Hi Everyone!
Emily Mallos here from Kulshan Brewing Company. I was excited when WMBC reached out to me about sharing a little about my story, and how I came to work with WMBC through my role as Marketing Manager at Kulshan.
My great love story with mountain biking started back in the spring of 2019. I quickly became obsessed with progressing my skills and riding new trails. Some might say I was head over heels obsessed with mountain biking. And a lot of friends witnessed me literally head over heels tumbling down features and trails I was daring to ride.
In March of 2020 I was hired at Kulshan and a few months into the job I took the reins of our robust marketing department. Part of why I was really excited to step into the role was because of the incredible community that Kulshan had a reputation of creating. I knew that Kulshan was involved in the mountain biking community, and I was really excited about continuing the relationships established with organizations like the WMBC and Transition Bikes. There were a lot of mountain bikers already at Kulshan when I started - Dave Vitt, Jon Dewitt, Megan Bailey and Wes Finger had already been partying in the woods for many years by the time I started. Thankfully they took me under their wing as a baby newborn mountain biker and showed me their ways!
During my first year at Kulshan I started volunteering with WMBC through trail work days and leading a Flying Squirrels group. I enjoyed experiencing different ways to get involved in the mountain bike community! In 2021 Kulshan started to plan for the Trackside Beer Garden. The waterfront pump track was already established, and Trackside would be the first business to open down there. The first Trackside season we really leaned into the simple fact that: Beer + Bikes = FUN. My job collaborating and planning fun events with the WMBC was easy. I was really excited to help bring together the first pump track race with the beer garden dunk tank, and to barely pull off the infamous torrential downpour Shoot The Trails during our first season. Every event felt like a big accomplishment simply because it was the first time we tried everything down there!
Over the past few years, both Kulshan’s and my personal relationship with the WMBC have continued to evolve. Kulshan helped to support many WMBC fundraising efforts like the weekly Whatcom World Cup race series, the Northwest Tune Up Festival and even brewed our own collaboration beer, Dad Bod, to celebrate our new trail adoption! In the past few years I started coaching a Radical Rippers group, have hit the podium in a handful of Whatcom World Cup races, and continued to find myself at lots of trail days. Since the start of Trackside, the mountain bike community has really shown up to support what we are doing down at the Bellingham Waterfront, and I have continued to be blown away as things continue to grow each season!
The obvious answer to why I support the trails is this community. I love being behind the scenes helping to plan and execute events that people get to enjoy and create memories at. Spending time coaching has been super fulfilling for me and I have really enjoyed spending time with younger riders and helping them develop their skills and confidence. I have learned so much during days spent out working on trails too! I can’t really emphasize enough the great feeling of connection I now have to my recreation through supporting the WMBC personally, and through my work at Kulshan Brewing. For all they do to build and support the community in Whatcom County, I hope that this season you’ll consider supporting the WMBC too!
Happy New Year friends!
Cheers,
Emily Mallos
