By Marty Basch

Pumps tracks are springing up across the country. And  I had the chance to not only ride one, but help build one.

It's a Loop

What is a pump track? Simply put it is an enclosed dirt loop with rollers and berms.  Think of a BMX track but on a smaller scale. The track can fit on a small piece of land and requires light maintenance.

In towns like Salida, Colorado, pump tracks are part of the municipal multi-use trail system. One of the biggest pump tracks around is in Mark Weir’s Novato, California backyard where they hold the World Championships. There are also pump tracks at mountain bike parks like in Stowe, Vermont and Northfield, New Hampshire.

Volunteer Crew

This pump track was located in North Conway, a resort town in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Armed with rakes, shovels and other tools, about 20 avid mountain bikers from middle school students to the retired crowd spent a morning building the pump track on a small tract of land by the Green Hills Preserve which is an area mountain biking hot spot. The track is located next to the Sticks and Stones Trail which isn’t far from North Conway Village. From Route 16 or North-South Road, travel on Artist Falls Road to the trailhead on Thompson Road.

A few days before work day, track designer Chris Krug and New England Mountain Bike Association White Mountain chapter president Rob Adair spent about five hours with Adair's tractor laying down the groundwork for the small loop, about 75 feet by 40 feet. After all, using a tractor saves on shoveling.

Black Bear Spotted

Under the direction of Krug and Adair, we moved dirt for about three hours with wheel barrows and unearthed several huge rocks in the process. There was plenty of sweat and homemade muffins. One of the highlights was watching a black bear cub amble by the track.

As the work drew to a close, a couple of the high school helpers got on their bikes and test rode the track. So did others. Cyclist input is a critical part of a pump track’s success.

Skill Set

Riding round and round on curves and berms is exciting. It also is a chance to improve bike handling skills that can be used in all disciplines of mountain biking.

For an investment of a little time and sweat. a resort town now has a pump track for both locals and visitors to enjoy. There's no name for it yet. But I think they should call it the Black Bear Pump Track.

One Tank Away

North Conway, N.H. is 360 miles from Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

Stowe, Vt. is 200 miles from Boston.

Northfield, N.H. is 147 miles from Warwick, R.I.