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SDMB TRAIL LOVE CORPS

If you have a trail that you ride regularly and would like to give something back to our sport, join the Trail Love Corps and deliver some 'TLC' to that trail. No specific actions are required. We hope that you'll pick up trail trash and keep the cat claw and mesquite branches pruned back. Just throw a pair of clippers in your camelbak when you ride. Doesn’t have to be perfect on the first pass – a little TLC each time you ride will have things looking and riding great and staying that way.

If the whole trail seems too big a commitment, choose a segment of that trail - e.g. Arizona Trail - Pistol Hill to 2 mi. South of Pistol Hill. Perhaps have a couple of friends join you and apply your TLC to a bigger section.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We’re not talking about adding new sections of trail, rerouting trails or "sanitizing" trails here. The first two would require the prior approval of the land manager and Trail Steward and the last would bring the wrath of your fellow riders down upon you.

Take a look at this handy list... it is your Bible! Remember, people know we're out there taking care of the trails and it reflects badly upon us if it's done wrong.

TRAIL LOVE DOS:

• Pick up trash (each ride leave with more than you brought in). This includes tubes! If you get a flat, don't just toss your old tube, carry it out with you. If you see a discarded tube, pick it up and think of it as a "ghetto stans" tubeless freebie.
• Remove pieces of cactus from the trail (move far away, as they will sprout new growth).
• Trim back new growth that whaps you in the face, arm, leg, etc.
• Trim back to a reasonable joint (new growth upwards or backwards - may necessitate trimming to the base).
• Throw trimmings well off the trail, or, better yet, toss them under a simlar tree/bush so it looks like natural vegetative dropping.
• Kick away loose rocks (fist-size or larger) that can be hazardous to unsuspecting users.
• If more work than what can be done with hand-trimmers appears to be needed, contact the representative TLC contact!
  

DO NOTS:

• DO NOT Leave possibly dangerous branches protruding into possible lines (obvious source of possible injury).
• DO NOT Drop trimmings on or close to existing trail (can easily blow onto or re-root too close to trail - plus unsightly).
• DO NOT Remove any imbedded rock (your "cleaning" is someone elses' "sterilizing," plus adds to erosion. If you can't ride it, walk it).
• DO NOT Re-route lines without experienced supervision/ approval (Making new trail, even if a short bypass, in most places violates land-use rules and if in excess can lead to trail closure - at best, it just scars the land).
• DO NOT Uproot live cactus/trees just to make a more convenient line (many plants are protected, and again, if you can't ride it, walk it).

If you’d like to be a part of this effort to keep your favorite trails in shape, just start carrying those hand pruners (a folding trail saw can be handy, too) and let us know which trail is getting your TLC. If someone already has signed on for your favorite, join them! There’s a lot of cat-claw out there. The Corps needs all the troops it can get!

E-mail the Webmaster to add your trail to the list!