Hello there,

Spring is starting to wake up across the Upstate, and that means one thing for riders — more time on the trails.

With daylight saving time kicking in, evenings are getting longer and the dirt is starting to come back to life. Over the past few weeks we’ve also seen great momentum from our members — new riders joining, volunteers putting in work on the trails, and plans shaping up for the months ahead.

Let’s take a look at what’s happening this month with SAMBA.

Quick Trail Updates

Here’s what’s coming up on the calendar:

March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day 🍀
March 19 – SAMBA Board Meeting
March 21 – Croft Trail Work Day
May 16 – StumpJump Race Returns

More details below.

⏰ Daylight Saving Time = More Ride Time

Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 8, and that means the return of longer evenings on the trails.

Later sunsets bring back one of the best parts of riding season — after-work laps and mid-week rides.

You may lose an hour of sleep that weekend, but you gain a lot more daylight on the bike.

🍀 St. Patrick’s Day Ride Motivation

No official ride planned for St. Patrick’s Day… but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate.

Wear something green, grab your bike, and go find some hero dirt.

Just remember:

Ride your bike. Wear green. Avoid pinch flats.

🛠️ Trail Work Day — March 21

Trail season means trail work season, and we’re getting back after it.

📅 Saturday, March 21
📍 Croft State Park (same meeting location as last month)
🕘 Meet at 9:00 AM (Work will be from 9:30-Noon)

We’ll be heading back out to High & Dry, picking up where we left off and working the opposite direction down the trail.

Bring:

• Gloves
• Hand tools if you have them
• Water
• A friend

Even an hour of help makes a difference, and every bit of work improves the trails we all ride.

Small Bridge, Big Difference on High & Dry

Sometimes the smallest improvements make the biggest difference.

Recently, the Cash brothers installed a small bridge section on High & Dry. While it may not be the largest project we’ve done, it has already had a big impact on ride quality and trail durability.

This type of work helps protect the trail from erosion and keeps the flow smooth for riders coming through that section.

Huge thanks to the Cash brothers for putting in the time and effort to make Croft even better.

🚴 Weekly Rides Continue

Our Wednesday Night Ride at Southside is still rolling.

These rides are a great way to connect with other riders and get a mid-week reset on the bike.

Check Spond or Facebook for ride updates and trail conditions.

🚧 StumpJump Returns May 16

Planning is already underway for this year’s StumpJump race, and we’re excited to bring back two course options again this year.

More details will be coming soon as we finalize the course and event plans.

Mark your calendars for May 16.

🌱 Spring Trail Reminder — Wet Trail Etiquette

Spring riding also means changing trail conditions.

If trails are very wet or muddy, consider waiting until things dry out before riding.

This helps prevent:

• Trail ruts
• Erosion
• Long-term trail damage

A little patience now keeps our trails in great shape for everyone.

🌱 Quick Spring Question

We’d love to hear from you.

What are you most excited for this spring?

• Longer evening rides
• Trail work days
• Group rides
• StumpJump

Hit reply to this email and let us know — we read every response.

📅 Stay Updated With Our Event Calendar

We maintain a SAMBA events calendar so members can keep up with rides, trail days, and events.

Visit:

https://ridewithsamba.org/events.php

Click the + icon in the bottom right corner to subscribe and automatically add SAMBA events to your Google Calendar.

🧢 Membership Update

We’re excited to welcome 13 new members recently, along with 8 renewals and extensions.

If you haven’t checked your membership recently, we’ve made it even easier.

Our website now includes a membership lookup feature, so you can quickly see when your membership expires.

Check your membership here:

https://ridewithsamba.org/join/

Your membership helps support trail maintenance, events, and the continued growth of mountain biking in Spartanburg.

📸 Share Your Ride Photos

Have a great photo from the trail?

Send it to:

board@ridewithsamba.org

We love featuring community photos in our newsletters and social posts.

See You on the Trails

Spring riding season is getting started, and the momentum in our community keeps growing.

Whether you're helping out on a trail day, joining a Wednesday ride, or just sneaking in a quick lap at Croft — every ride helps strengthen the mountain biking community here in Spartanburg.

Work. Ride. Repeat.

— The SAMBA Board

🚴🚴🚴Spartanburg Area Mountain Bike Association🚴🚴🚴
ridewithsamba.org