Bikes or Death
219 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 362 ratingsBikes or Death is a podcast centered around the growing sport of bikepacking, adventure cycling, and the outdoors. The show features the amazing people who participate in these activities and contribute so greatly to the cycling community. The Bikes or Death Podcast is dedicated to sharing the stories and experiences of these individuals with the hopes that it inspires others to get outside, get on their bikes, and experience what our natural world has waiting for them. At its heart Bikes or Death is more than just a podcast. Bikes or Death is a lifestyle. It’s the idea that a life without bikes is a life not worth living. Now go ride your damn bike!
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Episodes
Ep. 128 ~ Gemma Baird, Highland Trail 550 SS FKT
September 22, 2022 14:36 - 2 hours - 91.6 MBMy guest today is Gemma Baird who recently set a new Singlespeed FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the Highland Trial 550 in Scotland. After battling breast cancer, surviving homeschooling her three kids through the pandemic, and turning 40, Gemma needed a big goal. That's when she set her sights on the 2022 HT550 group start. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to make the group start, but that' didn't stop her. In August she lined up at the start line solo for an ITT (Individual Time Trial). She fini...
Ep. 127 ~ Seth DuBois, Silk Road Mountain Race
September 08, 2022 16:03 - 2 hours - 122 MBSeth DuBois just completed his biggest bikepacking challenge yet at the 2022 Silk Road Mountain Race. SRMR has quickly captured the attention of racers and fans from around the world. The stunning imagery and landscape that is Kyrgyzstan seems to lure people in. Seth felt that pull and he answered the call. This year, he joined 154 other brave souls from around the word to challenge themselves on the 1,120 mile course that scales over 100,000 ft. While the landscape may be breathtaking it is...
Ep. 126 ~ PJ Terry, Winning TNGA at 17
August 27, 2022 16:53 - 1 hour - 76.6 MBWhat were you doing at 17? Whatever it was, it's probably not as cool as my guest today. PJ Terry just shared first place at TNGA with a time of 2d 12h 30m. He crossed the finish line with Andrew Weidrich who shared the win with PJ. Visit www.BikesorDeath.com for a full writeup! This weeks quote ~ "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." ~Albert Einstein EPISODE SPONSORS BoD Takeover – Join us for the first ever Takeover happening at Mulberry Gap in E...
Ep. 125 ~ Shane Hitz, Wisconsin Gravel & Bikepacking
August 18, 2022 19:48 - 2 hours - 95.8 MBShane Hitz has been busy building routes and putting on gravel races in Wisconsin for many years. This week he's here to tell us all about his routes, the Red Granite Grinder, and Wisconsin gravel riding and bikepacking. After this conversation I'm even more excited about at the Red Granite Grinder on Oct. 15th! The Red Granite Grinder is quickly making a name for itself in the gravel world. What makes this route really special is the hard work that Shane and his counter parters at Ironbu...
Ep. 124 ~ Ana Jager, 2022 Tour Divide Winner
August 12, 2022 03:18 - 1 hour - 79.3 MBThis week I'm joined by Ana Jager who just became the 2022 Tour Divide winner on her Rookie attempt! Most of the questions for todays episode came from women who answered the call on social media! Hillary, Laura, Tatiana, and Katheryn all called in with their questions and many more women sent me questions to ask! Please visit www.BikesorDeath.com for a full writeup on todays episode! EPISODE SPONSORS BoD Takeover - Join us for the first ever Takeover happening at Mulberry Gap in Ellija,...
Ep. 123 ~ Aleś Zavoral, Bike Nonstop US Winner
July 28, 2022 01:13 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBAleś Zavoral from the Czech Republic just won the 2022 Bike Nonstop US Race with a time of 18d 11h 51m. Aleś is no stranger to racing, he's logged 136 races in the past 13 years. I did the math, that's 10.4 races a year! Please visit www.BikesorDeath.com for a full write up and photos from Aleś' race! EPISODE SPONSORS Embark Maple - Maple syrup tapped right from their farm made by, and for, bikepackers, adventurers, and outdoors people. For 30% OFF use code "bikesordeath30" at checkout ...
Ep. 122 ~ Nick Marzano, 22nd place Tour Divide Finisher
July 20, 2022 20:51 - 1 hour - 84.4 MBNick Marzano is back! And this time he has joined the ranks as an official Tour Divide Finisher with a time of 20d, 9h, 1m, which was good enough to secure 22nd place. Nick first appeared on the podcast while he was still racing the Tour Divide. We chatted when he was at mile 1,250 in Pinedale, WY at about the halfway point for the race. If you haven't already, you may want to give that episode a listen first. Read the full writeup at BikesorDeath.com Local Nation Podcast - Nick's passi...
Ep. 121 - Manu Cattrysse & Adrien Liechti, Tour Divide 2nd & 3rd place
July 13, 2022 15:42 - 1 hour - 87.9 MBWe continue our Tour Divide coverage with an interview from this years 2nd and 3rd place finishers, Manu Cattrysse and Adrien Liechti. This year I drove to the finish line of the Tour Divide to meet with finishers and record some podcast with anyone who was willing. On last weeks episode I chatted with First Place finisher Sofiane Sehili. This weeks episode takes place at Jeff Sharps kitchen table in Hachita, NM the day after Manu and Adrien finished their Tour Divide. Visit BikesorDeath.c...
Ep. 120 ~ Sofiane Sehili, A Promise to Keep
June 29, 2022 19:49 - 1 hour - 81.8 MBThis past weekend Sofiane Sehili became the 2022 Tour Divide winner with a time of 14d 16h 36. This concluded a journey that started 8 years ago when Sofiane toured the Tour Divide for the first time. He would return in 2016 to race it for the first time and claim a very respectable 3rd place, while Mike Hall would go on to win and set a new course record in the process. A record that stands to this day. In 2019 Sofiane came back to try again. Everything was looking promising as he was leadi...
Ep. 119 ~ Nick Marzano, Live from Tour Divide
June 22, 2022 23:34 - 1 hour - 48.9 MBLast week I put a call out to anyone currently racing the Tour Divide to come on the podcast. I knew it would be a bit of a challenge, but I thought it would be really neat to hear from someone who is currently racing to give us a live account of this years Tour Divide. Nick Marzano answered the call via instagram and after a few days trying to make our schedules align we were able to chat while he was posted up in a hotel room in Pinedale, WY. Nick Marzano - Trackleaders / Instagram EPISO...
Ep. 118 ~ John Stamstad, Tour Divide History, Rules, & Ethos
June 15, 2022 17:50 - 1 hour - 77.5 MBIn 1997 the Adventure Cycling Association released the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. What was billed as a touring route, caught the attention of ultra distance mountain biker John Stamstad. In 1999 John set out on the first ITT (individual Time Trial) of the GDMBR and set a the first FKT (fastest known time) of 18 days and 5 hours. His record stood until the 2007 edition of the Tour Divide Race. Visit www.bikesordeath.com for a full writeup on todays episode EPISODE SPONSORS Athletic...
Ep. 117 ~ Kuya Takami & Dennis Lastochkin, from road to bikepack racing
June 01, 2022 21:17 - 2 hours - 129 MBThis year the East Texas Showdown welcomed 100 riders from all over the US, but it was two road cyclist from nearby Austin that would push the pointy end of the race. Kuya Takami was our 2022 East Texas Showdown winner with a time of 23h 56m, setting a new Fastest Known Time (FKT) and Dennis Lastochkin was the second person to cross the finish line, but his time did not officially count after he accepted assistance on course. Read the full report with a full gallery of pictures at www.bik...
Ep. 116 ~ Jacob Loos, DOOM SS FKT
May 25, 2022 17:27 - 2 hours - 101 MBOn Friday the 13th of May, 25 racers gathered at the Oark General Store early on a foggy morning to take on the first ever DOOM race. By the end there would be only 10 finishers and Jacob Loos would take 2nd place overall and set a new Single Speed FKT (fastest known time) with a time of 2d 11h 18m. Read the full writeup at bikesordeath.com EPISODE SPONSORS Ruby Coffee - Today we want to focus on their certified organic year-round coffee options. You can check out Organic August Seasonal...
Ep. 115 ~ Jerri Sterling, Riding the Tour Divide, Spreading her Husbands ashes
May 19, 2022 18:18 - 1 hour - 91.5 MBWe all have our own path to cycling and bikepacking and each is special and unique. However, Jerri's introduction to bikepacking was much different than any I have heard before. Her story is tragic, sad, romantic, inspiring, and real, and it all started when she fell in love with a cyclist named Kyle. When she met Kyle she wasn't a cyclist, when she married Kyle she wasn't a cyclist, and when Kyle passed away, she wasn't a cyclist. So what lead her to take on the Tour Divide only seven mont...
Ep. 114 ~ Hailey Moore, New DOOM FKT!
May 11, 2022 22:28 - 1 hour - 83.3 MBJust last week Hailey Moore became the fourth person to ever complete the Doom Route, created by Andrew Onermaa. She didn't just finish though, she set a new FKT (fastest known time) with a time of 2d 15h 30m, setting a new benchmark for racers this weekend. Hailey drove herself from Boulder, CO to Oark, AR so she could do an ITT (individual time trial) on a seriously tough route. This is bikepack racing in one of its most pure forms, just you, your bike, and territory unknown, finishing onl...
Ep. 113 ~ Sofiane Sehili weighs in
May 04, 2022 18:26 - 2 hours - 96.6 MBRecently Sofiane sent me an DM that said, "Hey Patrick, what's your take on Lael's Arizona fkt? I'd be happy to discuss it on the Podcast". Instead of answering his question, I just scheduled an interview and answered his question on the podcast. Going into this conversation I had no idea what his thoughts were, but he was already on my list of people I wanted to talk to and I know him to be a thoughtful person who cares deeply for this sport and community. Not surprisingly Sofiane had an ...
Ep. 112 ~ Lael & Rue, Asterisk*
April 25, 2022 16:46 - 1 hour - 74.6 MBOn Thursday Lael Wilcox set a new FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the famous Arizona Trail Route. Now the AZT boast 827 miles thanks to new sections that race director John Schilling added. Lael completed her ITT of the route in 9 days, 8 hours, and 23 minutes, besting the previous FKT set by Nate Ginzton who came in at 9d, 10h, 23m. But almost immediately after drama insued online. Read the full story at www.bikesordeath.com EPISODE SPONSORS Mulberry Gap ~ Looking for something to do this ...
Ep. 111 - Cheech, Crust Bikes Co-owner
April 14, 2022 18:26 - 1 hour - 88.2 MBRecently, I was scrolling instagram and came across a post by Cheech, co-owner of Crust Bikes, that really struck a cord for me. I immediately reached out to see if she'd be down to chat! Visit www.BikesorDeath.com for a full writeup on todays episode! EPISODE SPONSORS Athletic Greens ~ Visit www.athleticgreens.com/bikesordeath to get a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. Kuat Racks ~ Kuat has a wide range of bike racks to ...
Ep. 110 ~ Indy Schulz, Showdown Yo-Yo
April 07, 2022 16:38 - 3 hours - 164 MBWhen Indy showed up at the East Texas Showdown he told me that he's doing a Yo-Yo and if he doesn't complete it to DNF him. Fortunately, I didn't have to because after 760 miles he became the first person to attempt and complete the Showdown Yo-Yo with an offical time of 3d 12h 20m! Check out BikesorDeath.com for a full writeup with pictures and links to the first 2 episodes I did with Indy. Episode Sponsors Atheletic Greens ~ Visit www.athleticgreens.com/bikesordeath to get a FREE 1 y...
Ep. 109 ~ Emma Flukes, Round 2
March 30, 2022 16:09 - 2 hours - 115 MBAlmost two years ago to the day Emma Flukes came on the podcast for the first time. You may remember that we were at the very beginning of a global pandemic that you change our lives more than we could have imagined at the time. She is a Tasmanian native and the founder of Tassie's Gift. When she's not pedaling her bikes or petting wombats she's busy monitoring the decline of our habitable world as a Marine Scientist. I took this opportunity to ask her "How fucked are we?". After detailing t...
Ep. 108 ~ Mental Health and the Outdoors
March 24, 2022 16:15 - 2 hours - 124 MBThis week's episode tackles the important topic of mental health and the outdoors told by this years Adventure Media Course. Long time listeners will be very familiar with Adventure Media by now, but for the uninitiated it is a course at Texas Tech University. Each year as part of their class project the professors scheme up a bikepacking trip and a media objective for the students to complete. This year the students did the Billy the Kid and Smokey Bear Route and their assignment was to vlo...
Ep. 107 ~ Bikerafting Big Bend
March 09, 2022 17:40 - 1 hour - 71.3 MBFor our birthdays the past couple of years Connor Thomas and I have gone to Big Bend to celebrate the only way we know how. This year Connor put together a bikerafting trip that would be the inverse to the Big Bend ~ Rio Revival that we did the year before. Last year we did a bikepacking trip that included a 6 mile hike up to the top of Mariscal Canyon with views of the Rio Grande 1800' below. This year we brought our new packrafts and floated through Mariscal Canyon with our bikes in tow. ...
Ep. 106 ~ East Texas Showdown
March 02, 2022 15:53 - 1 hour - 89.2 MBThis week we are talking all things East Texas Showdown & Slowdown. We asked this years participants to send in their questions and we brought in 5 previous racers to answer them! Even if you aren't doing the race this year, this episode is chalk full of bikepack racing goodness! Our panelist are: Alex Maldonado Katya Morzhueva Davis Sims Lisa Cervantes Dave Easley Thanks to support from our race sponsors: Wren Sports Ruby Coffee Kuat Quad Lock Bullet Grill Rockgeist
Ep. 105 - AMA with Patrick
February 24, 2022 22:38 - 2 hours - 126 MBRecently the Bikes or Death instagram account hit 10k followers. I figured that's as good of a reason as any to do my first AMA (Ask Me Anything). We put out the call to listeners, instagram followers, and Patrons to submit your questions and we got a Bunch! Today's episode is hosted by Bronco Tryhard (previously known as Matt Mason). He did a great job hosting the episode, asking your questions, and throwing in a few of his own. This episode is a nice mix of serious and silly, which we ho...
Ep. 104 ~ Ben, Ezra, Stephanie, 2 episodes in 1
February 16, 2022 15:26 - 2 hours - 131 MBBen Playter and Ezra Ward-Packard are currently on their bikes riding across American. Today is actually the final day of their trip which ends in Florida. I caught up with them in Austin thanks to Stephanie Hall who turned me onto them and gave us a spot to record. So today's episode is kind of a two for one. First I chat with Ben and Ezra about their trip which was highly entertaining. These two friends have much different approaches and it resulted in an interesting dynamic they had to ...
EP. 103 ~ Nickel Potter and the Dodge Ram Truck Lady picture
February 09, 2022 19:27 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBA couple weeks ago Nickel Potter and a 100 or so other cyclists were participating in the Rule of Three in NW Arkansas. They had just turned onto a remote gravel road in the Ozarks when a lady in a Dodge Ram came up behind them and when the cyclist got over to the side of the road she gunned it around them, losing control, and ultimately rolling her truck. After checking to make sure she was okay Nickel did the next logical thing which was to take a picture and post it on instagram. When I...
Bikepacking the Queen's Ransom Route
February 02, 2022 16:38 - 1 hour - 101 MBIn mid December Miles Arbour, with Bikepacking.com, and I headed to Phoenix Arizona to check out the Queen's Ransom Route developed by John Schilling. Miles flew down from Canada and I drove up from Texas, each of us coming from completely different riding environments and levels of fitness. To be honest, this trip was planned last minute and neither of us did much homework before setting out on the 230 miles Queen's Ransom Route that features a lot of singletrack, some of which is rated Bla...
Ep. 102 ~ Bikepacking the Queen's Ransom Route
February 02, 2022 16:38 - 1 hour - 101 MBIn mid December Miles Arbour, with Bikepacking.com, and I headed to Phoenix Arizona to check out the Queen's Ransom Route developed by John Shilling. Miles flew down from Canada and I drove up from Texas, each of us coming from completely different riding environments and levels of fitness. To be honest, this trip was planned last minute and neither of us did much homework before setting out on the 230 miles Queen's Ransom Route that features a lot of singletrack, some of which is rated Black...
Hal Russell "Smilin' Hal" Tribute
January 26, 2022 22:03 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBToday we celebrate the life and legacy of Hal Russell. The bikepacking community and the world lost a true legend on January the 19th when he passed away in his home surrounded by family. Hal lived a full and adventurous life that touched almost everyone that he met, you could say he Touched Both Lines. Today we pay tribute and celebrate the life of Hal so that his story and example can continue to have a meaningful impact. Todays episode features stories and tributes from the bikepacking co...
Ep. 101 ~ Hal Russell "Smilin' Hal" Tribute
January 26, 2022 22:03 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBToday we celebrate the life and legacy of Hal Russell. The bikepacking community and the world lost a true legend on January the 19th when he passed away in his home surrounded by family. Hal lived a full and adventurous life that touched almost everyone that he met, you could say he Touched Both Lines. Today we pay tribute and celebrate the life of Hal so that his story and example can continue to have a meaningful impact. Todays episode features stories and tributes from the bikepacking ...
Ep. 100 ~ Dylan Morton, Utah Mixed Epic Winner
January 19, 2022 17:11 - 2 hours - 130 MBDylan's name has come up on the podcast many times and many of you have sent in request to have him on the show. Is it because he is heir to a salt empire? Maybe it's his epic mustache? Or his high level mechanic skills? Seeking answers to some of these tough questions I pointed my van in the direction of Arkansas to meet up with this international man of mystery at the Meteor Cafe in Bentonville, AR. When I interviewed Lael in Bentonville for Episode 10 she talked about a local that made ...
Dylan Morton, Utah Mixed Epic Winner
January 19, 2022 17:11 - 2 hours - 130 MBDylan's name has come up on the podcast many times and many of you have sent in request to have him on the show. Is it because he is heir to a salt empire? Maybe it's his epic mustache? Or his high level mechanic skills? Seeking answers to some of these tough questions I pointed my van in the direction of Arkansas to meet up with this international man of mystery at the Meteor Cafe in Bentonville, AR. When I interviewed Lael in Bentonville for Episode 10 she talked about a local that made a...
Ep. 99 ~ Brett Stepanik, Ozark Gravel Doom FKT
January 10, 2022 19:13 - 2 hours - 184 MBFour days ago Brett Stepanik became the first person to complete the Doom Loop with a time of 3d 12h 9m. Doom is the brainchild of Andrew Onermaa, it's located in the Ozark National Forest it's 376 miles with 41,375 ft of climbing and almost all gravel. Andrew joins us at the top of this episode to share his thoughts on Doom before Brett hops on the mic. Brett is no stranger to bikepacking and ultra endurance efforts. He first got into bikepacking in 2012 and his most notable accomplishmen...
Ep. 98 ~ Ally Johnson, Bikepacking Roots New Executive Director
December 02, 2021 20:34 - 1 hour - 51.7 MBOn today’s episode I get to meet Ally Johnson who is taking the reins over at Bikepacking Roots. She was hired in October, but we wanted to give her a little time to get acquainted with her new role before having her on. Ally brings with her an impressive academic resume. From Bikepacking Roots, “Ally has a master’s degree in Policy, Organization, and Leadership from Stanford University, undergraduate work in nonprofit leadership, and last taught US history and civics at the high school leve...
Ep. 97. ~ Ryan Van Duzer & Matt Mason
November 25, 2021 17:31 - 1 hour - 53.7 MBOn this episode Ryan Van Duzer joins me for the first time and Matt Mason is back on the podcast for a chat about the New Mexico Bikepacking Summit and Dangerbird that took place in Las Cruces in Nov. Ryan did the whole course and filmed a four part series for his YouTube Channel, which is worth subscribing to, if you don't already. Full write up with picture and video gallery available on www.bikesordeath.com. Episode Sponsors These episodes aren’t possible without support! Wren ~ Us...
Ep. 96 ~ Tales of the High Country
November 23, 2021 18:04 - 1 hour - 99.7 MBY'all probably know by now that I love Arkansas. Last Tuesday evening I was sitting on my couch getting caught up on all the instagram-goings-ons when I came across a post i had forgotten about. Natural State Rock & Republic was going to be hosting "Tales of the High Country" the very next evening, and I knew I had to be there. The next morning I woke up early, threw some stuff in the van and pointed it in a northeastern direction for a 9 hour drive. When I got there I found out that they ...
Ep. 95 ~ Scotti Lechuga, ARHCR Winner and New FKT
November 10, 2021 19:32 - 1 hour - 97.2 MBI'm honored to have this years Arkansas High Country Winner, and new Women's FKT holder, back on the podcast. Scotti Lechuga completed this years race in 5d, 10h, 49m, besting everyone in the field. For the uninitiated, the Arkansas High Country Race is quickly earning a reputation for being extremely challenging 1,000+ miles course that covers much of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. The conditions this year were challenging due thanks most to heavy rainfall that reached havoc on gear and ...
Ep. 94 - Cjell Monē
November 03, 2021 20:07 - 2 hours - 108 MBFor day 3 of Monumental Loop Week, we are featuring a podcast with Cjell Mone', owner of Mone' Bikes based out of Silver City, NM. He is know for producing functional steel bikes with an aesthetic flare out of the back of a 1990 Wonderbread Truck (Seriously!). Words won't do his bikes justice, so let's take a look at a few of my favorites at www.bikesordeath.com. Link to Monumental Loop Fund that I mentioned on the podcast. _______________________ EPISODE SPONSORS These episodes are...
Ep. 93 - ETS Winner & Winner, Alicia & Hannah
October 28, 2021 19:20 - 1 hour - 73.4 MBThis 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 ...
Ep. 92. - Katy McGuire, our 2021 ETS Lantern Rouge
October 20, 2021 20:42 - 2 hours - 112 MBFrom 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 ...
Ep. 91 - Kyle Gilbert & Nick Ybarra on their ETS Experience
October 13, 2021 22:46 - 1 hour - 98.1 MBThe 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 (Sho...
Ep. 90 - Matt Fitzgerald, How Bad Do You Want It
September 29, 2021 18:21 - 1 hour - 65.5 MBIn 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 I...
Ep. 89 - Miles Arbour and the Tree to Sea Loop
September 22, 2021 19:25 - 1 hour - 79.8 MBOn 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 sho...
Ep. 88 - Quinn Brett, First to complete the Tour Divide on a Adaptive Handcycle
September 15, 2021 17:22 - 1 hour - 84.8 MBThis 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 t...
Ep. 87 - East Texas Showdown
September 09, 2021 01:13 - 1 hour - 87.5 MBJoin 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 e...
Ep. 86 - Jeff Kerkove, Determined to Finish
September 01, 2021 21:02 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBThis 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 tim...
Ep. 85 - Chris and Marni Plesko, "The Parent Trap"
August 26, 2021 04:59 - 1 hour - 72.5 MBChris 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...
Ep. 85, Chris and Marni Plesko, "The Parent Trap"
August 26, 2021 04:59 - 1 hour - 72.5 MBChris 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...
Ep. 84 - Ned Bachanko, 2021 CTR Winner
August 18, 2021 15:38 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBThis 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...
Ep. 83 - Cameron Sanders, a Man of Many Hats
August 11, 2021 22:27 - 1 hour - 77 MBCameron 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 comm...