Author: Brett Grandin

It was a nice weekend for a ride - lucky for us, as it had been arranged some two weeks ahead of this day.
Two of my riding companions and I had decided to venture to our favourite riding area for a ride in some country that we had not been to for about 12 months.

We suit up and head off on the transition stage to the start of the day’s dirt adventure. The black top is a necessity to get to the ideal start point and as we make our way to the start of the dirt trail we start to feel the beast beneath and realise what we’ve been missing over the festive, hot season.  

The summer months always seem to pass so slow, so we relish the chance to ride again and enjoy the company of mates in the great outdoors. It brings joy just to think that the season has started for trail riding adventure.

The fire trails were pristine and would appear not to have been used in the time that we had last passed this way. The dust is under control and the surface is a little soft and slippery.  In places the trail appears impassable , but with some creative thinking we make ramps to get over the fallen trees, and fill in the troughs on the hill climbs made by the flowing water from the past wet season. All great stuff to get back into the swing of riding. By this time two or three hours had passed so we found a place to take a break.

As we rested at a water crossing point on a main dirt road, traffic passes and along comes the local Ranger. The Ranger asked about how we were doing and passed the time of day before continuing on his rounds. Good to see that Rangers can be good guys.

Continuing our trip the three of us venture onto some more ground and some great scenery. This is what it is all about - the great outdoors with some mates, doing what we enjoy most, away from the stresses of the working world.

Six solid hours of riding before making it back to the cars, and didn’t we all know that we had been off the bikes for some time! Clearly we need to ride more to regain our ride fitness, so the conversation quickly turns to planning our next ride date.

Author: Steve Pretzel

It's coming up for seven years now since I first got involved in trail bike issues and there's one question I still wrestle with.  Regularly.  What are the things that we as riders can do to help ensure the sustainability of our sport?

I'm not talking about lobbying government for more land, less restrictive regulations or funding to build trails. Those things are fairly obvious and in many cases reactive.

What I mean is: what are the things that I can do as an individual that will make a positive difference?

I have a fair idea of the things that I can do as an individual.  I can make sure my bike is no louder than it needs to be and that I ride it quietly when I'm around people (on trails or in houses).  I can stay away from areas where I know I shouldn't be such as walk trails, water catchment and dieback areas.  I can work on riding smoothly so that I can be fast without ripping up the trails.  

I know I can do all of these things, but will they make a positive difference?

What does it matter that I consciously try to do the right thing when there are lots of other riders who don't know or don't care?

We all talk about the 'irresponsible minority' that threatens to ruin things for us.  Surely what I do or don't do won't influence them, will it?

I don't ride with the 'irresponsible minority' so they can't watch and emulate me (and anyone who has seen how I ride wouldn't want to emulate that anyway!).

I don't think I even know anyone in the 'irresponsible minority' - and even if I did they probably wouldn't listen if I tried to enlighten them.

If I'm doing the right thing then very few people will even know I'm our there riding so the 'community PR' value is lost (only the 'irresponsible minority' make the news).

Now it's easy to get disheartened when you look this way at the power of the individual to make a positive difference.  

But I think it comes down to this.  There will always be an 'irresponsible minority' and they will always cause us trouble.  But the more marginal they become the less trouble they will cause.

I can't influence people who neither know nor care about the impacts of their actions on other people, on the environment and on our sport.  That's out of my hands.

What is in my hands is the influence over what I choose to do, where I choose to do it and who I choose to do it with.  I can make these decisions for no other reason than knowing that I am doing my bit for the future of riding.

If enough of us just focus on what we can do maybe ... just maybe we can make that positive difference after all.