Kip Biese: MTB Coach and Local Legend

How many people do you know who got married in their cycling kit? Probably no one, right? Well now you do. Meet Kip Biese. He’s a former pro rider who has coached thousands of others in the art of riding a bicycle. 

With Clarissa at the top of Mt. Elbert, the highest point one can ride a bike in the U.S. And you know Kip had to ride to the top on his wedding day!

Kip is originally from the Milwaukee area and his dad introduced him to mountain biking at age 10. Growing up, he rode whatever trails he could find around Wisconsin. But for college, he attended Colorado State and was part of the mountain bike race team. 

After graduating, he moved to COS to work in a bike shop. In 2001, he started racing - all different disciplines. After a year, he secured a contract to ride for Giant and then later for Cannondale. 

After racing professionally for a number of years, he has been coaching both with Kids on Bikes and Front Rangers for almost a decade. Many of the kids he coached are now coaches themselves. And they all love to know he has ridden everyday for the last 10 years (The last time he didn’t ride was Sept. 14, 2013!)

Kip!!!

Also, Kip does personal coaching for both youth and adults. He provides training plans and also will ride together with his clients. Kip is still a beast! On top of all his riding and coaching experience, Kip has dual Masters degrees from UT-Austin in both exercise physiology and kinesiology. 

Kip is a regular at Trailblazers and is always reppin’ the Trails End Race Team. In Colorado, he loves to ride Cheyenne Canon here in the Springs and Breckenridge for the high country riding. And in North America, he digs Whistler in Canada for all the high end tech. We enjoy when Kip stops into Routes to get his Revel Ranger occasionally serviced or just to have a beer. He is an endless well of stories and knowledge! 

Jeff Wilson: Local Running and Fitness Coach

Jeff on his way to see Barbie.

Jeff Wilson is a friend of Routes and regular at Trailblazers. He grew up playing hockey in the hockey crazed region of SE Michigan (home of the Detroit Red Wings!). He started running to stay in shape for hockey and eventually realized he was better at running. Once in high school, he made the agonizing decision to commit to just running. With the support of a great high school coach and a dad who runs, he was able to then run competitively at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. While there, he ran a 14:55 5K PR (4:45 mile pace) - yowsers!. After graduating with a degree in kinesiology, he had his sights on the Olympic Trials in the marathon. To qualify, he needed a sub 2:20 (5:20 mile pace) - yikes! Ultimately, injuries kept him from pursuing his dream, but he realized a love for helping others train in the process. 

For the last decade, he has helped coach the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs men’s cross country team and also teaches in the Health Sciences department there. To boot, he works as a personal trainer and private running coach for clients throughout Colorado Springs and online. He has a holistic approach of working with folks on diet, strength and weight training, mental approach, and fitness.  

Jeff in training

In regards to nutrition, he recommends a varied, colorful plate of food with a balance of carbs, proteins, and fats. One of his favorite meals to cook is baked salmon with a vegetable and quinoa mix (though he loves Detroit style pizza too and recommends Decent Pizza in town!). 

For the last couple years, he has been working with a client whose ultimate goal was to be hired by the FBI. Jeff helped him reach his goals for the 300 meters and the 2 mile. And Jeff coached him through his secondary goals of looking physically fit and feeling good about his body too. 

Personally, Jeff will be running the Ascent Half Marathon to the top of Pikes Peak this year - as well as the California International Marathon. And he just started a podcast with two of his friends about running, training, and health. And you can check out his website here. 

Leadville: Day Trip Series Part 5

Joel and I in front of Turquoise Lake. Photo credit: Daniel Kim

By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)

Shortly after moving to Colorado in 2021, I heard about these hoodies made by a Colorado company called Melanzana. (It took me a few times to say it correctly). Occasionally, I’d see people wear them around town and the hoodies were easy to spot - brightly colored and often two toned. But I also heard the only place to buy them was at their store in Leadville - not even on their website.

When my buddies - Daniel and Joel - and I climbed Mt. Elbert last Fall (read story here), we stopped by downtown Leadville for lunch after. We walked past Melananza and looked inside. A sign said customers had to make an appointment to shop - months in advance! Daniel was intrigued and made an appointment for a Saturday in May.

Folks sewing hoodies at the Melanzana store

So this May (2023), the three of us made the two hour drive. We first stopped at Turqouise Lake in Leadville. The trails were too snowy and unfortunately we didn’t rent any showshoes from Routes. So we walked on the road along the lake. It was well plowed, closed off to motorists, and still had some nice views.

For lunch, we stopped into High Mountain Pies. The menu said the local favorite was “The Crocodile” - BBQ sauce, mozzarella, shrimp, bacon, jalapeno, and cream cheese. Sounded nasty but we ordered it. The bbq sauce was sweet, the bacon salty, the jalapeno spicy, and the cream cheese, well creamy. Somehow, a phenomenal combo!

After lunch, we walked the historic downtown, with many of the brick buildings over a hundred years old. We dipped into Melanzana for our 3 pm appointment. We perused the hoodies in the front of the store and watched people sewing the hoodies in the back of the store. Since we were only allowed to buy two items per appointment, I tried on like a dozen different ones to make sure I found the right one. And find it I did. I‘m wearing it right now and it feels just right!

COS Racing with Cindi Brothers

Cindi and her husband, Michael

Cindi Brothers is a Monument resident and part of COS Racing - a local group of mountain, gravel, road, and track riders who race, train, and volunteer together.

Cindi had been a long time runner but with her husband’s encouragement transitioned to biking in recent years. She joined COS racing four years ago and now helps lead monthly gravel rides. Her husband, Michael, leads monthly MTB rides.

Already in 2023, Cindi repped COS Racing at the Mad Gravel race here in the Springs. For her age group, she placed 4th in the 21 mile circuit race for category B. The next day, she rode the 30-miler coming in first for her age group!

COS Racing is split into three teams. The Race A team consists of elite riders - some of which are legends and have won various state, national, and international championships in different disciplines. The Race B team, which Cindi is a part of, is the developmental tier of riders looking to advance their skills, fitness, and racing abilities. Lastly, the Club team is for new racers looking to get into competitive riding.

COS Racing has over a hundred members. Annual fees are $40 and another $40 for the COS kit. (Look good, feel good, ride good!) Along with other local businesses - Routes Outfitter is stoked to be a supporter of COS Racing.

From Severe Asthma to Running a Half Marathon

Jason, left, with his friend, right, and cousin in the back.

Jason, a friend of Routes, never played sports growing up. He had a severe case of asthma that landed him in the hospital. By the time he graduated from college, though, he had aged out of his asthma. So, he decided to try running. He was able to run a ⅛ mile around his parents’ house - and do it a few more times in the following days. The next week, he did a ½ mile. Over the following weeks and months, he kept adding distance. Finally, a couple years later in 2020, he tried his first race - the Super Half Marathon in Colorado Springs. 

Jason running at the Garden of the Gods.

Over a 1,000 runners compete in the Super Half Marathon (13.1 miles) the morning of Super Bowl Sunday. Jason’s first year running the Super Half he tried to keep up with the other runners who passed him and he ended up burning out at Mile 11. He had to walk most of the way to finish. His 2nd year, in 2022, he paced himself much better. And in 2023, he ran a personal best time.

Jason lives near Ute Valley and runs there regularly with his hydration pack. He also loves running Garden of the Gods and is a regular at the Jack Quinn’s run on Tuesday nights. In recent years, he learned he has a condition called tachycardia - which makes his heart stutter. Running a couple times a week actually helps his heart beat normally.

Someday, Jason would like to run the Pikes Peak Marathon! 

Medicine Wheel: Trail Advocates

Cory, near Garden of the Gods

Cory Sutela, director of Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates, stopped by Routes the other day. Medicine Wheel is a non-profit organization of “mountain bikers who build, protect, and share inspiring trail experiences” in the Pikes Peak Region.  

Cory shared that Medicine Wheel was originally started by Brian Gravestock in 1991. Brian found mental and physical healing from being on the region’s trails. Inspired by the native american tradition of the Medicine Wheel, he created MedWheel as a way to encourage people to connect with nature and to improve cooperation among trail users. Brian wanted to provide a way to let trail users heal themselves as well as the trails. This work has led to the vision of creating a world class network of mountain biking trails in the Pikes Peak region. Read more about this history here.

Cory became the director of Medicine Wheel in 2019 after serving on the board of directors for many years. He originally moved to Colorado Springs from Canada in 2004 to work as a SRAM engineer. He first learned about Medicine Wheel when he volunteered at Red Rocks Canyon Open Space at a Medicine Wheel Trail of Love Dig Day - MedWheel’s volunteer building and maintenance program for the trails we all love. 

Ribbon cutting at Lake Morraine Trail

Medicine Wheel has had their hands in many of the trail projects around town in the last 30 years like Chutes and Ladders, Lion trail, Codell and many others. They spent 20 years bringing the Lake Morainne Trail to completion. They had to coordinate with State Senators, Colorado Springs Utilities, the State and National Railways, multiple landowners, and the Army Corps of Engineers. One of the most rewarding parts of this job for Cory was cutting the ribbon on the Lake Moraine Trail (and the recently opened Cresta Bike Park). 

Trail of Love Dig Day on Rattle Rocks at Ute Valley.

Cory mentioned during his visit to Routes that Medicine Wheel is in need of volunteers - not only for Trail Love Dig Days (which are posted regularly on their website) but also to attend public meetings, find sponsors, curate their social media, and in communications to help share Medicine Wheel’s story with the greater public. 

Additionally, Medicine Wheel partners with community organizations like Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Pikes Peak Outdoor Rec Alliance, Trails and Open Space Coalition, Concrete Couch, Upadowna, Friends groups in parks and open spaces across the region, schools, and businesses. MedWheel always seeks additional business, individual and organizational partners.

You can also follow them on Facebook  Instagram  Youtube  . 

Winter Hut Trip with the Fam

Ben’s dad, with the Sawatch Mountains in the background.

Routes staff, Ben Goodmen, went on a winter hut trip with his family over the Christmas 2022 holiday. Along with three other families, the Goodmen’s drove from Monument to Leadville - where they spent the night. The next morning, they drove past Ski Cooper and arrived at the Mineral Belt Trailhead with their Alpine Touring (AT) skis. AT skis, also known as backcountry skis, are similar to downhill skis. In order to go uphill, though, ‘skins’ can be placed on the bottoms and they have a pin binding - allowing the foot to move up and down. (Routes has AT skis for rent this winter!) 

Ben and his family and friends skied for about 5 miles, taking 4-5 hours, until arriving at the Fowler-Hilliard Hut, part of the 10th Mountain Hut Division. For the last 7 years, Ben and his family have reserved and stayed in a 10th Mountain Division hut through a lottery based system. In 2020, they got off to a late start and couldn’t find the hut in the dark. They had to bed down in the snow, under a tree for the night, in freezing temperatures. 

The Fowler-Hilliard Hut, built in 1988, sits at 11,500 feet.

On this trip in 2022, they stayed three nights. During the day, they skied around the hut in fresh powder, taking in the amazing views, but making sure each person had a shovel, beacon, and probe in case of an avalanche. Each family took turns cooking meals, the hut had a common area to play games together, and adults and kids alike congregated around the wood-burning fire. The last morning, they departed and the descent back to the trailhead only took about an hour. 

From Couch Potato to Winning the Pikes Peak Marathon

Tina, at the top of Mt. Harvard.

Tina Mascarenas, friend of Routes, stopped by the shop the other day. We sat down with her, over a bottle of kombucha, to hear about her recently winning the 2022 Pikes Peak Marathon. 

Tina grew up in Colorado Springs. Her mother got her and her siblings into rock climbing and Tina also into gymnastics. And when she was little, her grandpa bribed her and her siblings to hike the trails around town. 

But while in her 20s, Tina “got fat, partied, smoked, and did nothing”. Her brother, though, challenged her to start running. She loved the structure running provided and started running all those trails her grandpa took her on. A year later, she placed top 10 for her age group in the Pikes Peak Ascent. Two years later in 2017, she won the Pikes Peak Marathon. 

Jogging up The Incline.

We asked her what was different about winning the Pikes Peak Marathon in 2022. She mentioned tweaking her diet and consuming more gels and Gatorade during her training runs to significantly increase her calories. As a result, she felt great during the race and loved the cooler temperature (the race was moved back a month in 2022). She ran a personal best 3:03 ascent and an impressive 1:33 descent.  

At Routes, though, we were curious to learn how it’s possible to pick up running as an adult, and in the span of a few years, become world class. Tina explained that when she decides to do something, she is all in. And a lot of the skills she acquired as a gymnast in her youth translates to running trails - especially downhill. For instance, as a gymnast, she learned muscle control, finding a line and fully committing to it, and the awareness of always knowing where she was in the air. All these attributes come in handy as she bombs downhill and launches off rocks. 

Competing at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand.

Plus, Tina enjoys the social side of running - especially among the running community here in Colorado Springs. After winning the 2022 Pikes Peak Marathon, she qualified for a spot on Team U.S. to compete in the 40K race at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships this past November in Thailand. She placed 25th and competed alongside a couple of her training partners from The Springs.

And to boot, Tina admits her genetics have helped her transition into being an elite runner. Her younger sister, Megan, is a 3x world bouldering champion. Her mother, at age 63, still climbs six days a week - including big walls in California. 

And her grandfather’s persistence paid off. He instilled in her a joy for being in the mountains - now running trails as one of the best in the world.

Trailblazers Field Trip

Lunching along the North Catamount Reservoir beach

This past July (2022), the Trailblazers Running and Hiking Group went on a field trip! We meet every Wednesday at Trails End Taproom for a 5 mile run through Red Rocks Canyon Open Space. However, we wanted to get out and explore a new area together. So we ventured to North and South Catamount Reservoir. Ten of us met at Routes in Old Colorado City for coffee, bagels, and fruit. We carpooled for the 40 minute drive - going through Manitou Springs to the Pikes Peak Highway. We paid the $5 toll/per person and made the beautiful and winding drive through the National Forest. 

Once we reached the reservoirs, we parked nearby and split up among runners and walkers. Each group followed the trail along the South reservoir - seeing fisherman, picnicking families, and kayakers along the way. We did a 6 mile out and back route, taking in the views of Pikes Peak throughout. After finishing, we walked 10 minutes to the North Reservoir and lunched along the beach. 

Afterward, some folks kept driving north to camp for the long 4th of July weekend, and a few of us drove back to Routes and stopped at the Pickle Shack along the way. Since it was someone’s birthday, we took pickle juice shots! 

Being with good people in such a beautiful place made for a great field trip!

The view from the trail along South Catamount Reservoir

Double Dating in the Wilderness

By Jake Timmons and Juli Williams, friends of Routes, and part of the local Trailblazers hiking group.

Our June (2022) trip around the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Loop outside of Fairplay - about 2 hours west of Colorado Springs - started as a surreptitious call from our friend Sarah. She asked Juli if we’d would be interested in a “double date overnight” backpacking trip. Juli quickly agreed and she and Sarah started planning before clueing in the husbands. Eventually, the heads up was pretty much - “Hey, we’re going backpacking this weekend”.

Since Juli loves both backpacking and date night…and Jake also loves date night (but loves golf), this seemed like a reasonable compromise for us. 

Juli and Jake filtering water…or at least one filtering water and one watching gleefully.

Juli met Sarah first at a networking event for her job in software and then again four days later at a Saturday run club. Two encounters that quickly meant they should probably just be friends…and the rest is history - including being a part of each other’s weddings. 

The Buffalo Peaks Loop is just under twelve miles and makes for a nice intro or weekend backpack loop. Since we were dispersed camping, no permit was required. The four of us met at the trailhead and set off around 10 am. Sarah brought quick reference cards of Colorado Flowers so several conversations focused on the diversity of the wilderness that is Colorado.

We ended up hiking 6.5 miles the first day. Taking our time, it took just over three hours to reach our campsite. We saw several other folks camping but the trail wasn’t crowded. 

Day 2: Camp all packed up and ready to head home.

We set up camp in a stand of trees overlooking a meadow with a creek for filtering water. After a fancy dinner of Tasty Bites Madras Lentils and Veggie Tikka Masala, courtesy of Juli and her jet boil stove, we enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate (and maybe a splash of whiskey).

After dinner, we spotted deer in the meadow and heard coyotes nearby. We were told elk or moose could be sighted - if you were lucky. We were not lucky.

No campfire that evening due to a fire ban but the cool night was made comfortable in a cozy two-person tent.

The next morning, we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast at camp of oatmeal and instant coffee from Trader Joe’s - accompanied by a gorgeous sunrise over the meadow and creek.

On the 5.3 mile hike back to the trailhead, Juli and Sarah both mentioned how much they loved the trip. Jake admitted he actually loved it too - being with his wife and good friends in the outdoors was a great and meaningful time…

…even if it wasn’t golf.

Highlanders: MTB High School Race Team in COS

Sam Cavin, joined Routes staff in Spring of 2022. Currently, he’s a sophomore with a 4.0 GPA at Palmer Ridge High School in Monument, CO. He races for Highlanders, a composite team of Colorado Springs area schools without their own mountain biking team programming. 

This year was Sam’s second year riding with the Highlanders, even though he was initially hesitant. Highlanders rides and races cross country (XC) events, which focus on distance and speed, while Sam has always loved bombing downhill and racing Gravity. Despite his hesitancy, Sam decided to race XC for Highlanders in order to stay in shape. 

There are 22 kids on the team, including three girls. They practice every Tuesday and Thursday, shredding the best trails across the Front Range - including Sam’s favorite spot, Cheyenne Canon. At any given practice, they have about 10 coaches coaching the racers. They ride for a couple hours and work on different skills together. They are responsible for their own transportation and often carpool - including to races, which are every other weekend. The initial cost for joining Highlanders is $295.

The races are divided by grade: 9th, 10th, JV, and Varsity. For the Fall 2022 season, Sam was stoked to place in the top 40 for his grade in races at Frisco, Leadville, and Eagle out of about 100 kids.

Sam would like to study engineering and ride competitively in college, and someday design bikes for a living. He recognizes riding for Highlanders can play a part in all of that.

To boot, four other RO Staff - Ben, Ethan, Cy, and Kier - all ride for Highlanders. Although Highlanders has allowed Sam to improve his skills as a rider and compete all over the state, his favorite part has been all the good friends he has made.

Ben, 2nd from left, Sam, 3rd from left, and Ethan, far right, all ride for Highlanders and work for Routes.

Trekking for Elk in the 'Blood of Christ' Mountains

Luke climbing in Eleven Mile Canyon

Luke Perez, RO staff, is an avid mountain biker and rock climber. In 2014, he started climbing regularly at The Springs Climbing Center (SCC). Luke met many people there he now rides and climbs with weekly. He eventually met a couple fellows at SCC named Mitchell and Bryce, who both shared an affinity for elk hunting.

Mitchell and Bryce spent nine days back in September of 2022 elk hunting in the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Mountains. On their 3rd day, Bryce shot and killed an elk. By their 9th and last day together, Mitchell still hadn’t got himself the beast he so wanted to bag. They woke up that final morning together and packed all their gear with the intent to hunt their way back to the trucks. On their way back, they heard a bull and his cows. Bryce bugled and raked a tree to pose as a threatening bull. The bull and cows moved away and Mitchell and Bryce tracked them for an hour and a half. Eventually, they saw the bull fifty yards away. Mitchell drew his bow and pierced the magnificent elk. When they found the blood trail, tears filled Mitchell’s eyes. After waiting for an hour, they tracked the bull’s blood trail and eventually found him lying in some brush moaning deeply. With a heavy heart, Mitchell shot another arrow in his vitals and the bull’s labored breathing stopped. 

Mitchell and his elk.

By this point, Mitchell and Bryce were out of food, had little water, and were low on energy. So Mitchell decided to message his buddies from The Springs Climbing Center - including Luke - to ask for some help. 

After receiving Mitchell’s text, Luke sat in his living room with a decision to make. It would be a three hour drive to the trailhead. Then, the two hour hike to get to Mitchell and Bryce would be steep and rocky with heavy packs and 1,300 ft. in elevation gain.

Luke wanted to relax before heading to work the next day, but Mitchell and Bryce were his buddies and a part of his community of his friends. Plus, Mitchell is a competent and athletic dude and Luke knew he wouldn’t ask for help unless he needed it. Luke texted back and said he was on his way. 

A month later, Mitchell invited Luke and friends over for elk steak and gave each one 30 pounds of meat.

Mitchell sent his longitude and latitude marker and Luke and two other friends carpooled to the location. They arrived at 7:45 pm and hiked in the dark to where Mitchell and Bryce were waiting. The two of them had processed the whole elk and were keeping the meat cool having wrapped it all in game bags and placed it in a creek nearby. Luke and friends arrived with sandwiches and cookies and the five of them packed 300 lbs of meat into their packs. Although Mitchell’s pack was heavy and his body hurt, it felt like a victory lap. They hiked the six miles back to the trucks with his heart full of gratitude and love - for both the elk and his friends.

Living the Dream: Going to MTB Camp in Durango

Fort Lewis College MTB Camp

In the summers of 2021 and 2022, Ethan Werschky (RO Staff) attended the Fort Lewis College Mountain Biking Camp in the MTB heaven know as Durango. It was attended by forty other high school riders, both guys and gals. The Fort Lewis coaches and college riders have hosted the camp for over 20 years. 

The camp goes from a Saturday to a Friday. Ethan’s parents drove him the six hours to Fort Lewis from Monument. His parents gallivanted joyously throughout Durango and Ouray for the week while Ethan was at camp.

Ethan went with a buddy from home and they stayed in a dorm room together. Kids came all the way from Alabama, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Each morning, the campers were split up into 4-5 groups, depending on skill level, and led on a 2-3 hour ride. They rode a variety of trails around Durango - flowy, technical, grippy, or loose. Ethan was stoked to improve his technical skills like navigating through rock gardens, step ups, and drops. 

Ethan racing with his high scool team. He finished top 100 at XC States for his age group in 2022.

Their afternoons consisted of bike games, like foot down and bike tag, and free time. One hot afternoon, their instructors took them to the river to float on tubes. Their evenings were filled with speakers like Olympian Christopher Blevins and pro riders and married couple Cole Peyton and Savilla Blunk (who live in a van, but not down by the river). The guest speakers also rode with the kids in the morning.

Campers ate all their meals at the dining hall and Ethan thought the food was great (unlimited ice cream!) He has stayed in touch with a lot of the kids throughout the year and even saw some of them at races. He plans on going back again this summer.

Racing Aravaipa's MTB Summer Series in COS

Trailblazers is a group of mountain bikers, runners, and hikers that congregate at Trails End Tap Room every Wednesday night to hit the trails at Red Rocks Canyon Open Space. Also, Trails End has a mountain bike race team that races throughout Colorado. 

Curt Mulick is both a Trailblazers’ regular and a Trails End Race Team member. Originally from NY State, Curt started riding at age 25. His friend lent him an extra bike, a Trek 8200 hard tail with a big cushioned seat, and he started riding that bad boy all the time. He moved to Colorado in 2016 to study mechanical engineering at UCCS and since then has been riding all over the state (albeit with a new bike).

His first race was in 2018 - the WMBA Purple Pursuit on The Air Force Academy’s Falcon Trail. Four years later In 2022, he dove in and absolutely loved riding in the Moonrise Summer MTB Series - a local Friday night race series hosted by Aravaipa. 

He participated in the first one, Lunar Liftoff, at Cheyenne Mountain State Park in June. The race was split up into the ‘Never Evers” for first time riders, Juniors ages 9-17, Intermediates, and Experts. The race had 70-80 riders and Curt finished the 7 mile, fairly technical route in 42 minutes and change. He enjoyed Aravaipa’s beer garden and quesadillas afterward and appreciated having the full weekend to recover.

In July, Curt participated in the 2nd race of the series, The Gravity Grinder at Ute Valley. It was a beautiful 3 lap, 2.7 mile course. And he finished the season off with The Quarter Crusher - the final race in the series at the techy Palmer Park.

Ladies getting ready for The Lunar Liftoff

Curt also volunteers with Aravaipa pre and post race, which gives him $10/hour in credits for future races.

You can find Aravaipa on Instagram, often tabling at Trailblazers on Wednesday nights, or at other group rides around town. Aravaipa also hosts trail running races and a Monday night run at Fossil Craft Beer Co.

Jason Mezey

Founder and Owner at Routes Outfitter.

Originally from the Denver area, he grew up riding and tinkering with bikes. A young master at disassembling and reassembling…just to discover how it all worked. He dove into skiing for his first time at age 8 and then on to snowboarding primarily in high school and from then on.

Later after high school, he spent some time working at a well known ski shop in southeast Denver (A side-gig to his punk band dreams. Lost dreams eventually). Learning the skills…sort of paying the bills…he pressed on from shop-life into the “real world” of construction work.

Married in 1999 to Kristin Mezey…and living the adventure ever since. 4 awesome kids (ridiculously athletic) deepen that adventure every day. The Mezey family spends much of their time together out and about in the youth sports world - from soccer to swimming to DH racing.

Besides serving as the head mechanic and general manager for Routes, he also spends quite a bit of time in the non-profit world serving in a position at Young Life - a global youth focused organization dedicated to being in relationship with young people, loving them deeply, and introducing them to Jesus.

He’s built a house for his family (for real!), spent 8+ years in construction, over 15 years working for 2 major global nonprofits, finished an Ironman 70.3 and many other century rides, running events, and mountainous adventures, and spends thousands of hours as his kids’ primary cheerleader.

He most of all loves being part of the community of outdoorists in Colorado Springs and beyond, and believes that the outdoorist mindset is one of community, compassion, conservation, and wellness at its core. An outsider of sorts from the norms of popular culture. A ROutsider.

Routes Outfitter has been a passion business since day one, and he hopes it continues to grow as an influential and impactful business in the outdoor industry. It’s about kindness in the end…and insanely cool gear and equipment to help move everyone to be outside and well.

Race Organizing - A Labor Of Love

Throughout the ROutsider blogs, we’ve continued to share many stories of folks enjoying the trails of Colorado Springs and throughout Colorado - which often include participation in bike or run races. We’re excited to share the story of someone behind the scenes now, who put together a race here in the heart of Colorado Springs this last summer!

Drew, with his Pulpit Primer hats and other race swag.

Drew Vidano, a friend of Routes and regular participant of The Trailblazers Bike, Run, and Hike Group, organized in the summer of 2022 the inaugural - and maybe final - Pulpit Primer 10K at Pulpit Rock Open Space.

Drew is from Monument, CO and graduated from Western Washington University in 2020. He studied marketing and entrepreneurship and also ran for the cross country team.

Drew currently works as a rep for Adidas Terrex & Five Ten, but he and a high school buddy, James, also have a business named ‘Berziege’ - German for ‘mountain goat’. They started the company with the mission of building the community of trail running and progressing the sport through unique, local races. Pulpit Rock Open Space was specifically chosen for this 10K because few people around town know of its beautiful trails or the adjoining Austin Bluffs Open Space.

Drew and James immediately dove in with their first few tasks…

1. They started by navigating the process of acquiring permits from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (who owns much of the land), and securing the necessary insurance for the event.

2. With other established races happening in town that same weekend, they had to find creative ways to promote the event, mostly online. Drew also designed a free hat for the first 25 runners to sign up. They set up social pages and accounts, and continued to try and get the word out organically.

3. They sought sponsorships to help offset the cost of the event for participants. Unfortunately, most of the bigger brands already had their sponsorship money allocated for the year or were hesitant to invest in a first time event. Despite the void in available sponsorships, Starbucks donated coffee and Hoka donated some gear.

By race day, 43 runners had signed up.

And all of Drew’s family - his parents and younger sisters - agreed to volunteer.

Race day came…and…

Unfortunately, no one was in the mood to drink the coffee they were handing out because it was the hottest day of summer thus far. And…Drew and his partner thought they had the 10K route marked well with flags the day prior, and even stationed a couple of volunteers at key intersections - but some runners still took wrong turns and had to backtrack. It was hard to ignore these elements of the day that felt a bit sour.

In the end, when Drew saw the first place runner approach the finish line, he felt a wave of relief. Not all was lost! The top runner finished the techy, single track course in just under 45 minutes. And they celebrated this finish in more ways than one.

After all the runners crossed the finish line, from ages 14 to 63, Drew relished in seeing how satisfied they were with the race and having the chance to explore new trails. Plus, he and his partner were excited to hand out some nice prize money for the top 3 finishers for the men and women - a common practice for European races but not yet here in the U.S. Facilitating the race was a tremendous amount of work for Drew and his partner, and they are not sure if they will do another one, but are grateful to have organized an experience that brought a lot of fun and enjoyment to others!

In the end, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Helping Her Peers Get Outside...

A brief spotlight on Routes Experience Associate - Hannah Brothers.

Hannah, left, and two students from The Lewis Palmer High School Outdoor Club

Hannah Brothers joined the Routes staff in Spring of 2022. She had known a few of the folks at Routes through her years of riding and racing in the youth cycling scene in Colorado Springs. She’s simply an awesome person, killer rider, and super kind spirit.

Hannah absolutely loves being outdoors, and has been an influence in the outdoor industry as well! Her general love for the outdoors has grown over the years from her experience as a Girl Scout since kindergarten.

Entering her senior year of high school in Fall of ‘21, she was well on her way to completing the Girl Scouts’ highest award - the Gold Award. This award is for those who seek to tangibly address a community need both locally and beyond.

Since she had a long history of, and passion for, being in the mountains - she decided to start the Lewis Palmer High School Outdoor Club back in the Spring of ‘21. She realized a lot of her classmates didn’t have many of the opportunities to get outside and connect with nature the same way she had - even in Colorado. In many ways it seemed to her that they had no one to help them. This chance to help her peers in something she loved became the foundation for her project.

Hannah secured free cross country ski rentals for The Club.

Over the course of her senior year, Hannah led the Outdoor Club on hikes around Monument’s most popular mountainous areas. Mt. Herman and Palmer Reservoir were a couple of favorites. She also organized days for geocaching and hammocking, brought in guest speakers to share about hiking all of Colorado’s 14ers, avalanche safety, map and compass skills, and cross country skiing. These were all incredible and diverse opportunities.

She designed the club to be accessible with no fees and did her best to ensure the events were doable for beginners. On top of it all, Hannah even wrote a handbook to pass down to the next generation of students leading The Club.

This awesome effort eventually did land her the award…and it was well deserved.

What an accomplishment! And what an awesome privilege to have her on the Routes team.

This Fall, Hannah is a freshman at CU - Boulder, studying Aerospace Engineering and doing Air Force ROTC. While she’s not around the shop these days…we can’t wait to have her back during breaks.

We’re impressed by all Hannah has done in her young life so far. We anticipate she’ll continue to do great things in the lives of others and in her community for many years to come too!

Hannah’s pins and patches.

One Last Ride With Bob

By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)

When I first moved to Colorado Springs in the summer of 2021, I met Bob at church. Bob is 65, a retired police officer, and a daily bike rider - mountain, gravel, or road. I told him I just bought a mountain bike and he offered to take me on a ride. I failed to mention I had yet to ride my new bike or I had yet to ride any mountain bike. 

The next morning, I met him at the Falcon Trail on the Air Force Academy. When I stepped out of the car, it was already hot. Bob said it would be 13 miles plus a few extra he was gonna add. I thought no problem - I had ridden that far on my road bike in Detroit many times. Once we got on the trail, though, I realized I was gonna have to hang on for dear life. Bob was flying down the descents and easily navigating through all these rocks - big and small. A mile into the ride I went over my handlebars and scraped up my hands and arms. I had no gloves, so Bob had me wash my arms off in the stream, and gave me some toilet paper to wrap my hands in.  

Two and half hours later, when we finally got back to our cars, Bob still looked fresh and was heading to a church meeting. I was ready to go home and not leave my couch for the next two days.  

Bob was gracious enough to take me on many more rides over the next year - around Colorado Springs and even up to Breckenridge. But in the Spring of 2022, after 23 years of living in COS, Bob and his wife decided to move back to Florida to be closer to family. So Bob and I decided to get in one last ride. 

I met Bob at the Sante Fe Trail at the Woodmen Exit with the new Revel Rover on my rack. These gravel bikes had recently arrived as demo rentals at Routes. They looked smooth and sleek, and I was eager to try one. The bike was so light, and the 11 speeds were plenty going against or with the wind. The XL frame fit me perfectly and 27.5 inch tires kept me moving quick. This time, I had no problem keeping up with Bob. We rode up to the Routes shop in downtown Monument, said what's up to the guys, and turned around. We cruised back to our cars and it felt like I was just gliding on the Rover - I almost forgot I was on a bike.

I’m gonna miss riding with Bob. But while he is in Florida, I will have plenty of time to work on my game. When he comes back to visit, hopefully I’ll be able to keep up with him on the mountain bike. Or, maybe I’ll just get a Revel Rover.

How to Deal with an IT Band Issue

By Dr. Scott Runyon (owner of Backcountry Therapy and part of Trailblazers Running Group)

Dr. Scott enjoys running, climbing, and fishing and is willing to try most any mountain activity. He also likes playing and watching most any team sport.

Time and time again it happens. A few miles into your run and an ache starts around the hip. This is accompanied by a sharp pain on the outside of your knee. Sometimes it’s better, other times it’s worse, but it is consistently limiting how much you run. You’ve stretched. You’ve iced. You’ve put creams on it. Nothing seems to be helping much. It’s incredibly frustrating, and you can’t find an answer.

This scenario describes a condition called Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome. The IT band is a thick, dense tissue on the outer part of the thigh between the hip and the knee. Many are familiar with the term, but few know what it actually means! However, “stretching” the IT band isn’t an option. It is way too sturdy and dense to be stretched.

The 1st remedy in helping with IT Band Syndrome is to target the Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL). It is the muscle connected to the IT band and can be pretty sore and tight as well. Find the TFL on the side/front of the hip and roll it out with a tennis or lacrosse ball.

Dr. Scott and his wife, Heather, pictured near Aspen, enjoy hiking, skiing, and whitewater sports together.

The 2nd remedy is to take a look at your running mechanics, which can lead to irritation and inflammation of the IT Band. See how your knees are when you squat, especially on one leg. If your knees dip in toward the middle, then work on your glutes, especially a muscle on the side called the gluteus medius. This will help strengthen the hips!

The 3rd remedy in helping with IT Band Syndrome is to add stability work to your routine. Working on pistol squats, one-legged balance, and single leg bridges (just to name a few familiar options) will greatly increase the muscles around the IT Band and keep it from being pulled and over stressed.

Watch out for the symptoms we talked about and feel free to use these techniques to help keep yourself healthy and running at your best!