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When filmmaker Alden Roth joined the Ascend program, it wasn’t about exploring a new state—it was about coming back to where it all began. The avid biker grew up here in the Eastern Panhandle, with family roots that stretch back generations in the region.
After venturing out of state for college and work, Alden always dreamed of returning to the Mountain State.
Now that country roads have led Alden home, the co-founder of Rocketfuel Studios has been rediscovering the state he loves, forming meaningful connections through Ascend, and giving back as a member of the Charles Town Parks and Rec Board. We recently caught up with Alden to talk about his return to West Virginia and his experience in the Ascend program. Oh, and wait until you hear about his incredible adventure in Kyrgyzstan, where he completed what is widely regarded as the toughest bike ride in the world!
Q: Tell us a little about your background and what led you to West Virginia.
A: I’m originally from right here in the Eastern Panhandle! My family has been here for a few generations, since my great-grandparents moved here from Pennsylvania. I left in 2012 to go to college in Pittsburgh, and lived in PA until I moved back to WV with the Ascend Program.
Q: Why did you decide to move back to the state?
A: Mainly, I had been looking for a way to move back to the area to be closer to family, but I also love this area because it has so much to offer in terms of outdoor recreation. I love to run and bike, and I have excellent trail options for both minutes from my front door.
Q: What has been your favorite part of the Ascend experience?
A: It’s been great to make friends amongst the cohort. Moving to a new place is really hard when you don’t know anyone. While I did have an advantage with family being close by, it’s been wonderful to meet new people from other places and always having a friendly face at events around the panhandle.
Q: Tell us about your role on the Jefferson County Rec Board? What inspired you to get involved?
A: I was voted onto the Charles Town Parks and Rec Board in July of this year, which was awesome because I’d been looking to get involved with a local board or nonprofit since I moved here. When a position on the Parks and Rec board opened up, I knew it was a perfect fit because I try to spend as much time as I can outside and would love to help improve and expand our local parks. I live near Jefferson Memorial Park in Charles Town and run there several times a week, and I’m excited to be a part of the decision-making body behind it and the other parks in town and make them better places for residents and visitors to Jefferson County.
Q: You completed the famously grueling Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan. Please tell us all about that.
A: I raced 1,200 miles across Kyrgyzstan in the Silk Road Mountain Race, often touted as the toughest bike race in the world. I've wanted to do this race since it started in 2018, and things finally lined up to do it this year! I was out there riding for 15 days with 175 other people, but only 101 finished the race. The country was spectacular, with astonishing views around each corner. Covering such a great distance, we got to see all sorts of different climates and landscapes - hard to imagine that we stayed within the borders of one country the entire time. The Kyrgyz people were very hospitable and eager to invite us in for chai and food, or to sleep in their yurt for the evening. On the 14th day of the race, I got in a crash which totally destroyed my front wheel. I had to walk 3 miles to the next town, catch a 2-hour taxi overnight to the capital of Bishkek, get a new wheel, and then catch a ride back to where I left, which took a total of 18 hours. I finished the ride with a 60-year-old English man, coming in 100th.
Learn more about Alden, his work, and his adventures by visiting his bio site.
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