TRAILS & EVENTS

MAY 2025 | WEEK 3

In a recent trip to New England, I happened to sit next to a mountain biker at a bar. We struck up a conversation, and he started telling me about how he used to build rogue trails in a state forest next to his property. The trails he and his buddies built spanned several miles, with drops and table tops and other fun features. After almost two decades of doing that, he retired from rogue trail building and started volunteering with his local trail club.

I asked what made him change his mind. He said, "We got tired of wondering if this was the day our trails were going to get torn down." He had run-ins with forest service over the years. It was a cycle of build, features get flattened, repeat. Aside from the trails being unsanctioned, they were riding through a protected wildlife area. "There's also money for trails now," he added. "There are actually foundations who will pay for us to build, and we get to show off our work to more people."

This interaction made me think of the value proposition of MORE and trail organizations in general. Anyone can build trail (or teach themselves how to). But with MORE, we get so much more done.

Our Trail Liaisons work with land managers and jurisdictions to create sustainable places to ride. They strengthen the community and create a new generation of stewards by organizing volunteer work days. Our Advocacy Directors make sure mountain bikers are represented in decisions affecting us. Our Ride Leaders get folks of all ages and abilities on the trail. Our members and supporters help ensure we have the resources to keep building, maintaining, and advocating for places to ride. As an organization, we can go after grants, influence legislation, and have insurance to protect our volunteers.

This is your club. Your support and involvement makes MORE what it is. If you aren't a member yet, please consider joining MORE or renewing your membership. And if you want to get more involved, hit reply or send us a message. There's a place for you in MORE.

Thanks for being here! Read on for some good news!

Jali Fernando

MORE Executive Director

ADVOCACY WINS

We asked, you delivered! Thank you to everyone who heeded our calls to action. Check out what we got done!

Fairfax County Budget

Fairfax County Park Authority (FPCA) was facing serious budget cuts this year, which would have crippled trail maintenance, tree protection, invasive species removal, and other programs already under strain.

Thanks to MORE members and other Fairfax residents who testified at budget hearings and wrote letters, the County Board of Supervisors voted to restore $379,258 in funding to FCPA.

Montgomery County Budget

This year's budget was challenging for Montgomery Parks. The County Executive's proposed budget did not fully fund employee compensation and would have required cuts to essential services.

Thanks to the outpouring of support from the MORE community and other MoCo residents who love their parks, the County Council unanimously voted to restore the Parks Department's base budget request plus additional funding for park improvements. The Council also unanimously rejected the County Executive's proposed $2 million cut to Parks' Capital Improvements Program, which would have delayed improvements to Wheaton Regional Park.

Maryland's Program Open Space

Earlier this year, the Maryland Department of Legislative Services recommended diverting funding for Program Open Space (POS). POS has done a great job at conserving natural lands and recreational facilities. Since its creation in 1969, the program has funded over 7,500 conservation and recreation projects and provided public open space within 15 minutes of most Maryland residents. Losing POS funding would have been devastating to natural surface trails and outdoor recreation as a whole.

In March, we asked Maryland residents to urge their lawmakers to protect POS. Over a hundred individuals and organizations heeded our call to action! On May 20, the Governor signed the budget bill into law which continues to allocate a portion of property transfer tax to fund Program Open Space.

EVENTS

Wednesdays at Wakefield

Our favorite Wednesday night race series is starting back up next week! W@W race dates are May 28, June 4, 11, and 18.

Wakefield trail volunteers have been hard at work, so you know the course is going to be in great shape. If you're planning on spectating, please consider volunteering and helping our friends from The Bike Lane during the event.

Hashawha Hill Yeah! FUNdraiser

Our friends at MTBMD are hosting the third annual Hill Yeah! Ride, a fundraiser for the Hashawha Environmental Center on June 7. Expect a challenging and fun day on the saddle with four rides to choose from. Proceeds from the event go back into the dirt through trail building, maintenance, storm cleanup, and more.

Learn more and gear up for Hill Yeah through the link below.

HILL YEAH!