Director Jud's Blog

Hey there, fellow adventurers! Jud Millar here, the pumped-up director of Stone Mountain Adventures Teen Camp (SMA), and boy, do I have a tale to tell you about our whirlwind weekend at the Philly Bike Expo! Buckle up, because this recap is about to take you on a wild ride full of excitement, gratitude, and plenty of laughs.

First things first, let me give a huge shoutout to my rad mountain biking buddy and fellow SMA instructor, Zak Kane. Zak, you're an absolute legend! Your hard work and dedication to promoting SMA at the expo were beyond incredible. Thank you for representing SMA with such professionalism and easy-going vibes. You rock, man!

Now, let me tell you about some unexpected surprises we encountered at the expo. Picture this: I'm chatting away with folks at our booth when suddenly, I bump into the dad of our former camper and camp counselor, Brenna Powell! Talk about a blast from the past. And as if that wasn't cool enough, I also had the pleasure of meeting the dad of our current camper, Melissa Miller. It's moments like these that remind me just how small the world is, especially in the biking community.

But wait, there's more! Longtime SMA staff member, Paul Dunkelbarger AKA "Dunk", made a grand appearance at the expo too. Reconnecting with Paul in the "big city" of Philadelphia was an absolute blast. Who knew the expo could feel like a mini SMA reunion?

Now, let's talk about the weather. Sunshine? Check. Warm weather? Double check. But you know what? The vibe inside the expo hall was even warmer. Every human at every booth was welcoming, kind, and downright helpful. It's safe to say that the Philly Bike Expo brought the biking community together in the best possible way.

And oh boy, did we meet some fantastic families! Zak and I had the incredible opportunity to chat with potential families who are just as stoked about mountain biking as we are. We even shared some insider info about our mountain biking masters program. Fingers crossed that a few of these awesome families decide to join us for a summer of adventure at SMA!

However, that's not all... we also met some potential mountain biking instructors who could be perfect additions to our all-star staff team.

Huge shoutout to the following folks:

• Daniel Corrigan with Sawmill Cycles,
• Eugene Sherril with Detroit Cargo,
• John Raisch with Yo Just Ride, and Independent Youth Cycling
• Loren Barisch and Megan Barto with On Time Productions
• Jon Spahr with Shirk Bike Shop
• The energetic folks at Girls in Gear who promote Life Skills Through Bike Skills 
• The wonderful folks at Agile Rascal Theatre who's mission it is to make adventurous theater with bikes ,
• Ariana Brutico, Events and Logistics Director with Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL)
• Sean Murry with Juvlabs Cognitive Switch
• The amazing and energetic David Steffey, MD with Smart Athletic Fuel

And last but certainly not least, a massive THANK YOU to Bina Bilenky and her incredible team for putting together an Expo that exceeded all our expectations. Bina, you and your crew are absolute rock stars!

Philly Bike Expo 2024, you were one for the books! Until next time, keep pedaling, keep exploring, and keep spreading those good vibes.

Catch you on the trails!

Jud Millar, Director of Stone Mountain Adventures Teen Camp (SMA)