Todd Sill, Owner
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Todd moved to Columbus in 1994. He grew up as a dedicated road cyclist through high school and college, even spending a month riding across Europe in 1983 after graduating high school.
In 2002, Todd bought his first mountain bike—a Gary Fisher Sugar—and instantly fell in love with the sport. Fifteen years later he earned his Leadville MTB 100 buckle, a milestone that still fuels his passion for the sport.
These days you’ll find Todd outdoors with the Columbus riding community, coaching athletes as a Level 2 NICA coach, and—after retiring as COO of Inno-Pak LLC at the end of 2024—enjoying every free moment in his MTB or Road saddle.
James Phillips, Owner
James’s lifelong love of cycling began on a Michigan farm, pedaling a flashy banana-seat bike down gravel driveways and country roads. Those early rides sparked a spirit of freedom and adventure that’s guided him ever since.
James spent his later childhood years in Florida, riding ATVs and BMX bikes. While in college at Central Florida, James discovered mountain biking and quickly fell in love with the mix of nature, challenge, and community the sport offered. His first mountain bike—a 1997 Mongoose IBOC Zero GSX with a then-cutting-edge 60mm RockShox Judy fork—still hangs proudly in his collection today.
After graduating college and completing his service in the Florida Army National Guard, James relocated to Columbus in 1998 to begin his professional career at JPMorgan Chase, where he currently serves as Executive Director of Risk and Control Testing for the Global Private Bank. That same year, he jumped into mountain bike racing, joining the inaugural season of the Ohio Mountain Bike Championship (OMBC) series. Racing soon became more than competition—it became a way to connect with an amazing community of riders and friends.
Over the years, outdoor adventure became a family tradition for James and his wife, Jessica. After teaching their four children to mountain bike and snow ski, the family has shared countless summer and winter adventures together—some of their favorites include Mammoth Mountain and Lake Tahoe in California, Park City and Moab in Utah, Jackson Hole in Wyoming, and the Colorado Rockies.
In 2003, James met his future business partner, Todd, after helping Todd’s wife choose a road bike as a Father’s Day surprise. The two quickly became close friends and riding partners, sharing many adventures across road, gravel, and trail. Their biggest challenge together came in 2017–18 when they completed the legendary Leadville Trail 100 MTB, and one of their most memorable adventures was a volcanic mountain bike trek in Iceland with James’s son (pictured).
When the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) came to Ohio in 2020, James jumped at the opportunity to help grow youth mountain biking locally. As Team Director and Head Coach of the Lost in the Woods MTB team—which has grown from 32 to over 100 student-athletes and 60 volunteer coaches—he’s made it his mission to help kids and families discover the joy, confidence, and camaraderie that cycling provides. James also serves as President of the nonprofit organization supporting both the youth NICA team and a broader club team for riders of all ages and disciplines.
In 2024, James and Todd opened Lost in the Woods at Alum Creek to share their love of the outdoors and the joy of “getting lost” with friends and family. For James, the shop represents the culmination of a lifelong passion—a place where riders can find quality bikes and gear, expert advice and service, and a welcoming community that celebrates every kind of adventure on two wheels and on the snow.
Michael Peña, Sales and Service Manager
Michael brings 13 years of bike shop experience to his role as Sales and Service Manager at Lost in the Woods. Starting out as a mechanic at The Trek Stores of Columbus at just 14 years old, he has built a strong foundation in repairs, custom builds, and all things gear-related.
A lifelong rider, Michael is especially passionate about his BMX and Mountain biking roots, especially at his favorite trail – Bailey’s. His go-to bike right now is Enve Fray, which he loves for its speed and versatility. Outside the shop, you’ll find him whipping up something delicious in the kitchen, exploring backroads on his adventure motorcycle, or chasing new trails wherever the dirt leads.
Michael is well known in the local cycling community for his intuition, honesty, mechanical competence, and deep cycling knowledge. Whether you’re looking for advice on your next upgrade, need help fine-tuning your setup, or just want to talk bikes, Michael brings a level of care and expertise that keeps riders coming back—and keeps the local scene rolling strong.
Craig Stratton, Operations Manager
Born in 1960, Craig was raised in Brady Lake, Ohio on a small horse farm, where he developed a deep connection to the outdoors at an early age. Growing up, Craig spent countless hours riding horses along local trails, learning the value of patience, self-reliance, and respect for the land.
That passion for exploration carried into adulthood. In 1992, Craig purchased his first mountain bike—a Kona aluminum frame—and began riding trails throughout Northern Ohio. Over the years, cycling became both a personal challenge and a lifelong pursuit.
In 2014, he rode his Trek road bike in the MS150, completing the 150-mile ride from Houston to Austin, Texas over two days—an experience that reinforced the importance of preparation, endurance, and commitment.
When Craig’s not riding, you’ll often find him fishing, combining two lifelong passions for the outdoors. Some of his favorite days have been spent riding his bike to a quiet fishing hole, enjoying the simplicity of nature and the satisfaction of earning the journey as much as the destination.
Steph Della Rocco, Marketing / Events Coordinator
Steph helps with just about everything except fixing bikes. Bikes and adventure have always been a big part of her life, so being at the shop feels like home. Steph grew up splitting time between Florida’s beaches and California’s mountains, making unforgettable memories in both places.
Steph has been married for 22 years and has three teenagers who keep life exciting. She thrives on spontaneous adventures, being outdoors, and tackling challenges that make you step back and think, “Wow, I really did that.”
One of her favorite parts of cycling is sharing it with family and friends. No matter what the adventure is there’s nothing better than hitting the trails or the open road with your besties.
Gordon Phillips, Special Projects / Shop Consultant
Gordon grew up in Northern California and in his elementary school days he adopted his Dad’s carpentry tools to learn how to work on his bikes. He joined the US Air Force right after High School and worked as a Military Police Officer, an Air Traffic Controller, and then became an AF Aviator after getting a commission and obtaining degrees in Aviation Management (BS) & Psychology (MS). Gordon served in the Air Force for 34 years and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2009.
Gordon’s first “serious” bikes were a 1989 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR (MTB) and a 1995 Cannondale R300 (Road); that he raced throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Florida. After his AF retirement, Gordon attended the Barnett Bicycle Institute, then worked as a mechanic at The Trek Superstore in Albuquerque, NM. He was also able to serve the community by recruiting a team of volunteer mechanics that built and repaired 100’s of bikes for the Albuquerque homeless population, newly released prison inmates, and women who had escaped domestic violence and needed critical transportation. He also built and installed numerous “Ghost Bikes” throughout New Mexico that were used to memorialize cyclists who had been struck and killed by inattentive drivers.
In 2019, Gordon and his wife Lisa (also a USAF retired Lt Col) moved to Sunbury, Ohio. They have 3 grown children and 7 grandchildren who ALL own bikes! His favorite bike races: “12 Miles of Hell” MTB Race (Ft. Sill, OK), the “Hotter than Hell Hundred” (Wichita Falls, TX) “Iron Horse” (Durango to Silverton, CO) and “The Rift Gravel Race” (Iceland). Gordon and Lisa are both active NICA Coaches for the Lost in the Woods MTB Team.