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POSTPONED:  WE WILL UPDATE WHEN A NEW DATE IS AVAILABLE.  KEEP RIDING!
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Saturday, March 28, 2020
9:30am - 12:00pm

Join the South Coast Bikeway Alliance and the Buzzards Bay Coalition for a day of riding and hiking, to celebrate our local pathways and trails for bicyclists and pedestrians!
Start on bike at Fort Phoenix State Reservation and cruise the Phoenix Bike Trail/Mattapoisett Rail Trail to meet the Buzzards Bay Coalition at the new Carvalho Farm property. Park your bike at the trail head for a hike through woods bursting with spring wetland life down to the beautiful salt marshes that fringe Nasketucket Bay. After the hike, the group will bike back to the starting point.
Check-in for the ride begins at 9:30 am. Ride starts at 10:00 am.

RAIN DATE: Sunday, March 29

Cost: 
Free
REGISTER ONLINE


SCBA Bike Week Ride video
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Connected Bikeways: From Local Paths to Long Distance Travel
Please join us for an important discussion on MA bikeway progress on Friday, August 16 from 4 to 6 pm at the James Arnold Mansion (Wamsutta Club), 427 County Street in New Bedford.
A team of leaders from MassBike and the East Coast Greenway are bicycling from Providence to Provincetown and along the way are meeting with local advocates, planners, engineers, and town leaders to learn of community concerns and to discuss greenway connections. These riders are taking advantage of an overnight stop in Dartmouth to meet in New Bedford.
The East Coast Greenway team will offer the national outlook, MassBike will speak about the regional systems of which the South Coast is a critical part, and the South Coast Bikeway Alliance will review our efforts to advance connections between Fall River and New Bedford as well as existing and planned links east to the Cape and west to Rhode Island.
The event will include a short presentation by each group, followed by questions and answers. Discussion topics include:
The existing and growing regional pathway network and the vision of connections between the South Coast, the East Coast Greenway, the rest of Massachusetts, and all of New England.
The characteristics of existing and emerging riders
Challenges for funding, land acquisition, policies and politics
Economic benefits of bike paths and bike tourism
Preferred bike path routing and road infrastructure along the South Coast
Techniques to increase community involvement
South Coast Media will record this gathering.
Light refreshments (coffee, tea, and water) will be served during the gathering. Those who wish to continue the conversation are welcome to stay for dinner and drinks at the Mansion.
Hope to see you on the 16th.

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​The Unitarian Universalist (UU) Men’s Fellowship in partnership with the South Coast Bikeway Alliance (SCBA) is sponsoring a presentation on the impact of rails to trails bike paths and an update on upcoming plans for the South Coast Bikeway. The keynote presenter will be rails-to-trails advocate Craig Della Penna, to be followed by a conversation with regional bicycling supporters and experts. The free event will be held on Wednesday, January 9th at 7:00 PM at the Fairhaven Unitarian Universalist (UU) Memorial Church Auditorium (102 Green ST, Fairhaven, MA, 02719).

Craig Della Penna, well known to the South Coast, will give a high-energy presentation on the history of the rails-to-trails movement, its tie-in to both the South Coast and Cape Cod, and recent developments that are accelerating rail-to-trails project completion across the state. To learn more about Craig visit greenwaysolutions.org/shortbio.html. Craig’s talk will be followed by a short presentation by: Bonne DeSousa (President of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path, and an active founding member of the South Coast Bikeway Alliance), Bob Espindola (Fairhaven Selectman and President of the South Coast Bikeway Alliance), Galen Mook (Executive Director of Mass Bike), Kevin Hart (Deputy Counsel/Research Analyst for the Massachusetts House Transportation Committee) and  R. Bruce Donald (APBP Tri-State Greenways Coordinator East Coast Greenway Alliance). 
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All who have an interest in pathways for recreation, alternative transportation, promotion of tourism and economic development on the South Coast are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event.  Pre registration is appreciated. Use the link above.

For further information contact Dave Chevalier at dchevy5@aol.com or SCBA at thesouthcoastbikeway@gmail.com.

The Men’s Fellowship, formed in the Fall of 2001, convenes monthly in the Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven’s Parish House and offers men of the church and the community an opportunity to meet for companionship, friendly association and caring.
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Learn more about Craig Della Penna here
Join Our Email List

Thank you to all who participated in our Map & Compass Workshop taught by Paul Brookes.  It was a beautiful day to learn orienteering skills at the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) Center at Helfand Farm. This workshop was funded through an educational grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Thank you to Stop & Shop Dartmouth for providing refreshments for the participants.
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                Map & Compass - Workshop #4
The South Coast Bikeway Alliance (SCBA) is recruiting participants for a Map & Compass Workshop, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Recreational Trail Building Grant program. The free workshop, held on Saturday, December 29, 2018, from 9-4, will be taught by Paul Brookes. 

Paul Brookes has been a hike leader for the Southeastern Massachusetts chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) for 6 years. He leads numerous three-season hikes as well as an annual winter hiking series out of the Blue Hills. He recently taught a Map and Compass course for the AMC. Paul is experienced in experiential and classroom teaching. He is faculty for Daniel Webster College in Nashua NH, teaching evening engineering courses.
 
The SCBA asks those who attend for these free workshops to pledge one hour of service on the South Coast Scenic Greenway or other SCBA project in exchange for each hour of classroom hour attended.

​Course objectives

In this course you will learn basic and intermediate navigation skills using a map and compass. You'll learn how to read a topographic map and how to use a compass and map together. You'll also learn some basic orienteering skills such as how to bushwhack from one trail to another by following a bearing.

Prerequisites
This class is for beginners and those needing a refresh, there are no prerequisites.  You do not need to have taken any prior classes or have any prior experience reading a topographic map or using a compass.  
Course Outcomes
After completing this course, you should be able to use a topographic map (even without a compass) to provide assurance after an intersection that you’re on the right trail and not a deer path or bootleg bicycle path.   
You should be able to use a compass in tandem with your map to safely leave the trail and bushwhack to a peak or overlook.  You should also be able to leave a trail, bushwhack to another trail and not miss it or get lost.
 
The material is broken down into small segments that build on top of each other and no prior experience necessary.   We’ll often break into small groups to practice the skills taught.  Some exercises will be in the classroom and others will be in the field outside.   Facilitators will be on-hand to help lead the small-group exercises. 

We will finish the day with a short hike where you will get to put into practice many of the skills you learned during the day including a bushwhack to an intersection or landmark.

​The Details
Date:    Saturday, December 29, 2018   (Rain or shine)
Time:    9 am to 4 pm
Where:  Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) Center at Helfand Farm 
              318 Chase Road, Dartmouth MA 02747
Lunch will be provided. 
Supplies needed: You will need to bring your own compass. The instructor recommends the Suunto M-3 which he will be using during the class. 
Click on the link below to be considered for participation.  Space is limited. 




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Support our Friends of the Taunton Pathways fundraiser.
Register for Pedal for the Path
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SCBA Trail Building Workshop #3
The South Coast Bikeway Alliance is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a 2017 Massachusetts Department of Recreation (DCR) Recreational Trail Building Grant. This "Trail Documentation, Stewardship and Skills Training" grant will engage people from all of the communities along the South Coast to take part in a series of workshops. These workshops will be taught by Peter S. Jensen & Associates. 

The SCBA asks those who register for these free workshops pledge to volunteer one hour of service on the South Coast Scenic Greenway or other SCBA project in exchange for each hour of classroom hour attended.



Join Westport Land Conservation Trust, South Coast Bikeway 
Alliance and Peter S. Jensen & Associates, LLC for a two-day
wetland crossing workshop at Dunham’s Brook Conservation Area (1520 Main Road). 
The workshop will cover the ins and outs of permitting, designing and building footbridges for pedestrian traffic over streams, wetlands and waterways. Participants will take part in the hands-on construction of two 12-foot wooden footbridges over Dunham’s Brook—one of the largest freshwater tributaries to the west branch of the Westport River. The footbridges will serve as the main pedestrian access trail to over two miles of hiking trails at the 159-acre Dunham’s Brook Conservation Area.
“WLCT is very excited to partner with the Town and with South Coast Bikeway Alliance to improve the robust trail system at Dunham’s Brook Conservation Area,” said WLCT’s executive director Ross Moran. “We hope this project encourages hikers to explore the trails and get inspired by the beauty of Dunham’s Brook Conservation Area!”
With this grant funding, SCBA have retained professional trail builder Peter S. Jensen & Associates, LLC to lead the two-day instructional workshop. “This funding allows members of the public to complete the workshop free of charge,” said SCBA president Bob Espindola. “The workshop is a great opportunity for hobbyists and for those interested in professional development.”

Tools, supplies and certified instructors will be provided.

Advance registration is required for this program—no exceptions. To register, please email Brendan@WestportLandTrust.org.
Space is limited! This event is free and open to the public.


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Thank you to all who attended our 8th Annual Bike Summit.  A video of the event will be posted once available.

The South Coast Bikeway Alliance (SCBA) is pleased to announce their 8th Annual Bike Summit will be held Thursday, May 3, 2018 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Fort Taber Community Center, 1000A S Rodney French BLVD, New Bedford, MA 02744.  This year's summit focuses on "Closing the Gaps" and hopes to bring awareness to the numerous pathway projects, large and small, within the South Coast communities. 
Keynote Speaker
David Loutzenheiser, Chief Project Coordinator for a new MetroWest LandLine initiative and Senior Transportation Planner at the (Boston) Metropolitan Area Planning Council will be the keynote speaker. Come learn how our neighbors to the north are collaborating to plan and fund trail connections across municipal boundaries and how we can advance our regional South Coast Bikeway projects.
All who bike, hike, walk or run are invited to join the SCBA for an interesting and informative evening as they celebrate recently completed South Coast Bikeway pathways in New Bedford and Fall River and share the latest news for planned projects in Dartmouth, UMass Dartmouth, Marion, Mattapoisett, and  Wareham. Learn about the potential to link New Bedford and Fall River with a 3.5 mile greenway in the largely rural areas north of I-195. 

Mr.Loutzenheiser, the keynote speaker, manages projects primarily in the area of bicycle transportation, walking, and related areas. He champions a growing number of projects and plans to bring cycling and walking transportation into the forefront of sustainability in the Boston region. He is currently working to develop a greenway system vision for the metro Boston region. In addition, he is developing bicycle and pedestrian plans for 12 municipalities within MAPC through the Sustainable Communities program. 
What's Happening When
A welcoming reception with exhibitors begins at 5:30 p.m. Representatives from multiple local organizations who support greater enjoyment of our natural resource areas will be on hand to answer your questions. Meet with bikeway advocates, land preservationists, town and city planners and bicycle enthusiasts and discover what you can do to help complete the Bikeway. South Coast Bikeway Alliance representatives from South Coast towns and cities will be on hand to discuss progress and potential for new trails and multi-use paths in their communities.

The speakers program begins at 6:00 p.m. and concludes at 7:30 p.m. All who have an interest in pathways  for recreation, alternative transportation, promotion of tourism and economic development on the South Coast are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event.  Light refreshments will be offered. Pre registration is appreciated.  


SCBA Trail Building Workshops
The South Coast Bikeway Alliance is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a 2017 Massachusetts Department of Recreation  (DCR) Recreational Trail Building Grant. This "Trail Documentation, Stewardship and Skills Training" grant  will engage people from all of the communities along the South Coast to take part in a series of workshops. These  workshops will be taught by Peter S. Jensen & Associates.
The SCBA asks those who register for these free workshops pledge to volunteer one hour of service on the South Coast Scenic Greenway or other SCBA project in exchange for each hour of classroom hour attended.
​ Learn more and register your interest in participating in the Trail Building Workshops #1 & #2 below. Workshop #3 will occur in spring 2018. Participants will be selected on a first come, first served basis with preference to residents of the South Coast Bikeway communities.  This is a regionally focused grant and the participants should show a good representation of the region. 
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    Sustainable Trail Layout and Design Workshop # 1 
    Saturday, October 21  8 am - 4:30/5:00 pm
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This one-day workshop will focus on sustainable trail layout and design for natural surface trails and include both classroom and field time for up to 10 participants. A typical discussion around what is a sustainable trail will cover trail construction techniques including; out sloped tread, sustainable grades, frequent grade reversals, erosion resistance, a path that traverses along the side slope, provision for sheet flow of runoff, positive user experiences and low maintenance. Also known as the 8 Sustainable Solutions. This workshop will field test these concepts and give the participants hands on experience using a variety of layout and design tools. Each participant will layout a trail line as part of the class. We will then evaluate that trail line, making sure that all the sustainable solution concepts are addressed to the best of our abilities, and make improvements based on real time feedback. 

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Our trail builders at Workshop #1. Thank you!!
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 Trail Stewardship and Basic Skills Training Workshop #2
  Saturday, October 28 & Sunday October 29 8 am - 4:30/5:00 pm
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This two-day workshop will focus on exploring the fundamentals of sustainable trail layout and design as specifically applied to tread and drainage structures for up to 10 participants. A basic understanding of hillside hydrology, how trails should work, developing trail eyes, structural options, construction tactics, proper pruning techniques for woody plants, restoration of damaged trails, and prioritizing maintenance through trail triage will be the basis for this workshop. Participants will demonstrate trail stewardship skills by applying knowledge learned thru hands on demonstration throughout the workshop. Participants will receive direct feedback from the instructor on how to improve construction techniques.
Workshop #2 resulted in the setting of stairs on the DNRT Ridge Hill Reserve trail off Copicut RD in Dartmouth. A special thank you to all who volunteered, DNRT for providing the site, project and materials, DCR for awarding SCBA the Educational Grant and Erin and Carl from Peter S. Jensen and Associates for their instruction.
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Specialty Skills Training Workshop #3  TBD
This two-day workshop will focus either on stonework for trails, carpentry for wetland structures, rigging for trails, or Chainsaw Safety for up to 8 participants. Participants will have to had attended either the Sustainable Trail Layout and Design or Trail Stewardship and Basic Skills Training workshop. The topic of the specialty skills training will be decided upon by survey of those participants that have attend prior workshops. Participants will demonstrate the specialty skills by applying knowledge learned thru hands on demonstration throughout the workshop. Participants will receive direct feedback from the instructor on how to improve techniques.

Registration will be open in Spring 2018.  

Peter S. Jensen & Associates, LLC is committed to designing and building pedestrian trails which provide safe visitor access while safeguarding the natural, cultural, and historic landscapes. Their objective is to incorporate innovative design and construction techniques, utilize unique and low impact equipment, build trails which will become historic, and create memorable trail experiences.

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Click here for the google map for the entire Bike Hike route.

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Tour de Creme
​A South Coast Bike and Ice Cream Extravaganza!


On Sunday May 21, 2017, the Mattapoisett Land Trust and the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path will once again host the popular Tour de Crème, a fundraising event combining the SouthCoast’s fabulous cycling with a selection of its best ice cream shops along the route.  Approximately 160 cyclists and 75 volunteers participated in last year’s inaugural event.  If you want to see how much fun we had in 2016, see the pictures on the Tour de Creme Facebook page.  The 2017 Tour de Crème promises to be even bigger and better!  If you joined us in 2016, we hope for you will ride again this year and bring your friends.
​ If you are new to the Tour de Crème, welcome.  
Join the South Coast Bikeway Team with the link below.​




Join South Coast Bikeway Tour de Creme Team Here

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View a video of the 2017 Bike Summit here
The South Coast Bikeway Alliance (SCBA) is pleased to announce their 7th Annual Bike Summit will be held Thursday, March  23, 2017 at the Fort Taber Community Center, 1000A S Rodney French BLVD, New Bedford, MA 02744.  This year's summit focuses on
"Building the South Coast Bikeway" and hopes to bring awareness to the numerous pathway projects, large and small, within the South Coast communities. 

All who bike, hike, walk or run are invited to join the SCBA for an interesting and informative evening as they celebrate recently completed South Coast Bikeway pathways in New Bedford and Fall River and share the latest news for planned projects in Dartmouth, UMass Dartmouth, Marion, Mattapoisett and  Wareham. Learn about the potential to link New Bedford and Fall River with a 3.5 mile greenway in the largely rural areas north of I-195.

Colleen Abrams, the President of Wachusett Greenways, will be the keynote speaker.  Ms. Abrams will speak about Wachusett Greenways’ mission of connecting the Wachusett-area community with trails and greenways. In 1995, this all-volunteer nonprofit group and their partners began to build and maintain trails. Wachusett Greenways is best known as the steward of the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) in central Massachusetts. Discover how their model of working with non-profits and state agencies could advance the progress of the pathways in your communities.

A welcoming reception with exhibitors begins at 5:30 p.m.  Representatives from multiple  local organizations who support greater passive enjoyment of our natural resource areas will be on hand to answer your questions. Meet with bikeway advocates, land preservationists, town and city planners and bicycle enthusiasts and discover what you can do to help complete the Bikeway. South Coast Bikeway Alliance representatives from South Coast towns and cities will be on hand to discuss progress and potential for new trails and multi-use paths in their communities.

The speakers program begins at 6:00 p.m. and concludes at 7:30 p.m. All who have an interest in pathways for recreation, alternative transportation, promotion of tourism and economic development on the South Coast are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event.  Light refreshments will be offered. Pre-registration is appreciated.  ​  




2016 Events                  2016 Events          2016 Events
Picture2016----Celebrate and support the Fairhaven Bikeway!!


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Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride 2016 Sunday, October 2, 2016 Sakonnet Point to Woods Hole Falmouth, MA 02540
​Bike for clean water at the 10th annual Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride on Sunday, October 1! Enjoy the scenic landscapes of the Southcoast and Cape Cod while raising funds for clean water in Buzzards Bay.
Join Team South Coast Bikeway and ride for clean water!             OUR TEAM RAISED $2515 FOR CLEAN WATER!!!


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Since 2010, co-founders Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards have organized an annual non-profit bipedal concert tour of Massachusetts in support of arts and culture for towns throughout the state. Each free community concert collaborates with local artists, musicians, educational programs, trail managers and land trust groups to highlight both artistic diversity and recreational land use. With each visit, a community has pulled together and taken part in a dialogue which serves to strengthen local investment in the arts.

People still ask "so you actually walk?" YES, with our instruments, and camping gear, to each and every show - and after 8-13 miles of hiking roads and trailways, we perform a concert.

"Well, how does that support the arts?" Each WT event is a collaboration of cultural movers and shakers such as local artists, art organizations, trail volunteers, cultural council members, and school systems for an evening of shared ideas, stories, and song - thanks to state grants and private trusts, the concerts are always FREE for the communties we visit.


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