Reno Reporter

A faculty member at University of Nevada, Reno, shared her love of riding mountain bike trails.

Alex Vanderhoff, a marketing and digital media coordinator with the research and innovation department at UNR, got into mountain biking while she was a student at the university, UNR reported.

"I’ve been riding bikes without training wheels since I was four or five years old," Vanderhoff told UNR. "But I really started biking when I came to UNR for college and joined the bike team, Nevada Cycling, in 2001 and started doing mountain bike racing."

Vanderhoff said her passion for the sport has not diminished since she started, even when riding her more frequented local trails, UNR reported.

"Every time I mountain bike I feel like it’s the most fun I’ve ever had," Vanderhoff said. "I love our Tahoe, Truckee and local Reno trails. I think that Tahoe has world-class mountain biking and I’ve biked in many different states and countries! I had great fun being on the bike team in college and I can’t believe my good fortune in stumbling into that – it completely shaped my life from then on."

UNR works to foster a cycling-friendly culture on campus, having earned a Bike Friendly University status from The League of American Bicyclists, UNR reported. The school encourages using bikes on campus and to commute, gears its policies and facilities toward cycling, and provides incentives for doing so.

"I don’t commute regularly at this time, but I have over the years of being a student and working on campus," Vanderhoff said. "Not having to find parking is a huge plus, and I’ve always loved to ride through Rancho San Rafael Park if it’s on my way because it’s so relaxing and serene. Getting fresh air and some pedaling in is such a nice way to start the day!"