UCC Bike Crew Concludes a Successful First Season

The Utah State University-based Utah Conservation Corps bike crew concluded a successful first summer field season, completing 2.22 miles of trail improvement at East Canyon and Deer Creek State Parks. The nation’s first pedal-powered bike crew traveled more than 530 miles using only cargo bicycles to transport themselves, tools, food and camping gear to the two Utah State Park sites during the summer. 

The bike crew was funded by a $20,000 grant from Utah State Park’s Recreational Trails Program with additional support from Black Diamond, Hammer Nutrition, ProBar and Clif Bar. A nationwide partnership between KEEN and The Corps Network also resulted in bike crew members being outfitted with KEEN Utility work boots.

Project sponsor Chris Haramoto of East Canyon State Park commented about the productivity of the crew.

“It would have taken our limited staff several months to accomplish this project,” Haramoto said.

Crew leader Jessica Gibbons discussed the experience of biking to project sites.

“Overall it went well,” she said. “It was a bonding experience when you were riding because it was a difficult process of riding and just getting to the worksite. But we were doing it together.” 

The crew encountered no mechanical issues during the summer and only had one flat tire on the last day of the season.

In 2014, 165 UCC AmeriCorps members created or maintained 177 miles of trail, constructed or repaired 8.5 miles of fence, restored 14,996 acres of public land and recruited 4,214 volunteers serving 9,582 hours on projects throughout Utah.

More information about USU-based UCC can be found online.

Contact: Sean Damitz, Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning, 435-770-6104, sean.damitz@usu.edu