On August 13th and 14th, the world’s best enduro riders will be coming to Vermont to take on the terrain of Burke Mountain for the first of two United States stops in the Enduro World Series. It is a historic moment as it is the first time the Enduro World Series is being held on the East Coast. Taking part in this historic moment, and rising to the challenge, is our very own Gabby Garcia.
Get to know Gabby in this fun interview as she gears up to take on the best of the best.
Gabby and her loving pup Kona.
What is your name and where are you from?
Hi, I am Gabby Garcia and I’m from Northern New Jersey.
How long have you lived in Vermont?
I’ve lived in Vermont on and off for the past 12 years, but I’ve been here in the [Mad River] Valley full-time for the past 6 years and I don’t plan on going anywhere!
What do you do at Lawson’s Finest and how long have you worked here?
I am a beertender/manager on duty, and I also take on packing and shipping for our online store. I started working at Lawson’s Finest in April of 2019.
What is your favorite Lawson’s Finest beer?
My favorite specialty beer is our Wee Heavy that Ray, our awesome cellarman, made this year. As for a year-round classic, Scrag Mountain Pils is always my go to.
If you could brew any beer in the world right now, what would you brew?
I’d like to brew a Kölsch! The honey Kölsch we did is another one of my favorites!
What keeps you busy outside of work?
Keeping up with housework and hanging out with the pup and my husband. Besides that, I really enjoy riding mountain bikes and, in the wintertime, I love snowboarding. When I’m not doing either of those, I just like to hang out with my friends with some beers!
I hear you’re competing in the Enduro World Series at Burke Mountain! Are you excited? Nervous?
I’m terrified. I’ve never competed in a bike competition before. I am most excited about checking out the new terrain and meeting a lot of people I’ve looked up to for a while in the bike scene; Jill Kitner being one of them and I heard that she’s going to be there which is awesome.
What kind of bike do you ride/riding at the EWS?
I ride an Ibis Mojo HD5.
What does your ideal day of biking look like?
My ideal day is a mixture of both downhill and climbing with my husband and friends and just exploring new terrain. I’ve come to appreciate climbing because it gets me to most of the downhills that I want to access in this area and your body feels so good at the end of the day.
What is your favorite trail snack?
Sounds silly, but maple syrup. When I’m feeling a little run down or need some energy, I’ll take a shot of maple syrup to get me going.
What is the most difficult day of biking that you remember?
We did a day trip to Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec. My husband and I were on enduro bikes, and we quickly realized that this mountain is mostly meant for downhill rigs. I had never ridden anything like it before. It was rocky and steep; you had no choice but to go super fast. Surprisingly, I came out with no injuries. It was exhilarating.
How many times have you gone OTB (Over the handlebars)?
Probably only a handful of times, but I did recently and took my bike frame to the elbow.
One final question. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I would like to be a speed reader. Or be able to slip out of any awkward situation unnoticed. That would be cool. Or repel mosquitoes. I don’t like mosquitoes.
