A few months back some of the trail builders up at Radar Hill were tiring of the sight of garbage out in the wilderness. They decided to do something about it and organized a clean-up day.
To be clear, the garbage we’re talking about has nothing to do with mountain biking or trail building. It was mass piles of construction waste, household garbage, and random junk dumped in the bush. Also, it didn’t interfere with the trails or any mountain biking, outside of being an eyesore.
Nonetheless, the local trail builders put out the word and the clean up was on.
Swicked donated our hardest working staff member and a truck for the day. The builders, despite putting in thousands of hours doing trail work, gave another day for clean up, and a handful of dedicated riders from our community donated their time and put in a hard day’s work.
After some sweat, some blisters, and many trips to the dump, the area was cleaned up and looking like nature again.
Last week I was riding solo, and with no one to please but me, I rode up toward Radar Hill. As I was approaching the gate, I noticed a pile of fast food garbage in the parking lot.
Apparently someone had gone to the trouble to drive to a restaurant, purchase a meal, and drive up General Hill to enjoy said meal road side while taking in the beauty of the forest.
Then, I imagine, after all that effort they just didn’t have the energy to drive home and dispose of the garbage in a normal way, so they used their last bit of strength to toss all the packaging out the window for others to enjoy later.
I rode past it and headed up the trails. I was trying to enjoy the ride, but instead, I was thinking about all the work that crew put in to clean up this area. It frustrated me that, over time, the laziness of a few can outdo all the hard work done on that clean up day.
On my way back out I stopped, picked up the garbage, and stuffed it into my jersey pockets.
It seems wrong that I have to clean up after some inconsiderate ah0(e, but if those of us that actually care continue to do our part, maybe we can counteract the stupidity of others.
A tall order I know, but I love a challenge. Don’t you?
I’m James Durand and I’m Goin’ Ridin’…
