The Mt. Bike Oregon guides are the people to help guide you on the trail. These hard-working volunteers will be with you the entire weekend to ensure you have a great time at Mt. Bike Oregon.

Every morning, the Guides eat breakfast by the ride sign-up tent. Saddle up next to them, ask trail questions and they'll help you find the perfect riding options for what you want to get out of the day. How much climbing is there? How technical is that trail? The guides can answer all these questions, and more.

On the trail, guides ride with you at the front, middle and back of the pack to ensure everyone knows where to go, and no one gets left behind - no matter the speed of the riders.

Stay tuned to this space as we provide profiles of some of our guides. Many of our guides are members of the Disciples of Dirt, the mt. bike club that rides regularly in the Oakridge-Westfir area. They know these trails better than almost anyone, and we're stoked to have them as a part of Mt. Bike Oregon. The DOD riders are also dedicate to providing trail maintenance and ensuring that the trails for the Willamette National Forest are respected and in good contidion.

"Most of us feel we've got the best backyard on the planet. We love to share it and show it off." - Davey Sprocket

Mt. Bike Oregon is a mt. biker's dream weekend getaway, but, really, it guides are the ones who make this event so epic. Their knowledge of the trails is paramount. So we thought we'd introduce you to some of them, and we're starting with Davey - affectionately known as Davey Sprocket. Davey is 100% hooked on mt. biking. "I love the woods. I love wheels. I love picking lines. I love to challenge myself. I love the camaraderie of riding with my buds," he shares.

Davey started mt. biking in 1985 and just two years later he founded the Disciples of Dirt, a mt. bike club in the Oakridge area. "DOD's members have been riding and caring for these trails ever since." he says. So, obviously, he knows his trails well, and he says his favorite of the MBO rides is probably Tire Mountain.

The photo is of Davey (pointing) and fellow rider Brock atop Patterson Mtn., which is the Lone Wolf viewpoint on the Lawler Trail. Davey says, "This is one of my favorite places on the planet. One of the many places I love to take MBO participants because the trail is unique and the view is awesome. From that viewpoint you can see Alpine, Tire Mtn., Winberry Divide, Cloverpatch and Hardesty (explains why I'm pointing!)"

Davey loves guiding for the opportunity to show off the great trails of Oakridge, and he loves MBO for the fun, festival atmosphere that the people bring. This year he's looking forward to the "new & improved" beer garden, which features a fine, fine selection of area microbrews.

I asked Dave he had any funny stories to tell, and he said, "Not really, but one time Shawna, the MBO shuttle bus driver, tried to kick me off her bus because of my smart mouth. I won't go into it...." And that's just one example of the great personalities of MBO.

Davey and the other guides want to help riders feel safe and have fun. So he offers this advice to new MBO participants: "Ride within your abilities and please don't skid." Every year the guides do hundreds of hours of trailwork to open trails up following Oregon's typical winter storms and spring growing season. Davey says these riders "truly love the trails and the sport of mountain biking."

The Disciples of Dirt has all sorts of members. The youngest club member is 17 and the oldest is over 60. Most live in the vicinity of Eugene but they have members in California, Washington, even the UK. As a club DOD is rather unique. They don't charge dues, don't have monthly meetings and don't have a president. "We just ride, ride, ride because we love to," Davey explains. "The Disciples of Dirt is grateful we get to be involved with MBO. The folks to come to MBO to ride and hang out are the best!"