MUSCLE POWERED 2015 ANNUAL REPORT
 
1) Bike Month
Weather was a challenge this year, it tended to be cool and occasionally wet and therefore had an effect on participation.
Had an excellent turn out for Bike Habitat’s Tour of Carson City, approximately 85 riders. Signed up many new members and garnered $142.00 in donations.
Celebrity Ride – We had 24 participants this year and it went very well except for Kyle Horvarth and Lori Bagwell zig-zagging into each other. We had the mayor and two Board of Supervisor’s members and the Sheriff this year.
Toby Welborn again headed up the tracking of the Corporate Challenge
Summary:
2,810 Miles
566 Trips
112,403.2 calories burned
1,486.84 pounds of CO2 offset by cycling vs driving
Westside Cruiser Ride – We had 91 participants this year
Coffee Stations – Comma Coffee, LA Bakery, and Capital Coffee participated.
Bike to Work Week Party – Unfortunately the party was pretty wet and cold but we still had a number of hardy souls turn out and we still turned a profit.
Bike Movie Night – The movie was moved to the Brewery Arts Center this year, thank you Kyle Hovarth. We gathered $60.00 in donations. The movie was “Breaking Away”
Volunteers – As always we could do this without our volunteers
Press – Lots of good coverage in the Appeal and Carson Now. With our news stories, the blogs, and social media, we didn’t have to spend any money on ads. It was good to see the street banner again this year. We could probably use more blog writers in the future though.
Communications – Again this is an area where we could use some improvement.
Expenses: $540.00
Revenue: $644.00
 
2) Safe Routes to School
The Health Department worked with the planning department to install temporary walking signs downtown with time and destination
Cortney had some bike trailer at events at some of the schools and with the assistance of one or two Muscle Powered members.
Muscle Powered participated in the bicycle safety checks at the kids Triathlon. It was good that we were there because some kids showed up with really awful bikes..
Ride for Reading very successful this year with 3 schools in Carson City, 3 schools in Dayton and one in Fernley. In Ferley the NHP escorted us to the school and participated in the ride. It is noted that support/participation from Muscle Powered Members was very limited this year.
 
3) Bicycle Friendly Community Status
Muscle Powered continues to have an active presence on the Carson City Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Workgroup. As a part of that Muscle Powered Board members participated in a scoping walk for the proposed Freeway Multi-Use Path extension from Northridge Drive to the Linear Ditch Trail connection, input on the number and placement of bicycle racks after the completion of the Downtown Redesign, and improved lighting at un-signalized intersections on collector and arterial streets throughout the city.
 
4) Website/Communications
Jeff Potter is no longer the primary blog poster on the website, Randy Gaa has provided many great posts on his Trash Mobs
Facebook followers passed the 600 mark in 2015
 
5) Bike Valet
The Farmer’s Market Bike Valet continues to be one of our most successful outreach programs.
Volunteers
Number of volunteers: 21
Number of volunteer hours: 240
Income and Expenses
Total Income = $3,354
Inventory Sales $581
Tips for Trails Donations $503
Total Expenses: $393.00 We got some very nice table covers, logoed runners, and restored our stock of
shirts and hats.
 
6) Freeway Multi-Use Path
The public works department has been working on the plans for the extension of the Freeway Multi-Use Path from Northridge to the Linear Ditch Trail and construction is planned for 2017
 
7) Regular Sponsored Walking Program
Averaged 11 walkers per week which is an increase from 8 for last year
 
8) Bike Rides
There was an attempt to start a beginner/family bicycle riding program during the summer in conjunction with Carson City Parks & Recreation. Attendance was very poor, with only 1-2 riders each week. This continues to be a challenge.
 
9) 395/50 Interchange Multi-Use Path
NDOT has started the work on completing the freeway bypass. We will closely monitor the promised work on the multi-use paths.
 
10) Trails
The Ash to Kings Trail is completed and we had a GRAND opening on August 29th. Over 100 people showed up for the ‘ribbon’ (old bike inner tubes) cutting. Crews constructed an overlook trail about midway on the trail. Tips for Trails from the Farmer’s Market paid for the use of a mini-dozer to cut one mile of new trail bypassing the dreaded Waterfall Rd. section.
Deadman’s Creek Trail, Washoe Valley State Park asked Muscle Powered if we could help with the maintenance of this trail. Crews replaced 2 foot bridges in November. Will continue the work in 2016
Capitol to the TRT has been surveyed, this will connect the high point on the Ash to Kings Trail to the TRT in Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park
Lincoln Bypass has been surveyed, this will connect the Longeview Trail to the southern end of the Ash to Kings Trail.
Muscle Powered Trail-building Volunteer Contribution for 2015
Trail Hours Labor
Deadman’s Creek 146 $2,569.86
Morgan Mill Trail 7 $138.95
Ash to Kings 691.5 $12,348.69
Surveys 375 $10,282.50
Total 1,219.25 $25,340
Years to Date
2012 1,392 $25,404
2013 2,557.9 $43,886
2014 3,980.75 $72,048.09
2015 1,219.25 $25,340
Total 9,169.9 $166,678.09
 
11) Nevada Day Parade
David Zahrt lead more than 20 bicyclists and walkers in the parade this year
 
12) Legislative/Legal Issues
In the 2015 session of the Nevada Legislature two bills were introduced to transfer public lands managed by federal land management agencies to the state of Nevada. Fearing that the bills would result in transfer of our public lands to private ownership – with the accompanying resource exploitation and loss of public access – Muscle Powered members joined the Sierra Club, Battle Born Progress, and hunting and fishing groups in rallies at the legislature in opposition to the bills. One bill failed, but unfortunately the other one passed.
For Nevada Moves Day, Muscle Powered had a booth in front lobby. Bike maps, state parks information and information on the the 3 Feet please bill will provided. Good discussions with legislators especially on the 3-ft-please bill.
 
13) Sassafras’s “Sassabration”
Mary Kay Wagner made sure that Muscle Powered had a presence at this diversity, community and equality celebration on August 16
There were 35 cyclists for the parade
Two new Muscle Powered members were recruited at this event
 
14) Trash Mobs
In July Randy Gaa stepped up and took on the Trash Mobs
By using social media Muscle Powered is sponsoring a monthly one hour trash clearing function focusing on trails and paths on the premise that trash discourages people from biking and walking and clean trails and paths encourage biking and walking
This has grown from just a few to 27 volunteers
July through November there was a total of 95 man hours and 1,162 pounds of trash removed
 
15) EVTC (Eagle Valley Trails Committee)
Muscle Powered is a supporting member of the EVTC
EVTC completed their mapping of all social trails in Carson City County
EVTC met with all of the land managers that have trails crossing their lands, USFS, BLM, CC Open Space, State Lands and WNC. EVTC received all land managers by-in and support for the project
EVTC reached out to all private landowners that have trails crossing their lands, and only one has opted out of the project.
EVTC held public meetings and offered a survey to solicit comments on Carson City County Trails which was very successful
 
16) Memberships
Memberships for 2015
Family 49
Individual 43
Senior/Student 36
Sustaining 9
Here are the sustaining members who joined this year
Capitol Automotive
Resource Concepts, Inc.
Lone Mountain Vet Hospital
Bike Habitat (Honorary)
NV Nosh Food Truck/Grandma Hatties
Southwest Gas
Lumos & Associates
Arleen Richartz (Dec.)
Anonymous
Income from Membership
Dues $3,755.00
Donations $1,475.00
 
17) Muscle Powered water bottles
Thanks to donations from Lumos & Associates, Bike Habitat, Capital Automotive, and Marian Woessner we now have new water bottles for sale.
 
18) Bylaws
Thanks to Bylaws Committee we now have new easier-to-understand bylaws.
 
19) Budget
The budget committee has an excellent start on developing a more formal budget and should be completed in the first quarter of the new year.
 
20) Volunteer value returned to the community
Trail Building $25,340
Bike Valet $3,600
Trash Mobs $1,425
Total $30,365
 
21) Awards and support
Muscle Powered adviser and board member Chas Macquarie received a lifetime achievement award from the Nevada Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board.
Jeff Potter received the Trail Builder of Year award from the National Trails Association
This year Muscle Powered presents our own awards to two people who have contributed so much time, effort and dedication to Muscle Powered. Donna Inversin and Denis Coyne