The Driving Range.

THE DRIVING RANGE STORY

For many mountain bikers, there is nothing more thrilling than getting out and exploring new terrain; the jangle of nerves on an unfamiliar feature, the rush of a rapid-fire downhill and the fist bump with friends at the top of an epic climb. When you live in a place like Vermont, where mountain biking trails abound and the sport is front and center in the outdoor recreation scene, it’s easy to take trail access for granted. But if you are a mountain biker riding an adaptive bike, the experience is not so simple. When your bike can easily be rolled by a steep berm, certain features are completely impassible and riding in a group is required for safety and support across too-narrow bridges, exploring new terrain can be terrifying and unsafe.

Richmond Mountain Trails recognizes the benefits of adding new terrain in a community with a high demand for trail access. Not only do new trails improve the experience of those seeking outdoor adventure, but they serves the community by offsetting the burden of use on existing trails and increasing investment in our local economy. When we had the opportunity to design and build The Driving Range network, on 256 acres of private land, we knew there was a new way to serve the recreation community - by creating a fully inclusive mountain bike network.

By building an adaptive-friendly network, from design through construction, Richmond Mountain Trails is providing miles of safe, thrilling and new trails that can accommodate all riders. With trails that give adaptive riders a sense of belonging, that allow access to miles of trails in one location, and that are equally exciting and fun for riders on two-wheeled mountain bikes, The Driving Range will be a truly inclusive place to ride. We are excited to be a part of the movement across the state to improve inclusivity and access in Mountain Biking.

The local community shares our excitement about building The Driving Range. Volunteers came out in droves every weekly trail night for the last two years, logging over 4000 hours of trail building and allowing us to exceed the original goals. The energy and enthusiasm of the individuals who worked side by side, planning, digging, and laughing was inspiring. Additionally, local recreation groups Vermont Huts, Bolton Valley, Catamount Trail, Velomont and CRAG Vermont, as well as two other chapters of VMBA, donated funding for a parking area for accessing the network. Partnership with the Kelly Brush Foundation, which empowers individuals with spinal cord injuries to lead active lives, and support from volunteers for Vermont Adaptive, has ensured that the trails are adaptive-ready. Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) has supported the project with generous grant funding. For those of us steering the efforts, the sense of community on site and the way other recreation organizations came together in support of the network have been the highlights of the process thus far.

We have already completed phase two of building this season. With the collaboration and financial support of the other recreation organizations, we built a 53-car parking lot at the trailhead. This lot will be used by adaptive riders, traditional cyclists, hikers, climbers, visitors to local huts, and skiers - all trail users. Combining the trails completed last season and the professional building completed this summer , we opened nearly 4 miles of trails in August. With the universal building design, adrenaline-pumping jump trail, progressive features, and miles of new terrain to explore, The Driving Range is a destination for all mountain bikers in our area and across the state.

In 2024, we plan to build two final downhills and complete the network. While the plans are in motion, the execution requires more fundraising. RMT continues to work with donors and available grants to reach this goal.

This project is in full swing with lots of work ahead. We need your help physically and financially. Please give your time at our weekly trail this next season and if you can, give to our Trail Building GoFundMe. Please donate here!