Ellie has recently joined our team as our part-time bike mechanic, to help us with our extra repairs and bike builds, especially during the busy season. Ellie grew up in Tucson where she began working with community bike projects in the early 2000’s. After spending many formative years in the Pacific Northwest working as a mechanic and in bicycle youth programming, she returned full time to Tucson in 2017. Since returning, Ellie has been an instrumental part of teaching and co-managing the amazing organization that is BICAS. Ellie remains involved at BICAS as well as working with after school youth bike clubs.
Ellie loves to get out on bikepacking and climbing trips with her buds all over the Southwest and beyond. We’re so excited to have Ellie sharing her depth of bicycle mechanic prowess and Tucson bike community knowledge here at Campfire Cycling.
Team Building – Apr. 19, 2024
More team building activities this week as we corrected the rake on a fork for a beautiful custom build that Jake designed. I love how much we swap ideas in the shop, weigh in about decisions on projects, and loan a helping hand to support each other through the challenging repairs.
Feeding Ghosts – Apr. 12, 2024
5 years ago I got to participate in a 5 day group ride from Seattle to Portland via mostly Forest Service roads with 10 riders who were headed to the WTF bikepacker’s summit (precursor to the Radical Adventure Riders). I rode a lot with Tessa Hulls, artist/writer/adventurer, who just published a graphic memoir and it’s incredibly! Check out Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir
In the Dirt Screening – Apr. 5, 2024
Last week I attended an inspiring and thought provoking community screening of a new documentary film, In the Dirt, co-hosted by BICAS-WTF and @rar.tucson. “IN THE DIRT is a documentary film about a group of passionate Native American cyclists who attempt to bring the sport of mountain biking to the Navajo Nation, where no bike shops exist.” Check here for a screening near you or to stream the film. Proceeds from the event were collected to support Silver Stallion, a 501C3 non-profit that “provides free bikes for kids, free bike repairs, youth programming for kids, and race programming for kids on the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities.”
Ruta Shoutouts – Mar. 29, 2024
It’s hard to choose one thing to share from last weekend’s Ruta Del Jefe. I’m so grateful for the opportunity I had through Campfire Cycling to support the riders and this incredible event. Such a big shout out to the organizers for all their hard work and the evolution of this event over the years as one of the more informative and inclusive cycling spaces I’ve participated in. For all the tragedy caused by the border wall, RDJ helped ignite some sparks of hope, sharing successful bi-national conservation efforts and humanitarian responses in the borderlands, with an emphasis on coming together versus divisiveness. May we all bring some inspiration into our daily lives and commitment to long-term responses.
I’m hopeful that many of the connections made are only the beginning to future friendships. An additional shout out to the RAR.bay area chapter. They made it all the way out with nine riders who stuck together the whole route with incredibly supportive energy. It was so fun to see them out on the route, riding hard and celebrating at the end of the day. Thank you for the special zine you gifted us honoring your friend and sharing a favorite local route. This is what community feels like.
Back-to-Back Outdoor Festivals – Mar. 22, 2024
This week I’m feeling inspired and appreciative of the opportunity to participate in two back-to-back festivals based around two of my favorite outdoor activities. As I get ready to head out for Ruta Del Jefe this weekend with the Campfire team, I have a lot on my mind from a spectacular weekend spent in Bishop California for the Flash Foxy Climbing festival. Flash Foxy celebrates and provides resources for women and gender queer climber. One of their mottos is “creating space to be our full selves”. I gained so much confidence in my climbing skills and knowledge through a weekend of clinics, conversations, and practice in a supportive community. I’m looking forward to bringing my full self in all my identities to this weekend’s festival of adventure biking, education, community, and advocacy and to continue pushing against definitions of what it means to be a “cyclist”. Ruta del Jefe is not about how fast you are, how far you can ride, or ideas of what an athlete looks like, but instead an opportunity to come together through our shared love of riding bikes and learn more about the region we ride in. Thank you to all the organizers of these two great events.
RAR Tucson’s 1st Intermediate Bikepacking Trip – Mar. 15, 2024
A shoutout to the Tucson Chapter of the Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) who head out this weekend of their first Intermediate Bikepacking trip. With over 20 chapters, RAR is part of a “movement towards gender inclusivity and racial equity in cycling and the outdoors”. This weekend’s overnight trip is organized by and for women, trans, and gender expansive riders. Wishing the riders an excellent weekend and memorable time. Find a local RAR chapter near you.
Squeezing in those spring rides – Mar. 8, 2024
We may still have some snow capped peaks but it’s warming up fast out here! Squeezing in all the rides I can before the Arizona heat strikes back. I revisited a favorite route last weekend in the eastern foothills of the Santa Ritas. Highlight was the herd of some 20+ Pronghorn to cross our path!
1st AZT Adventure, 7 Years Ago – Mar. 1, 2024
This week marks the 7 year anniversary of my first time riding on the Arizona Trail. I had recently moved back to Tucson and was invited to join two friends to ride sections 15-17 of the AZT, from Freeman Road to Picketpost. Some may know this section as part of a popular bikepacking route named the Gila River Ramble. We rode it over three days with a generous pickup and shuttle ride from a friend at the end. In the short time of this trip I gained so much confidence biking loaded on singletrack, and also took a gnarly crash that resulted in a bent frame. I was able to straighten the bend back home and still ride this bike today… steel is real! This trip also marked a new chapter in my friendship with these two buds as we continued to meet up every year from our various home places to ride together. I’ve grown so much with these friends, shared so many challenges and highlights, and built so much trust which Is key to our riding relationship. It’s an ideal time of year to check out this route if you’re local, and hopefully you can do it with some of your favorite people.
Bikepacking Root’s BIPOC Grant – Feb. 23, 2024
Bikepacking Roots is raising money for their BIPOC Bike Adventure Grant Program. “For 2024, the grant program will focus on providing grants to BIPOC Community Leaders to host trips, develop gear libraries, and other community building activities.” Check out the cool work this non profit is doing around routes, events, clinics, and webinars to gain confidence in all things bikepacking, and donate what you can to the grant fund.
Ironwood Weekend Ride – Feb. 16, 2024
While it was disappointing that last weekend’ Sky Islands Adventure Ride had to be canceled due to weather and muddy conditions, I did get the chance to let the ground drain a couple days and try out a ride from earlier in the series that I had missed. I had a blast with one of my favorite riding buddies out in Ironwood. I’ve never seen it so green out there! I think we’ve got a super loom year on the way. Thank you Sarah Swallow for hosting these rides and especially for the incredible panel presentation last week where we learned better practices for respecting the lands we ride in and how to show up to protect the land, animals, and people we encounter.
Fargo Decision Finally Made!!! – Feb. 16, 2024
After half a year agonizing over the decision to purchase a new bike, last summer I decided on the Salsa Fargo and managed to snag the last in my size before stock ran out for the year. I’ve been slowly exploring the capabilities of this bike. This past weekend I decided it was really time to get it dirty and took it out for an overnight trip in the Galiuro Mountains. I was so impressed with its handling on steep and rugged surfaces, with the comfortable positioning for long days, and I finally got over my fear of overloading the carbon fork. With all the rain we’ve been getting this winter there were many stream crossings. Found out the Fargo even shifts well underwater! Couldn’t be happier with my decision.
Bike Club Joy – Feb. 2, 2024
Throughout the school year I have the joy of co-instructing a bike club with 2nd-4th graders from Ochoa elementary school as part of the programs offered through the John Valenzuela Youth Center in collaboration with BICAS and the Living Streets Alliance. In each session we practice new riding skills before heading out into the neighborhood to focus on road safety and interacting with one’s community and surroundings via bike. Many of our participants are learning to ride a bike for the first time as they piece together how to move between their favorite parks and family homes. Shout out to all the projects working in the community and with schools to build our youth’s confidence on and off the bike. Always the highlight of my week.
https://bicas.org/
https://www.livingstreetsalliance.org/
On the Odessey – Jan 26, 2024
Spent a weekend with visiting friends on one of Southern Arizona’s most popular routes, the Sky Islands Odessey. Check out the route at Bikepacking.com. They’ve got some great resources to begin educating yourself on the Borderlands and how to help care for the land as well as the animals and the people who pass through it.
Appreciating the Color Splash – Jan 19, 2024
My coworkers know well that I’m not usually drawn to bright colors. But sometimes our customers just really nail the perfect combo. With a full rainbow of color options to chose from, Raceface Chester pedals have been a popular option here at Campfire to give your bike some extra flare. Love what this customer did…
Stoking Out Jim! – Jan 12, 2024
Happy New Bike Day!
After struggling to find a hardtail in their size at a desired componentry level, Jim Mayerstein noticed online that Campfire had an XS Salsa Timberjack in stock a week before their visit to Tucson. I met them at the bus stop with the bike, one test ride and they were sold. Jim has been searching for a hardtail mtb in preparation for this year’s upcoming https://www.rutadeljefe.com/. This is the first year Jim will be joining from Mexico City to participate in the binational festival of adventure cycling that promotes education, community, and advocacy. Help Jim raise funds for their registration pledge by donating at https://www.pledgereg.com/4959/jimmayerstein.