Building the Flow with Dave Robinson

"It’s always a treat to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other trail lovers and get a sense of their commitment to developing sustainable trails at Dig Days. But on this project (back in 2013), I also had the opportunity to experience, firsthand, the commitment of one of our hometown mountain bike brands’ commitment to improving riding opportunities.

Eve Davidson and I were invited to join Ibis’ president Tom Morgan in the office above their warehouse to discuss how they could support the project. Ibis is a lean operation with a very polished product and Tom has a lifelong commitment to the bike industry so we were excited to work with him.

Tom didn’t hesitate to offer one of their very first Ripley’s but wanted it to provide a boost beyond the monetary. He suggested that we leverage the raffle to build the membership of Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz (MBOSC, SCMTS' past name), a really insightful suggestion as we were still seeking legitimacy and leverage in meetings with city and state agencies as we sought additional trail-building opportunities beyond Flow.

By the time we drew the winner, we had more than tripled any previous trail fundraising effort and doubled our membership, putting MBOSC on the map as a force to be reckoned with. Once I realized their beliefs matched mine, I became an ardent supporter of Ibis with my consumer dollar.

As a full-time mountain bike coach and guide, I know that Flow Trail attracts avid riders from not just the greater Bay Area, but from around the globe. The trail not only instills joy in everyone who rails its berms but the story of its creation and ongoing maintenance provides an inspiring trail advocacy success story for folks from around the world to take home with them. Supporting “Return to Flow” is a fantastic opportunity to get back to the roots of trail building here in Santa Cruz, whether by picking up a shovel and jumping into the effort or buying a few raffle tickets to show our love!"

Dave Robinson was a Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz board member, crew leader, and fundraiser. He's currently a Trail Sage with SCMTS and leads independent trail work events in Wilder Ranch State Park. When not digging on the trails, Dave is a mountain bike coach with The Ride Guides.