Boulder Mountainbike Alliance is run on volunteer labor, and the backbone of that volunteer labor force is the Board of Directors. Meet the BOD and learn about what drives each of them to make BMA all it can be.
Advocacy lead for BMA. I've been in the mix for almost 20 years now, causing trouble and consternation for the City, County, and Forest Service. I'm in the multi-year process of handing off this work to the next generation. Good news is, there are passionate people there to do so.
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I joined the Boulder Mountainbike Alliance board in late 2010, because I like to ride the trails, and am very impressed with what BMA has been able to accomplish in trail advocacy and responsible use in recent years. It's clear to me that the organization is dedicated to keeping current trails open and opening new trails for mountain biking while listening to the needs, and working with, other trail users. We are extremely lucky to have such beautiful resources available to us in our backyard. I know that all of my friends who ride are respectful to other users, and a big part of what we do is educate all users on how to enjoy the trails, while showing respect for all of the others on the trail.
As a finance guy who has helped smaller, private companies grow into larger, organized, efficient businesses, I look forward to helping BMA continue on its path of building sustainable trails, and becoming a respected organization in the community.
Like a lot of people, I bought my first mountain bike for transportation. I rode it to classes in college, and gradually became introduced to the fun I'd missed since a kid: the freedom and excitement of riding a bike in the outdoors! My love of the outdoors led me to Colorado in 1999, and my love of trails for everyone led me to BOA and then BMA. I became involved with BMA while attending meetings during the Marshall Mesa TSA, and joined the board soon after.
I feel fortunate to live where I do, in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains. I not only ride my mountain bike for fun, but also hike, canoe, camp, fly kites, and hammock as much as possible! I even manage to commute by bike fairly often. I'm now sharing my love of the outdoors with my wife and three-year-old, who loves riding her bike and camping as much as I do. She loves it so much, in fact, that she usually cries when it's time to hang up the bike or end a camping trip (the three year old, not the wife). That's my girl!
Starting with the obvious, I love riding my mountain bike! Which is ironic because for years I fought friends who tried to persuade me to get on one. Well, that ended the day I jumped on the old hard tail that had been wasting away in my backyard. I had signed up for a 50 mile road race up in the hills west of Boulder, and for obvious reasons, thought it best to start riding. Fellow board member, Mimi, brought me out to Martial Mesa and I was immediately hooked! I was in Fruita riding 2 days later.
Being the new and obsessed mountain biker that I was, I found out about BMA and attended one of their awesome parties. After much schmoozing, I realized these guys weren't just interested in talking about their mission, they were action oriented! I found them to be a determined group, driven to help the community enjoy and protect our beloved open space....on top of that, they were fun and they like to drink lots of beer. What's not to love?! I've been stoked to help out ever since.
As a designer and a former event planner, I spend most of my volunteer effort these days working on BMA's digital media (SmartTrail and the website) and social events (I never turn down a good party). I plan to continue getting the good word out about the organization to encourage more people to ride, and while they're at it, to help build and preserve trails. After all, that's what it's all about. Hope to see you out there.
After calling Colorado my home for 17 years, I still rank moving to Boulder back in 1994 as the best thing that's ever happened to me. Sure, I've moved away for stints, but I've always come back, realizing there are few places as wonderful as Boulder, with its innate beauty, intelligent and thriving academic, research, and business communities, and a population that enjoys and is inspired by the outdoors. This is why I've lived here, worked here, studied here, owned property here, and started a business here.
I grew up riding my Huffy in the woods behind my house in New Jersey and I want to live in a Boulder where that's possible again for me, and for all the little ones growing up here. That's the Boulder I want to see -- a Boulder blessed with not only great singletrack access around the city, but with great singletrack access directly from the city. To have both a connected trail system and a community that is connected through that trail system. To live in a city that embraces this sport as a way to connect and bond -- parents and their children, brothers and sisters, colleagues and neighbors. I joined BMA and their Board in 2011 as a way to help make this happen.
When I'm not riding my bike or skiing, I build spaceships (really) and work at growing my Management and Statistical Consulting business.
I joined the BMA board in 2012 but have been involved in mountain biking advocacy since 2009. I spent almost three years as the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew and worked with advocacy organizations, mountain bikers, and land managers in 43 states. I helped locals get organized, plan trail systems, build awesome trail, and increase their local capacity. I've seen the good, bad, and ugly and hope to bring all the good to Boulder! I've been a Boulder resident since 2000 when I came to Colorado for college.
I've been riding since around 1998 and have ridden in 46 states. My favorite trails in the US are at Copper Harbor, MI; East Burke, VT (Kingdom Trails); White Clay State Park in Newark, DE; Raccoon Mountain in Chattanooga, TN; Sun Valley, ID; and Florida (yes, Florida -- where else can you ride about two feet away from an alligator?).
Cycling has always been my escape to the outdoors and that is what drew me out west via Wisconsin 12 years ago. I raced mountain bikes professionally for Trek/VW for a number of years but have long since retired my lycra super hero uniform for baggies and a western shirt. Today I own and manage The Pro's Closet, a unique cycling store located in North Boulder, that specializes in buying and selling used bicycles. If you have not been up to our shop, peek in, say hi, and ask for a tour. I am looking forward to continuing to help build Boulder's cycling community and putting my footprint in the sand during these very progressive times.
I'm a sucker for bikes and trails - love riding them both. I find peace of mind, big grins and a connection to nature on my bikes - got a handful of them, but the mountain bike is my fave. I'm convinced that the joy of two knobby tires on a trail dwarfed by natural surroundings is powerful inspiration for being better stewards of our planet. So see ya out there - riding, building or toasting them trails.
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Zach is the Executive Director of Boltage, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses technology and incentives to make walking and biking to school a way of life. Boltage, based in Boulder, Colorado, has programs in over 40 schools across the country, and to date, kids participating in the program have made over 550,00 kid-powered trips to school, covering 800,00 miles (over 30 times around the earth) and saving 1.3 million lbs. of CO2 emissions. Zach is also a practicing attorney and has worked at several international law firms in New York, Washington, D.C. and Colorado. He continues to run his own law firm, Flatirons Law Group, where he advises clients on various legal and business matters. Zach holds undergraduate and law degrees from Duke University.
Zach is an avid bike commuter (my most recent bike purchase is a Yuba Mondo cargo bike, which I use to carry my two kids) and a recreational road and mountain biker.
I have been on the BMA board since 2003 when I realized that I can't sit on the sidelines and complain about a lack of Mountain Bike opportunities if I do not do something about it. BMA is doing everything about it! Boulder Mountainbike Alliance is the voice of mountain biking in Boulder and works to get us the opportunities for more trail riding. I have been the president of BMA and when my son was born I stepped into the role of Vice President (Thank you, Jason). I can't wait to share the Boulder outdoors, riding, and the trails that I helped build with him. I am a trail crew leader, I have organized the BMA Banquet for many years and I love riding SufferFest evey year. I love riding bikes (pretty much any kind), climbing, and pretty much anything outdoors. I am a Realtor as my day job and work at Pedal to Properties (where you have the option to ride a bike to view property). Come join us and be part of the future!
I've been hooked on mountain biking ever since a male companion convinced me it would be OK to ride my 24" wheeled, no suspension Streetstomper down the Fish Creek Falls trail outside of Steamboat in about 1994. Shortly thereafter I graduated to an Alpinstar with front suspension then got a Santa Cruz Juliana for my 57th birthday, a few years back, and hope to be riding it until I'm about 80 or 90, probably with two artificial hips!
Eventually, I started paying my BMA dues (OK--it was BOA) and doing trail work as a crew leader. You'll find me at the end of a trail work day doing a "clean-up" sweep as I want the edges of the trail corridor as carefully worked and left as the tread has been--it's my training as a landscape architect. Behind the scenes, I'm advocating for shared access for mountain bikes.
First, I love mountain biking. It is how I push the reset button and manage to work in a cubicle everyday without going postal. Without mountain bikes, the world would be a grayer place for me. My favorite steed is my Ibis Mojo with a Maverick DUC fork...and my Sinister DNA for dirt jumping....and my, well, you get the picture.
I volunteered in a variety of capacities for BMA, such as trail crew leader and bike patroller, before joining the BMA board in 2005. For a while I would take on well-defined projects and execute. This included an advocacy campaign pushing for what became the Wild Turkey Trail, developing the Boulder Mountain Bike Patrol from a handful of well-intentioned people to a well-organized and sizable force for trail-side evangelism, and creating SufferFest. But at my heart, I am a political creature. I spend a lot of time at meetings, developing relationships with people that make decisions about mountain bike access, and helping out in political causes, such as open space campaigns, that are part of why it is so awesome to be a mountain biker in Boulder County. Somehow, I got kicked up the ladder to being president. I've learned a lot as we started revamping our organization to do better budgeting, enhance our website, expand our membership offerings, and more. But I still keep my fingers in the advocacy pie - lending a helping hand for Valmont Bike Park and the West TSA advocacy campaign.
I think because of the Boulder Mountainbike Alliance, Boulder will be a different town in five years from what it is today. We are changing Boulder for the better and it is because of people like you who support us and the many volunteers who have stepped up to volunteer their time over the years. We are standing on the shoulders of giants and leaping over the moon. It's a good time to be part of BMA.
As a more recent addition to the BMA Board I have admired the group's efforts and decided to become more involved. A love of the outdoors has permeated my professional career as well as my hobbies. After college I spent time guiding and instructing outdoor sports which lead me into bicycle retail and eventually to my current job as the owner of the Trek Bicycles Stores in Boulder and Louisville. These days I am pretty focused on cycling as my preferred means of getting outdoors. I also enjoy hiking on some of Boulder’s great trails with the family. Bicycles are a big part of my life including races on the weekends, having a job in the bike industry and daily rides.
It’s my philosophy that getting people out into the natural environment causes them to have a better appreciation for our natural resources. I believe that cycling can be part of a solution to improve our health and our transportation systems. It’s my hope that Boulder County will have sustainable trails for future generations.
I have been an active member of BMA since 2001. I began with volunteering for trail work, where I met our current President Jason Vogel and Board Member Eric Vogelsberg. I am a Trail Crew Leader and you will find me working on my favorite home trails at Marshall Mesa and the Benjamin Property on trail work days.
I enjoy the social and community aspects of working with BMA. You will see me at many of our social and community events: the BMA Banquet and Auction, Film Nite, First Mondays, and the BMA MIXER. The BMA MIXER is a new social ride that celebrates after with our road bike friends from Full Cycle and our runner friends from Fleet Feet, jointly known as the MIX.
I like to ride anywhere and anytime, but trails I can ride to are my favorite. I also love to take the bus up to Nederland on the weekend to ride West Magnolia. I also am an avid bike commuter. I currently ride my Kona Jake the Snake on my daily commute of 10 miles into work at Boulder Day Nursery where I teach in the Preschool Classroom. If the weather turns bad for the commute I may take the single speed Karate Monkey in through the snow. If you see me on the trails I'll most likely be riding the full suspension Trek 69ner, if I need to suffer more I'll be on the single speed Karate Monkey maybe running the rigid fork.
SufferFest is my favorite event. Jason Vogel designed this beast and she has big claws and teeth. With 44.5 miles with 5600 feet of climbing all at between 8-10,000 feet of elevation this ride is not for the faint of heart. My first year I swept the ride on the single speed with Jason in the summer heat. My second year I tried to chase down the ride leader, previous BMA President Botsy Phillips on the 69ner in the snow.
I graduated from CU in 2000 and never left, just like all the other smart kids. I love being here in Boulder enjoying the outdoors and the people. I hope to see you on the trail for a ride.
