Meet Jeff Steckler Caroline Morris | Leisure Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeff Steckler Caroline Morris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeff Steckler, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Good vibes & having fun!
We pride ourselves on sharing a fun experience with a positive and relaxed atmosphere. We, Caroline and Jeff, are lucky to offer our hobbies to others and provide the opportunity to paddle, mountain bike, fish and hike in one of the most unique places in Colorado. Together we create a fun, stress free environment for anyone playing in the mountains & waters of Twin Lakes.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
For Jeff, SUP & Cycle is the culmination of having almost 40 jobs in various fields, learning what means most in life and putting a sustainable business model ahead of financial gains. When he was in his teens, there were two things he knew for certain: he wanted to work for himself and he wanted to be outside as much as possible.

When we knew that we wanted to run our own rental shop, Jeff had worked in enough gear shops to know that retail wasn’t what he wanted, and unlike retail, the rental model uses less materials. We do have a retail selection, but it is the right size for our shop and consists of our branded merchandise and the necessities for playing on the water and trails. Every single piece of gear that we offer is something that we personally use. We are honestly just sharing the exact same experience that we get to enjoy everyday.

Jeff never cared for bike shops that would talk over your head, or talk down to you. That pretentious vibe is intimidating for most people and it ruins what could be a life changing experience. Mountain biking and cycling in general should be fun and your local gear and bike shop should be supportive of your experience level.

We can’t say this enough, we really want people to have fun, we want them to get their money’s worth and come back with a smile. We love hearing their stories too. We have a shocking amount of return clients, our client reviews are the sweetest things ever. It is as much of a pleasure for us to do this as it is for them to experience Twin Lakes with us.

Jeff appreciates getting to work with his wife, playing outside everyday and not having to listen to some jackass boss! It is the best gig in the world to him and Caroline agrees!

Caroline also has varied job experience, from brewing science to vitamin and natural food retailer. One thing that both Caroline and Jeff have always had in common is their love for the outdoors, recreation, animals and spreading positivity to other humans and animals.

Throughout our time as small business owners we have grown and learned a lot along the way. Most importantly: It’s a gradual process. It’s always evolving. It’s not easy.

People often tell us they want to have their own shop like we have, that they love paddle boarding or kayaking and it would be so fun. Of course that’s a good mentality, but the days are long. The weather is unforgiving. Customer service is a heck of a skill to master. At the end of the day, you need a clear head to wrap up sales and marketing. You truly have to enjoy all aspects of business, the public, your craft and the variables of mother nature. Our big season is non-stop from May through September. We are working every day, operating three locations, two in Twin Lakes and one at Turquoise Lake in Leadville. We also are maintaining our Stay Twin Lakes Cabins. All of this with two people, just us two. So when people say, “you all look so happy” or “I wish I had your job”, we make it look easy because we really love doing it. We grind very hard, work long hours, and have a ton of fun in the process. When you get to the point where you make it look easy, that’s a good sign of being a professional. Those are the types of things we take pride in. It’s the important details we dial in, so that we can support each other in our day-to-day work life.

For the first several weeks of business when SUP & Cycle first opened, Caroline was driving back and forth from Fort Collins to Twin Lakes every weekend. We opened during COVID. Jeff was alone and just getting slammed with business. He needed her here to help run the shop and also we just missed each other. Once she quit her job, we were off and running. As the business grows, we always expect to face new challenges and want to tackle them with our same commitment and laid back mentality.

We believe there are a few things that set us apart.
1. In the area, no one offers what we offer. There are shops in Leadville and in Buena Vista, but here in Twin Lakes, we are the only year-round gear rental shop. Our selection is different. Our vendors are different. Our paddle boards for instance, we are Badfish and SOL dealers. Both are amazing local Colorado companies. Business becomes really fun when you are working with great people in a small community.
2. Another thing that sets us apart is our Good Vibes Only policy. We try to go somewhere tropical before the season starts to recharge the batteries and get into a summer mentality. We surf, snorkel, paddle, we sit in hammocks and listen to island music with cocktails. We bring this energy back to the mountains and it doesn’t go away. It is where our heart is… in the islands and in the mountains. It is important to us that all of our clients feel these good vibes and can be as relaxed as possible when they rent from us. They should feel like they had a nice day off.
3. We have both been animal lovers since we were kids. We are incredibly dog friendly and this is very important to the way we do business. Our cabins, Stay Twin Lakes, are dog friendly too. Jeff has always had multiple rescue dogs since an early age. Before he moved to Twin, he was a K9 Coach Volunteer at Animal House in Fort Collins. Animal rescue is something that is important to us and we support rental clients who have dogs.

Coming to Twin Lakes was an 8 year process and we are now 7 years in. It’s been a 15 year journey. We had camped in Twin Lakes on one of our first road trips together. A few years later we biked the Colorado Trail and the following year hiked it, each time staying in Twin for a few extra days. We made larger leaps in our relationship with Twin Lakes. We were meeting new people, and finding more reasons to come back. Every time we were in the area, we would stay longer than planned. We wanted to be here but on our own terms.

Before SUP and Cycle, we used to work separate jobs. Our schedule never seemed to align, especially when we wanted to travel or adventure. Jeff was already working in the outdoor industry, but was spending way too much time inside a shop. Caroline was also in retail, but was ready for a change and loved the idea of doing something together with Jeff that was active and brought her outside. At this time, Jeff had vendor connections, a massive inventory of gear, and almost 20 years of business management and ownership experience. Instead of waiting on something to happen for us, we opened SUP and Cycle, offering what we enjoy most: paddle boarding, kayaking, mountain biking, fishing, etc.. We rent snowshoes in the winter, we make our own jewelry.. I mean, anything we want to do. Bam. Do it! Artistically, Caroline designs everything, while Jeff is maintaining or wrenching on equipment. We both work with all the “under the hood” things too. Winters are filled with revamping reservation software, website updates, designing new merchandise & just thinking about how to keep our brand fresh.

The logo is actually a joke. Whenever you travel somewhere tropical, you see the “sunset looking palm tree” image everywhere. We wanted it to look beachy, so the background is a sunset, the paddle board is in the forefront, there is a bike wheel around the image, there are mountains above the lettering, and of course, there is a palm tree. So, in order to not be totally false advertising, Caroline made a pine tree kind of peeping out from behind the board. It’s silly, but we are always getting complimented and we think it is a reflection on not taking ourselves too seriously. It’s the little, fun things that seem to last the longest.

We have been together for 15 years. We are business partners at SUP and Cycle and the Stay Twin Lakes Cabins. We love spending all day, everyday together. It is amazing how these pieces fell together!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, Twin Lakes is pretty small. We like to spend time in town and also venture out to our nearby areas when friends and family visit. First off, we would set them up at the Stay Twin Lakes Cottage for lodging. We may be biased here, but the Cottage has one of the best, if not the best patios in the Twin Lakes Village. This place is way nicer than where we live!

What Jeff calls the “Twin Lakes Mingle” involves getting up in the morning and taking a stroll around town to see who you run into. It usually starts with a hello to Bob and Motu at the Twin Lakes General Store. You have to pet Motu! We would then swing by Perkolated Peaks or Roadhouse and say hello, grab coffee, tea, burrito or whatever is on the menu.

Our first recommendation is to spend the day hanging with SUP & Cycle at Mt View Overlook. Our Twin Lakes lakeside location is at one of the nicest beaches on Twin Lakes. We are at the Islands where you can enjoy the warmest water on the lake and are shielded from afternoon winds. We have paddle boards, kayaks, mountain bikes, fishing gear, accessories, etc.. We aim to have everything you need already there. Not only for renters, but for tourists who have their own gear too. If you are with a group, we recommend renting the Fiesta Party Barge. It is a 4-8 person paddle board and we have an inflatable couch that attaches to it. For a group, it is really an unforgettable experience. Twin Lakes has hiking and biking trails for all abilities. We recommend hiking to the Interlaken Historic Site for a self guided tour of this serene piece of history.

It is always fun to venture out of Twin Lakes for some river time. We are located at the Arkansas River Headwaters, but when we have time, we like to drive south to the “big city” of Salida. The home of FibArk Whitewater Festival, this section of river is prime for tubing, rafting, kayaking, whitewater SUP and river surfing. Even if you don’t want to get in the water, you have to go to the Scout Wave and watch the surfers tear it up! Overlooking the river, we like to sit on the patio for a meal at High Side before heading to Split Happens, the only bowling alley in the area.

On the way back to Twin, there are many great restaurants, live music, Eddyline Brewery, and river vibes in Buena Vista (and much more – too much to mention!) The collegiate peaks boast several 14ers if you are looking to bag some peaks. The Surf Hotel and The Lariat frequently host live music.

If we are feeling a more mountainous day outside of Twin, we head up to Leadville. There are so many trails to explore, the most popular Mt. Elbert trailhead is about 20 minutes from us. Leadville also has A+ mountain biking. The Mineral Belt is nice looking for something more chill. In Leadville we recommend spending the afternoon at the Ale Yak Beer Garden. They have great views, unique events and are the coolest folks around. For dinner, lately we’ve been eating at The Famous. They never disappoint. It’s the best spot to watch a game too. Also, we recommend visiting the Delaware Hotel, Community Threads, and the Silver Dollar Saloon. By then, the local folks will recommend where you should go next!

Lastly, stargazing in Twin Lakes can’t be beat. While most places in town have phenomenal views and very low light, we like to sit lakeside so we can listen to the water lapping at the shore while we gaze skyward. If there is a full moon, the reflection off the lake with mountains in the background is out of this world!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, we would like to thank Bob Mathes of the Twin Lakes General Store. He has supported us every step of the way.
We have so many supportive folks in our Twin Lakes community. This area is filled with the most caring and genuine people!
Ian, Joe, A.L., and the old crew at The Gearage Outdoor Sports. Working with these guys in the front range was a great learning experience, they are a huge factor in where we are today.
Ken Wolfe provided us with solid advice, business connections and support, which ultimately helped to get us launched.
Dan at The Extra Mile Gear and Bike in Loveland. The best dude!
John Cole One Stop Ski Shop in Steamboat Springs. The first ski/board rental shop Jeff worked at!
Charlie Wildman & the epic DelURide!
Aunt Linda. All those summers at Nolin Lake definitely planted the seed that is now SUP & Cycle.
Grandma & Grandpa Miller let Caroline run around outside, barefoot in “The Stream” and can take credit for fostering a love of the outdoors, art, and all animals.
Our wonderfully supportive Moms, ‘ol Jer & Joy, Patrick & Auystn, Carter, Butters, Officer Tuba, Motu, Gus, Bucket, Jake, Kermi and the rest of the fam!

Website: https://supandcycle.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/supandcycle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SUPandCycle/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/twin-lakes-sup-and-cycle-twin-lakes

Image Credits
Jeff Steckler & Caroline Morris