New Belgium hits the trails!

Recently, I had the honor and pleasure to spending some time with David Anderson and Amy Singmaster on the Smith Creek Trail near Mount Saint Helens.  Brian Bogan and I traveled out from Fort Collins CO early for our Portland Tour de Fat (this Saturday, August 14, in Waterfront Park) to soak up the scenery and enjoy the company of our friends from the Northwest Trail Alliance.  The NWTA will be benefiting from the Parade and will be benefiting from the Merchandise and Do-It-Yourself Booths.
 
I had been tentative to commit to such an adventure.  I am much more of a utilitarian bicyclist, I commute almost daily and on the other days I walk.  But getting on a mountain bike and riding singletrack with locals is a little daunting when you are not much of a mountain bike rider.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to ride-but I have been working for a brewery for over 8 years, let’s just say I’m really good at 12oz curls.  Bogan, on the other hand, can shred with the best of them-so he was psyched.

Amy, Michael, Brian and David and the Tour de Fat Sprinter at the trailhead.
 
Before my time at New Belgium Brewing Company, I cut trails for Larimer County in CO.  It had been almost 9 years since I had trail-working tools in my hand, but I’m happy to report that it was like riding a bike.  There is something very Zen about working in nature to build sustainable trails and yesterday-I remembered.  As more of a urban commuter, I have always questioned the ethics behind driving your car to ride your bike in nature.  Yesterday, thanks to David and Amy from the NWTA, I remembered how unbelievably wonderful, soothing,  and romantic it is to ride in the woods.  I felt like I went to Church yesterday and I’m back in love with Mountain Biking.

Michael Craft on the Smith Creek Trail. 

Special thanks to David Anderson who knows more about the Mount Saint Helens area than most Park Rangers.  I’m a bit of a National Park, Monument, State Park, etc. geek so I feel like I had an insider’s glimpse of the awesome power that is Mother Nature and the living history that is Mount Saint Helens.  And special thanks to Amy Singmaster who humbly rode behind me the entire day when I know she could have blown past me at any time.  It was good to know that if the Volcano swallowed me Amy would have at least seen it happen.
 
Support your friends at the NWTA, they are making the playground that is your backyard a better place to ride.  And, they are helping protect the natural environment at the same time!
 
Cheers, hope to see you Saturday at the Tour de Fat…
 
Michael Craft
New Belgium Brewing Company
Employee Owner & Tour de Fat Non-Profit Liaison

Amy, David, Brian and Michael at a NWTA work site on the Smith Creek Trail.