Blake Rasmussen

My name is Blake Rasmussen. I am from Nibley, Utah. I am from a family of outdoorsmen and gear junkies. My dad grew up in Las Vegas hiking, rock climbing, hunting, fishing, and four-wheeling. My mom grew up in Southern California running cross-country. I thank my parents for introducing me to the outdoors and encouraging me to try new things.

When I was younger, I tried different sports but never found one that really interested me. One day, a friend told me about mountain biking in Cache Valley and invited me to come along. I ended up having a blast. I joined the mountain bike team that same year and quickly developed a passion for riding.

Around the same time, I was taking an art class and loved sketching random ideas. I submitted one of my drawings to the yearbook, and when they asked what career involving art I would want, I said a car designer. Looking back, I realize I have always enjoyed creating and figuring out how things work.

Mountain biking brought those interests together. I became interested not only in riding bikes, but also in how they are designed and built. Through outdoor product design, I want to turn my creativity and problem-solving skills into products that improve people's experiences outside. I hope to eventually design and build my own mountain bike frames and create a company around that passion. OPDD gives me the opportunity to turn ideas into real products and continue developing as a designer.