On behalf of the board members of DUST2, (Developing Urban Single Track and Teams) I want to invite you to help build Pagosa Springs first Urban Single Track Trail system as well as support our youth through the development of Pagosa Springs first junior cycling team. But first, a little history:
It all started with Safe Routes To School. I am the project manager for Archuleta School District’s S
afe Routes To School (SRTS) program called, Retro Metro Kids (RMK) and as of September 4, the President of DUST2. Retro Metro Kids was started one year ago when the school district was awarded a $5000.00 Safe Routes To School education and encouragement grant from CDOT. We formed a coalition whose members are: David Hamilton, Sandy Lane, Larry Lynch, John Egan, Darren Lewis, Amanda Gadomski, Jessica Carr, Cindy Schultz, myself and James Dickhoff in an advisory role. Given the SRTS directive to encourage children in Pagosa Springs to walk and ride their bikes to school, we quickly realized that the lack of sidewalks and trails would be the most significant barrier. While our short term focus was on creating chaperoned events where kids could safely ride bikes and walk, we knew that we needed to develop a long-term, sustainable and economical alternative that would provide kids with the opportunity to walk and ride bikes as far removed from traffic as is possible. Enter: “single track sidewalk”, the idea that was made famous in Eagle Colorado was brought to the Safe Routes coalition where it was added to the official action plan. Four of us visited Eagle where we met with Eagle’s Marketing and Events Director, Amy Cassidy, for a guided tour of the famed “single track sidewalk”. We were inspired and the Safe Routes coalition adopted the “single track sidewalk” idea as one of it’s long-term sustainability goals. Since the School district could not engage in fund-raising for Safe Routes To School, and given the need to seek and secure easements and partner with the Town of Pagosa Springs, it was decided that there needed to be an organization that could partner with the school district’s Safe Routes program and that could be the legal/fund-raising arm of for the development of “single track sidewalk”, which we had since renamed, Urban Single Track Initiative. On September 4, 2015, the seven board members of Developing Urban Single Track and Teams (DUST2) were voted into office, and on September 10, 2015, DUST2 became a registered non-profit organization in the State of Colorado ready to partner with the school district and the Town of Pagosa Springs for the development of a network of single track trails that will connect not only the elementary school to the high school, but provide complete connectivity around the down town, beginning and ending at the elementary school. To date, DUST2 has made Urban Single Track presentations to both the planning commission and the Parks and Recreation commission and has received recommendations from both to town council. DUST2 will be going before Town Council late this year to request the use of public easements and land for the construction of Urban Single Track that will connect not only to schools, but to parks, businesses and neighborhoods utilizing the safest cross walks. In closing, you may have noticed, the word, “Teams” in our name. This is because along with building single track trails, DUST2 is also starting Pagosa’s first junior cycling development team with the consultation services of Durango DEVO’s Chad Cheeny. DUST2 boasts a stellar team of coaches all of whom have backgrounds in mountain bike racing and/or outdoor education. We felt that inorder to best serve our youth we needed to build trails that were not only safe, but that are easily accessible on foot or bike from the front door. We are grateful to be able to share our vision with you. Thank you from the board of directors of DUST2,
Lance Thornton- President
Mat deGraaf- Vice President
Janine Emmets Director of JR cycling team
Terri Daugherty Secretary/coach
Ron Houston- Member at Large
Andy Guinn- Treasurer/Coach
Kevin Daugherty- Member at Large
Anthony Doctor- Member at Large
Annie Sewell- Director of Trails
Shane Lucero- Membership coordinator
Coaching Staff:
Janine Emmets Executive Director
Amanda Gadomski Coach
Andy Guinn Coach
Stephanie Bergdolt Coach
Todd Bergdolt Coach
Cameron Parker Coach
Karmen McEachern Coach
Kris Mashue Coach
