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Dirt Rag Articles
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Oakland, California is known for several things: celebrity mayors, heart-breaking professional sports teams and some oyster pirate named Jack London. Mountain biking, however, doesn't readily come to mind. Perhaps it should.
Just a couple short miles from downtown, the neighboring hills offer a bit of reprieve to those seeking to escape life in the flats. Keeping the trails open and safe is the Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay and the men and women of that organization's Bicycle Patrol.
Founded in 1987, the BTCEB is the second oldest mountain bike advocacy group in the U.S. When the local trails, particularly in Joaquin Miller Park, were threatened with closure in 1998, the BTCEB formed the Bicycle Patrol. While the Bicycle Patrol is affiliated with the National Mountain Bike Patrol, their program differs in the level of direct cooperation with the local police.
The following questions were answered by Vicki Camilleri, the Bike Patrol Coordinator of the BTCEB.
When did the patrol start? The Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay (BTCEB) Bike Patrol started patrolling Joaquin Miller Park approximately nine years ago in response to park access issues. Since then, joint efforts with all groups including the BTCEB, the Joaquin Miller Working Group, land managers and the City of Oakland have been key to a successful park experience for all users.
How many volunteers do you now have? Since reorganizing in 2007, with the support of the BTCEB members, Joaquin Miller Working Group and the City of Oakland, we have had a significant surge in volunteers. We currently stand at 11.
How many volunteers do you ultimately want? At least 25.
What parks do the volunteers patrol? Currently we cover Joaquin Miller, Dimond Canyon, and Lake Merritt. Our future patrols include Shepherd Canyon, Dunsmuir Estate, King Estate, and the future Oak to Ninth Waterfront Park.
What are your expansion plans? There aren't too many singletrack parks in the city of Oakland so we are limited in terms of real estate right now. We would like to get more members on board to patrol the more leisure-oriented parks like Lake Merritt and the upcoming Waterfront Park—we need at least another 15 members to be effective.
What was your model for the bicycle patrol? The BTCEB/Oakland Bike Patrol is part of IMBA's National Mountain Bike Patrol program and consists of volunteers partnering with land managers and the Oakland Police Department to assist, educate and inform trail users in order to enhance their recreational experience. Best of all volunteers get to ride on great trails, serve our community, meet great people, and keep the singletrack open!
Have you been accepted by local land management and law enforcement officials? Was it a problem? The BTCEB Bike Patrol works directly with the local land management and Oakland Police Department and has full support of Ranger Section. It's been a real pleasure working with the Department.
I talked to one of the volunteers and he indicated that the Bicycle Patrol acted, in part, as the eyes and ears of local law enforcement officials—can you think of any incidents where their assistance either helped stop a crime or helped someone with a medical emergency? There have been a number of incidents that we are proud of. A patrol volunteer helped avert a potential disaster by snuffing out burning embers at a picnic site at JMP. Also at JMP, a volunteer's patrol first aid training came in handy when he performed triage on a rider who gashed his arm open after tumbling over his bike. We routinely help lost hikers and bicyclists that flat out.
Over the last couple of years there have been some high-profile attacks on park rangers. Have there been any such confrontations between any of the BTCEB bicycle patrol members and a hostile second party? No. Our group is not an enforcement organization. Our volunteers work hand-in-hand with the community promoting education and outreach.
What do you want people to know about the trails of the East Bay? The City of Oakland Parks are surrounded by much larger public lands owned by EBRPD and EBMUD. Joaquin Miller and Dimond Canyon feature the nicest singletrack bike-legal trails in the area. Since Oakland respects mountain bikers, letting us ride most of the trails (unlike the land managers in the immediately surrounding parks), we ask riders to respect Oakland: ride with great courtesy towards others, know the rules of the park and adhere to them. Volunteer with BTCEB to make the park better for everyone, with some trail maintenance or bike patrol.
How could someone donate first aid kits to BTCEB, volunteer, or get involved in other ways? Please contact Vicki Camilleri, head of the volunteer program, at vicki@btceb.org. We are always in need of gear to help park users get back on the trails safely. Emergency gear such as first aid kits, spare tubes, water, protein bars, etc. is always welcome.
What advice do you have for other people who want to start their own bicycle patrol programs? The success of a well-organized and sustainable bicycle patrol starts with the group's commitment to their mission and scope of purpose. Leaders must be dedicated to recruitment efforts, public relations, community involvement, and communication. Patrollers should be committed to keeping the trails safe and enjoyable for all users including hikers, equestrians and bikers. Ensure that the group has engaged support of local law enforcement, city council members, community groups, local business owners and land managers.
Sure, Joaquin Miller was a pony express rider, a poet, a horse thief, and according to fellow author Ambrose Bierce, "the greatest liar this country ever produced," but the park that bears his name is no lie.
Check out www.BTCEB.org for more on how to get involved with the Bicycle Patrol and check out www.oaklandnet.com/JoaquinMillerPark for park details.
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| Comment from Ben on 2008-07-24 |
| We may use your group as a model for our local mountain biking advocacy, the Southern Sierra Fat Tire Association www.ssfta.com. Thanks for the article! |
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| Comment from Dave C. on 2008-07-20 |
| I think the East bay bike patrol should be commended. Hopefully their efforts will help to get some decent bike access for the East bay. |
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| Comment from Mark Hundley on 2008-07-10 |
| Nice little article, very informative. I live in Alameda, and ride in the east bay and some nice spots in Marin county - Jouquin Miller is awesome gnar shredage! . I've seen the bike patrol many times, but never knew what they did, and the history. Cool photo!
Keep the rag dirty!
Mark Hundley - Alameda |
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