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There are some great events coming up!
You can help trails AND have fun!

Fri March 28: Join our partners Friday March 28 6-9 p.m., when West Sound Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance hosts the NW premier of legendary mountain biker Steve Peat in "Won't Back Down", at the Pavilion in downtown Port Orchard. Tickets are $15 and they're raffling off two great bikes!

Sat March 29: Bring the family and help plant trees Saturday March 29 on our new Port Gamble Shoreline park. Please join Arno Bergstom, Kitsap County's Community Forester to plant 3,000 cedar tree seedlings March 29th between 9 am and 2 pm. Meet at the Bay View Trailhead, trailhead #2 just South of the Uplands Trail head near Port Gamble. And don't worry, the process for planning new trails and public access in the park will be starting later this year, Arno's assured us that seedlings that are in the way of a trail location can be easily moved for 3-4 years. So bring your boots, your favorite shovel and a 5 gallon pail, and help diversify our newest North Kitsap Forest!

Sat & Sun April 12-13: Lumberjack Endurance Run; they're running, running, & still running!!

On the morning of April 12, 55 or so runners will begin a very long race in the Port Gamble trails. Some will run 50 miles, some 65 miles, and a few will run the entire 100 mile race, ending the next day! They will run through the night, stopping only at aid stations for food and drinks, and maybe to change socks. Last year some of the proceeds went to the North Kitsap Trails Association, and the race will benefit NKTA again this year - but we need your help! Volunteers are needed to help out at the aid stations throughout the race. Fill runner's water bottles, help to get them food, and offer words of encouragement! It's actually quite an experience to help out at a race like this. The runners appreciate the support so much and its fun to be a cheerleader for them! If you are interested in helping out, send us an email or call Brooks or Chris at Poulsbo Running (360-779-8757). Food and beverages will be provided to all volunteers.

NKTA joins the first ever Kitsap GREAT GIVE

Organized by the Kitsap Community Foundation, this is an opportunity to leverage your donation to NKTA by increasing it with a match from both the Great Give sponsors, and increasing it again with a match from the organizers of this year's Lumberjack Endurance Run. If you give to NKTA on May 6, all these generous sponsors will pile on behind you and help us out even more. It's easy, it's online and it helps the trails a LOT! Look for more details in our next newsletter.

There's a new Port Gamble Trail map

Next time you're on the trails pick up a new map at the trailhead (labeled February 2014). This one shows Millie's Trail and connections to Big Valley, has lots of revisions in the 1300 logging roads area and is just more up to date. So chuck your old map and pick up the latest. You can also download an updated map. And don't forget to thank our buddies John Hawkins and Matt Slaney of the West Sound chapter of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, for all of their hard work on the map updates. We'll be working on replacing the maps that are posted on the trails next.

Sound to Olympics Trail

More great news! Kitsap County Public Works just advertised for proposals to hire a consultant to complete a feasibility study of NKTA's proposed route across the Divide. That is the two mile long trail corridor between Miller Bay Road and Port Gamble-Suquamish Road-so the link between the North Kitsap Heritage Park and the Port Gamble trails. Our volunteers worked really hard to find a trail route through this area last year when we applied for the Birkenfeld grant. Having lost our boots more than a few times, we know it's a tricky area with both wetlands and a crossing of Grover's creek, so we're glad to have the help of professionals. NKTA really appreciates Kitsap County's leadership and the good folks at Kitsap County Public Works who will be doing some intense homework on this vital & challenging link!