Issaquah Highlands Mountain Bike Group

Share Their Love of the Sport

Feature image by Judson Hall

It was on Father’s Day a few years ago that I decided to forgo the traditional breakfast-in-bed made by my wonderful kids and wife, and instead, jumped on my old Trek hybrid to see what this whole mountain bike thing was all about. It was wet, I wasn’t in great shape, and I didn’t exactly have the right bike for the terrain, but within five minutes up the trail in Grand Ridge Park, I was completely hooked!

Fast-forward to today, and I am absolutely in love with the sport of mountain biking. From the easy access to some of the most beautiful and well-built trails in the country, to the welcoming and extremely active local mountain bike community, we live in the perfect community to take advantage of all that mountain biking has to offer.

It didn’t take long for my boys to get involved either. Like their dad, they have taken to the sport unlike anything else they’ve tried so far. From summer camps and family days at Duthie Hill Park, to long, muddy rides on Grand Ridge Trail, my boys seem to be their happiest when riding our amazing trails. “It can be a big challenge and make me nervous but can also make me feel excited and relaxed. I love the feeing of being in the air with the wind in my face,” says Nate, my 10-year-old.

“I like mountain biking because it’s fun and challenging all at the same time,” says Jude, my eight-year-old.

Mountain biking is a sport for everybody. Just head over to Duthie Hill Bike Park on any given weekend and you’ll see families, women and men of all ages, young shredders and everything in between. “I suppose for me I just love the blending of the outdoors, a machine that I have to propel and control, the physical and mental challenges, speed and DIRT,” says Judson, an Issaquah Highlands resident rider.

If that weren’t enough to get you and your family excited, the City of Issaquah is building a bike park right in Central Park! Designed by Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance with input from Issaquah Highlands residents, the new pump track and skills park will be a remarkable place for all ages, skill levels and abilities. Construction is slated to begin in 2019.

Finally, I want the community to know that some very dedicated and enthusiastic mountain bikers have officially re-started an Issaquah Highlands Mountain Bike Club. This is a group for Issaquah Highlands residents (and their friends) who mountain bike, want to meet new neighbors, ride with a group of cool people, and have fun in the process. Bring your ideas to our launch meeting in February at Blakely Hall and help plan our first few rides. The more inclusive and collaborative we are, the better the experience will be, so please attend if you’re at all interested. Also see the IH Mountain Bike Club Facebook group for updates, club rides and events. All are welcome! We hope to see you on February 16!

Happy riding!

As published in Connections News
By Jason Maybell, Organizer of the new Issaquah Highlands Mountain Bike Group and resident of Magnolia Park