A Few Facts about Mountain Biking in FL

Florida is considered a bastion of mountain biking in the United States. Hence, if you are a mountain riding enthusiast, there are several important facts to note about mountain riding in the state of Florida.

The state is home to several biking trails, which helps the biking community to thrive. The presence of these communities has proved beneficial to beginners and amateur riders. The International Mountain Biking Association, a body that ensures that mountain bikers have access to an enabling environment across the country, accorded two riding trails in Florida their highest rating. These trails are the Santos Trailhead and Alafia River State. Asidefrom the riding trails, there are hundreds of other trails in Florida.

Although Florida has very few mountains, with most of the state being flatlands and its highest point being 345 feet above sea level, mountain bikers are having one of the best experiences in the state. Therefore, it is essential to note that you do not need real mountains to have an enthralling mountain biking experience, as artificial mountain trails suffice .

Corollary to this, more people in Florida are shifting towards off-pavement biking. According to a trail builder in Florida, there has been an overwhelming shift to mountain biking and cycling in Florida over the past decade. This shift is because many riders increasingly consider riding in the hustle and bustle of traffic more dangerous. Hence, most of them are now more inclined towards riding in nature.

For example, the Orlando Mountain Park in Florida is increasingly becoming a hub of families of riders who consider the park one of the safest spaces to ride in the state. Established in 2015, the park provides an enabling environment for both amateur and professional riders, as it provides tracks and obstacles that are not too tedious.

Although Orlando provides one of the best mountain trailing locations in Florida, there are several dozens of other state-of-the-art mountain riding trails in the state. About an hour's drive out of Orlando, one will be beset with several other biking trails. This preponderance of trails despite the absence of mountains and the prevalence of flatlands makes Florida an unusual thriving hub of mounting biking in the United States.

Trails like the Graham Swamp, the Mala Compra, and the Spruce Creek Preserve are among the most notable riding trails on the east coast of Florida. In the western part of the state, in Lakeland and Tampa, the Loyce E. Harpe Park, the Balm Boyette Scrub Preserve, and the Alafia River Park have some of the most fantastic riding trails.

Frank Rodriguez, the founder of the Balm Boyette Scrub Preserve and Alafia River Park, noted that these two riding trails used to be phosphate mines before he transformed them. While it is popular opinion that the Alafia River Park is the best mountain trail in Florida, some think that Santos Trailhead will give it a run for its money. Similarly, in the Ocala OHV trail system, cyclists and riders from all works of life and skill levels have access to over 80 miles of singletrack.

Finally, some riding trails in Florida used to be limestone or phosphate mines, thus giving riders unique opportunities to ride on unusual terrains.

JP Morgan Offers $750 Million Bond

Many countries, including the United States, have successfully offered vaccines to its citizens and managed to get nearly half of them protected against the coronavirus. That is not the case for all countries, as there are many out there that have administered vaccines to less than 10 percent of their population. JP Morgan provided a $750 million bond to the International Finance Facility for Immunisations in order to help countries that do not have the resources to administer vaccines.

The bond was issued for five years, and it was accompanied by help and resources provided by countries such as France, Italy, and Australia. The vaccines will be distributed equally among countries that qualify. The purpose of the bond and investment is to protect as many people as possible from COVID-19.

Beginner Tips for Mountain Bikers

Jesus Fomperosa Perea has over three decades of banking and financial management, offering expertise in key positions across multiple organizations. Since 2010, he has served as a managing director of JP Morgan in Miami, overseeing Latin America's ultra-high net worth clients. Outside of his professional pursuits, Jesus Fomperosa Perea has a passion for mountain biking.

Mountain biking involves riding over different types of surfaces with roots, rocks, and trail obstacles. As a mountain biker, you can choose to have your own adventure, but this requires knowledge of safety tips and sufficient practice to get to your desired skill level. For starters, you shouldn’t be afraid to fall as it's part of learning how to ride a mountain bike. Falling is normal as it means you’re pushing yourself to learn new skills as well as trying new terrains and obstacles. Invest in a good helmet, gloves, and eye protection to remain safe.

Keeping your body flexible, especially your knees, shoulders, and arms, makes it easier for you to handle your bike easily and help you have smoother rides when going downhill and over obstacles. For instance, you should flex your elbows and shoulders by lowering your chest towards the handlebars to lower your center of gravity and make steering easier. Additionally, learn how to track stand, which helps to boost your confidence and ultimately improve your mountain biking abilities. A track stand is when you remain in an upright position when your mountain bike has stopped. It can balance on your bike without toppling over or having to put your foot down.

Tips on How to Effectively Manage

A finance and banking professional who draws upon three decades of experience, Jesus Fomperosa Perea has held senior executive positions across multiple organizations. As managing director of JP Morgan's Miami office, Jesus Fomperosa Perea specializes in client acquisition and managing Latin America's ultra-high-net-worth clients.

Ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) is a classification in the financial services industry that refers to individuals or families associated with a high net worth. To effectively deal with UHNW customers, it is important first to understand their unique and specific needs. Each niche requires a financial advisor to have a certain level of expertise. Investor niches include wealth management advice, estate and tax planning, family governance advice and, philanthropic planning.

Establishing alliances with other professionals serving UHNW clients is beneficial as these customers appreciate convenience and concierge services. Bringing together a network of experienced and reliable professionals means clients can access higher quality and more efficient integrated services.

A comprehensive approach and cooperation bring together CPAs, insurance agents, attorneys, and accountants, among other wealth management experts. Besides establishing professional relationships with other financial service experts, alliances encourage deeper relationships with UHNW clients as cross-referrals to ensure all business partners attain growth. Sharing knowledge and connecting with other professionals means pursuing collective goals as wealth management experts, ultimately benefiting UHNW customers.

Right Stem Length for Mountain Biking

Jesus Fomperosa Perea is a Miami, Florida-based asset management executive who focuses on the needs of ultra-high net worth JPMorgan clients. An outdoors enthusiast, Jesus Fomperosa enjoys mountain biking when he has the opportunity.

On any biking excursion that involves trails, maintaining proper handling of the bike is essential in ensuring a safe, enjoyable experience. One key to optimizing your bike for trails of varying terrains and degrees of difficulty centers on the stem. This is the component that connects the handlebars to the bike frame. One common switch out is the stock 90-100 mm stem for a shorter set up in the 50 to 70 mm range. This will allow for a greater range of motion and more flexibility along steep sections of the trail when you need to maneuver most.

With quicker and more responsive handling in play, the body is shifted forward to where each pedal exerts maximum power. This is important on steep climbs where you want to avoid getting off the bike and walking it to the top.

With mountain bikers focused on downhill runs, an even shorter direct mount stem in the 40-50mm range is recommended. This is directly mounted and bolted to the fork’s top crown instead of the steerer tube, making the handlebars more responsive and reliable, even when jarred at speed.

JPMorgan Committed to Paris Agreement

An experienced financial executive, Jesus Fomperosa Perea has held senior leadership roles in several global banking and finance institutions over a long career. Jesus Fomperosa has worked for JPMorgan since 2002 and currently serves as a managing director for the company.

In October 2020, JPMorgan announced it would begin aligning its financing portfolio to help achieve the Paris Agreement goals. These goals aim to limit global average temperatures from increasing over 1.5 - 2.0 Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures. Achieving these goals will help address climate change, one of the most acute problems facing the human race.

The financing portfolio alignment will focus on three sectors: electric power, oil and gas, and automotive manufacturing, since these sectors collectively generate a considerable portion of global emissions. Accurate tracking of emissions per unit of output (carbon intensity) is an integral component of this initiative. Carbon intensity, measured over time with other indicators, will reveal which producers improved their operations.

JPMorgan is developing sector-by-sector 2030 emission targets for the three sectors. Meanwhile, the majority of the bank’s clients have expressed an interest in taking part in the climate change solution. In addition to realigning its portfolio, JPMorgan remains committed to carbon-neutral operations beyond its original promise of renewable energy sourcing for its entire company.

The Most Challenging Mountain Bike

A managing director with the offices of JP Morgan in Miami, Florida, Jesus Fomperosa Perea lives in nearby Key Biscayne. When he isn’t working, Jesus Fomperosa is a passionate mountain biker.

A great place to mountain bike locally, the island of Virginia Key sits just north of the island of Key Biscayne and is accessible by the Bear Cut Bridge. The northern tip of Virginia Key features a number of public mountain bike trails that interconnect in a beautiful natural environment.

Two of the most difficult of these Virginia Key trails are Stairway to Heaven and Another One Bites the Dust. Stairway to Heaven begins with a large wooden staircase that cyclists must ride down. Riders have described the trail as an extremely fast and fun black diamond run. Accessible from Stairway to Heaven, Another One Bites the Dust is a supremely difficult double black diamond trail. Consisting almost entirely of wooden platforms, it has a number of challenging drops and turns.