The dirt: April 2025
The Dirt on the Connector Trail, our Sustainable Trail Building Course, MTB License Plates, & Races are BACK!
Welcome to The Dirt, your favorite monthly newsletter. If you wanna get informed, get outside, and get involved in your local Central Ohio trails, then get "the dirt" from us.
We want to arm trail stewards with the most current knowledge for building great trails. We have partnered with ODNR's Statewide Trails Administrator to administer this course. This is step 1 towards becoming a true steward of the trails.
Our goal is to educate, empower and support those who share our passion for trails. COMBO has 10 different trail systems and nearly 100mi of trails and the reality is that everyone has their "Home Trail". It doesn't mean that you don't make it to other trails but there is one trail you return to again and again. You know it like the back of your hand. The good and the bad.
We want to harness that knowledge and passion to take the "Good & Bad" and turn it to "Great & Challenging." We want to encourage you to do more than help clear fallen trees. Where could you add a new feature or resolve a miserable wet spot?
We want to empower you to help shape the vision for your trails.
Join us for an interactive virtual Town Hall Meeting to hear about more new things headed your way!
We’re excited to announce that by the end of June, the new Ohio Mountain Bike License Plate will be available! Featuring the Great Seal of Ohio, stylized with a mountain bike, this plate is a perfect way to show your support for our incredible mountain bike trails in the region.
Your purchase of this plate not only shows off your mountain biking pride but also helps fund important trail advocacy and maintenance efforts. COMBO’s involvement and leadership with OMBA and OTP was an integral part in securing $5 million out of the state capital budget for natural surface trails in Ohio. Of that, $1 million is going towards mountain bike trails in Ohio and a transformative project is coming to the COMBO kingdom. Big announcement coming about that soon!
Proceeds from the mountain bike plate will go to the Ohio Mountain Biking Association (OMBA) and support state-level trail advocacy funding. This is a huge step toward securing more resources for mountain biking trails across the state and one of the few mountain biking-specific license plates in the nation!
By displaying this plate, you’re helping to make a lasting impact on Ohio’s trail systems. Let’s keep building and improving the trails we love!
⚠️ CONNECTOR TRAIL UPDATE! ⚠️
This isn't an April Fool's joke...we've officially broken ground on the P1 & P2 Connector Trail that we've been talking about....for a very long time. This project was initiated over seven years ago and we couldn’t be more excited to see progress. This trail should be completed by mid July and we will be sure. COMBO is actively working with ODNR and the builder to get everything we can out of This adaptive, friendly and beginner oriented element of trail. Something that the Allen Creek trail system has been needing for a long time now. Stay tuned for more updates!
If you've ever finished a ride on one of our trails and thought to yourself "I'm no good with a chainsaw but I'd really like to still get involved somehow" boy do I have news for you. Every 3rd Thursday we have our COMBO Board Meetings that are open to the public (that's you) where we get together at a different bike shop or brewery every month for beer and pizza to talk bikes.
This is where the behind the scenes magic happens. We got folks planning events, races, and cook outs. We got folks planning new jump lines and trail projects. We got folks planning Halloween costume rides and demo days. I mean we have it all...other than you. We need YOU at these board meetings because we know you have great ideas for the trails you love. We need passionate riders in our committees that are committed to building our biking community.
Every month we break into committees, that you're welcome to float around to or join one that you're particularly invested in, and see how you can help out!
Here's a little breakdown of some committee chats that happened this month:
🎪 Community Engagement Committee
Volunteer appreciation event coordination - we're planning something fun!
With races starting up, we want to plan some cook outs + other fun stuff during race weekends!
🏁 Race & Event Committee
We have our first race of 2025 coming in April - The Horns cHill Downhill.
Working with the Marketing Committee to work on a social plan for pushing the FUNduro race series this year - more folks, more fun!
🙋🏻 Membership & Volunteer Committee
It's almost Membership Drive time & we're brainstorming ways to get more folks to become COMBO Members.
We are looking to get Volunteers for the Gravel Grinder to be at our COMBO Aid Station. If you're interested, join our BAND App & let us know HERE!
🪓 Trails Committee
Working on confirming feature Trail Day dates with some of our Bike Shop friends.
CONNECTOR TRAILLLLLL!!!
We're revising the Trail Crew Committee structure so we can create an awesome incentive package program for our volunteers.
📸 Marketing Committee
Meeting with the Race Committee so we can set a Content Calendar for races & other events we need to start pushing.
Working with the Membership & Volunteer Committee to prep for our Membership Drive.
Finalized this newsletter :)
🏫 Rider Education Committee
Still working to confirm dates for future Dirt, Shred, & Flight School clinics.
Would love to add more instructors to our roster - let us know if you're interested!!
