I am currently on the beautiful island of Kauai where the dirt is red and the sea is blue. Before coming here for our honeymoon I looked into places to ride DH on the island. As it turns out there aren’t any places that are legal, or publicized for that matter. So all of it is either private land or not ridden at all! Sounds like Marin County, CA to me.

While on the island we passed a sign on the side of the road for the Annual Labor Day MX race! So I talked the wife into going while on our vacation and we took a bunch of pictures. Keep in mind that I have not been to a MX race in about ten years or so; the last one was a National at Hangtown when 500’s were still being raced outdoors! 

The track had red dirt that felt both soft and grabby at the same time. I found the event organizer, John, and asked if I could walk on course and shoot some pictures.  He enthusiastically responded, “yeah, did you sign the waiver?”  I had signed it so I was good to go.

We hung out and shot all the practices and the first few races. In talking with John I learned that the course is on government land that the state grants access to the riders if they maintain it.  To do so they host races and gather money to pay the insurance and even some wages! With all the issues facing the cycling community today this isn’t that far from being the answer we have been looking for. I grew up in Marin and know there is also a motorcycle club there that does something similar with the land they’ve been granted. Having the government grant the land would be possible with a decent group that shows both organization and determination. Maybe in the near future this will begin to happen in the bike industry as well! I am not 100% sure but am only guessing that these groups are not for profit meaning donations are tax deductible also. To learn more about such organizations check out the Marin County Motorcycle Association website.

Oh and one more thing members pay an annual fee for the privilege to ride and also do maintenance work throughout the year.  Not too much to ask for some legal land to build some sick trails on…don’t you think?