TMBA has launched a new initiative involving riding and trail maintenance. The idea is for all of us to have ownership of the trails we ride everyday by taking a few minutes each ride to restore and maintain them. If we all spent five minutes a ride kicking rocks off the trail, or moving fallen branches, our trails would improve significantly. Like other areas around the west, when riders help with trail upkeep, and don’t just rely on the land agencies or other organizations to clean or maintain the trails, we have top quality experiences.
With that in mind, TMBA organized three group rides over the summer, with the goals of having fun, enjoying the company of fellow mountain bikers and making our trails better. Unfortunately for all of us, two of the rides were cancelled.
Horsethief was scheduled as a Saturday morning ride, but the monsoons the day before made the trail too wet. The ride was called off to avoid damaging the trail in the wet conditions. Riding wet trails in the Taos area, unfortunately, really wrecks the resource.
Our second Give It Five was held at the Rift Trails in the afternoon. Over twenty riders showed up, but as we prepared to ride, dark clouds approached the area. Close striking lightning sent everyone scurrying for cover. The group decided to reconvene at the local brew pub to instead talk about riding and swap stories.
The third ride was a Sunday morning ride on the Talpa Traverse. The intimate nature of this group allowed for a ride alteration that included Ojitos. The camaraderie made the climb up Ojitos much more entertaining and less grueling. The group spent some time clearing rocks and branches, but mostly spent the morning having fun and exploring.
Our fourth Give It Five Group Ride will be in September. Keep your eyes and ears posted for Time, Date and Location. TMBA will post the information on our website and on Facebook.
As a note, this initiative is not encouraging individuals to modify the trail itself. The Give It Five initiative is to encourage all of us to keep our trails clean and predictable.