Jeff Smith has been an active member of the Tarheel Trailblazers since the Clubs inception in 1990 and served as president of the club from 2000 - 2002. Along with founding members Jack Crouch and Frank Pietras, Jeff was integral in the early stages of trail construction when the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department first began to recognize the need for the up and coming sport of Mountain Biking.

Over the past fifteen years, Jeff has participated in the layout, construction and maintenance of the current trail systems at Renaissance, Catawba and Francis Beatty, parks. In addition to trail construction, Jeff has been involved behind the scenes with representatives of local government, Fire and Rescue departments, Boy Scout troops, Trips for Kids Charlotte, Charlotte Whitewater Inc. and now has taken on the responsibility of negotiations with the city of Mt Holly for a new system of trails.

On a personal level, Jeff has been actively cycling since the early eighties and bought his first mountain bike in 1989 (when they used U-Brakes, thumb shifters and bio-pace chain rings). Over the years he has participated in the NC Cane Creek Cup series and is a three year veteran of the 24 Hours of Canaan (now Big Bear).

Using his knowledge as a Civil Engineer, Jeff assists the Trailblazers in the initial layout of trails to try to minimize the erosion potential of the trails and minimize the required maintenance while maintaining a fun, challenging experience. In addition, some erosion control techniques used in the construction industry have found their way to the trails, such as the Geo Web soil confinement geotextile that you may see as you ride around Catawba.

Jeff's goal as a Founding Member of the Trailblazers is to maintain a positive voice for the Mountain Bike Community, not only here in Charlotte, but around the State, to further our sport and our opportunities for years to come.