Christa, Christa, Christa…BBP’s free spirit. Disclaimer: I feel that sometimes the term free spirit comes with negative connotations; and I have to assure you that this is absolutely the furthest thing from what I mean when it comes to Christa. She’s our adventure loving, bicycle lifestyle committed, do-it-yourself, dream big team member. Read her story. I mean….what a hardcore boss she is.

Your name:  Christa Marie Friend Howarth

Your pronouns: She/her

Role at BBP:  Youth Programs Coordinator

Your bike make & model:  90's Specialized Cross Roads

When did you build your bike?:  I Found the frame in November (my one year at BBP), built the bike in February, and wrapped it up (wrapped the bars) in mid-March.

Your bike name:  She'll show her name with time, I'm sure.

What’s the story of your bike?:  Aside from riding my bike and hauling things by bicycle, my other passion in life is farming and growing plants!  This past winter I lined up a part time summer farm job up in the Dry Creek Valley (15 miles and a few climbs away).  I knew I would find no joy in regularly commuting by car, so I built the crossroads to be my 'light' bike for the ride to the farm.  Sometimes I ride Hill Rd. to Seaman Gulch, sometimes the Greenbelt to the Pierce Park climb, and occasionally, if I drink enough coffee, I ride Cartwright all the way there!  My plan for the early (5:30) midsummer mornings is to camp in the Cartwright foothills Sunday night and roll leisurely to the farm Monday morning.  My favorite 'commute' home was the day I rode the Avimore trails north from the farm almost to Horseshoe Bend, then zipped back to Boise on 55.  

What’s your favorite feature on your bike?:  You might know that I LOVE the aesthetic and feel of steel Specialized frames--my other two bikes are a Specialized Rock Combo and Stump Jumper--and that's exactly why I chose the Cross Roads and built yet another steel framed Specialized. The key differences are the 700c wheels the Cross Roads takes, which make the commute to the farm that much more fun.  Shout out to N who built the wheelset!  

What’s your favorite ice cream?:  Mint choco chip, what else?!

What are you currently doing during our shop closure?: Missing all you volunteers!!  I've been giving away bikes to kids and teens in need, thanks to the large back stock volunteers helped double check in January and February!  In May, I started up safe Mobile Repairs, where the kids drop off their bikes, and stand behind the cones as we fix their bikes.  My job right now involves a lot of getting out and about in the apartments to drop-off and fix bikes, so any volunteers that I work with and I are being super careful about our distance.