Hello SAMBA Community,

Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! We’re kicking off the year with strong momentum across our trail system and an energized mountain bike community. Thanks to everyone who rides, volunteers, shows up to events, and supports SAMBA — your involvement is what keeps trails improving and our community growing.

🎄 Christmas Party Recap — Thank You!

Thank you to Holliday Brewing for hosting, and to everyone who stopped by our Christmas party. It was a great way to close out the year — good conversations, good company, and plenty of stoke for what’s ahead.

🚴 Membership Drive @ Trek Spartanburg — January 17

Renew • Join • Bring a Friend

📅 Saturday, January 17, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – Noon
📍 Trek Store — Spartanburg
🚵 Group ride to follow

We heard you — and we’re bringing it back! Join us at the Spartanburg Trek Store for our annual membership drive. Renew your membership, grab your SAMBA t-shirt, enjoy coffee, donuts, bikes, and friends, then stick around for a group ride to kick off 2026 the right way.

👉 Join or Renew SAMBA
👉 Bring a Friend

🛠️ Trail Work Day — January 24

Trail work continues this month, and we’d love your help. Details and any updates will be shared in Spond and on social.

⭐ Volunteer Spotlight — Thank You, Joe Cash

A huge thank you to Joe Cash for stepping up and putting in extra work at Southside. While the park built a new bridge, it needed a little extra attention to make it truly bike-ready. Joe jumped in, made the improvements, and the results have been fantastic — several riders have already crossed it and the feedback has been great.

This is a perfect example of how small efforts make a big impact on the trail.

👕 Work. Ride. Repeat.

You’ll start seeing a familiar phrase pop up this year:

Work. Ride. Repeat.

It’s more than a slogan — it’s how we build trails, community, and momentum.
More soon. 👀

💬 SAMBA Member Chat — Now on Spond

Spond is our official member-only chat for ride invites, trail work updates, and quick announcements.

🧢 Why Join SAMBA in 2026?

Your membership directly supports:

• Local trail building and maintenance

• Weekly rides and social events

• Member-only communication via Spond

• Partner discounts and member perks

• Signature events like Stump Jump

• Advocacy for current and future trail access

• Trail improvements like the Southside bridge updates

Membership fuels everything we do.

🔧 Quick Winter Riding Tip

Cold temps drop tire pressure and increase drivetrain wear.

Before you roll:

• Check tire PSI

• Clean and lube your chain more often

• Carry lights — daylight fades fast

• Respect soft trails after rain

A few minutes of prep keeps rides smooth all winter.

🤝 Help Grow the Community

The easiest way to grow SAMBA? Bring a friend. Invite them to the membership drive, a ride, or a trail work day — we’ll help take it from there.

Your next step:
📍 January 17 — Trek Spartanburg
☕ Coffee & donuts
👕 Renew or join
🚴 Ride with friends

Winter’s the perfect time to keep the momentum going — on the trails and in the community. Join a trail day, come to a meetup, or just get out and ride with us. Together, we’re shaping the future of mountain biking in Spartanburg — one ride at a time.

— The SAMBA Board

📅 Calendar Updates

Want to stay in the loop on trail work days, group rides, meetings, and special events?

We maintain a shared Google Calendar that anyone can subscribe to.

👉 View & subscribe here:
https://ridewithsamba.org/events.php

Just click the ➕ (Plus) icon in the bottom-right corner of the calendar to subscribe. Once added, you’ll receive automatic updates for all SAMBA events — and it’s free.

📸 Want to Be Featured?

Have a great trail photo, group shot, or event moment you’d like to share?

📧 Email us at board@ridewithsamba.org — we’d love to feature it in an upcoming newsletter or on social media.

❄️ Wrapping It Up

Winter is the perfect time to keep the momentum going — on the trails and in the community. Whether you’re joining a trail work day, stopping by the membership drive, or just getting out for a ride, every bit of involvement helps move SAMBA forward.

Together, we’re shaping the future of mountain biking in Spartanburg — one ride at a time.

🚴 Ride safe, shred hard, and we’ll see you on the trails!

— The SAMBA Board
🚴🚴🚴 Spartanburg Area Mountain Bike Association 🚴🚴🚴