⁶Hello SAMBA Community,

July was hot, humid, and somehow still full of people showing up with tools in hand — which pretty much sums up why this club works. August kicked off with the return of our Beginner Ride, there's more work coming on the Holston trails, and there's a big opportunity for anyone who's been thinking about stepping into a bigger role with SAMBA. Let's get into it.

🛠️ Recap: July Trail Day at Duncan Park

On Saturday, July 18, we teamed up with PAL and Friends of Duncan Park for a trail day at Duncan Park Stadium — and the turnout was excellent. We also had folks from Friends of DuPont and SCCM come out and put in work alongside us, which made a real difference in what we were able to accomplish in a single morning.

Big thanks to Leith and Eric, who were already talking about doing it again before the day was even over. That's the kind of energy that turns a one-off workday into an actual partnership. SCCM has also asked about our next trail day — with race season kicking off at the end of August, there's real motivation to keep the momentum going.

🚵 The Beginner Ride Is Back

The Beginner Ride returned this past Saturday, August 1, at Holston Creek Park — the first one since we took a break, and it's officially back on the schedule. Rides continue at 9:00 AM through September and October, so if you missed this one, there's plenty more coming.

If you're new to riding, or coming back after a long time off, this is the ride to start with. No pressure, no drop, and nobody's checking your Strava. Watch Spond for the next date — and bring a friend who's been saying they "should really try mountain biking sometime."

⛏️ Next Trail Work Day

We don't have an August date locked in just yet — watch Spond and Facebook for the announcement, and we'll get it out as soon as it's confirmed.

When it drops, come as you are. Bring gloves, water, closed-toe shoes, and a friend — we've got the tools covered. And don't talk yourself out of it because you can't stay all day. One hour of raking, lopping, or hauling still moves the needle. Some of our best progress this year has come from people who showed up "just for a bit."

🧂 August in the Upstate is no joke — replace what you sweat out. Grab a free LMNT sample pack with your first order using our referral link: ridewithsamba.org/lmnt

📅 Upcoming Events

• 🚵 Beginner Ride @ Holston Creek Park — Continuing at 9:00 AM through September and October. Holston Creek Park, 7561 New Cut Rd, Inman, SC 29349. Next date posting to Spond soon.

• 🌙 Wednesday Night Rides — Every Wednesday at Southside (584 Groce Rd). Year-round, all skill levels.

🌲 Trail & Project Updates

Plenty happening across our systems:

• Holston — The dip on Moss Mile is on the list, along with corrections to the beginning of the main loop, rework on a few berms (including the one on Prickly Pear), and fixing the end of Moss Mile on TrailForks so your GPS finally agrees with reality.

• Croft — The board is working through logistics on relocating the storage container and sorting out access at the Flying Knights field.

• Equipment — We're evaluating professional-grade trail-building equipment to help us tackle the bigger projects more efficiently. More to come.

Huge thanks to Bruce Humphries for keeping the trail work list organized and pushing these projects forward, and to everyone who's logged hours this year. Remember to record your volunteer time on the hour sheet on our website — those numbers matter when we're advocating for our trails.

🙋 Board Nominations Are Open

This one's important. We're accepting nominations for The Board! If you've ever thought "I'd like to have more of a say in where this club goes" — this is that moment. Nominate yourself or nominate someone you think would crush it. Reach out to any current board member or reply to this email.

🌙 Wednesday Night Rides

Wednesday Night Rides continue at Southside, and the format is simple: heading out to ride? Post it on Spond and see who joins you. Some of the best rides of the year have started as a "hey, anybody out tonight?" message. All skill levels welcome — check Spond and Facebook for meet times and any last-minute changes.

💬 Join Us on Spond

Spond is our official member chat — ride invites, trail work updates, quick announcements, and the occasional post-ride food debate all live there. If you're not in yet, jump in: https://spond.com/invite/RUEJP

🎟️ Membership

If your membership is up for renewal, take two minutes and knock it out: ridewithsamba.org/join

Your membership directly supports:

• 🛠️ Trail building and maintenance across our local systems

• 🚵 Weekly group rides and beginner rides

• 🎉 Club events and gatherings

• 💬 Access to our Spond member community

• 🏁 StumpJump, our signature spring race

• 📣 Trail advocacy with parks and partners

• 🏷️ Discounts with our partner shops

And a shout-out to our sponsors — including AFL and Polydeck. Local support is what keeps dirt under our tires.

☀️ August Riding Tip

Ride early or ride late. Midday August heat in the Upstate turns a fun lap into a survival exercise fast. Start hydrating the night before, carry more water than you think you need, and don't be a hero on a 95° afternoon — the trail will still be there at 7 PM.

Question for you: What's your go-to summer ride time — sunrise or sunset? Hit reply and let us know. 🌅🌇

🗓️ Never Miss an Event

Our full calendar lives at ridewithsamba.org/events.php. Click the + icon in the corner to subscribe and pull SAMBA events straight into your own calendar. It's free!

📷 Send Us Your Photos

Have a great trail photo? Send it to board@ridewithsamba.org — we'd love to feature it!

🤙 See You Out There

Between the Duncan Park partnership, the Holston improvements, and the Beginner Ride back on the calendar, there's a lot of good stuff in motion right now. All of it happens because members show up — with a tool, on a bike, or just with a friend they talked into trying singletrack for the first time.

Work. Ride. Repeat.

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

— The SAMBA Board

🚲 Spartanburg Area Mountain Bike Association | ridewithsamba.org 🚲