain. I also like White Mesa.

What’s the most unique/challenging/interesting ride you’ve been on? I really liked Phils World in Cortez, CO the best. Alien Run hear Aztec, NM was pretty good too. Most challenging was doing a monster loop from Coyote to Pine Flats and back down Otero (Tijeras area trails).

Want to join a ride? Click on the Meetup icon below!

Thanks for reading! If you are not a club member, please consider supporting our activities by joining AMBA

Volunteer Trail Work

We teamed with the Forest Service for National Trails Day to work on revitalizing the Armijo Trail System at the base of the mountain on the East side. This promises to be a great Beginner/Intermediate trail system. We want to thank everyone that came out to work on the trail and those people that worked so hard on the post ride BBQ! 

In August we teamed with Sandia Open Space to work on the Ponderosa Trail in the Juan Thomas trail system. We spent most of the day maintaining the Ponderosa Loop. The re-routes that have taken place over the last few years have made this a fun and flowy place to ride. Afterwards we had a great club social in the Oak Flats picnic area.

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 6th, from 10am-2pm, for some fun on bikes with kids! Don’t have a bike? We’ll have some to loan out for middle and high school sized kiddos along with helmets. There will be races, led rides, fun games, and free food! If you’re on Facebook, check out our event and RSVP so we have an idea of how many to expect!

Location: Los Duranes Park, 1600 Gabaldon Rd NW
Day & Time: Saturday, October 6th, 10 am - 2 pm
Cost: Smiles and Laughter!
NMX Sports and Albuquerque Open Space will provide bikes and helmets to loan to middle and high-school aged kids, so come see what mountain biking is all about!
RSVP on Facebook or Meetup!

NICA

Speaking of kids on bikes, did you know that Albuquerque now has a NICA -National Interscholastic Cycling Association - team?! And thanks to Zia Rides, AMBA volunteers, and all the riders at the Enchanted Forest 24 hour race, we were able to raise over $1000 to put towards kid's mountain biking. This money will be going directly to the local NICA team, named Albuquerque Youth Mountain Biking. They had their first race in Arizona on September 9th and it sounds like everyone had a great time!

Meetup

Our Meetup group is going strong with over 700 members. Our volunteer ride leaders have done a great job providing rides at all levels so make sure to thank them when you see them! If you haven't gone on a Meetup ride they are a lot of fun and a great way to meet new people and make good friends. You can find all our rides and events on Meetup and anyone is welcome to join our rides even if they are not a club member.

Thanks for reading! If you are not a club member, please consider
joining AMBA and supporting our activities!