Gadling gets desperate, brings me on as new travel blogger

My goal of becoming a full-time cycling and outdoor travel writer is one step closer. I'm the newest blogger for Gadling, one of the most popular and influential travel blog on the interwebs. Check out my profile, detailing my travel likes and experiences here. Be sure to check back often, as I hope to have several pieces a month on the site.

I need your help to bring more trails to Brown County!

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For the next few weeks, Indiana outdoor enthusiasts can help bring more world-class mountain bike trails to Brown County State Park in Nashville, Ind., simply by voting on Facebook.

Bell Bike Helmets is partnering with the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) to give away $100,000 in trail grants in its Bell Built Facebook contest. With more than 100 applications submitted, twelve trail projects have been selected as finalists in three different categories – Pump Track, Flow Trail and a Downhill.  One winner will be chosen in each category.

Hobbs Hollow is Brown County’s entry in the Flow Trail category.  This brand new 3-mile segment of trail will be jam-packed with bermed turns, step-ups, rock drops, and tabletop jumps along its a 2-mile descent with 360 feet of vertical drop, more than any other trail in the state.  Other finalists include Kingdom Trails (Burke, VT), Coldwater Mountain (Anniston, AL) and the Corral Trail (Lake Tahoe, CA).

“If this grant is truly about impact and truly about using these funds to make a difference in our sport, then Brown County is the place that deserves your vote in the Flow Category in this contest,” IMBA Midwest Regional Director Hansi Johnson said in a recent blog post. “This place truly exposes the core of our country to the positive aspects of off-road cycling, it’s creating new riders and thus new constituents in what most folks consider the flyover zone…. professionally, thinking of "impact" on the sport I would say Brown County needs your vote and thus this grant more than any of its competition.”

Brown County is already a Midwest mountain bike destination with more than 25 miles of flowing single track for all levels of riders.  Trails are built and maintained by volunteers with the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association and are enjoyed by mountain bikers, hikers, trails runners and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and types.  In 2011, Brown County was designated an IMBA “Epic” – a distinction given to only 63 trails around the globe in the past 11 years.  The Hobbs Hollow flow trail will kick off the next wave of construction with 15 additional miles planned over the next few years. 

To vote, visit http://www.facebook.com/BellBikeHelmets/app_228716427271717 before the contest ends April 12.  Voting does not work on mobile devices.

More information about Brown County can be found at www.browncountymountainbiking.com and www.imba.com/epics/brown-county.

Nine13 Sports makes national news

My article on Nine13 Sports ran in Bicycle Times earlier this month. This is a great program that tries to get primarily lower-income kids healthy by putting them on a Computrainer and telling them to pedal fast. My former coach John Singleton helps run Nine13, and he rarely gets more excited than when he's bragging about a young kid who discovers the athlete inside.

It's crazy how much things have changed over the years. When I was a kid, many, many years ago, I was on my bike constantly, going to friends' houses, staging impromptu races with buddies and just having an all-around blast. Kids today don't seem to have that same freedom that we did as children. I wonder how many of these kids will pick up cycling, either as a sport or simply as a more fun way of getting from Point A to Point B.

Hope you're thirsty

Last month I started covering city government for a small local newspaper, the Current in Carmel. It's a part-time gig, which is what I wanted. As much as I love writing about bikes, some times it's almost as much fun to write about zoning changes and political in-fighting. Almost.

It's no secret to my friends that I love beer almost as much as bikes. So imagine my excitement when my editor allowed me to write a story on a couple of craft breweries coming to Carmel. With any luck, maybe this will lead to a new career path writing about beer. (Unfortunately DrunkCyclist.com is already taken.)

Check out my story on DirtRag.com!

My friends at Dirt Rag asked me to do an article on some gorgeous show bikes from the North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show and how they're fairing out in the wild. Luckily, my buddy and Shamrock Cycles owner Tim O'Donnell was able to point me in the direction of two very lucky owners. Read the story here.

Not eligible for AARP benefits yet, but I can still write for them!

I recently wrote a story for the AARP Bulletin on Indianapolis' Complete Streets Initiative and how it's setting the tone for further implementation throughout the state. Give it a read!

My Brown County State Park feature ran in Dirt Rag

I write a lot of articles, but this is definitely in my personal top 10 favorites. Big thanks to Michelle Craig of Two Pedals Photography and Dirt Rag's art and editorial teams for making my scribblings enjoyable to the masses.