The Gunks Cast

"Listen to the podcast if you want to find out who I am"  -- Skittles

We sit down with Mac Dorris , founder of The Ride for Mental Health , and call in special guest Wayne Stetina , Olympic cyclist and U.S. cycling legend, to explore how one deeply personal loss has sparked a movement of hope, healing, and action. The Ride for Mental Health is more than a cycling event—it’s a growing national movement dedicated to ending the stigma surrounding mental illness and rai...

Juergen Beneke was born in Germany and was a professional road cyclist in Europe before switching to mountain biking. In 1995, he moved to the U.S., living in the Bronx, where weekend cycling trips led him up to the Gunks—riding iconic loops in Mohonk and Minnewaska. He went on to become a World Cup winner and X Games gold medalist. After living out West, he returned to New Paltz, making the Gunks...

Heather Barton is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, parent and child therapist, and New Paltz High School alum with over 20 years of experience supporting children and families. Known for her grounded, relational approach, she helps build emotional awareness, connection, and resilience. In addition to her clinical work, Heather is a life coach and Reiki Master Teacher, offering spaces for both pr...

Recorded live at Fourth Fridays in New Paltz, this podcast brings real conversations to the heart of a community block party. Hosted at Water Street Market during the town’s monthly Fourth Friday celebrations (April through October), this episode captures the spirit of the evening—local voices, shared stories, and the energy of music, food, and connection.  The podcast invites listeners into a rel...

Dr. David Ness is a certified sports chiropractor based in New Paltz, New York, helping athletes and active individuals recover, move better, and perform at their best. Dr. Ness is also Certified Master Active Release Techniques® Provider, Certified Kennedy Spinal Decompression Specialist, and a Certified Titleist Golf Fitness Instructor®. Since 2015, he has served as the official chiropractor and...

Paul Steely White is the Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York, where he leads efforts to expand and protect access to parks, trails, and public lands across the state. Previously, he spent 14 years as Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, helping transform New York City’s streets and public spaces through successful pedestrian, bicycling, and car‑free initiatives, includi...

William Weinstein is a licensed acupuncturist with over two decades in private practice, offering a modern, neurologically grounded approach to traditional acupuncture. Based in New Paltz, New York, he combines palpation‑based assessment with contemporary neuroanatomy to create collaborative, evidence‑informed treatment plans that emphasize the nervous system as the primary mediator of acupuncture...

Mike Monastero is an endurance sports coach with over 20 years of experience coaching athletes in cycling, running, and triathlon. A founding coach at Altered States Coaching and owner of Babylon Bike Shop, Mike has worked with everyone from first‑time racers to elite Ironman athletes. Known for his early adoption of power‑based training and expertise in bike fitting, he’s helped hundreds of athle...

Meet Jason Sarubbi—born and raised in New Paltz, an avid endurance athlete, and the bassist behind local favorites The Trapps and The Sweet Clementines. As founder and engineer of Split Rock Recording Studio, Jason opens up about life, building a world‑class recording space in the Hudson Valley, and how the studio serves artists across music and professional audiobook, voiceover, and post‑producti...

Join us as we sit down with Clare Hussain owner of Runa Bistro in New Paltz, to explore her inspiring path from growing up in Bangladesh to becoming a celebrated restaurateur. Clare shares how family traditions, a love for hospitality, and experiences across Dublin, Baltimore, and New York City shaped her culinary vision. Discover the stories behind her passion for food, the influences, and what m...

Henry Gartner Public Program Coordinator at Wild Earth, grew up in rural Greenwich, NY, where his love for the outdoors began.   After earning a mathematics degree from SUNY New Paltz, Henry made the Hudson Valley his home. Today, you’ll find him trad climbing and mountain biking in the Gunks year-round, and when winter hits, he’s carving telemark turns on the slopes.

Executive Director Wallkill Valley Land Trust

Al and Christian Favata, Father and Son, owners of TRT Bicycles, Rosendale, New York.  From the professional to the weekend warrior TRT Bicycles has the entire spectrum of equipment and accessories covered!

Father, Husband, proprietor of the Grazery and Benton Beer Garden.

Mother, Wife, and  founder, and clinical director, of Wellness Embodied, a center for psychotherapy and healing.

Father, Husband, and founder Kayrock Screen Printing

  Marian Dealy is an author, filmmaker and award-winning Ph. D. in Biology. Throughout her life, she has gravitated toward the excitement of cutting-edge science. As a young adult, Marian worked as an AIDS researcher at the National Institutes of Health, helped decipher the sequence of human DNA at Human Genome Sciences, then traveled across the country to UC San Diego where she did her thesis pro...

Father, Husband, endurance athlete, and  Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Owner of Skytop Mental Health Counseling PLLC

New Paltz Pride Coalition

Dr. Verruto shares his life journey to what is now New Paltz Eye Care.

Dan shares his life history as a 3 generation pilot.

Mother, Wife, Acupuncturist, Herbalist and Owner of Five Leaves Acupuncture.

Husband, Father, and owner of New Paltz Biking, New Paltz Kayaking, and the Village Grind, Craig Chapman.

Father, Husband, and Restaurateur, shares his journey from Ireland to New Paltz.