Well, howdy folks! If you're just joining us, FORBA is a group of people interested in building and maintaining mountain bike trails in and around Forsyth County, NC. Whether you've been with us a while or you're just showing up, you may be interested in some clarification on what a "barn raising" is exactly. Also known as a "raising bee,” it was when an entire community came together to, literally, help raise a barn. In the span of a day or so, a community could come together to help a member get dry storage for their crops or livestock that would've taken months or years to build by themselves. And for the people who are inevitably asking: What in the Guilford County does that have to do with us? Well, FORBA needs a community to help with few things.
We're a few years into this organization now, and with some regular support from a handful of people, we've been able to manage to buy a few tools, build a website, and some other pretty basic stuff. Now, we're prepping to build our first "barn," or two bridges in this case. Two of our trail systems are in need of super long bridges--one at Hobby to avoid a timber clearing on the Northeast side of the park, and one on the beginner side of Tanglewood to clear a low-lying muddy section that has been impassable for much of the last couple of wet seasons.
To get these bridges done, we will no doubt need a small army of volunteers. But we're also going to need more money than we've ever even fathomed of asking for, a total of $5,000 to complete both bridges.
It's a significant expense for some wood planks to go across some wet sections of trail, but these bridges are necessary if we all want to continue to ride these two popular trail systems. I also know that our local mountain biking community is strong and will come together to "raise this barn,” and make sure that we have what we need to build and maintain mountain bike trails here in Forsyth County, NC.
There are multiple ways you can help out. You can make a one-time donation through PayPal, you can become an annual member, or if you want the most impact you can become a sustainer. Whatever you decide, the outcome is clear: More mountain biking in Forsyth County! Thank you all for your support!