Midweek dig to prep up for the weekend. Good to find a riding spot with a lot of potential, you have to always remember proper etiquette.

Finding a new place to dig is great, and if no one has been there before you need to make sure it's not on private grounds. For spots that have riders going there already and have started to dig, make sure you're not going to be making enemies where you start to dig.

If there are existing jumps, find out who made them and see if no one is using them before you change them. It's not your jump, someone else put the time into it, don't be a dick.

A lot of BMX and MT Bike riders will have a nice trails and jumps. If you find one of these treasures, help build it up in both ways you and they can ride and enjoy the spot. Larger areas are great because you can build up your own stuff and know it won't get torn down. You might even get some help if you exchange the favor with bikers.

It's better to make a friend than an enemy. Talk to other riders, and offer to help anyone you see out there with a shovel. If you're riding their jumps, the least you can do is spend a half an hour helping to maintain or build more. It's common courtesy and helps you to make friends. Not only, but you can often get a biker to try your board.

Also, remember to keep the habitat in good condition. You are making your new playground over other animals homes. Don't destroy the area you are building in if you don't have to. Always, ALWAYS remember that what you carry in, YOU CARRY OUT. You start leaving trash lying around your area will look like a dump and eventually you may get kicked out. It's an easy thing to do, pick up some garbage every now and then so your riding spot is good for pictures, safer, more friendly to the environment, and you make friends. It takes so little, so do it.

Meet the Lizard. Alligator Lizard, it was about 16-18 inches long with the tail. It lived in an area I was going to take materials from. I left that area because there was another area just as good to take what I needed from and it wasn't destructive.

There is a lot of wildlife, and you nor I need to destroy any habitat for a good riding location. Keeping your riding area looking good for others to enjoy and helping to build locations where you ride. It's common courtesy and respect for what you are giving the opportunity to participate in and use.

Okay, on with the show. Chris Farmer and I found a new place to ride after the unfortunate loss of one seriously nice ride. We have been going there a few times now and have been putting in some new jumps, as well as helping with the bike jumps. So far, I have met a few bikers and they've all been pretty nice about having other types of riders around.

It was raining for a couple days, and the only real time you CAN dig in Southern California Clay and rock "dirt".

After two days of prep, Chris Farmer was already doing backflips. Also good thing to have people want you around. If you suck, they tend to want you out of their area. If you don't, they'll stick around to watch you go off the hook. Thankfully the last couple times I've gone was with either Chris or Mike Cronin. You know that's how to impress people, watch these two guys.

Two days of building, a couple new jumps and hopefully 6-7 new friends already.

A good series of two digging days, closed out with some nice mellow riding.

All in all, it was good to talk with the other people that rode in this spot so we didn't come in as mountainboarders with an attitude. We even helped clean up some of the garbage, and make the area look less of a dumping zone. The area is shaping up nicely and hopefully we'll get some good stories/articles along with some pictures and videos out of it.

'Til the next thrill, keep it real.
-Unit