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Stump Grinder DC - Opens June 1st

hecktone

Monkey
Feb 16, 2004
311
0
Santa Barbara
Central Coasts Only Private Mountain Bike Riding Club Ready to Open Next Weekend
• Providing a conflict free solution to local trail access issues
• Open nearly every weekend and Wednesday afternoons
• Annual Memberships Available
• Daily Gate fee $30
N E W S
For Immediate Release: May 25th 2008
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mike Hecker, Stump Grinder Productions, 805-896-0673 or mike@ridesb.com.
INFO: www.ridesb.com.

STUMP GRINDER DIRT CLUB (SGDC)
To open in Los Olivos, CA on Sunday June 1st, 2008
Utilizes existing trail network built for the Santa Ynez Classic

WHAT: Private location for mountain biking enthusiasts to enjoy their healthy lifestyle sport in a safe location completely removed from other trail users, this is to be a 100% conflict free riding area. With 2 different downhill trails, one super downhill trail, a dual slalom course, a 12 mile cross country course, and miles of dirt double track ranching roads, countless opportunities are provided for riders of all abilities to explore and have fun.

WHY: “During a time of constant conflict between other trail users and mountain bike riders, not only in the Santa Barbara area, but all over the US, it just seems like a great full time use of the trail network that we have built here, over the past 10 years, at the Stump Grinder Dirt Club” said Mike Hecker, owner of Stump Grinder Productions (SGP) and the promoter of the Santa Ynez Classic. “In addition to this use we envision the SGDC hosting training camps, bicycle product launches, bicycle industry functions and other events” Hecker added.

WHEN: Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM for SGDC members and daily non-member visitors. Wednesday afternoons the SGDC will be open from 3 PM to dark for members only.

Where: Stump Grinder Dirt Club, Zaca Station Road, Los Olivos. Directions: Turn off of State Route Highway 154 onto Zaca Station Road, travel north 1.33 miles, and turn right into the entrance of the Stump Grinder Dirt Club. Follow ranch road .75 of a mile to the main venue area, Charlotte’s Meadow. The SGDC is located on private property, trespassers, when caught would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Fees: Annual memberships are $300 and include a club clothing kit, lowered gate fees ($5 per visit), and other benefits. Daily non-membership gate fees are $30. Carpooling groups of 4 or more, who arrive in one vehicle, will receive a 25% discount on gate fees (reduce per person gate fee of $22.50). Residents within a 20 mile radius only pay $20 per day. Special bicycle club group memberships and special event prices are available. All events are insured via USA Cycling

Web Info: SGDC Activities - http://www.ridesb.com/sgdc_activities.htm
Calendar - http://www.ridesb.com/sgdc_activities_files/sgdc2008_calendar.htm
Club Membership Application - http://www.ridesb.com/images/formsmaps/sgdc_app.pdf (Cut and paste this one or any of the others if they don't work via ridemonkey ... )
email – mike@ridesb.com
phone – (805) 896-0673
 

Pbody

Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
341
0
Residents within a 20 mile radius only pay $20 per day.
Why give discounts to residents within a 20 mile radius? Wouldn't you want to entice people who live further awad and reward them with a discount for coming so far?
 

hecktone

Monkey
Feb 16, 2004
311
0
Santa Barbara
Why give discounts to residents within a 20 mile radius? Wouldn't you want to entice people who live further awad and reward them with a discount for coming so far?
The reason we're discounting the "locals" is to keep them happy. Many of these people have had access over the years to the property. The owner is putting an end to that, so in an effort to get the people locally that are on the fence to join annually, we thought a local lower gate fee was in order. For those coming from further away we're offering the carpool discount.

So far the input has been nothing but positive.

mh
 

Pbody

Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
341
0
The reason we're discounting the "locals" is to keep them happy. Many of these people have had access over the years to the property. The owner is putting an end to that, so in an effort to get the people locally that are on the fence to join annually, we thought a local lower gate fee was in order. For those coming from further away we're offering the carpool discount.

So far the input has been nothing but positive.

mh
Hmmm, interesting. Thanks!
 

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
The reason we're discounting the "locals" is to keep them happy. Many of these people have had access over the years to the property. The owner is putting an end to that, so in an effort to get the people locally that are on the fence to join annually, we thought a local lower gate fee was in order. For those coming from further away we're offering the carpool discount.

So far the input has been nothing but positive.

mh
How's this local deal work? On your drivers license does it just have to say your address is in Santa Barbara? Just curious for the out of town people.
 

hecktone

Monkey
Feb 16, 2004
311
0
Santa Barbara
Drivers License or a piece of recent mail.

The 20 mile radius would include Gaviota, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Orcutt, Los Alamos, Guadalupe, and the Santa Ynez Valley to Paradise. The South Coast isn't in that radius as of right now. The situation is that we need to sell annual memberships to satisfy the lease requirement on the land. $20 daily fees will not accomplish that. You know if one just buys the annual that is 15 visits to the SGDC. There are 52 weeks in a year, and if a member choses to camp on Saturday night and make a weekend out of it then it's only 8 visits. Also members can bring 2 visitors with them at a time and their guests only pay $15. Also there is the carpooling option for the south coasters, get 4 buddies in a truck (or one vehicle) and you all save $$$. The $20 local price was not meant to be an "option" as much as a "I understand" to those few people that used to have access via another avenue to the property. The rancher and I have removed that option because we feel we offer a good thing to mountain bikers, just like the Zaca Station MX course on his property does for motocrossers. ZSMX Fees: $500 Annual Membership with $25 gate fees; Non-Members gate fee $50. The ZSMX is set on 15 acres. SGDC Fees: $300 Annual Mempership w/ $5 gate fee; Non-members gate fee $30 w/ discounts offered too boot. The SGDC has over 1000 acres to work with.

Please keep in mind that the SGDC is on private property, the land owner is doing this for peanuts even at full pop. The exposure is hardly worth the return, since he only gets half of everything. We are not doing this for the money as much as being of service to the community. Half of $20 is $10, out of the $10 that goes to the SGDC we need to send the insurance company $5. The remaining $$ goes into the SGDC to build things and upkeep. I will not be making anything for a long time out there. So the more people look for a deal the less benefit the SGDC will receive and the more time it will take to add features to the park. We have walked 2 more DH runs and picked a site for the pump track and skills area already, we just need the funds. We are trying to make it as cheap as possible for everyone while making it worthwhile to the property owners and people like all the volunteers that have devoted time to this project.
 
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Dec 3, 2004
152
0
San Jose, CA
In my opinion, you guys need to step it up and create something really unique that people want to ride that is better than what people usually have access to. You don't have enough elevation to work with to make a real world class downhill course. $30 per person is close to what you would pay at a ski resort and with a car full of people it is much cheeper to go shuttle the frontside or something and to be brutally honest I personally would never pay $30 to ride what you currently have avaliable. Have you guys considered maybe an enduro dual slalom/4x course that goes down the whole mountain? It would take a lot of time and money to make, but that would be the sort of thing you guys could make really well, have the terrain to do it, and would be worth traveling too to ride and especially race. Think creatively, offer a new experience, and your park could succeed.
 

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
In my opinion, you guys need to step it up and create something really unique that people want to ride that is better than what people usually have access to. You don't have enough elevation to work with to make a real world class downhill course. $30 per person is close to what you would pay at a ski resort and with a car full of people it is much cheeper to go shuttle the frontside or something and to be brutally honest I personally would never pay $30 to ride what you currently have avaliable. Have you guys considered maybe an enduro dual slalom/4x course that goes down the whole mountain? It would take a lot of time and money to make, but that would be the sort of thing you guys could make really well, have the terrain to do it, and would be worth traveling too to ride and especially race. Think creatively, offer a new experience, and your park could succeed.
I didn't want to step on any toes, but that is my #1 concern is the price for things. $300/year + gate fees + fee's for others coming in the car with you seems like a lot when you do the math, plus getting someone to shuttle you up and down the hill.........with gas currently here $4.15/gallon. Most DH'ers cars are trucks or SUV's, which don't get the greatest mileage to begin with. I've looked up lift tickets at different resorts and for lift access it's a bargain. Even though you have to drive a distance to get there, not having to shuttle is worth it alone.

I know there's some words about the moto track. I dunno what moto tracks run per session or what not, but seeing how much our "local" track costs for a membership I thought twice about buying a dirt bike (it's the closest place to ride without driving hours north/south).

The fee's need to be something more along the lines of what BMX charges for things. You pay the $50-100 (whatever it is) for the membership, and then your race fees & practice fees. I understand kids 11 & under are free but what about the 12-17? $300 per each kid + fee's OR $30 each kid is a lot. If I had a kid and I was thinking of riding with him, finding out that him + myself would be $600 in membership fee's alone would shine me away.

Again, I do like the idea, but it's not close enough and the costs do outweigh the benefits. By the time it's said and done I'd be paying $30 alone in gas just to drive there & back, + fee's from the use of the club. I'm just saying everything adds up in the end.
 
Dec 20, 2005
31
0
I cant work out why if I live and ride in SB I would want to ride over to solvang and ride a hill that I still have to shuttle when I can ride knapps, or ellings for free. or with a little effert can also do cold springs or tunnel.
The cost to ride a very small hill with no lift is unjustified and vastly outweighed by the local riding at the moment
 

hecktone

Monkey
Feb 16, 2004
311
0
Santa Barbara
Thank you all for your thoughts. Great Ideas. It all takes $$$ though. Got any? Do you guys have access to a piece of property like this? Do you want to spend your time (10 years) doing something like this for the sport of mountain biking? I'd encourage you to do it because we need more people to step up and keep the sport going. Until then please just be safe on the front side, watch out for other trail users, and be part of the trail access solution in the mean time. If you ever want to ride at the SGDC you are always welcome.
 

hecktone

Monkey
Feb 16, 2004
311
0
Santa Barbara
can of worms.





now open
Yeah tell me about it ... all I try to do is provide an option for people, and a few people think it's a rip off for them... that's what I get for doing something nice. This is not a public park, it's a 1,000 acres worth millions of dollars I'm playing with here. Look at the big picture here, all over the US and the world mountain biking is a bastard child when it comes to trail access, what myself and the property owner are trying to do is a positive in this conflicted time. Keep shuttling on the weekends in SB, and eventually we all will lose, the SGDC while limited at this time, is going to be part of the solution, we have plans to add many new trails and features. I liked the idea of the full hill dual or 4x course.

I'm told yeah but Mike, we can go to Northstar or Mammoth for the same fee and ride a lift all day ... yes you can ... Northstar and Mammoth is $39 a day, or $229 and $309 for annual passes (From April 1st to Sept. 30th, with out clothing, or discounts at my events, or discounts at local shops, or free camping and firewood, all perks provided with the annual membership at the SGDC) then add the fuel and time to get there and the lodging ... how many times will any of you do that? :rant:
 
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5150dhbiker

Turbo Monkey
Nov 5, 2007
1,200
0
Santa Barbara, CA
I might join. Not too sure yet since I'm trying to work out my finances for the rest of the racing season. All the nationals are getting expensive, plus I'm throwing in a trip to Whistler in August.

Weather I do or do not join, I wish you the best of luck Mike! You've got a great thing going there and I know it'll get even better. Thanks for the hard work you're putting in.
 
Dec 3, 2004
152
0
San Jose, CA
Don't get me wrong, I think what you are doing there is awesome and is great for the sport. I was just trying to be honest and thinking about it practically if you want to make it a viable business opportunity, you need to attract out-of-town people since you are not located in or near a super densely populated area. I'm not sure what you're agreement with the land owner is in terms of rent on the land, but i'm guessing he is looking to make some money off of this arrangement. Best of luck with the project.
 

dwnhiller

Chimp
Apr 26, 2006
48
0
Do you guys have access to a piece of property like this?
yep, its called los padres forest, not sure if you have heard but it costs nothing to ride and has some killer trails. without some kind of shuttle support the fees seem step to me
 

Gambo

Monkey
For me the SGDC is perfect for my wife and kids and I to ride together. The trails in the forest are to advanced for them so the dirt club is perfect camping,hiking and riding spot for me. Plus its only 20min. for me in Santa Maria (where we have no legal trails) With all the new trails and race courses we can build there and manufacture demo days.

I think its a great thing! Not for everyone but for me and my family and frends its perfect.
 

hecktone

Monkey
Feb 16, 2004
311
0
Santa Barbara
For me the SGDC is perfect for my wife and kids and I to ride together. The trails in the forest are to advanced for them so the dirt club is perfect camping,hiking and riding spot for me. Plus its only 20min. for me in Santa Maria (where we have no legal trails) With all the new trails and race courses we can build there and manufacture demo days.

I think its a great thing! Not for everyone but for me and my family and frends its perfect.
Yep that what the SGDC is, a mountain bike club, not a gravity club, while we have gravity routes (and more planned) the SGDC is for all types of mountain bike riders.