Riding group seeks members

Vicki Kramer
Staff Writer

The Pensacola Off-Road Cyclist organization is a group that enjoys and patrols the University of West Florida’s woodlands, which are northwest of the campus near Gulf Power.
The organization was formed in 2000 and is for mountain bikers of all ages and skill levels. The group has a membership of 40 to 50 people.
According to its Web site, the club’s primary objective is to enhance the sport in the Pensacola area and to ensure existing trails are kept open for all mountain bikers, especially club members. The group also works to organize local and out-of-town group rides, and get-togethers monthly to improve trails. Members also hope to organize competitions in the future.
“ One of the things I would like to see for the club is to have more UWF students out on the trail,” said Ed Sarfert, president of PORC and also a UWF alumnus.
Activities, particularly group rides, are announced on their Web site calendar. Each ride will have a description of its level of speed and difficulty. The trails that the club uses near campus add up to approximately 20 miles with three types to choose from: cross-country, free-ride and technical.
“ No other Florida university has a trail system like UWF,” Sarfert said.
To become a member of the organization, interested parties can choose from four different types of 12-month memberships:
• Individual, $20, a single individual.
• Family, $25, a single applicant plus one or two family members.
• Racing, $40, an individual membership with a free PORC T-shirt.
• Business, $50, for business owners only.
Each member receives maps of the area trails in Pensacola, Mobile and Fort Walton Beach; a PORC bumper sticker; a member ID for bike shop discounts; a copy of the International Mountain Bike Association’s “Rules of the Trail;” and access to “members only” sites. In addition, members will be able to join group rides both locally and out of town; enjoy automatic free enrollment in product raffles; get discounts on club gear such as hats and T-shirts; and can participate in trail maintenance activities.
The only requirements the club has of its members is that riders obey local governmental and institutional rules and policies, obey the International Mountain Bike Association’s “Rules of the Trail” and respect other trail users.
Pensacola Off-road Cyclists is affiliated with the International Mountain Bike Association, the Florida Bicycle Association and the University of West Florida’s Bike Club.
To join and get more information visit the Web site at www.porc.org.