The Cosbey Chronicles Part III | E73

In the third installment of the Cosbey Chronicles, the boys sit down with Coz at his caretaker’s quarters on the shore of Gold Lake and dive deep into trails. Raised as a Mormon, by age 12, Coz knew organized religion wasn’t for him. At that same age, he rode a Honda Trail 90 motorcycle for the first time, and it was the beginning of the rest of his life. His religion became exploration on two wheels in the outdoors. Coz talks about the three years he spent laying out and building Mills Peak trail in Graeagle, as well as working on all the trails in Lakes Basin for the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, an organization he co-founded. Coz talks about the future of recreation in rural mountain communities and encourages listeners to escape the negativity of life, losing their minds in the track, being present in the moment. He also encourages those with financial means to contribute their wealth to trails and trail projects, benefiting the public in an age where connection to place is being lost to invasive technology.

6:30 – Podcast – The Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know

8:25 – Coast to Coast Radio with Art Bell

9:55 – Car Talk with Click and Clack

11:50 – Recording at Gold Lake near Graeagle, California with Marc Cosbey

18:20 – Living through two winters in Lakes Basin – running naked out into a snowstorm

22:20 – Tuning into nature through the sounds of nature

25:30 – Being raised Mormon, not digging it, and instead embracing nature and trails as religion

30:05 – Riding a motorcycle for the first time in his life at 12 years old – beginning of the rest of his life.

34:30 – Trails are a pathway to spirituality – tuning out the world and focusing on the moment in the track.

36:15 – Building Mills Peak trail and spending years in the Lakes Basin improving the trails.

39:50 – What’s it like to ride a trail you built after 3 years of your life working on it?

43:15 – Stew McMorrow – a volunteer who’s had his life changed by the importance of trails.

45:15 – Where does Coz see the future of trails and trail organizations?

49:45 – Volunteers who have desk jobs that come and volunteer – it can change their life.

56:57 – What is the biggest challenge and opportunity for rural mountain communities in securing their future?

1:00:31 – What have you learned about yourself, community and public lands in the wake of devastating wildfires over the last 5 years?

1:12:30 – What trail is Coz most proud of building over the years?

1:13:55 – Building the North Yuba Trail from Downieville to Goodyears Bar and the enjoyment of designing a trail before it’s built.

1:18:27 – What was the significance of building Mills Peak Trail in Graeagle?

1:21:33 – What advice does Coz have for folks starting their own trails organization?

1:29:48 – If your life were a tree, what kind of tree would it be?

1:32:47 – What’s an epic ride people have to do in the Lakes Basin? Mount Elwell.

1:38:25 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?