DIRT THERAPY TRAIL UPDATE – FEBRUARY 2024
January was cold, but February? February showed up and said, "Hold my root beer!" Despite the cold temperatures and snowfall, we had some amazing experiences that left us with warm feelings all month.
One very exciting development is MOAR BIKES ON CAMPUS! That’s right, our dear friends at the Specialized Experience center in Bentonville are long term loaning us an additional 15 bikes for usage on campus! These are a mixture of Stumpjumpers and Stumpy EVO’s, in a variety of sizes. This brings the total number of bikes available to 19! We are grateful to have access to these bikes and will be using them when we host 7 military couples from Higher Ground this spring, as well as when we host Team RWB on campus for their mountain bike expedition!
A note from the Builder:
So far this winter building season, it has felt more like we are building a snowboard track than a mountain bike trail. Haha. Progress on the green DH line and preparation for some other incredible trails continues to move forward even with a few weeks of nasty snow and frigid temperatures. As of this week, we are in the 60’s, sunny, and digging full speed ahead. As you move down the hill the material under the surface can change. When I am digging pits for material for features it’s always interesting what comes out of the ground. Sometimes it’s the brightest red clay you have ever seen and sometimes it can be a pile of gravel or straight bedrock. This keeps us on our toes and constantly engaged with how to handle the next section. The green trail is going to be an incredible experience for everyone from novice to expert. Even ADA (adaptive) friendly!
Happy trails
-Bob the Builder
Other exciting news:
The Dirt Therapy Project crew is getting ready to hit the road for a few days and visit the Sedona MTB fest! We are really looking forward to this as a way to meet new riders, help fund our operations through merch sales, as well as bringing back some unique ideas for our very own trail network. If you will be out there, please come and say hi!
What's Next:
March will be our first Quarterly Dig for 2025! Please join us on March 22 from 0900-1200 for some good ‘ol Dirt Therapy volunteerism. Lunch will be provided by our 2025 food sponsor, Regions Bank. All participants are encouraged to bring a bike out and ride what we work on! If you are planning to participate, please RSVP on our Facebook event to help with accurate head count and planning.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this program. Together we truly are making a difference in the lives of Veterans and their families.
