Pow  Bmx  Trails Redding Pow Trls Diggin 50
7 Dec 2015

POW Trails - What It Takes

Success can be pretty subjective for a set of trails.

Photos by Chris Riesner Words by Dave Reuss

Every set of decent trails has some factors that make them successful. Besides the three basic trail tenants of good dirt, downhill, water source, theres quite a bit more as to why a set of trails sprouts, establishes, and allows for roasting over a period of time. As locals put their time in and make choices on how to create and manage their spot, they lay the foundation that 'flarfs' the future for the trails.

Pow  Bmx  Trails Redding Pow Trls Diggin 68

POW trails have been maintained over the years with the slow but simple creek and bucket method.

Pow  Bmx  Trails Redding Pow Trls Riding 29  Cr

'Midget' Cory Walters upside down spinning “Snake River.”

1. Cali:

Success can be pretty subjective for a set of trails. For POW, it has been about fun. Digging trails with your best friends should be fun, just like riding them, and if they're not fun rebuild them. If Jeremy, Marcus, and Aaron were concerned about having a shit ton of jumps they could have put in a new line each year. Instead they modded their one line every year, until it was perfect, along the way they got a second one in there for good measure. This was the difference with POW. As long as it didn't scare the piss out of you first, you could ride that one line all day it was that fun, and worked that good. 

Aaron Day laying it flat on “Bottoms up.”

Marcus O’Brien sailing over “Snake River” with Jeremy Kaiser close on his tail.

At first I didn't really understand the whole approach, stuff kept getting rebuilt, one line?  The first set of jumps we all built together prior to POW, we just kept adding more jumps. As long as they worked, we just built more. Being a part-timer now, I'd come back in the fall or early spring and help re-surface some jumps, and kind of wonder why the trails were only that one or two line setup (maybe I should have dug more). The trails were always good, but by the last two seasons of POW, it was obvious they had built exactly what they wanted to ride, and it was badass.

At one point the trails were in jeopardy of being plowed. Somehow they convinced the city to turn it into a public park.

Dave Reuss is a fan of watering cans and hand packing patch jobs. POW Trails life.

That is what made POW a success, fun. Any attention the POW crew has summoned is most likely their irreverent attitude towards responsibility, focus on good times, and solid roasting. Being located way up in Jefferson State at the tip of Northern California, there's not much going on up there. Unless you're into riding trails, partying, and jumping off shit into sweet swimming holes Jefferson State doesn't have much to offer the typical visitor.  For those who did trickle in, good times were shown.

Pow  Bmx  Trails Redding Pow Trls Riding 20 Copy

The arch of the air, Marcus O’Brien followed by Jeremy Kaiser. POW Trails.

Any attention the POW crew has summoned is most likely their irreverent attitude towards responsibility, focus on good times, and solid roasting.

- Dave Reuss

2. Bottoms Up:

Located on the main freeway that runs the entire length of the west coast, the trails in Jefferson State have been a easy stop for most trail riders on the road. When Bobby, the MMA fighter living in the last house next to the trails let Jeremy and Jesse start renting out half of the two car shop right next to the trails it was the mortar between the bricks for the trails, or so it seemed. Shortly after renting the 'Frat' Jeremy and Jesse put their day jobs to use for them and dialed in living quarters with rooms, electric, shower, and toilet...DIY bitches. Now that the Frat was in place, there was room for most any passerby trail rider, and most were welcome. Through out the years, the red clay of Jefferson State has played host to some great trail riders near and far, from England, PA, WA, OR, and more. Playing host to good times, more and more visitors came, the trails got approved by the city, along with the dialed Frat setup and annual Christmas Party, Halloween / Spring Jams, the scene was thriving.

Pow  Bmx  Trails  Redding 128  Cr

'Midget' Cory Walters spinning a can-can table way up in the trees.

3. Snake River:

The seemingly slow progress for POW was finally over-shadowed by the success of a thriving set of trails, attracting top notch riders, some product hookups from a few companies, and the satisfaction of roasting hand built dubs with your best friends. Now it's not to say that these were the reasons POW was built, these were just the subsidiary things that a great set of trails attracted. In true trail builder fashion Jeremy, Marcus, and Aaron would be, and still are building jumps regardless of these potential motivations, they build trails because it is who they are, and they love to roast.

Pow  Bmx  Trails Redding Pow Trls Riding 25

Kicked out ground-chuck by 'Midget' Cory Walters.

4. Cliff Hanger:

Shortly after the release of their second video and premiere "Welcome Back to Jefferson State" the POW trails were plowed.  Like any set of trails it takes so much more than the three basic trail tenants to keep a good set going, some are around longer than others. No matter how dialed the situation is that surrounds your set, there is the ever-present knowing they could be gone tomorrow. POW is kind of like that Willie Nelson song though, 'the road goes on forever and the party never ends...' These dudes are gonna keep on gettin rad for quite a few more years, tip a few back with them sometime, and hopefully you get a chance to roast some dubs in Jefferson State, you'll enjoy yourself.

Pow  Bmx  Trails  Redding 125  Cr

Dave Reuss frequently makes trips down from Oregon to his hometown for the evening roast. POW Trails

These dudes are gonna keep on gettin rad for quite a few more years...
- Dave Reuss
Pow  Bmx  Trails  Redding Pow Aarons Mf 18

Getting those last laps in, 'Midget' Cory tucks a spin way up in the branches at POW.

Previous

The Second Coming of the Nude Bowl

"so if you ever wanted a piece of BMX history, it’s there for the taking…Or is it?"

Next

Related Content

pauly-pirate-BMX-AUSTIN-logo-BB
Play Button

Pauly The Pirate

A Season Well Spent in The Austin Sunshine

11 Nov 2014
Snakewoods-Tomorrow-Is-Monday
Play Button

Snakewoods - Tomorrow Is Monday

Sunday session in Queensland, Australia

25 Jun 2015
clint reynold bmx speedball eastside trails BH
Play Button

SPEEDBALL

Forty seconds of mayhem from DIG and the Credence Crew

3 Nov 2014
freedom40 title-1 1
Play Button

DIG TRAILS - FREEDOM 40

"an appreciation for the raw side of riding"

25 Nov 2015
Credence-leftover-deah
Play Button

Leftover Deah

The Credence crew with some DVD leftovers

13 May 2015
Eastside-Trails-Sessions
Play Button

Eastside Trails Sessions

Eastside ain't scared...

5 Dec 2014
wheels of confusion 1
Play Button

A Day At Catty Woods

Van Homan and Rob Dolecki make an appearance in Episode 3 of FBM's Wheels Of Confusion

3 Mar 2015
Clint-Reynolds-Austin-Flooding
Play Button

Clint Reynolds On Austin Flooding

Updates from House Park and Eastside Trails

3 Jun 2015
DIG shirts all

DIG Apparel Store

DIG apparel now available!

23 Oct 2015
Building-The-Underground-Mix-Section-2
Play Button

Building The Underground - Mix Section 2

Northwest BMX at its finest.

1 Apr 2015
https://shop.sundaybikes.com/collections/sunday-frames?utm_medium=banner&utm_source=dig

Latest Content

X NF6 Iv Wjnf4hqdefault
Play Button

JOHNNY RAEKES - Odyssey Bike Check

Peep some yet-to-be-released parts

21 Nov 2024
O MO H Um4wbshqdefault
Play Button

FRACTURE 'VISIONS OF LIGHT'

Felix Prangenberg, Kilian Reichmeyer, Linda Grabner & More

21 Nov 2024
W Jm5qjo 8 M Qhqdefault
Play Button

LOVENOTE - Cult x Capital mix

Alive in the streets

21 Nov 2024
X3 E Zq Dt Sq Zchqdefault
Play Button

Felipe Manerim - "A rotina que eu quero"

Doing it for Vans

21 Nov 2024
L ZE5 CL Rl Lc4hqdefault
Play Button
Xv Y Zs Omx S8hqdefault
Play Button

RAWER CREW X LISBON

DIG LOCALS

20 Nov 2024
Jfcpgo HP Zb0hqdefault
Play Button

Joey Cobbs - Kanode Knows

Low Numbers

20 Nov 2024
4n R3 KT Cb M Yghqdefault
Play Button

MATT CLOSSON - BOROUGH BREAKER RALLY

Episode 4

20 Nov 2024
Xtj B8 FPWYX4hqdefault
Play Button

CLICHE JAM - Presented by The Cut BMX

'IN THE CUT'

19 Nov 2024
H N Jdlzt Ica Ihqdefault
Play Button

Magnolia 2 - "Cataclysm" full video - 2024

Cajun shredding

18 Nov 2024
976 7s3 Gq K Ehqdefault
Play Button

Tim Wood 50th Birthday

50 YEARS STRONG!

18 Nov 2024
Id Lpw Qf Xf Lghqdefault
Play Button

TAJ MIHELICH - DIG 'FRAGMENTS'

Episode 1

18 Nov 2024

DIG Partner stores

More Features

KG drone shot

KEEPING IT LOCAL - 20 YEARS OF KELVINGROVE SKATEPARK

Happy Birthday to our local Glasgow park.

18 Sep 2024
Jamie Pipe Tribe

A Brave New World - The history of KHE Bikes, Part 2

Taiwan, a pornstar, and innovation in a can

18 Apr 2024
Dragon Higa gap to manual copy

PROJECT X

This is Project X - This is BMX

9 Apr 2024
WILL JACKSON SOUTHPORT OLDHAM SESSION SHOT BY KANO KANE 2

WILL JACKSON - THE 'MUSCLE MEMORY' INTERVIEW

"I got my first WTP frame at the back end of 2001. Half a lifetime ago."

21 Dec 2023
Simple session 2023 boyd hilder 9

Simple Session 2023 Photo Journal

23 years and counting...

27 Sep 2023
BOH RAIL JAM 2023 47

Battle of Hastings - Photo Journal 2023

From the beach to the basement of Source Park

12 Sep 2023
Trey Jones Pocket Air1 Aguilar 2023
20230804 DIG GLASGOW 0028

30 YEARS OF DIG EXHIBITION & BSD Jam - In Photos

Jammin' and premierin'

11 Aug 2023
20230421 OHIO 0218

Postcards from Ohio - Photo Journal

3 cities, hundreds of spots

9 Jul 2023
45 dig 93 by dolecki LYNN 250 POSH

Trails Closed - The End of Posh Woods

Why the legacy of Posh will absolutely endure

14 Jun 2023
2nd angle Zack Scott DIGBMX 4

The "Full Coverage" Interview

Never underestimate the camera guy!

8 Jun 2023
Robin in Split Croatia Photo Kieran Cooper 7

Robin Bourhis “From Engineering to Riding”

The story behind his WTP 2023 Video Part

26 May 2023