A Tribal Experience

by Mark McAuliffe

I was introduced to Downieville by my two teenage sons, who had gone there to ride and participate with the trail stewardship program youth program. They brought back some fun photos, talked for days about the great time they had meeting new people, learning about downhill mountain biking and discovering what it takes to maintain world class trails up in the mountains. But what I noticed most was the looks in their faces the day they came home,something big had happened up there , they both seemed an inch taller, their awareness of nature had expanded, their exitement lasted weeks, this was drawing me in.

The next event was the Downieville Epic, of course I was on board. My oldest son Keegan, had just gotten his drivers licence, he was bestowed with the old Volvo wagon as his first car. Keegan quickly outfitted the Volvo with bike racks, some mountain bike window stickers, an oil change and it was Downieville, HO! The first thing you notice as you head down the road with a rack load of bikes and some revved up anticipation of a mountain trip in the car is , everyne you pass by sees it! They see the bikes, the attitude in our directive, people silently watch you as you pass them and you see it in their eyes, "Wherever those guys are going, their onto something cool". A carload of bikes is a magnet of fun, with universal thumbs up, both ways, everywhere.

I'm a fifty year old surfer, that is how I know the feeling of being in a "tribe". What that means to me is, a particularly dedicated group of people, usually in a natural setting, focused on a pursuit or activity, motivated on their own, but on their path, find kindred spirits along the way. In my life, the "tribe" is one of the highest forms of social interaction.

As we pulled into the campground hosting the Epic bike ride, I completely relaxed, bikes everywhere, fit outdoorsy people of all ages in different stages of preparation, the trees, the rocks, the water, the trail, my awareness increased……..different vehicle, same tribe. After touching in with the folks there, we staked our tents, unpacked our gear and after checking in with the mythical "Wayno" we were all set for a series of great rides in the Bullards Bar area.

What I didn't understand from my kids first report of this Yuba thing was just how it all got organized. I soon found out that through the efforts of people like Greg Williams, Wayno, Greg Carter, Debbie, Metal Mike and the whole crew up there , they have devised this win – win combination of teaching stewardship of the mountain and its trails, mentoring mountain bike skills at all levels and ages, throwing some great family style barbeques where everyone feels like family, but mostly making the connection of mountain biking and ecology , by making it easy for people like us to come and learn what it takes to maintain a mountain and its trails.

I've now been to Downieville four times, most recently at the 2008 Classic, I've picked up a new bike at the shop, gotten to ride the downhill twice, and volunteered at the event, where we were treated like royalty after sweeping the trail with the kids, and even when we go up to the Yuba just to maintain trails, the vibe is high, the dedication is strong, and the genius of the program makes us want to make the five hour drive back up the mountain as soon
as possible.

My hat goes off to all those warm people who welcomed us to the stewardship program, we are lifers!

LONG LIVE THE TRIBE!

Sincerely,

Mark McAuliffe, Occidental Ca.