The bike takes me there

Finding purpose at Systems Control and belonging with Women of Dirt

“When I'm out riding my bike, it's so beautiful out there. I always say there is nowhere else I would rather be. The cool air in the trees in the woods, it’s magical. The bike takes me there.” - Cindy Trevarthen

Meet Cindy Trevarthen

I was born in El Salvador and moved to California with my grandmother at the age of two. I graduated from high school in 2006 and went to college in Arizona.

My husband was born in Iron Mountain, and when we had a little boy, I wanted to be home once the baby was here. We moved to Iron Mountain about ten years ago. Economically, it just made sense to have one working parent in the house, and I was going to be able to stay home, it was going to be so easy. We could pay cash for our home.

I tried to stay busy and do things, but being a stay-at-home mom is not easy. It is more difficult than going to work because you're not having adult interactions, and I think that was part of the struggle for me.

I was in culture shock for about four years. It took four solid years for me to finally find my ground. I started signing up for hobbies in the area–things that you can do outside. I started working at Systems Control, and I met a lot of people. That was a really big help in making this area home.

I remember all of a sudden, it just clicked, and I was like, wow. I remember the moment I was looking out the window. I felt like I had a purpose and was fulfilled, and that's when I was okay here.

“This is home now, and I don't see myself moving away from here.”

I really appreciate it here. I appreciate the four seasons, the water, and the woods. I always say I'm the one who says there is nowhere else I would rather be. Once you're out there in the woods, it's just the best.

Working at Systems Control

My husband originally worked at Systems Control. He was going to take a few months off work. We were going to settle into our home, and then he'd look for a job. On our way here, he happened to see the job posting, applied, and got an interview. He ended up starting work right away. He loved working here, so I thought, even if they don't need my skill set, maybe I'll start off as a receptionist and they'll see my work ethic and then I'll move in to the office.

My son started school, and I started looking for a job. It happened perfectly. The job opening aligned with my area of expertise, so I applied and got the job. I was hired as a CRM systems lead. At the time, Systems Control was implementing a new CRM system, so not only was my role new, but the software was also new. I implemented it throughout our different departments and slowly the company continued to grow.

As the company grew, I started picking up different roles and now I wear many, many hats.

I do a lot of business development, and one of my favorite things is coordinating client visits to the company. I organize the agendas, tours, and anything else that happens during the visit, which allows me to be very hands-on.

One thing I love about Systems Control is that if you really care about your job and you put in the effort, there's so much opportunity for growth. Opportunity for growth is actually one of the reasons I wanted to work for Systems Control.

Living in the Dickinson area

Seeing children outside of our homes riding bikes kind of summarizes it. It is safe and quiet. You have kids walking around with wagons at the corner of the street. You don't find that everywhere.

When it comes to school, it's a school of choice, so it is totally up to you where you want to send your child - Iron Mountain, Kingsford, Norway, or North Dickinson. Whatever works for you. You want to homeschool? There is a large homeschooling group.

Women of Dirt and the Dickinson Trail Network

My husband loves biking, it is his thing. I tried biking in Arizona. It was hot, sandy, dirty, and rocky. And I got hurt, so I was like, no, not doing this is not for me. Then I get here.

One of my girlfriends said, hey, do you want to come bike with me? I said, sure. So I got on a really old GTX mountain bike, the same one I had in Arizona it had no air in the tires. I didn't know any better, but I was going to get on the bike and ride it. And that's what I did. We went down Lily Hill, Milli Vanilli, and I remember the absolute thrill. I was just like, oh, this is it.

When my husband found out, he said, let's get you onto a new bike because you're going to die on that. He put me on a Trek at U.P. Sport and Spoke. They mentioned that there was a women's ride on Wednesdays.

I went and met with the Women of Dirt on a Wednesday. They were awesome and very accepting, it didn't matter what biking level you were at. They never made you feel like, oh, you're too slow. There's a caboose and a leader, so no matter what, you're not going to be last. We often have people who just want to try it out. We find a bike for them, just to try it out, it doesn’t need to be a big investment upfront.

My passion for biking, being outdoors, and being with those girls every Wednesday—it doesn't matter if I feel like I'm dying—I'm going to get out there. Usually, when I feel like I'm dying is when I need it most. When there is a new girl, I know she's there because she loves to bike, and I love to bike, and that brings us all together.

I made more friends, and that was a big deal for me. Afterward, we have drinks and chicken wings or whatever. Women of Dirt is my community.

My husband wanted to move to Bentonville because it's a bike town. I told my husband, this is the next Bentonville and I don’t want to miss it. The Dickinson Trail Network is growing fast, with new trails being built and biking culture growing in the region with more people picking up biking.

Can you sum up biking in one word for you?

Happiness. If you're sad and you're having a hard time you're just not riding your bike enough.

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About Systems Control

Systems Control

An electrical equipment enclosure and panel manufacturer.

Iron Mountain, Michigan.

Learn more

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About Women of Dirt and Dickinson Trail Network

Women of Dirt

A women-only mountain bike group open to any skill level.

Dickinson County, Michigan

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Dickinson Trail Network

A 501(c)3 non-profit run by a group of dedicated volunteers whose mission is to build, maintain, and promote a network of non-motorized trails throughout Dickinson County.

www.dtntrails.org