Ok, Sorry I haven't sounded off on this sooner. The training sessions are more or less the same thing as a safety meeting before a TM session, just a bit longer, indoors, with a slide show, and some really cool teachers. Can you tell I am lying my ass off? I wouldn't have the "indoor training session class" either, but, it is not up to us, it is up to the MCPS management and their insurance carrier. The class room session is a run thru on the basics,(safety, proper tool use, techniques, etc.) all of which is very important to keep the park systems record of NO ONE being injured during a TM session . The training class gets everyone covered under the park systems insurance in case of injury during a TM session. The "New Volunteer Training Session" is not just a classroom deal. After the classroom, we do go out on the trails to put the info to use. You only need to attend one NVTS to be covered at any MCPS TM session. I know there are more than a few of you who know what they are doing, and have a good deal of TM experience under your belts, but, we need to do things the right way. Even though we are a large, motivated, user group, demanding things be done our way will not work. We have to prove ourselves to gain respect. Then, maybe, we can start to really get some real work done. This brings me to the point, (long way to go to get there I know), I think that if we can get a large core of MTB folk trained, we will then have a much better chance of getting our ideas heard, and taken seriously. I can't do this myself, I need as many of you as possible to attend the training and work sessions so when we do speak, some one will listen to what we have to say. We may even get 3 sessions at Hartshorn next year
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