Subaru Sea Otter Classic highlights bike trails at Fort Ord National Monument

The Subaru Sea Otter Classic is in town this weekend with thousands of bikes rolling in, the event also highlights the many undiscovered bike trails at Fort Ord National Monument.

“I had been here for about 15 years ago, and remembered it fondly,” said cyclist Michael LeBrun.

The LeBruns say the Subaru Sea Otter Classic grew quite a bit since they last visited.

With the silver anniversary of the event, the founder too recalls their smaller start.

“We had 350 athletes and 150 spectators the first year,” said Frank Yohannan, the C.E.O and President of Sea Otter Classic.

Now fast forward 25 years, there are 9,000 athletes and close to 65,000 spectators.

The four-day event kicked off Thursday and is said to bring an estimated $21 million dollars, but beyond that, they even can also be an eye-opener.

The races twist and turn through Laguna Seca and Fort Ord, which offers both mountain biking and road cycling with nearly 90 miles of trails.

“It’s good to be back and it looks like it’s better than ever around Fort Ord,” Lebrun said.

Rangers with the Bureau of Land Management said there is a trend after the Sea Otter Classic.

“We do see a lot of new users. That’s one of the reasons why we have the booth up here,” said Tammy Jakl with the Bureau of Land Management.

The event gives riders the chance to explore Fort Ord in a safe environment because the vast 7,200-acre area can be intimidating.

“And once you’ve learned that trial, you can come back on your own and re-trace your roots a little bit, said Public Relations Manager Paul Skilbeck.

The Lebruns said they plan to do just that.

“Since the last time we were here, so much Fort Ord has opened up to the public, and the public access. So we’re looking forward to getting back here,” Lebrun said.

While the Sea Otter Classic ends Sunday at 5 p.m., Fort Ord is open for 365 days and free of charge.