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Show B-3 The Park Record Wed/Thurs/Fri, June 1-3, 2011 Globetrotting Parkite does his part to give back Darren Alff provides help to young cyclists CHRISTOPHER KAMRANI Of the Record staff Darren Alff is a professional cyclist who doesn't race against anyone but himself. A Park City resident for the last five years, Alff has been a bicycle touring pro since he graduated from high school. Bike touring involves a cyclist, or a group of cyclists, traveling for an extended period of time across cities, states, countries or even continents. Alff's first bike tour came at the ripe age of 17 when he biked along the Pacific Coast. "1 kind of got addicted to it," he said. "I got addicted to touring and traveling." Since then, the Southern California native has biked across 29 of the 50 states, and across dozens of countries all over the world. In 2006, Alff left what some may consider an ideal job as a sound mixer in Hollywood to come lo Park City. As Alff puts it, one weekend he set off in his car from Hollywood and headed for Utah. He said he had heard about Park City and all it has to offer those who are obsessed with the outdoors. "I didn't even make it onto Main Street," he said. "I just fell in love with it instantly. I walked into a realtor and asked, 'Can you show me some stuff?' Purchased a condo, and a month later I was here." After that first bike tour PHOTO COURTESY DARREN ALFF Park City resident Darren Alff has made a name for himself by biking long distances all over the world. Through his website, Alff gives out bike-touring scholarships to riders who are looking to embark on their first bike tours. at 17, Alff had told people he wanted to become a professional bicycle tourist. He heard the quips about how it couldn't really be considered a sport considering your only opponent is yourself and it is more adventure than competition. But Alff found a way to make himself a pro and help others, by doing so through his website and worldwide tours. A little over three years ago, Alff started a website called www.bicycletouringpro.com. It was originally a blog-type website which included a step-by-step process on teaching folks who were interested in touring how to become acclimatized. "At the beginning, I thought maybe three people would read this thing," he said. "Now, I have over 40,000 monthly readers from all over the world." And just a little over a year ago, Alff found a way to give back. He started a travel scholarship through his website for people (ages 16 to 29) who want to do their inaugural tour anywhere in the world. "I started mainly because I did my first bike tour at age of 17 and was on the road a whole month," he said. "It cost about $300, including everything." "I realized for a lot of these young people, just a small donation, that's what the scholarship's all about," he added. "It's about giving them an extra little push that they need." Most of those simply stumble across the scholarship from the website, Alff said. This year, the scholarship went to three girls who are traveling across the nation and will talk to groups of Girl Scouts along the way and emphasize the importance of exercise and eating healthy foods. While Alff's version of the sport isn't the most famous on two wheels and pedals, he said it is gaining steam and during every excursion he goes on, from one end of the world to the other, he receives nothing but praise and intrigue. "For me, personally, there's always something that I want to learn about in that particular area," he said. He recently returned from a trip to Peru, where he backpacked and biked across the mountains. But, this time, with a wrinkle. "I experimented in renting bikes," he said "It was quite an experience." In 2009, he biked across 16 or 17 countries in Europe and said he eventually stopped in Germany because he wanted to learn German. He spent four months there with nothing PHOTO COURTESY DARREN ALFF Darren Alff, shown here in Bingen, Germany in 2007, has biked across 29 of the 50 states and through dozens of countries across the globe, but the clothes in his pack and his bike. "There's always something like that that drives me," he said. *;* CALENDAR; The Park Record Spring Sports d Edition Bike Racing Incermountain Cup Mountain Bike Series Deer Valley Pedalfest June 1 1 9:00 a.m. XC at Sherwood June 18 9:00 a.m. Mountain Bout July 2 9:00 a.m. £jhe bomplete Park Record in the same S^.+r_iovfprmat as the print edition Available on your cell phone, 5|^ablet and desktop computer ^Live links to advertisers' websites Email stories to friends and clients Listen to stories in audible format Running PCHS Memorial 5K June 6 8:00 a.m. Park City Sailing Club Tuesday 6:00 p.m. Read the articles in Spanish Monday Coed Blue Monday 6 - 1 0 p.m. Monday Coed Red Monday 6 - 1 0 p.m. Tuesday Men Tuesday 6 - 1 0 p.m. Wednesday Coed Wednesday 6 - 1 0 p.m. Thursday Men Thursday 6 - 1 0 p.m. Friday Coed Friday 6 - 9 p.m. Soccer CD Spring League Thursday 7 - 1 0 p.m. . (Visit Www.pcice.org for complete schedules) Basin Recreation Fieldhouse (655-0999) Open Field Play Sunday 7 - 1 1:30 a.m. Over 30 Drop-in Soccer Monday 9 - 1 Ip.m. 18 & over Drop-in Soccer Wednesday 9 - 1 1 p.m. Weather Hotline (cancellations) 615-5432 Recreation Sports Park City Ice Arena Park City Recreation Services (615-5700) (615-5401) eEdition subscription only Adult Softball Leagues Adult Coed Soccer Thursday 6 - 9 p.m. Sailing To learn more about Darren Alff and Bicycle Touring Pro and its scholarship funds, go to www.bicycletouringpro. com Ice Hockey BC Spring League Sunday 7 - 1 0 p.m. South Summit Aquatics & Fitness Center (783-2423) Rock Wall Monday,Tuesday 5 - 8 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. RfcfcPS PRDTEC Reef's Spring-Summer offering includes these prix fixe menus as well as house wine glass at $5.00/$5.50 & house beer at $3.75 PRIX FIXE MENU No. 1 - $19.50 Let me help you get the coverage you need. People who switched to Allstate saved money and got more protection. Dollar for dollar, nobody protects you like Allstate. So don't wait! Call me today. Mark Blocker * 801-ALLSTATE Michelle Huggins 4137 Highway 224 Park City markblocker@allstate.com 435.659.4407 Confidence to close! drnichellehuggins@hotrnail.corn Call or stop by for a free quote. Chef's selection of appetizers/salads Choice of chicken schnitzel or Moroccan salmon or The Reef burger Halva cookie PRIX FIXE MENU No. 2 - $21.50 Chef's selection of appetizers/salads Choice of torteliini al pesto or vegetarian moussaka or lamb shish kebab or moules au lait de coco Halva cookie PRIX FIXE MENU No. 3 - $25.50 Allstate Chef's selection of appetizers/salads Choice of lamb chops or halibut or CAB petite filet Halva cookie You're in good hands. Coverage and siring: based on policy futures selected and ace subject lo terms, conditions and availability. 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