2020 Goals and Accomplishments
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
TNR’s continue adding more riders and ride leaders.
Intermediate and advanced rides added
New locations added
TNR (Tuesdy Night Rides) - Still going strong 4 years later. Thank you JP and ride leaders!
YOUTH CYCLING
Participation in EcoCamp
MT. PENN PRESERVE
Finished installing trail signage on Mt. Penn trails
BLUE MARSH TRAIL RESTORATION PROJECTS
Managed, coordinated and facilitated funding for all project-related activities
Completed Phase 1 and 2
Trails added from Stilling Basin parking lots to Visitor’s Center and the Skills Area
TRAIL MAINTENANCE
Many efforts throughout the year as needed at Mt. Penn Preserve, Antietam Lake Park, Neversink Mountain Preserve, Haycreek/Birdsboro Waters, French Creek State Park, Blue Marsh Lake.
2019 Goals and Accomplishments
GROUP RIDES
TNR (Tuesday Night Rides)
- Attracted new riders and ride leaders
Intro to MTB Program
Adaptive Demo Day
- Added more vendors, attract more riders
Kid’s Rodeo
- Help make the kids events bigger and better than before.
Blue Marsh “GO DAY”
Take A Kid MTB Day
Intro to MTB Series began
IMBA RIDE CENTER RECERTIFICATION
Committee formed to assemble required data, secure funding and prepare application.
Study feasibility of applying for Silver status, but ultimately maintained Bronze status
MT. PENN PRESERVE
Install 4 more trail kiosks
Trail signage project continues
Host Demo Days for various local bike shops
NEVERSINK MOUNTAIN PRESERVE
Determine feasibility of trail marker project to propose and install signage, and to promote and improve trail system usability.
TRAIL MAINTENANCE
Efforts throughout the year as needed at Mt. Penn Preserve, Antietam Lake Park, Neversink Mountain Preserve, Haycreek/Birdsboro Waters, French Creek State Park, Blue Marsh Lake.
BLUE MARSH TRAIL RESTORATION PROJECTS
Funding acquisition, site visits and coordination with Trail Solutions to create the Master Plan for the Blue Marsh trails.
2018 Goals and Accomplishments
see the year in review flyer here
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Conduct more organized rides to introduce new riders to mountain biking.
Intro to MTB Program
TNR’s (Tuesday night rides) 2 year anniversary
Women’s rides
Kid Events
- conduct more mountain biking activities to include kids.
Berks Bike Ramble
Pork n Sauerkraut Ride
Blue Marsh GO DAY Kids Ride
IMBA RIDE CENTER CERTIFICATION
Continuously focus on improving the overall trail experience in the Greater Reading Area, striving to achieve Silver level status next year.
TRAIL MAINTENANCE
Maintain trails on Mt. Penn, Neversink, S.R.T., S.R.G. trails, Haycreek/Birdsboro Waters, and assist rangers at Blue Marsh and French Creek.
Organize and cleanup the SRT from the Bingaman St Bridge to the Laurel St Railroad Bridge and the route up to gate 9 on the Neversink Preserve.
Continue the restoration of Egelman Park and Mineral Spring Park trails and grounds.
DEMO DAYS
Assist local bike shops in organizing and conducting bike Demo Day events to implement annually.
TRAILFORKS IMPLEMENTATION
Electronic trail mapping continues at the various trail networks in the greater Reading Area.
MT. PENN PRESERVE
Install four internally located mini trail information kiosks
Pump Track proposal to the City of Reading for Egelman Park
Community Involvement
- Participate in the 422 West Shore Bypass Stakeholders Workgroup
NEVERSINK MOUNTAIN PRESERVE
Develop a Trail Map for Neversink Preserve and propose signage.
FIXIT STATIONS
Three more stations installed:
- 9th St. Gate on Neversink Mountain Preserve
- Church Rd. at Blue Marsh Lake
- Gring's Mill/SRT
2017 Goals and Accomplishments
See the year in review flyer here
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
BAMBA becomes an independent 501(c)3, and is now an IMBA Co-branded Affiliate.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
TNR's (Tuesday Night Rides) - Ride series 1 year old! Thanks to JP for keeping it going.
Kids Bike Rodeo - giveaways for the kids provided by East Ridge Outfitters, JB's Bike Shop, Shirk's Bike Shop and Wolverton's Bike Shop. It was fun for all!
Pop Up Picnic - held in August. Fun, food, friends!
TRAILFORKS IMPLEMENTATION
A large effort by several contributors is underway to electronically map the trails throughout the various trail networks in the greater Reading Area.
NEVERSINK MOUNTIAN PRESERVE
Replaced the three Klapperthal trail bridges from the old 32 inch width to 5 ft. wide in order to accommodate adaptive cyclists.
Improvements made to Klapperthal parking lot; the concrete stop blocks at the Klapperthal lot now greet visitors with an original Mike Miller mural.
Transformed the 9th Street Gate 9 trail head into a prominent, welcoming, safe gateway to the Neversink west trail. McElvain Pavilion - Cut back the vegetation and removed trash from the area around the pavilion and the trail head at Gate 2 (Neversink Mountain Road).
MT. PENN PRESERVE
“Chris Crossing”
- Installed bridge over the wetland on the trail just above the Oak Lane trailhead.
Fire Tower Parking Lot Gate - Replaced broken gate at the south end of the fire tower parking lot
Sphuler Road Trail Kiosk - Fabricated and installed a kiosk at the intersection of the Tower Trail and Sphuler Rd.
PENNSYLVANIA GREENWAYS AND TRAIL SUMMIT
BAMBA conducted a mobile workshop which gave participants a tour of Mt. Penn and a trail ride.
Park administrators from across the state experienced the Reading Area's iconic features (The Pagoda, Skyline Drive, Fire Tower, Antietam Lake) and got to ride our IMBA Bronze Level Ride Center trails.
FIXIT STATIONS
Fixit Stations
- Installed a bike repair station at the BAMBA parking lot on List Road.
- Two more stations are to be installed next year - one at Antietam Lake Park and one at Blue Marsh.
2016 Goals and Accomplishments
MT. PENN PRESERVE
Published a Mt Penn bike trail map
Began to install trail signage
Install a trail information kiosk at the BAMBA parking lot and at Egelman Park
Install a trailhead sign at the BAMBA parking lot
SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL
Craig’s Link
- Improve the connector trail and install lighting from Old Wyomissing Rd to the RACC Bridge
NEVERSINK MOUNTIAN PRESERVE
Project begins to rebuild the Klapperthal Hollow bridges to accommodate hand cycles and wheelchairs
GROUP RIDES
Tuesday Night Rides
Start Sunday Women’s Group Rides
IMBA BRONZE LEVEL RIDE CENTER AWARD
Reading, PA recognized as an IMBA Bronze Level Ride Center
GO GREATER READING PARTNERSHIP
A Mountain biker made the cover of the 2016 official Travel Guide
NEVERSINK MOUNTAIN PRESERVE
Dirt Rag Mountain Bike Magazine, Issue 189 features article on riding at Neversink Mountain Preserve.
2015 Goals and Accomplishments
MT. PENN PRESERVE
A-Line Gravity Trail designed and built
BAMBA Parking Lot built as a new parking lot on List Rd. next to Camp Lilly to provide quick and easy access to some of Mt. Penn’s best trails.
Seven new fire gates installed
Signage project begins; over 30 sign posts installed on the trails near A-Line
Procure funding for more bike trail maps, kiosks, trail information and signage next year
Pocket Bike Trail Maps created - Many volunteer hours spent studying maps, riding and verifying trails, drawing maps.
NATIONAL DESIGNATION AWARDED TO CITY OF READING
Designation of Bike Friendly Community at the Bronze level by the League of American Cyclists
News from the Executive Office of the Mayor of Reading:
Reading, PA – November 18, 2015
The City of Reading is proud to announce that it has been awarded the national designation of Bike Friendly Community at the Bronze level by the League of American Bicyclists. Reading joins State College, Franklin, York, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia as the only municipalities in Pennsylvania to achieve official designation by the League for their efforts to become bike friendly.
According to the League, “simple steps to make bicycling safe and comfortable pay huge dividends in civic, community and economic development. Given the opportunity to ride, residents enjoy dramatic health benefits, reduced congestion, increased property values and more money in their pockets to spend in the local economy. When your community welcomes bicycling, tourism booms, businesses attract the best and the brightest, and governments save big on parking costs while cutting their carbon emissions.”
“This latest achievement was the result of so many partners working together towards a common vision,” explained Eron Lloyd, who submitted the application and serves as the City’s bike and pedestrian coordinator.
“As our third attempt in seeking the designation, the recent successes of establishing the Reading Bike Hub, BAMBA's achievement of International Ride Center status for the Greater Reading Trails System, our Complete Streets policy, the Reading 120 race, and Bicycle Friendly Business status for the Reading Eagle and Penske Racing Shocks all helped to push us over the top this time.
SRT RATED #1 URBAN TRAIL IN THE USA
Schuylkill River Trail rated as the #1 Urban Trail in the USA (2015)
2014-2013 Goals and Accomplishments
MT. PENN PRESERVE & ANTIETAM LAKE PARK
Fire Road Gate Project is underway, installing 10 lockable gates. This project helps protect the trail system from illegal dumping and ensure clear access for emergency services. This project was completed in partnership with many generous local volunteers, the City of Reading, and the local area VoTech.