As a high schooler in the public-housing projects of Richmond, Virginia’s East End, Monte Cosby felt his future was limited—until mountain bikes offered him a different route forward. In the years since, the bike has served as the bridge between two different worlds and a vehicle to overcome the struggles along the way.Â
Watch the trailer below.
Wednesday, May 10 at Patagonia Seattle
6:30pm Doors Open
7:00pm Workshop with Jalen Bazile
7:45pm Film Screening
8:00pm Q&A with Monte Cosby
All mountain bike experiences, especially beginners, are welcome!
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Monte: Can’t stop. Won’t stop. is going on tour this spring, starting at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. At each stop, we’ll be sharing Monte’s story, bringing communities together and offering skills clinics for riders of all levels.   Â
Jalen Bazile, our film tour host and professional outdoorsman, will kick off each event with a mountain bike expedition workshop, during which he will share skills for all-day or multiday trips—from bikepacking and backcountry pro tips, to building your repair kit and route planning. After the screening, he’ll be hosting a Q&A with Monte to answer any burning questions you may have.
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Join your local trail organization at the event to learn more about what’s going on in your area—and for a mountain bike gear raffle, to fully spread the stoke.
Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the nation's largest statewide mountain bike association, representing thousands of riders through eight regional chapters.
Evergreen is committed to sustainable recreation, trail maintenance, advocacy, education, volunteerism and trail building. We are an important partner with public land managers, contributing over 29,000 hours of trail work per year.
Like many across the United States today, Demonte Cosby’s life growing up in the inner city of Richmond, Virginia, could be described with phrases such as gun violence. Single-parent home. Poverty. Drugs. Sirens. Trauma. Â
But one day, someone got Monte on a bike. He learned how to navigate obstacles. How to start well and finish sprinting. How to pass on a narrow trail, and when to let others pass. Biking became more than two wheels, and one mantra a way of life: Can’t stop. Won’t stop.  Â
He’s excited to tell you a part of his story, one that also includes phrases like college senior. Mentor. Older brother and role model. Proud son. Â
Dave Mayers is a Peabody and three-time Emmy-winning documentary director, cinematographer and sometimes journalism professor. He was most recently a member of the 2022 class of Nieman Fellows at Harvard University, where he looked into how to open up documentary filmmaking to underrepresented communities. Â
Dave is drawn to stories that try to evoke empathy and understanding for people and from places that are often misunderstood and overlooked. He has worked for VICE News on HBO, Showtime and Hulu, and the Johannesburg desk of the New York Times and Time Inc., and he has taught at the University of the Witwatersrand and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. His career has allowed him to report throughout the United States and from dozens of countries around the world. Â
Jalen Bazile is a facilitator, organizer and outdoorsman who is dedicated to creating spaces that welcome and affirm Black, Indigenous and People of Color. His background is in outdoor education and positive youth development, and he supports and mentors young people for a number of youth organizations. Â
Jalen organizes nature-based community events in Colorado and specializes in activities such as climbing, cycling and overnight trips. In addition, Jalen is the founder of Travl Wide, a bikepacking outfitter that helps people develop their relationships with themselves, their communities and the land around them. He has a love for all things nature-based and is passionate about connecting people with the natural world.Â