Most people will agree that Santa Cruz has some of the best and most diverse outdoor recreation options in the west and on September 16 you’ll have the opportunity to show your gratitude for all that the outdoors provides us. You’ll also have the chance to connect your mountain bike ride to the ocean on International Coastal Cleanup Day, the largest annual one-day volunteer effort on the planet.
As you hike the bluffs with trash bag in hand you’ll notice that there is something to be gained by the slower pace and the stillness you find there. You’ll feel compelled to pick up the trash and cigarette butts you come across on the trail and beach to express your love for this breathtaking stretch of coast. Recording the types of trash you pick up will help guide non-profit and legislative efforts for better controls of the most common litter types found. California’s groundbreaking shopping bag ban was supported by this work so you’ll definitely be making a difference.
Bring along your riding crew and join us at the 3 Mile Beach turnout alongside hwy 1 for an hour or two between 9 and noon or at any of the other 31 sites hosted by Save Our Shores in Santa Cruz County. The Ride Guides will be staffing the event and will keep an eye on your bike so after the cleanup you can head across the road and into one of the least traveled parts of the park. Please join us and make the connection between your passion for riding and the care that our environment needs now more than ever.