COGGS - Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores

City of Duluth
Bike Route Network
Public Input Meetings
(April 22 - May 4, 2010)

To create a master plan for the citywide Bike Route network based on the best routes identified by the community.

Background:

Roadways in Duluth should be safe for all people to use. However, the truth is that this isn't always the case, especially for cyclists. High traffic speeds, bad road conditions, parked vehicles, and poorly marked lanes are all potential hazards that put both cyclists and motorists in danger.
As the City adopts a Complete Streets policy, a new process will be developed that takes into account the safety of all users of the road (pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit, and automobiles) when a new road is being constructed or an existing road is recounstructed or resurfaced.
At these meetings, we will be asking the community to identify the routes that they would use if conditions were safe. Afterward, all of the routes that were identified will be counted, and the most common routes will be used to create a final, long-term bike route network for Duluth. In addition, new bike rack locations will also be identified.
As roadways need to be resurfaced, roads that are part of the bike network will need to be designed in a way that accomodates for cyclists as well as motorists. Some roads may need to be reconfigured to include shoulders or bike lanes, while other roads may not require any changes at all.

Meeting Information:

All meetings are open to the public. Anybody can attend any meeting, even if you live in a completely different neighborhood. People who don't bike reguarly but would try if it was safer/easier are also encouraged to attend. Food will also be provided!
Every meeting starts at 6:00pm:
Thursday, April 22 at the Morgan Park Community Center (1242 88th Ave W)
Monday, April 26 at the Piedmont Heights Community Center (2302 W 23rd St)
Tuesday, April 27 at City Center West (5830 Grand Ave)
Thursday, April 29 at the UMD Garden Room (1208 Kirby Dr)
Monday, May 3 at the Central Hillside Community Center (12 E 4th St)
Tuesday, May 4 at Portman Community Center (4601 McCulloch St)

Contact:

For additional information, or if you would like to give your input but can't make it to any of the meeting, contact:

Codie Leseman
Program Coordinator, Fit City Duluth
(218) 940-3186
lesem002@umn.edu


COGGS Board MTG
Tuesday, March 9 will be our monthly board mtg at the Thirsty Pagan. To accomodate a City of Superior planning meeting that will be attended by some of the board, we're moving our meeting back an hour to 8 pm. Please come if you're interested in discussing some of the planning for the upcoming trailwork and races.

COGGS Vision for 2010
As 2009 comes to a close, COGGS is actively visioning and planning for having an even more successful 2010. We are currently at an important step in the growth of our organization, as we are going to be a 501-C3 organization very soon. This will allow us to pursue different sources of funding and also give incentive for individuals to donate more due to the potential for tax deductions. As we take these next steps, it is vital that we get additional help and support from our membership.  The more active and motivated members we have the greater our influence and productivity can be, thus making the Twin Ports the best place to ride a bike we can possibly make it.
2010 Events
6/5 - National Trails Day (stay tuned for trail project scheduling)
6/13 - Dirt Spanker MNSCS race at Mont du Lac
7/24 - Lincoln Park Mountain Bike Challenge and Festival
8/22 - Great Hawk Chase MNSCS race at Lester Park
Sept - Gitchee Gumee Gallivant (city-wide off road tour)
Oct - Retreat to Cable (if we don't get more than 20 people this year, I'm seriously going to think you're all a bunch of crazy people)

Trail Projects
Maintaining our current trail system of Lester-Amity, Hartley, Piedmont, Brewer Park, Spirit Mountain, Pokegama and Mont du Lac.
Building two significant reroutes at Mont du Lac to accomodate for the construction that effects the Dirt Spanker Course.
Finishing the rehabilitation of the 4.5 mile Lester-Amity loop. We need to complete the upper NE section and also install signage.
Building two significant reroutes, putting in 200' of boardwalk and installing 2 bridges at Piedmont before the Lincoln Park Mountain Bike Challenge and Festival.
Finishing the connector trail through the northern part of Brewer Park (west of Piedmont) and possibly (keep your fingers crossed) building the entire proposed 4.6 mile loop.
Constructing a new trail at Spirit Mountain in the nordic ski trail system. As many people know, the Alpine Coaster is seriously effecting our current trail and Spirit Mtn has granted us access to build more trail. This will be a large, multi-year undertaking, but we'll get started in 2010
As you can see, COGGS has its hands full in 2010. We are growing and our accomplishments are adding up, but we are in serious need of more volunteers to help support our efforts. Out of the 1008 hours of trail work that COGGS did in 2009, 43% was done by only four people. It is unsustainable to have so much of the work being done by a small number of people so please try and help out in any way you can. Here are some ideas:
Be a member. Part of your dues helps the financial position of the club
Volunteer to help at races, build trail and/or solicit funds for the club
Race in the three races we put on each year.
Help recruit corporate sponsors for the club
Help us network with lumber suppliers and builders for access to quality, green treated wood for boardwalk and bridges.
Donate money. As we will be a 501-C3 in 2010, your contribution is tax deductible.

Thank You
Thirsty Pagan Brewery
COGGS owes a big thank you to the Thirsty Pagan Brewery in Superior, WI. Not only did they host our Annual Mtg and provide us with outstanding pizza and beer, but they have decided to make monthly financial contributions to COGGS as a way of supporting what we do.
Please show your support for the Thirsty Pagan by making it a frequent stop for you and your friends when you're looking for great food or drink.


COGGS BOARD Positions
At our Annual Mtg we voted in the new board for COGGS. They are:
Chair - Adam Sundberg
Secretary - Andrea Grygo
Treasurer - Bill Schwalbe
Trail Coordinator - Matt Evingson
Promotions Coordinator - Mick Dodds
Ride Coordinator - Mike Miller
Membership Coordinator - Jim Van Druten

Gitchee Gumee Gallivant
Our second attempt at the Gitchee Gumee Gallivant was not without inclement weather, but a baker's dozen of hearty pioneers braved the elements for a truly memorable first Triple G.
We met at the McFadden's beautiful home west of Spirit Mountain to leaves peaking, an inch of snow on the ground and temperatures in the 20's. Many drove over black ice and past cars skidding into the ditch to make it out for the start of the ride. Diana McFadden made everyone a great breakfast of eggs, pancakes and fruit and Angel Hohenstein also provided some fantastic cinnamon scones. Todd McFadden was the benevolent soul of the ride preparations as he assisted with my brakes and also gave Ed Holloday a pair of shoes and pedals to use for the day.
The dozen who started the day from McFaddens were:
Todd McFadden, Michael Hillmeyer (on his 4th mountain bike ride of the year), Steve Knauss (in jeans), Dave Cizmas, John Morrison, Matt Jonsenrud, Kent Lundholm, Charlie Griffin (both of the last two coming up from the Cities for the ride), Ed Holloday, Jim Van Druten, Ryan Reuter and Adam Sundberg.
We rode from McFadden's over the the singletrack at Spirit and slowly rolled through the trails along the western slopes, down Charlie's trail and Grady's downhill and through Fern Gully. The trail was really slick as it was all under 1" of snow. With the changing leaves and the white covering from snow the forest was absolutely gorgeous and a great scene for an epic ride.
From Spirit we headed east on the State Trail and up the Big Kahuna (only Todd made it all the way to the top) to Skyline. Jim guided Matt back home while the rest of us headed east to hit the 1/2 mile of new trail in Brewer Park and then we continued on through the portions of that trail that have only seen a brushsaw but no dirt work at all. This dropped us out on Haines Rd and the start of Piedmont, where we picked up Mike Reuter.
At Piedmont we rode Foxx Rocks, the Lower Burner of Stovetop and then down the Skyline Climb back down to Skyline. There we picked Jim Van Druten back up after he dropped off Matt and we continued on to Hartley. Steve and Michael headed home at this point while the rest of us plowed ahead, riding the Root Canal and then through the Pines to the Guardrail loop. At this point Todd ran out of time so he and Dave headed back. Ed, Kent and Mike called it a day as well so the last quintet, John, Ryan, Charles, Jim and Adam headed over to the Owatonna trail, down Amity and finished descending through the west side of the Lester Amity trails. We finished our ride at 3:30 in Lester Park to complete the first ever Triple G.
Next year we'll probably schedule this ride in September and hopefully get some good weather so everyone can enjoy this great ride. It was a beautiful day and thanks to everyone who came out to ride.

COGGS Retreat to Cable
COGGS descended upon Telemark near Cable, WI for some pillaging of their fantastic flowing singletrack. Mother Nature tried her best to squelch the turnout for this fantastic event and she succeeded to some degree. Only Barry "King Crimson" Buhr, Mike Miller, Bruce Smith, my buddy Jim Schindlbeck from Madison, WI and myself made the trip but we were all treated to a great time.
Saturday Barry, Jim and I started at the Mosquito Brook Trailhead and did the Makwa trail out and back and then we rode the Hatchery Creek loop. I was on my singlespeed Karate Monkey and I thought it was a perfect bike for these trails. Singlespeed riding doesn't get any better. Mike and Bill also rode Makwa, starting at OO and doing it out and back the opposite direction. The trails were a little greasy but there was hardly any standing water despite the rainy week we had preceding.
That night we met up with Mike and Michelle Haag and the Rivers Eatery and had some great pizza and conversation, closing the place down long after everyone else had left.
Sunday Barry, Jim, Haags and myself hit up Rock Lake and Mike and Bruce decide to head back over to Fish Hatchery. I definately would have preferred the full suspension on Rock Lake so I could have had a little more fun with the rock features, but nevertheless we had a fantastic time ripping through those trails. Jim tried to kill himself on Wall Street but after his trip over the bars into the rock garden he straightened himself out OK and we finished up a great ride.
Next year we'll pick the weekend we're going to to the Retreat in April so everyone can put this on their calendars and make sure to get there. It's a fantastic time every single year.


COGGS Featured in a WDIO's Up North

COGGS was recently featured in a WDIO News Up North segment. Thanks to Hansi Johnson for setting this opportunity up and getting COGGS some increased exposure.
Higher Quality (Flash Video) 7.2MB
Higher Quality (Windows Media) 20MB
Lower Quality (Quicktime) 6.9MB


Lincoln Park Mountain Bike Challenge and Festival
We had an amazing turnout for our first ever LPMBC. Here are the results!!
Please click the link for the messageboard to post comments on race. Give us feedback so we can make this event even better for next year.

Race Results (PDF)


COGGS 2009 Events:
DirtSpa n ker MTB Race - June 14 at Mont-du-Lac Ski Area
Lincoln Park Mountain Bike Challenge and Festival ( - July 18th in Lincoln Park and using the Piedmont Trail. Register here http://www.lpbg.org/content/lincoln-park-mountain-bike-challenge-festival
Gitchee Gumee Gallivant - A city-wide off road tour on August 23
Powder M onkey MTB Race - September 13 at Spirit Mountain Ski Area.

Club Rides:
                                The Tuesday mountain bike ride starts at 6:00 P.M. (weather permitting) from May through September or October at Mont-Du-Lac Recreation. Cost is $5.00 to non-members.
Now, under new ownership, the trail is open seven days a week.  The trail can be ridden when the weather and trail conditions permit. You MUST sign in and out at the bar. Please visit www.skimontdulac.com for more information.
The trail is an ever evolving, growing masterpiece. The loop consists of fast, fun singletrack with brutal climbs to get the legs in condition, awesome downhills to thrill, and beautiful overlooks you won't soon forget. Come join us for a ride! The new owners are also opening up the bar each Tuesday so stick around and socialize.
For ride information rides at coggs dot com .
Directions to Mont-Du-Lac
COGGS was recently featured in a WDIO News Up North segment. Kudos to Mick Dodds for organizing this and getting COGGS some increased exposure. Here is the link to the video.

Higher Quality (Flash Video) 7.0MB
Higher Quality (Windows Media) 20MB
Lower Quality (Quicktime) 6.7MB