The Piedmont High School Mountain Bike Team used their regular practice time on Sunday Dec 11 to perform trail maintenance in Joaquin Miller Park.
Park trail use skyrocketed during the pandemic, and as a result the trails in Joaquin Miller have been heavily used and are in much need of maintenance. Trail work in the City of Oakland park is mostly performed by volunteer groups and the mountain bike community are among the most frequent contributors. The Piedmont High School Team feels an additional sense of purpose and ownership given they are one of the local high school mountain bike teams closest to Joaquin Miller Park and ride the trails frequently.
The work team was led by John Roberts, a local expert on trail design and advocacy, who is also a team parent and coach. The weather cooperated with no actual rain, but enough water from the last storm to show the team where to work. According to John, when the trails are damp it is ideal for seeing where the trails need drainage.
“We had a terrific day of trail maintenance at Joaquin Miller Park. It felt great to give back!” said Coach Heidi Sawicki
In addition to performing trail work days, the Piedmont High School Mountain Bike Team regularly carries trash bags while they are out riding the trails in Joaquin Miller Park to pick up any trash they see along the way.
The Piedmont High School Mountain Bike team started their season on December 1 and is now accepting new riders until January 15, 2023. For more information, see www.piedmontmtb.com or email piedmontbiking@gmail.com.
