IMBA Australia

Way back when I was just a humble trail builder, living in Melrose SA, I was inspired to write this article for the Bicycle SA Newsletter.

Bowmanic Philosophy: My Dreamtime and the Fine Line in Design

Long have I stared at that mountain. While the sun sets and the breeze in the trees reminds me of the distant ocean. Its’ rugged beauty erupting from the dry plains and casting a cooling shadow on the dry land.

A trail runs from the foot of the mountain to the summit, and it provides easy access for the masses. It is interesting that there is no view for those that take the challenge to ascend the mountain. In this case, it is purely about the journey. You may know this mountain as Mt Remarkable (Flinders Ranges, SA).

In the shade of the mountain thoughts come to me like eddies in the dust. Building, peaking, fading. I write them down to capture the moment and pay homage to the rocky slopes. I think how nice it is to ride in the bush where I am more likely to be taken out by a roo than a roo bar. To know that if I make a mistake out here on my own, I might die. To make trails, rather than follow them.

I have seen tumble weeds blow down the main street of Melrose, and that’s when I like it best. I think I most enjoy riding in Melrose when some friends and I have the trails to ourselves, having fun without even trying. This is the charm of the place, getting away from it all and enjoying the mellow pace of a small country town. So this is the big challenge for Melrose, to attract cycle tourism without causing negative impacts on the charm and character of the town. To find a balance between strategic, thoughtful progress and the authenticity of southern Flinders Ranges town that is busting with quaint and quirky.

It is the same with building mountain bike trails. The trails need to provide an element of chaos, a nature flavour, to be challenging and fun. If every corner is predictable, then you might as well be in a velodrome. We can make trails safe, we can make them environmentally friendly, but the true challenge is to provide trails that blend with nature. Trails that challenge riders every time you ride them, so that when you get to the end and you have not had to put a foot down anywhere, with both you and your bike in correct working order, you are ecstatic with joy, as you know there is no guarantee you will get it all right the next time. Personally, I love trails that require skill rather than fitness. It can’t always be about how fast you go, but about the experience you have. So yes it comes back to the journey, not the destination.

Adding chaos to trails is tricky. There is no formula, no system and no guru to tell you how to do it. It is pure gut feel, possibly a little insanity or masochism. The trail designer needs to behave like a jazz musician and forget everything he or she has learned and just let it flow. Pure improvisation and ongoing sensitivity is what is needed. Like the jazz musician who can perceive the emotions of the audience and act accordingly, a good trail builder can interpret the vibe of the area, the essence of its being and through that process, pay the upmost respect for the land. It is then that every trail will become truly unique and recognisable in an instant.

So thank you to the mountain, for all that it has shared with me. It is like a great pyramid and the energy it magnifies recharges my soul.