Mountain Bike Park update

Tehachapi Valley Recreation and Parks Department (TVRPD) is still in talks with Lehigh working on a land lease agreement, so that the developing Mountain Bike Park can be considered public land. Once this is done, the area should be available to the public. Luckily talks are starting to wind down, and an official announcement can be expected within the next month or two.

Until then the land must be treated as private property and only LeHigh employees, employee families and Tehachapi Mountain Trails Association (TMTA) members may use the 11 miles of single trails. For non-employees wishing to use the trails immediately, TMTA's annual membership dues are $20 per person, or $25 per family. Membership dues go towards maintaining and building trails for their members. For more on TMTA membership, or to pay on their website via Paypal, please go to http://www.TehachapiTrails.org/becomeamember.htm .

It is strongly recommended that new members acquaint themselves with TMTA's trail etiquette – linked on the right hand side of their webpage –, so that all members can continue to use the Mountain Bike Park area and have a wonderful experience.

There is also still the potential for a lift ticket, or pedal pass, similar to Mammoth Mountain Bike Parks, if the TVRPD is able to work out the logistics with Gravity Logic, a mountain bike park development and design company.

For now there is talk about obtaining some small machinery, such as a mini-excavator, for clearing even more trails in the area. Additionally, with the advent of the local mountain bike park, an unofficial Tehachapi Composite and High School Mountain Bike Team (MTB) has sprung up for this mountain bike racing season (season started November 2014 and goes to May 2015) and currently consists of 12 members. Their first race of the season was February 20 with Micah Mason placing First in the Girl's D1/D2 Freshman category.

Congratulations, Micah!