My Town, My Ride

Riding through town with Michael Roys.

By Michael Roys | Photography By Kai Caddy

Among his multiple outdoor pursuits, Michael Roys began mountain biking shortly after graduating from Arkansas Tech. He is a former teacher at the Russellville School District, where he helped start the NICA program and is a member of the River Valley Chapter of Ozark Off Road Cyclists.

My Town
Russellville is home to a small — but growing — diverse, eclectic and committed tribe of cyclists, trail advocates and visionaries. Our town is not a trail town yet, but we are working toward that reputation.

A one bike shop town — Jackalope Cycling, the River Valley Chapter of the Ozark Off-Road Cyclist organization, the Russellville Cyclones Cycling NICA team and a supportive tourism bureau and city government are helping transform Russellville into a regional cycling hub.

Russellville is home to some of the best original old-fashioned hand-cut trails: Old Post mountain bike trails and the Ouita Coal Company trail system.

Our town is also home to the Old Post Challenge mountain bike race and the Arkansas High Country Race, one of the most challenging 1,000-plus-mile races in the country.

My Ride
My riding journey is entering its 39th year. It began with a used Diamondback Sorrento mountain bike in 1985. Mountain biking was a new form of adventure for me to explore. Mountaineering and kayaking took planning, logistics, travel and hours from home. Cycling, reflecting back, was an evolution in seeking adventure closer to my town.

My limited experience, knowledge of local mountain trails and my personality at the time made it challenging to connect with other riders during that period, so the majority of my early years of riding was solo, using that time to escape, dream, reflect, reenergize or any other reasons or thoughts that came to my wandering mind when riding.

Fast-forward to my current reality. My ride is simple yet complicated with many layers. I ride with the best intentions, sometimes for fitness, to clear my head, to push myself, to reach a goal, connecting with other riders and surroundings or just to ride my bike.

My bike is a platform, like bread is to peanut butter. It is the tool that readjusts my mindset mentally, spiritually and physically. I am able to organize my work, my tasks and state of being while I ride. It is a wonderful and satisfying feeling after I finish a ride. It’s a cliche, but riding gives me a natural high.

My Trail
Old Post mountain bike trails are my go-to local trail system. Situated along the Arkansas River at Old Post Park in Russellville, this 7-plus mile system has been my favorite trail system for decades.

Hand-cut, flowy, rocky, rooty, relatively flat and fast are some of the adjectives that easily come to mind when I think of OPT.

Decades of riding the various versions of this trail system allow me to mindlessly ride my bike, concentrating on life and fitness while letting my legs and body rip through the flowy hand-cut trails.

Dedicated members of the River Valley Chapter of the Ozark Off Road Cyclist organization and other trail advocates keep this legend of a trail system in great shape for riders of all abilities to enjoy.

A mandatory visit to Jackalope Cycling to trade stories and enjoy like-minded humans and then to Point Remove Brewing Company, located in the old downtown fire station, for nutrition and drink are always on my bike to-do list. Craft beer and wine along with a select menu of salads, charcuterie and pizzas are a great way to finish a mountain bike ride.

My town is slowly becoming a cycling destination for gravel and mountain bikers. Our bike community is working diligently to make Russellville a trail town for riders of all abilities.

Welcome to my ride and my town.