NEWS RELEASE, September 27, 2004
Couple Wins Trail Angel Award
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ADVENTURE CYCLING ASSOCIATION CHOOSES WYOMING COUPLE FOR TRAIL ANGEL AWARD
MISSOULA, Mont. -- Adventure Cycling Association has chosen Dave and Jo-An Martin of Dubois, Wyoming, as the recipients of its second
annual June Curry Trail Angel Award. This award recognizes the contributions made by individuals and organizations in America who
promote bicycle touring and improve conditions for cyclotourists. The phrase "trail angel" refers to the Good Samaritans encountered on
a long-distance bicycle tour who make the cyclist's journey easier, or in some cases, even possible.
Adventure Cycling Association will host a barbeque at noon, October 5, 2004 at the Association's headquarters at 150 E. Pine Street in
Missoula, Montana, with the award ceremony taking place at 12:30 P.M.
Driving over the Togwotee Pass during a thunderstorm in 1999, the Martins came upon a cyclist who was drenched and barely moving up the
steep incline. They hauled the rider and her companion to their home, located eight miles west of Dubois, Wyoming, just off U.S. Hwy.
287/26 and the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail. The cyclists stayed for two days.
The Martins learned that another bicycle trail, the Great Divide route, also ran right past the entrance to their place. Their original
plan was to have a rustic cabin "bed and breakfast" hostel for long distance cyclists traveling along both routes. After receiving
helpful suggestions on the appetites and needs of long distance riders, the Martins decided to expand their services. Since then, they
have provided a resting place, copious amounts of food and top-notch hospitality to hundreds of touring cyclists from almost every state
and over a dozen foreign countries.
"Their stories of the road, their challenges and tribulations, the roadside meetings and shared information, and their motivation and
dedication to 'the ride' are inspirational," says Jo-An. 'We feel fortunate to have had this opportunity to open our home and hearts to
them all."
Adventure Cycling Association got its start in the early 70s when a group of idealistic cyclists organized the Bikecentennial event to
help celebrate the nation's bicentennial. Since then, the association has grown to be the largest recreational cycling organization in
the nation, with more than 41,000 active members. The association's mission is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle and to
help cyclists explore the landscapes and history of America for fitness, fun, and self-discovery. The awards program was launched last
year with the presentation of the first annual "Trail Angel" award, given to June Curry of Afton, Virginia. Long known as the "Cookie
Lady," Curry has hosted thousands of touring cyclists at her rural Virginia home since 1976. Adventure Cycling's services include
bicycle-route development and mapping, periodical publishing (Adventure Cyclist magazine and The Cyclists' Yellow Pages resource
directory), and a guided bicycle-touring program. For more information on Adventure Cycling Association, visit www.adventurecycling.org.
Media Contact:
Larry Diskin
406.721.1776 ext. 220
outreach@adventurecycling.org
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