PERMANENT INSTALLATION

SANTA CRUZ’S ICONIC CANVAS MOONLIGHTS AS A METAPHOR FOR A TRANSFORMING TOWN

- DAIN ZAFFKE

IT’S SATURDAY, SUNNY AND 75 DEGREES. THE FOREST IS A vibrant green and recent rains have made the loamy, redwood soil nothing short of magical. A seemingly endless conga line of riders labors up a dirt road. Before embarking on their descent, nearly every one of them stops to admire a fresh mural painted on a set of trailside water tanks. Displayed across these tanks are the four stages of a monarch’s metamorphosis; from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to a stunning, 6-foot butterfly.

This once-underground trail network in Santa Cruz, California, is in the midst of its own transformation. But unlike the monarch, the future of these trails is uncertain. As COVID-19 persists and the bike boom continues to gain momentum, more riders than ever are discovering the joys of riding singletrack, leaving communities like this one struggling to maintain the balance between access and preservation.

The tanks epitomize the outlaw culture here. Just like much of the mountain biking in Santa Cruz, painting these tanks is against the law. There are many similarities to the anonymity and mutual respect between people who build renegade trails and the artists who paint the tanks. But while the community supports the rotating art displayed on the tanks, the trails themselves have become a battleground between a generation of don’t-ask-don’t-tell riders and a growing cadre of advocates who want these trails above board for future generations to enjoy.