Welcome Daniel McElrath — New Trail Steward at Katie Jackson
The DORBA Board voted Daniel McElrath in as the new Trail Steward for Katie Jackson. He steps into the role after years of hands-on work at KJ and beyond — a member who found the club by accident and hasn't stopped showing up since.
Daniel grew up in Owasso, Oklahoma, one of seven siblings, in a childhood he describes as "tough — cellphones would not become common for another 20 years." To escape the flatness of the plains, he joined the Coast Guard and spent the early 2000s stationed around New England. In 2007, he and his wife moved to Dallas for the heat.
The COVID summer that started it all
Daniel's DORBA origin story begins in May 2020, when gyms were still closed and his sourdough hobby was doing to his waistline what one expects. "I bought a new pair of running shoes, laced those babies up, ran a mile from my house, remembered I hate running, and said 'Screw this!'" He walked home and bought the last bike available on Facebook Marketplace.
Googling for a paved trail near his home brought him to Katie Jackson — and to DORBA. He went for his first ride, went home, and paid his membership the same day. "I was hooked." That summer he rode KJ, Arbor Hills, and Erwin as much as possible, riding that bike to pieces.
From rider to steward
The trail work started later that year. Daniel began pitching in at KJ workdays in 2020, then took on bigger projects — making and installing reflective trail markers for night rides, clearing stumps from the trail tread. He's put in hours at Arbor Hills, Erwin, and Knob Hills too.
Asked how he recruits help, Daniel is unpretentious about it: "Be friendly and ready to talk to them when they ask how they can help. When people see you doing work, they'll often ask who they can find out about helping."
A quick trail guide from the new steward
Favorite section at KJ: the Creek Drop, where riders come out of the woods and drop down the rock outcrops along White Rock Creek.
Favorite section anywhere in DORBAland: the Gauntlet at Knob Hills.
Least favorite: that spot on Goat Killer (Knob Hills) where you have to decide whether to carry the bike over the split rock or push it up in front of you.
On the mountain bike community, Daniel is generous: "Mountain bikers are the coolest people around. If you look like you're having trouble, someone always asks if you need help — whether it's a gel, a CO2 cartridge, or even a ride back to MADD when you break your frame."
Daniel will be working alongside the Katie Jackson crew going forward. If you see him on the trail, give him a wave — or better yet, grab a tool and go ride.