Catching up on all things gravel with David High, Alpine Bank's SVP

David High, Alpine Bank's SVP is a gravel cycle enthusiast and a formative member of the Steamboat Springs community. We were excited to do a Q&A with him about his love of gravel and what this town and SBT GRVL mean to him.

1. You grew up in Denver, what attracted you to Steamboat? My father did ski reporting for Denver radio and television in the late 1960s. He had connections to Steamboat and the legends we still hear about today. We made a lot of trips when I was young and have so many fond memories of skiing as a kid. As I got older I came to Steamboat for a mountain bike races and recall clearly making the decision to move here after I graduated. I finished one of the races and decided to ride to Clark where I vividly recall the section of road between Mad Creek and Red Dirt trail heads where I was overwhelmed by the beauty and decided I would do whatever it took to move here.

2. What's your favorite stretch of gravel in Steamboat? I really like Cow Creek. It makes a great loop around Emerald and I rarely see anyone on the road.

3. Alpine Bank is considered a strong supporter of the community, what makes you most proud about working there? I work with the most wonderful group of people! Our staff and culture are a joy.

4. The Alpine Bank aid station is a hit and one of the most memorable points in the race for many of our riders. As a rider, what is it that you look for in aid stations? Excitement and energy are what get us excited as riders. The elite racers need to get in and out as fast as possible, but the rest of us are looking for that energy to keep us going. The Alpine Bank aid station is almost half way and a great spot to get charged!

5. What drives the energy at the Alpine Bank Aid Station? Betsy Wood…she has more energy than anyone I know and it feeds the riders and volunteers.

6. How do you think events like SBT benefit the community and/or local businesses? I think it builds a better community. The gravel event improved the level of awareness and respect that cyclists have for ranching. There will always be challenges but the overall acceptance and respect seems to have grown.