Bluff Trail, Andrew Molera State Park. Photo by Mark Langton

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (a cliché becoming less and less relevant), CORBA is not a group of people sitting in a meeting room. CORBA is our membership, and whether you’re an actual member of CORBA or not, you are a member of the entire mountain bike community. Whether you ride on fire roads only, or enjoy the challenge of singletrack, each and every one of us has the individual responsibility of representing our sport. So when you’re out there, remember that your actions speak for the entire sport of mountain biking.

This concept really hit home last week while I was riding at Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur. The two main trails (Ridge Trail and Bluff Trail) are connected by a singletrack trail that is closed to bikes. I didn’t know this and thought I’d be able to ride from the Bluff Trail to the Ridge Trail. When I got to the intersection with the connector trail, I saw the “no bikes” sign and thought, “what the hell, no one will know.” Then I remembered that even though this isn’t my local riding area, my actions would reflect on the other locals who use the park on a regular basis. So despite passing up a great loop, I went back the way I came—and had a great time. Funny thing about trails; they’re totally different in the opposite direction!

Be safe out on the trails, wherever your adventures take you this summer!