Two things influenced my decision to work as a bike mechanic. The first one is that, for me, few experiences are more rewarding than successfully repairing something. The second one is that until recently, I didn’t own a car which– living where I live– is agreeing to either ride a bike to get around or stay your ass at home. I’ve always loved the sense of freedom that even the shortest of bike rides give and when I was introduced to mountain biking two years ago, I loved it instantly. On the second year of my campus bike shop job, I was introduced to bikepacking through the power of the internet and since then have been jonesing to pack a tent to my bike and just go off grid for a while.
It’s easier said than done though. I work six to seven days a week and typically juggle two or three jobs at a time. And, until recently, I was managing those jobs as a full time student. In addition to that, the mountain biking scene here is homogenous as hell and if it weren’t for a handful of people I definitely wouldn’t have ventured out as much as I have. All of the trails here are easily accessible by car, but are spread out enough that getting to them can be difficult without one.
That’s why I appreciate the opportunity to work with the WTF Bikexplorers and to bring what I learn there back home to me and mine.
I’m an engineer, an advocate for green transportation in my red state, and am proficient in guessing the right wrench for all kinds of jobs. I’m excited to contribute what I can and to learn about what I don’t yet know.