Bikes or Death

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! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Jeff Cory Steven Young Robert Crawford Paul Fallon Tyrell Lewis Aaron Huey 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 🚨 ADnouncements 🚨 Bikepacking Roots 4th Annual Survey 6AM WorkShirts - Patrons receive 20% off

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! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Ben P. Gabriel D. Balazs B. Graham W. 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

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! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Alissa B. Jennifer A. Michael W. Julien L. Barry C. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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.

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 Kaladyte In 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) ~ GOODR Sunglasses ~ KUAT Racks Did you know? 1% of all store sales go to the Bikepacking Roots BIPOC Adventure Grant Program

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.

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?

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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....

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....

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!

Episode 50 is coming in hot! Today's episode is with the charismatic, inspirational, and rowdy Leo Rodgers! He's made a splash in the cycling world recently with features in Bicycle Magazine, a Lucas Brunelle Film, and most recently signed with Crust/Ronsbikes/Ultradynamico factory PRO recreation TEAM. The attention is well deserved. When a motorcycle accident left him without a leg he reconnected with his childhood passion, bikes. The missing limb hasn't slowed him down and if you go ride with him he'll tell ya "don't worry I'll wait for you". As the Para Track 200m TT world record holder he can back it up! But he's not just at home on the track, he transcends all cycling cultural boundaries. Is he a roadie, track racer, gravel racer, tall bike FIXIE enthusiast, commuter? He's all of that, but mostly he's a man with a passion for the bike lifestyle that he promulgates with enthusiasm at every opportunity. His story is a reminder that there are people who do more with less and they don't make excuses. Everyone will face challenges in life, no one is exempt, and those challenges will define the person that we become. This was a really fun interview and I was stoked to get a little bit of Leo's time and bring a bit of his story to you. Happy listening, now go ride your damn bike!

He didn't invent the Great Divide Route or the Tour Divide Race, but Mike Dion quite literally brought awareness to both with his 2010 film Ride the Divide. Many bikepackers I've met, including myself, credit it with their own journey into this new way of exploration. 10 years later, his film is still relevant as people are finding it for the first time and getting inspired with their own sense of wanderlust. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary Mike is throwing a party and we are all invited. Most of the cast, crew, and athletes from the film will be online and taking your questions. There will be a live screening of the film with the option to listen in to the behind the scenes chatter amongst the cast and crew. If that wasn't enough, I will be hosting the live Q&A and moderating the conversation. To find out more and buy tickets click here (if you're seeing this on social media go to bikesordeath.com and click the RTD10 Party hyperlink at the top of the page). Tune in to the podcast, get stoked, and join us online on August 2nd!

I got to meet up with Bailey Newbrey in his new-ish shop, Sincere Cycles, on a recent trip to Santa Fe, NM. Bailey made a some noise in 2018 when he finished the Tour Divide in second place overall on a Singlespeed! We chat a lot about his 2016 and 2018 Tour Divide runs and his reasoning behind running SS. He also makes some bold predictions towards the end of the podcast that is worth sticking around for. Sincere Cycles calls an old bar home which gives it a cool vibe right off the bat. His workstation is behind the bar where he serves up some of the finest bike knowledge and experience that money CAN'T buy. We talk about how is business fits into the Santa Fe scene and what some of this plans are for the shop. Of course, we talk covid-craziness as well. It was a true pleasure getting to meet up with Bailey in his shop. It gave me a chance to see him interact with customers and use his experiences to inform suggestions. He clearly has a passion for what he is doing which is made easier by creating a bike shop that is tailored to his interest and expertise. I love it when people take their passions and figure out a way to make them a "job" too. I wish him all the success both in his new shop and in upcoming races.

James Mark Hayden came on the ultra endurance bike racing scene in 2015. Since then he's been putting down some incredible performances, winning the Transcontinental Race twice, shared 1st place at the Italy divide, getting 4th at Silk Road even though he was robbed by men on horses during the race, and most recently he finished 2nd at Atlas Mountain Race to Sofiane who came in only 4 hours earlier. All of this he accomplished while finishing up his degree at university. Guess what? School is over, no more distractions, and James is on a mission to be a professional ultra endurance bike racer. What does that look like? We talk about it on the show. When racing starts again James is going to be one of the guys to watch. Check out his instagram @jamesmarkhayden where he post tons of great knowledge about his training and related topics.

Friends, we can no longer be silent. Being a non-racist is not enough, we need to be anti-racist and create the change that is so desperately needed. Please listen to this message about what Bikes or Death, and I, are doing and how you can help.

This weeks episode features four first time bikepackers and students of Jerod Fosters Adventure Media class at Texas Tech University. Many of you will probably be familiar with this course from past interviews, but for the uninitiated it is a college course that teaches students how to capture more adventurous type media. As an example of the type of media they produce check out a couple of videos that students produced from last years trip to Big Bend Ranch SP: Video 1 | Video 2 (if you're reading this on social media visit bikesordeath.com). Unfortunately for this years class their BBRSP trip was cancelled 3 days before due to Covid-19. However, they did get to train for, prepare for, and participate in a bikepacking trip to Caprock Canyon SP. So on this episode we talk to four "First Timers" on preparations, fears, experiences, and lessons learned. I'm excited to release this episode because as this sport continues to grow more and more people are being inspired to get out there. Hopefully hearing experiences from other beginners will help to inspire and encourage others that I read to go out and explore the world on a bike. My guest today are Taylor Plate, Nejahla Hopkins, Colton Rohrbach, and Kolby Donnell. Their experience going into this course ranged from None to Some and their stories range from inspirational to humorous. I've seen first hand the transformation bikepacking can have on someone when they are introduced to it for the first time. I hope this episode will inspires others to go outside and get a little lost on their bike.

Pepper Cook is a legend in the bikepacking and touring community. She's known for her witty puns, quirky humour, and almost a decade of epic solo bike trips. I got to meet her at last years Bikepacking Summit where she was a presenter. I've been a fan of her for a long time and listening to her masterfully tell stories around a campfire goes down as a highlight of my life. She is as engaging and funny in person as you may imagine. The day before we recorded this episode she made a heartfelt post on instagram about some of her personal struggles with happiness and mental health. On this episode we unpack some of what precipitated that post and really shed light on the dichotomy between social media and what's going on in a person's real life. We also discuss the value bike travel has had on personal journey with mental health. These are important topics and I appreciate Peppers willingness to openly discuss some hard topics. We also discuss her recent sponsorship with Salsa Cycles, her nomadic lifestyle and recent move to alaska, as well as her most recent solo trip on the Baja Divide. Enjoy!

I'm excited to have Jerod Foster back on the podcast, he was first on as my 3rd guest. On that episode we discuss his career as a Professor at Texas Tech University, where he teaches a class called Adventure Media. In this class he takes 16 student bikepacking and gives this real world experience capturing content in wild places. I was fortunate to go on one of these trips and see first hand the impact that this course has on the students who chose to tackle it. If you'd like to hear more about that I suggest you go back and listen to episode 3 where we discuss this and much more. As I got to know Jerod better I started to admire him for another reason, his ability to have an adventurous life and career, while still playing an active role in his family. As a father I know the challenges of taking young kids outside and immersing them in nature, I also know the benefit. I believe it is an important role as a parent, but it's not always easy. I hope you'll enjoy this episode on being an adventurous spouse and parent as much as I did. Jerod shares some real heartwarming stories and already has me planning my first bikepacking adventure with my girls.

On March 19th at 5:00am Mark McGraw lined up at the start line of the "unofficial" GranGravel 500 Race along with two others. The official race was cancelled due to COVID-19, but that didn't stop these guys from lining up to take on the course, the elements, and potential resupply closures at key points. The forecast called for lots of rain that would make many of the roads unrideable. Despite that Mark still was able to finish in 66 hours (2 days, 18 hours). When he was only 80 miles from the finish I drove out to snap some pictures and cheer him on, by this time he was the last man standing and it was raining. However, I was happy to see that his spirits were high and his legs still pushing strong. I'm bummed that I wasn't able to participate this year, but it was a joy to get to chat with Mark about his race. I learned some things that I hope I get to put into action next year. The GranGravel 500 was created by Billy Rice. It starts and finishes in Bryan, TX (my hometown) and takes you through 500 miles of East Texas gravel, through two National Forest, and by countless country churches and cemeteries. Maybe next year I'll see you at the start line?!

Emma Flukes doesn't shy away from a challenge. In fact, she seeks them out and seems to thrive there. She is the brainchild behind the twisted, grueling, unsanctioned, unsupported, route described as "a scenic trip to Hell", and known as Tassie Gift. In Nov. of 2019 she and a handful of other lunatics set out to test themselves in some truly unprecedented weather making the 1,100 miles and 125,000 ft. of climbing even more challenging. As I followed along as a dot watcher and instagram stalker I was surprised and impressed by Emma's attitude, she seemed completely unphased by any of it, and at some times seemed to thrive. After the race we started chatting about recording a podcast, but it took several months (my fault) before I was able to peel back what was really going on behind the veil of instagram. A month ago she participated in and took second at the Vic Divide. She chatted with the creator of the race Lewis Cidor on his new podcast Overland Archive. Her telling of the race was much less dramatic that one may expect, but I won't ruin the surprise here. You gotta listen. I'd recommend that you check out her instagram profile @oneflukeshot before you listen to this one. It's actually pretty insane and will add context as you listen.

In this episode I meet up with Jenny Schmidt at Rocky Hill Ranch to ride bikes and record a podcast. She had just completed a solo bikepacking trip along the US/Mexico border from California to Texas. For her this trip was about grappling with her own mental health and an opportunity to learn first hand about the issues surrounding the border and the wall. When we recorded this episode on Feb. 25th we had no idea that when she flew back to her home state of Washington that she would soon find herself in the epicenter of America's battle with the Coronavirus. As I listened to this episode it was eye opening to realize what a different world we were living in only a month ago. It was actually refreshing to remember back to that day and relive the simplicity of going for a mountain bike ride with new friends, recording an episode in @vanordeath, and then going out to a restaurant for tacos. All of those things are on hold now as we hunker down and wait. I've been reflecting on how connected we ALL are. This virus has shown that the actions of one man in Wuhan, China can have a huge impact on the entire planet. In this case, it is a negative impact, but it's opened my eyes to the realization that we really are in this together, that our actions do matter, that one person can make a difference. There is so much we can't do right now you may feel helpless, but I'm encouraging everyone to realize how impactful their actions are and to be mindful of what you do and how you treat people and our environment. I am going to take advantage of this "down-time" by recording and releasing as many episodes as I can. The Bikes or Death Podcast: NOT CANCELLED.

Drew Echelberger is a 29 year old adventure cyclist, writer, glassblower & rapper from Louisville Kentucky. The eccentric aspiring novelist, & travel show host has been making & hiding marbles all across the country throughout the course of the 37,000+ Miles (over 1.5 x around the planet earth) 30 states & 3 countries he has pedaled though solo & self supported over the past 5 years. Two weeks ago he celebrated 1,000 days on the road since last leaving home. Last month I had the pleasure of sitting down with him on a camping trip to hear him read some poetry, do his best Johnny Cash impression, ramble on about bicycle advocacy politics, "Leaving Monday", sensory deprivation tanks, secret beaches, sky islands, & many other obscure rabbit hole bike related tangents. He describes his trip as "If Anthony Bourdain & Hunter S Thompson went on a bike tour, this would be it". Later today he will release the clues to a newly hidden marble in honor of his 1,000 days on the road, & in a few weeks he will host a "How To Do A Bike Overnight" presentation on behalf of the Adventure Cycling Association. Follow along on his profile @NightmareTheRustyRobot to stay up to date on all latest & most recent adventures he's got cookin up in the Austin area for now & in anticipation for that faithful Monday when he finally does get back out there on that long open road. Rumor has it this time he's heading for the Caribbean. •My Website: IRodeHereFromKentucky.Com •Instagram: @NightmareTheRustyRobot#IRodeHereFromKentucky https://www.instagram.com/nightmaretherustyrobot/? •Facebook- Bike Travel: "I Rode Here From Kentucky" https://www.facebook.com/IRodeHereFromKentucky/ •Facebook- My Glass Art: "Echelberger Glass Art" https://www.facebook.com/Echelberger-Glass-Art-1856929101187778/ •Facebook- Marble Hunt: "Worlds Biggest Marble Hunt" https://www.facebook.com/groups/1701482663452819/?ref=share •YouTube: Rap Song Music Video "Dr. Dundiff & Friends - State Of The Art Remix feat. Jim James" https://youtu.be/ggOtCFZ4zoc •Strava Interactive Heat Map (to see every wrong tune I've ever made all 37,000+ miles of them): https://www.strava.com/athletes/645781/heatmaps/15f1f818#3/27.35231/-94.68742 •Strava Athlete Profile: "Drew Echelberger" https://www.strava.com/athletes/645781 •Warmshowers/Couchsurfing: "Drew Echelberger" •Article I mentioned about flotation therapy: https://www.irodeherefromkentucky.com/blog/2018/10/26/sensory-deprivation-flotation-therapy •Full Gear Breakdown: https://www.irodeherefromkentucky.com/bike • Other Featured Articles (not written by me): http://louisvilledistilled.com/2018/01/09/cyclist-drew-echelberger-journeys-hip-hop-u-s-sightseeing-mission/ https://www.adventurecycling.org/sites/default/assets/resources/20181201_OpenRoad_CaplanidesPoore.pdf

I'm excited to release my second interview with Kerry Staite, Chief "Mad Scientist" at kLite. Kerry is a forward thinking guy with perspectives that will make you go mmmmmhhhhh. If we are starved of anything in today's world its authenticity, but not today, not this episode, and especially not Kerry Staite. Hold onto your headphones, this one's coming in hot.

Katie Visco is fresh off a 2,200 mile, 119 day run across the Australian outback, but she didn't do it alone. Her support vehicle was a Surly Troll loaded down with all the food, water, and provisions they would need to make the traverse. This "Monster Bike" was powered by her husband, Henley Philips, making this the first anyone has ever ran across Australia complete supported by 100% human power. You can find out more here: Www.katievisco.com @katievisco @henley.phillips

I had the pleasure of interviewing Scotti and Ernie Lechuga in Little Rock, AR on my way to ride a portion of the AR High Country Route. Brannon Pack who works for Fayetteville recommended them as a great interview to get a feel for what I had to look forward to. I went into this interview completely blind to their background as professional road cyclist. I was planning to talk to them about their FKT they set on the High Country Route and get some pointers, but as their story unfolded I found myself with an endless list of questions and an increasing interest in knowing all about what lead them to bikepacking. What unfolds is one of my personal favorite episodes. They are equally impressive on and off the bikes and I truly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know them better. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! You can learn more about them and their coaching business at LeborneCoaching.com. Also, check out the video documenting their ARHCR FKT. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jyWi7lpyRs This years Arkansas High Country Race takes place in Fayetteville on June 6th. Registration opened on Feb. 15th and there are only 24 spots left (at the time this was published). I hope to see you there! Bikes or Death will be there for a couple of days before the start conducting interviews, hanging out with you fine folks, and rolling out on the start with you. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast and are competing in the race please send me an email at [email protected]. To register CLICK ME

Y'all know I love me some Arkansas, so when Brannon Pack called me with an "idea" to give me a guided tour on a part of the High Country Route I started packing my bike bags. This is the second year for the Arkansaw High Country Race which will start and finishes in Fayetteville, AR for the first time. The race is based on a route that was created by Chuck Campbell in partnership with the Adventure Cycling Association and covers 1,035 miles through the northwestern portion of Arkansas, including the Ouachitas and Ozarks. Last year 20 people registered for the inaugural race, but this year I'd like to see all 50 spots sold out when registration opens! Listen to this episode, get stoked, and set your alarms for 8am CST on Feb. 15th when registration for this years race goes live! The race kicks of on June 6th and Bikes or Death will be there to cover the event, meet the racers, and ride out with you on the official start. We will also be selecting two participants (male and female) to interview prior to and after the race. If you'd like to through your name in the hat, first register, then send me an email at [email protected].

As a follow up to the last episode with Roger Gilles, where we discussed his book Women on the Move about women's racing at the turn of the century, I asked Jolene Holland if she would be willing to come on the show to discuss women's racing now. Jolene has been cycling for the past 10 years and now rides for Colavita as a Cat 1 racer. She is also the creator of Ultra Violet Racing Team, which focuses on helping bridge the gap for women in bike racing. Her enthusiasm for competitive bike racing and getting other women involved really shines through as you listen to her. Another focus is FUN, she says if you ride with her there is a good chance a bike ride will be followed by a beer (or three) which has led to your friendly neighborhood strip club in the past. There is no one right way to ride a bike or be a member of this community. Jolene is a great example of someone who finds joy in all types of cycling and is working to make the sport more inclusive and FUN for everyone. The topic of women in sports is larger and more complex than than can be adequately covered in an hour long podcast. I appreciate Jolene's willingness to discuss this topic and share some of her own perspectives and experiences as a female bike racer in 2020. Now, go ride your damn bike!

In this episode I interview Roger Gilles, author of Women on the Move: The Forgotten Era of Women's Bicycle Racing. I originally became interested in this book when a documentary I was watching (called Bicycle) mentioned a bike racer by the name of Dottie Farnsworth. As a Farnsworth myself, and knowing that it is an uncommon name, I knew there was a good chance I was related to her. My mom happens to be a genealogist, so I put her to work on the lineage while I started my search to track down everything I could find out about Dottie Farnsworth. As it turns out there was very little out there, but I did find some pictures and other bits of information floating around on the internet. Dottie Farnsworth Shortly after I started my search, Roger released his new book Women on the Move featuring Dottie as one of the main characters, along with many other equally fascinating women. What started as a search to find out more about a distant relative turned into a eye opening journey that paints a picture of a time period in our sport that I was completely unaware of. The book covers a 7 year period from 1985-1902 when women's endurance cycling races were at an all time high in America. The women who dared to race were truly pioneers, pushing the boundaries of not only what everyone thought was physically possible, but also the clothing and social norms of the time. They truly had to fight on and off the track to pursue their goals, and what they accomplished is truly astonishing. We all owe these women so much, but I hope women in particular will find inspiration in these stories of courage and athletic accomplishments that took place only 120 years ago.

At the age of 14 Alana was introduced to bikepacking through The Anchorage GRIT Program put on by Lael Wilcox and Cait Rodriguez. If you've been following along you have probably heard Lael's version of meeting and getting to know Alana, and now you get to hear from the young lady herself. As a seasoned bikepacker at the age of 16 she has already completed a 1,000+ mile trip in Alaska and a tour of the Pacific Coast and she's done both SOLO. Check out this episode to learn more about those trips, what she loves about bikepacking, and her plans for the future! If you'd like to support her in her adventures, Alana has an Etsy Shop were she sells bike art jewelry she made herself.

You don't schedule an interview with Ultraromance. The universe must align in such a way that your paths cross and you may find yourself sitting down with the most mythical personality our sport has ever seen. In this exclusive interview I ask the questions you've been dying to know like, "What's your name?" and "Do you take showers?". Find out his answer to these and many more in this ultra episode of the Bikes or Death Podcast. Follow him on Instagram (ummm just in case you don't already) You can find the products we discussed on the show on his website www.ronsbikes.com and his new tire corporation www.ultradynamico.com

At the Bikepacking Summit I had the honor of sitting down with Lael Wilcox and Rugile Kaladyte (Rue) in their first interview together. After they found themselves in the middle of drama on the Tour Divide this year it was nice to chat with both of them to hear their thoughts on riding and documents bikepacking events. Personally, I'm grateful for what they are trying to do through documenting this great sport that we love. Inspired to Ride spurred a new generation of bikepackers and Tour Divide participants, myself included. I am grateful for the efforts they have been making to tell the stories of events like the Tour Divide or the Navidad 1000. Those stories inspire and inspiration leads to more people on bikes and that's something we should all be rallied around. Having been fortunate enough to spend time riding, socializing, and interviewing both Lael and Rue I have seen first hand their love for this sport, the community, and their desire to share these stories in the most respectful way possible. Yesterday Pearl Izumi launch Rue's new film I Just Want to Ride documenting Tour Divide 2019. It is worth a watch and then a rewatch. How cool is it to be able to watch the dots, see some social media post from time to time, and then watch a film about the event and see first hand some of the conditions and challenges that the riders were facing only five months ago!? Thank you Lael and Rue for keeping the course in the face of adversary. As you will hear on this episode there is nothing easy about documenting an event like this and to do it under such scrutiny from the community you love added a whole new level of difficulty. The new film is a beautiful look into the lives of the ultra endurance riders we love and the routes we aspire to ride. I look forward to future projects and more content like this. Maybe in the future people will put down their keyboards and go ride their damn bikes!

Kate Gates is one of the owners of Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike Getaway in Ellijay, GA, the venue for this year's Bikepacking Summit. Their property is located in the southern Appalachian Mountains of northwest Georgia and is surrounded by National Forest, gravel roads, and cycling friendly trails. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that their facility is an oasis for cyclists and outdoors people. The proprietors of this family owned and operated business are a large part of what makes Mulberry Gap so special. This is very much a family business. Grandmas are LITERALLY in the kitchen whipping up some of the best homemade southern comfort food your hungry little heart desires. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the coffee and cold beer as both are a necessity to most. Their hospitality neither starts nor ends with the food, but it's a good place to get your attention. The true magic of the place comes from the top down. Everyone who runs this facility loves what they do, the community they do it for, and the people involved on an individual level. Just add awesome cyclists and hot damn you've got yourself a party! Thank you Kate and Andrew Gates (and their families) for hosting such a great event and making each of us feel welcome in your home.

Joe Cruz is a powerful and incredibly insightful person, which surely stems from his background as a professor of philosophy at Williams College and his decades of bikepacking and bike traveling all over the world. Additionally, he is an editor at large for Bikepacking.com. Joe was the opening presenter on Friday morning at the Bikepacking Summit this year. What we as the audience experienced was a powerful lesson in fear, our understanding of it, and our relationship to it. Joe's understanding and relationship with fear is probably deeper than most of our own. It's the kind of relationship you have after spending three decades traveling the world via bicycle. He would tell you, any moments of fear he experienced are greatly outnumbered by the good, positive, and wonderful experiences. So how do we look at fear in contrast to these amazing experiences? I'll let Joe tell you in his own words. This interview was very impromptu. I had just finished recording with Greg Hardy and had a small window before my next interview. Joe's stellar presentation had put him on my radar for a possible interview. So when I looked around and saw him chatting with some fellow attendees I took the opportunity to have him share some of this presentation with you. I wish you could have been there on Friday morning to hear his presentation, to see the emotion in his eyes, and to feel that emotion reverberate through the room. If you weren't able to be there I hope you will get a taste of what we all experienced through this podcast.

On Oct. 27th 2018 I sat down with Greg Hardy of Rockgeist in his shop in Asheville, NC to record the first ever Bikes or Death podcast. What has transpired since that day can only be described as a whirlwind. On that day I started a journey that has taken me further than I realized possible or likely. However, here we are a year later and I'm sitting down with my friend Greg again. On this new episode we share some thoughts about the Bikepacking Summit, catch up, I ask some follow up questions to our first episode, and of course we talk shop! And he's got some juicy stuff to share!! Greg is offering a 10% DISCOUNT CODE to all BoD listeners. Use the promo code BIKESORDEATH at check out on Rockgeist.com and watch those dollars just fade away.

Like most modern friendships, I linked up with Miles Arbour through Instagram. Miles is the one responsible for putting together a Q&A article that appeared on BIKEPACKING.com after my first six episodes here at Bikes or Death, sending a surge of new listeners my way… an article I'm still stoked about. Miles is a writer and editor at BIKEPACKING.com, reviewing products and bikes, managing the events calendar, and working directly with the small team that handles the site's daily tasks. He's also a funny dude who is just as goofy in person as he is on Instagram. On this episode, we sit down at the 2019 Bikepacking Summit to learn more about him, van life, and his work with BIKEPACKING.com. As an added bonus, shortly after the summit Miles came to visit me in College Station, Texas to record the intro and outro for this episode, and we debrief the Summit a little further. We both hope you'll get a good laugh during this episode. We sure did.

Getting to talk to Kurt Refsnider was a true pleasure. His achievements on and off the bike are quite impressive and my conversation with him left me feeling inspired, hopeful for the future of our public lands, and also a little like I could be doing more! I caught up with Kurt after his win at the Colorado Trail Race. This is a race that he hasn't had good luck with in the past, but this year everything came together for him to claim first place. In doing so, he became the first person to achieve the Triple Crown of Bikepacking, which means that he is the first person to win the Tour Divide, AZT, and CTR. Let that sink in for a second. In addition to his accomplishments on the bike he is also running Bikepacking Roots, a non-profit focusing on important issues that can and will impact land use and access among other things. The work he and his team are doing is invaluable to us as a community and I encourage you to listen to the podcast and then go to BikepackingRoots.org to become a member and take action on the items they present to the members. Kurt is a leader on and off the bike and I truly enjoyed his time and what he was able to share.

Rebecca Vader set off on her bike a little over two months ago on what she called The Freedom Tour. She didn't have a destination in mind, just a bike and her adventurous spirit. On this episode we learn where that combination leads. She has a unique approach to life that is refreshing on some level and intimidating on the other. Our conversation had me looking inward to check in with myself at different times during the chat. I didn't know anything about her (except what I saw on instagram) before our interview. However, I quickly realized I was talking to a different type of human, one that finds her own path in her own way. As you'll hear that doesn't mean life is perfect or easy, but you already knew that. You will hear some great quotes like, "Wait! You are telling me there is a bike I can ride anywhere I want?!?!" and "I just went to fucking life school"! After our talk Rebecca sent some great pictures that really give a sense of what her tour was like. If you want to put visuals to the words in this interview, check out some of Rebecca's pictures here. I love talking to all the different personalities that make up this great sport. There are so many ways to recreate and participate and they are all good. It's up to you to find our own path....maybe you can steal some ideas from Rebecca....

Kerry Staite is the owner and founder of kLite. I've been a customer of his for a couple of years and have followed him on social media (@klite_dynamo_power on Instagram) with growing curiosity. It was this post that made me reach out to him immediately: "This is ME, I am kLite I wear no shirt of social conformity. I wear no hat to hide my hairless shame I am flesh and blood, I am free to be me. I am kLite" ~ Kerry Staite I pictured him as a mad scientist inventing cool electronic gadgets that are beyond my ability to comprehend. While I do still see him as a mad scientist type, he does an excellent job of explaining his products and how they work. After interviewing him for two hours I can confirm the statement he made in that Instagram post, "I am free to be me." He shared his ideas and perspectives without hesitation or fear of any backlash. It was refreshing. It was also informative. He is a wealth of bike and life knowledge that has come through a lifetime of experiences. I learned a lot and truly enjoyed our conversation. My favorite quote from the podcast was, "I don't give a shit if all I have is a bag of rice. As long as I get to do something I love that makes me happy." We will be recording another episode in the near future. If you have some questions for Kerry drop them in the comment section below and I'll get you answers!

On this episode I chat with Anna Claire Beasley and Beckie Irvin, creators of Grit Fest: a women's mountain bike festival going down this November in Arkansas. The three day festival is open to womxn (cis, trans, and non-binary) riders of ALL levels and will focus on skill development, community building, outdoor advocacy and education. The schedule is packed with workshops and clinics, speakers, social events, a gear swap, camping, beer, and more. Bikes or Death is proud to support Grit Fest as a sponsor, and I'm excited to have these two awesome women on the show to tell us what it's all about. Beckie and Anna Claire share a passion for mountain biking and a commitment to inclusivity that really shine through in this interview. I couldn't agree more with their philosophy that it doesn't matter what bike you have, what you wear when you ride, or whether your gear is basic or fancy. As their website says: "It's not about the gear, the kit, or the bike. It's about the ride + where it takes you." In addition to Grit Fest, we also touch on plenty of other interesting topics: the psychology of how different genders learn in sports, the importance of inclusivity in the world of cycling ("If you have a bike, and you ride it, you're a cyclist"), and the unexpected popularity of women's ultra-endurance cycling races back in the early 1900's. If that caught your interest, here's a link to the book we talked about: Women on the Move, the Forgotten Era of Women's Bicycle Racing. Grit MTB Festival details: Nov. 15-17th, 2019 Tickets go on sale Aug. 19th at 9am CST Spots are still available for sponsors, vendors, and presenters. To learn more, visit www.gritfestival.com or check out gritmtbfestival on Instagram. "Grit Fest is a 3-day grassroots festival designed to bring womxn (cis, trans, and non-binary) together around the sport of mountain biking. Regardless of skill level, every woman is welcome. In addition to helping you develop your skill set, Grit Fest will focus on building community, outdoor advocacy, and education."

On this episode I meet up with Vince Colvin, co-owner of Chumba USA, at his home in Austin, TX. Before recording the podcast he built up a couple of his bikes SS and we went out to shred some trails and eat tacos. We had a great convo and it was cool to ride bikes and talk bikes with the owner of this rad company. www.chumbausa.com Photo by Cass Gilbert @whileoutriding in Ecuador

Imagine you are on an extended bikepacking trip in the high desert. It's the middle of the summer and the middle of nowhere when you see an elderly man lying across the road. You don't know how long he's been there, where he came from, or how long he has left to live. This is the situation Tomas Quinones found himself in on July 18th when he found Gregory Randolph lying on the road in The Oregon Outback. @adventuring.bike www.adventuring.bike

Even before the Tour Divide started this year there was drama on social media. On this episode Billy Rice and I discuss some of the topics. Billy was actually at the Brush Mountain Lodge during some of the speculation, he is also a 6 time vet of the Tour Divide, and has been filmed for Inspired to Ride. Who better to add some dialogue to what I'm calling The Drama Divide.

With 3.4 million Instagram followers you likely know Chris Burkard. He is one of the world's most prolific adventure photographers, known for going to extremes to get "the shot". However, what is less well known is his passion for Cycling. This past year Chris started training for a 844 mile race that circumnavigates Iceland called WOW Cyclothon. He had an incredible race managing to set a new course record by 3.5 hours! And remember, he's just doing this in his spare time for fun! In this episode I catch up with Chris after his historic race in Iceland and before he set off to Russia for a few weeks. We mostly talk about his race and his passion for cycling. It was a great chat and I hope you find it as enjoyable as I did. WOW Cyclothon Article about Chris Burkard Strava Stats from the race 1719 was a job with CLIFF bar in Nicaragua, specifically at Magnific Rock. The trip was done in collaboration with Surfing For Life do build a school here in Nica. Our job was to document it to support a social media push in January. ATHLETES: FOREST SHEER, PETE DEVRIES, ABBY BROWN