By 9.30 a collection of the young and not so young, yet I'm sure still childish at heart were warming their backs up dragging tree stumps out of their homes, digging trail and generally having muddy fun making playgrounds for bikes.
By 11 I think there must have been 25 people moving aggregate in an endless train of barrows and the huge pile of stones in the car park was dissolving in front of our eyes.
A few riders who had come to ride the other trails got involved and my kids either thought that building trails was the best thing that had ever happened to them or comfortably the worst, depending on which one you asked at which particular moment. Berms and rollers were emerging form the forest and being Wacker plated into smooth pristine trail. It was like that barn raising scene from Witness but with a slightly less attractive cast than Kelly McGillis and Harrison Ford.
By 12.30 my body was pointing out that I don't do this thing for a living anymore and perhaps a lie down could be arranged soon? The kids had got in the car, the better to smother it with the mud they had on their boots and we slunk off for central heated relaxation.
The pump track looks like it will be excellent when complete. I look forward to riding it after maybe another dig day or two. My kids will be able to say "I helped build that". All in all a great community based facility for the young and young at heart of Harrogate. Built by volunteers and funded by fundraising, life doesn't get much better than that.
I bet if you wanted to help at another dig day they would bite your arm off, I will be back.
