Recap: First Dig Day of the Season!
December 17, 2018
[embed]https://youtu.be/kX4TZwXDE90[/embed]
Our 2018/19 Dig Day season kicked off with a serious bang! We hosted our season's first Dig Day on Saturday, December 8, and it was one of our most memorable Dig Days yet. Why, you ask? Because we had 97 volunteers show-up to help dig! You read that correctly...97! Simply amazing. Check out the video above to experience the fun for yourself, and keep reading for the full recap!
Before we get ahead of ourselves, Dig Days are our premiere volunteer trailwork events where we tune-up our local trails. MBOSC hosts Dig Days in Wilder Ranch State Park, Soquel Demonstration State Forest, DeLaveaga Park, and Pogonip Open Space Preserve. Each Dig Day is sponsored by a local business, and they include coffee from Verve Coffee Roasters, breakfast treats, Nuun Hydration, a hearty lunch, post-work refreshments from New Bohemia Brewing and Archer Components, and a volunteer raffle. On top of all that, every Dig Day you participate in gets you entered into a raffle for the bike of your choice from Ibis Cycles! We get a lot of work done while still leaving time for socializing and basking in the glow of a job well done. Our Dig Day season is from about November through April, when the ground is wet and better for trailwork.
Our season's first Dig Day took place in Wilder Ranch State Park where we worked on the West Engelsmans Reroute project. In case you're not familiar with this project, MBOSC is partnering with the Santa Cruz District State Parks Trails Crew on the construction of a brand new trail that will replace the steep, badly eroded fire road with low grade, multi-use, enjoyable, sustainable singletrack. Click here to learn more!
Jose Castanera, a crew leader with the Santa Cruz District State Parks Trails Crew, joined us at this Dig Day and said "I'm happy to work with MBOSC. This is the second project we've done, and I'm looking forward to doing more projects with them in the future."
Part of the funding for the West Engelsmans Reroute project came from a $15,000 grant MBOSC received from REI. We were proud to have Philip Watkins, REI's Bay Area Experiences & Philanthropy Coordinator, at this Dig Day to present the grant check (who hasn't always dreamed of accepting a giant check?!) and help build the new trail. He explained that REI believes that "a life outdoors is a life well lived, and a big part of that is not just playing in these amazing places, but also giving back and investing in stewardship projects." We were so proud to receive this check and have Philip join us for the day!
Our team of 97 volunteers divided up into ten crews that were led by our trained volunteer Trail Crew Leaders (you can spot them in bright orange shirts and hard hats). We spread out to various zones on the trail and got to work!
Some of the crews built brand new trail by hand...
And other crews did finishing work on sections that had been started by machine with our brand new excavator...
Our sponsor for this Dig Day was the Santa Cruz County Horsemen's Association (SCCHA). MBOSC works closely with SCCHA because we want to improve trail access for all trail-users, and the trails we work on are all multi-use. Lindsay Overton joined us at this Dig Day as a member of SCCHA and MBOSC's Equestrian Liaison. Lindsay rides mountain bikes and horses with equal passion, and at the Dig Day she explained that it's important for SCCHA and MBOSC to work together on trailwork and advocacy since mountain bikers and equestrians all get to enjoy the same trails.
Our favorite part of Dig Days is the diversity of people that come out to help. Mountain bikers, equestrians, and hikers are all working together to build new trail, and young students are putting in the same elbow grease as those enjoying the fruits of retirement. It goes to show that amazing things happen when we all come together and work towards a shared goal! Plus, you get to meet interesting people and make new friends in our great community.
After the Dig Day, REI's Philip Watkins emailed us to say, "that was one of the best trail projects I have been a part of (seriously), and I have done more than I can count over the last 10 years."
We hope you'll join us at an upcoming Dig Day! Click here for the full Dig Day season schedule, and subscribe to our e-newsletter to be the first to hear when sign-ups open. We look forward to digging with you!
Before we get ahead of ourselves, Dig Days are our premiere volunteer trailwork events where we tune-up our local trails. MBOSC hosts Dig Days in Wilder Ranch State Park, Soquel Demonstration State Forest, DeLaveaga Park, and Pogonip Open Space Preserve. Each Dig Day is sponsored by a local business, and they include coffee from Verve Coffee Roasters, breakfast treats, Nuun Hydration, a hearty lunch, post-work refreshments from New Bohemia Brewing and Archer Components, and a volunteer raffle. On top of all that, every Dig Day you participate in gets you entered into a raffle for the bike of your choice from Ibis Cycles! We get a lot of work done while still leaving time for socializing and basking in the glow of a job well done. Our Dig Day season is from about November through April, when the ground is wet and better for trailwork.
Our season's first Dig Day took place in Wilder Ranch State Park where we worked on the West Engelsmans Reroute project. In case you're not familiar with this project, MBOSC is partnering with the Santa Cruz District State Parks Trails Crew on the construction of a brand new trail that will replace the steep, badly eroded fire road with low grade, multi-use, enjoyable, sustainable singletrack. Click here to learn more!
Jose Castanera, a crew leader with the Santa Cruz District State Parks Trails Crew, joined us at this Dig Day and said "I'm happy to work with MBOSC. This is the second project we've done, and I'm looking forward to doing more projects with them in the future."
Part of the funding for the West Engelsmans Reroute project came from a $15,000 grant MBOSC received from REI. We were proud to have Philip Watkins, REI's Bay Area Experiences & Philanthropy Coordinator, at this Dig Day to present the grant check (who hasn't always dreamed of accepting a giant check?!) and help build the new trail. He explained that REI believes that "a life outdoors is a life well lived, and a big part of that is not just playing in these amazing places, but also giving back and investing in stewardship projects." We were so proud to receive this check and have Philip join us for the day!
Our team of 97 volunteers divided up into ten crews that were led by our trained volunteer Trail Crew Leaders (you can spot them in bright orange shirts and hard hats). We spread out to various zones on the trail and got to work!
Some of the crews built brand new trail by hand...
And other crews did finishing work on sections that had been started by machine with our brand new excavator...
Our sponsor for this Dig Day was the Santa Cruz County Horsemen's Association (SCCHA). MBOSC works closely with SCCHA because we want to improve trail access for all trail-users, and the trails we work on are all multi-use. Lindsay Overton joined us at this Dig Day as a member of SCCHA and MBOSC's Equestrian Liaison. Lindsay rides mountain bikes and horses with equal passion, and at the Dig Day she explained that it's important for SCCHA and MBOSC to work together on trailwork and advocacy since mountain bikers and equestrians all get to enjoy the same trails.
Our favorite part of Dig Days is the diversity of people that come out to help. Mountain bikers, equestrians, and hikers are all working together to build new trail, and young students are putting in the same elbow grease as those enjoying the fruits of retirement. It goes to show that amazing things happen when we all come together and work towards a shared goal! Plus, you get to meet interesting people and make new friends in our great community.
After the Dig Day, REI's Philip Watkins emailed us to say, "that was one of the best trail projects I have been a part of (seriously), and I have done more than I can count over the last 10 years."
We hope you'll join us at an upcoming Dig Day! Click here for the full Dig Day season schedule, and subscribe to our e-newsletter to be the first to hear when sign-ups open. We look forward to digging with you!
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