James Musil, age 35, tragically passed away on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City following a mountain bike accident at the Commons/Copper Ridge, where he was training for an upcoming event. James was a Mountain Bike Racer by trade and was a member of the mountain bike community. His goal was to race professionally with the aspiration of international competition.

James had a thirst for life and always strived to live life to the brightest and fullest. He always wanted to better himself and push himself to the highest measures possible. The biking community was his life’s passion; you could see the sparkle in his eyes whenever he would talk about it. You could always find him on some trail within the Central Michigan area when he wasn’t competing. He loved helping other racers push themselves to be better, to ride faster and harder, and although he pushed others, doing so also helped him improve his racing technique.

Some of the races James competed in include: the Rust Shaker at MidMichigan College (where he placed 3rd in the sports division), Marquette Trails Fest, 8 hours Jailhouse Trail at Ithaca, MI (team event), Miners Revenge, Crystal Mountain (where he placed 2nd overall), DTE, Copper Harbor Trails Fest, and Marquette Fall Enduro. He placed 12th in the male sport enduro (overall) in the Lake Superior Gravity Series.

Mountain biking was his passion, and the foundation's goal is to keep James’s legacy alive and promote his dreams and aspirations.

Our mission is to focus on trail advocacy/safety, including helping preserve trails, being a part of new trail developments, helping youth riders, promoting helmet safety, and sponsor a yearly race honoring James.