Mountain Biking

History of Program

Jonas Mikolayunas (spell check!) founded the mountain biking program [dates. Details.].

A man Mike Wilson remembers for perpetually-stained pants ran special mountain biking trips in 1999 (Tyler? Tyler Durden? Probably not Tyler Durden.) The program was fallow in 2000. In 2001, Mike Wilson and Aaron Fides took on the program as CITs. Mike's focus was trail riding. Aaron's was freestyle. After passionate and inarticulate negotiation, Mike gained control of the program.

Mike identified three core skill areas for a mountain biker: bike maintenance, trail riding technique, and endurance. He interrogated these these skill areas until badge parts popped out; the resulting curriculum remained in use until at least 2009. Tom Clemence (Andrew Clemece's father) assisted Mike in leading the program, and together they established popular day trips and, eventually, overnights. Ted Cunningham and Andrew Clemence emerged as leaders in the program as campers, and continued their leadership as CITs. Ted was the official mountain biking CIT in 2005. Both Ted and Mike took BRC-breaks in 2006; Andrew stepped into leadership of the program. He has lead it since.

The equipment and facilities of the program have grown gradually. Tom Clemence made major donations in 2001 and 2002. Jonas Mikolayunas appeared unexpectedly in 2004 or 2004 with armfuls of tires, inner tubes, and lube. Various campers and their families donated bicycles. Don Munn expanded the mountain biking shed for the summer of 2006.

Program Details

(Badge parts available in Office)

Stories and Impressions

Joe Rood wanted air on the ride down from Hawk Mountain. We told him to slow down. He did not slow down. He did not get air. He got soggy awful road rash.

Riding in the rain: wet leaves lap my hands like cold dog tongues and flowing mud sucks my front wheel around. Dirt hits my face and the rain rinses it away. Campers still get thirsty, because it's hard work. We towel down and re-lube our cables and chain with steam coming off of us. We are late for general swim. General swim is board games today anyhow.

The woods are bigger than we are.