LapQuest: A Race to Celebrate Trail Building at LL Stub Stewart State Park
Last week in Portland and throughout the Pacific Northwest, we experienced what is called an “Atmospheric River.” I’m definitely no meteorologist, but what that meant was rain … and A LOT of it. Sure, we’re used to rain already, but this was an absurd amount. While usually, that’s not a big deal, I was worried because LapQuest was scheduled for Saturday at LL Stub Stewart State Park. LapQuest is a yearly race put on by Ted Dodd, lead trail steward for the Northwest Trail Alliance at what we affectionately call “Stub.” But LapQuest is more than a race; instead, it’s a celebration of all of the trail building that happens every year.
On Friday, the rain kept pounding. There’s rain, and then there’s an Atmospheric River. I kept checking my email, texts, and social media, fearing the whole event would be called off. I had already committed to taking photos of the event. I never want to miss an opportunity like this to hang out with volunteer trail builders. Sure enough, Saturday morning arrived. I double-checked my phone, and nothing. The event was still on. Overnight, the rain stopped.
I’ve been a fan of Stub and have been riding there for years. It has a special place in my heart. Many riders avoid it because a good bit of it requires pedaling (gasp!). For those who love long descents and shuttled runs, Stub is not where they ride (unless you’re looping the freeride area). Don’t get me wrong, I love descents too, but I enjoy pedaling and climbing even more. Stub is where I go when I want a fun cardio challenge, and I can loop it repeatedly.
Each trail system managed by volunteers at the Northwest Trail Alliance has its regular crew of “locals.” These people are particularly passionate about a specific trail system and spend most of their time volunteering there. Ted regularly schedules build days throughout our prime building season (Fall through Spring). On top of that, he started what he calls a “Trail Ninja” program. Not everyone can make scheduled weekend work projects. Instead, these Trail Ninjas, usually 1-3 people, go out and work on projects when they can fit it into their schedules (e.g., mid-week, etc.). That means the trail system at Stub has an army of trained ninjas (I mean, volunteer trail builders) constantly working.
On Saturday, over 50 riders showed up to race and celebrate. While it was timed, it was more about fun and community. The goal was to do four laps in four hours. While for some, that’s doable when the trails are dry, it’s even more of a challenge when we’ve been having a lot of rain. We had every kind of rider and bike show up … XC race bikes, enduro rigs, e-mountain bikes, 90s mountain bikes, and everything in between. I even saw a gravel bike. Those committed to speed donned lycra kits while everyone else rocked whatever was comfortable, including full-face helmets.
The race began with a mass start and then a pedal up the Banks-Vernonia State Trail, an old railroad line that was converted to a paved bike path. After a few miles, the riders shot off the paved trail onto dirt into the state park. The race was on.
During this past year, I had been to Stub to take photos of different work parties. Some of the dig days included building a temporary bypass bridge since a bridge across a stream had to be closed off. One of the support beams (logs) was cracking and bowing. A group of volunteers led by Ted had to devise a way to cross the stream until the main bridge could be replaced. The crew cut a new (steep) path down to the water, constructed a temporary bridge across, and then cut steps so riders could hike their bikes back out. Some who rode LapQuest were in for a fun surprise when they got to this hike-a-bike section. That is precisely where I went to capture the struggle with my camera.
Even in the midst of some mud and the now infamous hike-a-bike section, everyone was having a blast. There were many smiling mud-splattered faces even when pushing or carrying their bikes out of the stream crossing.
The race finished up back where it started. Most riders only did 1-2 laps; a group did three. Only a few made it to four. Afterward was a BBQ and celebration not only of the race but all of the work that has been done building and maintaining trails at Stub. LapQuest was a good reminder for me about how much people care about trails. There would be no LapQuest without volunteer trail builders. Without an active and long-standing partnership with rangers at the state park, there would be no trails. So often, when we show up to ride, most of us are unaware that what we’re pedaling on is the result of years of active advocacy, building partnerships with the land owners or stewards, policy work, and funding before the first trail is installed. Even then, hundreds and thousands of hours go into building and maintaining these trails.
I am grateful for what I saw at LapQuest. It was a celebration of all the work put in at Stub.
Words: Sean Benesh Photos: Sean Benesh
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University, where he also leads and coaches the WPU Cycling Club.
