Hagg Lake, a popular mountain biking area about 50 miles west of Portland, recently got a new section of trail thanks to a local mountain bike club. Fifteen members of the Portland United Mountain Pedalers (PUMP) volunteered a Saturday to put in a total of 75 hours of trail time. That’s what I call sweat equity!
PUMP member Ric Balfour gave me the rundown on what they accomplished:
- constructed 90 feet of trail from scratch (chop, rake and dig…)
- moved two sword dozen ferns and primed the old trail for quick closure and restoration
- knocked out one nasty yellow jacket wasp nest
- tried out new KONA bikes (thanks to Olson’s and KONA rep Jimmy James). John Joy gets the prize for recoating the Kona in mud.
The event was supported with demo bikes and shwag from KONA bicycles, support from the American Hiking Society, and Olson’s Bikes in Forest Grove provided the food. Here’s a group of volunteers enjoying a well-deserved post-work meal and checking out the KONA demo bikes.
Photo by Ric Balfour
If you’d like to connect with the local mountain bike scene, PUMP is the place to start. They have weekly rides and events and an active email list that can hook you up with tips, ride details and carpool information. The trails are finally drying out and it’s a great time to start getting dirty!