This Is Our Year - And We Need Your Help
- Jake E
- May 4
- 3 min read
Updated: May 5
We've been building toward this moment for a long time.
Since FORBA was founded in 2016, we've been chipping away — managing maintenance, raising a few hundred dollars for signs, then a few thousand for bridges, then landing a formal partnership with the City of Winston-Salem that changed everything. Last year we opened Dragon's Lair at Salem Lake and watched young kids experience riding a trail for the first time that we built and I don't think I'll ever get tired of that. Tobacco Road is getting more roughed in and closer to reality. The Bowl is taking shape. We've got more approved trail than we've ever had.
And now we're sitting here with dirt under our fingernails, a list of approved projects longer than anything we've ever attempted, and one thing standing between us and actually building it all:
We need to raise money.
What We're Building This Year
This is our most ambitious year yet — and I mean that in the most literal sense. Here's what's on the table:
Tobacco Road keeps rolling. We're adjusting our strategy to make smarter use of the time we have with heavy equipment, which means when the excavator is out, Tobacco Road will be our primary objective. This backbone trail connecting the west side of Salem Lake all the way to Linville Rd is going to be something special when it's done.
Hobby Park is getting some love. We're adding brand new hand-built singletrack — both reroutes of existing trail and brand new approved lines — we will also be rebuilding and improving the jump line with the excavator. Hobby deserves it. Hobby needs it. It's been a staple of riding in this city for as long as most of us can remember, and we're going to continue to improve it as we can.
New trail at Salem Lake is approved and waiting. More on this as it develops, but the vision for Salem Lake as a destination trail system for all skill levels is very much alive and moving forward.
Wood features. Bridges, drops, skinnies, jumps. The kind of stuff that makes trails memorable and separates a good trail system from a great one.
Signage. Because good trails deserve to be navigable.
Where Does the Money Go?
Here's the rough breakdown:
~$2,000 for insurance — the unglamorous but non-negotiable cost of doing this the right way as an official organization
The biggest chunk goes to renting the excavator. If you've ridden on the north side of Salem Lake in recent months, you know what that machine is capable of. It's the difference between years of hand work and months of real progress.
A significant portion goes toward wood features — bridges, drops, skinnies, and jumps across multiple trail systems
The rest covers signage and basic operating costs like the website that keep this organization running
Turn your dollars into something you can ride.
Construction Is Waiting
Here's the thing — we're not asking for money to figure out what to do. The plans are approved. The partnerships are in place. The volunteers are ready. We know exactly what we're building and how to build it.
We just need the funding to go do it.
That's not something I take lightly to say. We've never been in a position this ready to execute before. The only thing on the critical path right now is this fundraiser.
So if you've ever enjoyed a lap at Salem Lake, thrown a whip off of a jump at Hobby, or just appreciated that Winston-Salem has trails worth riding — this is your moment to be part of making it even better.
How to Help
Make a one-time donation. Any amount helps and it's tax deductible. Head to our PayPal and put it to work.
Become a monthly sustainer. This is honestly the most impactful thing you can do. Monthly members are what keep this organization alive between the big fundraising pushes. $10, $20, $25 a month — it adds up fast and it means we're not starting from zero every year.
Spread the word. We'll take donations from anywhere. If you know someone who loves trails, loves Winston-Salem, or just wants to back something real — send them our way.
We've proven that when this community shows up, things get built. Let's keep that momentum going!
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