Tag Archives: Jason DeCoux

People, Trail work

Bill Nelson’s Ford tractor helps to transform the Sechler skills park

Last week, CROCT member and uber volunteer Bill Nelson drove his Ford Tractor back home. It had been on duty for the past couple of months in the Sechler skills park. 13-second video:

Bill originally brought his tractor to the skills park to sculpt dirt into a beginner table top jump:

Bill Nelson, Ford tractor

Bill Nelson, Ford tractor

I soon discovered it could do other things, like move logs and boulders. I put Bill to work:

Bill Nelson, Ford tractor

Bill eventually got sick of me bossing him and his tractor around so he gave me a few operator lessons:

Griff Wigley, Ford tractor

I teamed up with CROCT member Jason Decoux from Faribault to fashion the table top:

Jason Decoux

Jason Decoux

I eventually began to see how the tractor could expand the possibilities for more features in the skills park:

I got better at sculpting with it:

By late fall, I graduated summa cum laude from the Mountain Bike Skills Park Tractor Operators Academy. Thanks to Mr. Bill for the mentoring, the keys, and the hat:

Griff Wigley, Bill Nelson, Ford Tractor guys

Advocacy, Donors

SageGlass, with a little help from Jason Decoux, makes a donation to CROCT

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Jason Decoux

Last summer, Jason Decoux (CROCT member, Founding Supporter, and regular trail worker) submitted a CROCT grant request to his employer, SageGlass (SAGE Electrochromics). The company annually invites employees to nominate local non-profits to receive a monetary donation. Their Community Gift/Giving Committee reviews the submissions and the the company hosts a dinner to honor the recipients and hand out the checks. We were notified a month ago that the request was approved.

Last night, CROCT president Marty Larson and I attended the dinner in the upstairs events room at Alexander’s in Faribault.

Griff Wigley, Marty Larson

Marty briefly updated the audience on the work our volunteers have done on constructing mountain bike trails in Rice County in the past year.  And he was handed at check for $345 which we’ll use to purchase some much-need trail tools.

Marty Larson

Unfortunately, Jason wasn’t able to attend due to an emergency at work.  We drank a beer in his honor.

 

Group rides, Organization meetings

August board meeting ride in Faribault

Prior to last night’s CROCT board meeting, five  of us went for a ride in and around the RBNC in Faribault.

L to R: Jason Decoux, Carl Arnold, Scott Koehler, Jeremy Bokman
The veterans Jason Decoux (far left) and Jeremy Bokman (far right) gave us Northfielders (Carl Arnold, Scott Koehler, me) a fast and fun one-hour tour.  Saaaaweeet!

Aug 2014 CROCT board meeting, Faribault Aug 2014 CROCT board meeting, Faribault
And then we convened at the Washington Recreation Center, like last month. There is momentum!

 

Organization meetings

July CROCT board meeting held in Faribault

July CROCT board meeting in Faribault July CROCT board meeting in Faribault

We were pleased to have six mountain bikers from the Faribault area attended our CROCT board meeting at the Washington Recreation Center last week: Jason DeCoux, Pat Walsh, Stephan Weissmann, Rob Newport, Phil Thoreson, and Mike Rost.  CROCT member Jeremy Bokman is also from Faribault.  Next month’s board meeting will also be in Fbo, 7 pm, same place.

On our IMBA Chapter application we’re required to indicate the geographic boundaries of our club using zip codes.  We’ve indicated that we want to stay within Rice County for now, so that means these communities:

Dundas: 55019
Faribault: 55021
Lonsdale, Veseli: 55046
Morristown: 55052
Nerstrand: 55053
Northfield: 55057
Warsaw: 55087
Webster: 55088
If you’re a mountain biker in one of those cities or anywhere in between, let us know!