Proposed bike trail near Lake McClure competing for grant money
Online voting is underway for the final competition that could place an extreme mountain bike trail near Lake McClure.
Exchequer Bike Park is one of three finalists vying for a $100,000 grant from Bell Built Helmets.
“The funding would be used to construct a double-black-diamond downhill trail,” Merced Irrigation District officials said in a news release. “Such trails are considered to be among the most extreme in the sport.”
The trail would complement the Exchequer Bike Park, which is still being developed but remains open for riding. It sits on 700 acres adjacent to Lake McClure at the Barrett Cove Recreation Area.
Exchequer Bike Park will have trails for those with all skill levels and abilities, including riders with disabilities.
The proposal emerged last month as the top vote-getter from the western United States, beating out competing parks in Nevada and Oregon. Since then, central and eastern regional finals have been held. Each region has advanced one finalist to compete against Exchequer Bike Park in the national runoff that kicked off Tuesday.
“With overwhelming support, we have advanced to the final national vote,” said MID General Manager John Sweigard. “Our vision for this bike park has spurred incredible interest from our local community and beyond. Momentum is on our side as we enter this last vote against two other parks.”
The Exchequer Bike Park is managed by the Parks Department of Merced Irrigation District. The park has been open for some time now, and dozens of riders have been directly involved in helping direct and plan trail construction as the park evolves.
How to Vote
The competition for the trail grant is being conducted completely online by sponsor Bell Helmets. Votes for Exchequer can be made by clicking here.
To vote for the Exchequer Bike Park, click on the small round circle to select it as your option.
Below that, enter your email. Enter the requested verification code. Finally, go to your email inbox and open the confirmation email to finalize your vote. The entire process takes less than a minute. You will see your vote counted in the running totals for the competition.
This story was originally published May 28, 2015 at 9:03 AM with the headline "Proposed bike trail near Lake McClure competing for grant money."