Dave's $0.02: Proud to be a Mountain Biker
May 16, 2019
We invited one of our most dedicated volunteers, Ride Guides owner/coach, State Parks docent, Wilderness Patrol volunteer, and all around good guy Dave Robinson to share his knowledge with the MBOSC community. Here's the next post in our "Dave's $0.02" series!
Photo by Jay Melena
Now that our last weekend Dig Day is in the rearview mirror, there are a few hundred hardcore environmentally active mountain bikers looking for their next fix. They’ll be riding the trails that they’ve been maintaining and building over the winter, but they’re also looking for a way to keep their positive trail vibe rolling. Fortunately, I have three suggestions to help every rider support our growing trail network while sharing your love for our sport.
Photo by Mike Thomas
Know the facts. If you haven’t read the MBOSC MTB Impact Review take a few minutes to learn the facts about mountain biking in our area. The MBOSC staff addresses mountain biking’s challenges every day so you don’t have to and you can help out by adding your educated voice to the discussion. From the report, “MBOSC has proven to be an invaluable partner for local land managers, investing nearly $1,900,000, over 20,400 hours of staff time, and over 26,250 hours of volunteer time in trail construction and maintenance since 2012.” So next time you hear an offhand comment about biking you can note that mountain bikers have contributed almost 2 million bucks and nearly 50,000 hours of labor to make outdoor recreation better for all trail users! It is hard to argue against the data: mountain bikers are the most engaged outdoor user group in Santa Cruz.
Photo by Jay Melena
Be proud of your efforts. Let people know what you’ve been up to and why. Most of your work pals probably can’t conceive of why you’d spend an entire day or six hauling rocks and clearing drains in the rain on your day off, but your passion will come through in your tone when you tell them why you volunteer so much time to the sport and mountains that you love. You are an advocate and prove it every time you talk about the ride and your commitment to supporting mountain biking in Santa Cruz.
Photo by Mike Thomas
Take a friend for a ride. It doesn’t matter if it’s a loop on the bluffs at Wilder or a poke up the Emma McCrary Trail until they’re tired, just give them a glimpse of what you love. More riders mean more voices, dollars, and votes when it comes to growing our trail network. Positive trail pressure and passionate riders have taken mountain biking in Santa Cruz to the next level since the beginning of the build of the Emma McCrary trail. Sure the growth of our mountain bike community has outpaced the growth of our trail system but that is why MBOSC is working so hard to develop new trails like The Flow Trail and new networks like San Vincente Redwoods. These big projects are the result of tens of thousands of individuals supporting our collective commitment.
When you share your passion for the sport you become an advocate for mountain biking. So take an extra minute to talk to the hikers you see at the Pogonip trailhead about the trails and best routes. Let the folks that are giving you the up and down look at the brewery in on your passion. You can change perceptions and be a role model within your community.
Photo by Jay Melena
When professional conservation organizations like The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County and California State Parks embrace the mountain biking community and thank us for our work you should take pride in being a part of that effort. So be proud to be a mountain biker and share your passion with those around you. And thank you trailworkers, you are the reason I am honored to call myself a Mountain Biker of Santa Cruz!
Photo by Isaac Wallen
Hi, I'm Dave Robinson! I am the founder and head coach of The Ride Guides. Santa Cruz and its epic singletrack have been my home for over two decades. I am heavily engaged in the past, present, and future of mountain biking in Santa Cruz as a former MBOSC board member, State Parks docent, and Wilderness Patrol volunteer, and a trail crew leader with MBOSC. I look forward to sharing my two cents with you!
Photo by Jay Melena
Now that our last weekend Dig Day is in the rearview mirror, there are a few hundred hardcore environmentally active mountain bikers looking for their next fix. They’ll be riding the trails that they’ve been maintaining and building over the winter, but they’re also looking for a way to keep their positive trail vibe rolling. Fortunately, I have three suggestions to help every rider support our growing trail network while sharing your love for our sport.
Photo by Mike Thomas
Know the facts. If you haven’t read the MBOSC MTB Impact Review take a few minutes to learn the facts about mountain biking in our area. The MBOSC staff addresses mountain biking’s challenges every day so you don’t have to and you can help out by adding your educated voice to the discussion. From the report, “MBOSC has proven to be an invaluable partner for local land managers, investing nearly $1,900,000, over 20,400 hours of staff time, and over 26,250 hours of volunteer time in trail construction and maintenance since 2012.” So next time you hear an offhand comment about biking you can note that mountain bikers have contributed almost 2 million bucks and nearly 50,000 hours of labor to make outdoor recreation better for all trail users! It is hard to argue against the data: mountain bikers are the most engaged outdoor user group in Santa Cruz.
Photo by Jay Melena
Be proud of your efforts. Let people know what you’ve been up to and why. Most of your work pals probably can’t conceive of why you’d spend an entire day or six hauling rocks and clearing drains in the rain on your day off, but your passion will come through in your tone when you tell them why you volunteer so much time to the sport and mountains that you love. You are an advocate and prove it every time you talk about the ride and your commitment to supporting mountain biking in Santa Cruz.
Photo by Mike Thomas
Take a friend for a ride. It doesn’t matter if it’s a loop on the bluffs at Wilder or a poke up the Emma McCrary Trail until they’re tired, just give them a glimpse of what you love. More riders mean more voices, dollars, and votes when it comes to growing our trail network. Positive trail pressure and passionate riders have taken mountain biking in Santa Cruz to the next level since the beginning of the build of the Emma McCrary trail. Sure the growth of our mountain bike community has outpaced the growth of our trail system but that is why MBOSC is working so hard to develop new trails like The Flow Trail and new networks like San Vincente Redwoods. These big projects are the result of tens of thousands of individuals supporting our collective commitment.
When you share your passion for the sport you become an advocate for mountain biking. So take an extra minute to talk to the hikers you see at the Pogonip trailhead about the trails and best routes. Let the folks that are giving you the up and down look at the brewery in on your passion. You can change perceptions and be a role model within your community.
Photo by Jay Melena
When professional conservation organizations like The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County and California State Parks embrace the mountain biking community and thank us for our work you should take pride in being a part of that effort. So be proud to be a mountain biker and share your passion with those around you. And thank you trailworkers, you are the reason I am honored to call myself a Mountain Biker of Santa Cruz!
Photo by Isaac Wallen
Hi, I'm Dave Robinson! I am the founder and head coach of The Ride Guides. Santa Cruz and its epic singletrack have been my home for over two decades. I am heavily engaged in the past, present, and future of mountain biking in Santa Cruz as a former MBOSC board member, State Parks docent, and Wilderness Patrol volunteer, and a trail crew leader with MBOSC. I look forward to sharing my two cents with you!
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