Jam Fund in the time of Coronavirus
Above: Mark Hewitt races Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross in Falmouth, Massachusetts on Nov. 3, 2019. Photo by Katie Busick.
During the year of the coronavirus pandemic, Mark Hewitt expanded his dirt-loving toolbox, transitioning from trail user to trail contributor. He finds joy and reward in helping maintain what he loves, and helping other people have better access and experience riding near his home. This is exactly what we hope to see out of our JAM family members.
“2020 has been very upside down,” Hewitt said. “Usually by September, I would be traveling out to Easthampton to the sandpits and local course that really define a lot of the skills many of the JAM riders have. I would train during the week in Boston, just riding the same trails I have learned to train on. Every trail had a purpose for training. As trees fell or trails became overgrown, I would just ride other loops until someone cleared the trails. I never really had the time, with work and training, to help in the effort."
Now Hewitt is working with saws, shovels and axes to improve the trails he has used all of these years.
“Exploring the trails and keeping them accessible has been an amazing experience,” he said. “Through Strava and Slack groups I’ve been able to share these loops with so many local riders. I’ve also interacted with other trail users I would normally just pass by with a wave or a quick ‘hello’ and now I have a chance to educate them on what bikes I ride, what JAM Fund is and what cyclocross is about. I feel like Kevin Costner in ‘Field of Dreams.’ If you build, maintain and ride an awesome loop, more people will find it and enjoy it. It is something I hope I can continue to do next year when racing hopefully returns.”
Sandpit Saturdays
Keeping with the social distance protocols, Mark Hewitt trains with other members of the team each weekend in the secret sandpit, like this sunny September afternoon near Northampton, Massachusetts.
Photo by Jeff Fowler.
Hewitt competed in only one race this year and is looking forward to racing more in the future.
“After not racing for a year, I am more excited than ever to race at a high level again,” he said. “I can’t wait to get back out for large group rides with the rest of the team. Jeremy, Alec and Mukunda have really developed an amazing atmosphere to bring athletes together and work to push each other.”
Chief Relaxation Officer
Mark Hewitt shows his teammates Chris Norvold and Jane Rossi the secret of long team drive recovery.
Archival photo by Alec Donahue.
“The diversity of personalities and skills is something that doesn’t just happen. Everyone on JAM Fund or around the JAM-Fam works really hard to learn to get to that next step while sharing what they have learned to help others build upon their past experiences.”
Off the bike, Hewitt is a talented engineer who works on medical air systems.
“I’ve been leading the design of 26 custom air handling units for an upcoming upgrade to Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston as well as two rooftop units for Mass General Hospital,” he said.
Way to go Mark!