Remembering a Cherished Volunteer

Iris Stagner, of Mineral Wells

Our test riders leave Van Horn, Iris is riding at the right
in the light blue jacket

An organization like ours relies on volunteers, many of them don't live in Far West Texas but LOVE what our region offers, and they work hard to help Texas Mountain Trail deliver important service to the region's visitors and residents.

One such person was Iris Stagner, a Bike Texas board member, participant in the Texas Forts Trail's Forts Tour, and incredible cyclist, cycling advocate and friend.



Vintage postcard for the Hotel El Capitan
The fully restored hotel was the starting
point for the El Capitan to El Capitan
Heritage Bike Route

1910 View of Ranchland along the route
The view remains very much the same today

She helped us out in March 2010 by traveling all the way from Mineral Wells with her husband, Butch, to be a test rider for us on our first Texas Mountain Trail Heritage Bike Route, the "El Capitan to El Capitan Heritage Bike Ride" from Van Horn to the base of Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  She then wrote about the ride for The Racing Post.  (Here's the link to the bike route information, which will be up for only a few days in this form, as we update our organization's website.)

The road from Queen, New Mexico to Dog Canyon,
Guadalupe Mountains Nationanl Park, one of Iris' favorite rides
in our region

Iris and Butch were frequent visitors to our region.  She came to ride the Scenic Loop in Fort Davis, and lately enjoyed Guadalupe Mountains National Park, especially the northernmost entry through Dog Canyon.  Butch would take her bike out of the truck, and she'd ride downhill all the way from Queen, NM to the Dog Canyon ranger station.

Tragically, this tireless advocate for cycling safety was killed riding her bike home from work on Monday night.  We will remember her as a dear friend (so upbeat, positive, willing to give, and willing to laugh!), a wife, mother, grandmother, a true fan of Far West Texas and our Texas Mountain Trail, and a great all-around person.  Her family has asked that memorials be sent to a special fund for cycling education and safety, the Iris Stagner Memorial Fund at Bike Texas.  You can read more about Iris on their website, here.