Motorway Recap, July 12 Fundraiser and BOLT route

Greetings and Salutations!

Read about our recent work on Motorway, join us for our July 12 fundraiser, and learn about our long-term vision for rebuilding the Santa Ana Mountains through the Santa Ana Mountains Traverse, our proposed BOLT route.

Motorway Workday

We had a successful workday this past Saturday, June 20. Thank you to the ten motivated volunteers who got up early to give Motorway some love. A few of these folks were new to trail work and some had never even been on the trail before. It was great to share both our trail building experience and our love for these mountains with everyone but especially the newcomers.

This was also the first time we’ve done dirt work in the summer, made possible by using leftover gallon jugs from VisionQuest. In addition to installing a new drain and repairing an eroding section near the beginning of the trail, we lightly brushed nearly the entirety of Motorway. Since we had done such a great job clearing the trail in April, only a quick tune-up was needed.

Have you ridden Motorway since the workday? Let us know what you think of the trail conditions. We think it’s running the best it has in a long while, so go chase those PRs! As always, please consider using a bell on Motorway–especially if you’re going fast–as it remains popular with hikers.

See the full trail report, including photos on our website.

Sunday July 12 Pilates and Pints Fundraiser

We’re excited to announce a fun fundraiser happening Sunday, July 12. We’ll be hosting a Pilates class at Brewery X in Anaheim followed by drinks (including non-alcoholic options) and pizza.

Why pilates? For starters, it's an incredibly beneficial workout that builds core strength, improves flexibility, and helps prevent injury. Also, Darshan’s wife Natalie teaches Pilates and Darshan takes her classes three times a week.

Why pizza and beer? Like Pilates, they are also good for you, important to a balanced lifestyle.

Darshan will be riding to the event via a circuitous gravel route from Villa Park to the brewery in Anaheim. If you’d like to go the extra mile in earning your pizza and beverage, join him for the ride and discover some of the best gravel in town.

The ride will begin around 6:30-7:00 a.m. (details to be determined). The Pilates class starts at 9:00 a.m., followed by drinks and pizza around 10:00 a.m. Come for the ride, the class, the food and drinks–or all of the above.

For more information and to donate, visit the Pilates and Pints Fundraiser page on our website. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

Biking On Long Distance Trails (BOLT) Route

Last July, we submitted a route for federal recognition as a Long Distance Bike Trail under the BOLT Act. The proposed route traverses the entire northern half of our Santa Ana Mountains, following Main Divide Road from CA-91 to CA-74 and incorporating most of the official Trabuco Ranger District trails.

Our 85-mile route, the Santa Ana Mountains Traverse, was recently included in a report highlighting several outstanding submissions from across the country. While this does not mean the route has received BOLT designation, it is a meaningful step forward in the process.

Why is BOLT recognition important? Simply put, it's about building support for restoring our trail system. Nearly all of the trails that make up this route were damaged or destroyed during the 2024 Airport Fire, and significant work remains before the full traverse becomes possible again.

The work you see on trails like Motorway is just one small piece of that effort. Every volunteer hour, every donation, and every community member who gets involved helps move us closer to making the Santa Ana Mountains Traverse a reality and restoring the broader Santa Ana Mountains trail network for all to enjoy.

If you'd like to support that work, consider joining us at our July 12 Pilates and Pints fundraiser, making a donation through our website or showing up for future workdays.

To learn more about the route and what BOLT recognition means for the Santa Ana Mountains, visit our BOLT Route page and see what’s possible.