Blog
20 | Jun | '23
Liz Lunderman
The 2023 Dirty Dozen
Summer is here and that means more time to travel and explore the great riding all over our state! To celebrate, Evergreen chapters across the state have put together their list of Washington trails that should be on your short list for this year's ride season.
01 | May | '23
Liz Lunderman
North Bend sits just 30 miles from Seattle and has some of the best riding in the state, rising above it on the ridges visible only a couple miles southwest of town. This “mountain town” has great access to many things, but unfortunately, the best way to get to any good riding still requires a drive… until now.
16 | Feb | '23
Liz Lunderman
If you have been riding on Tiger or Raging River, you might have run into Evergreen Trail Builder, Alex Showerman. New to the Evergreen community, Alex shares with us her experience as a trail builder, mountain biker, and advocate in ten questions.
25 | Jan | '23
Liz Lunderman
When a storm rolls through and reports for downed trees start popping up on social media, in emails, and in parking lot chatter, Evergreen sends the Bat-Signal to our dedicated Evergreen Volunteer Sawyer crew to come in and clear the way.
The chainsaw is a loud, hungry beast, and there is a serious risk involved with its use. Locating, assessing, and dispatching the blowdowns can take grueling hours of walking in the woods carrying saws, fuel, and gear. And usually not in the most favorable weather conditions. Properly deemed ‘Riders of the Storm,’ Evergreen sawyers are a unique and dedicated brigade; geared up with heavy equipment and hours of training to keep the trails we all ride cleared, smooth, and safe.
18 | Jan | '23
Liz Lunderman
There is always a level of risk we take when we hit the trail. With climate change escalating weather, we are feeling the effects of more intense snow, rain, and wind storms here in Washington. Nature is powerful. Hundreds of trees and lots of debris can block and clutter trails in one storm.
It is important as outdoor recreationalists to actively watch the weather and make wise choices on when and where to ride. Let’s say you're itching to hop on the bike after being cooped up by one of those storms. You're in your flow on the downhill, and then bam downed tree. What do you do?
21 | Dec | '22
Liz Lunderman
Evergreen is #RiderPowered. And every year that means hundreds of volunteers are out in the woods helping build and maintain trails across Washington State, spending time in meetings and advocating for great trails, and teaching riders new skills. The dedication of these folks are the foundation of our organization, the stewards of our extensive trail systems, and the glue that bonds our community together.
02 | Dec | '22
Liz Lunderman
Imagine having someone tell you; you cannot ride your mountain bike. What would happen if the one hobby you find true joy in is not accessible to you anymore? That is what happened to Evergreen Statewide Board Member, Vern Boyles.
21 | Nov | '22
Liz Lunderman
The Evergreen community is giving thanks for and remembering one of the founding members of our West Sound chapter, John Hawkins, who passed away suddenly this week. Without John, our West Sound chapter might never have come to be.
27 | Oct | '22
Liz Lunderman
In August, we asked our trail builders, “Why do you build trails?” Some had answers right away. Others pondered the question while digging in the woods. For Brian Tustison, it came to him a few months later when he was joking around with David Fleischhauer, Evergreen’s trail program manager.
“I caught myself joking with David, 'I'll make that happen once I am not depressed.’ It got me thinking about how mountain biking has helped pull me out of those dark times.”
When Brian sat down with us to talk about his ‘Why I Trail Build’ story, we found another message that Brian thought was important for the community: it is okay not to be okay. The more we talked about mental health and how mountain biking and trail building can positively impact mood, the more he realized how important it is to share his story.
Matt Blossom, a trail builder in our West Sound Chapter, is also a big advocate for destigmatizing mental health. Brian and he are close buds on the trail, and after discussing the project, Matt felt moved to share his story as well.
Brian and Matt openly discuss their journeys in hopes of shedding light on the benefits mountain biking and trail building have brought to them. This is in no way saying mountain biking can fix depression. This story is about how bringing exercise, the outdoors, and community into one's life, are keystone pieces known for generating happiness, and how this has positively impacted Evergreen trail builders.