Leaning up against the rocks, a Bighorn ram stands above Mt. Baldy Village looking southeast toward Mt. Baldy Road. The ram came down the mountainside just before sundown in search of food and water. / photo by Zachary Horton

by Alyssa Cole
photography by Zachary Horton

The road is steep; the canyons on both sides steeper. Riding in a Jeep Commander, I travel down the bumpy Cow Canyon Saddle restricted fire road. At the steering wheel is Chris Brookhart, Mt. Baldy resident and firefighter for the city of Upland plus a volunteer fireman/paramedic in the Mt. Baldy Fire Department. Chris is taking me down the canyon to meet 29-year Mt. Baldy resident Chris Walker, who will unlock the gates to restricted land his family has owned for 50 years; land that encompasses the protected heritage of the imperial Bighorn Sheep. This precious flock has more than just Walker looking out for it; it also has Department of Fish and Game protection. Walker’s land lies adjacent to the protected area–off limits to everyone, save the occasional visit from a biologist whose work is designed to help the sheep avoid extinction. “It’s always a trip to watch them walk across the side of a cliff; they are very smart,” Walker says. The mountain here is full of cliffs and loose rocks. The sheep have a tenuous relationship with this area. On this day, we would not see the elusive animals, but we know they are here. On the five-mile trip up the canyon, Brookhart stopped several times to show where the Bighorn often gather. Where the San Gabriel River meets Mt. Baldy is where the sheep live. In spite of ranches, tractors and people, the sheep are at ease with the residents of Mt. Baldy. They appear most often during evening hours. There is rare interaction between these wild creatures and the mountain’s residents; it is a peaceful co-existence.

Out of sight, not out of mind

It is believed the Bighorn, Ovis Canadensis Nelsoni, migrated from Siberia more than 10,000 years ago. The Bighorns differ from common sheep; they are majestic animals famous for their large horns that give them a sense of status and dominance in the mountains. The horns grow throughout their entire lives, and both rams and ewes have them, though the ram horns are curved and much more prominent. The sheep range through many western areas of North America, but over the years their numbers have dwindled due to various types of habitat complications. “You used to be able to see them off the cliffs on a regular basis,” says Brookhart. Their increased absence raises questions regarding their population numbers for both Mt. Baldy locals and biologists. Disease, predation and habitat have thinned their numbers to the point that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists the Bighorn as being endangered.

Disease, predators and habitat

The Journal of Wildlife Diseases hypothesizes that highly infectious lungworms in Bighorn communities increase stress and decrease fitness, which could threaten the sheep’s survival. But, after several tests, researchers found that, while the lungworm negatively affects the sheep’s respiratory track, it is not always deadly. However, when these lungworms take the life of a ewe, it disrupts reproduction in Bighorn communities, which then contributes to the Bighorn’s population decline. Another influence is a species of infectious flies that lay their eggs around the nasal openings of the Bighorn. When the larvae hatch, they migrate to the lungs and heart, causing a cyst that may shorten the lifespan of the affected sheep.

Mountain and canyon ranges host many predators of the Bighorn. Known for having short legs, a low center of gravity and a thickset build, the Bighorn have used these attributes to dominate their habitat and to survive from predators. “A lot of local mountain lions come up and have either scared them off or consumed them,” Brookhart says. Mountain lions are recognized to be robust thrashing animals, and although the bighorn could put up a good fight, most times the sheep are unable to triumph. If predators are hovering their ranges, the Bighorn may find safer quarters elsewhere. Mountain lions too are a protected species in California and have been off-limits to hunters for the last 20 years by virtue of a successful ballot measure.

Harvey Good, long-time Mt. Baldy resident and University of La Verne professor of biology emeritus, has followed the Bighorn for years. He suggests that a major turning point in their habitat occurred after the Thunder Fires. “In 2003, the Thunder Fires burned from the ski lifts down the canyon along Glendora Ridge Road,” Good says. “It burned a whole watershed that allowed grass and shrubbery to grow. After this disaster, a lot of the Bighorn’s habitat was burned off.” Bighorn Sheep are particular about where they choose to set up herd. They do not like dense growth, but prefer terrain where they can spot predators.

About 20 years ago, The Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep wanted to build up the herd, and hunters supported this initiative. “They were trying to get them established out by Mt. Pinos,” Good says. “The herd had been present there once, and it was wiped out.” The Department of Fish and Game reasoned that since Bighorn have done well in conditions similar to Mt. Pinos, they could do well in that environment. They then herded them into a flock of 25, took blood samples to see how healthy they were and transferred them out near Mt. Pinos. The sheep were placed onto this hunting ground because the department wanted to establish a hunting herd. However, inadequate research into the herd’s new habitat allowed for problems with the relocation. “There were a good amount of mountain lions, and in two to three years the Bighorn were wiped out,” Good says. “I had questioned their motivation. Nevertheless, I wasn’t against them establishing the herd somewhere they were before, and I thought it would be OK, but it turned out to be really sad.”

2012 Bighorn Sheep survey results

Since 2001, annual Bighorn Sheep census surveys have been conducted by biologists and volunteers who hike into various observation locations in the San Gabriel Mountains. Additional biologist eyes take count from a helicopter. Observers found, during the count held March 3 and 4, that due to the winter drought experienced in Southern California, the Bighorn Sheep were perched on higher elevation levels than in previous observations. Nevertheless, much to the excitement of the 125 volunteers who participated, 38 Bighorn Sheep were recorded in locations ranging from Cow Canyon Saddle to Lytle Creek. In addition to ground observation, recordings, which netted an additional 64 sheep, were also taken from a helicopter that spotted sheep at higher elevations. “The population was under 100, and to bring a population back you need more than 100 of that species,” survey leader and fifth-year participant, Esmeralda Bracamonte says. “Now, we believe that they have increased in numbers because after fires you start seeing the fresh soot.” When soot interacts with soil, it nourishes plant growth. This is why Bracamonte believes the Bighorns had nice, fresh grub when they returned to the lower feeding grounds.

“An accurate population estimate cannot be calculated for 2012 because many animals were located outside standardized winter range survey polygons, at elevations characteristic of spring and summer range,” writes Jeff Villepique, environmental scientist of the California Department of Fish and Game, in his April 10, 2012, final report. In the report, he says, “There is no reason to suspect that the sheep population is weakening. Data suggest that the population is continuing to grow from the 418 sheep estimated in the 2011 survey. Survival of collared animals was very good over the past year, and the limited sample of Bighorn Sheep from this year’s survey indicate a lamb to ewe ratio of greater than 0.5, a number conducive to continued growth.” For biologists, this is great news. A lack of successful reproduction is a problem for this herd. “The ewes weren’t reproducing successfully as they once did; they were diminishing,” Bracamonte says.

The Bighorn’s population improvements suggest they are likely to continue slowly re-populating the Mt. Baldy area. With the Bighorn Sheep having a fair chance of recovering, residents of the San Gabriel Mountains may yet have the pleasure of walking out on their front porches to greet their majestic neighbors.

A Bighorn stands sentry for two other sheep. The small herd climbed down the mountainside April 9, 2012, near the Mt. Baldy Village to graze the little green grass available. Locally known as Nelson Big Horned Sheep, the scientifically named Ovis Canadensis Nelsoni found at Mt Baldy have no problem climbing the steep rock-strewn mountain sides. / photo by Zachary Horton

“Shear” diligence

In his gray Toyota Tundra, La Verne Magazine photographer Zachary Horton persistently traveled up Mt. Baldy Road seven different times in his efforts to capture an image of the reclusive Bighorn Sheep. He walked long distances alone and waited hours in the cold for a chance to photograph the sheep. Zachary’s determination and commitment finally brought the Bighorn into his sight. On his seventh attempt, he spotted three Bighorn rams gliding on the cliff side. “When I first saw them, I thought that my mind was just playing tricks on me,” Zachary says. “I had been to the same spot time after time with no results.” He shot the pictures of the sheep above Mt. Baldy Village directly across the road from the Mt. Baldy Trout Ponds. There was a small rest area where he parked.

Statuesque and robust, the rams posed patiently as Horton framed them in his Nikon D7000 viewfinder and captured them digitally. It was as if they knew he had been looking for them. Horton was able to shoot for a full hour before the chance encounter ended. “It was a surreal feeling, I had finally gotten the opportunity to get fantastic wildlife photos that aren’t easy to get,” he says. He used a Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 AF-S lens, with a Nikon 1.7X teleconverter. “Since my camera is a 1.5X cropped sensor, I was able to achieve a maximum focal length of 510. That is a true testament to how far away the sheep are. They were on the hillside several hundred feet away.”

To get a sense of what Zachary felt, one might visit Mt. Baldy right before sunrise or during sunset. When it is cool, Bighorns will travel down for food and water. Check in at the Mt. Baldy Visitor Center and ask where a likely sighting might take place. Be sure to stay hydrated, bring binoculars, use safe trails and, most importantly, bring a good attitude. Zachary Horton can testify that consistence and persistence wins out.

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by Justin Davis-Battle
photography by Cameron Barr

Foothill Special Enforcement Team officer Martin Weinreb gears up with his Colt M4 before movement training at Bonita High School. Carrying up to 80 pounds of equipment, FSET members train for calls that can last 12 hours. The officers did not use live ammunition or knives during the high school training. / photo by Cameron Barr

The tenacity of Samuel L. Jackson, the strength of LL Cool J and the brains of Colin Farrell. Is this the star-studded Hollywood cast of “SWAT”? No, but even though the Foothills Special Enforcement SWAT Team (FSET) might not be as famous, it is just as tough. FSET is a regional special weapons team whose members come from the La Verne, Glendora, Irwindale, San Marino and Monrovia Police Departments. They are charged with saving lives.

Sam Gonzolaz, former Marine and current FSET long rifle, has been an officer for 12 years and a member of FSET for seven. “What sets us apart from other SWAT Teams is that we are comprised of five agencies with five different personalities,” Gonzolaz says. FSET is the first and only regional SWAT Team within Los Angeles County, and the members are proud of that distinction. Currently on FSET from La Verne are four operators, plus one long rifle, crisis negotiators from the La Verne Police Department and tactical medics from the La Verne Fire Department. “With us being a regional team, it gives guys in the area a chance to become SWAT Team members,” team Lieutenant Nick Pas says. “It also costs less for the city police departments, being that we split the cost.”

For an officer to become a member of FSET, he must first pass a series of tests, including a physical examination and shooting proficiency with rifles and handguns. Prospective members then face in-person interviews with the team lieutenants. “To be a member of FSET, you have to be able to work as a team, be in great shape and have a good shot,” Pas says. “Also, it is required for them to pass the physical test every quarter.” Being in great physical shape is critical for these men. FSET officers have a 40-hour week coupled with training plus extended summer training. “The physical conditioning is the hardest part of being on FSET,” Corporal Chris Fenner says. These officers, referred to as “operators,” handle any situation while wearing more than 80 pounds of gear. Each operator has a first aid kit to treat a teammate. The gear they carry includes gas masks, body armor, helmets, an M4 machine gun, a breaching shotgun and water. “These officers are physically able to work a 12-hour patrol shift and go straight to a call and be on duty for another eight straight hours,” six-year officer Corporal Shawn Dinkle says. “They must be physically and mentally tough.”

Saving lives

The primary purpose of FSET is to save lives. This is accomplished through the deployment of carefully selected, well-trained personnel who have the appropriate tools and tactics to handle different high-risk situations. “The idea of working with a group of guys who are specialists is very exciting,” Pas says. “You get to use different equipment than normal police work, and you can venture out to more cities.” FSET members handle everything from barricaded suspects to hostage situations to serving high-risk search warrants. “I’ve had to handle a situation with a guy wanted for attempted murder as well as guy with a bomb in a bank,” Pas says.

Unlike normal officers who train every few months, FSET trains every two weeks, and each member has attended various SWAT schools offered by L.A. County Sheriff SEB, LAPD SWAT and FBI SWAT. During training, they prepare for a wide range of conflicts, including breaching techniques, reaching suspects who are barricaded, rescuing a downed officer or victim and working with a K-9 partner. They also have a day devoted solely to hand-to-hand combat training, so in the event they are unarmed, they can still take down an assailant. “I like to get knowledge from being on a tactical unit and bring it back to my patrol shift,” Dinkle says. Because of their extensive training, there is always one FSET member on patrol, and he is expected to take the lead when incidents emerge. “You need to be able to be in the state of mind and know that people are counting on you to do the right thing and be that tactical officer,” Dinkle says. “That’s the type of discipline that it takes to be on this team.”

Throughout their training and on-call duties, FSET has become a close-knit group. And many of these men are living their dreams through membership. “I’ve always wanted to be a member of a SWAT team since I was a kid, and this is a dream of mine; when we roll, we all roll together,” Fenner says. They also convey strong team camaraderie and know each other well. This bonding and knowing each other’s personal traits makes the team strong. “There’s not one guy that you wouldn’t want to hang out with on this team,” he says.

Because of their training and expertise with weapons, FSET members are authorized to use weapons that a patrol officer is not. “Our rifles are smaller and fully automatic, while others are semiautomatic and longer,” Fenner says. FSET also has three robots that aid in tactical operations such as surveillance, inspection, negotiations, equipment delivery and object retrieval/disposal. All of FSET’s massive trucks are filled with specialized equipment. “We have a camera we can throw through windows, cutting torches, distraction grenades and a million other things,” Fenner says. FSET has multiple weapons to handle any situation, and with their training, they can handle all of them like a professional. The foothill communities can take comfort in knowing that FSET is on hand, ready to put their lives on the line for the citizens they serve.

Practicing a grim possible reality in today’s world, the Foothill Special Enforcement Team performs movement training at Bonita High School April 5, 2012, as FSET officers Javier Leon and John Donchig, both of the Monrovia Police Department, peer around a corner, ready to clear the cafeteria. Since the high school was on a week-long spring break, the team gained training access throughout the high school campus. / photo by Cameron Barr

Foothill Special Enforcement Team officers John Jeferson and John Donchig, from the Monrovia Police Department, and Scott Lewis and Josh Price, from the Glendora Police Department, move throughout the multi purpose room at Bonita High School. Inside the room, each officer has a different assigned duty to make sure the room is fully covered. / photo by Cameron Barr

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by Jason D. Cox
photography by Warren Bessant

Every 10 years, following the census, district boundaries for State Assembly and Congress are reviewed. These lines, traditionally drawn by elected officials and other political leaders, usually favored political voting strength. But for the first time in the history of California, thanks to Proposition 11, these districts were radically altered, sometimes irrespective of deep-set political strongholds. This new form of redistricting was pushed forward by the people of the golden state to address long-term incumbents and to bring in new faces who might revitalize the system.

Proposition 11, also known as the Voters First Act of 2008, authorized the creation of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, a state agency designed to re-draw the boundary lines for California’s state legislative and Board of Equalization districts. This 14-member commission started with a pool of more than 30,000 applicants, from which 60 finalists were chosen. Eight commissioners were selected by lottery from the 60 finalists. The eight commissioners named an additional six. These 14 commissioners upheld the priorities laid out by Prop. 11, from the start a politically charged undertaking meant to radically change California’s political landscape. And with the unveiling of the new district maps, there was immediate judicial challenge. “A lot of people have the impression that the Commission basically decided how to do the redistricting,” Commissioner Peter Yao, of Claremont, says. “And that probably is not an accurate description, because the act itself spelled out in great detail what factors we should consider or should not consider.” A procedure included in the process was for the redistricting to be tested by opposing parties. Since the maps were drawn, four lawsuits were brought against the re-mapping of the congressional districts, and in all four cases, both the state and federal courts ruled unanimously in favor of the Commission. “The state court and the federal court looked into it, and they ruled in our favor, saying we did what we were supposed to do—no more, no less,” Yao says. An

important element to Prop. 11 is that it is designed to eliminate gerrymandering and fosters the capacity to promote healthy competition in the new districts. By helping to eliminate unbalanced voting populations, democracy is promoted rather than manipulated. In reference to the way this process was handled in the past in California, and currently in the rest of the country, Yao says, “[Politicians] are picking the voters. They have things backwards. I see the system as being totally wrong.”

Challenges faced by the Commission included discovering what the communities in these districts wanted and needed, aligning those priorities with the redistricting process and figuring out how to produce districts that met those priorities. “The act doesn’t tell us how to do it,” Yao says, “The act simply says, while doing your job, this is what you must consider.” As a first step, the Commission decided to start with a blank slate, rather than taking previous maps and trying to reshape them. In order to gain input from the state’s communities, the Commission held 34 public hearings, traveling as far north as Redding and as far south as San Diego. The public was invited to address the Commission regarding their communities’ shared interests. Yao cites the example of Napa Valley and Sonoma where producing wine is of great interest. “They want to be able to select someone who can protect the water and the land and make the industry a big success,” says Yao. After hearing from them, the Commission was made aware that Citrus Valley has problems with water shortages. “They don’t want somebody to cut off their water supply when they see the large unemployment resultant of the water problem,” says Yao. He emphasizes that a great deal of time was devoted to hearing about this and many other scenarios. While active, the Commission received more than 30,000 emails. It reviewed populations of multiple cities and found the communities within those populations that shared common priorities. The Commission was then able to start drafting some broad areas on their blank map. “It’s a real push-pull,” says Commissioner Jeanne Raya. “Once you have the district laid out, you’re deliberating on the testimony you’ve received. It’s not [a puzzle] because you don’t have pieces cut out. You’re cutting out the pieces as you put it together.”

Other important considerations included keeping communities together that desired to be together, as well as not undercutting the current standing of minority groups in different areas. “When we drew the map for those counties, the major criteria are that you cannot regress from the current status, in terms of excluding minorities or doing anything that could jeopardize the voting power of minorities in those counties,” says Yao. “We had to see that the minority voting percentage was not less than it is today. In the end, our task was not to draw it the way that we chose to draw it, but rather it is to try to meet as many of the criteria that have already been spelled out on the proposition that the voters passed.”

The entire redistricting process is a matter of public record and was open to the public, another aspect of Prop. 11. Previously, the state legislature and the courts, not the public, handled this process. All meetings were videotaped, with meeting archives available on the California Citizens Redistricting Commission website. This obligatory transparency lends itself to the credibility of Prop. 11 and the new redistricting procedures. “We look upon this as a noble experiment because it’s never been done before,” Yao says. Putting such influence in the hands of citizens is a significant step for democracy. Numerous publications, national and international, covered the Commission’s activities, the British magazine “The Economist” being one that paid special attention. “We’re looking forward to the other 49 states seeing what we’ve done,” Yao says. “And I would probably say that a majority of these states, within a few years, will try to do something similar.”

Being a part of such an important process unique in the U.S. political landscape left a heavy impact on those involved, and they are proud of the work they were able to do for the state as well as the country as a whole. “When we get news articles about someone who’s thrown their hat in the ring, I take a post-it note and put it on my map,” Raya says. “The maps we drew are providing new leadership opportunities. I believe in that growth. There should be opportunity for people to think they have a chance in these districts.”

    La Verne’s new Congressional District 32 separates it from previously linked cities in the old District 26. A sample of areas newly disconnected from La Verne include (clockwise from top) Lytle Creek, the intersection of 21st Street and North Palm Avenue in Upland, and Montclair Plaza. At left: 2358 Second St. represents the city of La Verne, which is part of the new District 32. Lytle Creek is now in the new District 8, Upland is in the new District 31, and Montclair is drawn into the new District 35. / photos by Warren Bessant

“I don’t know of any other state that has gone this far in handing a decision to the people,” says Richard Gelm, professor of political science at the University of La Verne. Gelm is the author of “Politics and Religious Authority: American Catholics Since the Second Vatican Council” and “How American Politics Works.” / photo by Warren Bessant

A congressman retreats

After more than 30 years of service, Republican David Dreier, who represents La Verne in the old District 26, announced in March 2012 that he would retire from his post at year’s end. His announcement came after the Commission redrew Dreier’s district, and the final lawsuit against the redistricting had been settled in favor of the Commission. “The whole political landscape has been drastically changed,” Richard Gelm, University of La Verne professor of political science says. The 26th congressional district was Dreier’s base since 1981. Before redistricting, the district stretched from as far west as La Crescenta and as far east as Rancho Cucamonga, clinging closely to the relatively affluent, conservative foothill communities. While speculation resides that Congressman Dreier was drawn out of his district by the Commission, others say it seems unlikely since he has openly admitted that he has been planning his retirement for years. Also, as professor Gelm notes, congressmen are not required to live in the district wherein they run for office. He says that Dreier, one of the most senior congressmen in the country, probably would have a good chance being elected in another district if he chooses to run. Those in the political know say that Dreier has a move yet to be made, but it may be in a slightly different game. Congressman Dreier, through his San Dimas and Washington congressional office spokespeople, declined to comment to La Verne Magazine regarding the redistricting or his political future.

The new Commission tried to draw congressional districts that fit the population rather than the political needs of elected officials, but its success remains to be seen. “As in any situation, you need balance between experience and new blood,” Claremont City Councilman Corey Calaycay says. The councilman lives in a city of Claremont house in Congressional District 27. His house borders La Verne’s District 32, and from his yard, he literally can put a foot in each district. Claremont and La Verne, once in the same congressional district headed by Dreier, are now separate. Calaycay says it remains to be seen whether pending federal issues shared by La Verne and Claremont can still be smoothly adjudicated with the two new separate representatives.

The new District 32, which captures La Verne, is projected to yield an increased Latino voting population and is likely to diversify the district, giving a more accurate depiction of the area. And, while the aim was for balance, it would appear that the new 32nd District may have overcompensated the numbers between democrats and republicans. Only time will tell if this “noble experiment” was a success or not, but if nothing else, the people of California should be pleased to see that their voices have been unwaveringly been heard by Congress.

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by Jason D. Cox
photography by Brittney Slater-Shew

Ken McKinley

Standing four stories tall (more than 50 feet), Vista La Verne is being called the tallest building in the city of La Verne. Come fall 2012, it will be the place 378 University of La Verne students will call home. Units will house up to six students and will be a leap forward in comfort and entertainment technology. The first floor will house 59 students, the second, third and fourth floors will respectively each hold 106 students. On every floor of Vista La Verne, students will enjoy access to study rooms and computer labs, each filled with cutting edge equipment.

With the word out about the amenities and thoughtful attention given to convenience and comfort for student residents, Vista La Verne filled up quickly for fall. But filling the residence hall was the easy part. More difficult will be filling the free time of college students when they are not preoccupied with academic responsibilities.

Judy Moore

With hundreds of new student residents coming in September, merchants in Old Town La Verne are giving serious thought to this challenge. Some are optimistic; others are anxious, but they all realize that the dynamic of Old Town will be severely rocked, whether it is ready or not.

Ken McKinley (above), a manager at T. Phillips Alehouse and Grill, is concerned about the impact a wave of new students might have on the parking situation of Old Town but can see the brighter side. The demographic of the area is changing, but Ken says, in the end, “it’ll help the city of La Verne and will positively affect the restaurant.”

Judy Moore, co-owner of Café Cabo, has a sunny outlook on the promise of more students in Old Town. “I think we’re all excited,” Judy says. “The life they’re going to bring is going to be fabulous, and I think we need that. The students will be great for business.”

Brian McNerney

Brian McNerney, president and CEO of La Verne’s Chamber of Commerce, says, “One advantage is that students can walk to wherever they need to go. The problem is that whenever you bring that many humans together into one area, they bring their cars.”

While there may be some challenges ahead for residents and merchants in Old Town, the overall effect looks likely to be positive. “Any time there is growth in the population, it helps the economy,” Brian says.

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Golf pro Kenny Murray helps 8-year-old Matthew Ibarra with his backswing at the Marshall Canyon Golf Course range. Kenny has coached both Matthew and his older brother Julio Ibarra for about a year. / photo by Cassandra Egan

by Erica Lynn Lares
photography by Cassandra Egan

Kenny Murray steps on the greens of Marshall Canyon and takes a swing at the ball. The sharp contact “clink” when club meets ball momentarily silences the chirping of the birds. Kenny swings a perfect shot and yells “fore,” but his yelled warning does not clear the course. His ball is headed not toward other golfers but toward a family of deer.

Where the foothills meet the San Gabriel Mountains above La Verne resides the 18-hole Marshall Canyon Golf Course. This Los Angeles County owned course is unlike others; one of the great advantages is its remote location. Marshall Canyon is one of the few courses where there are few distractions. There are no busy streets, no heavy traffic flow. A huge sloped parking lot greets golfers. It is golf at its basic elements: just the course and the golfer. However, there are actually other guests on the course besides the golfer, but these guests are what make Marshall Canyon so unique. On any given day, a golfer may come across a family of deer, but these quiet creatures, which do not spook easily, are a great representation of the course’s peacefulness and beauty.

The beauty of the course is not the only thing offered. Marshall Canyon is managed by friendly and attentive people. Among them is Marshall Canyon’s golf professional Kenny Murray. A La Verne native, Kenny, since age 5, gained most of his golf skills and discipline at this course, learning the game from his father. He continued to play in many amateur events and won more than 130, with his best win coming in 2005 at the Inland Valley Amateur, where he fired a 66 (-8) at Los Serranos South. “I am still more of a hustler golfer than a tournament player, just like my dad. The strength of my game is by far putting; I just have a gift for putting.”

Kenny played golf at Citrus College; there, he decided to turn professional and played in many Golden State events. Nevertheless, he found that golf was a tough way to make a living. Kenny figuratively shelved his clubs professionally and became a personnel trainer, but he never stopped his love for golf. Always an athlete at heart, Kenny became a personnel trainer for Bally Total Fitness. After his gym training sessions, he would find himself at the course hitting balls on a weekly basis. In 2007, after seeing his passion, knowledge and talent for the game, the course manager told him of the just-opened professional position. Kenny interviewed and within 10 minutes was named the course’s golf pro. “I instruct all ages and levels of golf, but I would have to say that the majority of lessons I instruct are to golfers 18 years and under. But it is never too late to get started. The beauty of golf is that it is a sport that can be played at any age of a person’s life. The age of a golfer is not the challenging part to instruct; it’s the bad habits a golfer has and trying to break those habits,” he says.

Golf as a life lesson

For the beginner, the game can be challenging, with all its rules and terms. In fact, it can be overwhelming. The most important concept to grasp is the etiquette of the game. One must remember to have respect for the sport’s traditions. “There are so many rules; no one really knows every rule out of the rule book, but the etiquette is what I stress to young golfers during the lessons,” Kenny says. “Learning the etiquette is not only something a young golfer can use on the course but also in life. Golf and life can go hand-in-hand. It can teach discipline and respect. It is a very challenging sport, but it can be very rewarding, and it can be applied to everything in life.”

Indeed, Marshall Canyon has golfers of all ages with a variety of skill levels. Beginners abound, like John Carro, of La Verne, a first timer to golf who decided to take up the sport after seeing his friend play for 10 years. The great thing about Marshall Canyon is while it is kind to beginners, it is also known as a very challenging course, especially because of its 13th hole, also known as “lucky.” Golfers in the know say “lucky” is the most difficult in the region. It is a 420-yard par 4 that has a blind tee shot. If a golfer hits left, she is in the horse stables. There is a mound out on the fairway that blocks the view. The green is challenging if the ball lands on the right because it will roll all the way to the left of the green. Despite the challenge, the course culture puts no pressure on beginners. They can come and learn and not have to worry about being run off because most golfers are friendly and openly welcome newcomers.

Golfers like Patt Masson, of Claremont, and Erhard Fertala, of La Verne, are old golf hands, having golfed Marshall Canyon for decades. These individuals are a walking mirror image of the course, seasoned but full of life. Pat has been golfing since he was a 9-year-old caddie in Ireland, getting paid 18 cents for 18 holes. Now in his 80s, he chooses Marshall Canyon for its wildlife and friendly staff. Erhard, 87, also has been golfing on this course since it opened in 1966 and has not stopped since. Erhard and his golfing buddy Pat can be found at Marshall Canyon two times a week, a tradition that has brought their friendship closer. Proving age is not as serious a number as a golf score, these two are just as fun and free spirited as the young golfers. They joke about their skills and time spent on the course. Both started golfing before Marshall Canyon had a pro shop, coffee shop or banquet hall. Then, it truly was just the golfers and the wild course. Now, the coffee shop sells snacks. The banquet hall, used for tournaments and award ceremonies, is also available for rental.

Those who choose Marshall Canyon must love wildlife. Seasonally, birds, snakes, bears, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions and deer—especially deer—mingle with golfers on the remote canyon greens. Being comfortable with wildlife is something to which golfers become accustomed. A golfer can walk right up to the deer and practically pet these beautiful creatures without them moving an inch. The deer, while wild, are calm here and cause no harm to golfers. Two years ago, a large brown bear walked across the No. 7 green and scarcely received a second glance from the foursome who did not break from their putting. Play at Marshall Canyon, and you will leave with more than a golf story.

Golf offers many life rewards. It can improve friendships and teach life lessons. Marshall Canyon is a great teacher for those who are open to the gifts and rewards that this unique course has to offer.

For Marshall Canyon tee times, call ahead 909-593-8211 or just show up and try your luck. The course is located at 6100 N. Stephens Ranch Road, La Verne. Green fees are $37 on weekdays and $46.50 on weekends, including the rental fee of a brand new golf cart. Golf pro Kenny Murray commands a $40 an hour fee, money well spent if you want golf to be a continuing passion.

Patt Masson of Claremont attempts to hit the ball from the bunker and onto the green. Masson, who learned to play golf in Ireland, has been playing Marshall Canyon’s course since it opened in 1966. / photo by Cassandra Egan

Another La Verne SCIAC championship

The University of La Verne’s golf team has done it again, winning with a flourish its sixth consecutive SCIAC championship, eighth overall. La Verne had the youngest team out of the seven contenders in the SCIAC conference; the team holds fourth place in Division III national ranking for freshman class impact.

Seven of the nine golfers on the roster were new to the team, one of them being junior Derek Zachman. Zachman, named SCIAC golf player of the year, led the team from the start of the season with the help of senior Nick Ericson, the only returning starter from last year’s championship lineup.

La Verne’s golf team did not stop at just winning the SCIAC championship. They went on to compete for an NCAA national title, finishing 14th out of the 40 teams invited to the NCAA Championship, held May 15-18 at the Mission Inn Resort & Club at Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. La Verne ended with a total 1212 for the tournament.

Zachman concluded the tournament by tying for seventh among individuals with a 294 total [76-69-71-78], while Leopard freshman Trent Twamley ended the tournament with a total of 299 [75-71-75-78] to finish in a tie for 22nd.

“Overall, it was a great season, capped off by an average final result at the Championship,” Eric Riehle, La Verne’s head golf coach, says. “This team is very young, and some of our inexperience showed at times during the tournament; however, the knowledge that we gained moving forward is invaluable. The team and I are very excited for the years to come.”

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A Western Fence lizard behaves like a pet in the hands of Jeff Burkhart, professor and Fletcher Jones chair of biology at the University of La Verne. The lizard is female due to its lack of two large scales on its underside and the blue markings on both its underside and backside. / photo by Katherine Careaga

by Sarah Sleeger
photography by Katherine Careaga­

Three distinct snakes reside in terrariums on the third floor of the University of La Verne Mainiero Building: an albino Burmese Python, a Boa Constrictor and a California King. Students crowd around the professor holding the eight foot long, bright yellow python, reaching out for a quick touch. They are clearly fascinated with the slithery creature. But the professor holding the animal seems to transcend fascination. There is a bond between him and the snake. “If you’ve worked with them, you develop kind of a sixth sense in what you can do,” says Jeff Burkhart, Fletcher Jones Professor of Biology at the University of La Verne.

By age 8, Jeff Burkhart already knew he had a passion for biology, nature and, more specifically, reptiles. Defining moments of his life are on display in a picture cube on his faculty office desk. First, a dated black and white photograph shows him with a snake in both hands. “I fell in love with reptiles and amphibians very early,” he says. Following his parents’ divorce, 4-year-old Jeff and his sister moved in with their grandparents. His grandfather, says Jeff, was a gruff German man who considered hard work to be important, but was a great naturalist. His grandfather’s picture is in the cube, too, his wrinkled face peering out into the present. It is clear he had an impact on Jeff’s life. “He gave me jobs; my jobs were to make sure the fruit eating birds didn’t eat the fruit.” Jeff tells how his grandfather would use a gun to chase the birds away. “I had to know what every bird ate,” Jeff says. His grandfather’s overreaction bothered him, yet he marks this as one of the defining moments that began his life as a biologist. “I spent my youth hiking in rural Chatsworth, so I would come home from school and climb up into the foothills.” This is when he truly discovered his love for reptiles and amphibians. “I was kind of a nerdy kid,” Jeff now laughs. As a young boy, he was very active in boy scouts, hunting and fishing. His original goal was to become a fish and game ranger.

Jeff Burkhart caught this Western Fence lizard on the south side of the University Sports Science Athletic Pavilion in the middle of an early spring day. Lizards are cold-blooded and emerge when the weather warms up. They will not appear in cold weather or extremely hot weather. / photo by Katherine Careaga

For Jeff, nature is what makes the world go round. He received his undergraduate degree in insect and marine biology at Humboldt State University. There, a mentor encouraged him to go to graduate school to continue his study of biology. “He said you need to go to graduate school; you can do more,” Jeff recalls. After two months of traveling with his mentor researching insects, he received a National Science Foundation fellowship and earned a Ph.D. in insect ecology from Arizona State University. Nevertheless, he says, “I always retained that love for reptiles and amphibians; it was always in my mind.” He launched into teaching at St. Mary of the Plains College in Kansas. For 10 years, he taught a multitude of biology courses, plus, he began leading field courses in tropical biology where his students accompanied him on trips to tropical regions. Things were good for Jeff, but not for St. Mary of the Plains. Just a year shy of the school’s unfortunate closing due to financial struggles, he jumped to Phillips University in Oklahoma, where he taught biological sciences for 12 years, until shortly before that school closed as well. While the institutions that gave him these awards may not have lasted, the honors he garnered endure: “University Science Teacher of the Year” in 1992, from Oklahoma, which he believes may have helped land him the job at the University of La Verne in 1999 as an endowed professor. “This is the best school and the best colleagues,” Jeff says about La Verne. From 2004 to 2010, he held the Biology Department chair position. He continues to hold faculty rank as Fletcher Jones professor of biology, a title given to only two professors at the University of La Verne from the Fletcher Jones Foundation. While his La Verne focus is tropical biology, he also fuels his passion for herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians. Jeff leads courses at Joshua Tree National Park through the National Park’s educational program. He also plans to start a complete biological survey of the San Gabriel Mountains since one has not been undertaken for the past 40 years.

Lizards as friends and foes

Jeff’s biological research sometimes becomes personal. About 15 years ago, he was hospitalized with salmonella poisoning from a student research project on lizards. To catch the small reptiles, Jeff uses a technique taught to him at age 8 by his grandfather. Using a wild oats sheath, he ties a slipknot noose at the end and slides it over the lizard’s head. He says this in no way hurts the reptile, but enables it to be easily caught. What landed him in the hospital is what he did next. Since it takes two hands to hold open the cloth bag after catching a lizard and another hand to hold the lizard, he began putting the lizards in his mouth to hold them for the bag transfer. It takes someone with devotion and courage toward reptiles to be able to accomplish this task without having a minor freak out. “When I was in the hospital—I was in the hospital for two days—the doctor came in and said, ‘You have a weird kind of salmonella that’s only found in reptiles. Do you have any idea how you could have gotten it?’” Jeff knew the answer to that question. This led to his next research project: finding out which species of lizards in the San Gabriel Mountains carry salmonella. “We discovered some species don’t carry salmonella at all—at least it couldn’t be detected—and others carry salmonella,” Jeff says. His student research group studied four species of lizards: the Western Fence, the Side-Blotched, the Southern Sagebrush and the Granite Spiny. It was discovered that two native lizards tested positive for salmonella: the Western Fence and the Granite Spiny. The Side-Blotched and the Southern Sagebrush tested negative.

Two summers ago, the biologist began working on research related to lizards and Lyme disease. At first, Jeff and his student team wanted to discover whether the blacklegged ticks that carry the Lyme bacteria were prominent on the Western Fence lizard. “We wanted to look at the distribution of ticks on this one kind of lizard,” Jeff says. This research led to the linkage between the lizard and Lyme disease. People live in fear of Lyme disease in parts of the United States, and carrier ticks need to be considered when doing outdoor activities. It is believed that at least half of the ticks on the East Coast host the disease, caused by the bacteria “Borella Burgdorferi,” which is carried by the blacklegged tick, also found in California. Yet, on the West Coast, Lyme disease is rarely a topic of conversation, which Jeff found, is thanks in large part to the Western Fence lizard. This lizard friend is the subject of his current research. The biologist and his students captured 75 lizards throughout the San Gabriel Mountains and removed the mites and ticks from their mite pockets, located behind the lizards’ ears. It was discovered that more of these tiny creatures were latched to male lizards than the females. This pocket is where the tiny creatures set up camp, possibly for months at a time. Jeff’s research suggests that the Western Fence lizard has a specific protein in its blood that sterilizes the Lyme disease bacteria in the tick. This protein essentially saves the West Coast from a disease that can cause lifelong health issues. His research continues in this area that may promote new scientific ways to curb Lyme disease.

Blacklegged ticks that carry Lyme disease are placed in a petri dish with a dime beneath them to give their size a sense of scale. These ticks measure less than one millimeter long, but the bacteria they carry have the capacity to cause serious health problems. / photo by Katherine Careaga

Slithering snakes

Jeff’s favorite reptile is the snake, and he has been handling them since he was young. “I caught my first rattlesnake when I was 12 years old,” he says. Following his stint at Oklahoma, he took on a teaching job at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Ariz. There, he became part of a team that retrieved rattlesnakes from people’s yards. He collected dozens and dozens of these snakes. Although he is comfortable with them, he doesn’t capture venomous snakes more than he has to. He remembers a phone call he received last year from George Keeler, professor of journalism. George had found a rattlesnake in his yard. “I said, ‘Well, I will come by and get it for you and move it somewhere else.’ The whole family was standing out there watching me do it.” He uses a snake hook to catch them and then securely places them into a cloth bag. “I’ve handled hundreds of rattlesnakes and came close to being bitten one time.”

Jeff found himself in a bit of struggle in the past with, luckily, a nonvenomous snake. In Kansas, the school had a nine-foot reticulated python housed inside an old glass phone booth that was kind of a pet. To keep the snake happy and fed well, it was fed chickens. “I would have to take a long pair of forceps and hold the chicken in the cage, and he would strike it. I would always do it so he could not see my hand behind the tree limb [in the cage]. One time he knocked the chicken off the forceps, and I reached down to grab it. The snake then saw my hand and grabbed me. I got him out of the cage onto the floor, trying to pry his head off [my hand], and he got a coil around me—he wrapped around me. He had me pinned where I couldn’t move my arms.” Fortunately, just then two students walked into the lab and saw the desperate struggle on the floor. They were able to grab a metal bar and pry the snake off. Jeff says this scary incident did not deter his dedication to working with snakes. Case in point: He is the only one who regularly handles the three snakes that live in the La Verne Mainiero Building.

Teaching philosophy

Jeff is known as a student-centered teacher. Students pass him in the hallways, calling out “Hey Dr. B!” He says this is a nickname nearly every student calls him. “What I really try and do is get students excited about the subject, and I have great concerns about the fact that most of the world’s ecosystems are in a state of decline. My biggest concern is that this doesn’t seem to matter to a lot of people. It’s hard to value something if you’ve never been exposed to it.” To correct this, he frequently leads January Interterm trips to the tropics. Locations visited include Belize, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Kenya and Costa Rica. There, he introduces students to the beauty and diversity of life and starts an educational ripple effect. Their new found passion is shared with others to enhance understanding toward the threats facing these ecosystems. “We won’t protect anything unless people feel there is a reason to protect it,” Jeff says. “We are the only animal that has the ability to protect it or to destroy it.”

Jeff Burkhart displays the Western Fence lizard’s mite pockets, located behind its ears. In the mite pockets, blacklegged ticks catch a free ride and feed on the lizard’s blood. Burkhart’s continuing research suggests that the blood of these lizards sterilizes the Lyme disease causing bacteria carried by these ticks. / photo by Katherine Careaga

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Extensive fencing encloses the Little Dalton Spreading Grounds, providing security for drinking water. At the end of the grounds is a large pipe that exports water just below the water flow monitor to the grounds. After processing, the water is then distributed to surrounding homes in San Dimas, Calif. / photo by Candice Salazar

by Brittnie Van De Car
photography by Candice Salazar

Residents of La Verne rarely give it a second thought. Water is as basic and necessary to life as air. And thanks to an in-city streamlined, yet complicated ongoing purification process, the people of La Verne receive water at a reduced price rate as compared to neighboring cities. Indeed, La Verne is the model for the city of Claremont as it sorts through the pros and cons of taking over its current water provider: the for-profit Golden State Water Company. In contrast, La Verne is primarily in charge of water distribution to its residents and purchases 70 percent of its water via the Three Valleys Water Municipal District (Northern California water held in the Silverlake Reservoir); the remaining 30 percent of residents’ water is ground water, found in underground basins.

And while La Verne hosts two landscape dominating Metropolitan Water District facilities, neither provides water for La Verne city residents. The mission revival style F.E. Weymouth Treatment Plant (700 Moreno Ave.) is one of the largest purification centers in the United States. The plant cleans enough water to fill the Rose Bowl every four hours. Colorado River water is fed to Weymouth from the 77 acre Live Oak Reservoir, located in the city’s northern hills. The processed water goes to Southern California cities to the west. “La Verne doesn’t receive Colorado River water from either Weymouth or Live Oak,” says J.R. Rannells, senior management analyst for the city of La Verne. “However, the city does have a connection for emergency purposes just in case something happens with our current system,” he adds.

Instead, the city relies on 13 reservoirs, some above ground, some below, which hold from between 500,000 gallons to five million gallons each. In addition, La Verne has acquired some 30 wells over the past century from small mutual companies and agricultural interests. Seven of these wells are active in the city today.

Water is cleaned and purified at two treatment facilities, the first being the Amherst groundwater treatment facility, located at Amherst Street and Williams Avenue, removes first the perchlorates and then the nitrates before pumping the cleansed water into an on-site reservoir. A large flat-screen display panel inside a control room graphically shows what’s occurring. Workers are on location seven days a week monitoring the high-tech system’s various gauges, valves and pressure points. The facility also has a 550 foot deep well, which produces a modest 500 gallons a minute.

The Lincoln well, the city’s biggest-producer at about 1,000 gallons a minute, is located at Sixth Street and White Avenue. It was built in 1932 in what was then the city yard. This Lincoln facility serves as the hub for the city’s entire water operations. Besides monitoring and tracking the city’s complete water system, it treats water from two wells, the Lincoln and Mills Track wells. La Verne has exclusive rights to three water basins; however, the basin water is extremely high in nitrates, which is why La Verne must dilute its native water with an imported source.

La Verne’s past citrus industry has issued a lasting legacy to the city’s ample ground water supply. Nitrate fertilizers, used by citrus ranchers for 100 years, now have fully leached into the ground water. The contamination is serious, but not unsurmountable with water dilution. Another local contaminant is perchlorate, most often associated with the production of rocket fuels, fireworks and, yes, fertilizers. But the biggest offender is trichloroethylene, a cleaning solvent. At the 6th and White street facility, the treatment process attempts to strip out the nitrates and volatile organic compounds from the wells. They all are not removed; hence, the need to blend 30 percent of the cleansed local water with 70 percent imported water that traveled down the California Aqueduct from the San Joaquin/Sacramento Delta. After the chlorination process, La Verne’s water goes to the reservoirs to be stored before heading to the labyrinth of pipes that serve homes and businesses. Huge electric pumps move the water from station to station.

The cost of water in La Verne is in the middle of the pricing scale compared to water districts in surrounding cities. Water price is measured in units. One unit is equal to 1,000 gallons. La Verne pays $2.69 for one unit of water. For comparison purposes, La Verne pays $72 a month for 20,000 gallons of water. Golden State Water Company that serves Claremont, charges an average of $120 a month for the same amount. La Verne’s water delivery, like all of Southern California, is controlled and delivered in a precise manner through a complex system. “Water anywhere is the most important resource to life and economic vitality. In Southern California, its limited availability and complex journey, make it even more so,” Rannells says.

At 3,000 feet long, 105 feet high and with a surface area of 77 acres, the Live Oak Reservoir dominates northern La Verne. Despite its La Verne location, city residents do not use its Colorado River water. The Metropolitan Water District owned reservoir, linked to the F.E. Weymouth Treatment Plant, also located in La Verne, provides water for other Southern California cities. / photo by Candice Salazar

Southern California’s water wars

The water you drink has come at a price. California water wars have been occurring for the last century and a half, resulting in a series of battles, compromises and treaties between the city of Los Angeles and those who lived and worked in the Owens Valley, which is located between the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains. The losers in the water wars were the farmers, ranchers and even environmentalists of the Owens Valley. The winner: Southern California, which gained the water needed to support huge population growth.

Alfred Clark, University of La Verne associate vice president for Academic Affairs, is an authority on the San Gabriel watershed and is authoring a book that covers a 500-year segment of watershed history, 1542-2042. “The conflicts started roughly around 1889 when cities around La Verne were founded,” Clark says. He notes how in the 1880s, ruffians armed with guns would disrupt the flow of surface water, underground water and the imported water. In 1889, the service flow of the San Gabriel River was divided among nine different parties; parties that still own the water today. The combination of political conflicts and peaceful collaboration between the ranchers in the Owens Valley and those who sought the water for thirsty Los Angeles are what eventually brought water rights to this region.

By the 1920s, millions of cubic feet of water were diverted from the Owens Valley, causing great difficulty for its agriculture and farming. These difficulties led the upset farmers to try to destroy the Los Angeles aqueduct, just completed in 1913. “Another water conflict at the San Gabriel Watershed was in the 1960s, between water agency users, which were downriver, and the up river narrows users, who had rights to the water,” Clark says. “The lands weren’t fully developed at this time until a fight led to the water division.” People at that time had to import water via the State Water Project (SWP), which arose from a bill passed in the 1960s. The SWP brought water from Northern California, and it had an appointed “water master” who made sure that water was distributed equitably among residents.

Today, the SWP is a water storage and delivery system of treatment plants, reservoirs, aqueducts and power plants. It is the nation’s largest state-built water development transportation system. The SWP is designed, constructed and operated by the California Department of Water Resources, and this provides water for 25 million California residents and 750,000 acres of farmland. The purpose of the SWP is to distribute water to residents of California and to improve water quality.

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Casting a line of hope, a fisherman keeps his name anonymous as his wish that his secret location in the Narrows will not be found out.

by Michael Shather
photography by Zachary Horton

This is a glorious place, especially when the sun fades behind the mountain, spawning shadows and throwing rays of light through the old Sycamores and White Alder trees. There is an abundant creek here, always restless as it splashes over the granite, creating holes and eddies. Step into this living mountain water, and it playfully splashes your boots. There is movement all around, except for the person perched on the rocks. He is like a monument in this setting, pole in hand. Suddenly, a flash of lightning strikes his line. It comes alive, pulling in a rhythmic secession of sturdy jerks and shakes. A fish has taken the bait. But this is not any fish. It is a Mount Baldy, California Rainbow Trout, and it is not one of those held in captivity at the trout ponds. It is a natural descendent of trout introduced more than 100 years ago, living and thriving in its environment, this secret world of fishing so close to home.

Known as Mount Baldy to locals, Mount San Antonio harbors great habitat for the California Rainbow Trout. Although rainbow trout are not originally considered to be native inhabitants, they have taken up a stronghold in the nooks and crannies of almost every creek pool. Mount San Antonio is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains located in Angeles National Forest. This offers a unique style of fishing that blends the traditional concept of fishing with line and reel with the adventure of hiking and exploration.

“I have been fishing since I was a little kid,” Joseph Fallavolita, 25, of Claremont says. “I like fishing up there because it reminds me of the Sierras where my dad and I fish in the summer. Creek fishing is great because it is more adventurous, almost like hunting, seeking out places fish would be.” Because trout can be found from the San Antonio Dam, up to, and even past the Mount Baldy Village, Mount San Antonio provides plenty of space to feel at one with nature. One seldom runs into another fisherman on this winding stretch of water. The trout range in size from six inches to 12 inches long; however, Rainbows have been pulled out of secret locations weighing up to two or three pounds. The farther one treks off the beaten path, the more likely he is to find these monsters that can stretch to two feet in length. One would not need to be a pro angler to net a trout here. Anglers use fly rods, spin rods and, in some cases, line wrapped around their hands with a small hook and weight tied on, which works as well.

Removing these fish from the creek can have a negative effect on the creek ecology, slowing the trout reproduction cycle and causing a great decrease in their number. California Fish and Game regulations are enforced, which helps the sustainability of the creek, but it falls on individuals to be mindful of their impact. And, because of the overwhelming majority are of a small size, these trout would not make a good meal, so the best bet would be to catch and release. By doing this, one can ensure that there will be trout for future generations to enjoy.

Introduced for recreational fishing more than 100 years ago, these California trout have greatly affected their environment. As top predators of these waters, trout eat the eggs of native salamanders and even out-compete native fish species for food. This has biologists giving mixed opinions. “There are 30 introduced species in the drainages of Southern California compared to only seven native species,” Jeffery Burkhart, professor of biology at the University of La Verne, says. “Those introduced species have profoundly altered the regional community composition and structure, generating a great deal of concern about protecting some of the native fish like the Santa Ana Sucker Fish that are endangered.” Besides the Santa Ana Sucker Fish, very few native species can be found. Most have been replaced by Rainbow Trout and German Brown Trout, which were also introduced for recreational fishing.

Trout are voracious eaters and will eat anything they can fit in their mouths, from bugs, eggs, and even other fish. The best bait to use for these trout would be anything that mimics their natural food. Flies and artificial eggs are commonly used by fishermen with great success. “I’ve just started to use a fly rod,” Fallavolita says. “The flies seem to work better here because it looks like natural bait.” Crickets and live bugs work even better, provided one can procure them.

The creek rules the landscape

Trout need a constant flow of cold water to survive. The San Antonio Creek is fed by a melting snow pack that accumulates during the winter and melts in the spring. Its temperature ranges from the mid 30 F degree range in the winter to a chilly low 60 F degrees in the summer. During the hot summer months, trout will seek out deep cold pools as refuge. If the water gets too hot, they will die. However, the moving creek stays relatively cool even in the summer months. Large numbers of trout will find cover in the creek where shade is abundant. The shade keeps the pools cold and provides shelter from flying predators.

In the mid 19th century, gold mining gave way to mountain resort camps, which led to a mountain community. All have been subject to the mountain snow pack, which plays a pinnacle role in the lives of residents. Devastating floods several times have ravaged the canyon topography. During early 1938, a pair of oceanic storms swept inland across the Los Angeles Basin. The resulting 1938 Los Angeles Flood was one of most catastrophic disasters in area history. It caused the destruction of roads and bridges and wiped away scores of cabins. During fall 1966, a snow pack was so large that when the melt came, it caused the creek to flood. The rush of water was so powerful that it moved boulders the size of houses and washed the road out in many places. This prompted the building of the new Mount Baldy Road, currently in use.

The Great Flood of 1969 shaped the creek into its present day look, destroying many village houses and wiping the old road off the mountain. “Many people lost their homes,” Harvey Good, professor of biology emeritus at the University of La Verne and long-time resident of Mount Baldy Village, says. The former Mount Baldy fire chief adds, “Even now, the creek will swell during the rainy months creating hazardous conditions.” Only a few remnants of the old lower road that parallels the creek still exist and can be seen in several places along the canyon.

A wilderness after dark

People traveling to San Antonio Creek should be aware of the dangers of the mountain. Big predators, like black bears and mountain lions live here, but they seldom run into fishermen and hikers. They are uncommon, but the possibility for an encounter is still there. “There was one time my friends and I were up there fishing,” Brandon Scott, 25, of Claremont says about a fishing trip one year ago. “We had stayed in the canyon after the sun had gone down to catch the afternoon bite. When we were walking back up to the road, we heard some rocks fall in front of us and looked up to see a mountain lion perched on the ridge, looking down on us—it was terrifying.” It is advisable to get out of the canyon by dark because this is the prime hunting time for mountain lions. Also, one should be wary of wild blackberry patches, as they are a favorite snack for black bears. If one encounters one of these predators, it is extremely important to stand your ground and appear as big as possible. If you run, it will trigger the animal’s natural hunting instinct to chase and to catch.

Another potential danger is running into ornery graffiti gangs. These gangs are usually armed and do not like to be observed. One popular hangout for these gangs is known as, “The Cut,” or “The Narrows.” This area is located around Hog’s Back in Barrett-Stoddard Canyon, where the creek passes through a narrow canyon, buttressed by steep cliff walls on one side, and the road on the other. Despite the road proximity, The Cut has its rugged beauty that is marred by graffiti. The river has steep drops with big pools and mature Sycamores, pines and Alders.

Good tells the story of a volunteer fireman who found out just how dangerous the gangs can be. One night, as he was locking up a fire road gate, he observed a large group of taggers spray-painting the rocks around The Narrows. “When they saw him watching them, they gave chase,” Good says. He ran to his truck, and, armed only with a radio, the fireman dispatched for backup, which promptly arrived with axes and other fire fighting equipment to “extinguish” the dangerous situation. The gangs typically operate at night, so it is important to stick to the rule of leaving before dark to avoid these dangers, says Good. Mount Baldy has its own volunteer fire department but relies on county sheriff departments that are stationed in the valley. Cell phone reception is non-existent. Sometimes, though, a text message will squeak out.

Fishing is a powerfully simple reminder of our relationship with nature. It strengthens the bond between nature and our technology-captured lives. These Mount Baldy fishing areas are just 10 miles from La Verne. “It is a gem,” says Burkhart. “Baldy is a beautiful recreation area.” When you find your fishing spot, it will become a part of you.

A cousin of the Rainbow Trout, this 10 inch German Brown Trout shares the Mount Baldy Creek waters and is identified by the bright orange spots that cascade along its side.

Casting his luck, Joe Fallavolita, of Claremont, 25, fishes for brown trout at his secret Mount Baldy fishing hole.

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“Inclusive, caring and peace-minded” for anyone who passes through the door are words that Pastor Susan Boyer and her La Verne Church of the Brethren congregation follow. Yet the effort to keep the Church as an open, inclusive community is at odds with a summer 2011 denominational Annual Conference directive.

by Kristen Campbell
photography by Cameron Barr

Pastor Susan Boyer is disappointed in the Church she calls home. Boyer’s lineage goes back to the near beginning of the Church of the Brethren, a historic peace church that founded the University of La Verne. But she knows that the Church does not offer women or members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community the respect they deserve. Even though the La Verne Church of the Brethren is not in alliance with the national opinion to exclude members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, the membership continues to feel committed to inclusion and the rights of the LGBT within the denominational structure. This is a conflict situation with the national denomination because it holds to a 2011 Annual Conference decision of intolerance.

Intolerance. It has been cast out of many major denominations, but still many others are not as willing to move forward with the ever-changing times. The Church of the Brethren denomination only accepts LGBT members in positions of leadership in a “don’t ask, don’t tell” style. Yet, the La Verne Church of the Brethren’s mission is to create a “Christian community” that is “open, inclusive, caring and peace-minded.” The Church welcomes all, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender or even sexual orientation, despite the national Church of the Brethren’s official stand on exclusivity.

The struggle for change

“I’ve had a lifetime love affair with the Church of the Brethren,” Charles L. Boyer wrote in a September 2010 issue of Messenger Magazine, published a few weeks after his death. “But as I grew in this Church that I love, I became aware of polarities developing.” Charles, more fondly known as Chuck, served as the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference moderator from July 1992 to June 1993 and was a former pastor at the La Verne congregation. During his time as moderator, an article published in the February 1993 issue of Messenger quoted him on his philosophy of engaging inclusive leadership in the denomination. In the article, Chuck indicated that he was ready to accept homosexual and bisexual people in positions of church leadership. “I knew my stance would be controversial, but I did not expect the furor it aroused,” Chuck wrote. After he was quoted, and it was published, Chuck received four form letters on which several hundred Brethren signed their names, calling for his resignation. Many personal cards were mailed to his home, detailing how he was the “tool of satan” and should stop believing what he preached. “Chuck was the last prophetic voice in leadership. He was completely honest regardless of the consequences,” Eric Bishop, 2011 La Verne Church of the Brethren moderator, says.

Valerie Beltran, Chuck’s daughter and associate professor of education at the University of La Verne, says her father realized early on that leaders of the denomination were not willing to stand up for what was right, in the name of holding the denomination’s beliefs strong. Looking off, picturing her father, Valerie says, “I apologize for crying, but my dad fought his hardest, but he did it in a way that was respectful. As Carol Wise [former associate pastor of the La Verne Church] says, ‘he was a peacemaker and a disturber of the peace.’ He would stand his ground, but he would do so peacefully and calmly.” Valerie says her mother would get phone calls asking how it felt to “be married to a fag” or telling her to “rot in hell.” “Yet, despite this hate mail and calls for his resignation, my father responded to every letter and every phone call with upmost respect,” Valerie says.

Conference brings hardship to fighters

The Church of the Brethren holds an Annual Conference, which determines denominational business. High level policy decisions are voted on, workshops are offered, and the exhibits are plentiful. Queries, or questions to be discussed, are brought to the delegates for voting. The spirit is intended to harmonious, consensual and team building as the delegates hammer out denominational issues.

But this past year was different. Members of the La Verne Church of the Brethren congregation left the 2011 Annual Conference, held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a sour taste. “Annual Conference was a painful, heartbreaking experience this year,” Susan Boyer wrote in the La Verne Church of the Brethren Intercom in the September 2011 issue. These reactions were anchored in the Intercom by other La Verne delegates in attendance and then relayed to the congregation following the crucial and altering Annual Conference decision: a vote to affirm a 1983 statement, titled, “Human Sexuality from a Christian Perspective.” The vote adopted all amendments made within the past 28 years. “In essence, the delegates approved a recommendation to return both items of business to the sending bodies, reaffirm the 1983 paper and keep talking with each other about human sexuality outside of the formal process,” Stan Noffsinger, Church of the Brethren general secretary, says. The document itemizes how the Brethren feel about homosexuality and backs up these opinions with Biblical verses and guidelines. In essence, it says homosexual love and covenantal relationships are immoral and should not be made public nor permanent. This Annual Conference statement was adopted in its entirety, and the decision was made to continue conversations about the issue without the query process. The La Verne Church of the Brethren delegates, along with delegates who represent other welcome and loving Church of the Brethren communities of worship, were furious. Their attempts to sway and to convey their emotions were met with hostility and not accepted by the Church at large, culminating to the point of a death threat made to a lesbian leader. “Many of us are aware of the level of hostility toward LGBT people and the level of fear,” says Wise. “So while it was very disturbing, on some level, it was not surprising.” Wise is currently executive director of the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interest. Not coincidentally, she is a leading woman in a struggle against the grain. “Are we practicing love and hospitality, or are we practicing exclusion and fear? I think it is a struggle for the soul of the denomination in terms of the type of people we will be,” says Wise.

The theme of the 2011 Conference was “Gifted with Promise: Expanding Jesus’ Table,” which was met with differing opinions, especially with the issue of inclusion at hand. “It was ironic that as we are excluding groups of people, our theme is designed to expand and include others,” Randy Miller, Messenger editor and La Verne Church of the Brethren member, says. “I feel that everybody should have—and has a place at the table. We too easily point the finger and too quickly rush to judge. If I were to err, I’d rather err on the side of compassion than judgment.”

“In 2009, the process to discuss the inclusion of the 1983 document started,” says Tim Harvey, the current Church of the Brethren moderator. “It began with a query that was brought to the floor about covenant relationships between two persons of the same sex. This year, the decision was to leave the 1983 human sexuality paper unchanged, and it reaffirmed the business position of the Church of the Brethren in regards to homosexuality.” Harvey wishes that the Church of the Brethren members could do a better job at taking their conversations deeper. He says the conversations are only at ground-level and are not thinking about those involved. “These people are ones that we care about, no matter which side we are on. I hope the Church can find a better way to talk this over,” Harvey says. “I am willing to work with all who walk in my Church, but it is too easy for the Church to fracture over such topics.”

How the other side feels

The September 2011 Messenger issue was met with furious and passionate letters to the editor. The magazine reported what had occurred at the Annual Conference and included an article written by moderator-elect Robert Krause explaining why he said “yes” to a nomination from the floor, instead of allowing a Standing Committee approved all-woman ballot slate to go forward to the delegates. The October 2011 issue presented the strong and differing opinions of the Messenger readers, totaling five pages of copy, representing an equal balance of views. Publisher Wendy McFadden felt it necessary to write a forward saying that “the opinions expressed in letters to the editor are not necessarily the opinions of Messenger. And that the opinions in the letters published are roughly proportional to those received.”

Benjamin Haldeman from Greencastle, Pa., writes in his letter to the editor, “After reading the September Messenger letters to the editor, a reader could conclude that many in our denomination have chosen to follow the god [sic] of this world instead of the God of heaven. Woe to us if we reject the law of God and Yeshua, our Savior.” The opening of Haldeman’s letter details that Church of the Brethren members need to follow the God who saved them, not the one who says everyone is loved by one another. Writes P.V. Lee Smith from Mount Pleasant, Pa., “I am hurt and deeply troubled at seeing people place emotions or psychology as a greater authority than scripture. It grieves my heart to see the denomination treat holiness as if it is of little importance. I find myself dismayed that we spend more time debating what God has clearly said…instead of saving souls and being obedient.”

Gays as leaders in the community

The Church of the Brethren denomination’s identity statement, “Continuing the work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together,” serves as guidance to the denomination but is not a creed. The Church prides itself in not having one, and its website boasts that it does not have a set of rules. “We simply try to do what Jesus did,” says the site. “At the La Verne Church of the Brethren, we’ve been open and welcoming for a while—probably long before my time at this congregation,” Bishop says. “It’s just the right thing to do.” Bishop says that the Church as a whole sees being a member of the LGBT community incompatible with being Christian, but the La Verne Church thinks otherwise. He says they are stuck in the middle of the current “lightening rod issue” because they want to allow people a place of worship where they feel safe, comfortable and fit in.

Bishop adds that the La Verne Church has it as a goal to model the denominational identity statement. “I do not understand how someone can believe in the Brethren motto and not be accepting. Injustice is the center point of our differences. We have LGBT friends, and they are whom we seek to protect from any more harm.”

“Why do so many people hate gay people?” Wise said during an October sermon at the La Verne Church of the Brethren. “It’s not really hate though. It’s more fear because people read the bible a certain way.” Said Miller, in his editorial published in the October 2011 Messenger, “It is rather presumptuous of us to assume God is finished speaking to us…Alexander Mack and the other founders of the Church of the Brethren were onto something when they claimed no creed but the New Testament. They left the door open for the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow among us, breathing new insights and understandings of God’s will. Who are we to shut that door? Who knows, if the wind blows just right, there may even be room for Jesus—should he wish to become a Christian.”

Although the La Verne congregation withheld its denomination financial commitment in the months following Annual Conference, the total sum was released to Noffsinger at year’s end, along with a conditional letter explaining the delay. The letter, drafted following a November all-Church Council meeting, details the congregation’s concerns “over the direction of the Church.” The letter cites that 2012 La Verne Church giving will hinge on changes the membership wants to see happen by June 2012 within the denomination as a whole. The General Secretary answers he is doing all he can to serve all members of the Church in order to restore and rebuild relationships across the entire denomination. Says Bishop, “We will keep doing what we normally do. The actions we asked for were not a demand, but for now, we will give our quarterly commitment until June. If the higher denomination does not have any sign of willingness to move, we would reconsider giving contributions. If we see change, we will reassess what has occurred.”

La Verne’s requests include the following: (1) acceptance of the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests as a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) project; (2) BMC’s welcomed presence at Annual Conference, symbolized with that organization’s right to host an official booth; and (3) listing of steps taken to ensure a safe and welcoming environment at all Church of the Brethren sponsored conferences. The denomination heard the message. November 2011, BMC received denominational go ahead to feature a booth at the 2012 Annual Conference, and a BVS project was offered thereafter in winter 2012. “I think we will go toward justice socially, and the Church will sadly follow rather than lead the way. There are congregations like La Verne that offer amazing leadership,” Wise says.

“If I, as a heterosexual man, received this kind of castigation during this time, think what our homosexual and bisexual brothers and sisters live with for their entire lifetimes,” wrote Chuck Boyer just before his death. “This is an example of how religion promotes hatred and exclusiveness—two things Jesus fought so hard against. As we examine options open to us, let us think about creating two denominations and encouraging both to love each other as we go our separate ways. The Church of the Brethren has split several times since 1708. These divisions were not entered into lightly, nor would this one be.”

Although most Churches of the Brethren are modest, the La Verne Church stands immense, like a German cathedral. Founded in the late 1800s, it is called a home of worship to nearly 300 members every Sunday.

Local couple affected

The La Verne Church of the Brethren is known for its inclusive nature and welcoming environment, no matter a person’s sexual orientation. Composer, songwriter and church accompanist Shawn Kirchner is no stranger to this welcome environment. He and his partner Ryan Harrison, who is not a member of the denomination, are well-known to the La Verne congregation and consider themselves loved with open arms by all.

Ryan says he and Shawn met while both were working for the University of La Verne. When Shawn invited him to sing in a small ensemble at the Church, he never left the scene. Ryan says he felt safe being openly gay in the La Verne congregation but would not be too sure about any other Church of the Brethren. He says he cannot remember a time when he, or his relationship, felt discriminated at the La Verne Church. Together, they regularly provide music at weddings, memorial services and other special events.

“[Conservative Brethren] cannot make me feel differently about myself or my beliefs, no matter how hard they try or pray about it,” Ryan says. “The issue for me isn’t whether or not I feel safe in the wider denomination, but whether I feel valued and accepted as equally as others. I do not feel this at the denominational level today, but it doesn’t cause me to feel fearful. Sad, yes. Angry, sometimes. But in the end, I guess I fall back on the fact that this is small stuff, certainly not the center of my world.” Ryan says that since he comes from a very diverse religious background, and is not a member of the Church, his views are not typical. But he feels like the Church is his home due to its loving, peaceful and open environment. The Annual Conference affected more than just the members wanting to see change in the inclusion of the LGBT community; it affected those who are, in fact, members of LGBT. “Shawn and I are church musicians and have led music at the denomination’s Annual Conference before. But that was several years ago, and with the recent shifting climate…I’m not sure that we would be welcome on a denominational stage anymore,” Ryan says. The two played a major musical role in the 2003 Boise, Idaho Annual Conference, and, again, in a 2004 nationally televised CBS Christmas Eve service that featured the Church of the Brethren.

According to Ryan, there have most likely been leaders in the Church who “were lesbian or gay” at the denominational level and were accepted because they were not “out” publicly. He does not believe that the denomination is ready for an LGBT community member to be in denominational leadership because it would “only add fuel to the fire. This whole thing will either burn itself out or consume and burn up everything. Nothing stays the same, but spiritually centered people, I believe, are better able to adapt to changes, whatever they look like.”

Names of inclusion hang on a two-sided easel in the La Verne Church of the Brethren foyer. The name tags beckon a warm welcome to fellow members and visitors, boosting the Church’s inclusive mission.

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Rallying through La Verne’s city streets, sophomore Colin Wheatly takes six minutes to drive to the University from home, and only seven minutes to ride his “fixie,” making the ride fun, efficient, and economical.

by Jesse F. Evans
photography by Mitchell Aleman

Your first bicycle. In your memory, it was probably a single speed, metal fender, brightly painted, kickstand supported marvel. Perhaps the only way to brake was pedaling backwards. Then, the magic of bicycling opened up with technologically advanced hand shifters coupled with hand brakes. The mechanical advantage of multiple gearing made it so the pedals did not stay in rotation with the back wheel. You had conquered gravity. But wait…advanced cyclists are returning to the first bike under the Christmas tree, minus the training wheels. Single geared bicycles are making a revolutionary come back in the biking community. These fixed gear bicycles or “fixies” as they are called, are becoming the hot item for gung-ho cyclists to add to their bike fleet. It is all very Zen-like with the pedals in constant motion and a feeling of bike oneness. But before making the purchase, consider this: “Compared to a road or mountain bike, it is the worst bike you could own. You have limited speed, limited climb, limited everything, no brakes, and it’s completely unsafe. A fixed gear bike by far is for the rider looking for fun and thrill seeking,” says University of La Verne Cycling Club president and fixie rider Vince Gonzales. Because a fixie has only one gear, no brakes and is intimately linked to the strength and coordination of the rider, yes, it is difficult to ride. But to those who master them, it is bicycling in its raw essence. On a fixed gear bicycle, the sprocket is directly screwed to the hub. The hub is the centerpiece, the core of the sport.

“The difference between a regular bike and a fixie is that when you are riding a fixie you don’t have any options of brakes or anything; legs control whatever you do,” says Mitchell Aleman, fixed gear bicycle rider and University of La Verne student. “So you can manage your speed; you can go slower or faster whenever you want just based off how you move your legs. There is a real sense of agreement between you and the bike.” With this bike, the challenges become the ownership piéce de résistance. “The biggest obstacle a rider would have to overcome is the fact that the pedals don’t stop moving, and that some of them don’t come with any brakes,” says William Sullivan, sales associate at Incycle in San Dimas, who is also a ULV student. “The coordination there is definitely a big obstacle to overcome.” A traditional geared bicycle allows the rider to coast. When a fixie is in motion, the back wheel is rotating the pedals. Therefore, fixie cyclists cannot coast and are in constant motion with their bicycle’s forward speed. This takes some training. “It does take time, but it feels more natural once you get used to it,” Mitchell says.

Before the derailleur, the first bicycles, including the racers, had only one gear. A derailleur is the transmission system for a bicycle; it assists the bicycle chain when it moves from one sprocket to the next. Climbs and descents are easier to control with the correct available gearing. Modern bikes can support more than 30 gear combinations. In essence, a fixed gear bicycle is an old simple bicycle. “They were originally used as velodrome race bikes so they are sometimes called velodrome track bikes, track bikes, or single speeds,” Mitchell says.

Sometimes fixed gear bicycles will come with a supplemental braking system. However, for the purest, they do not have brakes. The stopping is unique—a cyclist might skillfully fish tail when stopping. Fixie riders call this “drifting” or “sliding.” The linkage of rider to bike allows majestic tricks to be pulled off, including dance routines. Simple tricks include front and rear wheelies. The more complicated tricks turn into a magic act. Riders sometimes keep the front wheel planted on the ground and make the handlebars do a full rotation called a bar spin. More complicated moves happen when they are in motion. While keeping the bicycle balanced, riders and their bicycles become one. They sometimes put a leg over the front handlebars and stretch their bodies into an arch position. The most daring riders take both hands off the handlebars.

Some people think a beach cruiser is a fixed gear bike because it has only one gear, but it is not considered a fixed gear bicycle. “We get that quite a few times here,” says William, himself a fixie owner and cycling enthusiast. “People come in and are looking for something to cruise to the beach with, and they end up looking at the fixed gears. It’s still a great bike to cruise the boardwalks and everything in between, but it is not an actual beach cruiser.”

Contrary to common sense, the fixies thrive in heavy traffic urban areas. Those who ride a fixie without brakes anticipate their next move and are on the ready. When in traffic, they have to plan their next move as if it were a game of chess, because the rider has to be able to make the safest move possible, given the options. The best fixie riders know how to react to avoid hazards and know how to make fast-acting moves in urban environments. The bikes are especially popular with bike messengers in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Bike messengers perform track stands at red lights, which allow riders to keep it upright while not putting a foot on the ground. “It’s been pretty popular in big urban areas such as Los Angeles and other cities, pretty much since the 80s,“ University of La Verne Cycling Club vice president and fixie rider Vince Rodriguez says. “As of now, it’s starting to catch on.”

A fixed gear bicycle is also known for its unique look. At Incycle, “The best brand we have in stock is either the Schwinn or Specialized. I think the best fixed gear is the one that you actually create, mainly because there are so many personalities you can add. Plus it makes it cool that you did it yourself,” William says. Each fixie is different; there are not many duplicates. All are distinctive and have a variety of styles to suit personal preferences, whether it is color, frame or distinctive handlebars. The brand choices allow riders to customize. Republic Bike invites buyers to create fixed gear bikes on its website, with 3D image feedback. A good entry level fixie costs about $300. Nevertheless, with serious customizing, the cost can reach an average of $500 to $600.

Bicycling is a social activity, and, predictably, fixie ownership draws people together. A Claremont riding club holds regular group rides. Despite the emphasis on fixed gear riding, all riders are welcome. It is a big group with passionate riders. Indeed, most riders own complex road and mountain bikes plus their fixie models. “I enjoy riding my fixed gear bicycle because of the fact that its so simple. With other bikes, you have to do a lot of prep time in order to ride them. There is no real maintenance to it. A fixed gear is always there; you just have to pull it off the wall and just ride,” William says. Says Mitchell, “I don’t see my love for fixie riding going away. I’m not going to sell my bike; I’m going to keep it so when I am 25 or 30 years old I can hop on and take a cruise. It’s never going out of style for me, and I only see it getting more and more popular each year. It won’t go out of style. It’s been exploding for the past 10 or so years.”

Fixed gear bicycles require little maintenance, having no brakes or chain derailleurs; nevertheless, checking chain tension is important. ULV sophomore James Cano makes wheel adjustments before his five-mile ride home.

Races that started it all

“Fixed gear bikes date back all the way to the velodrome,” says Vince Gonzales, ULV Cycling Club president. The velodrome is an arena for track cycling, a semi oval with high bank turns. The first recognized United States race came in 1879 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. And the first racers had fixed gear bicycles. The most popular and well-known event in the late 19th century was the one-hour race where riders would put their bodies to the limit for an hour, going as fast as they could, trying to gain the best times. The velodrome remains a popular Olympic event.

Today, the most prestigious world cycling race is the Tour de France. During that first tour in 1903, 60 competitors from five European countries entered and started before sunrise so they could complete the stage with daylight. The fixed gear bicycle was used in those first Tours. And it was this famous race that spurred technology advances. Now, the 20-stage, 2,161-mile race across the French countryside is undertaken with technically advanced road bicycles.

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