If you were riding in Phoenix in August, you'd have trouble smiling, too!
I’ve made a decision: I want to be part of the Specialized Trail Crew.
If you’re reading this and you don’t work for Specialized, the Trail Crew is essentially a bunch of brand ambassadors that gets out there, riding, doing trail maintenance and generally being cool to other riders so they forward that coolness to others.
Well, that sounds a lot like what I do now (though I could use some motivation to do more maintenance).
This has me all written over it. Right now, I’m the guy who loans you his pump when you forget yours. I’m the guy who gets along with horses and their riders. I give directions to the nearest water fountain. If they ask -and only if they ask- I’ll help newbies pick the best line to clean a section of trail or select a good gear for climbing the local nasty hill.
Ex-shop mechanic, published bike mag writer (Mountain Flyer), bearer of crash scars, once-and-future epic racer … sounds like the right match, eh?
So why do it? Well, it’s another reason to get out and ride. It’s belonging to part of something, which appeals to the hockey goalie in me. And because we need mountain bikers out there getting people excited about mountain biking and mountain bikers.
One confession: I’ve never owned a Specialized bike (shoes, helmets and gloves are another story). My shop never carried ‘em. So why would I now? Three reasons:
-When I visited Whistler during the Crankworx festival, I got to demo a Stumpjumper 29. The bike was wonderful, but the crew at the Specialized trailer was even better. So they’ve got people going for them.
-Ned Overend and Jason McRoy (RIP), two of the most gracious dudes to ever make a living pedaling a bike. Both these Specialized team riders gave me some encouragement (and autographs) before my first race, the legendary Specialized Cactus Cup at Westworld. Oh, yeah … let’s not forget that Ned is still a legend. He, Tinker and Marla Streb are my trifecta of mountain bike coolness.
-Specialized footed a lot of the bills to build the Race Loops at McDowell Mountain Park. You guys know by now how I feel about that place. Heck, that’s where I proposed to my wife. And yes, we rode the next morning!
He’s also a very patient teacher – taught me how to mountain bike, and the joys of road riding. He’s also very creative with figuring out repairs. He’s good at pulling cactus spines out. Plus, he is uncannily good with directions and despite the fact that the desert all looks the same to me, he can remember where we’ve been and how to get back to the car.
I don’t know that they would let you be a part of this crew, owing to the fact that you said yourself that it’s a group of “cool people,” but all the luck in the world to you, Turbo!
Seriously though – Attention Specialized Trail Crew – this guy’s your man.
Aw, thank you two.
Sounds like the perfect match, Flatch!
I’ve know Justin since we were little kids and he is the greatest guy I know! He has an awesome sense of humor & quick wit, as anyone who’s been around him knows. Whether I’m biking, hiking, or horse-back riding, there isn’t another person I’d rather run into on the trail (haha..not literally)