Outdoor Greats

By Kristina Abbey

Here in central Arizona, we love our outdoors activities. Everything from hiking, biking, off-roading, and so much more runs through the hearts of all who live here.

Photo Credit: Tree Rose Photography

Whether you’re an avid fan of kayaking in one of the beautiful lakes, hiking on a meandering trail, or the challenge of a tough 4x4 run, there lies one common tie in all those activities…people. People who live and work within our communities who, at their core, are the very activities they help others do. Th ese individuals of Prescott Valley and beyond make it possible for ordinary folks to participate in these activities. For this reason alone we decided to focus on twelve individuals who we consider to be our

1. Gary Stewart - ESI Grips.

Gary Stewart and his family own and operate their family business ESI Grips based in Chino Valley, Arizona, which is a world-renowned brand creating superior silicone products for the cycling industry.

Along with providing high-quality biking products, Gary and his family also bring support to the cycling community through sponsorship of local athletes, teams, youth development and events. In addition ESI also sponsors the Whiskey Off-Road, one of the nation’s preeminent mountain biking races, as well as the Chino Grinder. Our region is fortunate to have a prominent brand of the outdoors industry right here in Chino Valley. Th e Stewart family brings so much to the outdoor community and is certainly qualified to be considered one of our Outdoor Greats! For more information: https://esigrips.com

2&3. Cina Mcnaughy & Kate Phelan - Soul Rider

Ever participate in something that feeds your soul? That’s exactly how Kate Phelan and Cina McConaughy, owners of Soul Ride, describe mountain biking in Prescott. Cina and Kate love taking others outdoors to learn about mountain biking and giving tours to people who are seeking out adventure. Now as full-time store owners, Kate and Cina enjoy the opportunity to get involved with the community. The two host Mountain Bike tours and are involved in an adventure club for kids which introduces Mountain Biking to kids without the element of competition making the trails a fun and safe place to visit. With their passion for mountain biking and a store that is aptly named to match that passion, Kate and Cina definitely have earned their place as one of our Outdoor Greats. For more information check out https://soulride.bike.

4. Chris Hosking- City of Prescott Trails

Whenever you go out on a trail, have you wondered who was responsible for its creation? Well, that person would be Chris Hosking, Trails/ Natural Parklands Coordinator. Th irteen years ago, Chris started working for the City of Prescott and really began to settle into his love of the outdoors.

Today, he is proud to show off the amount of trail information located on the city’s website. Hosking is also pleased to share the App he worked with Prescott IT and Yavapai County Forestry Service to develop. Between the website and the App, trails of Yavapai County are now easier to navigate than ever before. Chris Hosking does great work for Prescott and he is surely in his element whether on the trail or talking about developing a new trail. For this he made it onto our list of Outdoor Greats.

Thanks to Chris Hosking and the team at the City of Prescott, we now have over 100 miles of trails and approximately 2500 acres of open space. For more information on the Prescott Trail System or to download the trail App visit http://www.prescott-az.gov/ recreation-events/recreation-areas/trails/.

Photo credit: Brice Shirback

5. Dr. Todd Geiler

Dr. Todd Geiler is a fun and interesting person with a long standing love of the outdoors. He enjoys everything from photography to hunting and fishing when he isn’t working in his eye care business. Dr. Geiler can often be found heading out to spend his free time in nature. More than just a personal love of the outdoors, Dr. Geiler has taken time to get kids involved in outdoor activities. He has helped coordinate and run fishing events that get kids set up to experience fishing for the first time. What he does has never been about the love of sport, instead it is a desire to understand nature, the need for balance, and how to apply it. Geiler was recently nominated to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, “Dr. Geiler’s extensive outdoor involvement and community leadership will serve the Arizona Game and Fish Commission well,” said Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. Th is certainly earns Dr. Todd Geiler a place on our list of Outdoor Greats!

Photo credit: Dr. Todd Geiler

6&7. Joe & Brian Witty - Prescott Trap and Skeet of Dewey, Arizona.

Joe and Brian Witty are a father and son who are passionate about skeet shooting. Joe Witty, an Olympic hopeful, has spent nearly ten years in the world of skeet. He started shooting when he was a child and fell in love with the sport when he enrolled in an international competition.

Brian Witty, Joe’s father, is a man in love with the outdoor world and enjoys fishing and hunting. It is no surprise that his job is Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Prescott Valley. In addition to his role in Prescott Valley, Brian is an active part of Prescott Trap and Skeet and works with children coaching them in competition skeet.

Prior to the existence of Prescott Trap and Skeet, the two were challenged with not having a skeet shooting range nearby, therefore they worked together to begin the establishment of the skeet range in Dewey, Arizona. Now the two are able to practice together when Joe is up in Prescott Valley on break from college.

Both these men have an intense passion for the world of skeet shooting, one an Olympic hopeful, the other working to train others to improve their skills. Learning who Brian and Joe Witty are, anyone can see why these two are worthy of being considered Outdoor Greats! For more information: http://www. prescotttrapandskeetclub.com

Photo credit: Brian Witty

8. Maryah Dilbeck - Born to be Wild Rentals

Founder of Born to be Wild Rentals, Maryah Dilbeck shows a passion for kayaking and getting people active and outdoors. Her entire life has been centered around kayaking and providing an opportunity for people to get out on the water.

Maryah and Born to be Wild aren’t just about kayaking, they are also about giving back. Last summer, she organized a Lake Watson clean up on July 5th to be sure no trash stayed in the water after the July 4th activities. She’s excited to say they are going to do the lake cleanup again this year remaining to be our champion of lakes.

Born to be Wild offers discounts to Veterans and First Responders and is working to find other ways to help the community. Dilbeck is a person who is passionate about what she does and helping others connect with nature, for this, she qualifies at one of our Outdoor Greats! For more information: https://www. b2bwild.com

9. Mike Johns - RoughRider 100

Mike Johns, founder of the RoughRider 100, plays a key role in the Quad Cities and lives of many children. Inspired by the storied history of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders and Buckey O’Neil, Mike Johns has had a hand in the creation and continuation of the RoughRider 100 race and the kids’ FCA Motocross Camp.

Taking place over Memorial Day Weekend in Prescott Valley, the RoughRider 100 is the southwest’s largest professional off-road motorcycle race. Th is event was created to help fund the kids FCA Motocross Camp, a week where kids, who often have the odds stacked against them, are able to spend time on dirt bikes and just have fun. Mike has worked hard the past two years on the events to make them successful and has truly made a difference in our communities. For this, he is one of our Outdoor Greats! For more information on Rough Rider 100: https://www.facebook.com/roughrideronehundred/

10. Jesse Wabil - Summit 4x4 Company

It would be an understatement to say that Jesse Wasil of Summit 4x4 Company loves what he does. As owner-operator of a company that breathes and eats off-road, his passion is to help others make their off-road adventure dreams come true!

Jesse also ensures Summit 4x4 Company is also a large part of the community. His company is a major part of the Prescott Valley OUTDOORS Summit. Th ey also participate in events like the Men’s Expo, car shows, and various non-profit fundraising efforts. Getting to know Jesse, anyone can easily see how much passion he has for Summit 4x4 Company and our communities. For this, he certainly qualifies as an Outdoor Great! For more information: https://www.summit4x4company.com

11. Vern Wallace - Mile High Off-Road

Vern Wallace started off-roading when he was young, going out in his first jeep before he was even old enough to drive. After attending college and a career in aerospace, he found off-roading as an outlet to relieve stress. Now Wallace gets to help others play dirty in their 4x4’s.

Wallace isn’t just about play, he is also about giving back to the community. Among other events, the company has donated Razer rentals for fundraisers and other worthy causes. Despite Wallace’s calm demeanor, you can tell when walking with him through the shop rife with off-road vehicles, he is in his element. Th e love of off-roading and helping others to get outside is strong in Vern Wallace and for this he is definitely an Outdoor Great! For more information: https://www.milehighoffroadllc.com

12. Mike Glover - Fieldcraft Survival, Inc.

Former U.S. Army Special Forces Sergeant Major Mike Glover is CEO and owner of Fieldcraft Survival Inc. located in Prescott, Arizona.

He loves what he does. Glover has a history in the military and for 20 years worked as a Green Beret in Special Forces. After retiring from the military, Glover took his knowledge and training and did what came naturally. He launched Fieldcraft Survival Inc. with a goal to aid citizens in the community to be better prepared in emergency and outdoor scenarios.

With his goal to assist others, Glover takes his business model one step further and works to give back to the community. Fieldcraft Survival Inc. hosts an annual toy drives, raise funds for law enforcement families in need, and several other community support programs. For this reason, Mike Glover is considered one of our Outdoor Greats! For more information: https://www.fi eldcraftssurvival.com