Keith Overton here, many know me as “KO”.   I work as Program / Engineering Manager, and am an Ohio native currently residing in Galena.  As an Ohio University Graduate, I am fortunate to sit on their Engineering & Technology Advisory Board.   My passion is for outdoor individual type sports, so I also am the Volunteer Chair Lead for another local non-profit (Adaptive Sports Connection) that provides sports opportunities, equipment & training, for athletes with disabilities.   As for my “Creds” I am a PSIA Ski instructor, ACA Kayak Instructor, with certifications in adaptive for both and am also a DSU Adaptive Mountain Bike Instructor.  My most relevant & recent accomplishment is a PMBIA Level 1 instructor.  As part of the Local Alum Creek Trail crew you can usually find me there (P1 mostly), so if you see me don’t hesitate to stop and say hi!  Hope to see you on the trails!

‍

Have been riding mountain bikes since 1998. An early member of COMBO have enjoyed watching the sport grow in Central Ohio.  Raced 24hr events at Mohican, WV and Moab since 2001. Still racing occasionally, Enduro's are my new favorite and riding every chance I get. Favorite out of state rides destination include Pisgah and Snowshoe. Great Seal and Mohican are local my go to places. Joined the COMBO board in 2019. Helped launch NICA in Ohio in 2021. The Ohio Mountain Bike League OMBL which COMBO sponsored. This youth racing league where one of my sons races. Also in 2021 enjoyed uniting all the bike clubs in OHIO under OMBA. The Ohio Mtn Bike Alliance focusing on Trail Advocacy, sharing best practices, and networking with other trail users. I am COMBO's Mtb liason for OTP Ohio Trail Partners. This group focuses on supporting more trails working with ODNR and other land managers to gain more land access and funding for trails. OTP works with the Ohio Legislative Trail Caucus.  See you on the trails!

I have been riding two wheels, (motorized and pedal), since I was 6. In my younger days, I raced off road motorcycles nationally as a amateur.  In 2005 after a short time of on roading I bought a Gary Fisher Cake and started riding P1.  I got hooked again and have been mountain biking ever since.  I joined COMBO and the National Mountain Bike Patrol in February of 2006.

I think that being involved in mountain biking means not only riding, but giving back to the community.  After doing countless trail days I eventually decided to join the COMBO Board of Directors and I am currently the Co-Treasurer. And yes I ride a Specialized Turbo Levo which is a game changer for me.

Robert grew up around bicycles hanging out at the shop(s) where his dad was a mechanic. Working as an accountant he has embraced the life of the weekend warrior. Robert is an active volunteer with the Adaptive Sports Connection helping with skiing, cycling, and kayaking, and is an ACA Kayak Instructor. He is a self proclaimed “gearhead” having built all his bicycles from the frame up, and helping his friends with their builds and upgrades. Robert believes that outdoors should be enjoyed by all and is happy to help encourage/enable people to get outside!

Ryan joins us as our first ever Executive Director and we couldn’t be more excited. He brings a wealth of planning & operational experience as well as a passion for life on 2 wheels. His most recent role was serving as the COO of roll: Bicycle Co and is thrilled to apply that experience to our mission here at COMBO. His bike life started out with a triathlon, a number of years as a road rider and then getting his first mtb as a fathers day gift which he refers to as his “gateway drug”. Once he got his tires in the dirt, he never looked back! He has ridden his mtb from Bolivia to Morocco, all over the US and is proud to call Columbus home. He’d struggle to pick a favorite trail here locally. High up on the list would be Great Seal, Horns Hill or a trail he helped organize & dig, Worthington Woods. He’s also a coach & photographer for the Gators MTB Race team where his two daughters race. Ryan relies on the restorative power of a ride in the woods and is actively looking for ways to expand that access & enjoyment for all riders here in central Ohio.

‍

Tim Carley is COMBO’s keystone Trail Director. Without him, none of this would work. He spends countless hours (that he doesn’t always log) planning trail days, staging material, coordinating events, setting up racecourses, and digging trenches. And that’s not even a fraction of what he does. His commitment to the Central Ohio mountain biking community is unmatched and with his direction COMBO trails have become bigger, more sustainable, and more badass. He’s done it all, mountain bike endurance racing, triathlons, even marathons on two feet. His passion for the trails, those who use them and those who build them extends beyond any one group. He’s constantly trying to figure out how to build better trails for all users to enjoy. He enjoys long walks on the beach and hanging out with his two kitties at home when there's no riding to be had.

Brittany is a long time shredder, cross lover and climbing legend! Riding for Trailer Park Racing and Lady Gnar Shredders Race Teams, she’s got game and skills. Brittany is passionate about passing along her knowledge to new riders and encouraging women into the sport.

Bob “Big Drop Bob” Bevard has been riding MTB since the dawn of time and is a key player at Horns Hill. Bob has a lust for life unlike anyone else and lets nothing hold him back. When Bob isn’t riding or working on the trail with his sidekick Rowan, you will find him zipping around on his one wheel, barefoot waterskiing, or teaching lessons on his electric surfboard. Want to ride Forry Preserve? Bob is your man. He’s always happy to show people around on his local trail.

‍

My name is Harvey McCleskey. I am a securities attorney by day, (Wolf of Wall Street movie stuff). I have been riding as an adult since 1984 when I had a Nashbar bike sent to New York City so that I would have transportation in the city while I was working there for The Limited, Inc. I was a bike mechanic for Strader’s Bike Shop on Riverside Drive in Columbus and also BikeSource in Reynoldsburg after completing training at East Coast Bicycling Academy in Harrisonburg, Virginia. I also raced MTB quite a bit in the 90’s and early 2000’s before law school, including the 24 hours of Canaan with a Clydesdale team that podiumed 3 years in a row.

Mark has loved anything on two wheels as long as he can remember. Professional Dad, financial planning leader and fish taco connoisseur. Mark moonlights as a semi-pro mechanic and trail builder and is a certified Level 1 NICA Coach. Mark is an OG downhill rider who started riding at Horns Hill in 1991 at age 11. He has raced XC in the OMBC Series since 2015 and joined the Lost in the Woods Race Team knocking out three Mohican 100's and even earned a buckle at the Leadville 100 in Colorado. Growing up in Licking County, Mark was always "coming home" to train and ride at Horns Hill and Forry Preserve (Star Hill) so he and his wife Katie, their two boys Ethan (12) and Wesley (10) moved to Heath, OH in 2020 where they reside next door to local legend, Bob Bevard. Mark's favorite place to ride is in Moab, UT, Snowshoe Mountain and of course - Central Ohio. You can catch Mark and his crew at Horns Hill and Star Hill where their mission is to maintain optimal stoke by developing and innovating trails across Licking County.

Melany Lowe, aka the Flying Kiwi, leads the pack when it comes to getting more women out on bikes. Her passion for racing and dedication to her squad are unrivaled. Getting her start with the crew of our friends in Miami Valley Mountain Biking Organization, she found her way to us and has been an indispensable part of COMBO ever since. She is not only a COMBO Board Member and amazingly patient group ride leader, she races and represents for one of Central Ohio’s only all-women cycling team, the Lady Gnar Shredders. Encouraging women from all over the state to get in on the FUNduro series, Mel has shown the kindness and patience it takes to truly grow the mountain bike community from the ground up. She’s constantly out shredding at Horns Hill as she sets her eyes on conquering bigger and wilder races. She’s super friendly, but super fast, so you’ll have to kick it into high gear to catch her.

I'm a family man with two boys in grade school and a partner who expects my rides to take longer than I say. In '95, at the age of 16, I rode in my first MTB race on a rigid Mongoose. I told my parents I was going to a friend's house, so parental consent may have been lacking. Many races, stories, and scars later, I ride a full suspension bike and am so grateful for time in the woods. I've been fortunate to live in some epic places for mountain biking, but happy to call the Buckeye state home once again. I'm a jack of several outdoor pursuits, dabling in kayaking, climbing, trail running, and backpacking. I decided to join the board to give back to a sport that has given me so much and because I know these trails don't just appear, it takes dedicated people behind the scenes willing them into existence. As the newest member of the board, I hope to add momentum to the good work happening, advocating for trails, telling our story, and sharing the invaluable impact mountain biking has on the community. If I can be a resource or if you have suggestions, feel free to contact me.

Roger Morgan is your resident from Horns Hill. He’s a self-proclaimed puppy, spicy food, and bike lover. You won’t ever see him riding because he’s so fast. Only when he’s working on the trails is he slow enough to actually catch a glimpse of. He and his bestie, Bob Bevard, have poured countless hours, blood sweat and tears into the construction of Horns Hill, and we couldn’t have asked for better partners out in Newark.

Tommy became a resident of Columbus Ohio back in 2010 to study engineering at Ohio State where he became great at math but can hardly spell anything. One day, Tommy got himself a mountain bike and had a go on one of central Ohio’s trails. It was love at first ride. Now he can’t stop talking about it and expects every one of his friends to take up the sport.