As fall starts rolling in the South Central Mexican Mountains, the soil gets moist, mornings get colder and the forests get ready for a yearly celebration of life on two wheels. If you roam about in Oaxaca City around these times, you will find the scent of orange and purple flowers, skulls made out of sugar, and “papel picado,” a colorful paper decoration. This is when riders from all over the world travel, to subliminally celebrate life on two wheels, slicing through soft, deep, organic, high-altitude Oaxacan soil. But how did this riding area get so popular?

There are usually a multiplicity of reasons why race organizers put on races. Most often, it’s simply never just one reason, but many. What are they? They range from tourism and exposure of an area, economic development for a community in need of a boost or turnaround, showcasing new or existing trails, and so much more. All reasons are valid and important, including financial incentives to make it work and profitable. The good news is that most often, those benefits extend to many other partners, such as local businesses like restaurants and food trucks, lodging accommodations, bike shops, and other vendors. These are all healthy and essential.

But what if one of the reasons for putting on a race was also to raise money to build more trails? Welcome to the Verde Valley Rally in Cottonwood, Arizona.