Giving back to the local community through our time and talents is something we constantly strive to do. So, when one of our team member’s heard of an opportunity to volunteer our services while also enjoying one of Central Florida’s only mountain biking courses, we were excited to assemble our team and hit the trails.
Back on Carter Road in Lakeland, FL, you can find Loyce-Harpe Park – a park that offers outdoor recreation, nature preservation, and fun for the whole family – including your dogs, sports teams, and bikers of every skillset.
Ridge Riders
Behind the trees of Loyce-Harpe Park is a bike trail; enjoyed daily by the local community. This trail is broken up by beginner, intermediate, and expert sub-trails to keep it accessible to every rider skill level.
This activity is available to the community for free and maintained by volunteers with the Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Association. The Ridge Riders are a small group composed of community leaders with a vision to create sustainable, accessible, and well-maintained trails for those who enjoy – and frequent Loyce-Harpe Park. They maintain these trails by trimming trees, picking up trash, and even rerouting in the case of flooding. They have also designed and built more than 39 of mountain bike obstacles along the course for trailgoers to enjoy.
The group maintains more than 13 miles of single tracks, and they have a large group of diverse riders who are passionate about the sport and trails they create and keep beautiful. Their mission is to strengthen the community with cycling, so when we heard of their need for professional services, The Lunz Group had the creative idea of turning it into a fun team-bonding exercise for our employees.
Serving Through Time & Talent
Earlier this year, Polk County shut down the 15 different bike obstacles that are maintained by the Ridge Rider’s. The obstacles were closed off for not having permits, needing updated safety inspections, and recommendations. With the trails on Carter Road being one of five in the whole state of Florida, and beloved by the local community, there was a need for a swift inspection.
The Lunz Group team set out to volunteer our time to the Ridge Rider’s and the County by assessing the obstacles, reviewing them for safety, and providing recommendations and documentation so they can become permitted and reopened for use.
Cultivating Community
We are driven by our six core values, each of these contributing to the framework of our culture and influencing every aspect of our work. By facilitating the exchange of ideas within our communities, cultivating engaging conversations, and giving back to the community that gives so much to us, we are able to take the talents of our team and bring our heads together to collaborate in a way that positively impacts the community.
At The Lunz Group, we have seven active mountain bikers and several more recreational bikers, hikers and savoring walkers that enjoy the amenities Carter Road has to offer. So when one of our active mountain bikers heard about the needs of the Ridge Riders, our team was quick to assemble to respond to their service. The entire team showed up to the Carter Road park, then split up to assess and document each obstacle along the course.
What Happens Next?
With our provided recommendations and documentation, the county will be able to work with the Ridge Riders to make the improvements to the obstacles and eventual permitting required to reopen. Riders should expect the obstacles to be open again to the public within the next few months.
You can follow The Ridge Riders on Facebook or Instagram @ridgeridersmba to keep up with any updates on the re-opening of the obstacles.
