BMX Track in Lake Stevens

Dear Editor,

My name is Mike Albright.  I was born and raised in Bellevue and I now live in Bend, Oregon.  I’ve been racing BMX since 1978 and I started working at Seattle Bike Supply (Redline Bicycles) in 1996 after owning a bicycle store in Bellingham and I now own a bicycle distribution company called Cascade Velo and also a Photography business (specializing in cycling photography) in Bend, Oregon.  

I am writing to give my full support for the efforts to build a covered BMX tack in Lake Stevens, WA.  BMX is a family-oriented olympic sport where many of the moms and dads race as well as their kids.  BMX is an individual sport where teams are sometimes involved in side competition but it’s really like one big family.   I have many friends from the 70’s and 80’s that are still involved in the sport and are even racing the national circuit.  We’ve all tried to quit BMX for a year or two but there’s something that keeps us coming back.

Covered tracks are special and rare in the Northwest.  Oregon currently has no indoor or covered tracks so the only venue available is the Peninsula Indoor track in port Orchard.   Because of this your city will see increased revenue in hotels, gas stations, restaurants, etc from the out-of-towners traveling from BC, Eastern Washington and Oregon.  In addition, it will provide nearby Olympic hopefuls more of a full-size venue to train at when being at the Olympic Training Center isn’t possible. 

Pete Kirk and Bob Gleyre do a great job at the McCollum Park track and that will help translate into increased rider count and the potential for world-class events such as the Pro-Am race that McCollum has put on the last few years.

Regards,

Mike Albright

Bend, Oregon