We are pleased to announce a new, quarterly newsletter that will be sent out to our members via email, as well as posted on our website, TORCA.org. The intent of this newsletter is to keep you informed of our activities and provide opportunities to get involved. As you know, TORCA has been a grassroots organization from the start, and each of our Directors on the Board work super hard, volunteering 20 or more hours weekly to make sure the best trails in Tucson are in prime condition.
TORCA is in its 6th year, and we are more committed than ever to making Tucson a killer place to ride… We’ve got several big projects in the works, and it will take support from the entire MTB community to make them happen. We hope you’ll use this newsletter as an opportunity to stay current on the issues that affect us, as riders, as well as consider getting more involved with TORCA. Your on-going membership is critical to maintaining this level of community engagement and in taking on future projects.
Thanks for your continued support…
Cheers!
Tara Alcantara,
President
520.237.0129
“Because Trails Don’t Fix Themselves”
TORCA Awarded Two Grants
by Art Alcantara, Secretary & Director of Advocacy
TORCA has long been at work brushing, pruning, bucking, and generally maintaining trails on the Coronado National Forest for about 6 years, now. The organization’s growth has been organic, and at times daunting, as working within the red tape of the federal government is usually slow and littered with procedural, environmental and archaeological hurdles. Due to TORCA's resiliency and "never give up" attitude, we put our heads down and took a stab at something very foreign to us…grant writing. With no prior grant writing experience or knowledge of what to expect, TORCA went to work!
In 2018, TORCA was able to secure two separate grants from the AZ State Parks OHV fund and a grant from the US Forest Service in conjunction with the Wilderness Alliance. The grants dubbed "The Back Country Trails Project" will focus on three parts of the Coronado National Forests' Catalina Ranger District including Red Ridge Trail, Canada Del Oro Trail and the Bellota section of the Arizona Trail.
While these awards will help maintain and restore some of Tucson's best trails, it also does something even more important. It brings the organization up to "capacity". With a significant amount of the grants going toward the purchase of two UTVs (Side-by-Sides), it will allow us to work on hard-to-reach trails at a minute's notice without having to ask volunteers to use their own personal 4x4's or UTV's. Each vehicle will carry 6 people, also allowing for more participation by volunteers.
Other components of the grants include: funds to purchase chainsaws, our beloved Trail Boss tools, pick mattocks, as well as a volunteer bike patrol and trail signage on the trails mentioned above.
Lastly, and to dovetail off of our crosscut saw certifications, funds will allow us to pay for a much needed chainsaw certification. Having this certification will cut our work times by leaps and bounds allowing us to focus on even more work on Tucson Trails. But don't count on us giving up our trusted crosscut saws. There is something to be said about bucking fallen trees the old fashioned way! Big thanks to the US Forest Service and AZ State Parks for this amazing opportunity and supporting our organization’s efforts and growth!
For more information on the grant or to get involved, check out TORCA.org and drop us a line!
The 6th Annual TORCA PACHANGA… A Mountain Bike Festival
by Shane Strunk, Director of Events
It’s that time of year when we all start dreaming of cooler temps and midday rides, and October is prime season for Mt. Lemmon riding. While we wait for the temps to drop, one thing we can count on is the return of everyone’s favorite pink burro! And he’s bringing his bike manufacturer friends, for what is turning out to be the biggest Pachanga yet. Mark your calendars today!
This radness will take place on Mt Lemmon from October 19 – 21.
Take a look at this incredible lineup of manufacturers, planning to attend:
Ibis • Rocky Mountain
Giant/Liv • Pivot • Niner
Santa Cruz • Cannondale • Salsa
Surly• Specialized
Ellsworth
Additional attendees and sponsors include:
Eegee’s • Risky Business Restaurants
Bear Canyon Pizza • Zoic
Continental • Five Ten
Troy Lee Designs • Arizona Cyclist
Blue Dog Bicycles • Diversified Print Solutions
Home Grown Mountain Biking Tours
Tucson Hop Shop • DiConcini Realty
Arizona Trail Association
REI • Strunk Excavating
Evoc • DVO • Ride Handsome
Registration is now live!
A special event Silipint will go to the first 50 people to register.
TORCA trail day for June was the
Aspen Draw trail sponsored by
Sonoran Cycles Tucson. Everyone's favorite summer escape was desperately in need of some work. With the help of 15 awesome volunteers we were able to get two main projects completed.
The first project involved armoring in a corner on the upper section of the trail. It was slowly becoming a rutted out corner that was only going to get worse as monsoons hit. We also brought up the surface height to help keep water from funneling down the trail and shed off the sides. We dug down and buried a rock base under the main surface of the trail providing it with a more solid foundation as well as raising the trail back up to keep it from cupping.
The second project involved reinforcing the out-sloping of a section of trail that was eroding away. We dug out the downslope of the trail and then built up the surface beneath it. We then retreaded the trail back over it, shoring up the outside edge of the trail.
If you haven’t attended a trail work day this year, we encourage you to join us! We host a minimum of one per month, and provide all the tools and training. Additionally, if you attend 5 trail work days in 2018, you’ll get your very own EVOC Builders Pack or EVOC Enduro Pack!
UPCOMING TRAIL WORK
July 22nd: Green Mountain Trail
July 28/29th: CDO Campout (space limited to 12 people)
August 11th: CDO Upper Section
August 25/26th: CDO Campout (space is limited to 12 people)
TORCA's Mission is to take an active and strategic role in the mountain biking community and in the maintenance of the resources available to us. We are focused on the All-Mountain and Downhill disciplines of mountain biking with a focus on the Santa Catalina Mountains.
Illegal/Unsanctioned Trail Building
by Tara Alcantara, President
TORCA has been working closely with the Coronado National Forest to develop more opportunities for mountain biking, specifically on Mt. Lemmon. While our current strategy has been to “rehab” existing trails like CDO and Red Ridge, we will also be working aggressively to create new trail opportunities on Mt Lemmon. The Forest will be reviewing its current system of trails, considering the addition of new trails, potentially closing old/non-system trails, and revamping the designation of other trails.
In 2019 and 2020, there will be more scrutiny than ever before and the creation of unsanctioned, new trails by rogue individuals will be seen as a strike against us, as the mountain biking community. Our efforts to continue the work of rehabbing trails for mountain biking use, as well as proposing new opportunities, will be hindered by these activities. In addition to being poorly built and designed, these “secret” trails are often found in ecologically sensitive areas, which are protected by the Endangered Species Act. The FS monitors these areas closely, and they are fully aware of the new trails that have been popping up.
TORCA has worked hard for 6 years to establish a relationship with the Forest Service, and prove to those in charge that we deserve a seat at the table when it comes to providing ample opportunities for recreation on the mountain for mountain bikers. We hope you’ll consider exercising some patience, as these things take lots of time (sometimes decades).
by Duncan Caldwell, Director of Membership
Did you know TORCA now has an online store? Visit TORCA.org anytime to get the latest in TORCA gear. The best part is all proceeds go to maintaining trails!
There are only a few “special edition” neon shirts left in sizes Large, Medium, and Small. Get one before they’re gone forever!
Our members represent all facets of the mountain biking community with a diverse level of experience and skills – we enjoy riding all of the trails Tucson has to offer. TORCA invites you to get involved so that mountain biking’s voice becomes louder and louder, and our trails get faster and faster!
Keeping your membership current is one way you can help. As a small non-profit with a 100% volunteer Board of Directors, funds are tight and your continued membership allows us to fund our daily operations and trail work efforts. If your membership has lapsed, consider using the link below to renew. As always, we’ll throw in some cool TORCA gear as our way of saying “thank you.”
