Rachel was born and raised in Fresno, California’s Raisin-Capital-of-the-World! This Central Valley native didn’t take long before she was leading the pack in cycling, skiing, and running. Rachel was Buchanan High’s lead cross country runner 1994-1998. As a freshman she led her team to a State Championship title and also qualified for State Championships in the 300m Hurdles. Rachel took her experience seriously on the track as well as on the slopes. For over 13 years, she competed in Alpine Skiing attending races such as the Junior Olympics, NORAM events, and National and International FIS races. After a career-ending knee injury in 1998, Rachel took to the track and ran for CSUF competing in the Women’s Heptathlon and 800m. She was named Herzog Track Woman of the Year, Team Captain, and 2nd in the Western Athletic Conference in Women’s Heptathlon in 2001.

Rachel’s number one supporters and proud parents, Reggie and Janet Bauer kept smiling when she exploded on the gravity mountain biking scene in 2007. “She was kicking butt and taking names.” 2008 1st Overall Mountain States Cup Gravity Series, 2009 Colorado State Champion in Mountain Cross, 2009 2nd Overall Mountain States Cup Gravity Series, 3rd in both DH and 4X at the 2009 Pan American Continental Championships in Chile, and 1st at Angel Fire’s Pro Gravity Tour #2 are a few of her recent accomplishments. On the podium at Pan Am Champs, her Chilean competitor called her “vicious”. Don’t let that sweet smile fool you, Rachel has a knack for adapting.

She and her husband currently live and train in Squaw Valley and look forward to achieving her next goal of being USA’s next DH World Champion.