Pain, passion, patience and pay-dirt

Chaos and Community building in the California.

Could you resuscitate a community and potentially save your hometown?

That’s what the guys and girls at Downieville Classic ended up doing, but didn’t even know they were doing it at the time.

The town of Downieville in the northern Sierra range high above California has been a gold rush mecca, timber mecca and now it’s the turn of mountain biking.




The new Patagonia film Dirt Magic | From Dying Mining Town to Mountain-Bike Mecca, along with @tetongravity and @freehubmag is an inspirational piece on how, why and what extreme sports and passionate people can do at a grassroots level to change things for the better and give back more than you take.

As well as the festivals and contests the community has at its heart the non-profit Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship who work towards a better way of doing things.

‘Our mission is building sustainable recreation-based communities through stewardship, job creation and world-class events. Providing quality outdoor experiences through trail construction and maintenance in the Lost Sierra.’

Groups of paid locals keep the trails open for the bikers, hikers and horse riders

And it certainly seems to be working. Groups of paid locals keep the trails open for the bikers, hikers and horse riders who now flock to the Californian mountains. And through the Patagonia film you certainly get a sense that things are working. It’s pretty inspiring stuff.

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Image: Patagonia

The All Mountain World championships combines the Cross-Country Adventure Race and the famous, and infamous, Downievilee Downhill Race, that is not so much to be raced as survived.

If your crackers enough to have a go the next hare-brained contest and rambunctious mountain bike festival kicks off 30th July 2020, their 25th anniversary. Just make sure your travel insurance covers breaks, bruises and battered livers.

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