When I first laid eyes on the new pump track park at the Riverview Sports Park in Truckee, I was in disbelief. My mind had a hard time comprehending how this vast and spectacular mountain bike playground could have sprung from municipal land that fast. Hadn’t it been less than one year since the first rumors circulated about the mere possibility of such a public cycling facility? Surely the hoops of approvals and fundraising should have tripped up the dream somewhere within the course of a short winter?
A long blink and a couple ecstatic expletives under my breath cleared any confusion. There it was, basking under the soft afternoon shade of a dozen stately pine trees — an immaculately crafted sculpture garden built out of rich dirt to burn the legs and blow the minds of eager cyclists. The fantasy of a local pump track was now a reality, and in record time.
The reason a new public pump track is such an exciting development for local mountain bikers has everything to do with the thrill ride itself. A pump track is an undulating dirt course built to loop around without pedaling. It’s reminiscent of a BMX track, only the features are packed closer together. The rounded, tightly spaced terrain features allow you to “pump” the down transitions and keep up your speed as you fly around the bermed corners, wheelie through the whoops, and boost the jumps. Trail intersections that can be ridden both ways allow for endless loop variations and, accordingly, infinite fun in a finite area like a skate park.
All that pumping and jumping requires practiced strength and provides a solid workout, plus a hearty dose of adrenaline when you rail corners without touching the brakes. The facility was designed to welcome all skill levels and includes a beginner track perfect for push bikes, an intermediate loop track, and a pump park built for advanced skill progression. Toddlers, teenagers, bros, pros, moms, and dads will all be able to ride around the park together.
At the top of the list of whom we have to thank for the overnight success of the pump track project sits Truckee residents Brooks McMullin and Mark Featherstone. These two avid local cyclists earned the project’s approval from the Truckee Recreation and Park District and the Truckee Sanitary District before organizing a $45,000 fundraising effort to get the track designed and constructed by a crew of professional trail builders affiliated with the International Mountain Bike Association. This IMBA “Trail Solutions” crew, led by veteran MTB pro rider Randy Spangler, built the track during the month of May.
McMullin is more thrilled than anyone about the new park, but he was quick to pass off the recognition when I caught up with him between his first laps around the track.
“Mark and I may have organized the idea but it was a runaway snowball from the start,” said McMullin. “The support from the community has been unbelievable. We want to extend a special thanks to Jim Granger Excavation, Alpenglow Engineering, Green Envy, Peak Landscape, Western Nevada Supply, Specialized Bicycles, Olympic Bike Shop, Cyclepaths, the Shane McConkey Foundation, Truckee Rotary, Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation, Biking For A Better World, the Cottonwood Restaurant, IMBA, TDRPD, TSD and the hundreds of other individuals that supported the project. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”
The grand opening celebration for the Truckee Pump Track Park will be held on Sunday, June 10 from 12 to 5 p.m. at the Riverview Sports Park. The event will begin with a ribbon cutting followed by a free barbecue, refreshments, and live music. After the party, the track will be open seven days a week sunrise to sunset. The park is irrigated to keep the dust down, which will mandate temporary closures in the early morning and late afternoon post-watering. Riding a wet track creates dangerous and damaging ruts, so riders are also asked to stay off the track after rain storms until it has dried out.
Pump track riders will be required to wear a helmet and protective pads and obey the park rules regarding the types of bicycles allowed on the track. The ideal bike for a pump track is a hard tail or dirt jumper style mountain bike equipped with tires that have a non-aggressive tread pattern. Cross-country full-suspension bikes with the proper tires will also work, but burly downhill full-suspension bikes with knobby tires are not allowed as the aggressive tires and heavy bikes will damage the contours of the track.
There’s little doubt that the new pump track park is destined to become one of the most popular recreation facilities in Truckee. Between the thrills, the exercise, and the social potential, the pump track will be a fun magnet for mountain bikers of every generation. Here’s hoping the facility is treated with the respect it deserves and it’s popularity can be a springboard for future community supported parks and rec projects. The overnight success of the pump track showed how our collective power can make real change when we get the right snowballs rolling.
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