33 minute read
RAD Innovations, Making
VERMONT’S ADAPTIVE BIKE BUILDERS
ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE “BIKE SHOPS” IN THE WORLD IS IN CORNWALL, VT.
BY ABAGAEL GILES
Just off Route 125 in Cornwall, Vt. on 47-acre Avenir Farms is one of the most unique “bike shops” in the U.S., and possibly the world. You have to make an appointment and you need to want a highly specialized bike. “But whatever challenge you are facing, we can probably find a bike for you,” says David Black.
Black and his partner Anja Wrede met in the 1999 while co-developing a running stroller for children and special needs families. They launched RAD-Innovations in Oregon, before relocating to Vermont in 2012. Black had worked as an engineer in product development since the 1970s, and Wrede had a long career developing and building adaptive bicycles in Germany before coming to the U.S.
Since then, RAD-Innovations has grown into what Black estimates is one of only two or three businesses of its kind: one that will sell and custom-fit bikes and trikes for people with a wide variety of disabilities and make custom bikes and mobility devices to meet special needs.
The business has several components. The couple advises companies that are developing new adaptive bicycles on ways to make them operate more smoothly for people with disabilities. They import, sell and fit adaptive bikes from companies such as Hase and Ice and they build their own solutions.
For instance, Black and Wrede designed an ergonomic hand- and footpowered tricycle that allows people who can’t move their legs to experience the motion of pedaling when they power a bike with their hands.
“Often those folks can push from their quads and even if they aren’t powering the movement of their legs, the motion improves tone and circulation and comfort,” says Black.
Black helped move the project from what Wrede called a “very expensive Frankenstein bike” with an office chair seat and chrome tubing, to something as sleek and as customizable as a highend road bike. It’s also compatible with FES (functional electrical stimulation), a common medical treatment that applies small electrical charges to a paralyzed muscle in order to stimulate movement.
Today, RAD has everything from adaptive trikes and tandems to Frame Runners, an adaptive running frame that looks similar to a bike without pedals. It allows individuals to run or walk with minimal to no assistance. For those who want to leave the pavement, there are Catrikes and the Ice Trike, which come with electric assist—the recumbent bike’s answer to a bikepacking bike or gravel grinder with a 26-inch wheel and a broad range of gears. RAD is the exclusive North American dealer for Hase, the maker of a line of recumbent and adaptive bikes.
Getting any bike to fit can be a chore and for adaptive bikes, it can be doubly complicated. Black and Wrede have a guesthouse at their farm where they
RAD-Innovations can fit or make a bike for pretty much anyone. Above, Wrede taking some clients out for a spin, left and one of RAD’s custom creations. Below, Black and Wrede (third and fourth from left) with
their Race Runners.Photos courtesy RAD Innovations. host clients overnight for fittings.
One of the things that Black is most excited about now though is working with programs such as Local Motion in Burlington or Middlebury’s Yellow House Community and the town Rec Center to help raise awareness of the wide variety of bikes and mobility devices available. “We can bring our bikes there for people to try, or to events like the Tour de Farms. It really helps show people what the possibilities are.” It also adds to the feedback that Black and Wrede get so they can continue to find solutions to various physical mobility challenges people face.
Wrede is half the genius behind the unique adjustments and adaptations. She is also the managing director for Hase USA, the German adaptive bicycle company. She loves people and solving mechanical problems. And she sees their Cornwall farm as part of the package that the company offers.
“I think that people like to travel here for fittings,” she said. “Often, we work with whole families, and you can see the joy in kids’ faces when they get to follow the geese or see horses for the first time. The farm is a big part of why we are here.”
She recalled a recent fitting she did for a teenage girl from Addison County who has cerebral palsy: “Once we got her onto her bike, she took off, racing her dad (from the barn-turned-bikeshop) to the mailbox. To see a child move like that, knowing they’ve never moved so quickly of their own volition before and to see her laughing with her father? That was really cool.”
VERMONT SPORTS
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NOTE THAT COVID-19 MAY IMPACT EVENTS AND DATES SO PLEASE CHECK DIRECTLY WITH ORGANIZERS FOR UPDATES.
RUNNING/HIKING/ SNOWSHOEING
MARCH
13| Leprechaun Dash 5K/10K,
Shelburne Dress in green and race to the pot of gold! First place overall finishers (all 4 of them), plus one lucky post-race raffle winner, will each receive free entries to Race Vermont's series. racevermont.com
27 | G.M.A.A. Kaynor's Sap Run, Westford
Celebrate the official opening of the road racing season in Vermont at the GMAA Sap Run. The course is an out and back at Westford Elementary School, and is a scenic 10k on dirt roads. Gmaa.run
APRIL
9 | Half Marathon Unplugged,
Burlington The start and finish will be at Waterfront Park and the course will be outand-back along the Burlington Bike Path with a two-mile loop in Colchester midway through the race. runvermont.com
16 | Paul Mailman 10-Miler and 5K, Montpelier
A race primarily on dirt roads, this race has been the Road Runners Club of America Vermont 10-Mile State Championship and part of the Central Vermont Runners race series. cvrunners.org
24 | Mutt Strutt, Waterbury
Get your dog in shape for this three-mile race on the dirt roads and trails of Little River State Park. cvrunners.org
MAY
5-14 | Peak Bloodroot, Pittsfied
Race through the rugged foothills of the Green Mountains in the 500-miler on Wednesday, a 100-miler on Friday, followed by the 50-miler, 30-miler, 10-miler and kids’ hike on Saturday. peakraces.com
RACE & EVENT GUIDE
7 | Shelburne 5K/10K/Half-Marathon,
Shelburne Run past the Shelburne Museum, Meach Cove, vineyards, and orchard, and through gorgeous countryside before heading back. Almost entirely on quiet back country roads. Racevermont.com
8 | Adamant Half Marathon and Relay, Adamant
This scenic figure eight course runs past the hills and ponds of Calais and East Montpelier. Part of the Central Vermont Runners race series. cvrunners.org
13| Leprechaun Dash 5K/10K, Shelburne
Race to the pot of gold! Each of our first place overall finishers (all 4 of them), plus one lucky post-race raffle winner will each receive free entries for the 2022 RaceVermont series. racevermont.com
15 | Vermont Sun Half Marathon, 10K & 5K, Lake Dunmore . Starts and finishes at Branbury State Park on Lake Dunmore, a spectacularly beautiful and pristine place to run. Amenities include digital photos, post race food and music, aid stations every 1.5 miles, awards to top 5 overall, top 3 in every 5 year age group, tech shirts, Massage, finishers medals and more. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com
15 | Maple Leaf Marathon, Lake Morey
Run eight laps of a 3.3-mile course for a full marathon or four laps for a half marathon in the Boston Marathon USATF qualifier at beautiful Lake Morey. newenglandchallenge.org/maple-leaf-marathon
19-29 | Infinitus Trail Races, Ripton
Infinitus moves to Silver Towers Camp in Ripton this year. Start dates vary for this 8-mile, marathon, 88k, 100 Mile, 250 Mile, Penta, Deca, 888K relay, and 888k races held on the trails with the shortest races (8 miles to 88K) being held on Saturday, and longer races starting earlier that week. Endurancesociety.org
21 | Kingdom Games Dandelion Run, Derby
Choose between a half marathon, a 10K, a four-mile, a two mile, or a one-mile run or walk through the dandelion fields and the hilly but beautiful Northeast Kingdom. kingdomgames.co
21 | Barre Town Spring Run 5K, Barre
Central Vermont Runners hosts this race from the Barre Town Recreation facility. cvrunners.org
22 | Race Around the Lake, Barnard
Walk or run a 5K or run a 10K around Silver Lake. The course is on wooded trails, back roads and footpaths with views of the Silver Lake. barnarts.org
29 | Vermont City Marathon, Half Marathon & Relay, Burlington
The marathon is back! Run the streets of Burlington and out the bike path to return with views of Lake Champlain. Half marathon and relay options, too. runvermont.com
JUNE
5 | 30th Covered Bridges Half Marathon, Woodstock
Run 13.1 miles through scenic covered bridge, starting at Suicide Six Ski Area. Currently sold out. cbhm.com
11 | 42nd Annual Capital City Stampede, Montpelier
Central Vermont Runners hosts this 10K road race out and back, half on paved roads and half on dirt. cvrunners.org
15-17 | Vermont 100, West Windsor
Limited to 450 runners, and 70 horses, this cross-country endurance race for runners and equestrians covers 17,000 vertical feet over 30 hours and benefits Vermont Adaptive. vermont100.com
18 | 20th Annual Basin Harbor
5K & 10K A 5K and 10K at beautiful Basin Harbor – a spectacular seasonal resort on the shores of Lake Champlain. Racevermont.com
18 | Mt. Washington Auto Road Race, Pinkham Noth, N.H.
Elite runners and those who won their spots in the lottery compete on this sold-out 7.6 mile course up the Mt. Washington Auto Road sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental. mtwashington.com
25 | Catamount Ultra, Stowe
Run a 25K or 50K trail race on wide, hardpacked dirt trails that roll through highland pastures and hardwood forest at Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center. The 50K course is two laps on the 25K course rolling through highland pastures and hardwood forest, complete with maple sugar tap lines in place and ready for the spring “run.” catamountultra.com
BIKING
MARCH
5 | Winterbike 2022, East Burke
Demo fatbikes, participate in group rides fo all levels, attend clinics and more at this epic wintertime celebration of all things fatbiking on the trails of Kingdom Trails. kingdomtrails.org 8 | Winter Pedal Fest, Jay Peak Pedal Fest includes an on-mountain, timed downhill fat bike race for adults and kids, group rides out in the afternoon and a gear raffle. jaypeak.com
APRIL
23 | Muddy Onion, Montpelier
Onion River Outdoors puts on the season opener with rides of 36.9 or 21.3 miles and divisions for everything from fat bikes to singlespeeds. Come for the mud, stay for the BBQ post-ride. onionriver.com
30 | Rasputitsa Gravel Ride, Burke
Rasputitsa is back. Ride 40k or 100k (there's already a waitlist) on the muddy, icy, gnarly back roads of the NEK. Race it or ride it. rasputitsagravel.com
MAY
7 | Onion River Outdoors Bike Swap, Montpelier
Bring a bike by from April 30 to May 6 then show up on May 7 to find kids bikes, road bikes, full suspension and gravel bike. onionriver.com
JUNE
11 | The Moose, Derby
T A 103 mile "timed event" on wide open, "car hungry" roads through Moose Country in Essex and Northern Caledonia Counties. We start with our hands on the bar and finish with our hands on the bar, Mike's Tiki Bar with 30 beers on tap. It's not a sanctioned race: you have to stop at all stop signs, but, hey, there are only three during the entire ride. We encourage teams of 3 to 10 riders to compete for the Moose Wheel. ythe fastest three times in each team determine the winner. kingdomgames.co
12 | The Ranger, Tunbridge
Ride 62, 42 or, 18 miles in this epic gravel riding celebration, with time enduro sections on a loop of dreamy hardpacked dirt roads and minimally maintained Class IV riding. therangervt.com
18 | Bike for the Lake, North Hero
The 12th annual bicycle ride through the Champlain Islands and along the Vermont and New York shores of Lake Champlain with30,60,80, and 100 mile options. Proceeds support the Friends of Northern Lake Champlain. friendsofnorthernlakechamplain.org
18 | VT Monster, Stratton
This is a challenging course primarily on quiet gravel roads, with plenty of climbing, flowing descents and epic vistas. Monster is best attacked with a cyclocross bike, though road, mountain or fat bikes can handle the courses: 75 and 50 miles of epic and very challenging riding Vtmonster.com
25 | 100/200, A Vermont Double Century, North Troy
First ridden in 1984, the 100/200 spans Vermont, north to south, following scenic Route 100. The first 100 miles roll by fairly quickly, but save your reserves, as the big climbs kick in during the second half of the ride, culminating in the 12-mile Mt. Snow climb. 100-200.org
SKIING & RIDING
MARCH
2 | Kandahar Mountain Race, Mad River Glen
The Kandahar is a race from the top of the mountain to the bottom, over variable terrain incorporating both freeski and alpine racing technique. This event is open to all. madriverglen.com
6 | High Fives Fat Skiathon, Sugarbush
Ski laps and raise money for the High Fives Foundation. sugarbush.com
8 | Red Bull Slide-in Tour, Stratton
Keep an eye out for Red Bull athletes and 2020 X Games Knuckle Huck Gold Medalist, Zeb Powell. Join the pro’s as they rip laps in the park and then hang out at Grizzly’s for an après-ski party. Stratton.com
11-12 | Freeheel Frolic, Mad River Glen
A celebration of teleskiers and gear with clinics, demos and a dance party. madriverglen.com
12 | Blauvelt Banks, Bolton Valley
Pro riding legend Jake Blauvelt creates a banked slalom course for this wild snowboard event, which makes for great spectating. boltonvalley.com
12 | Winter Wild Skimo, Magic Mountain
Course distance is ~3 miles & 1,450 vertical feet. Up Hocus Pocus to Wand to Trick to Upper Magic Carpet to Summit, then down. Mass start is at 7:00 am. magicmtn.com
12 | Master of the Mountain, Magic Mountain
The final extreme comp to crown the East’s best overall skier/rider! A one-run race, a top-to-bottom of Black Line timed event with up to 9 seconds reduced on your overall time by how well you do in the freeride comp before swinging right into the Giant Slalom gates. $1500 purse. magicmtn.com
12-13 | Vermont Open, Stratton
A two-day banked slalom event open to 300 riders in seven age divisions. Each of the age divisions will have first, second and third place finishers recognized. Male and female divisions judged separately. Stratton.com
13 | CATGUT, Craftsbury
The CATGUT (Catamount Grand Ultimate Tour) is a skate or classic ski touring experience for all ages and abilities, benefitting the Catamount Trail Association, which cares for for the world's longest backcountry ski trail. catamount.org
13 | Endurance Society Skimo Race, Pico, Mendon
Race a 2,000 ft. climb to the summit or three different climbs (6,000 ft.) The LeMans mass start is at 8 am for AT, telemark and splitboard. endurancesociety.com
18 | Vermont Adaptive Charity Challenge, Killington
This fundraising event is back in person this year. Do the Cabot bike ride o 20, 40, 60 or 100 miles; join in the Salomon hike or the Yeti paddle or try the new mountain biking and gravel routes. charityride. vermontadaptive.org
855 - 8661
19-20 | 24 Hours of Stratton, Stratton
The 10th Annual 24 Hours of Stratton is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to join with hundreds of winter enthusiasts from across New England as they lap the mountain. A a magical weekend that combines the emotional goodness of charity, camaraderie and skiingt Stratton.com
26 | Mad River Glen Triple Crown Family Tournament, Mad River Glen
The original Father-Son race dates back to 1942 when it was held on Mount Mansfield (Stowe). Now open to anyone who wants to participate. Racers complete a familyfriendly GS course where a racer’s best time from two runs is counted. The time is then added with other family members (by blood). madriverglen.com
APRIL
2 | Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge, Killington
The annual competition will heat up again on Saturday, April 2nd as amateur bumpers take to the slopes of Outer Limits to battle for a place in the finals. The top 32 men and 16 women will compete in a head-to-head competition for the Mogul Challenge Cup. killington.com
WATER & MULTISPORTS
MARCH
12 | Penguin Plunge, Burlington
It's back for the 27th running. This Vermont tradition promotes awareness about the needs and accomplishments of people with intellectual disabilities, and raises essential funds for Special Olympics Vermont penguinplunge.org/burlington/
2 | Berkshire Highlands Pentathlon, Berkshire East, MA
Where else can you run, bike, paddle and ski the same day? Be a Braveheart and do all 5 events or form a team of 2-5. berkshireeast.com
MAY
8 | Fiddlehead Slalom, Montpelier
For those comfortable with Class II+ rapids, this is a fun whitewater slalom race for canoes and kayaks on the Winooski. nessrace. com/fiddlehead-slalom
JUNE
4-5 | Tough Mudder, Stratton
Tough Mudder New England is going back to the beautiful green mountains of Vermont and dare we say: it's gonna be wicked epic. . Take on the 5K, 10K or 15K course on Stratton Mountain. stratton.com
18 – 20| LCI Father’s Fishing Day Derby
The 41st anniversary of the Lake Champlain International Father’s Day Fishing Derby, and the event is about so much more than catching fish. Mychamplain.net/fathersday-derby
25 | Vermont Sun & Lake Dunmore
Triathlons, Salisbury Try your hand at the USA Triathlon Vermont State Championships at the Vermont Sun Triathlon: Swim 0.9 miles, bike 28 miles, and run 6.2 miles. You can also just do the Aqua Bike option with just the swim and the bike or do the Lake Dunmore Triathlon (600 yard swim, 14-mile bike, 3.1 mile run). The classic, pristine course starts and finishes at Branbury State Park. Participants swim, bike and run around beautiful Lake Dunmore. Triathlons repeat July 17 and Aug. 14. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com
IKE SHOPS
AROUND THE REGION
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BATTENKILL BICYCLES
99 Bonnet St., Manchester Ctr, VT 802-362-2734 |
battenkillbicycles. com
Manchester, Vermont's bicycle shop since 1972, Battenkill Bicycles is a Trek and Specialized Bicycle dealer offering advice and sales to meet all your cycling needs. The service department offers tune-ups and repairs for all brands of bikes. Come to the shop to rent a bike or get information about local group rides or advice on where to ride your bike in the Northshire. Battenkill Bicycles is the number one e-bike seller in Southern Vermont and is an authorized
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BERKSHIRE OUTFITTERS
RR 8, 169 Grove St., Adams, MA 413-743-5900 | berkout@bcn.net
We are a full-service bike shop at the base of the Mt. Greylock State Reservation. We also border a beautiful 12-mile paved rail trail. We carry Jamis, Rocky Mountain and G.T. We offer sales, repairs and hybrid bike rentals for the rail trail.
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BOOTLEGGER BIKES
60 Main Street Jefferson- nville, VT 802-644-8370 | bootleggerbikes.com
A full-service shop near Smugglers' Notch. We offer new, used and custom bikes as well as custom-built wheel builds for mountain, road, gravel, fat bikes, bikepacking and touring. Rentals offered at our Cambridge Junction shop on ththe Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Bikes are a passion here.
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BRADLEY’S PRO SHOP SKI & SPORT
2012 Depot St. Manchester Center, VT 05255 802-367-3118 | bradleysproski.com
Bradley’s Pro Shop Ski & Bike is the premier bike shop in Southern Vermont! We are located in Manchester Center. Always known as your go-to ski shop we are now your go-to bike shop. We have one of the best bike mechanics in Vermont on staff, Dan Rhodes. Many of you know of his reputation as a master bike mechanic. Dan runs all aspects of our bicycle operations. We carry the full lineup of Cannondale and GT bikes—mountain bikes,
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CHUCK’S BIKES
45 Bridge St. Morrisville, VT 802-888-7642 | chucksbikes802. com
Putting smiles on people's faces for over 35 years. Bikes by Jamis, Transition, Norco, KHS, Davinci, Raleigh, Marin and Diamondback. Hours: Mon - Wed and Fri 10-5, Sat and Thurs 102. Be well by being smart.
6EARL’S CYCLERY & FITNESS
Earl’s Cyclery has been serving Vermont's cycling and fitness needs for more than 65 years. With over 12,000 square feet at the new location, Earl’s has the largest selection of bikes from Trek, Giant, Scott, Bianchi, Electra, Haro, and more. The service center at Earl’s has professionally trained technicians who are certified to work on all makes and models of bicycles, not just the ones we sell. Whether you need a flat tire fix or a suspension rebuild, the service staff is ready to help. Estimates are always free! Stop by our new location at 2069 Williston Rd, South Burlington, or call us.
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EAST BURKE SPORTS
439 Route 114 East Burke VT 802-626-3215 eastburkesports.com
We are the original home to Kingdom Trails. Located in the heart of town, we pride ourselves in expert knowledge while providing friendly customer service. A fullservice shop awaits you and your repair needs. We have 100 rental bikes with an enormous selection of clothing, parts, and accessories. Hours: 9 - 6 every day.
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EQUIPE SPORT
8749 VT RT 30, Rawonville, VT 802-297-2846 equipesport.com
Serving the Stratton, Rawsonvilel and West Dover areas. Three shops wtih sales, service and rentals. Sales of hybrid, mountain, kids and e-bikes. Service for all bikes. Rental for mountain bikes and hybrids. Hours: 9 - 6 every day.
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FROG HOLLOW
74 Main St., Middlebury, VT 802-388-6666 | froghollow bikes.com
Take advantage of the most advanced and courteous service in our region, with quick turn-around time in our service shop downstairs. Upstairs in the sales room, we offer the best in new and used road, mountain, lifestyle, and children’s bikes and new gear. We carry brands that offer superior products that balance innovation and performance with reliability and value. Hours: Mon. - Sat.
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THE GEAR HOUSE
16 Pleasant St., Randolph 802-565-8139 gearhouse.com
fenergy and excitement to the state's cycling scene. Located in the center of Vermont, we offer Rocky Mountain, Bianchi, Yamaha e-bikes, a rotating inventory of consigned bikes and gear, and a full service repair shop. Randolph has newly revived mtb trails that combine classic old-school singletrack with machine built zones. Start the 12/12a loop from the shop for 38 miles of well maintained road miles, or map out a day ride entirely on the gravel. The shop is also home to RASTA's outdoor trail hub which features topographical and printed maps. Stop by the shop and plan your next
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GREEN MOUNTAIN GREEN MOUNTAIN BIKESBIKES
105 N. Main St. Rochester VT 800-767-7882 | greenmountainbikes.com
Located in the center of Vermont, in the heart of the Green Mountains, we are surrounded by terrain that calls to mountain and road bikers alike. Whether you ride twisting trails or back to back gaps, we service, sell, and rent all styles of bicycles, featuring Kona, Jamis, Juliana, Raleigh, Santa Cruz, Transition, and Hinderyckx bikes - hand crafted by our own Rochester boy Zak Hinderyckx. So STOP READING and RIDE YOUR BIKE! Hours: 7
713 US 5 N., Norwich, VT | 802-359-2921 hanoveradventuretours.com
More than a full-service bike store, we are a full-service adventure center. With an expertise in electric bicycles, we live and breathe outdoor exploration through our offering of e-bike rentals, sales, and tours including doorstep delivery and a full-service shop (all bikes welcome). Over 100 electric bicycle rentals, demos, and tours available for individuals and large groups, short and long-term.
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HIGH PEAKS CYCLERY
2733 Main St., Lake Placid, NY 518-523-3764 | highpeaks cyclery.com
The Adirondacks' source for bicycling and outdoor gear and adventures since 1983. Sales, service, rentals, cemos, tours, base camp lodging and dirt camps. Bikes by Scott, Yeti, Giant, Liv, Salsa and BMC. Gravel, road, mountain, fat and e-Bikes. Monday - Sunday: 9AM - 5PM
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HITCHHIKER
394 Mountain Road Ste. 6, Stowe, VT | 802-585-3344 hitchhikerbikes.com
Hitchhiker Bike Shop is Stowe's newest shop. We carry bikes from Rocky Mountain, Cervelo, Otso Cycles, Chromag, Open Cycle, and Gazelle E-bikes. If you are looking for a tuneup we offer service for just about every type of bike and budget. Service appointments are encouraged, but not necessary. You'll also find great clothing, parts, and accessories in our shop that is pedaling distance from the Cady Hill trails.
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MOUNTAINOPS
We offer bike sales along with fast, friendly service. Dealers of Niner, Scott, Devinci and Jamis, we carry a large assortment of mountain and gravel bikes including a 60 bike Demo Fleet. Our techs have years of experience and our local trail knowledge is second to none. Our converted 1893 barnturned-bike-shop houses a huge selection of bike and lifestyle clothing along with parts and accessories. Looking for a more mellow ride? Rent one of our cruisers for a trip down the legendary Stowe Rec Path right from our parking lot!
331 North Winooski Ave., Burlington, VT 802-863-4475 | oldspokeshome.com
Vermont’s best selection of professionally refurbished used bikes and new bikes for touring, bike packing, commuting, fat biking, and simply getting around town. Named one of the country’s best bike shops for it’s “plain-talk advice and no-nonsense service.” A nonprofit as of January 2015, Old Spokes Home uses 100% of its revenue to run programs creating access to bikes in the community. And don’t miss their famous antique bicycle museum! Hours: Mon. – Sat. 10 - 6, Sun.
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OMER & BOB’S
20 Hanover St. Lebanon, NH603448-3522 | omerandbobs.com
The Upper Valley's bike shop since 1964. Offering mountain bikes, gravel and road bikes, hybrid bikes, e-bikes, and kids bikes from Specialized, Trek, and Electra. Featuring a full service department, bike fitting, mountain and e-bike demos, and a kids trade-in, trade-up program. Hours: Mon.-Friday, 9am-5:30pm, Sat., 9am-5pm
ONION RIVER OUTDOORS
ORO is Central Vermont's premier bike, car rack, and outdoor gear shop. Friendly and knowledgeable sales and service. We carry Specialized, Niner, Rocky Mountain, Salsa, Surly, and Yuba, and a large variety of clothing and accessories, including Giro, Smith, Club Ride, Patagonia, and more.
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OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE
OGE offers riders a premier bike shop with a knowledgeable, friendly, and honest staff. We have commuters and gravel grinders from Marin and KHS, mountain bikes from Pivot, Transition, Rocky Mountain and Yeti and a wide consignment selection as well as a demo fleet so you can try it before you buy it. Our service department is capable of everything from tuning your vintage road bike to servicing your new mountain bike and offers full Fox shock service. Come see us on Church Street! Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 10 – 8, Fri. – Sat. 10 – 9, Sun. 10 – 6.
North Central Vermont's Trek and Giant Dealer nestled in the heart of bike country. Selling new and used bikes for every budget and every type of rider from beginner to expert. We service all manner of bike and sell tons of accessories and apparel. Bike rentals for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail just 200 yards down the road.
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RANCH CAMP
Ranch Camp is Stowe’s mountain bike base lodge and your hub for bikes, gear, and culture! Ranch Camp offers a full-service mountain bike shop, tap room, and fresh-casual eatery, featuring sales and demo bike from Specialized, Ibis, Yeti, Evil, Revel, and Fatback. Looking for top of the line mountain bikes and components? Got ‘em. How about local brews from new England’s finest purveyors of craft libations? You bet. And if you need a thoughtfully crafted grab-and-go meal for your ride, or a place to sit down and refuel afterwards, Ranch Camp has you covered. Best of all, Ranch Camp is situation trailside with its very own public access entrance into Stowe’s iconic Cady Hill trail network.
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SKIRACK
85 Main St. Burlington 802-6583313 skirack.com
Locally owned since 1969, Skirack provides gear, clothing, expert fitting and accessories for all cyclists, with full service tuning and repairs...plus complete bike suspension service on most forks and rear shocks. Designated one of America’s Best Bike Shops, Skirack is blocks from Lake Champlain. Open 8 a.m. Mon. - Sat. for bike service, car racks and rentals.
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STARK MOUNTAIN
9 RTE 17, unit b Waitsfield, VT 802-496-4800 Find us on Facebook
Located at the lowest spot in the Mad River Valley so you can coast in when you break your bike on a ride! 21 years of advise,directions and fixing anything that pedals. Thinking about a Yeti? Come ride one of ours,we have been selling Yeti since 2006! Hours: Tues-Fri 9-6*, Sat 9-4, and Sunday 10-2. *Close at 5 on Thursdays for the Shop Ride.
57 Pond St. STE 1, Ludlow, VT (802) 228-5440 Info@tygartmountainsports.com, Tygartmountainsports.com
We are a full service bicycle sales and service center. We carry a wide selection of Scott and Kona bikes and a variety of accessories from Scott, Giro, Louis Garneau, Blackburn, Park Tools and others. We offer service and repairs on all makes and models including in-house suspension service, wheel building, and full bike build-outs.
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VILLAGE SPORT SHOP
511 Broad St. Lyndonville, VT 802-626-8448| villagesportshop.com
Established in 1978, we are a family-owned, passion-driven sporting goods store serving customers for four seasons of adventure. Strongly focused on bike and ski, we have highly skilled knowledgeable technicians and sales staff to assist in all needs of purchase, rental and service. With two locations, one nestled trailside on the world-renowned Kingdom Trails, and the other in downtown Lyndonville, we’re here to make your adventures happen!
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WATERBURY SPORTS
46 South Main Street, Waterbury, VT 802-882-8595 | waterburysportsvt.com
A full service bike shop selling Trek and Giant bikes in one of Vermont's most convenient locations. Nestled in downtown Waterbury a short distance from the Perry Hill MTB trails, WBS services all bikes and can handle any repair you might have. We also have a fleet of demo bikes and and an excellent selection of parts and accessories. Open 7 days a week!
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WEST HILL SHOP
49 Brickyard Lane, Putney, VT 802-387-5718 westhillshop.com
Right off I-91 exit northbound! We're pleased to welcome Specialized as the cornerstone of our broad range of trail, gravel, road and e-bikes. Bikes from Banshee, Cannondale, Devinci, Evil, Transition, Salsa, and Mondraker too. Plus, a curated selection of garments from Patagonia, POC and Specialized. Our service department is widely recognized as one of the best in the region, and our goal is to keep turn-around time to a week or less, and to offer Friday and Saturday walk-in service starting in June. We did it last year, and we've invested in more help. Ask for David to discuss custom wheel builds and suspension service and tuning. Most important, hit us to go for a ride!
Today I do not want to be hiking Camel’s Hump. A winter storm has left the trail coated in a thick layer of ice topped by a dusting of snow. The hiking is slow as my mom and I gingerly step over ice encrusted rocks and roots. Our boots slide, and we occasionally snap brittle branches as we catch ourselves from falling, puncturing the woods’ deafening stillness.
The silence feels awkward. It’s my first day home after living in Denmark for the past four months. When I pictured this moment in my head – as I did many times throughout the fall – I imagined my mom and I eagerly processing how life has unfolded for each of us since we were last together. Books we love, questions we’re pondering, new hobbies we’re exploring, places we’ve been and dream of going, work drama (her), boy drama (me). I imagined a crystal-clear sky and sun making the snow-covered trees around us sparkle. But as I glance up from the trail at my mom’s faded blue backpack in front of me – the only pop of color against the gray winter sky – I find myself fighting back tears.
In the past six weeks, two of my college friends died unexpectedly several weeks apart from one another. I am still reeling. I returned home to Vermont exhausted, grieving and threadbare. I’m wary of the fact that soon I’ll have to go back to Denmark and continue to deal with all of this – with life – on my own.
I’m still not quite sure how I survived the weeks leading up to my return. I spent my days doing school and work. Then at night I would be hit by a deep sense of loss as I thought of – and longed for – home. I don’t think I once slept through the night during those heavy weeks, feeling like I was in the wrong time zone. Was this adulthood? Somehow, I made it home to Vermont. And now I feel myself crashing.
The ascent begins gradually, giving us a chance to ease into the climb until a sharp left turn marks the beginning of a steeper section flanked by tight forest.
Somewhere along the way I got the idea that being an adult meant tracing a linear path toward increasing independence. That I would reach a point where I would no longer need my mom, would no longer crave the comfort and safety of home, would understand my place in the world. Maybe I’m just not an adult yet, I think to myself as I follow my mom up the steep section.
In the final push to the top, the tears finally come. They are almost immediately snatched from my cheeks by the harsh wind, but they keep coming. I don’t linger on the summit. Not even long enough to layer up. I turn my back on my mom and begin to head back down the mountain toward the car, slipping and sliding on the icy trail.
Istarted hiking as a baby nestled in a backpack carried by my mom, a purple sun hat pulled low over my face. By the time I was four, I had graduated from the backpack and I only hiked for peanut M&Ms.
At the Camel’s Hump trailhead, I would perch on the back of our Subaru, dangling my feet over the edge so my parents could double-knot my sneakers, and then we’d begin our ascent. My tiny legs would make giant moves to overcome roots and rocks until tiredness set in and I began to drag my legs, spiraling toward meltdown as my infinitely patient parents tried to coax me on.
“Just around the next corner.”
And sure enough, I’d get myself around the next bend in the trail to find a small pile of brightly colored M&Ms nestled in a leaf or divet in a rock on the trail’s edge. “Trail fairies,” my parents explained. Undeterred by dirt, I would scoop up the handful of M&Ms and eat them by color – saving the best (blue) for last. And then, elevation gain and tiredness suddenly forgotten, I would happily continue onward in search of the next cache of candy.
Camel’s Hump tops out at 4,083 feet above sea level. The nearest trailhead is 26 minutes from my home in the Mad River Valley. As a kid, scaling those 4,083 feet felt like a massive physical feat, deserving of a large post-hike maple creemee and a deep sense of selfsatisfaction.
But the worlds we know seem to shrink as we grow.
By the time I left Vermont for college five years ago, I was in search of bigger adventures. The Camel’s Hump summit became dwarfed by dreams of snowier, taller, more remote mountains.
From working for a guiding company in Chile’s Patagonia, to backpacking through Wyoming’s Wind River Range, to living in the Himalayan foothills, to circumnavigating the Alps’ Mont Blanc massif, I’ve been lucky enough to explore some of these bigger mountains. I never quite know what to expect when I return home from these experiences – even as I often desperately long for home in the crux of these adventures. Sometimes I’m only home long enough to grab some clothes and gear. Other times I’m home for longer, long enough to question whether or not I still belong here and to feel sad that people and places have changed since I left. Mostly, coming home makes me aware of how I’ve changed, and makes me wonder about what it means to have roots in a place.
Have I outgrown Vermont? Has Vermont outgrown me?
I’m old enough to go off and
BY ANNEKA WILLIAMS
Anneka Williams, left, and her mother Kate, atop Camel's Hump Courtesy photo. have big adventures, but young enough to still store most of my stuff at my parents’ house. I’m old enough to live in a new city on a different continent, but young enough to still ask for an assist in scheduling a dentist appointment during my short window at home. “Betwixt and between,” says my mom, wisely naming this stage of life. I feel it.
In the five years since I left Vermont for college, I’ve lived in four different states and two different countries; I’ve changed my mind about what I want to do with my life more times than I can count; I’ve navigated online courses for my last year of college amidst a global pandemic; I’ve met some of my closest friends; I’ve said hundreds of goodbyes.
Throughout it all, hiking Camel’s Hump has come to be a touchstone, helping me to stay strong and adventurous while reminding me of my Vermont roots.
Afew weeks later my mom and I are once again summiting Camel’s Hump. I’m about to go back to Denmark. This is our goodbye hike. The world around us is dark, clouds clinging to the mountain and blanketing the valley as we ascend. Perhaps the weather is fitting, my mom tries to joke. I do not smile at this. But then – magically it seems – we emerge above the clouds.
When we reach the final clearing just below the summit, I look at a large rock formation on its edge. Even covered in snow, the outline of a large indent is still apparent in the rock face: the ultimate peanut M&M cache. I glance at my mom and we smile. And as we ascend to the summit, I’m struck by how many iterations of me – of the two of us – have walked the same trail.
At the top, I turn my back against the wind, removing mittens to zip into more layers. The sun is low on the horizon, but the world around me – a different world than the one just below us – shines a bright, textured white. Rime ice coats the summit’s exposed rock and encrusts the trees on the slopes around us. Mansfield, Mt. Ellen and Stark Mountain with the white trails of Mad River Glen poke up like snow-capped islands out of a sea of clouds. The Adirondacks are just visible to our West and the face of Mount Washington breaks the horizon to our East.
Sufficiently layered, I stuff my hands back into mittens and turn my face into the wind. I feel a hand on my back and then my mom is enveloping me in a hug. We stand wrapped around each other, listening to the wind swirl around us. Feet planted firmly on the summit, holding each other steady in the wind, we look around at a world that is wide open, as far as the eye can see.
