Your Story; Chris Swan

In late September 2011, I made my first trip to Colorado where I was promised “the best mountain-biking in the United States.” Spending ten days touring around the mountains of central Colorado with my guide, Reilly, not only did he deliver on that promise, but he also introduced me to some truly wonderful people. One of those–who has since become a good friend–is bicycle bad-ass and all around super-stud, Chris Swan.

Chris is one of those people you just want to be around. He’s a total geek yet he shreds on his bike like no-ones business. His sense of style is on-point, with a casual post-punk aging-skater coolness that always makes me feel like a bit of a dorky scum-bag in comparison. When chillin’ out with a beverage in hand, the look in his eyes and tone of his voice tells you he’s genuinely interested in what you have to say; that he cares what you think. He also works at the local hospital while perpetually renovating his stylish Salida home. And Jen, his saucy better-half, well, she just takes the cake, making them the coolest couple in town.

As a cyclist, Chris just kills it. Although he left his passion for XC riding back in the mid-2000’s, his ripped fitness means he’s always good for a long cross country ride. While most mountain-bikers get a bit more terrestrial as we age, the opposite is true for Chris. Once he was introduced to long-travel bikes and dirt jumps, the more air Chris got, the more he needed. Next to the tracks along the Arkansas River, Chris discovered a couple of abandoned dirt jumps. Over the next several years, he spent hundreds of hours building new and bigger jumps, faster and bigger lines. Today, this 47 year old hits lines local kids half his age won’t even consider. And he does so with the most endearing casual coolness. Oh ya, and heaps of style!

As a friend, Chris(and Jen!) are as solid as it comes. He has been there when I’ve needed to vent about failing romances. When racing, Chris has been there to cheer me on and celebrate at the finish. His love for his friends is as deep as his passion for the bike. The fact that he’s a welcomed and devoted customer to all three of Salida’s bike shops attests to his character and his commitment to the local scene. Chris and Jen also made me feel very welcomed in Salida, really helped me feel at home. So, this past winter, it was such a huge treat for me to welcome them to Terlingua. I even got to take him out on the local trails!

Yup, Chris really is what cycling and Salida are all about and I couldn’t be more proud to be his friend. Oh ya, and his mom, Clara, she’s pretty rad, too.