YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

Bonnie Golden — Chair

Bonnie has always loved being outdoors and being active. She got turned on to a Stumpjumper in 1983 to ride dirt in Santa Fe. Back then there were no designated mountain bike trails. On her move to Taos in 1990, Mark Gates who started Gearing Up helped her upgrade her ride, while her friend, Debra Ledford was pro-racing and taught her all the best skills. Over the years her riding and her bikes have continued to get better. Bonnie says there's a myth that old people don't ride mountain bikes or singletrack. "Taos is full of old people and a lot of us are riding We TMBA people are working hard to provide safe, challenging, and well-maintained trails so we can keep riding, keep healthy and keep moving". As an older rider, Bonnie admits that she's taken her game down a few notches, but she still rides year-round with her Specialized Fat-Boy on snow and ice; come spring, summer, and fall she's hitting the dirt. Grunting uphill, knowing there's a downhill. If you pass her riding, she's the one who looks like that smile emoji cause that's what mountain biking does for her.

Chris Ellis — Treasurer

Ole Ellis rides as much as he can. Started MTB riding in Chicago back in the 80’s but had to quit for family reasons (bunch of group crashes). He got back to it in Taos in 2014 and it’s been a hoot! Still crash a lot. Luckily, so far more broken bike parts than body parts. Being retired he volunteers with non-profits around town, plus likes to trailer-trash camp near singletrack opportunities.

Dave Wilson

Dave grew up in Scotland, a land known for it's towering mountains, dramatic vistas and peat bogs! Ugh. A childhood favorite was launching on boneshakers with no brakes down hillsides and hoping to make it to the run-off below. As the years progressed he became more in tune with the joys of uphill and can now be seen slowly chugging into the depths of the forest before gliding serenely home.

Eric Mack — Comms Committee Chair

Eric Mack’s first mountain biking experience involved taking a road bike onto the trails west of Denver at age 13. The bike didn’t survive, but he did. His decision-making remains questionable at times. After several years without a bike living in remote parts of Alaska, he moved to Taos in 2005 and finally bought a proper hard-tail after being introduced to the area’s unappreciated shred potential (shout out to Charles Clayton). He also spends his time as a dad, husband, journalist, amateur off-grid guinea pig, trail runner, skier and full member of Taos Search and Rescue.

Erin Fusting

Erin enjoys all things trail related.  She enjoys biking, trail running, hiking, and horseback riding.  Erin fell in love with mountain biking around 2012 while prepping for grad school in Fruita, CO.  Riding bikes connected her to new friends, trails, and a healthy way to de-stress.  Erin believes that these trails support community, mental health, and wellness and should be made accessible to everyone.

John Poynter — Secretary, Trails Committee Chair

John is an avid proponent of Purpose Built Mountain Bike trails and is advocating for their addition and improvement in the Northern New Mexico area. John has had the opportunity to ride thousands of trails in all the western states and Canada, talking with trail designers, builders and riders in many different landscapes and terrains. He has seen the explosion of mountain biking in similar small town communities across the west and is convinced that Taos has a unique opportunity to participate in this growth industry. John has worked with non profits and professional associations, has experience serving as a board officer with a track record of revitalizing struggling organizations. He has run several businesses, including a regionally successful organic farm, a handyman business and a property management business. He lives with his wife in Hondo and still travels extensively to ride trails across North America. HIs two children are completing their degrees at the University of Oregon.

Liz Finkelstein

Liz Finkelstein started mountain biking in 2014. Back then she had a hardtail 29er, but always looked up to the guys doing downhill at the local bike park in Marquette, Michigan. In 2015 she bought an ol' Mongoose Booter and tried out downhill for herself. Now she races Downhill around the country. She moved to Taos in 2018 and while stoked on the local Angel Fire bike park she wants to help improve the local pedal trails around Taos. There is so much shred potential to be had! Outside of biking Liz also teaches yoga, backpacks, fly fishes, and rock climbs.

Nate Berg

Nate fell in love with riding bikes as a kid and never stopped.  A native New Mexican, he got his first mountain bike in 1993 and raced as junior in the early days of the NORBA series that was held at the Sandia Peak Ski Area in the mid 1990’s.  His primary focus over the past 15 years on the bike has been in endurance and back country racing and has helped develop routes and organize the free grassroots New Mexico Endurance Series of events.  His passions include trail maintenance, building, and sustainability, and conservation of, and protecting access to, public lands for all users.

Spencer Bushnell