Val Vanderpool has joined Bicycle Retailer and Industry News as a staff reporter.
Vanderpool recently relocated to Orange County after spending the past year and a half piloting a demo van and teaching women’s clinics at bike shops in the Western region for Giant Bicycles. She comes to the magazine with a varied background including stints as a bike shop manager, bicycle tour guide and race and event director. She also worked as a freelance writer in the outdoor and travel industries. But after being on the road for more than a year, Vanderpool is looking forward to putting roots down in Silverado, California, as she takes on a full-time editorial role with the magazine.
A native of Idaho, Vanderpool is a traveler at heart and has lived in Missoula, Montana, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish; in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, where she became a skydiver; and the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon, where she lived for more than 10 years. It was in Hood River, Oregon, where she was first bitten by the mountain biking bug, inspiring her to pursue a career in the industry.
“I am thrilled to be joining the staff at BRAIN,” Vanderpool said. “I can't think of a better way to combine my two passions, cycling and writing.”
“Traveling all over the West to work with bike shop owners and employees has allowed me to see firsthand some of the challenges of doing business and to be a part of helping retailers find solutions to better serve their customers, an experience that will serve me well as I report on trends and developments in the industry,” Vanderpool said.
Vanderpool also is an avid cyclist. She’s currently training for the BC Bike Race, a seven-day mountain bike stage race from Victoria to Whistler, British Columbia.
