Land of OZ: Northwest Arkansas' MTB Network. I wasn’t entirely surprised to see a restaurant’s claw machine game filled solely with plastic pigs after crossing into Arkansas, but walking into Bentonville’s 2. I’m dumbfounded. The lobby isn’t a lobby, but a gallery filled with artistic works that are the antithesis of color- coordinated couch art. The pieces are curious and beautiful and fairly disturbing–and you can touch it all. I mean, you’re not supposed to, but there’s no authoritative velvet rope separating Joe Public from the art. Instead, the trust imparted onto patrons creates a surprisingly effective barrier. After pedaling back to the hotel from a trail ride that stretched from morning until late afternoon, I discover the hotel showers have black lights, peppermint shampoo and cilantro conditioner. For the first time in my life, I’m proud of myself for not eating any personal grooming products. This ridiculously trendy hotel, a $1. Northwest Arkansas has plenty of surprises up its flannel sleeve. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that none of this existed 1. WHAT GOES DOWN MUST COME UPWilburn Powell isn’t fit . Muscular biceps protrude from his sleeveless jersey, and frankly with arms like his, there’s not much point in owning any other kind. He builds trail, mountain bikes and once pedaled more than 7. Wilburn Powell and your pedal falls off during a century. Powell led our group down Arkansas’s iconic Womble trail, a 3. Arkansas awarded IMBA’s first Epic Trail designation in 2. When the trail necked down to little more than a wrinkle against the forested bluff, advice came from over his shoulder. Throughout the country, young men toiled away in dirt and stone, leaving quiet legacies for an unwritten future. Many modern trailbuilding principles began with these proprietors of hard work, long before riding on dirt was ever called mountain biking. A guttural shout of luck- gone- bad broke the evening silence as shadows of elongated riders skittered to a halt next to our wheels. Powell’s crumpled body tumbled down the steep slope and dirt crumbled as I careened down to meet him. Gripping a sapling with one shaky hand and Powell with the other, his overly alert eyes met mine. The next morning, Powell got up and taught his 8 a. They talk about the first ride after Powell’s heart attack a few years ago. We call it the Wilburn Powell Memorial Ride, but he survived.” The table erupts with laughter. Mount Ida’s version of Shangri- La is an old- fashioned diner; Wilburn Powell and Ron Mayfield at the Womble trail; the Traildogs have been building and riding together for 2. The Traildogs are a ragtag mix of around 3. As they trade stories, it’s hard to know whether to be more impressed by their collective trailbuilding experience or the fact that they’re all having banana cream pie for breakfast. In addition to helping other volunteer groups maintain the Womble and Ouachita trail’s 2. Traildogs put in more than 1. Lake Ouachita Vista Trail, known affectionately as LOVi. T.“It all started with Jerry Shields,” says Derwood Brett. Of course, a vision without support is another daydream destined to be forgotten, but Shields isn’t some schmoe with an idea; he’s a Traildog. So he got to work. Starting in 2. 00. Shields’ penchant for relationship building brought together enough agencies and volunteer groups that listing them all is a tedious exercise in acronyms. Every winter, the Traildogs put in a few more miles of trail. As the vision gained traction, grants and donations allowed the Traildogs to bring in professional trailbuilders to complete the system in 2. Since then, both LOVi. T and the Ouachita trail were designated IMBA Epics, bringing the state’s total to five. Advertisement“There are very few times in your life when you get the opportunity to make a difference,” Brett says. Shields would be here too, but he’s in the hospital. It’s pancreatic cancer and, well, cancer sucks. There’s a lot of worry hanging at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts, but the reality is that life has always been a finite experience, even when the vigor of youth tries to convince us otherwise. After more than a decade, Shields’ daydream winds through forested valleys traversing five mountains and dances along drainages that entice riders to stop for a swim in the lake below. With LOVi. T completed, the Traildog members turn to endeavors like supporting the nascent Arkansas High School Cycling League, building shelters for bikepacking the Ouachita trail and running the longstanding Ouachita Challenge that draws 5. During a rare moment of seriousness, Ron Mayfield speaks of the vacancy at the table. Heads nod in agreement when Brett interjects, “Which is easy because he’s so short.” Amid a diner alive with grown men giggling, a Traildog asks, “Back in ’9. Heads shake sideways answer with a unanimous . But today, chatter focuses a few hours north as the nation’s most rapidly expanding network spreads through the Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas. BENTONVILLE AND BEYONDCan you create a cycling community from scratch? What if there aren’t any trails? What if it’s in a state that ranks among the nation’s most obese? It turns out you can, as long as you start with a long- range plan and the support of people who can answer the question, “What would you do if you had a gazillion dollars?” Tom and Steuart Walton, grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton, are both avid mountain bikers who believe trails can change communities. Together, they have used their interest in mountain biking to help direct $1. Walton Family Foundation funding toward singletrack throughout the region. The Oz Trail boom began a decade ago with just 5 miles of purpose- built trail accessible from downtown Bentonville, the city Walmart calls home. That first phase of the Slaughter Pen trails in 2. Friends of Arkansas Singletrack (FAST). With a groundswell of interest in developing more riding opportunities, matching grants from the Walton Family Foundation helped create more than 5. Bentonville, resulting in a veritable mountain- bike Disneyland. Unlike the Ouachita’s backcountry experiences, trails here entice even the most navigationally challenged users to explore dirt to their heart’s content. The original Walmart is a landmark in Bentonville’s Town Square. These are the types of trails that create mountain bikers, with features like path- side water- dispensers that perfectly fit water bottles and, incidentally, heads also. Designed with the intention of giving new riders a place to start and experienced riders a place to go, wooden stunts and rock obstacles add salt and pepper to the flowy trails.
The beginner- friendly All American Trail threads next to the famed Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, exposing Picasso and Warhol seekers to mountain biking. A quick pedal from a city park featuring a cement pumptrack and kid- friendly skills course leads to a berm- tastic jump trail and in- town freeride park. Downhill runs at the new Coler trails provide big- bike fun, with a bevy of cross- country loops planned for the future. Ten years ago, Bentonville didn’t have a bike shop or brewery, but expanding trail opportunities brought bike- inspired businesses to town, like Phat Tire Bike Shop, Bike Rack Brewing Company and Pedaler’s Pub. Dale Bailey passes on his passion for riding and altruism to his daughter, Tandie. FAST founder Dale Bailey and his daughter Tandie’s excitement for riding began as a product of the trails in the area, but as their passion grew, they too became part of Oz’s recipe for success. Located in Morrilton, Arkansas, the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton is a two-year, state-supported college that offers university-transfer and. Ways To Give. Help support student scholarships at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. Ways to Give. Enroll in our Online Degree Programs, graduate with your Associates or Bachelors Degrees. Increase your Earning Power with an Online Higher Education! Watching them together, it’s easy to get lost in the beauty of two generations finding different homes on the same trails. Dale’s clad in spandex with wheels that stay happily married to the ground, while Tandie prefers baggies and hucking off drops. Dale’s worked on trails as long as he’s been riding them; Tandie helps new riders by coaching clinics and leading group rides.“It’s amazing how many people are on the trails now,” Dale says, but without the annoyance Coloradans have when talking about California transplants. Actually, he’s downright giddy. Tandie builds community. Together they build the foundation of the future. YELLOW BRICK TRAILSJust up the road from Bentonville, connected via the Razorback Regional Greenway, are Bella Vista’s Blowing Springs and Back 4. Unless you’re an endurance junky, you’ll need more than one day to ride the 4. Back 4. 0. You’ll also need more than one spare tube, thanks to shark- toothed limestone slivers that serve as one of the only clues that these trails didn’t exist a year ago. Don’t let the speed with which these trails were constructed fool you. AAU provides sports programs for all participants of all ages beginning at the grass roots level. The philosophy of "Sports for All, Forever," is shared by over.These aren’t rake- and- ride routes, but bench- cut giggle- tracks carved into darkened loam soils and cut into shale- laden limestone as part of a herculean yearlong effort by six trailbuilding companies. The trails create an impression of being miles from anything resembling a city, as slowly chosen lines through rocky outcroppings suddenly dip into another world, and spring- side alcoves create tangible drops in temperature. Cars with out- of- state plates are parked at the trailhead less than a week after the grand opening. Thirty miles south of Bentonville, Fayetteville’s prolific trail systems include Mount Kessler, where riders hone slow- speed handling skills lurching through Rock City’s namesake outcroppings. Together, Bentonville and Fayetteville form the Northwest Regional Ride Center, IMBA’s only such regional designation. The real magic of the Oz Trails is that whatever kind of riding you’re after, you’ll find it. The awesomely quirky town of Eureka Springs integrates steep in- town riding with nearly 2. Welcome to Northwest Vista College’s Schedule and 2017-2018 Academic Catalog ~~ one of the colleges of the Alamo Colleges District. Northwest Vista College welcomes. University of Phoenix offers campus and online degree programs, certificate courses, and individual online classes. Learn more about admissions, accreditation. Northwest Vista College is creating opportunities for success. We are building a dynamic college with a vibrant community and invite you to share the experience with us. Lake Leatherwood, including the region’s first downhill trail. Farther south, Upper Buffalo offers a decidedly backcountry feel while being the kind of place where you pull up mid- week to a trailhead miles down a dirt road and find a Prius already parked there.“This isn’t just about building trails for 2.
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