Family on the Trails: An Interview with a JUNK Insider
The Trailhead
Gail fell in love with mountain biking in 2001. She began racing and met a great group of women where she found community. (They’re still friends over 20 years later!)
“Even though I spent a lot of time bruised and scraped up, the feeling of accomplishment when I tackled a feature that had been scaring me was great! I’ve never been an athlete or competitive, but mountain biking is just a person on a bike having the most fun they can while challenging themselves to be better and stronger and braver.”
When Gails son and daughter were 9 and 6, she met her now husband Jason while out mountain biking in Dallas.
He was a mountain bike racer and loved the outdoors. He taught Gail’s daughter how to ride and was racing too in just a few months.
They started taking group mountain biking vacations with their friends, and every summer they would pick a destination (usually Colorado or New Mexico) and take off for a week of intense biking and de-compressing. There were usually about 10 of them with our kids and dogs in one big house in the mountains.
Moving to NWA
“(Around the time of their last big mountain biking trip) Jason and I decided that instead of vacationing in Arkansas several times a year, we should move here. In 2017 we sold our house in Texas and made the move. We were lucky enough to find a house in Bentonville that suited us and was located in a neighborhood with direct access to the Slaughter Pen trail system. We can hit 200 miles of amazing single track from our driveway.”
They chose NWA for the affordability at the time, the proximity to Jason’s family, and the seasons- they can ride all year long!
Choosing JUNK
“In a town run by a few big businesses, it was nice to have an option to work for a smaller company that started here with their products created here.”
Gail has been our Inventory/Fulfillment Manager for over three years, “I have an amazing team! I know that every day I get 100% from them and I make sure to give them the same.”
“The original building was right down the street from my house and it was a no brainer. I also liked that even though our headbands were geared towards CrossFit, they work well for any activity.” Especially under mountain biking helmets.
All In the Family: Working in the Mountain Biking Capital of the World
Gail’s Husband Jason started his own mobile bike mechanic business in 2021 after working at all the bike shops in Bentonville and 25 years of experience. Since the pandemic everyone has taken up biking and the wait time in shops for repairs can sometimes be weeks. No cyclist wants to be without their bike that long. He meets his customers at their homes and fixes the bike there- no down time! He always goes above and beyond to make sure the customer is happy.
Why Ride in NWA
“We have ridden bikes all over the country and while other places might have bigger mountains or better views from the top, the quality of the trails in NWA can’t be beat.”
There is so much available for any type of riding you do. Whether you want to ride jump lines all day, downhill all day or old-school cross-country riding, there is something for everyone. We have a ton of beginner trails but also plenty of advanced trails for those that want to challenge themselves.
“We have friends that are 60 years old and still go out riding 30 miles and jumping everything in sight. I’m 57 and never dreamed that I could still be this active doing something that I love.”
We love Gail!
#ShowUsYourJUNK on the trails this fall and follow us @JUNKBrands and stay tuned for more!
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