Spoke cycling group creating the path to connection in Colorado mountain communities

Summit County is known for its outdoor recreation, but mental health professionals say life in Colorado's mountains can also come with isolation, loneliness and other challenges.

This year has been especially difficult. Building Hope Summit says at least nine people from Summit County have died by suicide so far in 2026, compared with five last year. The organization says while a lot of work has been accomplished to bring those numbers down, any death in the community is concerning, every loss affects the community.

That's why one local cyclist is trying to tackle some of those challenges one bike ride at a time.

Patrick Linfante has lived in Frisco for 11 years. He started riding bikes after a serious crash in 2010, when he broke several vertebrae in his neck in a drunk driving crash. Over the years, cycling became more than a way to get around.

"Riding a bike is the coolest thing in the world," Linfante said. "I think that it gives you a sense of freedom, independence, joy."

After moving back to Summit County in 2021, Linfante found himself without a job, a relationship or much of a community. He says that experience made him realize how difficult it can be to build lasting friendships in a mountain town where people often come and go.

"You develop a really good friendship and then they leave," he said. "So why invest this time in a new friendship?"

That is where Spoke began.

Linfante initially invited a few friends to ride bikes together. The group eventually developed into regular Saturday rides, now attracting roughly 15 to 20 people each ride. The goal isn't to be the fastest rider on the trails, it's to give people an easy way to meet someone, and create a community that checks in on each other.

"It's easy to just show up on a bike ride," Linfante said. "You don't have to say, 'I'm having a hard day.'"

That approach is something Building Hope Summit says can make a real difference. The organization says Summit County has developed a much stronger network of mental health services, with 20 different programs across 13 organizations. But one of the biggest challenges is making sure people know those resources exist and feel comfortable using them. Building Hope says groups centered around hobbies, including biking, knitting or book clubs, can provide another entry point for people who may not be ready to ask for professional help.

Linfante knows firsthand how important that connection can be.

In November 2020, he says he reached the darkest point of his life and experienced suicidal thoughts. He says he still sometimes wonders why he survived his crash, when his decision to drive drunk had the potential to hurt so many other people.

"I'll never know why I was spared," he said. "I just know I was spared and what can I do with this extra chance?"

Now, he says, part of that answer is guiding folks though those dark moments he knows all too well.

"I can't walk the path for you," Linfante said. "I can't do anything other than stand right next to you and say, hey, you've got someone to walk next to you."

For Spoke, success doesn't necessarily mean growing into a massive organization. Linfante says it can be as simple as one person showing up, meeting someone new and leaving with a phone number they can call later.

"That is the success," he said.

His hope is that Spoke eventually becomes part of the fabric of Summit County, giving people a place to find a ride, meet friends and feel like they belong. For Linfante, the message is simple: sometimes taking another step forward can start with something as small as taking another pedal stroke.