Mappy Hour is a community of urban dwelling outdoor enthusiasts who gather monthly around maps, guidebooks, beer, and adventure stories. Mappy Hour Denver’s mission is connect the local community to individuals and groups that seek out radical adventures and superb nonprofits that are focused on Outdoor education, policy, stewardship, conservation, and health / wellness.
This month’s Mappy Hour Denver was hosted at the Speakeasy Taproom at Crazy Mountain Brewing Company (on Kalamath in the Santa Fe Arts District of Denver). More than 40 people from around the Front Range came to hear from Jessica Martin give a captivating presentation on her endeavor to completely ride Colorado’s Bikeable Fourteeners (14ers).
Jessica Martin, a Colorado native and adventurista, is the first woman to mountain bike every bike-legal 14er in the state of Colorado and did it while holding a demanding full-time job recovering transplant organs as a recovery specialist. She’s also a skilled backcountry splitboarder with an undying thirst for exploring the Colorado wild. She was nominated “Captain Colorado” in 2017 by Channel 93.3 and 303 Magazine.
Jessica gave a riveting presentation on her journey to Bike the 14ers. She spoke of stoke, pain, gains, and certain opportunities that arose throughout the journey. It seemed like the challenge of mountain biking the 14ers was well-worth-it—as Jessica spoke with a smile on her face throughout the presentation. Jess is now preparing to backcountry ski/snowboard all the 14ers she biked—for what else but personal enjoyment!
In addition to hearing from Jessica, Mappy Hour Denver partnered with SheJumps, a national organization that helps women “Jump In, Jump Up, and Jump Out”. The SheJumps mission is to increase the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities. Women looking for a supportive community to try new things, get better at what they already do, as well as have opportunities to give back and share what they know and love. SheJumps is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and all drink tickets sold throughout the night went toward their mission! Together, we raised ~$100 for SheJumps!
Thanks to the gracious in-kind donations of Colorado Mountain Club, National Geographic Maps, and SheJumps; attendees were given raffle tickets and dozens of prizes were given away throughout the night!
The grand prize giveaway for the night was two (2) tickets to the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour (hosted Sunday night at Denver’s Paramount Theatre). The Colorado Mountain Club (another 501c3 non-profit) was the host of the Banff Mountain Film Festivals World Tour stop in Denver.
