Energy, freedom, inspiration, positivity, empowerment
Paul Walton
Bicycle Mechanics instructor
Paul Walton has spent a lifetime forging a trail for others to follow in
terrain that he fell in love with exploring. His enthusiasm for bicycling and for teaching is a source of
energy, freedom, inspiration and positivity in his life. He loves showing his students how to discover their own new sources of energy, positivity and confidence.
Originally from Rockford, Illinois, Paul has been “hooked” on cycling from as early as he can remember. He is a natural athlete who loves to be active. He played a few sports growing up, and was “heavily into” riding and racing BMX bikes as a kid. Then in high school, he took up skateboarding. It seemed natural to get involved with organizing skateboarding events, dealing with skate companies and promoting skateboarding. This was a good fit for him, and his involvement with skateboarding helped him to discover these abilities. Paul went on to manage a skate park in Illinois. This first experience with an industry which promoted an active lifestyle would become useful to him later, both as an education and for confidence, when his interests turned to promoting bicycling.
Focus and structure for an active life
Paul has always been mechanically inclined and enjoyed a knack for repair and tinkering. When a local bike shop manager offered to teach him to build bicycles, his interest became his work. Paul found that shop work gave him focus and structure in a life devoted to athletic pursuits.
A full time pursuit of mountain biking and road bicycling eventually led to the offer of a professional sponsorship from a major manufacturer to race mountain bikes. Shortly after this, he moved to Prescott, Arizona. This is where he first discovered how much he loved sharing his enthusiasm for bicycling with others. A friend suggested that he start leading mountain bike tours with the local YMCA. This led to teaching basic bike mechanics and working with the local police and fire departments promoting community events. He was really pleased with the way people reacted when they learned the basics of bicycle repair. Not only did they catch the bug for cycling, knowing how to keep their bikes in good order made them feel empowered.
A love for teaching, too
Paul was then offered a position teaching a non-credit bicycle mechanics course through the local community college, and he found out that he loved teaching. After living in Tucson and then Taos, Paul decided to relocate to Albuquerque to become a middle school teacher. He works at Sportz Outdoor where he is taking steps to increase the shop’s advocacy work. His Bicycle Mechanics course with Continuing Education is one outreach of the advocacy he practices for bicycling. He has been with Continuing Education for three years.
His true love for bicycling has taken him beyond racing. Today, he gets his real satisfaction from sharing his knowledge and inspiring others to get involved in bicycling too. Paul is very gratified to see that the confidence and self sufficiency he gained from being able to fix his own bike is in turn picked up by his students as they learn. Paul sees this confidence extend beyond the scope of bicycle repair for his students, as he observes them take a spirit of self-reliance to other challenges.
Get out there
Paul is not just teaching people how to work on bikes. His infectious enthusisam instills an urge to live in the moment; to be active and positive; to get out there. “I see more older people getting involved with cycling lately, and it’s great. You can basically go anywhere. It’s healthy. You’re outside. It’s fun, and it’s low impact. Anyone can get involved, and you can start at any age.” Paul became “hooked for life” upon his first contact with bicycling when he was very young. Practicing and sharing something he loves to do grew into a life’s calling, a career for Paul, and a great class with the Personal Enrichment Program.
Paul teaches:
| Bicycle Mechanics Course |
Note: Titles above link to our online registration site, which does not post courses after they are held. Course lists are updated at the beginning of the semester. Depending on when you click a title on the list above, some items may have already passed. You may always refer to the course index or to the printed course catalog for course information.
Teach a class with us
Have you spent a lifetime of learning on a favorite subject? Is there something you can do that nobody else can do? You can teach a class with UNM Continuing Education!
Turn in a course proposal. (PDF file to download, instructions on the file.)
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Contact
For information call 277-6320 or email ddel@unm.edu
