Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Bikes or Death
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep. 191 ~ Jen Kelly, professional poker player and winner of 3 bikepacking races this summer | 25 Sep 2024 | 02:30:10 | |
In her first year as a bikepack racer Jen Kelly has already racked up an impressive resume. She entered into 3 bikepacking races this summer and won them all! She's also a professional poker player who picked up cycling 4 years ago when she moved into a condo next to a rails to trails. She quickly fell in love with it and just wanted to ride further and further. Last year she put her career, as a professional poker player, on hold to focus on riding her bike.
Her first bikepacking race was the inaugural Great American Wheel Race, a 3,600 mixed surface race across America which she placed 4th overall and 1st Female. Just 6 weeks later she entered the 900 mile Big Sky Spactacularie in Montana where she took 1st overall. Then only 5 days after finishing Big Sky she entered the 1,750 mile Montana Bike Odyssey and took the overall win again! Needless to say her gamble to focus on bikepacking is paying off!
We had a great chat and it was great to talk to someone who is new to the sport and already having so much success. EPISODE SPONSORS
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New Patrons
Join them won't you? Now is a great time to sign up at Patreon! | |||
| Ep. 190 ~ Nicolette Jones, 2024 Colorado Trail Race Female Winner | 29 Aug 2024 | 02:02:30 | |
Nicolette Jones just won the 2024 Colorado Trail Race on her first attempt. Not only was this her first time racing the Colorado Trail, it was her first bikepacking race ever! Which makes her finish time of 5d 12h 21m even more impressive.
Although this was her first bikepacking race, she is no stranger to adventurous pursuits or the Colorado Trail. She is the only person in the world to have thru-hiked, skied, and biked the Colorado Trail. So she is no stranger to this trail and, in fact, probably has a higher familiarity with it than most people. In 2023 she toured the trail in 11 days with thoughts of racing it one day on her mind. This year, those thoughts turned to reality and she rolled out at 4am with about 75 other racer at this years CTR. She was able to get a lead on her competitors early on and then maintain it for the entirety of the race.
On today's episode we talk about a host of interesting topics. From her jobs as an adventure guide and coach, to making your own bikepacking bags, her love for tandems, and a 7.5 month bike tour she did with her Husband, Mark, from Arizona to Argentina. And, of course, we talk about her impressive win at the Colorado Trail Race. At only 25 Nicolette has a huge adventure resume and it was a lot of fun getting to know her and hear about some of her adventures. If you'd like to learn more about Nicolette after you listen to today's episode you can take a deeper dive on her blog, WalkSkiCycle.com. EPISODE SPONSORS
LIVSN – Use code "BOD10" at checkout to receive 10% off your order for being a loyal listener!
Red Granite Grinder - Epic gravel race in Wisconsin on Oct. 12th, 2024. Smash the link for more information and registration.
New Patrons
Join them won't you? Now is a great time to sign up at Patreon.com/bikesordeath! | |||
| Ep. 181 ~ Daniel Connell, aka "Dirty Dan" | 04 Jun 2024 | 02:10:40 | |
Daniel Connell has become a regular on the bikepacking race scene and in the cycling community. You will often see him on Trackleaders under his trail name, Dirty Dan. It was under this pseudonym that he recently set a new FKT on the Race Across Arizona and will be lining up in a couple of weeks to race the Tour Divide for the 4th consecutive year. Each year he's done it he's been able to shave a day off his finish time. This year he's on a new bike and gunning for a 15 day finish. His entry point into cycling was a 4,000+ mile bike tour with a buddy from California to Columbia in 2017 after graduating college. Armed only with a bike, some gear, and very little planning of what was to come. It was on that trip that he found the bike to be the "perfect form of travel". Since then he's only progressed as a traveler and cyclist racking up credentials too numerous to list, but to give you a taste, here's what he's done so far in 2024:
Baja Divide He's packed more into the first 6 months of this year than many will experience in a lifetime. It feels like every time I log into social media he's on another trip or lining up in another race. I've grown fond of following him on all of his adventures. He brings with him a big smile and a big appetite for adventure, fruit, and white milk. All of which we discuss on today's episode. EPISODE SPONSORS
Central Texas Showdown - Four distances to choose from, 28 spots left, 100% Texas. Come find out why the call this part of Texas the Hill Country on Oct. 25th, 2024. Register here!
New Patrons
Find out more at www.Patreon.com/BikesorDeath | |||
| Ep. 93 - ETS Winner & Winner, Alicia & Hannah | 28 Oct 2021 | 01:28:11 | |
This is the third episode to come out of a podcasting trip I made two Austin right after the East Texas Showdown. I interviewed five participants of the ETS in less than 20 hours just days after the their ride ended. It was really cool as a first time event director to get all of their feedback shortly after finishing the event.
Alicia Danze and Hannah Simmons shared first place this year on the East Texas Showdown route with a time of 2d, 1h, 21m. It was both of their first times to do a bikepacking race, but they each came in with experiences that gave them confidence. Alicia is a well rounded cyclist with bikepacking experience and as a member of Ultra Violet Racing. Hannah is the shop manager at CycleEast in Austin and the first bike tour she did was the Texas 4000 that starts in Austin, TX and ends in Anchorage, AK, she did it almost on a whim because a friend asked. This time she was sucked into the ETS by her Austin friends, Alicia included, but I don't think she needed much convincing.
Full writeup along with a nice gallery of images of Alicia and Hannah from the race on www.bikesordeath.com.
EPISODE SPONSORS
These episodes aren't possible without support!
East Texas Showdown - April 1-3rd, save the dates!
Huge thanks to our newest Patrons:
Buy me a cup of coffee or a glass of whiskey as a thank you for this episode on Patreon | |||
| Ep. 92. - Katy McGuire, our 2021 ETS Lantern Rouge | 20 Oct 2021 | 02:14:56 | |
From Wikipedia, "The lanterne rouge is the competitor in last place in a cycling race, the phrase comes from the French for "Red Lantern" and refers to the red lantern hung on the rear vehicle of a passenger railway train or the brake van of a freight train, which signalmen would look for in order to make sure none of the couplings had become disconnected."
I first met Katy at a 6 hour MTB race in 2016, she had just moved to town and we became fast friends. Since then we've both found our way into the bikepacking world. She spent the past 5 months riding 5 routes and accumulating over 4,000 miles of bikepacking, most of it solo. Somewhere in there I announced the East Texas Showdown and I sent her a personal invitation to participate. She accepted and lined up with high expectations for the race. She had just spent 5 months riding some impressive routes and she was ready to put it to the test. Also seeing old friends again after months of solo riding was a big draw for her as well.
Unfortunately, illness prevented her from achieving her race goals, which turned to more survival than bike race. That is what makes the Lantern Rouge a honored position, it usually indicates some that had a tough go of it, wanted to quit, but didn't. That is worth celebrating, as is ever single person who lined up and started regardless of how far they made it. Many people are too scared or are unable to even try something like that, so I applauded them all.
Katy and I met up at a park in Austin, TX four days after the race. We had a enjoyable chat thanks to her open and honest approach to live and bikepacking. We wish her luck on her job hunt, and if an interviewer is seeing this....you should definitely hire her!!
Here are the routes Katy did that we mentioned in the episode. Has anyone else ridden any of these? The comment section is open at www.bikesordeath.com. C&O Canal Great Allegheny Passage Western wildlands Route Baldy Bruiser, CA SoCal Desert Ramble
Episode Sponsors
These episodes aren't possible without support!
Huge thanks to our newest Patrons:
Buy me a cup of coffee or a glass of whiskey as a thank you for this episode on Patreon 🙏 | |||
| Ep. 91 - Kyle Gilbert & Nick Ybarra on their ETS Experience | 13 Oct 2021 | 01:55:03 | |
The inaugural East Texas Showdown is over and now comes the podcasts! Hearing everyones stories after their rides as we shared food and beverages was a true pleasure, enjoyed by all. It was really probably the magic sauce that made this event special. I went to Austin shortly after the race and recorded 3 episodes with five guests and I look forward to sharing some of that post race fodder with you over the next couple of weeks. First up are Nick Ybarra (Showdown, 4th) and Kyle Gilbert (Showdown,. 6th). We meet the Wednesday after the race at Kyles workshop in Austin, which made for a cool backdrop to our conversation.
On this episode Nick and Kyle share their experience on this years ETS. It was both of their first bikepacking race and they had different approaches. For example, Nick wore sandals for, had rim brakes, carried very minimal gear, and no aero bars. Whereas, Kyle was clipless, with disc brakes, ran aerobars, and lived on crackers. It created some good conversation about different approaches to the same course.
It was a lot of fun for me to get to hear about my event from their perspectives. I had all kinds of concerns as a first time racer director with a brand new route, but as I heard more and more stories like these all of my concerns have been squashed. The feedback I got from participants was overwhelmingly positive. In fact, a Spring date was highly requested and we are happy to make that happen. Dates coming soon!
These episodes aren't possible without support. Thanks to this weeks supporting partners:
Kuat - They just released the Piston Pro X, and it's badass. How do you tell your bike you love it without saying I love you? Answer, you get it a Piston Pro X.
NM Bikepacking Summit - Part Summit, Part Bikepacking Party, 100% good times, good rides, and good tacos.
Huge thanks to our newest Patrons: | |||
| Ep. 90 - Matt Fitzgerald, How Bad Do You Want It | 29 Sep 2021 | 01:22:15 | |
In 2018 I took on the biggest challenge in my life, a 500 miles bikepacking race. To prepare mentally I relied heavily on the book "How Bad do You Want it" by Matt Fitzgerald. Matt is an endurance athlete himself and has made a career out of the study of endurance. He's written over 20 books on the subject, coaches endurance athletes, host his own podcast, and is a wealth of knowledge on the topic of endurance sports and athletes.
In this episode we focus on his book "How Bad Do You Want It?: Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle" which as you can infer by the title is all about how our mind is the thing that limits us, not our physical ability. Matt uses real examples of athletes overcoming obstacles to showcase the scientific principles outlined in his book. I found this format to way more digestible and relatable than a scholarly paper. Thankfully, Matt has done the hard work of reviewing and collecting the science and stories of athletes to add context to the science while making more relatable. Visit www.BikesorDeath.com for a full write up and pictures of Matt. _____________________________ This weeks episode is brought to us by the Sponsors of The East Texas Showdown
Rockgeist
Big thanks also to our newest Patrons! | |||
| Ep. 89 - Miles Arbour and the Tree to Sea Loop | 22 Sep 2021 | 01:40:17 | |
On this episode my buddy Miles Arbour is back on the podcast for a 3rd time to talk about his newly published route called the Tree to Sea Loop. This was a great excuse to catch up with Miles and also hear all about this epic new 1,000 km route in British Columbia. Because Miles works at Bikepacking.com he is exposed to a lot of different facets of the industry. I took this opportunity to ask him about his favorite bikepacking tire, favorite cycling shorts "that don't look like cycling shorts", we also talk poop stories, and much more. We always have a great time, and I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. You can find our episode link below and find all the route info over at Bikepacking.com Ruby Coffee: Jesse comes on to tell us about coffee from different regions and what makes them different. Use code "BIKESORDEATH" for 15% off your first order or 20% off your first order of a subscription. This week's newest sustaining Patrons! Welcome to The After Party 🎉 | |||
| Ep. 88 - Quinn Brett, First to complete the Tour Divide on a Adaptive Handcycle | 15 Sep 2021 | 01:32:39 | |
This year the Tour Divide produced a new record, but one that wasn't set to be beaten. Quinn Brett just became the first person to complete the Tour Divide on an adaptive handcycle, with a time of 25 days. For her, this was more about showing the world what is possible for disabled people and that adventures like this are not only for the abled bodied. Thanks to advancements in bike technology, there are now some very capable options available, and Quinn's accomplishment are proof of what these machines are capable of.
For a full write up with lots of pretty pictures visit BikesorDeath.com. ___________________________________________________ Episode Sponsors: tell them thanks for making this episode possible!
This week's newest sustaining Patrons! Welcome to The After Party 🎉 | |||
| Ep. 87 - East Texas Showdown | 09 Sep 2021 | 01:54:41 | |
Join me in the van as I scout a re-reoute for this years East Texas Showdown and Slowdown. Back in July on a scouting mission we discovered a 25 mile section of road that looked good on the maps, but once we saw it in person it was an obvious "no go" for safety reasons. This left a huge hole in the route and with only 4 months until race day I had to scramble for a solution.
On this episode I take you along the journey as I scout a new section for the route. Along the way I share what to expect for people who are signed up for the race or may want to ride it at some point in the future. I speak directly to folks from all over the world who have never been to Texas and have know idea what to expect, but I hope locals will find it helpful as well.
As we go along I share updates on the progress and also important details about surface type, tire choice, weather, a little Texas history, and anything else that pops in my head. If you are considering creating a route/race like this you may also find this episode helpful as I share some of my reasons for this event, what I hope to accomplish, challenges I faced, and how I am tackling things that come up.
At the end of this episode I answer questions that have come up since releasing the route and I also announce the live Facebook event for race participants. This will be part route overview and part Q&A to tie up any loose ends that may still be dangling in the wind.
Showdown Route Stats
Slowdown Route Stats
There are 2 days left to register and 3 spots left.
Episode Sponsors: tell them thanks for making this episode possible!
Thanks to this week's newest sustaining Patrons and welcome to The After Party 🎉 | |||
| Ep. 86 - Jeff Kerkove, Determined to Finish | 01 Sep 2021 | 01:15:43 | |
This episode is all about determination and perseverance. In 2007 Jeff Kerkove took on the Colorado Trail Race (CTR) as his first bikepacking race. He came into the bikepacking world with an accomplished racing career in 12 and 24 hour events. That year he DNF'd due to trench foot, a mistake he never made again. He would go on to attempt the CTR 5 more times, each with the same result, a DNF on the CTR. This year would be different for Jeff. He lined up to the start line for his seventh time, armed with all the knowledge of his previous attempts, and just as determined to finish. This year his perseverance and determination paid off with his first finish on the CTR. He finished in a very respectable 7th place with a time of 5 day, 1 hour. I love this story and I'm so glad Jeff got that "monkey off his back" and he came on the show to share it with us.
Jeff is also one of the main folks behind Ergon USA, so I took the opportunity to talk about their grips and saddles particularly as they relate to bikepackers and ultra endurance cyclist. Hand pain, wrist pressure, saddle sores, are common issues that come up and they make some good products that help address these issues. *This is not an advertisement for Ergon, he happens to work there, and I was curious. Visit www.bikesordeath.com for the full writeup, pictures of Jeff's CTR, and picture from a 2018 bikepacking trip Jeff helped me plan in Colorado. Episode Sponsors: tell them thanks for making this episode possible!
Thanks to this week's newest sustaining Patrons and welcome to The After Party 🎉 | |||
| Ep. 85 - Chris and Marni Plesko, "The Parent Trap" | 26 Aug 2021 | 01:38:32 | |
Chris and Marni Plesko, aka The Parent Trap, just became the first couple to complete the Colorado Trail Race on a Tandem. And I had a lot of questions. How is there relationship doing? How did they train while working and being parents of two boys? Who's idea was it and how did it go? We talked about the bike and their attention to detail with the build, and about their transition back to the real world after 10 days on the CT.
My partner Sarah and I just purchased our first tandem, which will be introduced to the world soon, and so I've had an increased interest in all things tandem. Which is how I found Chris on instagram. It just so happens he and his wife Marni were preparing to tackle the CTR on their tandem. During the race, I was glued to their dot, I would try to image what they were going through, and I couldn't to chat after their record setting race!
While researching this podcast I learned that Chris holds the current Single Speed Record on the Tour Divide. He set the record in 2009 and then he broke his record again in 2016 while chasing Mike Hall on his record setting run. His record still stands, so I took this opportunity to dig into his personal history. I equally enjoyed Marni's introduction to bikepacking and ultra endurance cycling, first as an observer and supporter of Chris, and then as his tandem partner in crime.
I walked away from this conversation with a smile on my face, my heart, and wishing we lived closer so we could trade babysitting and go on tandem rides. I hope you take away something from this conversation as well. I sure did!
Episode Sponsors: tell them thanks for making this episode possible!
Thanks also to this week's newest sustaining Patrons and welcome to The After Party 🎉 | |||
| Ep. 84 - Ned Bachanko, 2021 CTR Winner | 18 Aug 2021 | 01:40:50 | |
This week I had an opportunity to catch up with Neil Beltchenko, who raced the 2021 CTR under the pseudonym Ned Bachanko. Neil is no stranger to ultra endurance racing, he's been pushing his limits on the most demanding routes since 2013. In 2014 he and his wife Lindsay started Bikepacker Mag which was an online publication about bikepacking, routes, and gear. In 2017 Bikepacking.com absorbed Bikepacker Mag and Neil. You will now find Neil creating some amazing content for Bikepacking.com's YouTube channel, which I highly recommend. Whether on the bike or behind the camera Neil is always moving the sport of bikepacking forward and we are lucky to have him in our community.
Neil and Lindsay, also put on the Bikepacking Summit, which is where I met them in 2019. I can tell you, they know how to throw one helluva bikepacking party. We talked about the future of the Summit on the podcast, but you'll have to listen to find out 😊
We were able to cover a lot on this episode, we chatted about content creation, his introduction to bikepacking and ultra endurance racing, his 2015 Tour Divide race, pre-race anxiety and pressure, his soon to be fatherhood, his bike setup, this years CTR 1st place finish, and of course we talk White Sox.
After almost 10 years we had a lot to talk about and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I mostly enjoy Neil's seemingly unlimited positivity, it's contagious and I like it.
Follow Neil on Bikepacking.com's YouTube Channel or on his instagram @neil_beltchenko, he takes a nice picture, check'em out!
Episode Sponsors: tell them thanks for making this episode possible!
Rockgeist - This week we had Jessica on to tell us about some new fabric offerings! If you haven't checked out their Fabric Page, you should! They have collected an impressive about of data and information about fabric types, how they wear, and suggestions on what may be best for you.
Quad Lock - Personally, I dumped my bike computer years ago and have been using Quad Lock on all my bikes ever since. For me it was about simplicity. One less thing to charge, upload, download, update, etc. It's been a great solution for me whether I'm going on a mtb ride or a 5 day bikepacking trip.
Thanks also to this week's newest sustaining Patrons and welcome to The After Party 🎉 | |||
| Ep. 180 ~ 20,000 Miles by Bike, Exploring Wild w/ Alissa Bell | 29 May 2024 | 02:30:22 | |
Alissa Bell is the creator and owner of ExploringWild.com and BikeSleepBike.com. Both projects are inspired by her 20,000+ miles traveling by foot and bike all over the world and her passion for helping others find their own adventure. In 2018 she quit her job to travel the world – a move that many of us dream about making, but that few of us ultimately find the bravery to take the plunge on. When she left for Africa in 2018, she wasn't just walking away from her career. She was also leaving behind a supportive husband, her home, her friends, and all of the comfort and familiarity that comes with a happy, whole, and rich home life.The urge to discover the world and herself in it is a primary motivator for Alissa, but it's not one that comes easy or without cost. It requires constant juggling and negotiating between a home life she loves and an adventurous life that fills her soul. From ExploringWild.com, "I won't pretend all this is easy. I'm introverted, nerdy, and more risk-averse than you might think. I have cranky knees and hate being cold. I used to think all this stuff was only for people braver and tougher than I am. If I can do it, you definitely can too." In other words, she's a lot like me and you. Luckily for us, Alissa has dedicated her life – through her example, her writing, websites, and adventure kits – to helping others chase their own version of the life they want for themselves. On a personal note, I met Alissa digitally in 2019 when she extended an offer to help with BikesorDeath.com. Over the past 5 years she's been an unsung hero for BoD behind the scenes. What started as a kind offer to help led to her building an entirely new website from scratch. She's also been invaluable in her help every time the website crashes (which is more than you'd think haha). It's through these interactions that I became aware of, and impressed by, her boldness and unfettering determination to pursue a life that is more meaningful and representative of the version of herself she identifies with the most. After years of coaxing, it was a pleasure to have her join me on the podcast. A great way to keep up with Alissa and get notified about her projects is through her newsletter. EPISODE SPONSORS
Old Man Mountain ~ Did you know that OMM makes panniers specifcally for bikepacking that pair perfectly with their legendary racks? Learn more on today's episode and use discount code "mountainsordeath" for 10% off site-wide and use this affiliate link so BoD gets a "Thank You" check in the mail :)
Exploring Wild ~ Alissa is offering BoD listeners 15% of her Adventure Kits, just use coupon code "kitsordeath" at checkout!
Patreon
Join them won't you? Find out more at www.Patreon.com/BikesorDeath | |||
| Ep. 83 - Cameron Sanders, a Man of Many Hats | 11 Aug 2021 | 01:49:29 | |
Cameron Sanders is a man of many hats. He's worn a spelunking helmet, a bicycle helmet, a race directors cap, and a work hat as the VP of Product Development and Marketing for Wren Sports. On this episode we focus on the Stetson hat he donned as a Park Ranger shortly after a armed group of far-right extremists seized and occupied the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon. Cameron went into a very difficult situation where tensions were high and a community was divide and, as a good outdoorsman, he left it better than he found it. Cameron used his love for public lands, the people who use them, and his love for exploring the world on his bike to help a community heal. That healing came by way of a gravel bike race that showcases the this region of Eastern Oregon in a whole new light.
This armed takeover of a government building is complicated with a history that goes deep. To have a better understanding of the issues in this episode, that we only touch, we recommend that you check out the Bundyville Podcast. They do an excellent job of detailing this event, it's well done, and I binge-listened to the whole thing! Or you can read the cliff notes on Wikipedia. For a full write-up on this episode with pictures please visit www.BikesorDeath.com. Support for this episode is thanks to... Ruby Coffee - Use code "BIKESORDEATH" for 15% off your first order or 20% off your first order of a subscription ☕️ 🎉 | |||
| Ep. 82 - Jefe Branham, Colorado Trail el Jefe | 04 Aug 2021 | 01:22:51 | |
Jefe Branham's just completed the Colorado Trail Race for the 9th time, and he's won 4 of them! He lives in Gunnison, CO which puts the Colorado Trail in his "backyard", his relationship with the trails goes back almost 30 years. He is also the race director, so you can see why he's earned the title Mr. Colorado Trail. This year he completed the race in 4 days, 16 hours, and 8 minutes on his Why Cycles El Jefe, setup single speed. After setting a new AZT 300 ss record earlier this year some were looking at Jefe to potentially take down the Colorado Trail Race ss record this year as well, but weather wasn't on his side. And as we learn in this episode, the record time of 4d, 6h, 39m held by Timon's Fish, may be a tough one to beat. Jefe's accomplishments are greater than my knowledge of them. Mostly because he isn't one to tout them. Instead he focuses his time and attention on the doing, and he's damn good at it. To follow Jefe you can find him on Instagram or his Blog. * * * * * * * * Today's episode was made possible with support from Kuat and Quadlock Thanks also to this week's newest sustaining Patrons. This show is made possible by the community. If you're enjoying the show please consider signing to help keep the lights on and the podcast flowing. Mike Munroe | |||
| Ep. 81 - Tyler Wacker, Quit his job to cycle around USA! | 28 Jul 2021 | 01:37:10 | |
At the beginning of 2020 Tyler Wacker quit his engineering job to cycle the circumference of USA on his Surly Long Haul Trucker. His plans were derailed when COVID shut down reliable camping and provisions along the way. When he did continue his tour, it wasn't to complete his tour around USA, instead he pointed his bike NE towards Boston. Where he would hop on a plane to Iceland where he is now a grad student in Isafjordur, Iceland, studying Coastal Communities and Regional Development. His bike exploits don't stop in Iceland! Listen to this episode and learn about what motivates Tyler to pursue a life a little different than the norm. I got to meet Tyler in Austin, TX while he was home during a break from school. I really appreciated the way he meaningfully approaches life by making choices that enhance his own life as well as the ones around him. He is also a wealth of information when it comes to Active Transportation, which is a subject we both enjoyed. Tyler is heading back to Iceland, follow him on instagram @tyler_vision Today's episode was supported by the new Wishbone from Rockgeist! It's a U shaped metal bracket that bolts to one of the seat tube bottle bolts and supports the side of the framebag from the outside. So basically an exoskeleton for the framebag, positioned low where the crank arm rotates around. It prevents the bag from ballooning out and getting a hole where it rubs the crank arm. Thanks also to this week's newest sustaining Patrons. This show is made possible by the community. If you're enjoying the show please consider signing to help keep the lights on and the podcast flowing. Angela Freeman | |||
| Ep. 80 - Sarah Swallow, professional Adventure Cyclist | 21 Jul 2021 | 01:28:33 | |
Sarah Swallow was introduced to bicycles, and the cycling community, at the young age of 12 when she started working for a bike rental company in Ohio. She wasn't a cyclist at the time and had no idea that one day she'd be a sponsored Adventure Cyclist. Today Sarah has carved out a cool career for herself that allows her to pursue the things in life that brings her joy and share them in a way that is authentic to herself. She's worn many hats over the years. From bike rental to, bike shop owner, route creator, race director, and spreader of stoke and adventure on 2 wheels. Her most recent exploit was on this years Tour Divide Classic where she earned a 2nd place finish. Her Tour Divide attempt almost didn't happen. As she was driving to the start her bike flew off the back of their truck and the impact cracked the carbon frame. With only days before the race she scrambled to piece her bike and gear back together and thanks to efforts from many members of this community she made it to the start! The stoke she received from the outpouring of the community set her up for a successful ride.
Today's episode was supported by Ruby Coffee. Listeners of this show receive 15% off their first order or 20% off the first order of a subscription, just use "BIKESORDEATH" at checkout!
Thank you also to this week's newest sustaining Patrons. This show is made possible by you. If you're enjoying the show please consider signing to help keep the lights on and the podcast flowing.
Christopher Buratta | |||
| Ep. 79 - Brendan Heinig, when a Tour Divide 2nd feels like winning | 08 Jul 2021 | 01:37:43 | |
When Brendan Heinig lined up to the start of this years Tour Divide "Classic" he didn't have any idea he'd be at the pointy end of the race with TD veteran Jay Petervary. If you didn't watch the dots as this race unfolded you missed a 1,500 mile "nail-biter"!!! That's because Brendan and Jay were able to put a lot of distance between them and their competitors, but not each other. In fact for the last 1,500 miles of the race they were rarely more than just a few miles apart and they often yo-yo'd back and forth for first place. They were so close towards in end that they both found themselves in Pietown, NM at the same time and shared a pie for Jay's birthday. After that.....well, you'll just have to listen and find it! I love an "underdog" story and this one hit all the right cords for me. I learned that Brendan began his Tour Divide journey in 2015 and only managed to break his bike and body. This is a story about his 6 year journey to get back on the Tour Divide and this time finishing was the only option. Being in contention for the lead, that's just a bonus. This episode was made possible by support from these amazing Companies and Patrons. Rockgeist - A cottage gear company specializing in custom framebags, accessory bags, and welded, waterproof gear from their Porcelain Rocket acquisition. Ruby Coffee - A small coffee roasting company that sources their coffee from local farms and all of their coffee is roasted to order so it's always fresh. Thanks to this week's newest supporting Patrons. Jim Dunne Christopher Moore
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| Ep. 78 - Jessica Alexander, Bikepacking from Arkansas to Austin during a Pandemic | 30 Jun 2021 | 01:27:15 | |
I've been familiar with Jessica peripherally as a member of the Austin cycling scene and also from her published work in Bikepacking.com. She's penned two works for them, Discovering Aloneness on the Arkansas High Country can be found online. Her other piece, River Road Rendezvous, is featured the in the 2021 edition of the Bikepacking Journal. So when I received my July '22 issue of TPWD Magazine I was surprised, but not shocked, to see an article she wrote for them about bikepacking during the pandemic.
It's about a 700 mile trip that her and a riding companion created and road during the later stages of the pandemic. The began their journey in Little Rock, AR and used a train to get them to their starting point. From there it was 700 miles of mixed terrain riding back to their hometown of Austin, TX. Like any trip they have their highs and lows, but they are always jam packed with lessons and knowledge you didn't have before.
After we parted ways she was off to teach a women's clinic on crit racing. Jessica's desire to grow the bike community is seemingly endless and I appreciate her coming on the show to share some of that with us.
There is a special message to the listeners at the beginning of this episode. I hope you will take the time to listen. These episodes aren't possible without your support, literally. To find out how you can help keep the lights on please visit Patreon.
A big thanks to this week's newest Patrons!! | |||
| Ep. 77 - Bobby Wintle, We Trained all Pandemic for This | 23 Jun 2021 | 03:56:50 | |
Many of you will know Bobby Wintle as the larger than life figurehead of District Bikes and MidSouth Gravel (formerly Land Run 100). That's how I knew him too until my interview with Dr. Seth Wood, when I learned how he had donated a portion of the proceeds from the very first Land Run to help with Seth's medical bills, and then continued to foster than relationship to this day. Hearing that story told me there was a lot more to Bobby than just great hair, a perfect smile, a great hugger, and I was eager to hear his side of the story. Just a month after my interview with Seth I found myself back in Stillwater, OK across a picnic table at Lake McMurtry from Bobby Wintle with a bottle of fine bourbon for us to share. And share we did! After fours hours, and almost a full bottle of bourbon later, we pushed stop on the recorder. What we captured that evening is a side of Bobby that I think few get to see because he is so busy and has so much demand on his time. It's a rare thing these days to be locked into a conversation with someone in this manner. It's why I love long form conversations, you can't fake it for 4 hours (especially not when borbon is involved), so what you get is a truly authentic window into who a person is. I appreciate Bobby so much for his willingness to honestly and authentically share so much of himself on this episode. It was an absolute pleasure getting to know him and I'm so stoked he's on Team Bike. For this episode I recommend you schedule a long bike ride, or pull up a chair and pour a glass of your favorite drink, and join Bobby and I for our conversation at Lake McMurtry.... I'll see you there! These shows aren't possible without your support! This episode was captured on a recent podcasting trip to Oklahoma. Thank you to our newest sustaining Patrons! | |||
| Ep. 76 - Texas Hill Country Route w/ Maxwell Johnston | 16 Jun 2021 | 02:04:40 | |
On this episode I get a private tour of the new Texas Hill Country Overnighter with it's creator Maxwell Johnston. This is one of only four routes listed on Bikepacking.com in Texas and two of those are in Big Bend, which is beautiful, but also very remote, requiring a 10+ hour drive from Central Texas.
When I got into bikepacking I quickly learned that the lack of Public Lands in Texas creates a barrier to accessing the outdoors via bike, because 97% of Texas is privately held land. The genius of Maxwell's route is that he used Private Campgrounds as a way to string together some of the best gravel roads in the Hill Country.
This route was originally submitted to Bikepacking.com and you can find all the route info with gps file by searching in their route library.
Today's episode takes a deeper look into this new route. What really sells this route is the pictures! ~~~~~~~~ Thank you to our newest sustaining Patrons! | |||
| EP. 75 - Liam Glen, Winner of the HT550 on a Rigid SS | 09 Jun 2021 | 01:36:44 | |
On May 22nd Liam Glen lined up at the start of the Highland Trail 550 on his fully rigid single speed Stooge Cycles Scrambler against the likes of James Hayden, Josh Isbett, and others. He would go on to win with a time of 3d, 10h, 55m which was good enough to get the SS Course Record and almost enough to best the Course Record set by Neil Beltchenko in 2017 (3d, 10h, 20m). Liam is no stranger to this event, he also won it in 2016 with a time of 4d, 2h, 48m. After a 2019 DNF on this route he switched up his bike and his mindset which proved to be the winning receipt. No doubt about it, this was an impressive run at this course, but when you factor in that he was riding a steel, rigid, ss (34x20) it's kinda mind blowing. The Highland Trail 550 is a route created by Alan Goldsmith in the northern region of Scotland, covering 550 miles with 52,500 ft of climbing through Scotland's rugged terrain and unpredictable weather. It was great to catch up with Liam for a chat. I wasn't familiar with him prior to this event, but that's what's exciting about being a podcaster in this space right now. It's so much fun to talk to someone who accomplished something absolutely remarkable, but yet we know so little about them. I hope you'll enjoy hearing about this amazing accomplishment, but also what it took, and his path to get there. These shows aren't possible without your support! Thank you to our newest sustaining Patrons! | |||
| Ep. 74 - Andrew Onermaa, 2020 ARHCR Digging Deep | 26 May 2021 | 03:16:50 | |
Like many of you I didn't know who Andrew Onermaa was before he signed up for the 2020 Arkansas High Country Race. And if you still don't recognize his name, maybe you'll know him as the guy who was going toe to toe with Ted King before he ultimately went on to set an FKT. Andrew withdrew from the race around mile 700 after pushing himself further than ever before. Literally pushing his mind and body to it's limit. Sitting there on the side of the road, eating McDonalds pancakes, Andrew turned on his cell phone and captured those raw emotions he was feeling in that moment. After watching that video I knew I had to talk to this guy, he is all heart and I wanted to hear his story. Six months later I was able to meet Andrew in person and hear his story from the banks of the Mulberry River, there in the Ozark National forest where the race took place. His story is truly incredible, but it became a little more so for me when I learned that he didn't even get his first gravel bike until May of 2020, which means he only had 5 months of experience before signing up for the ARHCR!! Think about that for a second. Think about how hard he must have pushed himself leading up to and then during the race. He lined up at the start line on an entry level Salsa Warbird with 5 months of experience against a former world tour pro who has transitioned over to gravel earning the title King of Gravel. At some points of the race he was leading, but it was always close, as Andrew pushed his limits and probably pushed Ted King to dig a little deeper. This story typifies one of the best aspects of this sport, it is an equalizer. It shows that anybody can do this, anybody who is willing to train hard, ride hard, push hard, and dig deeper than ever before can do this if they choose. It's not easy, in fact it is very hard, but it is possible and I love that about this sport. For this event Ted King's decades of experience paid off earning him a well deserved FKT and I couldn't be more happy for him. I'm equally happy for Andrew Onermaa for the courage it took to push himself that hard, to find his limit, and for his willingness to share so openly his story. I think it can be easy as a dot watcher to be numb to how hard these efforts really are and how hard the athletes dig to find the courage to keep pushing when their mind and body are rebelling. As I've interviewed many of the top athletes in endurance cycling I am guilty of this myself, which is why I'm grateful to Andrew. His story really resonated with me as a reminder of how personal these efforts are and the heart it takes to push yourself to the limit. Easy words to type, but they come to life through Andrews telling. GPS Coordinates to where this episode was recorded: 35°39'32.2"N 93°51'28.9"W When he's not working or training Andrew is busy developing routes and the gravel community in NWA through the Ozark Gravel Cyclist. They are doing great things in that area, so definitely check them out if you are in or visiting that area. These shows aren't possible without your support! This episode was from my recent trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas to capture interviews for the podcast. Thank you to our newest sustaining Patrons! This episode is supported by Experience Fayetteville and the Fayetteville, Arkansas community. Fayetteville is excited to once again be the host community for the 2021 Arkansaw High Country Race. Quickly becoming known as one of the most challenging bikepacking races in the country, the 1000+ mile Arkansaw High Country Race departs from Downtown Fayetteville on Saturday morning, October 9! The race follows the perimeter of the Arkansas High Country Route – a series of three mixed surface loops that connect several of the state's stunning natural regions including the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains and the Arkansas River Valley. New for 2021, race officials have announced the creation of the Short Circuit Race – an opportunity to experience just the Northwest Loop of the route. The shorter 240-mile distance is perfect for the weekend warrior looking for a limit-pushing course. Registration for the 2021 Arkansaw High Country Race and the Short Circuit Race opens June 1, 2021. Each race distance is limited to a field of 50 competitors and expected to fill up fast. Additional race information including links to register can easily be found by searching High Country at ExperienceFayetteville.com | |||
| Ep. 179 ~ The Midsouth Experience, w/ Patrick & Natalie | 14 May 2024 | 03:23:52 | |
It's Midsouth Week! At least here at Bikes or Death headquarters ;). This week, we are going back in time and reliving Midsouth through the lens of Patrick and Natalie's experience. Whether you're Midsouth curious or you got hit with those post-race blues and are feeling like a little Midsouth 2024 nostalgia, this episode is for you! So charge your headlights and grab your chamois butter because you're invited along for the journey as Natalie and I experience our first ever Midsouth. From the Midsouth beer release party at The Iron Monk, to the expo show, and all the way through 100 miles of Oklahoma dirt roads, we're mic'd up and taking you along for the ride!
For me, Midsouth has been a bucket list item for many years. Unfortunately, I'm usually busy preparing for the East Texas Showdown as it traditionally takes place the week after Midsouth. However, this year, I made sure to get my ETS prep done early so I could enjoy a weekend on the famed red dirt gravel roads that have catapulted Midsouth into the upper echelon of the gravel racing circuit. As an event director myself, I was both personally and professionally interested in taking part in this event. Not only was I excited to spend the day riding bikes, but I was also counting port-a-potties, taking notes at the pre-race meeting, and marveling at the well-orchestrated machine that is Midsouth. In their 14th consecutive year, Midsouth puts on one hell of an event, and I was eager to learn from their expertise.
Natalie had her own goals. This would be her first proper century, but it wasn't her first time riding 100 miles. In September of last year she and I participated in the Ozark Rando, a 120 mile randonneur in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas. We recorded that experience as well and you can go back and listen if you haven't already. We spent 22 hours making our way through the Arkansas backcountry, rolled in DFL a solid 7 hours after the official cutoff time, and learned so much from that experience. One thing we learned is that it may have been a little ambitious for Natalie's first century +20 miles. The Midsouth was an opportunity for her to take on her second ever 100 mile ride on a more approachable course. Midsouth still boasts a lot of climbing, but it's only half the elevation gain of the Ozark Rando. So for Natalie, this was a chance to reclaim some of the confidence that was lost in the hills of Arkansas and find the joy in long distance cycling efforts. Her goal for Midsouth was just to finish it, and ideally not as DFL this time. For Midsouth our plan was to prioritize time on the bike and focus on maintaining momentum throughout the day.
Listen to today's episode for a peek into the Midsouth experience and follow along with us as we race to not be DFL. For the record, there is absolutely nothing wrong with DFL. We are very proud to hold that title in the 2023 Ozark Rando but for Midsouth, we wanted to let someone else enjoy the honor. EPISODE SPONSORS
Bikepacking Roots ~ Is taking applications and donations for their Bipoc Adventure Grant Program. Click the link or email devin@bikepackingroots.org for more info!
New Patrons | |||
| Ep. 73 - Dr. Seth Wood, from ICU to FKT | 19 May 2021 | 02:21:58 | |
I met Dr. Seth Wood at a wedding in Oklahoma back in 2019. I was early in my podcasting journey and I was shocked when I learned that he was using the Bikes or Death Podcast as part of his circulam at OSU, where he still teaches today. So shocked, that I completely blanked when he told me about it! I took this opportunity to indulge myself and find out what he could possibly be using my podcast for in a college course?!
More importantly, I wanted to hear Seth's story about his journey from almost losing his life in Feb. of 2013 after being ran over by a car while commuting on his bike. To then go on to set a Singlespeed FKT on the Arkansas High Country Race. The collision nearly cost him his life, but a year later he competed in the 2nd ever LandRun 100 (Now Midsouth) and he finished! All while wearing an eye patch as a visible reminder that he was still recovering from the injuries he sustained.
He would go on to race the Tour Divide in 2016 and 2018 completing it both times and taking home 8th place in 2018. Then in 2020 he set the ARHCR FKT on a Singlespeed.
I learned from our discussion that this is a story much larger than himself. It's one about this community and how much impact it can have on the lives of those it touches. I learned that the cycling community in Stillwater, OK, that is spearheaded by Bobby Wintle and the District Bicycle crew, is a special one. When a local cyclist, who they didn't know, was hit and nearly killed by a college man driving a car they stepped up and not only provided financial support, but they also poured out love and gave Dr. Seth Wood a new family and community.
This probably the most moving episode I've had the privilege to be part of. I hope that it will serve as a reminder of how special this community is, the power that it has, and that we should remember to embrace ALL cyclist, regardless if you know them or not.
Thank you Seth for sharing your challenging journey with us. Thank you to Bobby Wintle and the District Bike Family for being examples in our community. I truly believe this community is made up of some of the best humans on earth and you are all examples of that.
These shows aren't possible without your support! This episode was from my recent trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas to capture interviews for the podcast.
Thank you to our newest sustaining Patrons!
This episode is supported by Experience Fayetteville and the Fayetteville, Arkansas community.
Fayetteville is excited to once again be the host community for the 2021 Arkansaw High Country Race.
Quickly becoming known as one of the most challenging bikepacking races in the country, the 1000+ mile Arkansaw High Country Race departs from Downtown Fayetteville on Saturday morning, October 9!
The race follows the perimeter of the Arkansas High Country Route – a series of three mixed surface loops that connect several of the state's stunning natural regions including the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains and the Arkansas River Valley.
New for 2021, race officials have announced the creation of the Short Circuit Race - an opportunity to experience just the Northwest Loop of the route. The shorter 240-mile distance is perfect for the weekend warrior looking for a limit-pushing course.
Registration for the 2021 Arkansaw High Country Race and the Short Circuit Race opens June 1, 2021. Each race distance is limited to a field of 50 competitors and expected to fill up fast. Additional race information including links to register can easily be found by searching High Country at ExperienceFayetteville.com | |||
| Ep. 72 - Route Building, with Kevin from RWGPS | 13 May 2021 | 02:12:42 | |
When we did our Bikepacking Basics episode earlier this year we got a lot of questions, but the most asked questions where about route building. So I reached out to Kevin Prentice with RideWithGPS to see if they would be interested coming to do a episode on route building and (spoiler alert) they said yes!
On this episode we get to know Kevin and some history on RWGPS and then we get into the maps! And we go deep. But, we also cover very basic topics. This episode was designed with the hope that it will be a resource for you to build your own routes, modify existing ones, or fly by the seat of your pants using heatmaps. Even if you think you're a RWGPS expert I can guarantee you'll learn something on this show, I sure did!
For me Route Building is one of my favorite parts about bikepacking. With the tools and information available to us now it's truly remarkable what you're able to do from your laptop in the comfort of your home. This is where you can hone in and find the perfect camp spot or best gravel roads. Regardless of how well you plan, we all know that even the best plan can go wrong. So it's also important to know how to navigate when things don't go according to plan. After listening to (or watching) this episode you will be able to know more about doing both!
This episode is available where ever you get your podcast and also in video format with timestamps so you can comeback to it as often as needed.
These episodes aren't possible without your support.
Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! | |||
| Ep. 71 - Ryan Stoyer, Bikerafting on the Buffalo | 06 May 2021 | 02:15:12 | |
When I contacted Ryan Stoyer about coming on the podcast it was with the idea that we would talk about his unique lifestyle and how it allows for him to life a more fulfilled life. I still like that topic, but Ryan had other ideas. After the official BoD instagram invite was sent, his reply was an enthusiastic yes, followed by a suggestion, "how about we go bikerafting?". My response was equally enthusiastic and I gave no thought to the fact that I'd never been bikerafting, or had a raft, or new how to build a route, etc etc. But we had 5 weeks and that turned out to be the just enough to assemble the necessary gear and courage to tackle new adventure territory. The plan was to create a bikerafting route and share our experiences through a podcast. As I learned more about Bikerafting, I learned that there is a lot of interest in this re-emerging sport. The first recorded bikeraft trip was in 1987 by Roman Dial, but it seems to be growing in popularity in recent years. So the focus of the podcast shifted from being about Ryan and our trip, we also tried to provide some information that may help you prepare for your own bikerafting or packrafting trip! We discuss where to get packrafts, what to look for, how they handle, how to pack, how to plan a route, etc. It was a huge learning experience for me and I'm excited to share what I learned. I'm a complete newb and my tips reflect that, which is why it was good to have Ryan who brings more experience. It came in handy on the river and on the podcast. The route my friend Connor Thomas created in NW Arkansas is a real beauty. I will be publishing that route soon!! Unfortunately, you can't plan the weather and we got Cold and Wet every day we were there. So our trip had an extra element of Type 2 fun sprinkled in to keep it interesting. I will let the podcast speak for itself, but I can tell you that every person on that trip had a great time and the ones that didn't have packrafts are all now wanting some. Bikerafting was a little scary to me at first. It doesn't make sense that a 195 lb guy + 55 lbs of gear can float safely down a river on a 5 lb inflatable raft. Call me crazy! Any initial fears I first had were quickly squashed and I found bikerafting quite to my liking, and as Ryan says, "It's a great rest day after a long day on the bike". Not only that, but it opens up so many possibilities both with routes and with scenery. I'm glad that Ryan challenged me to do this. It was barely on my radar, but I'm not one to shy away from a new adventure. I equally enjoyed getting to meet and learn from Ryan. He is a wealth of information on a variety of topics that I find fascinating and meaningful. We cover a lot on this episode! To make it easier for you to enjoy and refer back to this episode at a later time I've included timestamps in the show notes so you can quickly find the topic/s you're interested in. 13:45 - Talking Tiny Home
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| Ep. 70 - Rebecca Rusch, Queen of Pain | 28 Apr 2021 | 01:20:27 | |
Today's episode is with a true living legend. Rebecca Rusch has had a long and successful career spanning many different sports, but in the past 15 years has dominated the mountain bike scene, which as spilled over into bikepacking and gravel racing as well. She's been referred to as the Queen of Pain since at least 2004 and she was inducted into the MTB Hall of Fame in 2019. Here list of accolades and victories is as long as her storied career. On this episode we get insight into some of the wisdom that she has gained through her career. Her perspectives are deep and well thought out. You can tell they've been forged in her mind over the years and countless endurance endeavor that have pushed her to grow and challenge who she is as a person. For the uninitiated, here is a very brief history of Rebecca Rusch. She began her career as a professional athlete in Adventure Racing, which was popularized by the Eco Challenge and the subsequent TV show produced by Mark Burnett. She competed at a high level, often on the winning team or threatening the lead, from 1997-2006. She faced a pivotal point in her life and career when one of her teammates, Nigel Aylott, died in an adventure race in front of her and her team, the same year they lost their major team sponsor. With some time left on her Red Bull contract she decided to give MTB a shot. In 2006 she signed up for, and won, the USA Cycling 24-Hours MTB National Champion in the Women's Solo category. But she didn't just win her field, she had the fastest time out of all participants, women and men! And this was in a discipline that she said in her own words was her worst sport. This win catapulted her fully into the MTB world where she continues to be a real threat any time she signs up for a race. Her accomplishments are not limited to the mountain bike. She also won the ITI 350 in 2019 and 2021, She is the Smoke n' Fire women's record holder, Unbound Gravel XL 350 winner in 2018, and she held the FKT on the Kokopelli Trail until just recently when Kait Boyle took it away by a meer 13 minutes. Her list of accomplishments is much longer, but I hope this paints the picture that Rebecca is a lifelong endurance athlete who has been competing at a very high level for a long time. In those years she has gained a rich understanding of human powered movement in the outdoors. For me it's daunting to put keys to pad and conjure up words to describe someone who has been a personal source of inspiration for me. Luckily, we recorded a podcast so you can hear directly from the Queen of Pain herself! These episodes aren't possible without your support. Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! Jefe.bike – Patrons receive 10% off | |||
| Ep. 69 - John Watson, owner of The Radavist | 20 Apr 2021 | 02:02:42 | |
Happy 420 everyone! My guest on today's episode with John Watson is one that I've been looking forward to for a while. We had plans to record this one a while ago, but covid put it on pause. On my recent trip to AZ and NM I was able to meet John at his Santa Fe office where he runs The RADAVIST. His office is quaint and simple with merchandise bins tidily lining the walls and stacked to the ceiling. I felt a kinship immediately as I pictured him editing photos, writing articles, fulfilling orders, etc etc. Despite his obvious success, what you may not see immediately is the 15 years he's been doing, the passion that started it, and the long hours that took to fuel it.
It was an honor to meet John in person. Behind the scenes over emails he has always been very supportive of me and Bikes or Death. He has been a person that I look up to professionally for his work and personally because he's just a damn nice guy. So if for any reason you haven't been visiting The Radavist on a daily basis it's time for you to get your life together and start! Both his instagram accounts are equally worth a follow @johnprolly and @theradavist. After the interview the light was getting good and John asked if he could photograph my bike, which was a dream come true for me. Find those pictures and a write up by John on The Radavist and you can read my blog reply on Bikes or Death.
Shred Lightly my friends. These episodes aren't possible without your support. This episode is the result of my recently podcasting trip covering 2,500 miles, 2 states, and 3 interviews in 4.5 days. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal. Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! Jefe.bike – Patrons receive 10% off
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| Ep. 68 - Lael Wilcox | 14 Apr 2021 | 01:06:34 | |
It's always an extreme pleasure to sit down and chat with Lael Wilcox. Her positivity and honesty is infections as is her drive to push herself to extremes all in the name of bike racing. She's an inspiration to so many of us in this community and I am no exception. She has been a huge source of inspiration for me as I dipped my toe into the bikepacking waters. There is something about her fearless approach to bikepacking that lulls you into a false sense of achievability, but make no mistake she works hard and has been at this a long time. This sport has come a long way in a short time and Lael has been at or near the tip of the spear for the entire time. This was the third time Lael has been on the podcast and each time I have to reign in my personal tendencies to be star struck. Luckily, Lael is a total pro and is so easy to talk to. This time we met on Mount Lemmon outside of Tucson, AZ at the Gordon Hirabayashi Campground. Interesting side note, the road up Mt. Lemmon was built by prisoners in the 1930's and to house the criminals they built prisons as they went. The campground we recorded at was a former site of a Prison Camp. These episodes aren't possible without your support. This episode is the result of my recently podcasting trip covering 2,500 miles, 2 states, and 3 interviews in 4.5 days. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal. Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! 6AM WorkShirts – Patrons receive 20% off | |||
| Ep. 67 - Matt Mason, Co-Creator of the Monumental Loop | 07 Apr 2021 | 01:31:45 | |
This episode is the first one to come from my recent road trip to New Mexico and Arizona to interview guest for the podcast. My first stop was in Las Cruces, NM to meet up with Matt Mason to ride a portion of the Monumental Loop. We rode up to the base of the Organ Mountains and camped in perfect weather. In the morning we recorded this episode under little outcropping before descending 10 miles back to town on some epic singletrack. You may have noticed that the route was revised and released as the Monumental Loop 2.0. These changes were made for several reason, but all in an effort to make the route more enjoyable and attractive to a wider range of riders. We get into all the specifics on this episode and it left me wanting to spend more time than I had available on this trip. I will be back!
*Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Friends are on the frontlines of protecting and providing access to the public lands around Las Cruces.
*Southern New Mexico Trail AllianceSNMTA works tirelessly on advocating for new trails, maintaining current trails, and hosting the Sierra Vista Trail Runs.
*Doña Ana SheWolves A group of FTW riders providing support and community. Several of their crew are certified bike instructors and their skills clinics are highly recommended.
*MTB New Mexico Jose Solis has a YouTube channel and rides centered on a welcoming environment for beginner mountain bikers. MTB NM's videos are equally informative and entertaining.
These episodes aren't possible without your support. This episode is the result of my recently podcasting trip covering 2,500 miles, 2 states, and 3 interviews in 4.5 days. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal.
Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! | |||
| Ep. 66 - Aventure Media 2021, Part 1 | 31 Mar 2021 | 01:06:03 | |
On March 6th, 2021 twelve college students in the Adventure Media class at Texas Tech University set off on a bikepacking trip as part of their course curriculum. This year the classes challenge was the Caprock Canyon State Park and Trailway, which in total was 66 miles with very little climbing, but the wind made up for what the elevation profile lacked! This course is the brainchild of Dr. Jerod Foster who somehow convinced a University to allow him to take students bikepacking in remote places as part of a college course he created and teaches called Adventure Media. To be honest, when you read the words, or hear someone tell you about this Adventure Media course it doesn't click immediately. At least, it didn't for me. When Jerod originally laid out the course in Episode 3 I kinda got it, but I didn't really get it until I went on their class trip in 2019 to Big Bend Ranch State Park. The Terrior film was produced from that 2019 trip and it's a visual introduction into what this class is all about. When you show up in a remote destination with rugged terrain, hours away from any medical assistance, and you look around at the 16 college students assembled ready to tackle whatever comes. And their gear is a mess, and they are wrecking, and bags are falling off, but I can promise you none of that is what defines this or any of the other trips like this.
This episode is different from anything we have ever done before. It takes place in an Arroyo in the Caprock Canyon State Park at dusk. It was a beautiful setting to have a discussion about the experiences and feelings that were had and shared throughout the day. This will be part one in a two part series from this trip. In the next one I will be following Elysa and Tom on their personal journeys during this trip, with narration and commentary by Jerod Foster and I. These episodes aren't possible without your support. If you haven't heard Bikes or Death is going back on the road to do in-person interviews again! My first trip with Van or Death with be to NM and AZ covering 2,500 in 4.5 days and interviewing 4 great guest. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal. Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! Bikepacking Roots 4th Annual Survey | |||
| Ep. 65 - Miles Arbour with Bikepacking.com | 15 Mar 2021 | 01:31:57 | |
Miles is BACK! The first time we did an interview was in his van at the Bikepacking Summit in 2019. This year, thanks to COVID, we are relegated to Zoom, but that didn't stop us from having a good ole time. We sang, we laughed, and there was some really great chats about Bikepacking.com and other super interesting bike stuff that you won't want to miss! Including, but not limited to, the best shoes for bikepacking, thoughts on old mtb restorations, guidelines on submitted events and routes to Bikepacking.com, plus so much more. Miles and I are friends and this conversation reflects that. We can get a little silly, but who couldn't use a little dose of that right now? I think we were able to squeak in some good information in between the silliness. I'd go far as to say that maybe this episode is the perfect blend of silly and serious, but I guess you will have to be the judge of that. Most importantly, if you are anticipating a 2nd verse of the Bikes or Death Theme Song you're in luck! Just like the first episode Miles surprised me with a second verse, performed live on his guitalele. And I can tell you now, it's hot fire, but you'll have to wait to the very end of this episode to hear it. If you missed my first episode with Miles Arbour you can Listen Here. This episode listeners have a chance to Watch if that is your preference! These episodes aren't possible without your support. If you haven't heard Bikes or Death is going back on the road to do in-person interviews again! My first trip with Van or Death with be to NM and AZ covering 2,500 in 4 days and interviewing 4 great guest. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal. Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! | |||
| ep. 64 - Bikepacking Basics: You ask, we answer! | 19 Feb 2021 | 02:00:12 | |
Over the last couple of years I've received a lot of request for episodes that address some of the "how-to's" and "what's what" of bikepacking. I've delayed for a couple of reason. One, a personal belief (or lack thereof) that I should leave that to more experienced and knowledgeable people in the community. The other problem, was figuring out a way to deliver the information in a podcast format. I kind of always thought it needed to be a YT video and maybe I would get into that one day. I believe now, through my conversations with a variety of guest, that everyone has something to contribute, and that includes myself. I pulled in my friend Connor Thomas to shoulder some of the weight too! Connor and I met at my LBS and as we got to know each other we learned that we shared a similar interest in the outdoors and adventuring. We've been able to go on a number of great trips and I know him to be an a person whose passion for the outdoors is equalled by his knowledge of it. When he agreed to record a podcast on some Bikepacking Basics I was stoked, because I think a conversation about these topics is far more interesting that a monolog, and he brings his own unique experiences to the table as well. In this episode we use a recent trip to Big Bend National Park as the backdrop to answer your questions. Ultimately, we received 41 questions, that boiled down to 18 questions and we tackle them all! The most requested topic was on Route Building, which was really perfect because our trip to BB was a route finding mission. We saved that one for last and answer your other questions as we build up to it, but you won't want to miss "How to make cake while bikepacking" (video coming soon) or our thoughts on e-bikes! Thanks to everyone for their questions, we hope you find this information helpful, and if you enjoyed this episode please let me know. I bet I can get Conor to do another one if we ask nice. ~~~~~~~~ BoD Theme Song by Miles Arbour Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! | |||
| Ep. 178 ~ Patrick's AZT 300 Attempt | 22 Apr 2024 | 03:09:51 | |
Since my youth I've had a passion and love for the outdoors. While all wilderness landscapes appeal to me in their own unique way, desert landscapes have always been my favorite. So it's no surprise that when I got into bikepacking and found out about the AZT it quickly ascended to the top of my bucket list. After 5 years of hoping, dreaming, and planning, I finally made the leap and signed up for a Spring ITT. On April 11th at 7:12am myself and 3 others (Gregg Dunham, Alan Jacoby, and Ian Quigley) set out on the AZT, each of us doing ITT's. The AZT (Arizona Trail) is a hiking trail that runs North/South across the length of Arizona. It is one of the routes that make up the Bikepacking Triple Crown and considered to be the most difficult route by many who have done all three. There are two route options, the 300, which ends at the Picket Post Trailhead, and the 800 that ends at the Utah border and requires riders to disassemble their bike and carry through the Grand Canyon. My AZT challenges started months before the start and just getting to the start line would prove to be one of the biggest challenges. Life was throwing everything at me all at once and, at times, I seriously considered postponing my AZT attempt. Ultimately, I put my head down and worked my way through, over, and around, all of the barriers that threatened to end my attempt before it even started. I lined up on the morning of April 11th feeling unprepared, undertrained, and down right afraid of what I was about to do. In moments like that all you can do is push aside any lingering doubts and just ride your damn bike, so that's what I did.
Ultimately, my ride was cut short in Tucson due to heat related illnesses. But my time on the trail was everything I could have hoped for and a lot more. The trail lives up to its reputation as being difficult, but it also exceeded my expectations of beauty. No amount of hike a bike, heat, or ruggedness diminished my enjoyment during my time out there. I truly had the time of my life and am only left with overwhelming sense of love for this world that we live in and a body that took me as far as it could. The trail isn't going anywhere and I'm already looking forward to attempting it again one day.
On this episode I mic myself up during my attempt and share my experience on the Arizona Trail. I hope this episode helps other people who are wanting to ride their damn bike on the ATZ. EPISODE SPONSORS
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| Ep. 63 - Jacob Hora | 26 Jan 2021 | 01:14:14 | |
The first episode of 2021 is with the very inspirational Jacob Hora. At only 15 he's accomplished more than most regardless of age. I didn't know who he was before watching the Trackleader dots of Jay Petervary's Fat Pursuit. The first place finisher was Jacob, so I clicked on his profile and was immediately intrigued when I saw he was only 15! You may remember that the first episode of 2020 was with, 15 year old, Alana Rose Parent. I thought that was such a great way to start off the new year, with a inspirational story from the younger members of our community. Hearing their enthusiasm for cycling and the outdoors truly makes me feel good about the future of this sport and community we love. I knew very little about Jacob going into the interview; which I always enjoy. I got to be truly surprised by him, his accomplishments, goals, and perspectives. What I heard from him was nothing but positivity, excitement, and love for bikepacking. But as you'll hear, accomplishments don't just happen, Jacob has already learned the value of hard work to accomplish goals. There are no shortcuts here, he's putting in the work and making the sacrifices to do the thing he loves and to pursue his goals. He's currently training for the ITI 350 in February, so make sure to follow his dot and send him some love. You can follow him on instagram @jacob_hora To listen to the FULL version of the BoD Theme Song (Cover) by Ian Cherry Click Here. | |||
| Ep. 62 - Kait boyle, FKT on the kokopelli | 10 Dec 2020 | 00:49:58 | |
On the morning of Christmas Eve 2018 Kait Boyle was at the height of her ultra endurance racing career, having won the 24 hour World Championship in 2018 and set a new record on the AZT 300. Her life would take an unexpected turn later that day when she was involved in a horrific vehicular accident that left her with a long list of injuries and a long path to recovery. Like many of you, I watch her social media feed for months as she dedicated herself to rehabilitation and ultimately back to fitness. Almost a 2 years, and a pandemic later, she finally found herself at the top podium again. This time in the form of an FKT on the Kokopelli Trail. On Nov. 6th, 2020 Lael Wilcox, Kurt Refsnider, and Kait all met in Moab at the start line of the Kokopelli, each of them on ITT's with FKT's on the mind. Kait was able to finish with a time of 13 hrs, 7 mins, which was good enough to beat the long standing time set by Rebecca Rush by 25 minutes. In doing so, she answered 2 years of questions and uncertainty. She was equally rewarded for her hard work, perseverance, and PATIENCE. As a personal fan, I remember cringing seeing the gruesome pics from her crash and injuries. It was hard to watch, I can't imagine how hard it was to live. Pictures courtesy of Rugile KaladyteIn addition to her accomplishments on the bike she is also the Co-Founder of Bikepacking Roots, which supports and advances bikepacking, the growth of a diverse bikepacking community, and access to and the conservation of the landscapes and public lands through which we ride. Her contributions on and off the bike are both impressive and valuable to this community that we all love. It was great to share in this milestone with her and hear about her journey over the past couple of years. Kait, congrats on the FKT, and we look forward to rooting for you in future races. You can learn more about Kait on her website or follow her on social media. Episode Sponsors (check them out as a way to thank them for supporting this podcast) Did you know? | |||
| Ep. 61 - Ted King, FKT on the ARHCR | 25 Nov 2020 | 01:02:49 | |
From 2006 to 2016 Ted King was a professional road cycling before switching to gravel where he took 1st at the DK200 in 2016 and 2017. Earlier this month he completed the 1,000+ mile Arkansas High Country Race in first with a time of 4 days, 20 hours, which was good enough to snag the FKT set by Jay Petervary in June of this year. The ARHCR is no walk in the park either. It may be easy to have your guard down when you see that the highest point on the route is only 2,745 ft. elevation, but in the words of friend and route creator Chuck Campbell "The valleys are low and the grade is steep". I got to preview a portion of the route in February and I got a first hand taste of the steepness. The route is littered with sharp grades going both up or down. There is very little flat sections, in most cases you're either going up or down. On Oct. 31st 2020 twenty ultra-endurance cyclist started from Fayetteville, AR. Racers can choose to go either CW or CCW, but regardless of which direction you go there is still 1,037 miles and over 80,000 ft of climbing through the Ozarks and Ouachitas in NW Arkansas. Of the 20 that started only 7 finished, which in itself is a testament to the toughness of this route. This was Ted's first attempt at an ultra endurance bikepacking event. He didn't have much experience bikepacking either, but that didn't stop him from signing up to tackle a very challenging course. Like many of you, I followed his dot closely to see if his wealth of experience in other disciplines of the sport would transfer over, or if the local Andrew Onermaa would be able to keep the crown away from King. In the end Ted would ultimately grit it out to win by beating out all previous FKT's, but for much of the race Andrew was on his heels never taking the pressure off. He recorded a video shortly after scratching that's worth watching. If you want to know how hard it is, this video scratches the surface of what it takes to compete at a high level against one of hell of a professional cyclist. Ted, congrats on your FKT, welcome to bikepacking! I can't wait to see what you set your sites on in the future. | |||
| Ep. 60 - Aaron Chamberlain, Tour de Texas | 18 Nov 2020 | 01:08:42 | |
I caught up with Aaron 4 days after he finished becoming the *first person to circumnavigate Texas on a bike! In total he rode 3,014 miles in 58 days and he wrote weekly articles about his journey that you can read on Texas Monthly. In 2019 he rode every street in his hometown of Austin, TX, but towards the end of that project he started thinking bigger. Like the whole state of Texas bigger! In the fall he started planning a route, starting first by connecting towns that were about 60 miles away. By January he had a completed route and all he had to do now was convince his employer to allow him to do it! Aaron's laid back approach to these endeavours is refreshing. No KOM chasing or FKT attempts here, just fun, maybe silly, reasons to go ride your damn bike! *Maybe the second, but who's counting? | |||
| Ep. 59 - Erik Binggeser aka Truemarmalade | 13 Nov 2020 | 02:08:17 | |
Erik and I met at a Bikes or Death group bikepacking trip right before the world shut down thanks to a coronavirus. Since then he's been wholed up in his Austin apartment in lockdown. With some extra time stuck indoors he's been finding ways to stay active and engaged with the cycling community. Early on he rode 1,000 miles on his training in a month, then he gave himself a stick and poke tattoo, but his latest project really caught my attention, along with many of you I'm sure. You may have seen his animated film "Studio Ghibli Campout" featuring a bearded wizardy looking character riding through a Studio Ghibli Film. Erik is the creator and stars in the film that was made with the assistance of Alison Mae Bonham. It is a uniquely beautiful film that fills you with emotion. For me I watched with a tinge of somberness as it felt like Erik was reaching out to the cycling community and saying "I really wish I could be out riding with my friends, but here's a beautiful gift that I made from my apartment instead". I found myself longing for simpler times and looking forward to group rides again. Like his film, Erik is a beautifully unique person and our conversation is a reflection of that. We talk robots, hacking, pokemon go, bikes, padded vs non-padded, riding with diabetes, and lots more good stuff. Erik, it was great to catch up again, stay well my friend, and we'll ride again some day soon! | |||
| Ep. 58 - Chris Burkard | 03 Nov 2020 | 01:25:58 | |
Chris Burkard has become a personal source of inspiration for me and it was an honor to have him back on the podcast. He was first on way back at Episode 17 to tell us about his WOW Cyclothon Record that he set in 2019. That episode really fired me up and motivated me to push myself in more ways than just on the bike. Chris' passion for life is contagious and I highly recommend you go back and listen to ep. 17, although you don't need to listen in order to enjoy. After setting an Icelandic record in 2019 he started on his next project, the first ever traverse through the interior of Iceland via bike! First means, he had to hire a cartographer to sketch out a route, then take some super jeeps out to test parts of it, and then convince a few friends to try it! Those friends were Pro XC racer Emily Batty, Eric Batty, and Adam Morka. You'll have to listen to hear how it went, but check out these pics to see the diversity of terrain they covered! Shortly after he was back at it on a bikepacking trip in the Sierras with Lael Wilcox, Rue Kaladyte, and Erik Nohlin. This adventure included a 30ish mile pack-a-bike using custom made transformer packs that Erik designed specifically for this trip. Routes and films are going to be published from these trips, but get a sneak "listen" now! In this episode I also took the opportunity to talk to him about his successful photography career and work/life balance before we got into his two most recent bikepacking adventures. It's his ability to manage successful career, be an involved father/husband, and still go on these epic adventures that I'm really inspired by. It's not an easy path, so I was eager to find out some of his thoughts and perspectives. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did! | |||
| Ep. 57 - Talib Abdullahi, Black History Ride | 09 Oct 2020 | 01:09:10 | |
In July Talib Abdullahi created and organized a Black History Ride in Austin, TX. Motivated by the BLM movement he wanted to create a positive event that would both be education and fun. Originally, he was thinking it would be him and maybe 20 of his friends, but word quickly got out, and within a week he was leading his Black History Ride with 400ish cyclist in tow. In August I met up with Talib and a few of our friends to ride the route and record a podcast. The format for this show is much different from past episodes. We met on his route at The Quickie Pickie and recorded an intro and then we stopped at various locations along the route and recorded segments at each one. This is just a preview of the route, you'll have to get on your own damn bike if you want to give yourself the full tour! I believe it was in Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" that he says, "The world is starved for leaders". Talib's actions shows what happens when you turn your passion into action. He lead a ride that he created and 400 cyclist showed up in support. Hopefully, many more people will do his route in the days and years to come. Follow THIS LINK for all the ride/route info, go Ride Your Damn Bike and learn something! Talib, thank you for leading and being a positive example and helping to educate me and many others. | |||
| Ep. 56 - Patrick Farnsworth, host of BoD | 22 Sep 2020 | 02:04:43 | |
This week I'm in the hot seat as my friend Ryan ask me YOUR questions! He interviewed me once before on Ep. 8, but a lot has changed in 48 episodes and thanks to your questions we had plenty to talk about. If you've been listening for a while you've probably heard me talk about my lack of expectations for the podcast. Not in a self-deprecating way, but in the way that you do something that you're passionate about for a community you love without expectations. I didn't tell anyone about the podcast or promote it outside of an obscure post on a small instagram account, but that didn't stop me from quickly realizing not only the popularity of Bikepacking, but the desire for these types of interviews and stories. Admittedly, there is a part of me that wanted this podcast to remain small and obscure. That part of me is insecure, self-conscious, and it can be riddled with anxiety and doubt, but I've tried my best to produce the show authentically and to the best of my abilities with the time and talent I have. In the process I've grown considerably as a person, and while I'm still not 100% comfortable in this roll and feel like I have so much to learn, I am ready to fully embrace this opportunity and take it to the next level. In the past few months I have been working in the background to shift my focus on Bikes or Death from a hobby to a career. I will be announcing many new and exciting changes in the coming months, but for now I'm excited to share that for the first time ever I'm partnering with companies that believe in BoD and are equally committed to its success. I'm only partnering with brands that I dig and believe my listeners will benefit from, and most importantly aren't going to silence or censor the show in any way shape or form. We discuss this topic more in-depth on this week's episode, so give it a listen won't ya?! This week's episode was supported by Rockgeist, who wants you to know about their monthly raffle benefiting organizations committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity in bikepacking and the outdoors. Learn more, and enter for your chance to win a CUSTOM Mudlust Framebag, at Rockgeist.com. I'm also stoked to share with you my new favorite sunglasses from Goodr. When I lost my expensive ass sunglasses a month ago I sought out to find an affordable alternative that didn't sacrifice on quality or style, blah blah blah....sunglasses. Check out some of my favs at Goodr.com/BikesorDeath. | |||
| Ep. 55 - Dave Nice, aka Fixie Dave | 16 Sep 2020 | 01:38:22 | |
This weeks episode I chat with Dave Nice who is known on the interwebs as @fixiedave. His username gives away the fact that he rides fixie, but it says nothing about his completion of the Tour Divide in 2012 after attempting it 5 times before. I have to assume it takes a determined person to ride a fixie, but what adjective should I use to describe the determination of someone who takes on such massive route, fails 5 times, before ultimately accomplishing said goal? Dave was originally inspired by John Stamstads 1999 ITT run on The Tour Divide. By the time that Ride the Divide was being filmed in 2008 Dave was there lining up for his 3rd attempt as many of us were just hearing about this race/route for the first time. He's been at this far longer than most of us. He went on to attempt the divide 5 times before finally completing the entire route in 2012 in 33d, 14h, 4m. Since then he attempted Route 66 fixed, but had to scratch after 1,863. These days you'll find Dave working at Kids on Bikes in Colorado Springs where he is passionately working with kids to inspire the next generation of cyclist. Dave doesn't own a car, he uses a flip phone, and rides fixed. Simple. I can dig it. | |||
| Ep. 54 - The SStrempkes, YoYo on The Colorado Trail | 26 Aug 2020 | 01:39:10 | |
Two things that intimidate me are the Colorado Trail and YoYo'ing the CT, but nothing kept Katie and Andrew Strempke from being the first people to Yo-Yo it. By the numbers they did a total of 1,080 miles, 140,000 ft of elevation gain, with maybe 200 miles or more of hike-a-bike, and one slumber party in a vaulted camp toilet. They completed it in 16d, 14h, 20m which is made more epic by the fact that they were both on Singlespeed!! Katie wrote an article for her blog that was published on Bikepacking.com that is well worth the read. In this episode we dive into important topics like "what is it with bikepackers and sleeping in toilets?". Have a listen for this inspiring story and many more. One of my favorite takeaways was Katie's mantra "Growth>Comfort". Stay uncomfortable my friends, nothing great was ever accomplished in an abundance of comfort. | |||
| Ep. 177 ~ Meaghan Hackinen, DOOM 3rd Overall | 08 Apr 2024 | 01:57:22 | |
Meaghan Hackinen is your 2024 DOOM female winner and 3rd place overall. On day one she skipped a critical resupply point and found herself leading the field for a good part of the day. Dexter Kopas would eventually catch her and go on to take the win. Overall, it made for some exciting dot watching and resulted in an impressive finish for Meaghan.
Meaghan got into competitive ultra cycling events back in 2016 and she has a long list of good results that include wins and FKT on several courses. Notably, she was the overall winner at the BC Epic 1000 in 2021 and she is the 24 hour World Time Trial Champion where she set a new course record.
Next up, Meaghan is taking on the Tour Divide. She's on my dot-watching list, she should probably be on yours too! EPISODE SPONSORS
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| Ep. 53 - Sofiane Sehili | 20 Aug 2020 | 01:11:46 | |
At this point Sofiane Sehili needs no introduction. Three days ago Sofiane finished the French Divide in 1st place and with a New Course Record to boot. After his impressive 1st place at the Atlas Mtn Race earlier this year he was looking forward to a busy and successful race year, but then Covid happened. When some restrictions were lifted he wasted no time signing up. In June he raced the Hope 1,000 and took 2nd, the following month he lined up at the Three Peaks Race and was able to take 2nd again. He went into the French Divide 10 days after coming off Three Peaks. In case you aren't counting, that's THREE ultra events in the same number of months. The fact the he even completed all three events is impressive enough alone. When you take into account his results, it is truly a remarkable achievement. I think it's worth noting that he is also just a damn nice guy who (as you will hear) isn't shy to bring attention to his competitors and highlight their achievements as well. Class act all the way around and I'm so stoked he's on team bike. | |||
| Ep. 52 - Cinthia Pedraza | 13 Aug 2020 | 01:06:29 | |
Cinthia Pedraza calls Austin, Texas home. Some recent experiences in her hometown led her to write an article titled "Bike Racing, White Privilege, and the Coronavirus" that was published on The Radavist. As you can imagine she was praised by some and targeted by others. Personally, I'm grateful for her willingness to share her perspective on a touchy subject when the world feels poised to cancel anyone who expresses opinions that don't align with their own. My platform seeks to be an antidote to this and instead wants to be a safe place for people to share their stories and perspectives. It is through these conversations that we can learn, grow, and help to inform our own opinions. I applaud Cinthia for taking the initiative to share a hard thing, on a sensitive topic, that is directed to HER cycling community. A nod to John Watson, of The Radavist, is in order as well. As you'll hear, when Cinthia wasn't able to get her article published, she put it on her instagram account. John got wind of it and asked if he could publish it on his site, and the rest is history.... | |||
| Ep. 51 - Lewis Ciddor | 03 Aug 2020 | 01:48:51 | |
In this week's episode I do my first "colab" podcast with Lewis Ciddor who not only won Tour Divide in 2017, but is also the host of the Overland Archive Podcast. We come to the podcasting world with different experiences and perspectives which I think are both valuable. I was excited to chat with him about his personal history with cycling and of course his 2018 TD win. It was made particularly interesting because I had just interviewed Bailey Newbrey who was the 2018 TD Second Place finisher and he was on a SingleSpeed. Admittedly when you get two people who are relatively new to the podcasting world, and still trying to figure it out, there will be a fare amount of nerdery being discuss. Honestly, Lewis offered to edit this episode, so I haven't even heard it yet. Coupled with a bad memory, I don't remember everything we discuss. I do remember having a great time and felt like it was one of the more conversational podcast that I've recorded. That's probably due to the nature of us both being host and taking turns asking questions. Thank you Lewis for the chat, and I hope everyone enjoys listening as much as we enjoyed recording! | |||