Fuerza: Inside the Mind of the Ridden Athlete

Today, Mig is joined by Ian Lopez de San Roman to chat about growing up in Sebastapool, his high school racing, upcoming international plans, and all other things bike. Connect with Ian on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianlbikes Miguel on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grasshopperadventureseries

First up in our "Legends of the Sport"  is Steve "Gravy" Gravenites. Born and raised in West Marin in Inverness Ca. Gravy spent is youth in the early 70's jumping BMX bikes in Tiburon and graduated to shuttling runs on Mt. Tam. His passion for wrenching led him to Sammy Haggar's shop in Sausalito and then was launched into orbit at the first MTB World Championship in Durango in 1990. Wrenching for Yeti, Schwinn, Volvo Cannondale and Marin his tools took him around the world. Like a magician his touch turned into gold, literally. Helping the likes of Jimmy Deaton, Missy Giove, Alison Sydor, Myles Rockwell, Tinker Juarez and countless others to national and world championship wins. In NorCal his legendary "De'La" rides are still the epic of epics. 

Usal Lost Coast Hopper Oct. 1 takes place in remote Mendocino County in partnership with Redwood Forest Foundation.  Join us as we discuss with founding member Richard Gienger, interim president and CEO Kathy Moxon and head forester Linwood Gill what it means to be both a non-profit and a timber company who's founding principles are "Ecology, Economy and Equity".  They will share stories of the history of logging in the Redwood Empire and RFFI's current efforts and their vision for the future.  RFFI's "Vision" is to establish community based forests that provide critical habitat for increased biodiversity and improved economic vitality." With a "Mission" to acquire, protect, restore and manage RFFI forestlands and other related resources in the Redwood Region for the long term benefit of the communities located here".  Their efforts to involve indigenous communities, incorporate traditional management practices and to reach out to the scientific community to improve their knowledge on restoring the forest to a more productive, fire resilient forest for timber resources, water quality and wildlife habitat is inspiring.   Redwood Forest Foundation Inc. https://www.rffi.org/ USAL Redwood Forest Company https://www.usalredwoodforestcompany.com/ Forest & River News https://treesfoundation.org/forest-river-news/

Kristen Faulkner of Team Bike Exchange Jayco joins the show to talk moving to Girona, racing the Giro, her entrance into cycling after a career in tech, and gender equality in cycling. We'll talk about the role of resilience, tenacity, self sufficiency and the power of focusing on micro gains. From her 2019 win at SuperSweetwater Grasshopper to the time trial at Tour de Suisse and Giro Donne as well as the climbers jersey, there is nothing Kristen cannot accomplish once she has set her mind to it.  Connect with Kristen: https://www.instagram.com/arcticfaulks https://www.kristenfaulkner.com/ Fuerza is supported by Team Adair Cross Country Mortgage. For a $2200 discount, use the link: https://crosscountrymortgage.com/affinity/grasshopper/

The legendary Chas Christiensen (NotChas) is in the house! With deep roots in alley cats and fixed gear racing Chaz discovered the Hoppers way back when. Join us as we talk gravel, art, adventure racing and his passionate search for the eternal stoke. The Shred Abides!  https://www.instagram.com/notchas/ http://www.notchas.com/ https://crosscountrymortgage.com/affinity/grasshopper/

King Ridge is a classic Sonoma County Hopper. This year we've added Annapolis and Kruse Rd to mix it up with a little gravel and to highlight the beautiful NorCal Coast. Join us as we talk about what makes road riding (with some gravel) so amazing in this area. Ted and Laura King and Jess Cerra share their thoughts on the best bike/tire choices, how to pack and prepare for a Hopper, and tips for optimal hydration and nutrition. 

The man, the myth, the legend. El Jefe Geoff Kabush. 3 time olympian and winner of every possible type of racing from CX, XC, Enduro, Gravel and Hopper. With multiple national titles in Canada, a World Cup win, multiple US MTB championships and leader of  the ProFunTour. We talk Canadian Maffia, OG Hopper, the roll of social media in athletes lives, growing up in Canada, doping, wintering in NorCal, LTGP and all things bike. 

Our guests Cullen and Griffin Easter are the founders of the Opicure Foundation. OpiCure is committed to bringing awareness of opioid abuse, redefining best practices for addiction recovery and devoting resources to affect positive change in the Utah community and beyond. It is in partnership with the cycling community that we can make a difference. Join us as we discuss addiction and recovery and the power of helping one person at a time.  https://opicure.org/about-us @opicurefoundation Sponsor:  CrossCountry Mortgage $2200 off next home purchase or refi. 

Our guest this week is Yuri Hauswald. He is the athlete manager for GU and ambassador for everything fun about riding gravel bikes. From the town of Petaluma in NorCal Yuri grew up playing many sports and lacrosse in college. When he fell for biking, he fell hard! (familiar story). We've been shredding on MTB, single speeds, road and gravel together since the early 90's. Tune in as Yuri and I cruise down memory lane and weave in common strands of cycling's past, present and future. @yhauswald  CrossCountry Mortgage 

Our guest today, Kate Courtney is a professional MTB racer with the Scott/SRAM TEAM. During the World Cup season, in her first year as an Elite Racer, Kate placed in the top 10 at six World Cups and finished the season in 8th place Overall. The year ended on a high note when Kate came from behind to win the 2018 Elite XC World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. With this victory, Kate became the first American in 17 years to win an Elite MTB World Championship and only the fourth American woman to do so.  In 2019, Kate had the opportunity to join the Scott-SRAM team and continue to chase big goals with incredible support. As a member of the Scott-SRAM program, Kate had her most successful season yet in 2019. She won three World Cup XC events, two World Cup XCC events and went on to secure the 2019 Overall UCI MTB World Cup Title - becoming the first American to do so in 17 years. With her 5th place at World Championships, Kate also secured her spot as a member of the US Olympic team for Tokyo 2020  Born and raised in Marin County in Northern California Kate is a former NICA racer and a graduate of Stanford University.   Join us as we talk about the Olympics, training and incremental gains, mental grit, social media, growing up in NorCal and goals for 2022.  @kateplusfate www.katecourtney.com CrossCounty Mortgage Grasshopper Affinity Program

Born in Ghana and living in Marin Salifu is a man of many talents. He's an artist, a dog walker and an accomplished endurance cyclist. Join us as we talk art, cycling in NorCal and his recent ride of 30,000 ft where he climbed Mt. Tam via 7 different routes. 

Mig catches up with Pete about his postponed "Stetina's Paydirt" race, transitioning from the world pro tour, life as a privateer, the NorCal cycling community, and lastly the FKT's.  Pete on instagram @pstetina Miguel on instagram @grasshopperadventureseries

24 years ago I created the Grasshopper Adventure Series. I will take credit for the concept and creation but without the pool of talented cyclists in NorCal with the desire to adventure and shred it would not have stuck. Perhaps it was that we provided people what they needed more than what they wanted? My “advertising plan “ was to drop of flyers with the dates and maps at Dave's Bike Sport and make a few calls. This was of course before cell phones. Before email. Before the internet. Hope you enjoy the conversation with Roger Bartels, Glen Fant, Shane Breshnyn and Don Winkle. We'll talk about bike culture in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County in the 80s and 90s, early battles for the Hopper Spike, equipment set up, and why we keep on keepin on.

Up next Moriah Wilson. This season Moriah has snagged a 2nd at Huffmaster Grasshopper, 2nd at BWR San Diego and 2nd at Leadville 100 MTB.  (Not to mention a few QOM in Marin) In a year of racing that was uncertain to even happen, she has rocketed to the top of "who's who" in Gravel and MTB. Join us as we discuss how the races played out, what she thinks of the current state of Gravel and what she has lined up for this late Summer and Fall.  Follow her at: @mo_wilson To find out more and to register for Lake Sonoma or Usal Lost Coast Hopper go to https://grasshopperadventureseries.com/

Join me as I chat with five time Olympian Katarina Nash. She has competed in two Winter Olympics and three Summer Olympics in MTB with a 5th place in Rio. We'll talk life in California, the present and future of gravel, her first Grasshopper and what it takes to stay motivated, challenged and inspired as a world class athlete. 

Join me as I chat with Ted King;  former World Tour Pro rider, creator of The King Challenge,  host of King of the Ride, Untapped Maple evangelist, father of Hazel and the first rider to start ruining gravel. ;). We'll discuss family, bikes, life in NorCal and Vermont and another rapid round of "This or That". 

Welcome to a brand new podcast, Fuerza; where we dig inside the mind of the driven athlete. Today, I'm talking to Katie Hall, former pro cyclist and current Outride ambassador.  Follow Katie on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiehalled Connect with Miguel on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grasshopperadventureseries For information about Grasshopper Adventure Series (Races/Rides/Adventures) https://grasshopperadventureseries.com/