Not all mountain bike trail builders are amateurs. Some are professionals who have dedicated their lives to trail building. Among them are Joe Lepesqueur, Erik Mickelson, and Jay Kepes. But who exactly is responsible for building a bike trail? And where can you find out more about these trail builders? We've listed the top trail builders worldwide. You're sure to learn something from them.
Joe
Joe the mountain bike trail builder started working on trails at an early age, helping his parents maintain hiking trails around their property. He began riding his BMX down trails and found that he enjoyed mountain biking. He sold his old Haro and switched over to a Cannondale and set about transforming the family forest into a mountain bike trail system. He is now a partner of Tahawus Trails LLC.
Erik Mickelson
Erik Mickelson is a mountain bike trail builder and if you are interested in a career as a trail builder, then Erik Mickelson is the right person for you. Mickelson has been in the outdoor recreation business for more than 30 years. He has extensive experience working with various agencies as well as building mountain bike trails. Mickelson is a "Trail Builder to Watch" article in Bicycling Magazine. It details his impressive work, and explains why you should look up Mickelson to pursue a rewarding career mountain biking.
Jay Kepes
Jay Kepes is a mountain biker who enjoys spending his spare time building trails throughout New York State. He grew up in upstate New York and started working on trails at an early age. Jay started out building trails with a trowel. Later, Jay learned to use a saw & axe. Later, he joined the Adirondack Mountain Club Professional Trail Crew and worked on several projects for the organization. In 2019, Jay began working for Tahawus Trails.
Lepesqueur
Tom Lepesqueur is a Rochester resident and a prominent advocate for the development of mountain biking trails in the region. His vision for Velomont Trail could cost anywhere from 50 to 120 millions dollars and encompass hundreds of acres of state property. This ambitious project would also include 12 mountain biking chapters and more than 30 huts. The company is currently bidding. If it is approved, the project would be complete by next summer.
Wentz
Steve Wentz is one the most prominent mountain bike trail creators in the world. The Reno, Nevada resident brought the sport to the United States by introducing the pump track, a circuit of banked turns ridden by up-and-down movement. Wentz, who was an ex-member of the US Junior National Downhill Team and has ridden on and built trails all over the world. From China to Chile, Wentz has traveled and competed to provide the best mountain bike trails.
FAQ
Why do people enjoy extreme sports?
Extreme sports have many benefits.
First, they offer excitement.
Extreme sports are secondly exciting. They can sometimes be scary and unpredictable.
Third, they offer people the opportunity to push their limits. You never know what may happen next.
Fourth, they allow people to get away from everyday life.
Fifth, they allow people to express themselves through original forms of art. Extreme sports can be artistic expressions like surf carving.
They help people stay fit. Many extreme sports are good for your body. Skydiving helps with coordination, balance, as well strength.
Extreme sports are great fun. People enjoy being part of a group, especially when everyone is having a great time together.
What makes a sport extreme
Sports have been around since ancient times. They've evolved from being purely athletic competitions to becoming full-fledged entertainments. Some sports have become part and parcel of our culture.
High levels of competition make some sports extreme. For example, professional basketball players play against each other almost daily for many hours. Others sports require extreme equipment, which is why they are called extreme. Snowboarding, for example, involves riding down hills on two-wheeled boards attached to the bottom.
Some sports are extreme simply because they have different rules. For example, American football is played differently in soccer.
Some sports are extreme because they require their athletes to do feats such as gymnastics. Gymnastics is one example of extreme sports. The athletes must balance on various objects to avoid falling.
Is football considered an extreme sport?
It all depends on who you ask. For thousands of years, millions of people have been playing football around the world. Many people argue that football is not a sport, but entertainment. Others say that it is as much a sport as any other. Others think that football is the ultimate sport.
The truth lies somewhere in between these extremes.
Football is an extreme game. However, it requires teamwork, strategy and skill.
Is extreme sport dangerous?
Extreme sports present dangers because they expose people to serious injury and death. However, many people have died from drowning or other causes.
Even though you are riding a bike, rollerblading or doing other safe activities, accidents can occur.
Some people avoid extreme sports because they fear injury.
For example, the National Football League prohibits its players from participating in certain extreme sports (like skateboarding) because of the high risks associated with those sports.
You should be careful about what you do and how others react to your extreme sport endeavors.
How does an extreme sport differ to regular sports?
Extreme sports combine physical exertion with skill and/or challenge.
This may include the use of equipment like helmets, goggles or other unique clothing.
Extreme sports are different from traditional sports which require special training prior to participating.
They are typically outdoors and don't offer any safety net in the case of an accident.
Some extreme activities are illegal while others can be legal. It all depends on where you live, and the type of activity that you are involved in.
Check the local laws before undertaking extreme sports.
Statistics
- Since 1998, overall participation has grown nearly 25% - from 5.2 million in 1998 to 6.5 million in 2004. (momsteam.com)
- Overall participation has grown by more than 60% since 1998 - from 5.9 million in 1998 to 9.6 million in 2004 Artificial Wall Climbing. (momsteam.com)
- Approximately 50% of all wakeboarders have been participating in the sport for 1-3 years. (momsteam.com)
- Boxing— 90% of boxers suffer brain damage over their careers, and this is not surprising in the least, considering that they are throwing punches at each other's heads. (rosenfeldinjurylawyers.com)
- According to the United States Parachuting Association, about 21 people die yearly from skydiving. (livehealthy.chron.com)
External Links
How To
How do I get started with Base Jumping?
Base jumping, also known as free-fall parachute, is a sport that involves participants leaping from fixed objects (usually cliffs), like bridges, towers or buildings without any equipment. The participant jumps off the object and uses their parachute to land safely. It's similar to skydiving but you don’t have to wear a parachute or hold your breath as you wait to open it.
The most common type is a wingsuit jumping suit. A wingsuit consists of two pieces, each piece of fabric being sewn together. One piece covers the chest, arms, and legs while the second covers the legs. Special boots are worn by the jumper that allow him/her stand upright in flight. During descent, the jumper pulls the straps attached to his/her feet tight, which causes the material covering the legs to bunch up, creating a large pocket of air underneath the jumper's body. When this air pocket becomes big enough, the jumper opens his/her parachute and lands safely.
Some base jumpers use powered suits to help propel themselves through the air faster. Two main components of powered suits are a backpack with batteries and a pack that can be worn underneath the jumper's clothing. These small rockets fire small jets of hot-gas at high speeds. This creates thrust that propels the leaper forward. However, these suits tend to be loud and heavy.
BASE jumping can seem intimidating to some people. Learn how to BASE Jump. Be aware of the risks. There are several ways to die while doing BASE jumping: you could fall off a steep cliff, hit an obstacle head-on, upside down or collide with another jumper. Even though BASE jumping is not always dangerous, it can be very dangerous when done incorrectly. Before you attempt to BASE jump, make sure you follow these safety tips.
Practice safe BASE jumping techniques starting on a small hill. Be sure to spend a few minutes getting used to the terrain before you jump from a higher one. Watch out for weather conditions. Make sure the wind doesn't blow in your face when you jump. Also, be careful of foggy skies; if you can see more than 10ft ahead of yourself, you might need to wait until the clouds clear. Make sure you have the proper gear. Make sure you have a helmet, goggles, gloves, and a full suit with a harness. Fourth, be sure to have a plan. Before leaving the ground, ask someone to follow you if something goes wrong. Never jump by yourself. Always have someone watching over you.