Bijou bike park3/22/2023 ![]() A biker airs off a jump feature at the new Bijou Bike Park in South Lake Tahoe. Forest Service hosted a trails conference in conjunction with the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) - a strong advocating body for bike groups and bike legislation - that real change came. “There was no voice for mountain bikers back then.” “There was nothing going on,” Ben said of the organized mountain biking scene. When avid mountain bikers Ben and his wife Amy Fish moved to the area in 2003, they were surprised at the lack of involvement. “We needed new people to come and take over, but they didn’t quite put the energy out we’d hoped and it went dormant.” Founded in 1988 by a small group of enthusiastic riders that included longtime South Lake Tahoe local and Sierra Ski & Cycle Works owner Gary Bell, the group started strong in its early days - growing to over 1,500 members during the ‘90s - but then faded to obscurity in the early 2000s. It’s a number the group aims to exceed.īut it wasn’t always that way. Forest Service, TAMBA - which reformed in 2011 after some years of inactivity - now annually logs an estimated 4,000 volunteer hours on various trail work projects. Photo: Sebastian FoltzĪccording to the U.S. A rider makes his way through Big Meadow near Luther Pass and Christmas Valley. Gabor credits an ongoing partnership between the Forest Service and TAMBA as a large part of the reason the region’s already extensive trail network is in the condition it is in and continuing to grow. It’s a pretty dramatic turnaround in four or five years.” “They went from a handful of participants to dozens and dozens of participants. “They stepped up,” said Mike Gabor, the Lake Tahoe Basin’s U.S. Ask around and people will tell you, that acclaim is in large part credited to Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA). With mountain biking becoming a staple for summer recreation here at Lake Tahoe, there’s a big reason why trails in around the basin are as good as they’ve ever been and they are also increasingly receiving recognition on the national and international scene. It’s not 20-somethings who are usually spending $3,000 to $5,000 on a bike. There’s also a good chance he or she isn’t in the age demographic you might expect. Because there’s a good chance he or she may have spent some time maintaining the very trail you’re hiking on. But the truth is, if you’re out on the trails this summer, you might owe the next rider you see a thank you. Sure, as with any group, there might be a few bad seeds. It’s often guided by the notion that they destroy trails with their riding or that they are loud and rowdy 20-somethings out to disrupt the peace and quiet of the mountains. ![]() In some circles, there’s still a downright disdain for mountain bikers. It was first published on this website in August 2018 and is presented in its original form. Courtesy / LTVA EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in the Summer 2016 edition of Tahoe Magazine. Bikers charge trail above South Lake Tahoe and Stateline. ![]()
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