LOCALadk Magazine

2242 Saranac Ave. Lake Placid, NY 518-523-4128 BRANDS WE CARRY: SPECIALIZED SANTA CRUZ CERVELO TREK JULIANA GAZELLE SALES | SERVICE | RENTALS | E-BIKES LOCALadk 34 being built on the land, trails here feel integrated into the landscape. One of the things I love most about living in the Adirondacks is the strong sense of community. The best part is that the community is open to anyone who wants to be a part; local, visitor, it doesn't mat- ter. Show up for a weeknight group ride not knowing anybody, and you'll be welcomed by all. While that shouldn't be rare, many local communities seem to lack that warmth. BETA's Trail Coordinator, Dusty Grant, told me, "I think the people who live here rec- ognize how lucky we are. We're so proud of what we have that we actively want to share it with others." This warmth is on full display at yearly mountain bike festivals throughout the park. In August and September, we'll see the return of the annual Adiron- dack MTB Fest in Old Forge, Wheelerville MTB Fest in Caroga Lake, and Wilmington MTB Festival (now in its seventh year). In late September of this year, the Ad- irondack community will welcome the best cross-coun- try mountain bikers in the world when the UCI World Cup races are held at Mt Van Hovenberg in Lake Placid. My wife Rachel and I have traveled long distances to many World Cups over the years, so it's still hard to believe we'll have one eight minutes from our house. Even if you are the most casual of riders, I encourage you to check out this event. It's awe-inspiring to see the strength and skill level of these athletes. When I think about what makes this place so spe- cial, it comes back to the unique character of the land and the people who live here. That character shows through in our trails and the experiences they create. In the Adirondacks, we build trails for our community. Anybody who wants to be a part of that community is welcome, but we don't build trails to be a riding des- tination. Many of the famous destinations I visit feel a bit homogenized. They built trails to boast mileage and to bring people from far and wide. They build trails largely to drive tourism. Their trails feel more like an amusement park than a natural experience. I won't lie; many of those places are fun to visit, but I can't imagine living there. By making the long play, trail organizations here have created something unique and special. In the early days, we focused on serving our community by building trails simply to create recreational oppor- tunities and connect people to nature. That mission continues, but in recent years, Adirondack trail orga- nizations have matured and expanded their mission to create community - connecting people to each other. That's what trails really do. t Photo Credit: Eric Teed

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