24 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY® FAMILY 2026-2027 On a recent Saturday morning, hundreds of teens gathered at the Fort Ord Day Camp Cycling Area in East Garrison, in full cycling gear. Many sat on mountain bikes underneath tents, pedaling in place to warm up for the day’s competition. Others were already tearing up the four-mile course deep in Fort Ord National Monument, vying for position. Various local caterers were serving up lunch for hungry riders, while parent volunteers were stationed throughout the venue, taking on all the various tasks in order for the event to run smoothly. Fun at the Fort was the first race in the Northern California Interscholastic Cycling League’s series, divided by region throughout the state. High school and middle schoolaged competitors from teams across Central California were in the race, including local teams such as Salinas High School and Monterey Bay Lightfighters Composite. The strong turnout is indicative of something larger in Monterey County: The youth mountain bike scene is on the rise. “By every indication, youth mountain biking is growing,” says Peter Berridge, vice president of the Monterey Off-Road Cycling Association (MORCA). For roughly two decades, the group of mountain bike enthusiasts has worked to maintain 86 miles of trails within Fort Ord National Monument. But that work would be mostly in vain if there weren’t bikers to actually use them. MORCA’s mission is to get the next generation not only excited about mountain biking, but instill the importance of conserving outdoor spaces for recreation. To that end, MORCA annually hosts Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day Above: Salinas High School sophomore Bodie Johnson tears down the course during a race presented by the Northern California Interscholastic Cycling League at Fort Ord National Monument. THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME More young people are hopping onto mountain bikes—and the opportunities to do so are growing locally. By Erik Chalhoub COURTESY OF MONTEREY OFF-ROAD CYCLING ASSOCIATION At Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, young riders had the chance to traverse an obstacle course on two wheels.
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