Episode 009: Neil Weintraub

#beyondFLG

For this episode, Led Tasso and Coach Beard (aka Cody and Dan) go #beyondFLG with a Flagstaff legend, Neil Weintraub. Neil landed in Flagstaff in the mid 80’s after attending college in Iowa. He worked at the Museum of Northern Arizona prior to landing a job with the national forest, where he worked and recently retired from after a 30-year career. Much of his work was dedicated to preserving indigenous sites and restoring land sites in Northern Arizona. Beyond his work as an archaeologist, Neil is a founder of Northern Arizona Trail Runners Association, often referred to as NATRA. As such, he organizes weekly group runs on Saturday mornings. He also acts as a race director for various trail races that bring together hundreds of runners for not only a great time on the trails, or partying afterwards, but also to raise funds for Flagstaff Big Brothers Big Sisters. In this episode we learn more about Neil's aptitude with organizing runs (hint: it has something to do with partying and connecting), about his experience in restoring and bringing awareness to important indigenous and environmental sites in Northern Arizona, and we scratch the surface of the dark history of Shaky Drakes and Flagstaff in the mid 80's. Neil is truly one of a kind in his outgoing nature and willingness to give and contribute to something he views as greater than his own self. This is evident in being awarded the 2016 Arizona Daily Sun’s Citizen of the year and simply his work. We hope you enjoy this interview as we go #beyondFLG with Neil Weintraub