By Jo Mixon
This weeks featured member is Altitude Cycles at The Trailhead.
Stan Samuels has embarked upon yet another fun adventure in Angel Fire. With his recent purchase of The Trailhead Gears Rentals and Tours, he is excited to be ramping up for summer cycling. He’s looking at the addition as a viable venture that will enhance his North Country Real Estate, Property Management, and Outfitter’s businesses.
Stan intends to keep The Trailhead open year round. During the summer season it will be transformed into “Altitude Cycles at the Trailhead,” one of the first complete bike shops to open in Angel Fire. They are investing in tooling and working with vendors to be able to provide a full-service bike shop complete with sales, maintenance, repair, and rentals. Stan has hired Kurt Schweitzer who, with 25 years of experience in ski and cycling retail, speaks “Bike Geek”, to manage the shop.
Kurt told me that, with all the improvements Angel Fire Resort has made to their Bike Park, Angel Fire has become a premier mountain bike destination, and with the mountainous terrain in and around the valley for street bike enthusiasts, he sees Angel Fire wide open for growth in the cycling industry. He even intends to compete in the Double Bounty Ultra Endurance event himself. The bike shop will be open for business May 14 followed by a Grand Opening Business After Hours on May 17.
Not only will they have the full-scale bike shop, but they will also be booking hiking, rafting, hunting, and fishing adventures. Then in the winter The Trailhead will revert back to Ski and Snowboard rental and sales. They intend to upgrade the existing stock with newer equipment. The staff working with Kurt will continue to be buyer Melanie Davis, head ski tech Andrey Santistevan and Ezra Medina.
Stan Samuels has been in the Moreno Valley for 40 years. He told me that when he first came here he “didn’t know nothing about nothing, but now he knows a little about a variety if things.” In 1972, he moved here as a district forester and made Angel Fire his home. Since then he has been actively involved with helping to build the community.
Stan has worked at many endeavors over the years. He has built over 500 homes in and around the area and created seven subdivisions in Angel Fire as a private developer. He was even one of the founding fathers of the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce, and has been a member for about 25 years. But one of the things I found most interesting when talking with Stan is that he is a native New Mexican, born and raised. His family came to New Mexico in the 1880s. His grandfather, George E. Moffit, was one of the signers of the New Mexico Constitution. Interesting bit of historical trivia, don’t you think? Plus I bought a really cute pair of jeweled sandals during my visit at the Trailhead, at a bargain price!
For more information about Stan’s many businesses stop by North Country Real Estate, 15 Halo Pines Terrace, 575-377-6651 or stop in and shop after May 14, Altitude Cycles at The Trailhead, 48 North Angel Fire Road. Call them at 575-377-1010, or visit www.aftrailhead.com.
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