Joseph Monopoli Jr.

How long have you been riding? 30+years on a mountain bike.

What was your first bike? My first bike was an old GT BMX bike. My first mountain bike was in the third grade. My dad bought me an orange and black Huffy Dirt and Water I remember I needed to hop off a step or skip down the street on one pedal to get up on it.

What is your favorite bike you currently own? Probably my 19 SW Epic

What is your favorite bike you no longer own? That would be my 15 SW Demo 8

What is your favorite local trail or ride? It's been Rock Creek at Croft State Park for the longest time. Now with the improvements/features on Geko its hard to say.

What is your favorite trail or ride (not necessarily local) that not a lot of people here know about? All the riding out in Downeyville CA but for sure doing the Gold Valley Rim/Pauley Creek/Downeyville DH trails all the way from the top of the Sierra Buttes back down to Downeyville.

What is your proudest bike moment or favorite bike memory? Seeing my son J.T. (almost 4 at the time) take off on his own with his pedal bike.

What do you hope SAMBA accomplishes this year? I would really like us to grow SAMBA as a group. As well as figure out what it's going to take to get more general member engagement.

In the next five years? I would like to see SAMBA succeed in getting more of Dairy Ridge on the map and to be able to take advantage of the amazing possibilities that we see with the munitions clearing project at Croft State Park.