PHAPLU MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB: THE HIMALAYAN COMMUNITY TAKING THE MOUNTAIN BIKING WORLD BY STORM
We’re delighted to be supporting Phaplu Mountain Bike Club as one of the recipients of our 2023/24 Community Impact Fund. we recently caught up with Ang Tshering, project founder and project director, Mingma Sherpa, to talk about the club and their plans for the future. Both Phaplu born, this project is an incredible example of what can happen when local people are at the heart of creating opportunities for their community.
Ang - you’re Phaplu born, and also passionate about mountain biking, what sparked the idea for Phaplu Mountain Bike Club? Where did it all start for you?
I started mountain biking around Phaplu in 2014 after my return from the US and when I started spending more time in the mountains. During this time, I was introduced to an avid mountain biker and we started riding together. My friend, Tangi, moved to Phaplu in 2017, and together we started riding around and giving some training to the local children, and it was around then when we first talked about starting a club. But it wasn’t until 2020, when COVID hit and all the children had free time, that we dedicated a small ground on our family land to turn it into a bike park, working with the locals to build a pump track. This was the start of Phaplu Mountain Bike Club.
What impact have you seen the club having on the local kids and community, and what are your hopes for the future?
Ang — The Phaplu Mountain Bike pump track and the children’s park have been the center of the community since its establishment. It has become a local landmark for children to gather, and visitors to use also. Every day after school, we have children coming to play, and also during the holidays. Parents are happy to have a safe ground for their children to play and acquire new skills.
My hope for the future, especially for the children of Phaplu, is that they grow up together with other children from the community, sharing an activity they all enjoy and fostering lasting friendships. At the same time, the skills that they develop now will become an asset for them in the future, providing them with many opportunities, from being national athletes, local heroes, or entrepreneurs. I also hope that this instills in them a love for their community that they will always carry in their hearts and not have to leave for opportunities elsewhere.
The opening of the Trail Center has ignited a wave of entrepreneurial spirit among locals who established homestays and lodges along the trails to welcome mountain bikers. After the race, they are even more excited and want to make the next one bigger and better! The kids who were training in the pump track also want to train more and take it all more seriously. Everyone is happy, and we couldn’t be happier.
Mountain Biking is really making a mark in everyone’s life, on a small and large scale, and I hope it will become a sport and product that benefits everyone.
Your trails are built in a community forest, can you tell us more about the forest where your trails are built and how the trails are maintained?
Ang — Ratnange Trail Center passes through three communities called Garikhasa, Chhinakpu and Bagam. In the old days, these trails were used by local herders and farmers going into higher grounds or foraging for food. Now, these are seldom walked on as there are bigger trails and roads built, making them ideal for mountain biking.
We identified and marked 13 trails to create a network totalling 60+ kilometers, offering a loop with manifold options for riders to enjoy. Working in collaboration with the local government provided us with the manpower to do the groundwork and for the maintenance of the trails, and we came up with the idea to charge mountain bike shops, outdoor brands, hotels and tour companies to have a trail named after them.
100% of the fee is paid directly to the community forest, which then uses the funds to conduct quarterly maintenance, hang signs, and look after the trail in general. They also act as wardens to ensure there is no illegal logging in the forest. This has proven to be a great success, and we plan to add 3 more trails this year in 2024.
Phaplu Mountain Bike Club is community-based tourism at its best, can you tell us a bit about the community impact and the guest houses and hospitality that have been created for incoming mountain bikers?
Mingma — The club has had a huge impact on the local kids, they are gaining confidence, learning new skills and gaining a sense of discipline through mountain biking. It instills values such as teamwork, determination and respect for the local environment.
The club has also created a sense of community, bringing local people together and promoting an active lifestyle. A recent mountain biking event we created gained interest from both kids and adults within the community.
I hope to see even more engagement from the community and I envision expanding the programme to reach more children and provide opportunities for them to excel in mountain biking as well as other activities.
Mingma, you’re a strong figure of female empowerment for young girls, are you seeing more and more young girls getting involved?
Mingma — I’m definitely seeing more young girls getting involved in mountain biking in Nepal. There has been an increase in the number of girls joining our club and training programmes and more are participating in biking events and competitions also. Many have ambitions to become mountain bikers in the future. These kind of changes are hugely positive for females coming from a small village and I hope to see more and more girls joining the community.
How can travellers come and experience the project for themselves (even if they’re not avid mountain bikers)?
Mingma — Members and visitors can support the project in various ways - volunteering their time and skills to help with mountain biking events or mentoring a child. Of course, financial donations are always helpful and are used to purchase equipment, maintain the mountain bikes and fund training programmes. Equipment donations are also very helpful to us.
Other ways to support the project would be through taking part in one of our events or spreading the word on social media to encourage others to do so. This would help us to boost the project’s visibility.
We know Phaplu Mountain Bike Club is first and foremost about providing fun, memories, and freedom for the youth of Phaplu, can you tell us what you will be offering at the ‘Express Yourself’ centre?
Ang — The centre will be a place where children and retired elderly can come and spend their time learning new skills, interacting with one another, and expressing themselves through their interests. We have already started hosting art workshops for the children, but we plan to regularly host other training workshops and events as well. There will be movie nights, theater performances, musical evenings, recitals, meditation sessions, and much more. This will be a place for everyone to reconnect with their innate nature and share the light within.
What are the plans for year 1 of the grant?
Ang — The funds from the Conscious Travel Foundation’s Community Impact Fund will be used to introduce new projects that we have planned, such as building the center and professional training. The Express Yourself center will provide arts, music, poetry, storytelling, meditation, and more. It will serve as a space for both children and adults to reconnect with their inner child, fostering comfort, reflection, and the nurturing of their potential.
We will also fund mountain bike training, providing opportunities for our local champions to further enhance their skills, train with professionals, and participate in other races to continue their development. We truly believe that we have the potential to produce the first Nepali Enduro or Cross-Country world champion and/or Olympian. This endeavor requires time, care, and financial support!
To find out more about Phaplu Mountain Bike Club, you can watch our video here.
