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Keith sits down with Rama Mayo to discuss the formation of Big Wheel Recreation, the history of the record label, working with contemporary labels with Boston at the time such as Bridge Nine Records and Hydra Head, BWR releases from bands such as At the Drive In, Jimmy Eat World and Piebald, DIY ethics, label ups and downs over the years, Iodine Recordings' history with BWR and how they teamed up for the Fastbreak LP re-release, the work Rama does in the cannabis business and more.
Episode 150 - Couple of Bottom Sniffers What up party people. This episode covers a little bit of everything from bike racing and golf tournaments, tattoos and lawn mower maintenance, and Drew even coined his own new nickname to describe his talent level. We want to send a big shout to some of our loyal and long time partners because without them, well, who knows what we'd be doing I guess. So if you've got some racing or big training coming up and you need to refresh anything on your bike like drivetrain parts, or pedals, or you've got an achy bum and want to try a new saddle, and well tires of course, hit up our friends over at Bike Tires Direct and use the code “bonkbros” for 10% off - ( https://www.biketiresdirect.com/?utm_source=bonkbros&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=bonkbros2025). Or if you need some marginal gains get you to that finish line lickity split then head over to Silca.cc to meet all of your chain wax and and performance needs and use code “BonkbrosUnbound2025” for 10% off - ( https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast). Oh yeah, and for those all day energy and recovery desires, our homies at KetoneAid have your back. And don't think that your ketone use has to stop at cycling performance, you can use these off the bike to improve things like cognition while you're sitting behind the desk all day, or a little afternoon pick-me-up to get you through that long list of household chores, and even on the golf course to help with your focus and energy like I did at the US Open qualifier yesterday. If you want the full experience, pick up that Ketone heavy, or if you want more of a session Ketone then opt for the Ketone lights. Use the affiliate link in the show notes for free shipping. (https://ketoneaid.com/?utm_source=BonkBros). If you have any questions or feedback for the show you can drop us a note at bonkbrospodcast@gmail.com or hit up the Bonk Bros instagram page (@bonkbros @dylanjawnson @adamsaban6 @tylerclouti @raddaddizzle @scottmcgilljr). Alright let's get this party started! FOR UPDATED DISCOUNT CODES CHECK THE LATEST EPISODE: Silca (10% discount code: “Bonkbrosgravelseason”): https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast Bike Tires Direct (10% discount code: bonkbros): https://www.biketiresdirect.com/?utm_source=bonkbros&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=bonkbros2025 Dynamic Cyclist (10% discount code: BONKBROS): https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/a/43703/xkYViFV8 Patreon: http://patreon.com/patreon_bonkbros For more Dylan Johnson content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIf1xvRN8pzyd_VfLgj_dow Listener Question Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1T37wGRLk6iYTCF6X_DQ9yfcaYtfAQceKpBJYR5W7DVA/edit?ts=642eb6d6 MERCH: T-SHIRTS ARE HERE! Get your Bonk Bros swag below. https://bb5a73-20.myshopify.com/ IGNITION: Hire a coach. Get faster. It's that simple. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ MATCHBOX PODCAST: Check out our more serious training focused podcast. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/podcast The Following Was Generated Using AI And Should Not Be Held To The Higher Standards Of Sentient Beings - Riverside. Keywords ultra marathon, US Open, golf, injuries, training, endurance sports, fun, friendship, fan pages, online presence, BWR, gravel racing, pro participation, race distances, nutrition, athletic performance, cycling, track results, competition, ketones, cycling, training, Unbound, UCI, national championships, talent, endurance, happiness, competition, cycling community, cycling, family, tattoos, tan lines, resilience, lawnmower maintenance, dream teams, racing, cycling community, injury recovery, cycling, gravel racing, tire testing, Tour of Colorado, cycling events, gravel pros, business in sports, cycling teams, Unbound, tire selection Summary In this conversation, the hosts discuss various topics related to endurance sports, including Adam's experience with an ultra marathon, his recent golf game, and the challenges of training and injuries. They also explore the dynamics of friendship and fun in their lives, as well as the phenomenon of fan pages and online presence. In this conversation, the hosts discuss various aspects of gravel racing, including the impact of titles and clickbait on viewership, the state of the BWR and pro participation, and the separation of pro and amateur races. They delve into the challenges of following track results, the debate on race distances and points, and the importance of establishing a premier race distance. The conversation also touches on the evolution of Traka and course records, the future of gravel racing, and the nutrition strategies for athletes, particularly in golf. In this segment, the conversation delves into the joys of indulgence during training, the rigorous preparation for national championships, and the upcoming Unbound race. The discussion also touches on the UCI's regulations and their impact on race outcomes, as well as reflections on talent and personal contentment within the competitive cycling community. In this segment, the conversation explores various themes including the balance between family life and professional cycling, the significance of tattoos and tan lines as badges of honor among cyclists, personal stories surrounding tattoo decisions, the resilience of athletes in the face of injury, and an unexpected discussion on lawnmower maintenance. The group also touches on the future of racing and dream teams in the cycling community. In this conversation, the hosts delve into various aspects of cycling, including the business dynamics of competitive events, team selection for gravel racing, and the historical significance of the Tour of Colorado. They also discuss the challenges of organizing new cycling events, the intricacies of tire selection for races like Unbound, and the importance of rigorous testing protocols for tire performance. The conversation wraps up with a light-hearted banter about their testing methods and the future of cycling events. Takeaways Adam participated in a 50K ultra marathon, which he found challenging. The format of the ultra marathon involved running up and down a steep hill. Adam's training was affected by injuries leading up to the race. Golfing is another sport Adam is involved in, with aspirations to qualify for the US Open. The conversation touches on the physical toll of endurance sports on the body. Injuries in running can occur easily compared to cycling. The hosts share their experiences with fun and friendship dynamics. Fan pages dedicated to the hosts have emerged online, showcasing their popularity. The hosts reflect on their past selves and how they perceive fun now. The conversation highlights the camaraderie and banter among friends. Titles can significantly impact viewership and engagement. The BWR's participation dynamics are changing with fewer big names. Separating pro and amateur races can enhance the competition experience. Following track results can be challenging due to multiple distances. Race organizers should clarify which distance is the premier event. Comparing race prestiges is essential for understanding competition levels. The evolution of Traka has made it more competitive than before. Nutrition plays a crucial role in athletic performance, even in golf. Athletes often consume unconventional foods during competitions. The presence of key competitors can elevate the profile of a race. Indulgence can enhance happiness during training. Training for national championships requires strategic planning. Preparation for Unbound involves balancing training and recovery. UCI regulations can impact race outcomes significantly. The cycling community often debates the effectiveness of UCI rules. Talent in cycling is often compared and scrutinized. Contentment in cycling can be a personal journey. The pressure of competition can affect mental health. Understanding one's limits is crucial in endurance sports. Community support plays a vital role in a cyclist's journey. Chase's commitment to family over cycling is admirable. Tan lines are seen as a badge of honor among cyclists. Tattoos can spark personal stories and reactions from loved ones. Injuries in racing highlight the resilience of athletes. Lawnmower maintenance can be surprisingly relatable. The cycling community values personal stories and experiences. Dream teams in cycling can inspire future competitions. The balance between personal life and professional aspirations is complex. Tattoos can symbolize personal beliefs and experiences. Community discussions can lead to unexpected topics. Lifetime Events owns the Lifetime GP, affecting athlete participation. Selecting a gravel team requires considering road experience. Hypothetical scenarios can spark interesting discussions about cycling events. The Tour of Colorado has a rich history but faces skepticism about its future. Grand Tours are historically rooted in specific countries due to their origins. New cycling events are emerging, but their success is uncertain. Tire selection is crucial for performance in races like Unbound. Testing tire performance requires careful planning and execution. Multiple runs in testing can help mitigate outlier results. The conversation highlights the camaraderie and humor among cycling enthusiasts. Titles The Power of Titles in Racing BWR: A Changing Landscape Pro vs Amateur: The Race Separation Debate Navigating Track Results Race Distances: The Points Controversy Establishing Premier Race Distances Prestige in Racing: A Comparative Analysis Traka's Evolution and Course Records The Future of Gravel Racing Sound Bites "The running event sucked." "I did an ultra marathon. 50K." "I shot 75." "It affects everything." "Love the podcast." "It got more views." "We want them to separate the." "It should be the 360." "Lachlan's doing it." "Dude rode around Australia." "Doesn't care who second place is." "Kinda badass." "Dude, hot dogs are so easy to pack." "It's still a hard climb." "It's called training hard." "Dude, mini-modders would be badass." "It's like a badge of honor." "I didn't want to lie to her." "I didn't know about that." Chapters 00:00 The Ultra Marathon Experience 06:00 Injuries and Training Challenges 11:54 Fun and Friendship Dynamics 19:34 The Power of Titles and Clickbait 24:20 The Importance of Premier Race Distances 26:16 Comparing Race Prestiges 28:27 Analyzing Race Results and Competitiveness 30:12 The Evolution of Traka and Course Records 33:43 The Future of Gravel Racing and Key Competitors 35:46 Exploring Nutrition in Golf and Athletic Performance 38:05 The Joy of Indulgence During Training 40:59 Training for National Championships 44:01 Preparing for Unbound 47:00 UCI Regulations and Controversies 52:00 Reflections on Talent and Contentment 58:08 Family Aspirations in Cycling 59:58 The Badge of Honor: Tan Lines and Tattoos 01:02:02 Tattoos: Personal Stories and Reactions 01:06:58 Injury and Resilience in Racing 01:10:02 Lawnmower Maintenance: A Surprising Discussion 01:16:56 Dream Teams and Future Races 01:17:56 Business Dynamics in Competitive Events 01:18:29 Selecting the Ideal Gravel Team 01:19:18 Hypothetical Scenarios in Cycling Events 01:22:17 The Legacy of the Tour of Colorado 01:23:02 Grand Tours: A Historical Perspective 01:24:01 Exploring New Cycling Events 01:25:02 Tire Selection for Unbound 01:26:01 Testing Tire Performance 01:28:09 The Importance of Testing Protocols 01:30:12 Finalizing Testing Methods 01:34:07 Wrapping Up the Discussion
Caches Chris Armstrong and Zacca Newman catch up on all things running—from the importance of personalised and individual coaching to shining a spotlight on two inspiring athletes from the Run2PB community. Chris is back into the swing of things following his Ballarat Half effort and gives us a snapshot of the past week Zacca and Chriso talk about the importance of personalised coaching and how one size does not fit all, and how generic plans, are doing a disservice to the running community due to the lack pf the flexibility, individual assessment, and ongoing adjustments necessary to account for how a unique runner responds to training, their potential limitations, or unexpected life events, potentially leading to non-optimal progress or increased injury risk.
Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 7, betrayal is the featured crime. This is Opera Dinner Club by Debra H. GoldsteinDELIBERATIONJessica Rothman is close to discovering who betrayed her grandparents, Helen and Wilhelm Rothman, to the Nazi's but she needs our help to figure out who from the final dinner party betrayed them. Here is the list in the order we met them:Melinda Brooks, smuggler, last of the party remainingAlbert Brooks, professor, opposed to Melinda's activitiesLloyd Edgerton, armament dealer, opposed to Victoria's activitiesVictoria Edgerton, smuggler, Melinda's usual partnerMarta Schmidt, servant to Helen's parents, now living with the RothmansHans Schmidt, servant to Helen's parents, now living with the RothmansBernard Schmidt, son to the Schmidts, working at times as a servant to the RothmansAri, Jewish man working to get children out of AustriaHere is what Jessica knows:Helen Rothman devised a scheme to smuggle valuables for Jews to England. Melinda and Victoria worked together as did Marta and Hans Schmidt.Ari is a mysterious guest who has a seat of honor at the Rothman dinner table. He with Helen proposes to smuggle children out as they are doing with money and jewels.Albert Brooks and Lloyd Edgerton did little to participate for the sake of their businesses. Both were afraid of the fallout should the scheme come to light. Eventually, they both wanted their wives to stop.The Schmidts are German. Having worked for Helen's parents and then moving in with the Rothmans, their loyalty is to the Rothman's.Bernard Schmidt participates in the Nazi youth movement because he's expected to. Like his parents, his loyalty is to the Rothmans.Upon whom do we shine the spotlight of betrayal?ABOUT Debra H. GoldsteinJudge Debra H. Goldstein is the author of Kensington's Sarah Blair mystery series that features a woman who finds being in the kitchen more frightening than murder (One Taste Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Four Cuts Too Many, and Five Belles Too Many). Her other writings include the novels Should Have Played Poker and Maze in Blue, and more than fifty short stories that have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies. Debra's work has been named as Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Claymore finalists and received IPPY, Silver Falchion, AWC, and BWR awards. She serves on the national Sisters in Crime board and previously was a national board member of Mystery Writers of America and president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters. https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com
In this episode, David and Jalen discuss the importance of family and community support and the challenges of black fatherhood in today's society. They reflect on the inception of the Black Wealth Renaissance podcast, sharing their journeys and how their perspectives on entrepreneurship have evolved. This leads into a conversation covering the recent economic developments, including market reactions to tariffs and the implications for consumers and investors. The two then share their predictions of the impact of tariffs on manufacturing and consumer prices, as well as the shifting global power dynamics between the U.S. and China. The duo continues the show covering perseverance in entrepreneurship, the role of faith in business, and the Black church's declining influence amongst black men. Enjoy another great episode of the BWR podcast and don't forget! Leave Us A 5 Star Rating & Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Get Life Insurance Today Keep Up With the Hosts David Bellard https://instagram.com/david_bellard https://twitter.com/daviddagoliath_ Jalen Clark https://instagram.com/_jclark06 https://twitter.com/jefeklap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 141 - TT Helmet Trends, BWR AZ, Valley of Tears Preview, and Rusty's Back Baby! What up party people. We've got another fun one for y'all this week with talk about the latest helmet trends more and more resembling something from an outer galactic universe (which I think is actually pretty cool by the way), then we've got some BWR Arizona recap from our boy Dizzle who alllmost cracked his way into the top 10, before we transition over to quite a long discussion on this weekend's Valley of Tears race including our picks for favorites given the wild n out conditions that might show their teeth on Saturday. Oh yeah, and Rusty is back baby after taking Keegan to the line this past weekend! Speaking of taking something to the line, our homies at Silca want to make sure you don't let your next race end with anything short of the finish line due to air whizzing out of your tires with the launch of their updated Ultimate tire sealant 2.0. And if you don't want to take our word for it, just take the trusted age-old approach and use what the winner of the race does because Keegan Swenson is also a fellow Silca athlete. So head over to Silca.cc today and get you some before it sells out. Make sure to use the new code “bonkbrosfiberfoam” at checkout for an extra 10% off. (https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast) Also, make sure you have some quality rubber that you're pouring that magic sauce into by heading out to Bike Tires Direct to nab a pair of(or 5) of your favorite tires today and use the code “bonkbros” for 10% off. (https://www.biketiresdirect.com/?utm_source=bonkbros&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=bonkbros2025) If you have any questions or feedback for the show you can drop us a note at bonkbrospodcast@gmail.com or hit up the Bonk Bros instagram page (@bonkbros @dylanjawnson @adamsaban6 @tylerclouti @raddaddizzle @scottmcgilljr). Alright let's get this party started! FOR UPDATED DISCOUNT CODES CHECK THE LATEST EPISODE: Silca (10% discount code: bonkbrosy2k25): https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast Bike Tires Direct (10% discount code: bonkbros): https://www.biketiresdirect.com/?utm_source=bonkbros&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=bonkbros2025 Dynamic Cyclist (10% discount code: BONKBROS): https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/a/43703/xkYViFV8 Patreon: http://patreon.com/patreon_bonkbros For more Dylan Johnson content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIf1xvRN8pzyd_VfLgj_dow Listener Question Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1T37wGRLk6iYTCF6X_DQ9yfcaYtfAQceKpBJYR5W7DVA/edit?ts=642eb6d6 MERCH: T-SHIRTS ARE HERE! Get your Bonk Bros swag below. https://bb5a73-20.myshopify.com/ IGNITION: Hire a coach. Get faster. It's that simple. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ MATCHBOX PODCAST: Check out our more serious training focused podcast. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/podcast The Following Was Generated Using AI And Should Not Be Held To The Higher Standards Of Sentient Beings - Riverside. Keywords ADHD, podcasting, ketones, bike racing, TT helmets, UCI regulations, gravel racing, BWR, cycling strategies, mountain biking, race strategies, tire technology, bike sponsorships, cycling dynamics, Aero bars, bike customization, cycling performance, YouTube content, niche channels, race commentary, cycling community, Teemu drone, product reviews, sauna, race predictions, weather impact, gravel racing, Mid-South race, cycling strategies, bike handling, race day conditions, mountain biking, race strategies, tire choices, weather forecasts, crit picks, training intensity, listener questions, gravel racing, performance insights, cycling community Summary In this engaging conversation, the hosts delve into various topics ranging from personal experiences with ADHD and its impact on podcasting, to a lively debate about the benefits and costs of ketones. They also explore the intricacies of bike racing, including discussions on TT helmets and UCI regulations, as well as sharing personal experiences from gravel racing events. The conversation culminates in a detailed recap of a recent race, highlighting the challenges faced by the participants. In this segment of the conversation, the hosts delve into various aspects of mountain biking, including personal experiences with competitors, race strategies, and the dynamics of bike racing. They discuss the impact of tire choices on performance, the evolving trends in the pro field regarding equipment, and the significance of sponsorships in the cycling world. The conversation also touches on innovations in wheel design and the implications of these changes for racers. In this segment, the conversation delves into various aspects of cycling, including the technicalities of aero bar positioning, the importance of bike customization, and the impact of equipment choices on performance. The discussion also touches on the challenges of content creation on YouTube, particularly in maintaining a niche audience, and concludes with a lively exchange about live race commentary and community engagement. In this segment, the conversation flows from product reviews, particularly focusing on a sauna and other gadgets, to predictions for upcoming races in the women's and men's categories. The discussion highlights the impact of weather on race day and reflects on past race experiences, particularly the Mid-South race. The group shares insights on race strategies and the challenges posed by varying conditions, emphasizing the importance of bike handling and preparation. In this episode, the hosts delve into various aspects of mountain biking, including race strategies, tire choices, and the impact of weather on performance. They discuss the dynamics of crit races, training intensity, and listener engagement through questions and comments. The conversation highlights the importance of preparation and adaptability in cycling, as well as the community's perspectives on racing and training. Takeaways ADHD can influence focus and multitasking during podcasts. Ketones are debated for their effectiveness and taste. TT helmets may face regulation changes in bike racing. Gravel racing requires strategic climbing and descending. Personal experiences shape perspectives on racing dynamics. The importance of hydration and nutrition in cycling events. Rider dynamics can shift dramatically during races. The impact of race routes on performance and strategy. Team dynamics play a crucial role in race outcomes. Fashion and branding in cycling gear can influence team identity. Kyle Trudeau's relationship with the group is tense. Mountain biking requires strategic thinking and awareness of competitors. Race finishes can be influenced by unexpected events during the race. Tire choice plays a crucial role in race performance. The pro field is increasingly adopting mountain bike tires for gravel races. Sophia's transition from gravel to mountain bike tires highlights evolving strategies. Sponsorships can impact bike choices and performance. Innovations in wheel design are changing the landscape of cycling. Handling and aerodynamics are critical considerations for deep wheels. The trend towards narrower handlebars may affect handling in technical races. Understanding aero bar positioning can enhance cycling performance. Bike customization is crucial for comfort and efficiency. Equipment choices significantly impact cycling performance. Content creation on YouTube requires careful niche management. Straying from established content can lead to subscriber loss. Community engagement is vital for content creators. Live race commentary can enhance viewer experience. Cycling events provide opportunities for personal connections. Technical discussions can be complex without visual aids. Maintaining a consistent theme is important for audience retention. Product reviews can lead to interesting discussions. Building custom equipment can be more satisfying than buying. Weather plays a crucial role in race outcomes. Past race experiences provide valuable insights for future predictions. Bike handling skills are essential in challenging conditions. Riders' mental toughness can influence their performance. The importance of preparation for unexpected race day conditions. Community engagement through product reviews enhances the conversation. Understanding the course can help in making better predictions. Cycling strategies must adapt to changing weather and terrain. Mountain biking requires understanding traction limits. Tire selection is crucial for race performance. Weather forecasts can influence race strategies. Crit picks can reflect riders' strengths and weaknesses. Training intensity varies among cyclists. Community engagement enhances the cycling experience. Performance insights are shared through listener questions. Crit races can be unpredictable and exciting. Preparation is key for successful racing. Cycling culture involves both competition and camaraderie. Titles Navigating ADHD in Podcasting The Great Ketone Debate TT Helmets: A New Era in Cycling? Gravel Racing Strategies Unveiled BWR Race Recap: Climbing and Competition The Beef with Kyle Trudeau Mountain Biking Dynamics Race Strategies and Finishes Sound Bites "I'm working on it, yeah." "That's why it's successful." "It definitely helps with concentration." "Dude, that's last year. That's old news." "I think it was Rob Britton and Keegan." "I just watched the highlights, man." "These actually look pretty sick." "I could have told you all of this." "If anyone has bought a Teemu drone..." "I got that sauna from Amazon last week..." "Last time I checked the weather..." "Dude, race day looks..." "Why would you do that?" "Throw some slicks on that bad boy." "You wanna borrow my single speed anyone?" "Great episode, keep it up fellas." "Don't let perfect be the enemy of good." Chapters 00:00 Navigating ADHD and Podcasting Dynamics 05:54 Bike Racing Insights: TT Helmets and UCI Regulations 11:58 Race Recap: BWR and Climbing Challenges 17:06 The Beef with Kyle Trudeau 19:18 Race Strategies and Finishes 20:51 Tire Choices in Racing 22:35 Pro Field Equipment Trends 24:41 The Evolution of Tire Technology 26:42 Bike Sponsorships and Choices 28:42 Wheel Design Innovations 35:50 Understanding Aero Bar Positioning 38:04 Exploring Bike Components and Customization 40:03 The Impact of Equipment Choices on Performance 43:01 YouTube and Content Creation Challenges 45:56 Navigating Niche Content on YouTube 48:57 Live Race Commentary and Community Engagement 53:00 Product Reviews and Returns 53:58 Building a Custom Sauna 54:59 Race Predictions: Women's Category 55:55 Weather Impact on Race Day 57:00 Men's Race Predictions 01:00:59 Mid-South Race Reflections 01:03:59 Discussion on Race Conditions and Strategies 01:10:45 Navigating Mountain Biking Challenges 01:12:46 Tire Choices and Race Preparations 01:14:49 Weather Forecasts and Race Strategies 01:15:20 Crit Picks and Race Dynamics 01:17:18 Training Intensity and Performance Insights 01:20:46 Listener Questions and Community Engagement
David and Jalen return with another episode of the BWR podcast. The dynamic duo starts the podcast with a reintroduction to the why Black Wealth Renaissance was started and what to expect for the BWR podcast moving forward. They then move into their experience maturing as businessmen and how they have been able to grow from failures and become stronger. Then they move into their first topic Valentine's Day spending reached new all-time highs of 27.5 billion dollars. The fellas then start to discuss if there may be a stock market crash coming. Berkshire Hathaway recently released their 13 - F report for the fourth quarter which shows the company sold $6 billion worth of assets. Next, the fellas speak about the Eminent domain case involving a black-owned farm with over 600 acres of land and a railroad company that wants to take the land that has been in their family for over 100 years. Sit back and enjoy some great conversations about the financial landscape. Key Points 6:50 - Intro (Reflections) 12:30 - Valentine's Day Spending reaching new time highs 27:39 - Is Warrant Buffet fearful 43:06 - A Georiga family has their land taken. 55:00 - $800 Cash or 800 acres of Land 1:05:07 - Nearly 2 million African American millionaires 1:17:16 - Almost half of Americans have no money ready for retirement Don't forget to leave us a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and review so we can keep bringing you more content about building Black wealth! Click Here For Resources Keep Up With the Hosts David Bellard https://instagram.com/david_bellard https://twitter.com/daviddagoliath_ Jalen Clark https://instagram.com/_jclark06 https://twitter.com/jefeklap #BlackWealth #FinancialFreedom #StockMarket #ValentinesDaySpending #EminentDomain #BlackOwnedBusinesses #BusinessGrowth #AfricanAmericanMillionaires Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Better With Running Podcast: Episode Kickstart 2025! Chriso and Zacca are Back! They kick off the year discussing their festive training approaches. Chriso opted for a relaxed period with decent mileage, while Zacca upped the ante with sessions. Both emphasize the importance of recovery after a break. New Coach Announcement A familiar voice and athlete on the podcast, James Telford is joining the Run2PB Coaching team! Hear about his 15-year journey as a physiotherapist and his transition to running coaching. James' Insights: Physio observations on new runners' clinics. Tips for starting your running journey. How he integrates physio expertise into his coaching. James reflects on his running highlights of 2024 and shares his goals for 2025 as a Run2PB coach and athlete. Get Coached by James! Sign up to train with James: https://www.run2pb.co/coach-telford World Record Chat! The episode wraps up with some fun WR (World Record) discussions, including: Santa Claus conquering the marathon! Blazing fast times in full cricket gear! An exclusive, hush-hush record reveal for BWR listeners!
Episode 129 - Pidcock Drama, Cross Nats Preview, and Getting The Life Time Boot w/ Lance Haidet If you have any questions or feedback for the show you can drop us a note at bonkbrospodcast@gmail.com or hit up the Bonk Bros instagram page (@bonkbros @dylanjawnson @adamsaban6 @tylerclouti @raddaddizzle @scottmcgilljr). Oh yeah don't forget to hit up our homies over at Silca (https://silca.cc) for all those hot holiday products and use the NEW discount code “BonkBrosDecember24” for an extra 5% off. Alright let's get this party started. Patreon: http://patreon.com/patreon_bonkbros FOR UPDATED DISCOUNT CODES CHECK THE LATEST EPISODE: Silca (BonkBrosDecember24): https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast Dynamic Cyclist (10% discount code: BONKBROS): https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/a/43703/xkYViFV8 For more Dylan Johnson content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIf1xvRN8pzyd_VfLgj_dow Listener Question Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1T37wGRLk6iYTCF6X_DQ9yfcaYtfAQceKpBJYR5W7DVA/edit?ts=642eb6d6 MERCH: T-SHIRTS ARE HERE! Get your Bonk Bros swag below. https://bb5a73-20.myshopify.com/ IGNITION: Hire a coach. Get faster. It's that simple. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ MATCHBOX PODCAST: Check out our more serious training focused podcast. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/podcast The Following Was Generated Using AI And Should Not Be Held To The Higher Standards Of Sentient Beings - Riverside.fm Keywords Dylan, Adam, Scott, Tom Pidcock, cycling, Ineos, Q36.5, contracts, training, podcast, cycling, teams, Pidcock, Unbound, training, recovery, racing, goals, media influence, performance, cycling, gravel racing, U23 category, privateer, Lifetime Grand Prix, European cycling, competitive cycling, Cyclocross, Nationals, Race Predictions, Course Conditions, Kerry, Work-Life Balance, Cycling Community Summary In this conversation, the hosts discuss various topics related to cycling, including the challenges of training during the offseason, the recent transition of cyclist Tom Pidcock from Ineos to Q36.5, and the implications of his contract. They also touch on the technical issues faced during the podcast and introduce guest Lance Haidet, who shares insights on Pidcock's future racing career. The conversation delves into various aspects of cycling, focusing on team dynamics, individual aspirations, and the impact of media narratives on athletes. The participants discuss the future of cycling teams, particularly in relation to riders like Pidcock, and share personal experiences and strategies regarding race preparation and recovery. The discussion also highlights the significance of standout performances versus consistency in racing, as well as the excitement surrounding upcoming events like the Unbound race and the BWR series. In this conversation, the participants discuss the evolving landscape of competitive cycling, particularly focusing on gravel racing and the introduction of a U23 category in the Lifetime Grand Prix. They explore the challenges faced by young riders in breaking into the sport, the dynamics of being a gravel privateer, and the difficulties of competing in Europe. The conversation highlights the importance of support systems for emerging cyclists and the impact of established riders on the opportunities available to newcomers. In this episode, the hosts discuss the upcoming Cyclocross Nationals, sharing personal reflections on past races, predictions for the event, and the impact of potential winners on the sport's future. They delve into the balance between racing and work life, highlighting the dedication of athletes like Kerry, who manage to compete at high levels while maintaining full-time jobs. The conversation wraps up with light-hearted banter about practical life topics, including washing machines and event logistics. Takeaways Dylan shares his heavy training schedule. Tom Pidcock's move from Ineos to Q36.5 raises eyebrows. The financial aspects of cycling contracts can be complex. Technical issues are a common occurrence in podcasts. Having written agreements helps clarify expectations. The cycling community is buzzing about Pidcock's decision. The hosts speculate on the implications of Pidcock's move. Contracts in cycling can be more flexible than expected. Lance Haidet provides insights on Pidcock's future. The conversation highlights the dynamics of team transitions in cycling. Team dynamics play a crucial role in cycling performance. Signing top riders can elevate a team's status in competitions. Pidcock's career choices reflect a desire for versatility in racing. Media narratives can shape public perception of athletes. Personal goals in cycling often evolve with experience and results. The Unbound race requires significant training and recovery. Different racing styles suit different riders' strengths. Consistency in performance is key for long-term success. Post-race recovery is essential for maintaining fitness. Excitement for upcoming races can drive motivation and training. Dizzle expresses disappointment about his race prospects. Lance emphasizes that anything can happen in races. Montana is a popular choice among racers for upcoming events. Lance plans to participate in UCI races and Gravel Worlds. The scheduling conflicts between major races are frustrating for competitors. The introduction of a U23 category in the Lifetime Grand Prix is a significant development. Support for young riders is crucial for their success in gravel racing. The gravel privateer pathway is challenging for emerging cyclists. Established riders often dominate sponsorship opportunities, making it hard for newcomers. Competing in Europe presents unique challenges for American cyclists. Lance reflects on missing his first cross-nats since 2008. Dizzle considers making a YouTube video instead of racing. Predictions for the race include Bruner and Strohmeier as favorites. Course conditions are expected to be challenging but not overly muddy. Kerry's potential win could significantly impact the future of cyclocross. The hosts discuss the balance of racing and work life for athletes. Dylan emphasizes the importance of Kerry's story for the cycling community. The conversation touches on the commitment required to train while working full-time. The hosts joke about the logistics of laundry for dedicated cyclists. The episode concludes with a light-hearted discussion about housing at events. Titles The Heavy Burden of Training Tom Pidcock's Bold Move Understanding Cycling Contracts Technical Glitches and Guest Insights The Future of Cycling with Tom Pidcock Exploring Team Dynamics in Cycling The Future of Cycling Teams: Insights and Aspirations Sound Bites "Contracts aren't anything." "It's a pro-confi team, isn't it?" "I got the Unbound bug." "I want to go win something." "I always liked Sea Otter a lot." "I think Leadville's just sick." "Montana sounds a lot cooler." "Gravel worlds? Yeah." "Why do they do that?" "It's just not enjoyable." "You're never gonna, yeah." "He always did the 50-50." "I think Curtis is gonna win." "Dude, Kerry freaking hustles." Chapters 00:00 The Offseason and Training Regimen 06:04 Contractual Implications and Financial Aspects 09:02 Technical Issues and Guest Introduction 11:55 Future of Tom Pidcock's Racing Career 13:12 Team Dynamics in Cycling 14:11 The Future of Cycling Teams 15:50 Pidcock's Aspirations and Career Choices 16:40 Media Influence on Cyclist Narratives 18:34 Lance's Competitive Journey and Goals 19:40 The Unbound Race Experience 21:56 Training Philosophy and Race Preparation 23:09 The Shift in Racing Focus 25:28 Reflections on Past Performances 27:02 Consistency vs. Standout Performances 29:10 Post-Race Recovery Strategies 30:46 The Unbound Bug and Training Mindset 32:04 Looking Ahead to 2025 36:27 Excitement for Upcoming Races 36:52 The Race Landscape: Choices and Challenges 41:17 U23 Category: A New Opportunity in Cycling 46:26 The Gravel Privateer Pathway: Breaking In 50:08 Navigating the Competitive Cycling Scene 56:58 The European Challenge: Breaking into World Tour 59:08 Cyclocross Nationals: A Personal Reflection 01:01:09 Predictions and Favorites for the Race 01:03:34 Course Conditions and Challenges 01:05:42 The Impact of Kerry's Potential Win 01:07:58 The Balance of Racing and Work Life 01:10:19 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans
Episode 126 - Tattoos, Off-season Shenanigans, Shimano vs Sram, and Are Bald Heads More Aero? If you have any questions or feedback for the show you can drop us a note at bonkbrospodcast@gmail.com or hit up the Bonk Bros instagram page (@bonkbros @dylanjawnson @adamsaban6 @tylerclouti @raddaddizzle @scottmcgilljr). Oh yeah don't forget to hit up our homies over at Silca (https://silca.cc) for all those hot holiday products and use the NEW discount code “ Bonkbros2024” for 15% off. Alright let's get this party started. Patreon: http://patreon.com/patreon_bonkbros FOR UPDATED DISCOUNT CODES CHECK THE LATEST EPISODE: Silca (Bonkbros2024): https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast Dynamic Cyclist (10% discount code: BONKBROS): https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/a/43703/xkYViFV8 For more Dylan Johnson content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIf1xvRN8pzyd_VfLgj_dow Listener Question Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1T37wGRLk6iYTCF6X_DQ9yfcaYtfAQceKpBJYR5W7DVA/edit?ts=642eb6d6 MERCH: T-SHIRTS ARE HERE! Get your Bonk Bros swag below. https://bb5a73-20.myshopify.com/ IGNITION: Hire a coach. Get faster. It's that simple. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ MATCHBOX PODCAST: Check out our more serious training focused podcast. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/podcast The Following Was Generated Using AI And Should Not Be Held To The Higher Standards Of Sentient Beings - Riverside.fm Keywords baldness, aerodynamics, training, racing, BWR, race formats, personal growth, winter training, training, cycling, long-term contracts, Cavendish, listener questions, cycling, chain maintenance, gravel bike, Shimano, SRAM, training, efficiency, bike setup, off-season racing, Shimano, SRAM, cycling gear, emotional intelligence, personal growth, Drew's reputation, boxing ethics, Lance Armstrong, tire questions, passionate followers, Instagram, race highlights, training tips, young athletes, overtraining, gravel camp, gravel bike, cycling, endurance training, bike recommendations Summary The conversation features a light-hearted banter among friends, touching on topics such as Tyler's baldness and its aerodynamic implications, training and racing plans, preferences for different race formats, discussions on race courses, personal growth, and strategies for winter training. The group shares insights and humorous exchanges, creating an engaging atmosphere. In this segment, the conversation dives into the nuances of training intensity in cycling, contrasting traditional methods with unconventional approaches. The discussion shifts to the implications of long-term contracts in professional cycling, highlighting recent high-profile signings. The group reflects on the potential regrets of teams like Quickstep regarding their decisions on riders like Cavendish, before transitioning to listener questions and the prospect of future guests. In this segment, the conversation revolves around various aspects of cycling, including chain maintenance, training strategies, and the ongoing debate between Shimano and SRAM components. The hosts discuss listener questions about gravel bike setups and share personal experiences with different gear systems, emphasizing the importance of efficiency and reliability in cycling equipment. In this episode, the hosts engage in a lively discussion about the merits of Shimano versus SRAM in cycling gear, touching on personal experiences and preferences. They delve into the concept of emotional intelligence, particularly in relation to Drew's reputation as a 'doofus.' The conversation shifts to the ethics of boxing, referencing recent fights involving Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. A hypothetical scenario involving a race against Lance Armstrong sparks a debate about age and fitness. The episode concludes with a light-hearted discussion about listener questions, particularly regarding tire choices and the nature of Dizzle's following. In this episode, the hosts discuss various topics including insights from an Instagram post, training tips for young athletes, the implications of overtraining, planning gravel camps, and recommendations for gravel bikes. The conversation is lively and filled with humor, as they share personal experiences and advice for listeners looking to improve their cycling performance. Takeaways Tyler's baldness is a recurring joke among the group. Aerodynamics in cycling can be humorously debated. Training for races can be both serious and fun. BWR races are preferred for their technical challenges. Changes to iconic race courses can be controversial. Personal growth is important in competitive sports. Mindset plays a crucial role in performance. Winter training should focus on volume. Friendship and camaraderie are key in sports. Humor helps to lighten the competitive atmosphere. Training intensity is often misunderstood in cycling. Heavy training methods may not equate to effective training. Long-term contracts are becoming standard in professional cycling. Teams may regret letting go of high-profile riders. Listener engagement is crucial for podcast growth. The cycling community is evolving with new training philosophies. Professional contracts can impact a rider's career trajectory. Cavendish's success raises questions about team decisions. The podcast aims to include more guest appearances. Engaging with sponsors can enhance podcast sustainability. Just change, just get a new chain that has, that you can use different quick links on. If you do it right before your ride, you're pretty much just wasting your wax. You should just do all the races in the off season and see what happens. Shimano has the European market cornered. I think the SRAM front derailleur is a lot better than it used to be. The new SRAM Red Explorer 13 speed is hard to top for a gravel groupset. If you're going to do two by, do Shimano still even with my headaches with Shimano this year. The SRAM front derailleur takes up more room than the Shimano front derailleur. You can fully internally route Shimano electric cables. Shimano should be testing this themselves and they should be advertising this to people. Shimano has a strong reputation in the fishing industry. Drew acknowledges his low emotional intelligence. Drew's reputation as a 'doofus' is a recurring theme. The ethics of boxing are questioned in light of recent fights. Dizzle believes he could beat a 53-year-old Lance Armstrong. Listener questions about cycling gear are addressed humorously. Dizzle's following is described as passionate and cult-like. The hosts reflect on the nature of popularity in cycling. The conversation highlights the balance between personal growth and humor. The episode showcases the camaraderie and banter among the hosts. Training insane is essential for young athletes. Overtraining can lead to performance issues. Brevard is a top choice for gravel camps. Choosing the right bike is crucial for gravel riding. Engaging in new environments can enhance training motivation. Planning a training camp requires consideration of logistics. The right tire clearance is important for gravel bikes. Community and camaraderie are key in training camps. Listening to expert advice can improve cycling performance. Balancing training volume and recovery is vital. Titles Baldness and Aerodynamics: A Lighthearted Debate Training Plans and Racing Strategies Exploring BWR Race Formats The Impact of Race Course Changes Mindset and Personal Growth in Sports Winter Training: Strategies for Success The Insanity of Training: What Really Works? Heavy Packs vs. Serious Training: A Cycling Debate Long-Term Contracts: The Future of Professional Cycling Cavendish's Legacy: Regrets in Team Decisions Sound Bites "Tyler's looking extra bald today." "Do you think a bald head is more aero?" "I'm racing this weekend." "I prefer BWR races over others." "That's a recipe for burnout." "He who rides more will be stronger." "Train insane or remain the same." "Dude, what I was gonna say is..." "Dude, my, uh..." "This thing sucks." "Don't do races in the off-season." "Nobody's earned it yet this week." "I want it to double as a road bike." "Why is Drew such an asshole?" "Apparently I don't have any of it." "I suck at that." "I would light him up." "Train insane or remain the same." "Dylan came to the camp once." "You better win, dude." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Light Banter 02:58 Baldness and Aerodynamics 05:59 Training and Racing Plans 08:59 BWR Race Formats and Preferences 12:01 Discussion on Race Courses and Changes 14:58 Personal Growth and Mindset 18:00 Winter Training Strategies 20:09 Training Insanity: The Debate Begins 23:50 The Weight of Training: Heavy Packs vs. Serious Cycling 28:06 Long-Term Contracts in Cycling: A New Norm 32:15 The Cavendish Conundrum: Regrets and Realities 35:03 Listener Questions and Future Guests 39:19 Chain Maintenance and Innovations 42:23 Training Strategies and Off-Season Races 44:45 Listener Questions: Gravel Bike Setup 45:46 Shimano vs. SRAM: The Great Debate 56:34 Efficiency in Cycling: Chains and Components 01:00:43 Shimano vs. SRAM: The Cycling Gear Debate 01:03:09 Emotional Intelligence and Personal Growth 01:04:20 Drew's Doofus Reputation: A Lighthearted Discussion 01:05:23 The Fight Game: Tyson, Paul, and the Ethics of Boxing 01:11:14 Hypothetical Races: Dizzle vs. Lance Armstrong 01:17:16 Tire Talk: Addressing Listener Questions 01:20:07 The Cult of Dizzle: Passionate Followers vs. Shallow Fame 01:21:35 Instagram Insights and Race Highlights 01:22:53 Training Tips for Young Athletes 01:25:39 Overtraining and Its Implications 01:27:40 Planning a Gravel Camp 01:34:09 Choosing the Right Gravel Bike
Linked in Impact with The Arlington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
A November 2024 article by Subramaniam Vincent on forbes.com, noted that Christine Slaughter, Chaya Crowder and Christina Greer, co-authored a recent paper that refers to Black women as keepers of American democracy. The researchers found that Black women are motivated by civic duty to vote in elections and perceive voting as an effective tool to have their voice heard. The article also noted that the news media should help fellow Americans understand the history that Black women bring to the ballot box when they vote. Our stories need to recognize that there is a profound sense of intergenerational solidarity and civic duty amongst Black women, fostered through the passing down of history from the civil rights era, shared everyday experiences, conversations, and a sense of collective responsibility.One organization which promotes Black women's civic engagement is the Black Women's Roundtable, an initiative of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.The Black Women's Roundtable (BWR) serves as the coalition's intergenerational leadership development, mentoring, empowerment and power building arm for Black women and girls. The BWR is at the forefront of championing justice and equitable public policies that center racial, economic and gender justice to promote health and wellness, economic security & prosperity, education and global empowerment as key elements of success. Our host, Krysta Jones, currently serves as one of the conveners of BWR Virginia, along with Lavern Chatman, and she is joined by Tameka Ramsey, a convener of BWR Michigan, and the founding director for the Michigan Coalition on Black Civic Participation and LaWana Brown, a co convener for the BWR Maryland. This conversation focuses on the impact BWR is making and how one can get involved.
OVERVIEW: Longtime pro cyclist Heather Fischer joins Adam Pulford to discuss short-term and long-term motivation, both what it takes to get out the door today and what it takes to fuel your passion for training year after year. Perfect for the end of the season and the impending winter, this conversation provides insights into how you can make the most of the coming months and put yourself on track for a great season next spring and summer.GuestHeather Fischer has been a professional cyclist for more than 10 years, earning Collegiate and US Pro National Championships, top-10 finishes in UCI World Tour races, and competing in gravel events like Unbound, FNLD GRVL, Crusher in the Tushar, Rock Cobbler, BWR, and The Rad Dirt Fest. A resident of Boulder, CO, Heather works as a cycling coach and is coached by "Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" host Adam Pulford.LinksHeather's IG: https://www.instagram.com/heather_smash/HostAdam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platformGET FREE TRAINING CONTENTJoin our weekly newsletterCONNECT WITH CTSWebsite: trainright.comInstagram: @cts_trainrightTwitter: @trainrightFacebook: @CTSAthlete
Episode 124 - Iceman Recap, Life Time Grand Prix Dropouts, and Scheming DJ's 2025 Race Season What up party people. I'm going to keep this one snappy because we've got some hefty meat to get to this week. We're talking Life Time Grand Prix dropouts and predictions, Tyler gives us the breakdown from his virgin experience at Iceman this past weekend, and get into a little discussion on what DJ's race season could look like for next year. Speaking of that, if you want to see Dylan or any of the other Bonk Bros at a race near you, now's your chance to speak up because we're smack dab in the middle of planning season for 2025. If you have any questions or feedback for the show you can drop us a note at bonkbrospodcast@gmail.com or hit up the Bonk Bros instagram page (@bonkbros @dylanjawnson @adamsaban6 @tylerclouti @raddaddizzle @scottmcgilljr). Oh yeah one more thing. Now that Halloween is behind I'd say we're officially kicking into the Holiday swing which means it's time for y'all to start nabbing those special gifts. What better way to spruce up the smell in your kitchen while also doing a special deed for that special someone in your life, than loading up your crockpotanator4000 with a handful of that magic Silca wax, and gifting the essence of marginal gains this holiday season. Pickup any of Silca's chain wax mixtures today and use that discount code “bonkbrospodcast” when checking out for 15% off everything on the https://silca.cc website. Alright let's get this party started. Patreon: http://patreon.com/patreon_bonkbros FOR UPDATED DISCOUNT CODES CHECK THE LATEST EPISODE: Silca (bonkbrospodcast): https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast Dynamic Cyclist (10% discount code: BONKBROS): https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/a/43703/xkYViFV8 For more Dylan Johnson content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIf1xvRN8pzyd_VfLgj_dow Listener Question Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1T37wGRLk6iYTCF6X_DQ9yfcaYtfAQceKpBJYR5W7DVA/edit?ts=642eb6d6 MERCH: T-SHIRTS ARE HERE! Get your Bonk Bros swag below. https://bb5a73-20.myshopify.com/ IGNITION: Hire a coach. Get faster. It's that simple. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ MATCHBOX PODCAST: Check out our more serious training focused podcast. https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/podcast The Following Was Generated Using AI And Should Not Be Held To The Higher Standards Of Sentient Beings - Riverside.fm Keywords US cycling, Lifetime Grand Prix, Lachlan Morton, Pete Stetina, FKT attempts, cycling news, gravel racing, rider participation, cycling community, cycling events, health challenges, training preferences, indoor training, outdoor riding, Iceman race, Melissa performance, cycling, recovery, weather, competition, race day, nutrition, Iceman, cycling, future races, off-season, training, endurance, bike racing, athlete mindset, Drew, BWR Series, Iceman, gravel racing, training, cycling, bike races, listener questions, race preparation, cycling community Summary In this episode, the hosts discuss the significant changes happening in the US cycling scene, particularly focusing on the Lifetime Grand Prix and the recent withdrawals of notable riders Lachlan Morton and Pete Stetina. They explore the implications of these changes, the potential for new goals such as FKT attempts, and the dynamics of rider participation in the series. The conversation also touches on the announcement process for the series and the reactions from riders regarding their participation. In this conversation, the hosts discuss various themes including health challenges, training preferences, the experience of the Iceman race, and the impressive performance of cyclist Melissa. They share personal anecdotes about recovery from health issues, the pros and cons of indoor versus outdoor training, and the excitement surrounding competitive cycling events. The conversation highlights the camaraderie among cyclists and the potential for future successes in the sport. In this conversation, the speakers reflect on race day experiences, particularly focusing on nutrition mistakes made before a race. They discuss the atmosphere of the Iceman race and the excitement surrounding it, while also contemplating future races and the importance of planning for the next season. The conversation shifts towards off-season activities and the challenges of balancing training with personal life. In this episode, the hosts discuss Drew's controversial opinions on various bike races, particularly his disdain for certain events like Iceman and BWR California. They delve into the relevance and future of the BWR series, highlighting its perceived decline since being acquired by Lifetime. The conversation shifts to the importance of training and preparation for races like Iceman, emphasizing that proper fitness is crucial for performance. They also reflect on the unique atmosphere of Iceman as a season-ending event in Michigan. Finally, the hosts answer listener questions about tire choices and training strategies, providing insights and recommendations for cyclists. Takeaways The US cycling scene is undergoing significant changes. Lachlan Morton and Pete Stetina have withdrawn from the Grand Prix. The Grand Prix may need prominent riders more than they need it. The series has been criticized for its structure and decisions. Riders are exploring new goals outside of the Grand Prix. Wild card entries could change the dynamics of the competition. The announcement process for the series can be stressful for riders. Rider participation is crucial for the series' success. The cycling community is closely watching these developments. The future of the Grand Prix remains uncertain. Health challenges can impact performance and recovery. Training preferences vary greatly among cyclists. Indoor training can be less effective than outdoor riding. The Iceman race offers a unique and exciting experience. Melissa's performance showcases her potential in competitive cycling. Weather conditions play a significant role in training. Personal anecdotes add humor and relatability to the conversation. The camaraderie among cyclists enhances the experience of racing. Future potential in racing is promising for emerging talents. Cyclists often face mental and physical challenges in their training. I didn't fuel properly for the race. The atmosphere of Iceman is unmatched. Planning for next season is crucial. Nutrition mistakes can impact race performance. Iceman is a fun way to cap the season. Consider branching out to different races. Off-season activities are important for balance. Races can be both competitive and fun. The importance of preparation before a race. Finding joy in cycling beyond competition. Drew's opinions on races can be polarizing. BWR California is often viewed as overrated by some cyclists. Proper training is essential for race performance. Iceman is a significant event for the Michigan cycling community. The BWR series is struggling to maintain relevance. Consistency in race series is important for growth. Cyclists should prioritize fitness over participation in races during off-season. The atmosphere at Iceman is unique and celebratory. Listener questions provide valuable insights into cycling gear and training. Engaging with the cycling community can lead to interesting discussions. Titles The Future of US Cycling: Changes Ahead Lachlan Morton and Pete Stetina: A Grand Prix Exit The Grand Prix Dilemma: Who Will Compete? Exploring New Goals in Cycling Wild Card Entries: A Game Changer for the Grand Prix The Impact of Rider Withdrawals on the Series Behind the Scenes of the Lifetime Grand Prix Rider Reactions to the Grand Prix Announcement Sound Bites "It's a dictatorship." "It's a dumb series." "What if he wins both of them?" "Dude, I could suck down so much volume." "I'm the lightest I've been all year." "Dude, I was stoked to see Melissa win." "Melissa won by a couple of minutes." "I was just limping." "I didn't fuel properly for the race." "It was welcomed for sure." "Dude, we should all go. It is a riot." "I think I want to branch out." "You should try it, it's way more fun." "I gotta keep putting this siding up." "You should do Iceman." "I don't do races if I'm going to suck." Chapters 00:00 The Anticipation of Change in US Cycling 02:56 Lachlan and Pete's Withdrawal from the Grand Prix 05:59 The Future of the Grand Prix Series 09:05 Exploring FKT Attempts and New Goals 12:05 The Implications of Wild Card Entries 14:59 The Dynamics of Rider Participation 18:01 The Announcement Process and Rider Reactions 19:44 Health Challenges and Recovery 22:30 Weather and Training Preferences 24:00 Indoor Training vs. Outdoor Riding 29:01 The Iceman Race Experience 35:00 Melissa's Impressive Performance 37:55 Future Potential in Racing 39:02 Race Day Reflections and Nutrition Mistakes 42:31 The Atmosphere of Iceman and Future Races 49:03 Planning for Next Season's Races 54:21 Exploring Off-Season Activities 55:50 Drew's Controversial Opinions on Races 58:50 The BWR Series: Overrated or Underrated? 01:00:20 The Future of the BWR Series 01:03:06 Training for Iceman: The Importance of Preparation 01:10:12 Reflections on Iceman and Season Endings 01:17:49 Listener Questions: Tires and Training Tips
What's good family! We've been on a haitus, for the last few months reflecting and preparing to get back to giving you the content you need to help you on your wealth-building journey. In this special segment, Jalen and David reflect on their journey into entrepreneurship and share the principles that lead to the success of BWR. During the conversation, the brothers dive into creative opportunites to monetize passions, highlight looked-over opportunities, and so much more! Tap in and let us know how much you missed us. We will be back with more soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 105 - Another DJ Top 10, Scott's Underwhelming TOAD Results, and Would You Rather What up party people. We just got done recording this episode for the last hour and I honestly can't even tell you what it was about. At some point DJ tells us about getting dunked on by some no namer (Josh Burnett) at BWR NC, Scott breaks down his atrocious win percentage from TOAD before making up for it by buying some jet skis, Dizzle runs his mouth about Chase Wark yet AGAIN, and more. If you have any questions or feedback for the show you can drop us a note at bonkbrospodcast@gmail.com or slide your way into those Bonk Bros instagram DMs (@bonkbros @dylanjawnson @adamsaban6 @tylerclouti @raddaddizzle @scottmcgilljr). Alright let's get this episode started. Patreon: http://patreon.com/patreon_bonkbros Silca (15% discount code: bonkbrosbikewash): https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast Dynamic Cyclist (10% discount code: BONKBROS): https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/a/43703/xkYViFV8 BOLT (15% discount code: BONKBROS15): BOLT Skin + Shaveboltshave.com For more Dylan Johnson content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIf1xvRN8pzyd_VfLgj_dow Intro/ Outro music by AlexGrohl on Pixabay.com: https://pixabay.com/music/id-111445/ Listener Question Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1T37wGRLk6iYTCF6X_DQ9yfcaYtfAQceKpBJYR5W7DVA/edit?ts=642eb6d6 The Following Was Generated Using AI And Should Not Be Held To The Higher Standards Of Sentient Beings - Riverside.fm Summary In this part of the conversation, Scott explains his excuse for not showing up to BWR and losing all those crits. He shares his experience of winning a crit race and buying jet skis. The conversation then shifts to Dylan's performance at BWR and the presence of international riders in local races. The discussion also touches on the importance of prize money and the level of competition in different races. The conversation covers various topics including Project Echelon, a junior cyclist's performance, tire selection, UCI races, and gravel beef. Dylan recounts his experience at a race where he got dropped and discusses his tire selection. The conversation then shifts to UCI races and the competition level. The hosts joke about Dylan's performance and his beef with other cyclists. They also discuss the importance of sunscreen for gingers and the decline of certain race series. The conversation ends with a discussion about Drew's phone call during another podcast and the ongoing beef between Dylan and Chase Work. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss the recent controversy surrounding a professional cyclist's comments about his performance. They also talk about the technical challenges of a recent mountain bike race and the tire choices of the riders. The conversation then shifts to the selection process for the Olympic team and the potential for Tom Pidcock to win multiple world championship titles in one year. The hosts also mention their Patreon supporters and sponsors. In this final part of the conversation, the hosts discuss various topics including bike maintenance, dynamic training apps, Patreon shoutouts, and chest hair grooming. They also answer listener questions about tire choice for a race and re-lubing a chain during a race. The conversation ends with a humorous hypothetical scenario about winning a race or receiving $10 million. Keywords excuses, crits, BWR, jet skis, performance, international riders, prize money, competition, Project Echelon, junior cyclist, tire selection, UCI races, gravel beef, sunscreen, race series, cycling, controversy, performance, professional cyclist, mountain bike race, tire choices, Olympic team, world championship titles, Patreon supporters, sponsors, bike maintenance, dynamic training apps, Patreon shoutouts, tire choice, re-lubing chain, chest hair grooming, hypothetical scenario Takeaways Scott shares his excuse for not showing up to BWR and losing crits Dylan reflects on his performance at BWR and the presence of international riders in local races The importance of prize money and the level of competition in different races is discussed Tire selection can play a crucial role in a cyclist's performance in different race conditions. The competition level in UCI gravel races may vary, and winning a UCI race doesn't necessarily mean a cyclist didn't suck. Gravel beef can be a friendly rivalry between cyclists, where they make fun of each other but still maintain a friendship. The importance of sunscreen for gingers in endurance events like gravel races. Some race series may decline in popularity over time, and their organization and promotion may not keep up with the times. Controversial comments made by a professional cyclist about his performance sparked a discussion about the importance of self-promotion and confidence in sports. The hosts analyze the technical challenges and tire choices in a recent mountain bike race, highlighting the evolution of courses and equipment in the sport. The selection process for the Olympic team and the potential for Tom Pidcock to win multiple world championship titles in one year are discussed. The hosts express gratitude for their Patreon supporters and sponsors, emphasizing the importance of their contributions to the podcast. Silca wax chain lube is recommended for races and can provide a competitive advantage Dynamic training apps like Dynamic Cyclist and Dynamic Golf offer specialized training programs Patreon shoutouts are a fun way to engage with supporters and show appreciation Tire choice for a race depends on the terrain and conditions Re-lubing a chain during a race can be challenging, and using a wax-based lube is not practical Hypothetical scenarios can spark interesting discussions and reveal personal values Titles Jet Skis and Winning: Scott's Victorious Crit Race Excuses and Crits: Scott's Explanation for Missing BWR The Decline of Certain Race Series The Impact of Tire Selection on Performance Acknowledging Our Supporters: Thanking Patreon and Sponsors The Road to the Olympics: Selection Process and Potential Champions Choosing the Right Tires for a Race Showing Appreciation to Patreon Supporters Sound Bites "Yeah, I won one. I won one. Spectacularly. Solo. Celebrated corner to corner. Yeah." "Oh yeah, that's true. Then to that point, that was the coolest thing I'd ever done. And then once I got the Jetski, that one upped that." "Since when does fifth place suck?" "I will not hear anybody say otherwise" "I definitely went faster than anyone" "Sometimes I take into account the entire course and sometimes I take into account the one section where I think I'm going to attack and then solo away to further win" "Man, there is beef." "They're doing it right." "Your friendship isn't deep until you start insulting each other." "Is it Bonk Bro's bike wash? Is that still the code?" "I did use the silco lube when I relived it though." "No, actually, that's like all of their, all of their, or a couple of their products are kind of funny. They have warning, like do not consume." Chapters 00:00 Scott's Excuse for Missing BWR and Losing Crits 00:18 Scott's Victorious Crit Race and Jet Ski Purchase 03:14 Dylan's Performance at BWR and the Presence of International Riders 10:51 The Significance of Prize Money and Competition in Races 15:50 Introduction and Discussion of Project Echelon 16:06 Junior Cyclist's Performance and Tire Selection 19:57 Dylan's Experience at a Race and Tire Selection 21:10 Considering the Entire Course vs. Targeting Specific Sections 25:38 Discussion of Gravel Beef and Rivalries 30:36 Phone Call During Another Podcast and Conclusion 32:38 Controversy and Confidence 36:29 Technical Challenges and Tire Choices 40:29 The Road to the Olympics 54:16 Acknowledging Our Supporters 55:06 Bonk Bro's Bike Wash and Silca Wax Chain Lube 57:12 Exploring Dynamic Training Apps 58:38 Showing Appreciation to Patreon Supporters 01:01:27 Choosing the Right Tires for a Race 01:04:04 The Challenge of Re-Lubing a Chain During a Race 01:08:12 The Dilemma: Winning a Race or Receiving $10 Million
Episode 93 - Smack Talk, Dizzles Birthday Fools'n, the Return of Road Racing, and Is Gravel Going Soft? What up party people. New show comin' atcha with all sorts of hot takes for y'all over the next hour and change. We've got Scott's hot take on the resurgence of domestic road racing, DJ bringing the heat over news of BWR course changes due to… wait for it… it being too cold? Oh and we also find out on the air that Dizzle's birthday was in fact the same day as April Fools and we completely missed it. If you have any questions or feedback for the show you can drop us a note at bonkbrospodcast@gmail.com or you can holla at ya boys on the Bonk Bros insta (@bonkbros @dylanjawnson @adamsaban6 @tylerclouti @raddaddizzle @scottmcgilljr). Alright let's get this thing started. Patreon: http://patreon.com/patreon_bonkbros Silca (discount code: crockpotanator4000): https://silca.cc/?utm_source=Bonk+Bros&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=stripchip&utm_id=Bonk+Bros+Podcast For more Dylan Johnson content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIf1xvRN8pzyd_VfLgj_dow Intro/ Outro music by AlexGrohl on Pixabay.com: https://pixabay.com/music/id-111445/ Listener Question Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1T37wGRLk6iYTCF6X_DQ9yfcaYtfAQceKpBJYR5W7DVA/edit?ts=642eb6d6 The Following Was Generated Using AI And Should Not Be Held To The Higher Standards Of Sentient Beings - Riverside.fm Summary The conversation revolves around the upcoming Levi's Grand Fonda race and the changing conditions of gravel races. The hosts discuss the prize money, race dates, and their plans to participate in multiple races. They also talk about the decision to shorten the race in Utah due to cold weather and the implications of weather conditions on race distances. The conversation touches on topics like tire choices, bike handling skills, and the importance of preparation for races. The hosts share personal anecdotes and humorous moments throughout the conversation. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss various aspects of preparing for a gravel race, including attire, nutrition, and equipment. They joke about the need for a mustache, flannel, and mullet, and discuss the use of hydration packs and gel mixes. They also talk about the importance of having the right tires and chain length for a gravel bike. The hosts share their experiences and offer advice to Scott, who is preparing for his first gravel race. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss PRJT D1ZL CLTV's birthday and the concept of inclusivity in sports. They also talk about the lack of prize purses in gravel races and the potential for road racing to make a comeback. The conversation ends with a discussion about upcoming races and the different categories and formats they offer. The conversation explores the idea of a doping-friendly sports contest, where athletes are allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs. The hosts discuss the potential negative health implications and legal issues that could arise from such a competition. They also consider the possibility of creating a controlled environment for athletes to train and compete without drug testing. Ultimately, they express concerns about the dangers and ethical implications of allowing unlimited performance enhancement. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss various topics including elite marathon runners and drugs, Drew's YouTube channel, getting kids into mountain biking, creating an independent gravel point system, and the quality of AliExpress carbon bike parts. They also talk about archery and the importance of using a reliable release. The hosts share their thoughts on different gravel tires and their experiences with flat tires. In this final part of the conversation, the hosts discuss their least favorite people to ride with in a group and the mystery surrounding a writer mentioned in a video. They also talk about overlaying data on videos, their music preferences while riding, and the delay in launching Bonk Bros merchandise. The conversation ends with a humorous discussion about the Crock-Potinator 4000. Keywords Levi's Grand Fonda, prize money, gravel races, race dates, race distances, weather conditions, tire choices, bike handling skills, race preparation, gravel race, attire, nutrition, equipment, mustache, flannel, mullet, hydration pack, gel mix, tires, chain length, birthday, inclusivity, prize purses, gravel races, road racing, categories, formats, doping, performance-enhancing drugs, sports competition, health implications, legal issues, controlled environment, unlimited performance enhancement, elite marathon runners, drugs, YouTube channel, mountain biking, independent point system, AliExpress carbon bike parts, archery, release, gravel tires, flat tires, riding in a group, video content, data overlay, music preferences, Bonk Bros merchandise, Crock-Potinator 4000 Takeaways Gravel races are becoming increasingly popular, with participants planning to compete in multiple events. Race organizers may make adjustments to race distances or routes based on weather conditions. Tire choice and bike handling skills are important considerations for gravel races. Proper race preparation, including training and equipment, is crucial for a successful race. Personal anecdotes and humor add an entertaining element to the conversation. Consider the appropriate attire for a gravel race, including sunglasses, a flannel, and a mustache. Hydration packs may not be necessary for shorter gravel races, as water can be obtained from aid stations. Gel mixes can be a convenient source of nutrition during a gravel race. Choosing the right tires and chain length is important for optimal performance on a gravel bike. PRJT D1ZL CLTV's birthday is on April 1st, and his friends initially thought it was a joke The hosts discuss the concept of inclusivity in sports and the focus on professional athletes They talk about the lack of prize purses in gravel races and the potential for road racing to make a comeback The hosts share their thoughts on different race categories and formats They joke about the idea of racing for pink slips and the possibility of offering bikes as prizes at events The idea of a doping-friendly sports contest raises concerns about the negative health implications for athletes. Allowing unlimited performance enhancement could lead to legal issues and potential lawsuits. Creating a controlled environment for athletes to train and compete without drug testing could be a possible alternative. There are ethical considerations and dangers associated with allowing unlimited performance enhancement in sports. Elite marathon runners are sometimes accused of using performance-enhancing drugs. Drew's YouTube channel is popular and viewers suggest he should give a kickback to the podcast. Getting kids into mountain biking can be as simple as taking them out and letting them have fun. An independent gravel point system could be a way to recognize top performers in the sport. Using reliable and high-quality equipment is crucial in archery to prevent accidents. Choosing the right gravel tire depends on the race and the terrain, with considerations for flat protection and rolling resistance. The hosts discuss their least favorite people to ride with in a group and the drama surrounding a writer mentioned in a video. Overlaying data on videos can be challenging, especially for longer races, but it can provide valuable insights for viewers. The hosts have different music preferences while riding, with some preferring music with lyrics and others enjoying instrumental or techno beats. The launch of Bonk Bros merchandise has been delayed, but the hosts are working on it and plan to release water bottles soon. The hosts joke about the Crockpotanator 4000, a fictional product that combines their love for crock pots and cycling. Alternative Titles The Importance of Race Preparation The Impact of Weather on Race Distances Preparing for a Gravel Race: Attire and Accessories Nutrition and Hydration Strategies for Gravel Racing A Birthday Joke The Debate on Inclusivity in Sports Exploring the Concept of a Doping-Friendly Sports Contest Creating a Controlled Environment for Athletes to Train and Compete Choosing the Right Gravel Tire Getting Kids into Mountain Biking Delayed Launch: Bonk Bros Merchandise The Crock-Potinator 4000: A Humorous Idea Sound Bites "Wow, you call yourself a tire expert and you're not familiar?" "Yeah, you need, you need jorts, dude." "visor on your helmet." "Yeah, you need to get a tattoo before the race starts." "For BWR California, I would say no because you're going to get all the water you need from the car." "Last year, that's what I did. I had baggies of mix, but now I've converted to, took the cap off and dumped it in." "I got all these like random happy birthday text messages." "Exclusivity is not a bad thing, I don't think." "If you were to win Unbound, you are gonna get so much more money the next year in sponsorships than you would ever get from whatever prize money they would give you." "Yeah, it's gonna be really bad. Dude, they're gonna be doing so much EPO that people are gonna be dying in their sleep." "No, dude, people are gonna-" "Yeah, well, they shouldn't put up prize money. Because then you're incentivizing people to do it." "The elite marathon runners are already on drugs." "We need a code for Drew's YouTube channel." "Mountain biking is fun enough. You don't have to encourage him." "Uh, Dizzle, based on your latest video, who is your least favorite person to ride with in a group? Hehehehe" "Cause I want to leave it a mystery. I want them to go watch my video." "Oh, that's kind of sick." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Discussion of Levi's Grand Fonda 02:58 The Impact of Weather on Race Distances 05:56 Choosing the Right Tires and Developing Bike Handling Skills 08:59 The Importance of Race Preparation 11:59 Personal Anecdotes and Humorous Moments 15:40 Preparing for a Gravel Race: Attire and Accessories 16:25 Nutrition and Hydration Strategies for Gravel Racing 29:29 A Birthday Joke 32:07 The Debate on Inclusivity in Sports 35:36 The Lack of Prize Purses in Gravel Races 38:05 The Potential for Road Racing to Make a Comeback 41:07 Different Race Categories and Formats 44:18 Racing for Pink Slips and Bike Prizes 57:24 Exploring the Concept of a Doping-Friendly Sports Contest 59:36 The Potential Health Implications of Unlimited Performance Enhancement 01:00:49 Legal Issues and Ethical Considerations of Allowing Performance-Enhancing Drugs 01:02:12 Creating a Controlled Environment for Athletes to Train and Compete 01:02:32 The Dangers and Ethical Implications of Unlimited Performance Enhancement 01:02:54 Elite Marathon Runners and Drugs 01:03:34 Drew's YouTube Channel and Kickbacks 01:04:26 Getting Kids into Mountain Biking 01:05:01 Independent Gravel Point System 01:13:11 The Importance of a Reliable Archery Release 01:16:36 Choosing the Right Gravel Tire 01:24:36 Drama and Mystery: Least Favorite People to Ride With 01:25:09 Overlaying Data on Videos: Challenges and Insights 01:26:14 Music Preferences While Riding: Lyrics vs. Instrumental 01:27:24 Delayed Launch: Bonk Bros Merchandise 01:36:11 The Crock-Potinator 4000: A Humorous Idea
Have you ever wondered about the origins of a local legend? Join us as we sit with Rob Bell, whose winding path from inline skating to the pinnacle of cycling captures the essence of versatility and endurance. From the early days of gliding on skates, to mountain biking through Oklahoma's rugged landscapes, Rob's story is one of passion, dedication, and humility. His race calendar is packed with challenges, including the BWR in Arizona, where he'll measure his mettle against the top adventure and gravel cyclists.As we weave through Rob's athletic evolution, we uncover the symbiotic relationship between veganism and high-performance sports through his eyes. An unassuming powerhouse, he shares how a plant-based diet fuels his grueling training and competitive endeavors. He also brings us into the heart of the cycling community's camaraderie and rivalry, from crit racing ascents to the gritty spirit of gravel racing. Discover how Rob finds personal growth in embracing new terrains, whether they're coated in mud or sprinkled with sand.Every turn of the pedal has a story, and Rob's is no exception. From tactical skate racing to custom gear innovations by Simmons Racing, and the shared trials of Ironman training, our conversation digs into the rich tapestry of Rob's experiences. Hear firsthand how overcoming the gritty challenges of races like the Midsouth cultivates resilience and triumph. It's more than just a tale of athletic prowess; it's a narrative of a relentless pursuit to push limits that resonates with anyone who dares to dream big.Instagram @robbelllife
Welcome back to another episode of the Black Wealth Renaissance Podcast! In this episode of the BWR podcast, Randy Hazelton, CEO of H&H Hospitality, joins us. This airport concessions conglomerate owns 20 restaurants in major airports in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, and D.C. In 2023, the restaurant collective generated $50M in Revenue. During this episode, Randy breaks down the airport concessions industry, the benefits of franchising, overcoming bankruptcy, and much more. 3:55 - How Randy Got Started in Airport Concessions 8:10 - Leaving Corporate to Launch His First Restaurant 13:06 - Filing Personal Bankruptcy to Keep the Business Afloat 17:57 - Making His Restaurant Profitable 21:30 - Selling Their First Restaurant to Enter Airport Concessions 25:14 - Why Do People Feel a Way When Black Founders Exit? 28:00 - Learning the Airport Concessions Industry 30:00 - Franchising Vs. Starting Your Own Brand 38:45 - What is the ACDBE Program? 43:30 - Creative JV Partnerships & Scaling the Right Way 48:30 - The Difference Between Franchising and Licensing 58:36 - Standing on Business Presented by thepsbs.com 1:03:38 - Randy's Top 2 Money Lessons 1:06:00 - Closing Questions Leave Us A 5 Star Rating & Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're interested in advertising on the Black Wealth Renaissance podcast, fill out the form below. https://forms.gle/CHH8L6UU4NxoyD3t7
Join me as I sit down with one of the very best Professional Wrestlers in the UK right now! The current BWR Heavyweight Champion, the Tidal Champion and one half of the United Tag Team Champions..."The Bastard Child of British Wrestling" SCOTTY RAWK We Discuss... Becoming a triple champion Going International Wrestling Speedball Mike Bailey in Poland Making the BWR and United titles World Championships His Incredible feud with Kira Chimera That bump from the Balcony of the Tap Social The formation of The Dogz Bollox His Journey with BWR Scotty's Words for Dara Diablo Scotty's History and Journey with TIDAL His Biggest Learning Curves and Lightbulb Moments during his early years The Scotty Rawk Persona Scotty's Mental Health Issues Scotty's band INTERCITY Listeners Questions Plus, So Much More!
In this episode, we sit down with cinematographer and director Shannon Vandivier to discuss his work on the Life Time Grand Prix series "Call of a Life Time." Shannon shares his journey into the world of filmmaking and storytelling, influenced by his father's career as a photojournalist. He explains how he approaches the editing process as a second director and the importance of having a clear vision for the story. Shannon also delves into the challenges of filming off-road racing events and the strategies his team employs to capture the essence of each race. He highlights the importance of building trust with the athletes and creating a connection that allows for vulnerability and authentic storytelling. Throughout the conversation, Shannon emphasizes the goal of the series: to showcase the dedication and inspiring stories of off-road athletes and to foster a sense of fandom within the community. Episode supported by AG1 Support the Podcast Join The Ridership About the Guest(s): Shannon Vandivier is a cinematographer, director, and camera operator based in Austin, Texas. With a passion for storytelling and a background in photography, Shannon has honed his skills in capturing powerful imagery and using it to tell compelling stories. He started his own company in 2013 and has since worked with notable clients such as Netflix, BBC, and PBS. Shannon's work can be seen in various projects, including the Lifetime Grand Prix series "Call of a Lifetime." Key Takeaways: Shannon Vandivier's passion for storytelling and capturing powerful imagery stems from his father's career as a photojournalist. The editing process in filmmaking is akin to being a second director, and it requires a clear vision for the story. Filming off-road racing events presents unique challenges, and Shannon's team employs various strategies to capture the essence of each race. Building trust with the athletes is crucial for creating authentic and vulnerable storytelling. The goal of the Lifetime Grand Prix series "Call of a Lifetime" is to showcase the dedication and inspiring stories of off-road athletes and foster a sense of fandom within the community. Notable Quotes: "The power of editing comes with a clear vision. You don't know how your story is changing unless you know what your story is." - Shannon Vandivier "The bike has always been the vehicle to fun. And as I've matured through life, I've continued to stay on the bike." - Shannon Vandivier "The reality is, editing is second directing. The power of editing comes with a clear vision." - Shannon Vandivier Resources: Shannon Vandivier's website: shannonvandivier.com Lifetime Grand Prix series "Call of a Lifetime" on YouTube: youtube.com/lifetime Automated transcription, please excuse the errors: [TRANSCRIPT] [00:00:00] - (): Craig Dalton (host): Welcome to the show. How you doing, man? [00:00:04] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Man, I'm glad to be here. I'm glad to be with you. [00:00:07] - (): Craig Dalton (host): I'm excited to have this conversation. It's probably a, an outlier. If I think back to the catalogs of conversations I have, it's usually athletes, event organizers, and event producers. So you're my first cinematographer, director, camera guy. **** - (): Super excited to have this conversation. Cause I think a lot of us have seen your work in Certainly Lifetime, uh, Call of a Lifetime Season 1, which followed the Lifetime Grand Prix. But after looking at your website, I think there's probably a bunch of other things that we've probably seen of you over [00:00:41] - (): Shannon Vandivier: the years. **** - (): Thank you. Well, maybe, maybe not. It depends. Uh, it's a big world out there. There's a lot of content, but I certainly am honored, you know, um, to be your first. Uh, camera nerd and a storyteller on your podcast. So for those of you listening who are hoping to learn anything about power numbers or Watts or course design, uh, you will be disappointed. **** - (): Uh, but if you want to learn about storytelling and how incredibly, um, challenging it has been, and at the same time, rewarding, um, to spend a year at this point, two years with all the top off road athletes, um, in North America and now also internationally. You're in the right spot and I will, I will tell all right now. **** - (): I'm [00:01:26] - (): Craig Dalton (host): excited to get into some of those challenges. Shannon, just to set the stage, where, where are you located and what's your relationship been to the bike? [00:01:36] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Um, let's see here. Most I'm 36 years old, born in 87 and, um, I was born here in Austin, Texas. I'm currently in Austin, Texas. Um, it's a great base camp and we have good airport hub. **** - (): So I've never found an excuse to leave other than maybe my draw to the mountains. Um, and so, you know, like most nineties kids, like the bike was the vector to get around the neighborhood, and it's always been about. Um, for me, the bike has always just been the vehicle to fun. And as I've kind of matured through life, I've continued to kind of stay on the bike. **** - (): Um, mountain biking to me, um, has become my favorite way to process. Even before this podcast, I went and spent an hour on the bike, just getting into a bit of a flow state and just getting my mind channeled in the right way. I do a lot of my riding, um, believe it or not. Use voice memos for that. But a lot of my thinking and processing on the bike, um, as it specifically rates, relates to call of a lifetime. **** - (): But yeah, I think the bike is certainly a relevant character in my life. Um, and definitely was the reason why I was even interested in, um. Dipping my toe, which, which turned into diving off into the deep end, um, of creating content and storytelling in this space. [00:03:01] - (): Craig Dalton (host): How did you find your way to a camera in the first place? [00:03:04] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Ah, now that's a good question. So my dad was a photojournalist, and I grew up in a house that was covered in, um, film negative slides. And slideshow reels, and the smell of rolled film in the freezer as you were like sifting through to go find your toaster strudels or whatever. Um, and so like, I think I was five when my dad stuck his first hand me down in my hands. **** - (): He would like sit me on the curb and as cars drove by, you know, I would earn new rolls of film if I got like cars in focus as I panned with him going by. I remember that specifically as a memory. And yeah, just, you know, my dad is, I've always been against flying, uh, airline travel. We always road tripped everywhere and we were always going somewhere. **** - (): So I spent a lot of time traveling the world. Um, and controversially, I think I was like 12, 13 years old, you know, when my dad was taking me on shoots with him that maybe were like considered conflict zones, like still don't know, but like in, um, in a really unique way, I had a father who just really was passionate about using a lens to tell stories. **** - (): He was a still photographer and, um, from a young age, he was just passionate about teaching me the power of the lens and the power of creating imagery and using that imagery to capture a moment in time that tells an important story. And as a journalist, um, you know, he saw himself as a responsible party and keeping politicians accountable and, um, corporations accountable. **** - (): And he's. He still, to this day, um, heartbreakingly, probably, sees journalism as the means at which we keep society on track, um, and the truth in, in the public square. And so I've always had a value for storytelling in that context. And um, And yeah, and through, through certain life circumstances, I think I've particularly given an empathetic, um, perspective on life. **** - (): Um, and you know, I, we had a tragedy in my family. I, we lost my youngest brother when I was nine and. Um, you know, there were some hard years there, but where, where it landed me was, um, man, life is special, and there are some really important stories to be told, and it's really important, um, and I love the idea, I should say this, I love the idea of a camera, and, um, and a lens being the vector to creating an introspective revelation in somebody, right? **** - (): And it's this really unique thing That camera and storytelling and filmmaking can do, right? It can compress time in a way where we feel like we can learn a life's worth of lessons from somebody else in 90 minutes or 30 minutes. Um, and I, and sometimes that feels like magic to me. Um, of course we don't have the scar tissue of experience to ingrain those life lessons and anchor into our life, but at the same time, they can, they can be seeds. **** - (): That will one day maybe blossom. And so, um, I saw it through my father growing up. I saw how his imagery impacted people. And, you know, I, I always, I always respected that. And I'm really proud that I get to follow. In a sense, my dad never did any filmmaking, but I get to follow in his footsteps. And, um, and so that's kind of what led to me to where I am now. **** - (): I started my company back in 2000 and 13 and started Get to play with real clients in 2016, um, I've been, uh, won some awards and been featured on, you know, yeah, we've got, you can go check out. It's weird talking about yourself, right? And so there's a lot of things we've done out there and I've gotten to work for Netflix and BBC and PBS and, you know, all the big names out there. **** - (): I'm honored to continue to work with them. And, um, I, I just, it's not about the, who I'm working for. It's about the, what I'm creating. And so that's, that's my guiding beacon. That's what pushes me forward is the, what I'm creating. [00:07:15] - (): Craig Dalton (host): Amazing. Thanks for all that insight into your backstory. I'm curious, you know, your father obviously instilled a love of still photography and while, you know, someone picking up a phone or a camera today. **** - (): Video is the obvious medium. Was there a point in your. Childhood, going into college, what have you, that you decided photography is great, but video will allow me to express some of the storytelling elements that I'm so passionate about? [00:07:45] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Yeah, it's a great question because no one asks that question. You know, um, I was frustrated with still photography. **** - (): You know, it's what I always had in front of me. And it's, I always, like, my dad used to have this drill with me where he would hand me magazines. This is before the computer, right? So, like, he would hand me magazines, a pair of stickers, and some tape. And I had, I have still to this day, I probably dig them up, I have these spiral binders. **** - (): And he told me, son, you need to train your mind's eye. And he would make me go cut out. Pictures from magazines, stacks of magazines that, um, that I liked to train what, what I liked. And I always remember just, like, flipping through these magazines and cutting these pictures out and pasting them in my, my spiral notebook and training my mind's eye. **** - (): And I always just, like, remember feeling like, man, like, I don't fully understand this image. Like, it's a cruel image. But, like, I want to know everything that happened. Like, it could be a Formula one car, you know, like on two wheels about to flip over. And I'm like, did it flip over? And I just remember thinking and always feeling this wall with still photography. **** - (): Now I'm still a still photographer. I love still photography. It's a wonderful way to capture a moment, but in terms of the completeness of a story, in terms of how technology has advanced, there's no question that filmmaking and story is the ultimate form of storytelling. It's the most. Um, and so, yeah, it's, it's a good question. **** - (): Yeah. Recall anybody asked me that question before. [00:09:25] - (): Craig Dalton (host): So thinking about the amount of film that I've caught over, you know, over my life, my big problem has been the editing of it and I don't have any skills, Shannon. I'm going to be totally transparent with you on that, but I am curious about like the editing part, because, you know, you're capturing a lot of footage, regardless of what you're doing. **** - (): But the editing is really key to making the storyline come through that you're trying to capture or that did happen out there. I'm curious. So you, you know, obviously you started to build the, the technical skills to shoot with your camera. What was that process like to become an editor that could get that end product that really conveyed? **** - (): The stories either yourself or your clients were looking for. [00:10:10] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Yeah. I mean, that's a great question. The reality is, is editing is second directing, you know, um, the power of editing comes with a clear vision. Reality is you don't know how your story is changing unless you know what your story is. And so, for me and my process, and like you, I don't have a ton of skill sets in life, but one of the things that is so hard for me to do is to walk into the field with a camera and not have a plan. **** - (): If I don't know the story I'm going into the field to tell, then I don't know how it's changing in front of me. And if I don't know how it's changing in front of me, I don't know where to point the camera. But if I've defined my story and my characters, um, then As it's changing, as things are falling apart, is usually how you can define changing and filmmaking in the moment. **** - (): Um, you can adapt and I think, you know, editing is like baking. If you don't have the right ingredients, you're not going to have a tasty product. You have to do it in the right order and you have to give respect to the ingredients and you have to have good quality ingredients. And so to say that, um, there's any one piece of, of creating a product, a film that is more important than the others. **** - (): It's, it's just like taking a screw out of, um, a mechanical mechanism, like everything will fall apart and nothing will work if you don't have sometimes even the smallest thing. And so, um, our cinematographers, you know, we had up to 14 people in the field this year. We had helicopters, side by sides, motorcycles, um, multiple editors in the field. **** - (): I mean, what we accomplished this year and the sheer manpower that I had to. bring together, unify and disseminate and share a vision with, um, and follow through with that vision on, um, that in itself became the greatest, um, challenge, but it also became the greatest reward. And why I believe when people see season two of Call of a Lifetime, they're going to see, well, if they watch season one, they're going to see a big improvement. **** - (): They're going to see improvement in a few ways. And I'd love to jump into that, but. To be direct to your question, um, that editing process is a dance and I have a principal editor, his name is Blake Campbell. He's been working with me for eight years. I mean, his sole income comes from me and has for many, many years. **** - (): And he is one of my key relationships that I carry within my company because, um, again, I call the editor the second director. I script ahead of time. I take a script after we've shot it, and our AEs will process everything we shot, which is a lot. I mean, I don't want to underestimate under, um, overstate this, but it's a lot of content around a hundred terabytes of footage we curated this season. **** - (): Um, and I take that pre script and I marry it to what the theoretical versus the actual, what we went in to shoot versus what we actually shot. And I reshape a script and I put that in front of my editor. And then somehow he always makes it better. Better than what I envisioned, better than what I direct in the field. **** - (): I mean, the sound design, the secret sauce of, you know, um, uh, trick editing and creating a visceral experience. And, you know, a lot of our style and a lot of the things that I think people will come to see. to know as our fingerprints as a company. Um, a lot of that has to do just with the consistency and you know, the, the, the experience that we have or that my editor has and spending time with me through the years and knowing, you know, kind of what I like. **** - (): And when I shoot something, I shot it specifically to be edited a certain way. And now I don't even have to communicate that to them. So I can't take credit for it. I am a editor on this series, but I am by no means the principal editor. I'm just the guy that comes in and messes his timelines up, and sometimes it's easier to just jump in there and tear up a timeline than it is to actually just write it out on paper and have someone else go in there and try to read your brain. **** - (): So read about it [00:14:32] - (): Craig Dalton (host): to give the listener a little context for those of them who have not seen call of a lifetime series. One it's available freely on YouTube by the time this is broadcast season two will be available as well. What Shannon's been describing is not just a simple. Race storyline of a singular race, which may be a lot easier to tell. **** - (): We're talking about the entirety of the lifetime Grand Prix season. So whether you're talking about season one or season two, I'm just Shannon, Shannon curious, you've got a bunch of athletes in the lifetime Grand Prix, both on the male and female side, you've got. You know, the, the favorites, you've got the dark horses, but there's plenty of them to choose from. **** - (): How did you or, and or working with the lifetime team decide who to key in on? And you talked about having an idea of what that story arc might look like. How did you approach it at the beginning of the season and how did it evolve? And what were some of those monkey wrenches thrown into the plans? [00:15:36] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Yeah. **** - (): Great question. Um, yeah, golly, you're gonna make me think. Um, okay. So to, to fully answer that question, season one, I had no idea what I was doing. I mean, It was the classic scenario where Lifetime saw my accolades and experience as a film director, knew that I could execute, signed a contract with me to go in based on a concept that I presented, which was modeled after Drive to Survive, the Formula One series. **** - (): Which really, I just saw as such a fascinating thing, like, blew my mind. I knew nothing about Formula One. I pressed episode one of that thing on Netflix when it first came out, and it instantly made me a fan of Formula One. And as a director, as a storyteller, I was, I had to dissect that. I was like, whoa, how did they brainwash me so quick? **** - (): And I realized that the way they, what they did, and the model that they set forth, which was ingenious, was, we're human beings. We first and foremost relate to other human beings. So before I needed to understand the formula of model, you know, the racing and the point structure and the courses and which events are more important than other events and the key players first, I had to fall in love with character. **** - (): I had to pick who my favorites were and they did such a good job doing that and pulling you into these characters, helping you understand what they're like, you know, what's at stake for them, what their goals are, what they have questions they're asking, you know, um, and that instantly grabbed me. And so I thought that's cool. **** - (): And then I thought bike racing is confusing and, oh my gosh, the Grand Prix, which is what the series is. Built around is an easy to follow series, limited races, invite only, cash prize, easy to follow point structure. Sweet. We have all the right ingredients and most importantly, good characters. Um, and so athletes are always good characters because athletes are passionate and they're driven and focused, you know, um, and they're mental. **** - (): Um, and, um, and so I thought, man, this is so cool. And so. Getting on back, getting back on track with your questions. Season one, I had no idea who to pick. I just started researching, started reading everything I could find. I started just at the advice of, um, Rebecca Sands and Michelle Duffy, um, and Ryan Cross, you know, who all work with Lifetime, um, and Kimo Seymour. **** - (): Um, they started telling me, I just asked a lot of questions. I took the list of all the athletes and I just thought, what's this person about? What's this person about? Who are they from? Where, you know, who are they? Where are they from? What's interesting about them? You know, what have they been through in life? **** - (): How did they get into racing? And so, man, season one was like this crash course in education. Um, and it really took me months to get educated on all of that. And. Somehow, in season one, we made mostly the right picks. I think we were like 7 for 10 out of men and women on who we filmed with and who ended up in the top 10. **** - (): This season, that was a lot because of these relationships. That's one of the coolest parts. What I'm most rewarded in, in creating the series, is It's a trust thing. I mean, to tell a person's story requires time, face to face time. Um, they need to trust me. They need to know they can be vulnerable with me, and I'm not going to betray that trust. **** - (): You know, if something happens, then I'm not going to throw them under the bus, you know? If it deviates from who their normal character is, what their normal persona is, if If they are naturally a bit of an against the grain person, then that's their character. That's journalistic to present them as who they are. **** - (): And if they say it on camera, and that's, and they're not afraid to shy away from that, then I will embrace that, you know? Um, and so I think that that's where interesting storytelling comes, because that's what makes this community unique. And so this year, our character selection was a heck of a lot more Experientially educated because I have relationship with the athletes. **** - (): I knew already who the returning athletes were and how good they were and what their strengths were. And then I really just had a light lift of researching the new athletes that were coming in. And a lot of us were asking the same questions. How's Matt Beers gonna do? You know, like, How is Danny? Who is Danny Shrosby? **** - (): Like, is a UK national champ someone to keep your eye on? Turns out she's really powerful. You know, um, you know, you got Brendan Johnson. I mean, what a cool story. Like, man, he's one of my favorite storylines this year. I had so much fun spending all year long with him and having all these touch points and staying in constant communication and I can say right now, like he's a friend and I love that and I love that. **** - (): I have that relationship with him because I'm rooting for him in many ways. You know, it's weird because I'm rooting for all of them anyways, because all of their stories mean something. It means something to the community that knows them, that surrounds them because there's not one of these athletes that isn't inspiring. **** - (): And that's the coolest part, right? Right. Um, can't go to an NFL game and go jump on the field and hang out with the players and run your own drills. You know, you can't do that in basketball. You can't do that in golf. You can't do that really in anything except for cycling. You know, I mean, maybe I can't say that, right? **** - (): Like maybe there's another one out there that you, this is runs a similar example, but that's the cool part about off road cycling is that these are mass participation events. Everyone gets to line up on the same day together with these athletes and then, um, so yeah, anyways, I think I just like really ramped into my own excited digression from that question you asked, but yeah, that's, that's [00:21:30] - (): Craig Dalton (host): what we're all about, Shannon, happy, happy to have you. **** - (): I [00:21:33] - (): Shannon Vandivier: picked the athletes based off of who I thought was a really interesting person who I, when I scrolled through their Instagram, you know, was it just bikes? Was it just all bikes? Was, are they just nerding out in a bike park? Maybe that's the character I'm looking for. It's like, who's the nerdiest bike people? **** - (): But then you got characters like Anna Yamauchi. Like, go scroll her Instagram. She's cool. She surfs. She bikes, you know. She's like always like, you know, in a van somewhere, you know, like, uh, Christopher Blevins, her boyfriend is also just like a really cool guy to follow on Instagram. And so it got me excited. **** - (): I was like, you know, I don't know how she's going to do as a racer, but that doesn't matter. Because she's coming in on the back foot. She's coming in as a total green racer. She has never done a race series before. She's really very new to racing. And so she's got a lot to learn. And I love that perspective. **** - (): I love that perspective of someone coming in that really, you have no idea how they're going to do. They don't have experience. They need to see the series with fresh eyes, which is an important perspective. Again, For those people who don't know much about racing. And so, you know, my selection of characters was strategic and it was about how I want to continue to evolve the story and, you know, who's got a story to tell and who's good on camera, you know, like that's also a thing. **** - (): Like if you're awkward on camera, that doesn't make good storytelling. So, you know, like those are real investments. There's, I can't name any names, but. There's times when you invest time you have your crew get with people and film with them and you walk away thinking like, yeah, I don't think it even does them justice to use. **** - (): Yeah, that's okay. You know, that's okay. You mentioned [00:23:16] - (): Craig Dalton (host): that that trust that trust required to have a real authentic conversation and representation of the people you're filming. Do you feel like. You know, going into year two, because of the efforts in year one, that it was easier to kind of get embraced by the newer characters and the newer people you were working with. [00:23:35] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Oh, my gosh. I mean, without a doubt, year one, we were trying to convince people like, Hey, this is gonna be cool. Yeah, we had season one, they already knew it was cool. They all love it, right? Like, maybe not all of them, you know, like, depending on who you are. And I think the reality is, is, Is we didn't have to prove ourselves. **** - (): We didn't coming into walking into season two, people, people realize that this vision that we have with the series is about truly just building fandom. Just honestly, it was just like, what better way to say it? Like we want to make off road racers famous. Like we want people to know how cool they are and what, how much they sacrifice to do this thing that they do and how impressive it is. **** - (): Um, and the world should see that and be inspired by it. And so that was the objective. That was the goal in season one. And we had to have a lot of conversations with athletes. Like literally like Pacey McKelvin was having to text Keegan for me and be like, dude, Shannon's cool, like. I think you're going to like this project like you should just sit down and have an interview with them and you know, and then walking into season two, you know, I'm, I'm calling Keegan. **** - (): I'm like, Hey, man, when can I get on your schedule? And usually he's like, cool. Anytime that's not before the race focus. I respect it. Um, he manages time so well, which again, it's Why he performed so well. And I think that was an interesting learning experience this year is, is really getting to see Keegan's dominance and as a character, see that evolve. **** - (): And then how that pairs to what I'm learning about him behind the scenes. Um, and, and how that's a testament to, you know, how to be successful. And so. Yeah, season two is, I mean, here's a spoiler, average length of these episodes is like 35 minutes. I mean, some episodes are 45 minutes long. Wow. Last year, I think some of the longest ones were like 22, 25 minutes long. **** - (): And that is a testament to people giving us time, to good story. It's also a testament to the hardest nut I've ever had to crack. In filmmaking in my career, hands down is how to film off road racing. That is a challenging thing to do. It takes a lot. I have a [00:25:50] - (): Craig Dalton (host): bunch of, I have a bunch of questions on that front. **** - (): Yeah. Before we jump into the technical part of filming off road racing, I'm curious, like you, you said you, you go in and you choose a selection of athletes to work with. And I imagine, you know, we don't know when you start filming, you don't know if someone's going to have an injury. Someone's going to drop out of the series or, you know, something unexpected has happened. **** - (): Do you go in with ten athletes knowing you probably only have eight storylines you can tell and certain ones end up on the cutting room floor and don't end up making an appearance in the series? [00:26:28] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Yeah, no, I mean, it's a good question. No, I don't think anyone spent time with us and did not make the cutting room floor. **** - (): Period. Uh, however, there are certainly investments you make on the front end of a season, hoping someone might do better, but if they're not performing and. They don't necessarily have some compelling aspect of the story that keeps you really interested. Um, then you might see them fall off in the series, you know, [00:26:55] - (): Craig Dalton (host): that's normal. **** - (): Yeah, conversely, I imagine you might have a character, I keep saying character, but an athlete who starts excelling later in the season. And you didn't really think that you would be following her throughout the year as closely, but it's clear they're doing exceptional things in the [00:27:13] - (): Shannon Vandivier: series. I mean, last year, Haley Smith, she wasn't on our radar until I think I interviewed her after the race at Crusher and the Tusher last year. **** - (): I mean, that's a long way into the season. I mean, I was like, man, who is Haley? You know, again, I just didn't know what I was doing. She wasn't on my radar. No one put her on my radar, but like when you look at her on paper. I, she should have been on my radar from the get go, but the reality is, is she had a strategy to her season. **** - (): She was gonna, she didn't want to burn herself out too quick. She wanted to be peaking, which is a strategy, right? To be peaking on the back end of such a long season. So, last season, The female champion, right? Of the, the, the number one spot of lifetime Grand Prix. We didn't even know about her until Crusher. **** - (): We didn't even recognize who she was or how, how impressive of an effort she was putting down until then. So, um, this year, I can't say that that happened to us. We got lucky, you know, in that sense. I think I was hopeful. I was hopeful some of my, the dark horses like Matt Beers would have showed up a little bit more. **** - (): Um, honestly, I think that I really wanted, I want to see Keegan lose. Like I do, you know, like I want to see him lose. Not because I don't like Keegan, but because like. Dang, like that dude ran and ran and kept running and just ran away with the series and which in itself Became a really important part of the story this season But I would love to see someone challenge him. **** - (): I would love to see that right dethrone Keegan like dude, that's gonna be a cool storyline when someone actually shows up to do that I think Keegan wants that too, by the way You know, like Sophia as well. Like I think they're there to race and when they actually have something to race for, when they have someone really pushing them to their limits, um, that's when you get stronger and that's when you really understand who you are. **** - (): And so, yeah, I think, um. Yeah, I don't know. I could, I could, you want to keep going. I can keep talking, you know, like, dude, uh, my brain is hit on some of these topics because I mean, I've literally analyzed these writers, these scenarios, these dynamics, every possible way that I feel like I can't. And so coolest and most inspiring part of it, all of it is just simply the fact that, you know, um. **** - (): What's happening in North America is so unique and so special. And yeah, the fact that those international athletes, although I wish they would have performed a little bit better, some of them, you know, some of them performed great and really kind of figured out where they were in the pecking order here. **** - (): And I think it's really cool. All of them are coming back next season. Yeah. [00:29:56] - (): Craig Dalton (host): I think clearly like a bunch of them figured out what it's like being in the U. S. this long or doing, you know, how to handle coming back and forth to their home country and back to the U. S. So yeah, I'd like to think in 2024, some of them are a little bit better prepared to be super competitive and that'll be exciting for all us fans. [00:30:15] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Yeah, Matt Beers said it best. We were doing an interview at Big Sugar and he goes, I can't do a South American or South American, South African accent. Um, it'll probably come off as like a leprechaun or Australian, but he says, you know, I've cracked the American code. He's like, I figured it out. I'm coming back next season. **** - (): And the American code is altitude. And he's like, and I'm coming back and people better watch out. So I think he's like, he's, he thinks there's an American code and he's just spent the season sussing it out and figuring it out. And now he's going to come back this next season, um, with a different or better training plan. **** - (): So yeah, I love it. Which is cool. You know, [00:30:55] - (): Craig Dalton (host): you had mentioned something earlier and it might've been before we started recording just about sort of the challenge of creating a series after we know the results already. How do you think about that? I mean, obviously there's such an infusion of the personal storylines that's a huge bonus that we don't get throughout the year as race fans following these races on social media. **** - (): So how do you think about, you know, the fact that the results are known and you're still, you know, building a story narrative about the season? Hmm. [00:31:29] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Okay. Um, did you, did you follow any of the racing this year? Mm hmm. Yeah. Do you get a tingly, like overwhelming sensation and a grin on your face when you saw who got first or second, say at Leadville? **** - (): Yeah, a hundred percent. Right. Do you think when I frame this thing up around a story that shows you inside that writer's face, what he's feeling emotionally or what she's feeling emotionally and everything that In the immediate past and also the distant past that she's had to put in to get to that moment, that maybe that tingly sensation and the way you experience that race will be even that much more elevated. [00:32:14] - (): Craig Dalton (host): Yeah, a 100 percent Shannon and I like [00:32:16] - (): Shannon Vandivier: that. Right? It's like, I'm thinking about how, like, the reality is, it's like. Man, I, I don't remember. I, I watched Formula One, I guess, but sometimes I've forgotten one. But like, the reality is, is like, the episodes aren't about the race, really. You know, like That's funny, I don't Which I don't think is a [00:32:35] - (): Craig Dalton (host): vector. **** - (): I love that series as well, and I've never watched A Formula one race in that season. My entire experience is like a year removed because I just watch it during that Netflix series. [00:32:47] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Totally. Right. And so I think that like, to me, I think there's a cool thing, right? Like if you're a hardcore, like Grand Prix or just off road cycling fan and you follow everything. **** - (): Um, I think you're gonna have watched the race in real time and understood the value, the importance, the significance of who won or, you know, the characters involved, the racers involved, and why it's a big deal that they won. But when you get a chance to watch our series and you get a chance to like really see behind the scenes, you know, like we're in their homes with them, you know, like we are, um, We are showing a layer of vulnerability that you actually haven't ever seen before. **** - (): I mean, there's never been put out there on these particular, you know, people. Um, and so I think how I've approached the creative on this is to not even think about the fact that, you know, the results are out there because it's about the layers. You've seen the one, the layer of them crossing the finish line or the footage of them racing that race. **** - (): But. I've got five more layers to peel back for you, and I'm going to connect some dots for you, and I'm going to show the interpersonal relationships between the women and between the men, you know, and sometimes in some cases between the women and the men, you know, because the men's races often can impact the women's races, you know, that's a challenge. **** - (): That's another way that lifetime is looking to continue to evolve, and they want You know, as this thing that's happening in North America right now, you know, it's, the evolution is going to come at the pressure, the ideas, the sentiment of all of us, you know, or all the, the key components of all the racers, the mass participants, as well as the pointy end of the spear, you know, as well as these athletes who are way out front and who are only making this faster and faster and faster. **** - (): And so the rules will change a little bit. They're already changing a little bit, you know. It's cool to see, you know, how the women feel you heard it when you were watching the race unbound, you heard women have their own start. And maybe you saw an interview too, about a woman saying, Hey, this is really cool. **** - (): We're really excited for this, but I unpacked. The shit out of that, like, like in there, like, I really wanted to understand from the most core credible writers, why is that a big deal? How does that actually change the dynamic dynamic of your race? Like, um, how was it safer? Like, what does that mean to you? **** - (): Like what happened to you last year versus what is going to happen to you this year? You know? I think there's a lot of examples like that. Storylines that just really, I think will, will come to life. And I think you're going to see. What's currently like, I don't know, as an analogy, two dimensional, you're going to see three dimensional, right? **** - (): You're going to see these storylines and these races and what's going on. And, you know, these athletes right now, as we speak are, are already getting in five to eight hour rides. You know, like if you're following them on social media, they're already training, you know, like a month off. Like that was their off season. **** - (): They went to Mexico, had a margarita and now they're like. Already binge eating carbs and like, you know, crushing crazy miles. And all they're thinking about is like Mid South, you know? And then after that, it's BWR. And then it's like, it's just months away. And so, you know, like those are the stories and that's the layer that I'm excited to show is just really. **** - (): The sheer amount of dedication and that goes, yeah, [00:36:20] - (): Craig Dalton (host): it's been super interesting getting to know some of these athletes through your eyes and through your storytelling. I definitely for myself became more of a fan of certain athletes and less of a fan of others, which was super interesting. I think the other thing not to be discounted, and maybe this is a good segue into the technical challenges of filming these events was, you know, you have the best equipment to film these. **** - (): Racing environments. So if you're looking to see what is the gravel feel like in Bentonville, your camera footage and the equipment you have on in the field gives you that feel, which I love because I'm I've always been about exploring. The different types of gravel in the U. S. and what the experience is like and trying to extract that from race organizers. **** - (): So I definitely appreciate that thread. For the listener to just think about before you answer this question, we're talking about mountain bike racing at Sea Otter on single track. How do you get in there? We're talking about cruising 200 miles across Kansas where Coverage is difficult. The terrain is difficult. **** - (): We're, you know, in Bentonville, we've got all these different locations. Schwamigan, for God's sake, I don't know how you get any footage there. So, talk about, and maybe you can juxtapose Season 1 to Season 2, how do you get out there in the field? How do you get these shots that make us feel like we're part of the race? **** - (): Man, [00:37:47] - (): Shannon Vandivier: you know, golly, what a question. Here's the thing, man, is like, it's been trial by fire. It's really what it's been. It's been a lot of mistakes made. It's been a lot of hard lessons. It's been a lot of adapting. I mean, the IQ that we've accumulated at this point is extremely valuable to me, to my team. **** - (): You know, like, I don't know, like, I think the reality is, is. Anyone outside of my team probably doesn't even really see it. You can hear my words that I'm about to speak right now, but the reality is, is everything I'm about to say has come at the cost of a lot of brainpower, a lot of thinking. I mean, the softness of the gravel, how much dust. **** - (): That it's composed of, how sharp it is, how far that we're going, how much potential mud is on the course. If it's too dry, what's that going to do to the race and how we cover it. If it's too wet, what's that going to do the race and how we cover it. I mean, compare and contrast big sugar to unbound this year, you know, like moon dust versus the thickest, stickiest mud that you can find. **** - (): I mean, the type of mud that buries you down to your axles and stops if you do it the wrong way. And so. Um, you know, Schwamigan, oh my gosh, Schwamigan, Schwamigan's hard, Schwamigan's scary, Schwamigan's so fast and covering Schwamigan is really tough. So, all right, let me break this down for you. Every race has a characteristic. **** - (): And the first thing I'm asking myself is how much of it is two track versus single track. Single track obviously is the hardest thing to cover. Um, you know. The, the way you cover it has a lot to do with how often and what the shape of the course is. Where can I create cutoff points? How can I leapfrog riders? **** - (): Uh, we're using e bikes a lot at Sea Otter. That's a huge characteristic of Sea Otter is getting out there on e bikes. And so we'll go cover, honestly, 40 miles in a race ourselves on e bikes with. Camera backpacks on, drone strapped to them. And I've got a team of seven people just on e bikes out there mobbing around and doing what they got to do. **** - (): On top of that, we find the access points where I can get a vehicle out there. I can get bounce around. That's another unit. That's another crew. You know, a helicopter is a wonderful tool. And we didn't have that at Sea Otter this year, but certainly is in the conversation right now for this next year. I think helicopter obviously is the best way. **** - (): And I'm so grateful to Lifetime for their continued vision and investment into the tools needed to be successful. And that's been a part of the learning process and, you know, like any wonderful. Client, you always go over budget on these things and they haven't murdered me yet. And so I just can't thank them enough for that. **** - (): Um, and so, you know, the reality is, is it's all in the effort to just produce, produce the highest quality content that you can. Um, but. You can't have one thing if your content is all statics of a rider swiping by, or it's all constant tracking motion, you know, or it's all from a helicopter, then it's one dimensional, you need all of it. **** - (): And that in itself is the inherent challenge to make it cinematic, really particular about the quality of my, if I put my name to it, I want it to be the best, you know, and that's something that cinematography is incredibly important to me. Um. Probably borderline OCD on that. And so I think that that is a huge weight that I put on myself and my team to make sure that we execute. **** - (): And tools of, of the trade, um, help a lot, but again, diversity is key. And so you need a mix of all of it. And so you need to. I mean, our strategy plans probably look pretty similar to like what it looks like for like a Navy SEAL team or Marine team when they're like planning a siege on a city, you know, we've got maps out and I've got, you know, upwards of 15 people in a room sitting there and I'm, I've got code names for the units. **** - (): I'm like, all right, unit a unit B unit. C unit D, here's what you're doing. You're going to leapfrog you unit, um, be here. And then you're going to pivot over to the Eagle's nest. You know, like we've broken down the course into its variable carrier characteristics, especially as we've defined the course. I mean, that's one of the most valuable IQs that I currently hold is like. **** - (): Say another team is to walk in after us and try to execute the same project. I know almost every corner of every turn of every course, you know, like that in itself is an investment of time. It's an IQ and in doing so you can actually, we've got to a point where we understand the dynamics of the race. **** - (): And part of that is the strategy of the racer. I know when, I can predict when someone's going to attack, and it's based on the terrain. It's based on where they're at psychologically, at what point in the race, and how they need to separate, create separations in the field. Yeah, yeah. First 25 percent of the race, you can. **** - (): You can count on selection one happening 100 percent like that's intentional, that's strategic. They need to blow the field up as soon as they can. Once you're, you have your, your lead in your chase group, um, then it becomes, um, then it becomes an interesting dynamic of. Using key features on the course to start weeding guys out. **** - (): So you'll see attacks happen on hills. You'll see Keegan and Finstie try to blow Cole up, you know, and he'll be a cockroach. He'll keep coming back, you know, and they'll keep trying to blow him up. They did that at Sea Otter this year, you know, he kept showing back up. He kept showing back up all the way up until. **** - (): Um, that, that, uh, that final climb and, um, that final climb is certainly, um, where Keegan and Fenstein finally got that separation from them. But until then they were using the landscape and they were strategically using, um, the, the pack dynamics to To create certain scenarios. And so we can use that to our advantage. **** - (): And when we have that IQ and we understand the essence of, of racing and my whole team understands that my whole team has experienced at this point, then you're successful. And that's what we figured out this year. I mean, [00:44:06] - (): Craig Dalton (host): That's the gold for us fans when we're watching this. If we can actually see that moment where the elastic is stretched to the end and it bursts and see and feel that emotion, like that's the moment that we all want to be in. **** - (): That's so difficult to capture in off road [00:44:21] - (): Shannon Vandivier: racing. Well, to predict where it's going to happen, right. And I'm not saying I'm a hundred percent, but every race we were there, you know, every race at those moments, you know, when someone drops out of the race, you know, Alexis Skarda, like one of my favorite people, um, in the series, honestly, cause she's so, she's a very intense, like she's a really laid back person, actually, which is funny, but when she races, like she puts her eyes on and like, man, that girl, like, look, I get out of her way. **** - (): She's. She's a killer. Um, and so like seeing that point where she actually had to drop out of Unbound, it was actually a really sad moment for, for those of us who were rooting for her, you know, but to be able to capture that, to be able to tell that part of the story and to see where she, um, she actually had to To fall off of Sophia, um, was, was hard. **** - (): Um, and so, you know, like, capturing that, I think as a fan, I think you're going to really be able to relate to the sheer effort that goes into these things, and the psychological warfare that is going on between riders, but also the hardest person there is to race is yourself. Yeah. So, capturing [00:45:29] - (): Craig Dalton (host): those moments. **** - (): Having spent Yeah. Having spent so much time thinking about these series the last couple of years and becoming a true fan yourself, is there a single race that you'd call your favorite? [00:45:42] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Hmm. That's a great question. I like Unbound the most, a hundred percent. I think Unbound is interesting because you just don't know what's going to happen. **** - (): Um, it's a really fun race to film be in the, in the sense that we actually logistically, it's one of our, our, it has the fewest amount of logistics. Um, because it's just 200 miles of gravel road. So our vehicles, we can do a lot of leapfrogging. So our coverage is really good. So our storytelling is really good. **** - (): It's really dialed. And you know, this year I'm looking at the nuance. I'm looking at the nuance of who's pulling and who's not pulling. You know, last year I didn't know about pulling and I didn't know about, you know, like everyone doing their work. And so this season being able to just watch the strategy and on the men's side, it was like so crazy inspirational because you had seven guys. **** - (): That, like, basically, once you got through the mud, worked together, truly together. Nobody, nobody sat on the wheel at all. Everyone worked together, like, it was kind of crazy because it came down to a sprint at the end and it's just, like, didn't seem right. You know, like, Pete Stettin, I think, was seven out of the seven guys. **** - (): But, like, man. You're talking about seconds, you know, you're talking about him putting in so much work. And if you look at the year before he got, I think eight, but it was a way different race, you know, like amount of effort. I don't think his result actually justified the effort that he put into it. But yeah, it's because they all work together that they all got through it. **** - (): And so it was really cool, which might change people's strategy. A guy like Pete next year might be like, forget this. Like I'm a, I'm actually going to be bolder and blow the steel, blow the screw up, you know, and try to actually make a flyer happen or convince three guys to fly off with me sooner so that we know it doesn't come down to seven of us trying to sprint each other, you know, like, so I think Unbound, I think is. **** - (): I like it because there's a lot of strategy involved, you know, single track mountain bike racing is heavily dependent on skillset, which I'm a mountain biker predominantly. And, and I get that and I think that's really cool. I like filming mountain biking a lot because it's really dynamic and fast and windy and like you have the trees and like when you see our cinematography this year at sea otter, I think you'll be really excited. **** - (): We made it pretty, um, it is pretty. And so, um, but. But gravel racing is like this beautiful blend between mountain biking and road racing where you actually have, you don't have teams necessarily, but man, it's so cool to see these pack dynamics form and then to see the respect or disrespect they built for each other. **** - (): And so, um, it's like last season in season one, I believe it was Ivar who, I mean, we. We filmed it. He sat on that wheel a lot. He was the most well rested going into that sprint. There's no question about it. You know, like the thing it was talked about, he won, you know, that's a strategy. It's not how you become popular, but it's certainly a, an opportunity to win. **** - (): And so, you know, that's a strategy and you might, you know, you, you might need to be a bit of the match, you know, like to actually win some of these races. And [00:48:50] - (): Craig Dalton (host): so, yeah, you can't get away with it too often. But, you know, you got, probably got one big one in you where you can sit in, people don't know you. [00:48:59] - (): Shannon Vandivier: Yeah. Yeah. How many times do you have to win, uh, Unbound to secure a couple of years worth of sponsorships though? You know? So, [00:49:05] - (): Craig Dalton (host): yeah. Yeah. Awesome. Thanks for all the time, Shannon. This was super exciting to get the behind the scenes. Clearly, you guys put so much work and effort into it, you and the Lifetime team. **** - (): I'm super excited by the time this airs, I'll probably have binge watched the entire season two and I encourage everybody out to go out on, uh, it's on Lifetime's YouTube channel to find the [00:49:28] - (): Shannon Vandivier: content. Right? Yeah. You can find it, um, on Lifetime's YouTube channel on their social media pages. You can certainly come follow me at Shannon Vandiver or my company at Code Collaborative. **** - (): Um, and you'll find all sorts of fun stuff there, but. Thank y'all. We really, I really hope you enjoy it. I really hope that you fall in love with the characters. And again, the goal at the end of all of this is just celebrate, um, getting outside and being healthier. And, you know, we want to harbor on just how inspirational these athletes are. **** - (): And so you can expect to be inspired. If you want to get inspired, check out this series, because these athletes have inspired me for sure. [00:50:07] - (): Craig Dalton (host): Yeah. Fantastic. Thanks, Shannon. Thanks, [00:50:10] - (): Shannon Vandivier: dude.
Michael Marckx is the founder and CEO of the Belgian Waffle Ride, one of the biggest and most influential multi-surface, gravelish series in the world. He's a prime mover behind what has become today's booming gravel scene and wow, this guy has lived what would be 20 lives the average human. We talk everything that went into the birth of the BWR including Michael's time as CEO of a publicly traded company, his other career as a professional musician, his other other career as a professional triathlete during the golden age of the sport when Kenny Souza had unrivaled hair and Mark Allen and Dave Scott were battling it out for the Ironman and Michael's childhood in an environment where running marathons when you were 12 was normal. Most importantly, we talk about why you should pick something hard to do with friends and go do it. That's what I did last fall when I did the BWR Kansas Wafer with the No Pressure No Diamonds crew and got a taste of the Belgian Waffle magic then swore I would never go back and am now going back. Choose the Hard Way is the show about how hard things build stronger humans who have more fun. Please help more people find this podcast. To do that, just hit subscribe and rate the show five stars on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this episode with someone you care about. We are in year six of Choose the Hard Way and it's going to be a big one with some amazing guests and the chance for us to spend some time together as a community at a few gatherings and live events. To make it all happen I'm open to mission-aligned sponsors I'd be proud to share with my audience directly supporting the show this season. If you or someone you know have a company that wants to reach the high-achieving, high-influence, highly networked people who listen to this show and do amazing things, then send a DM to @hardwaypod or email us at choosethehardway@gmail.com. I'm also ready to retire the Giant TCX cyclocross bike I've been using to race gravel since 2015 and I'm ready for a new ride. If you're in the industry and work for a company that makes an amazing bike you'd like me to race and talk about this year, holler at me and let's make it happen. Finally, I'm going to have big news to share some time in the next few episodes about the business I started that I've quietly been working on for the past 18 months. We are getting ready to publicly release our product and I want to give you all the opportunity to be among the first to get to try it. Go to choosethehardway.com to sign up for the newsletter and if there's someone you think would make a great guest, DM @hardwaypod or send an email to choosethehardway@gmail.com. To learn more about BWR go to @belgianwaffleride and you can find Michael gram'ing @ibemmx.
This week we are joined by Eric Sutter, race director and founder of the Open Range 200k in Kansas. Learn Eric's unexpected journey to becoming a race director and why the southern region of Kansas deserves its own exploration. Open Range 200k Episode sponsor: Hammerhead Karoo 2 (use promo code: TheGravelRide for free HRM) Support the Podcast Join The Ridership Automated Transcription, please excuse the typos: [00:00:00]Craig Dalton: Hello, and welcome to the gravel ride podcast, where we go deep on the sport of gravel cycling through in-depth interviews with product designers, event organizers and athletes. Who are pioneering the sport I'm your host, Craig Dalton, a lifelong cyclist who discovered gravel cycling back in 2016 and made all the mistakes you don't need to make. I approach each episode as a beginner down, unlock all the knowledge you need to become a great gravel cyclist. This week on the podcast, I'm welcoming Eric Sutter. He's the race director and founder of open range gravel in Kansas . The event takes place in April every year and is going on to its seventh edition in 2024. I'm going to flag this right away. Registrations opening this coming weekend. November 25th after Thanksgiving. So make sure to check it out. If you're interested after hearing. Eric's journey to becoming a gravel race organizer. It's quite a fascinating journey. It's not as someone who started. Riding gravel bikes ages ago. He picked it up after coming into the world of endurance athletics via kayaking. Of all things. I hope you enjoy the conversation, but before we dive in, I do need to thank this week sponsor, hammerhead and the hammerhead crew to. Computer. It's been a minute since I've spoken about the hammerhead crew to computer. It's my daily computer on my gravel bike. I enjoy it. A whole hell of a lot. If you'll pardon my French. It's one of those devices that continues to grow and evolve over time. And I think that's what I like so much about the hammerhead device. I'm getting a software update every few weeks and sometimes it's spot on and something I'm using. And sometimes it's something that I don't know, I need to use. Or would even want to use. For example, it was probably three or four months ago. I got an update around accommodating e-bike features. And since I wasn't an e-bike rider. I didn't have a lot of need for it, but lo and behold, and this is my dirty little secret. I am now the owner of a mountain bike. So I'm excited to explore the features and functionality that I can bring to the crew too. Just to understand battery life of my motor and my battery and make sure I don't get lost out there without the power to come home. Don't worry. I'm still a fan of peddling my bike. I just thought it would be a lot of fun. Getting an E mountain bike. The other thing, as you know, if you've heard me talk about the hammerhead career to you before. I love the elevation and climb feature that they rolled out quite some time ago with the climbing feature, you can see what's ahead of you in any climb that you're approaching, whether you have a map loaded or not. For me, it's really helpful if I'm a new terrain, just understanding am I in for a long grind or is this a shorter climb where I can really push. As we're coming into winter, it's important that the crew too has both touchscreen capabilities. But also physical buttons. So if you've got some heavy duty gloves on, you can still manipulate the device and go to all the screens. You need. Right now our listeners can get a free heart rate monitor with the purchase of our hammerhead crew to simply visit hammerhead.io right now and use the promo code. The gravel ride at checkout. To get yours today. This is an exclusive offer. So don't forget that promo code, the gravel ride. You'll get that free heart rate monitor with the purchase of your career to go to hammerhead.io today. Add both items to your cart and use the promo code, the gravel ride. Would that business behind us let's get right into my conversation with Eric. [00:03:39]Craig Dalton (host): Eric, welcome to the show. Thanks, Craig. Thanks for having me on. I didn't think this was a long time coming, but as we just remembered, this is about three and a half years in the making since our first email exchange. [00:03:52]Eric Sutter: That's right. Yeah. We, uh, we sent a couple of emails back and forth and then I think life just happened and, you know, stuff gets, uh, gets passed on and, and, uh, but it's good to, it's good to be here. Good to finally be on and, uh, and get to talk with you and your, your listeners. [00:04:05]Craig Dalton (host): Right on. Yeah. Shout out to Wade for reconnecting us. Telling me a little bit about your story, which I see you gave me in your 2020 email. So I'm excited to talk about both the OpenRange 200k, but also I think it's important when we talk about events and event organizing, just to hear a little bit about your backstory. So to set the stage, why don't you just let the listener know, where'd you grow up? What'd you do as a kid? How'd you get into endurance athletics? I know there's a lot to this story, so we can take it [00:04:33]Eric Sutter: slowly, bit by bit. Yeah. And feel free to interrupt me at any point to, to dive in more. Um, so I, I grew up in Pratt. Um, it's about a, uh, an hour and a half West of Wichita, which most people were probably familiar with the general area of where Wichita is, uh, in, in South central Kansas. Um, it's a town of about 6, 000 and, um, just a small. Independent, isolated community, um, and so in high school, uh, played sports, played, uh, baseball and football and wrestled. And then, um, yeah, uh, went from there, went to college at Kansas State. Um, I did Army ROTC. And so I knew, I knew at that point, like, going into the Army is what I wanted to do. And, uh, and so did that commissioned, um, and actually, uh, went into aviation. So flew, um, and still currently fly helicopters, uh, for the army. Um, and [00:05:25]Craig Dalton (host): did that initially take you outside of Kansas when you first [00:05:28]Eric Sutter: deployed? Yeah, it did. So, um, and, and I really had, had only lived in the Midwest, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma growing up. And so, uh, my first, uh, first kind of visit outside besides just. You know, uh, having vacation somewhere was, yeah, down to Southern Alabama, yeah, which was kind of a culture shock. So, um, went down there for, for flight training and then, um, I lived in, uh, Tennessee, Kentucky area for, uh, for most of my active duty, duty years. [00:05:57]Craig Dalton (host): Okay. Yeah. I mean, I imagine most of us who haven't been in the military have an understanding that there's a physical fitness component of it. Do you, did the soldiers tend to recreate athletically? Did you tend to? Yeah, [00:06:10]Eric Sutter: yeah, definitely. So for, for aviation, uh, ultimate frisbee is kind of a, the, uh, the sport of choice. Um, okay. We play. So, uh, you know, and some people have like, you know, are, are doing marathons and stuff like that. But, um, you know, and I, I, I tried to keep, keep in shape, uh, it's always been important for me. So, you know, trying to do, um, you know, we have our, our physical fitness tests and everything like that. So, uh, try to be in, in this. [00:06:36]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah, so it sounds like probably a little bit of running here and there. Oh yeah, definitely. [00:06:40]Eric Sutter: Ultimate frisbee. [00:06:41]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah. Where else did the military journey take you? [00:06:46]Eric Sutter: So yeah so, um, you know, Tennessee and Kentucky is where I was stationed, uh, and then did some deployments. So, uh, deployed to Iraq in uh, 2005, 2006. Then went to Afghanistan in 2014, and then another deployment to Kuwait in 2017, 2018. Okay. So yeah. [00:07:02]Craig Dalton (host): And then. Yeah. Go ahead. Then you end up back [00:07:05]Eric Sutter: in Kansas. Yeah. So then, uh, so then ended up back in Kansas and kind of in the middle of that went off active duty and joined the National Guard and in reserves. And so now I'm a reserve pilot. [00:07:15]Craig Dalton (host): Okay, great. Well, first off, thank you for your service. Yeah. And it sounds like along the way you were sort of, as many of us do in our twenties and thirties, kind of Dipping a toe in the water into different sports. Yeah. So what [00:07:29]Eric Sutter: were you doing along the way? Yeah, so Really is when I came off active duty and we moved back to Kansas City. I was looking for something to stay active and I watched the news one night and they were showing these Kayakers that were going across the state of Missouri and I looked at my wife. I was like that that sounds kind of neat You know, I think I think I'd like to do that and again, looking for something to stay active. I was, I was playing, um, uh, ultimate Frisbee with, uh, with a local little club, but I wanted something a little bit more to, to, to, um, really stay, stay involved in something to stay active. So the first year [00:08:06]Craig Dalton (host): of waterways, did you have access to, to kind of learn the sport of kayaking? [00:08:09]Eric Sutter: Yeah. So, um, we've got a couple of lakes around. Um, and so Uh, we'll, uh, we'll do that. And there was a club that, that would meet up. And so I, you know, that's the great thing with like Facebook and, and things like that. It's finding these little clubs and organizations. And so, uh, yeah, I met up, I found a race that was happening. Um, oh man, going back, just thinking about this, like the first race, I think it was 12 miles and it was kind of a show and go. No, you know, no awards or anything like that. Just, you know, bring your boat and let's go, go race them. I had no clue what I was doing. I had no [00:08:47]Craig Dalton (host): idea how long a 12 mile kayak race would take someone. Um, [00:08:51]Eric Sutter: so generally, uh, you know, in our, our kayaks, you should be able to do about, well, five miles an hour. Um, is, is it kind of a moderate to fast pace? Um, seven miles an hour, you're, you're, you're looking at, um, so especially on flat water. Uh, so yeah, so a 12 mile would be, yeah, it'd be about two hours. Gotcha. [00:09:15]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah, I've done a little bit of paddling and there's definitely an analogy to pedaling in just in terms of the cadence of your arms and your body and that repetitive motion that every time I've rode or paddled, like it does appeal to me much in the same way riding a bike appeals to [00:09:29]Eric Sutter: me. Right. Yeah. And it's kind of the same thing, you know, you can go to a certain level of exertion, um, and then like your gains just don't go much higher for the amount of energy it takes to go faster. You just hit that, that drag, uh, coefficient and it's, uh, but yeah. [00:09:47]Craig Dalton (host): So it sounds like you got sucked into the sport of kayaking at that point. I [00:09:51]Eric Sutter: did. Yeah. Uh, like I said, the first time it was, I was terrible. Uh, I didn't have any technique. I didn't know what I was doing. Uh, got out there, had this boat that was like 60 pounds, just this heavy plastic boat, um, with a paddle that, you know, was not efficient in the water at all. Um, but what I found was like, the people there were awesome. They were just, you know, they didn't give me a hard time for having a shoot. Plastic, you know, boat or anything like that. And they're all in these, as you'd know, in California, like the surf skis, I mean, these 18, 20 foot long, you know, um, 22 inch wide, uh, sit on top kayaks. And, um, and they just, like I said, they just. And so, but again, what I kind of, what I learned was that, you know, these people are just really good people, um, really great people. And I just, that's, that's probably more of what sucked me into it was just these, these awesome people that I was, I was getting to meet and everything. So, and, and the benefit of staying, staying active. Yeah. [00:10:50]Craig Dalton (host): You know, it's so interesting with endurance athletic and particularly like the more extreme ones, like. Ultra running or something like that. The communities are just like where, what you want, show up, show up with a good attitude. Let's all get this done. And it is so refreshing [00:11:05]Eric Sutter: and inviting. It is. It is. Yeah. I can't say enough. And those, those people still good friends with, with several of them that I've met that first, that first race. And this was 10, 10, 12 years ago now. [00:11:17]Craig Dalton (host): So, so tell me about this event across Missouri. One, I have to ask what Waterway goes all the way across Missouri. So [00:11:24]Eric Sutter: it's the and two, how long is it? Yeah, so it's the, uh, it's the Missouri River. Uh, you start in Kansas City and it, uh, it's a 340 mile race. Um, and that generally takes the fastest, can do it in, um, the mid 30 hours, 36, 35 hours, I think is the. The fastest time, uh, and you benefiting [00:11:46]Craig Dalton (host): from a bit of current a little [00:11:47]Eric Sutter: bit so you can get two, two to three mile an hour, uh, add on to your, your flat water speed at that point. And it, and it varies in different places, um, where other, um, other waterways come in, you know, other, other rivers will, will meet the Missouri, you kind of get a boost and whatnot. So as you get closer to St. Louis, uh, you get a little bit faster. Okay. [00:12:11]Craig Dalton (host): And, you know, with a 35 hour race for the fastest people in the world, you know, many are going 40, 50 hours. I imagine. Are you, what does it look like stopping and refueling? How does that work in a kayak event? Yeah. So [00:12:23]Eric Sutter: every, I'd say. At least every 50 miles is a, is a ramp, a boat ramp on the Missouri river. And so you, um, you have a ground crew and they meet you at each place and they've got, you know, all your, it depends on how you set them up. I mean, mine was my parents. Um, and so I had set up bags and resupply and stuff like that. And they would have some extra water bladders. And so I'd swap, swap out water bladders and swap out, um, you know, my nutrition and put it in a little cooler behind my, my seat and then, uh, and then go on. And so. Yeah, it's, I did it three years, uh, the first year I, I, I was, uh, I was in an outrigger and I DNF'd, uh, that year I made about a hundred and... I think 130 miles and, um, I just had a tremendous, uh, back pain and, um, and just wasn't, wasn't going to work to, to go on. And so I kind of came back after that and figured out, okay, I want to do this a little bit different. So I got a canoe, uh, that was really light, uh, carbon, uh, or I'm sorry, Kevlar, um, Kevlar fiber canoe and did that the second, uh, my second event. Um, And then, um, and the third time I got to a surf ski and did it in a surf ski. Okay. And so that was, was a lot of fun and, uh, and it goes a lot, a lot faster. [00:13:42]Craig Dalton (host): Well, listener will have to forgive me in this detour down to kind of racing, but I just, I just find it fascinating. [00:13:49]Eric Sutter: Well, and it's, you know, it's interesting, uh, being a race director now, like a lot of the things that I. Uh, I, I learned it's from, you know, it's from the kayak world and go into different kayak races, uh, things I wanted to do and things I, you know, I wanted to make sure that we, we didn't do. And so, um, so yeah, it's, it, it played a role into the creation of. And of what I do and the race. [00:14:14]Craig Dalton (host): Interesting. So at some point, do you wind down your kayaking career, or are you [00:14:19]Eric Sutter: still doing that? No, I, I wound it down. Um, I think I own, I own a, a paddle still and a life jacket, but I don't have any boats anymore. Um, and so I tried doing both for awhile and I just found, like, I wasn't, I wasn't doing anything in the kayaking side. Um, and the long distance kayaking. It really takes a toll on your ground crew and my parents don't live local. Um, and I was, I was using my, my wife's father. Um, and they're just, you know, they're, they're getting older and it's just, it wasn't fair to them to, uh, have to, uh, have them help me out. And, and, um, and my parents would help on the MR 340 that I went across Missouri. And, uh, yeah, it was just getting to be to where that long distance was, was. Kind of a struggle for, for getting a crew to help me out. Yeah, it makes [00:15:09]Craig Dalton (host): sense at this point in the podcast. I don't think we've mentioned a bicycle once. When did bicycles, when did bicycles and gravel riding come into your [00:15:19]Eric Sutter: life? Yeah. So that's an interesting story too. Like you said, we got all these different little, uh, uh, tidbits that, that, uh, spider webs or however you want to call them. Um, but, uh, in 20. See, in 2017, I was getting ready for a deployment to Kuwait. Um, I, I, I knew I wasn't gonna be able to kayak in Kuwait and I was kind of looking for another challenge and I started getting into running. I did a half marathon in April, uh, of that year and, uh, thought, well, this is, you know, I really liked it. And, and equipment wise, you know, running just requires your shoes. And, um, and so I thought this was. This would be kind of a neat, uh, neat sport to get into. Uh, and I think it was May, May or June of that year. Um, I was running and injured my knee and I, I don't know what happened. I had an MRI done on it. Uh, it was kind of inconclusive, but it was enough to where, um, I knew that running was now not, not a good choice for me to continue on doing if I wanted to walk, uh, later, so. Uh, so I kind of hung that up and then as I got into Kuwait, uh, got involved with a site, they had a cycling class there. So I got involved with, with cycling, um, overseas and, uh, I've had some friends that did, um, dirty Kansas at the time and, um, talked with them. And I kind of looked and I was like, man, this, this, this looks like fun. Like this could be the sport I get into next and didn't need necessarily didn't need a ground crew to. Uh, to shuttle my, uh, nutrition from one spot to another. I can carry it on me or on the bike or have a, you know, aid station. And so, uh, so then I just kind of got the bug and got interested in looking at different gravel races and, and I knew. I knew based on just a little bit of watching and the friends that I knew that did gravel, um, like my personality wasn't a road, road type, um, you know, it wasn't necessarily mountain bike type, but like the gravel seemed to resonate with, with my personality and the stuff I had done before with the kayaking. [00:17:22]Craig Dalton (host): Were you able to acquire a bike while you were in Kuwait or did you have to wait till you came [00:17:26]Eric Sutter: back home? Yeah. So in Kuwait, um, they have a program over there where. Uh, we could rent a bike over there. Um, they were nothing, they were nothing special. They were Mongoose, um, you know, Walmart, uh, kind of mountain bikes, full suspension, you know, but it was something and it, uh, at least got me back into cycling. Uh, and I wrote that thing, I mean, I probably wrote it more than anyone else, uh, around there. I wrote it when it was 120 degrees out and, uh, and whatnot. Um, and it was kind of interesting because as the idea for, for open range was, was kind of festering in my head. Um, and I knew it was sandy out in, in, uh, around Pratt. Um, of course, I'm in Kuwait, which is a big desert. So I would test the bike on different types of sand there and like, okay, yeah, you can do this. And so, yeah, it was, uh, it's kind of an interesting go with that. But yeah, they do have bikes over there and was able to get miles in there. [00:18:26]Craig Dalton (host): When you came back to the States, did you get your first proper [00:18:29]Eric Sutter: gravel bike? I did. And in fact, I ordered it while I was in Kuwait. Um, I ordered, uh, it was a Diamondback Honjo off of Amazon. It was on, on sale for a really. Really good price with, with pretty decent specs. And so, uh, I had it, uh, delivered, uh, to the house. I just told the wife like, Hey, you're going to get this box. It's going to be, uh, pretty big. Yeah. Just be careful with it, you know, and whatnot. So yeah, so she got it and, uh, had it ready for me when I, when I got home. So, and were you in Kansas city [00:19:01]Craig Dalton (host): at that point? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So you, you come home, you got your, your diamond back finally on a proper gravel bike. Did you sort of immediately start getting into the community and talking to people and figuring out where to ride or did that take a while? [00:19:17]Eric Sutter: Yeah, no, it, it, uh, well, so I guess we should really even back up. Before that. So, um, cause we, I, we can't go on without talking about, without actually starting to talk about open range. If, if that's cool with you, um, because that, that really became, that came first in a way. That's so interesting. [00:19:36]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah. Walmart, uh, mongoose in the desert and you're thinking about creating a race. [00:19:42]Eric Sutter: Right. So, and even to, to back up even more, um, if, if the, the listeners and the viewers can follow, but, um, while I was kayaking, I wanted to become a race director and set up my own race, uh, kayak race. And so, um, I had an interest and I, I kind of figured out a place to do it, uh, down in Wichita. And I was just, I mean, it was very early on in my, my process for kind of researching it. But, um, but I wanted to, I really felt like I wanted to. Put something together. So then, uh, now fast forward back to Kuwait, uh, as I'm getting into looking at cycling and going to spin class. And I've got this Mongoose mountain bike that I'm, uh, riding all over, over the base. Um, I get this feeling again that, you know, I got this calling that I need to put a, put a race on and it's not going to be a kayak race. It's going to be a bike race. And so I had some time and, and just started researching, uh, gravel bike races and, um, and. Uh, where I'm from in Pratt, just south of there is the, the Gypsum Hills, Medicine Hills or Red Hills. They go by several different names. And uh, I remember when we first came to that area, just how beautiful it was. And so I thought at first that I was just going to put this, it wasn't even going to be a race. It was just going to be me riding from, uh, Pratt where I have some family still. I was going to go down, there's a, uh, a little, uh, bar in a very sleepy town of about maybe 200 people, if that, and, uh, go down there and have a burger, and then, uh, ride back, and that would be about a 60 mile ride, and then it kind of just, one thing led to another, and I was like, well, what if What if, what if we made this a race? What if we made this, you know, a ride down there? People get to see this awesome, uh, area of the country that no one knows about. Um, and so it kind of, one thing led to another and it just, it developed in. And okay, well, what if we did this and what if we did that? Um, and so, yeah, it just, it just blossomed from there. I don't know if you've ever had anything, but it just, it wouldn't leave my mind, uh, for like three or four months. I mean, it just, every waking moment I was thinking about it, I was thinking, okay, what, how can we do this? How do we solve that problem? What do we do for this? And, uh, yeah, I just, I just, it really felt like a calling that like, it would feel weird not to do it, you know, at that point, even though I had never, I'd never been to a gravel race, uh, myself. Uh, it just felt weird. Like if I didn't do this. And if we didn't do it at this point, it was never going to get done. And yeah, if I didn't do it, it just, it was going to feel weird. It's [00:22:22]Craig Dalton (host): fascinating to sort of learn about, and you'll tell us about in the future, like how the event ended up not having the context of. Trying to be an unbound or trying to be a BWR, any of these other things you may have seen or heard about, you had this unique experience with kayak racing and endurance athletics through a totally different filter and came back with this vision for creating the open range. It's super interesting. Yep. [00:22:47]Eric Sutter: Yeah, definitely. Yeah. It's, uh, it, it was, it was interesting the first, you know, the first year and. And I think it went split. I mean, it really had a lot of great comments. Uh, in fact, the timer guy, uh, he, uh, he saw that I was a first time race director and, and, uh, he said later, he's like, yeah, I was, I was really worried because usually first time race directors, you know, don't know what they're doing and I've got to do everything for them. And, and, uh, he's like, you, you had this thing. And, uh, and they'd actually asked later on if I would help out with some, some of their races, uh, stuff like that. But, uh, yeah, it was, you know, not having the, not having been to one, I didn't know, You know, besides doing some research and watching YouTube videos, I didn't, you know, I didn't have anything that I was trying to, to make it. I didn't, you know, road wise or terrain wise, um, everything was open game to me because I wasn't trying to be like another race. So yeah, [00:23:45]Craig Dalton (host): you, before we started recording you, we were talking about the state of Kansas and how different the geography can be as some listeners may be familiar with the Flint Hills where unbound gravel occurs. Maybe take a moment and describe in your own words, how is it different around Pratt compared to what people may have seen around [00:24:06]Eric Sutter: Emporia? Yeah, so, so Pratt, like right around Pratt, it's actually fairly, fairly flat, um, some undulating hills, but as you go south, and it doesn't take long, um, coming out of Pratt. And as you go south, you start getting into the gypsum hills and it starts off a little bit like Emporia, just some nice rolling hills. Um, and then about Medicine Lodge, um, just south of Sun City. Uh, so about 35 miles in, it's just, it's like nothing you've ever seen. It's like, uh, it looks like Arizona, uh, Mars. It's, uh, I've heard, you know, all, all of that. It's, um, it's red dirt, it's mesas and buttes with white gypsum rock. So you've got these colors that are just. Beautiful. I mean, red dirt with white rock and green grass, uh, just, just amazing. And then just the topography, just these steep buttes and bases that are out of nowhere. Uh, just, just an amazing, uh, amazing course. Yeah, that's [00:25:07]Craig Dalton (host): so, it's so unexpected sort of as someone with, with very little to no experience in Kansas and certainly not on the, the dirt roads and more rural areas of Kansas. So for the listener, we've been talking about it. It's sort of. It's on the southern side, the southern tip of, uh, of Kansas and also sort of the western. Is that [00:25:25]Eric Sutter: right? Yeah. If you, [00:25:28]Craig Dalton (host): as the route goes, you're heading towards Oklahoma and then back. [00:25:31]Eric Sutter: Right. Yeah. If you were to take Kansas and, um, and fold it in half, uh, east and west, and that line right there is about where Pratt Medicine Lodge is. And so we are, uh, yeah, basically in, uh, the start of western Kansas, uh, and then, about, uh, we're about. Forty five miles north of the Oklahoma border is where Pratt is. Okay. Gotcha. [00:25:54]Craig Dalton (host): Gotcha. And you were describing the terrain. I mean, obviously like these vistas and buttes and red dirt. Are you on dirt roads? Are you on double track? What's sort of the mixture that you ended up achieving? [00:26:06]Eric Sutter: Yeah, so it's a little of both. several different, uh, types of terrain. Um, Pratt is known for a lot of brick roads. So when you're actually in the town, you start off on a brick road. Um, and there's several brick roads in town. It's kind of a neat, uh, just, you know, I grew up on Main Street and at the time it was a brick highway. Um, but yeah, you start off on brick, you get some asphalt, um, and then you go into some, some dirt. More dirt roads, um, there is some gravel, but a lot of it is, is more of a, a dirt, uh, sand base and, um, yeah, you go down there and then when you get down into, uh, the gypsum hills, we've got, um, permission from some landowners and they let us go on their, uh, their ranches. And so then you've got in, you go into the double track, uh, and sometimes, uh, sometimes it's just cattle trails. Uh, sometimes it's. We're trying to connect areas and, uh, the rancher just mows a swath of grass and you've now got to go through the grass to get to the next spot. So, um, it really is a. It's a unique type of course. Um, there's, you know, we do put some pavement in there, so it's not completely all gravel. Um, but that pavement, I think, helps, uh, helps people a little bit get a break from some of the rougher stuff. But, uh, but it's just a good mixture of Of, uh, pavement and, and dirt roads and just some incredible, I mean, there's, there's almost places where you think you're on a cyclocross course, places where you think you're on a mountain bike course, places where you think you're on a road race and people, places where you think you're on a gravel race. So it's got, it's got something for everyone. Yeah. [00:27:47]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah. It's got something for everyone to love and probably something for everybody to hate, depending on their skillset. That's right. [00:27:53]Eric Sutter: Yeah. In fact, somebody once said like. It was like, man, your race is like the great equalizer. Like there's no, like there's no bike or no style that is suited for that rate. Like that is just suited exactly for that. So yeah, I took that as a great compliment. [00:28:10]Craig Dalton (host): As you should. That's awesome. So let's get into some specifics. What are the distances of the [00:28:16]Eric Sutter: events? Yeah. So we've got a 200 K, which is our main, uh, main event. In fact, I was, when I created it, that was the only. Only distance I was gonna do. I didn't care about a shorter distance, just gonna do a 200k. And as I was developing it, I had several people ask me if I would put together a shorter, shorter course that they didn't feel comfortable doing, uh, doing 200 K, uh, or about 126 miles. And they wanted a shorter, uh, shorter version. So, um, we have, uh, I call it the 100 K plus, and it's a 100 K plus because one year somebody got upset because, um, I was calling it the 100 K and it was like 68 or 69 miles. And so they're like, you know, a hundred K, 63 miles, this is 68 miles. So, okay. I'll put a plus on the end of it. [00:29:01]Craig Dalton (host): As someone who watched their odometer in the Leadville 100, click over to 100 and find myself not at the finish line, I definitely resonate with those remarks. [00:29:10]Eric Sutter: Right. No, I did the same thing too when I raced, and so yeah, I get it. [00:29:16]Craig Dalton (host): Um, and is it, is it actually an out and back on the same, same roads? [00:29:21]Eric Sutter: No, so, uh, the 200 is, is almost a complete loop. Um, it, there's very few, uh, roads that you'll be on twice. The, the, the 100 K plus is a kind of like a, a little bit of like a lollipop. So you go out, you make a, a. Fairly good size loop, probably about a 30 or 40 mile loop. And then I get, well, maybe a little bit less, but yeah, 30 mile loop. And then, and then ride kind of the same road route back. And then we also have, Oh, go ahead. Yeah. [00:29:50]Craig Dalton (host): I was going to say there's a third option for how to participate. [00:29:53]Eric Sutter: There is. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, so there's the tour. And so, um, that goes on the 200 mile or the 200, excuse me, 200 K course. Uh, but it's. It's split up into two days. And so you ride about 78 miles the first day, uh, camp at a, uh, authentic guest ranch out there. And then, um, and they have, uh, catered, uh, dinner and breakfast for you. And then you, you ride back. And so, yeah, [00:30:19]Craig Dalton (host): it's an option I hadn't really seen before in that same context. There's obviously like the XL version of any given race that you're out there on your own and you're expected to sleep in a ditch. But I really liked, as I was reading the description of the 200k tour, that you go out, you could have dropped your camping gear off, or you could stay in the lodge. Now I'm learning that you can get a nice meal. Yep. That sounds like a great way to spend a weekend. It [00:30:42]Eric Sutter: really is. And I wanted, the purpose of that was I wanted riders. To see, cause, and the reason why I only wanted the 200k course is because that's where the really cool, uh, route is, and the really cool topography, you still get some of it on the, the 100k, don't get me wrong, but the 200k you see quite a bit more, and I knew there were riders that wouldn't feel comfortable in their ability to, to do that all at once, and so by putting this together, Tour together it kind of your own pace. It's non competitive you get to see it and then spend as much time as you want And then and then finish it up the next day. [00:31:20]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah for the 200 K and the 100 K is the Orientation that this is a race and some people are going for it and there wants to be a winner [00:31:29]Eric Sutter: Yeah, definitely on the 200 K that Yeah, we we do podium for that the 100 K I never did a podium for until last year and, uh, and so finally last year, and we'll see if I keep doing that. I mean, I'm most likely we'll keep a podium for the 100k, um, because there are people that were taking it pretty seriously. And so, um, so I felt like it was worth it. Awarding those people, uh, for, for doing that. Yeah. And so, yeah. But yeah, the 200 K is again, the big one. Uh, the 100 k, uh, yeah, we'll still, we'll still give you an award for the top top three male and female, but it's just those, those two categories. Yeah. [00:32:08]Craig Dalton (host): And what year, so 2024. How many additions will we have seen at that point? [00:32:13]Eric Sutter: Yeah, so this will be our seventh year, which is just, yeah, it's just incredible. Um, our, you know, our first year I, I told my wife, I was like, we need. We need about a hundred, I think I counted like a hundred and six people based on, uh, Uh, our, our fees that, you know, to, to kind of break even. And, uh, and I told her, I was like, you know, if we don't get that, um, we'll count this as kind of a learning lesson, you know, uh, you know, some people pay for an MBA, some people pay, you know, for other experiences, um, you know, this will be an experience and this will be a learning experience, uh, whether we have a hundred people, whether we have 50 people or whether we have 300 people. Um, and, and if we have to pay. Pay for that experience. Great. Um, you know, hopefully we can, you know, have a success and, and whatnot. So, um, so yeah, our first year, like I said, I, I, my goal was to get right around a hundred, I think the first day we had like 60 or 70 people registered the first day and it was just like completely blew my mind. I was like, okay, this is interesting. You [00:33:16]Craig Dalton (host): know, that's what I think that is interesting about the Midwest. I think, you know, obviously there's so many passionate cyclists there, so many of them either have done Unbound or can't get into Unbound or are training for Unbound because I think your events a little bit earlier in the year. It's pretty natural that there's just going to be this pent up demand. And if you give riders a good experience, they're going to come back and they're going to tell their [00:33:39]Eric Sutter: friends, right? Yeah, yeah, that's, uh, and we've grown, we've grown every year since then. Um, we've, we held it in 2020 when, um, a lot of races were, we're kind of taking a break that year. Um, and we had to adjust it and that was a learning lesson too. Cause we, uh, you know, the race is at the end of April COVID hit, uh, what about the middle of the end of March? Yeah. So we knew, you know, we had to make a decision pretty quickly, uh, that we're going to have to at least postpone it. Uh, we moved it to June, um, and it's kind of funny if you watch the COVID numbers, like it took this dip right the weekend of the race and then the weekend after it climbed back up. Not, you know, we weren't a super spreader by any means, but, uh, you know, it's just the way it happened. Uh, yeah, [00:34:25]Craig Dalton (host): it's, it's, I think it's so interesting, just the business of event production as well that people tend to forget about. I mean, you look at how much it costs to register, but. On your end, as I know and understand, you know, there's just so much that goes into it from catering to, you know, about podium structure to PA system, to making sure there's safety out there on the course, a sweep aid stations. Like it's definitely to your point, like you, you couldn't start that first race without committing a certain amount of dollars out of your pocket, the unknown, whether you were going to a hundred, more than a hundred people that's joined. [00:35:02]Eric Sutter: Right. And that's what, that's kind of like, I'm, I'm very passionate about like grassroots cause I get it, you know, for the people that are starting races, um, that they're taking a, you know, they're, they're taking a chance on, you know, creating something and, and potentially being out of money, uh, you know, potentially not going how they wanted it to go their first year, uh, learning lessons. Um, so, you know, we, uh, we had a. A local race, uh, in Kansas a couple weekends ago, and I wasn't able to attend it, but, um, I, I, they would hit me up with questions and I would kind of give them some, some help and whatnot. And so it just kind of neat to watch them and then to get, hear the responses that people that went to that race, uh, that absolutely loved it. And so it's like, okay, cool. This is, this is neat. That's [00:35:47]Craig Dalton (host): great. How many people are you hoping to get to the 7th edition of the Open [00:35:51]Eric Sutter: Range? Yeah, so I think 500 is, is our, kind of our sweet spot. Um, we've been, uh, we've been right around there the last couple of years. So, um, yeah, we, we kind of capped it right around 500 and, and kind of hope to get, get to that amount. It's, uh, it works well for the community. We can do more, um, and if we get that. I think if we get that continually, then, you know, we'll look at that, open it some more. But, uh, yeah, we can, that's kind of what we're looking at. [00:36:24]Craig Dalton (host): What day is the race on the [00:36:25]Eric Sutter: weekend? Yeah, it's on a Saturday. Um, and then the tour again would be a, uh, the Friday and Saturday, but yeah, it's Saturday for the majority of the people. Um, yeah, what's great about Pratt is there's a community college there and because of the community college, there's a lot of hotels and decent hotels, uh, too. So, um, there's, yeah, there's always plenty of room, plenty of hotels and, and they're cheap. They don't gouge, um, you know, the riders coming in for open range. Yeah. So, I mean, for under a hundred bucks, you can get it. A decent hotel room. So it works out, works out real well for him. Just to give [00:36:59]Craig Dalton (host): me a sense for, cause obviously 200 K in Kansas might be different than 200 K in California. What are the, you know, what are the fastest men and women tend to finish in? [00:37:08]Eric Sutter: Yeah. So, um, we've had a couple of years where the leaders are, uh, they're riding above a 20 mile an hour average, which is just incredible. Like that is well beyond my ability. Um, I don't, I, I don't get how they do it. I really, because if you see some of our terrain, uh, I mean, you have to dismount. We, in fact, I put a post out today, uh, a reel on Instagram and, um, the leader, you see the, the two, the one of the two, um, they're actually dismounted and running their bikes up of a hill, um, in that, that little reel. And so, uh, yeah, for them to maintain a 20 mile an hour. Um, I'd say the average is probably a 15, 14 to 15, uh, pace, uh, and so, and then we have a, a nine hour, uh, cap on the, the 200 K. [00:37:58]Craig Dalton (host): Gotcha. And are, are people able to ride together in some sections and, you know, ride in a Peloton or does the terrain not allow for that? [00:38:04]Eric Sutter: Yeah. Yeah. In most sections they can. Um, I do caution them because the roads there are sandy, um, that, um, You know, you can hit a sandy spot and then not be going as fast as you were a second ago. And if you're too close, then that can cause some issues with, with some riders. But, um, but by and large, it's, uh, like I said, it's, it's, it's, it's usually a hard packed, uh, sandy, not, not like beach sand the whole, whole way. [00:38:31]Craig Dalton (host): Got it. And then at the completion of the event, what kind of experience do the, uh, participants get to enjoy? [00:38:37]Eric Sutter: Yeah, so we have live music. We've had live music every year. Um, we've got, uh, Aaron Travis Band is a local, uh, he calls it ag rock. So kind of red dirt, but, uh, he's, he's actually a farmer. Um, he lives in a town, the same town that, uh, Martina McBride is from. Uh, and sharing Kansas. And so, um, yeah, he's, he's a great, uh, great asset to have. And he, he gets, uh, several of his friends to come and play. And so they have, um, you know, we usually have live music from, uh, right around noon till, uh, six or seven in the evening. And so, uh, so, and it's right on the finish line. So as the riders are coming up, uh, the brick road, uh, they've got a band there playing, cheering them on people, you know, sitting out watching them come across the finish line. And so, um, they come across the finish line. They get a, a pint glass and a finisher patch for, for finishing. Uh, and then every year we, we change our logo just a little bit. Like we have our, our general logo that we've used from, from year one. Um, and that's kind of our, our standard logo. Uh, but then, uh, we kind of make a tweak every year to, to logo design. And so like the pint glasses are kind of collector's items because, uh, each year is different. Same, same with the t shirt each year. You've got a different design, uh, on the t shirt. Um, and that's one thing I took from back to the kayaking is, uh, uh, the race had a, a, a decal and every year was a different. And so, um, so you always wanted to see the different, and you could look at one and they never have the year on them, but you can look at them like, oh, okay, that was a, you know, a 2012 a year or whatever. So, uh, kind of the same, yeah, same way with us. So, yeah, so, yeah, so they come to the finish line, they've got, uh, we give them a free meal as well, uh, some good old Kansas barbecue and, um, and, uh, they pick up all that stuff and, and have a, have a good old time. [00:40:29]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah, sounds amazing. So, I mean, I love how you've described the terrain and the challenges the riders are going to undertake and the different formats you have remind us again the date of the event. When's registration opening up and what's my final question? I can't even remember any, Oh, how, how do people can find you? [00:40:48]Eric Sutter: Yeah. So, uh, so, so registration actually opens up on Saturday. Uh, Saturday is the 25th, uh, for, uh, those that, uh, may be listening to this later of, of November. So, uh, 25th, November at nine central. Um, and we have kind of a, a neat thing where it's a race before the race. So, um. We, uh, we kind of want to have a little competition to see who can be the fastest to register. And if you are the fastest, the fastest male and female that register for the 200k, We actually refund your registration fees, so you get to ride for free. So, uh, I love that. It's, it's kind of neat. Uh, one, it was kind of interesting. One year we had, had a gentleman that, uh, I think for like two years in a row, he was like the number two guy. It was just like, I felt so bad for him. Like, dude, you are so close every year. He just could not crack the, uh, Crack the, the win on that one, but, uh, yeah, so you don't have to be fast on the bike. You just gotta be fast on the keyboard and, uh, you'll get your registration fee, uh, fee comped. I'd love that. I'd love [00:41:50]Craig Dalton (host): that. I'd love to see others figure out how to do that in their registration process. [00:41:54]Eric Sutter: Oh yeah. It's, it's, it's fun. So yeah. So this Saturday, November 25th at nine, uh, nine central, nine a. m. central is our open registration. And then the race itself is April 27th is that Saturday. So if you're doing the tour, of course, that'd be the 26th and 27th, but. [00:42:11]Craig Dalton (host): Okay. Amazing, Eric. Well, thank you for all the information. This conversation was a long time coming, but it was well worth it. The event sounds amazing. I love your story and, uh, I wish you all the best of luck this [00:42:23]Eric Sutter: year. Thanks so much. And yeah, yeah. You can check us out, uh, openrangegravel. com. And that's kind of our handle as well for, uh, Instagram and Facebook is at Open Range Gravel. So perfect. I appreciate you taking the time and, uh, let me kind of tell the story. Of course. [00:42:39]Craig Dalton: That's going to do it for this week's edition of the gravel ride podcast. Big, thanks to Eric for coming on and telling us all about his journey to creating the open range gravel event. I hope you go check it out. He's got some great videos on his website, which will be linked to. In the show notes. Big, thanks to our friends at hammerhead and the hammerhead crew. To remember that promo code for a free heart rate monitor strap is the gravel ride. If you'd like to support the show, please visit buy me a coffee.com/the gravel ride or ratings and reviews are hugely appreciated. For those of you who are celebrating Thanksgiving this week. I wish you a great holiday. And here's the finding some dirt onto your wheels.
In the latest Wrestling With Johners I sit down with one of the very best and most successful wrestlers on the UK Indy scene, IVY We Discuss... Halloween & awesome face paint designs IVY's Amazing 2023, so far! BWR, TGW, Shooting Star Pro Women's Champ WIN Tag Team Champion with Joey Cement The "Not Karen" Gimmick "The Decibelles" with Lana Austin IVY's Journey Towards The Wrestle Carnival Women's Title Her Journey with PEW in Stratford Upon Avon IVY's early days in the business Teaming with Ruby as The Pretty Little Killers The Effect The Pandemic Had on IVY's Career Pro Wrestling EVE in 2022 Mentoring Joey Cement & Zizi Listeners Questions Plus, So Much More!
Judge Debra H. Goldstein writes Kensington's Sarah Blair mystery series. She is also the author of two standalones: Maze in Blue and Should Have Played Poker: a Carrie Martin and the Mah Jongg Players Mystery. Her novels and short stories have been named Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, Claymore (The Night for Sinners) and Silver Falchion finalists and received Silver Falchion, IPPY, AWC, and BWR awards. Debra's short pieces have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and Black Cat Mystery Magazine. She served on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and was president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters, and is returning to the national SinC board in October. A civic volunteer and mother of four, Debra is married to a man whose blood runs Crimson.Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthorTwitter @DebraHGoldsteinInstagram https://www.instagram.com/debrahgoldstein/Website https://www.DebraHGoldstein.comNotes:Anne George, Southern Sisters MysteriesChris Roerden, https://writersinfo.info/Guppies, https://www.sinc-guppies.org/Promophobia, https://www.sistersincrime.org/promophobiaPitfalls in Publishing, https://www.sistersincrime.org/PitfallsinPublishing*****************About Sisters in Crime:Sisters in Crime was founded in 1986 to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition and professional development of women crime writers. Through advocacy, programming and leadership, SinC empowers and supports all crime writers regardless of genre or place on their career trajectory.www.SistersinCrime.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sincnational/Twitter: https://twitter.com/SINCnationalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sistersincrimeThe SinC Writers' Podcast is produced by Julian Crocamo https://www.juliancrocamo.com/
Bike Talk with Dave: Bicycle racing, cyclocross, gravel, mountain bike, road and tech
Michael Marckx could, quite possibly, knock Johnathan Goldsmith off the podium as the World's Most Interesting Man. Growing up in SoCal, he surfs, rides great distances, was a professional cyclist, CEO of Spy Optics, downhill skier and was founder of what is now the largest series of bike races in North America - the Belgian Waffle Ride. After listening to this episode, you can find all the details of the Belgian Waffle Ride - or BWR - at www.belgianwaffleride.bike and be sure to give them a follow on instagram at @belgianwaffleride Another great ride to challenge your bike skills is the Core4 Race in Iowa City, Iowa on August 19, 2023. Get everything you need to know about the 100-, 50-, or 25-mile races which can be done solo or as part of a team at www.core4.bike Please consider supporting Bike Talk with Dave by rating, reviewing and sharing on your favorite podcast platform. We'd invite you to support the show financially at www.buymeacoffee.com or on Venmo @David-Mable. You'll receive a Bike Talk with Dave sticker! Bike Talk with Dave is supported by Chain and Spoke Coffee. Order your favorite flavor at www.chainandspoke.com. The Chain and Spoke retail location is open now in Des Moines, Iowa featuring great coffee, bikes and the new Bike Talk with Dave Studio! Bikeiowa.com is the online host of Bike Talk with Dave. Get your event listed on the extensive ride and race calendar for free! Create an account and add and edit your event to reach thousands of cyclists. Follow Bike Talk with Dave on Instagram and Facebook so you don't miss any of the fun, and you can now find every episode on your computer at www.biketalk.bike.
Cecily Decker and Jonas Woodruff are Amanda's latest guests on The Midfield Report, our bonus content focusing on riders of note in the middle of the gravel pack. Amanda chatted with Cecily about her transition from ski racing to bike racing and the success she has found racing gravel and on the road. Amanda and Jonas talk about being a young gun and mixing it up with some of the top racers in the world at BWR before recapping the Sea Otter El Fuego race. Follow Cecily on Instagram at @cecily_decker. Follow Jonas on Instagram at @jonaswoodruff_. If you're listening to this bonus content, please consider becoming a member of the Wide Angle Podium podcast network and supporting Groadio with your membership. If you do that by going to wideanglepodium.com, and sending evidence of your new membership to groadio@gmail.com, we will send you a pair of Groadio socks, courtesy of our friends at Sock Guy. You can follow Amanda on Twitter at @_amanda_panda_ and on Instagram at @amanda_panda_. Follow Bill at @cxhairs on Instagram and Twitter. Follow the show on Twitter @groadio and also on Instagram at @groadio. Email the show at groadio@gmail.com. Groadio is part of the Wide Angle Podium network. Please consider becoming a member. Go to www.wideanglepodium.com/donate to learn more and contribute. If you join and support Groadio, screenshot your receipt and send it to groadio@gmail.com for free pair of socks.
Welcome to the pod! BikeRadio is a quick hitting potpourri of topics that don't all need their own video. Today, we'll quickly discuss: -"Hey, I'm 4 weeks out from BWR, can i get ready for it?" that hay is in the barn! -Sugar water bottles: 70g? 200g? -Changes I'm making to my lifting in order to hit the hard intervals as race season is HERE! -Direct Communication with your coach -Pre-race visualization and those pre-race nerves that pop up -Why is there an alligator on a bike shirt? If you're new to the channel, welcome! Check out some other training resources below. If you enjoy the podcast, please Follow on Spotify or Leave a 5 Star Review on Apple; Thank you! The best way to support the channel is to SUBSCRIBE! Also, check out our sponsor's links below. I personally use these products DAILY, have asked for their support, and want to share them with You! The new shirts! http://grindcitydesigns.com/evoqbike/shop/home Full Blog With Training Tips: www.evoq.bike/blog Subscribe to Our Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ggRc4n Follow Along on Strava: https://www.strava.com/pros/5889 EVOQ Training Packs: https://www.evoq.bike/training-packs TrainingPeaks Store Programs: https://tinyurl.com/TP-Store Ketones, Delta G Tactical: https://tinyurl.com/DeltaGKetones CODE Brendan for 15% off Lactigo: www.lactigo.com/brendan MORE WATTS and LESS BURN Airofit: https://www.airofit.com/?sca_ref=476545.3AVnm3vdGW Best Chamois Cream: https://www.hellobluecbd.com/, Code Brendan Cordyceps Mushrooms: https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=62 Best shades: https://www.julbo.com/en_us/ Donate to EVOQ.BIKE for all the Free Content: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U3YMCAUEMQ4PC --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/evoqbike/support
Welcome to the Rodeo Labs Race Director Round Up! Over the next few weeks, as the gravel race “season” gets underway, we have decided to take on a mini-series focusing on gravel racing through the collective eyes of gravel race directors from across the country. Race directors are both the tastemakers and the police of the nucleus concept of “the spirit of gravel.” While race directors have a fantastic platform to voice their perspective for their own races, that voice is often limited to those narrow confines. The goal here is to use our podcast, as a small journalistically minded outlet with no skin in the game, to give them a collective platform to share their interpretations of the state of the sport. Part three is just two conversations, but they are with two folks who are undoubtedly two of the most influential promoters in gravel. First up is Michael Merckx (6:15) of the BWR series. Michael started BWR as an extra long cyclocross race over a decade ago in Southern California. Since then, BWR has become an international brand, with events planned throughout North America for 2023. Then, Stephen joins me to interview Amy Charity of SBT GRVL and FNLD GRVL (46:00). Amy, and her GRVL brand, started in 2018 and immediately made an impression with the SBT GRVL event in Steamboat Springs. This year, Amy is bringing the GRVL brand international with FNLD GRVL in Finland. The race is a new venture for an American gravel brand and is supported by F1 star Vallteri Bottas. Both of these conversations are unabridged, with the only editing meant to boost sound quality and clarity. We found that the quality of the interviews was interesting enough to run in full, so excuse the length. We won't blame you for splitting it up! If you do, we recommend taking the break at minute 46 when the conversations swap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3.16.2023 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Maryland's 1st Black Governor, TX HISD Takeover, BWR 12th Annual Women of Power National Summit Maryland made history by electing the state's first black governor Wes Moore.Governor Moore will join me to discuss his aggressive plan to combat climate change and how he plans to help close Maryland's wealth gap. Texas State Commissioner of Education will appoint a new Houston Independent School District superintendent and board of education trustees because of a new law that allows the state to remove the board of districts with schools failing to meet specific state standards. To explain how this is impacting minority schools, we have Texas State Representative Jarvis Johnson to discuss. A Kentucky federal jury convicts a white woman for mailing threats to her neighbors.We will explain how the woman mailed multiple threats of violence through the United States Postal Service. The 12th Annual Black Women's Roundtable "Women of Power" National Summit is happening now to celebrate Women's History Month at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor. We will show you all this year's annual gathering that brings together a diverse group of over 1,000 Black women & girls and allies. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sofia Gomez Villafañe joins Amanda and Bill to chat about her evolution as a bike racer, embracing gravel, her recent win at BWR Arizona and her portrayal in the Call of a Lifetime video series. Follow Sofia on Instagram at @sofithevilla. Groadio is sponsored by Hammerhead and the Karoo 2. For a limited time, our listeners can get a free heart-rate monitor with the purchase of a Hammerhead Karoo 2. Visit hammerhead.io right now and use promo code GROADIO at checkout to get yours today. You can follow Amanda on Twitter at @_amanda_panda_ and on Instagram at @amanda_panda_. Follow Bill at @cxhairs on Instagram and Twitter. Follow the show @groadio Email the show at groadio@gmail.com. Groadio is part of the Wide Angle Podium network. Please consider becoming a member. Go to www.wideanglepodium.com/donate to learn more and contribute.
What up party people. First up, I apologize in advance for any subpar audio quality today. I am down in Arizona for the first Belgian Waffle Ride event of the year and I complete forgot my mic on my desk when I was packing. Luckily, Dylan and Tyler sounded great as usual so they make up for it. We talk BWR, tires (per usual), aero gains, and more so kick back and relax your way through all the latest banter. If you have a question for the show drop a note to bonkbrospodcast@gmail.com find one of us on Instagram and slide your war into those DMs (@bonkbros @scottmcgilljr @dylanjawnson @adamsaban6). And hey, if you too are down here in Scottsdale for the BWR madness, come find me and say what up. Oh yeah, shout to our newest VIP + Patrons, Ryan and Joel! We appreciate you and all the rest of our show supporters for helping us continue to clog your brains with meaningless tire talk and race banter. Alright, let's get this party started! Patreon: http://patreon.com/patreon_bonkbros For more Dylan Johnson content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIf1xvRN8pzyd_VfLgj_dow Intro/ Outro music by AlexGrohl on Pixabay.com: https://pixabay.com/music/id-111445/
This week we have gravel racer, Ian Lopez de San Roman in the studio to talk about his upcoming season. At 19 years old, Ian will be the youngest competitor in the Life Time Grand Prix. With early season results in the Grasshopper series and Rockcobbler, Ian is certainly an athlete to watch. Episode Sponsor: Logos Components Support the Podcast Join The Ridership Automated Transcription, please excuse the typos: [00:00:00] Craig Dalton: Hello, and welcome to the gravel ride podcast, where we go deep on the sport of gravel cycling through in-depth interviews with product designers, event organizers and athletes. Who are pioneering the sport I'm your host, Craig Dalton, a lifelong cyclist who discovered gravel cycling back in 2016 and made all the mistakes you don't need to make. I approach each episode as a beginner down, unlock all the knowledge you need to become a great gravel cyclist. This week on the show. I want to introduce you to ian Lopez de Santa Ramon. A 19 year old from Sonoma county here in Northern California, who got accepted to participate as a professional athlete in the lifetime grand Prix series in 2023. As you'll see this young athlete found his way to the bike. Not super early and didn't see remarkable results as a junior in his own words. But yet over the last few years, he's really found his stride cutting his teeth, both on the grasshopper series. Here in Northern California, as well as impressing Michael Marks when participating in the Belgian waffle ride series. As we enter the 2023 grand Prix. I thought we'd take a chance and get to know Ian. I managed to catch the Inn on his way, home from a bike fit and Monterey. And so how did over in the studio for quick conversation? Before we jump in, I need to thank this week. Sponsor logos components. You may recall my episode with my co-host Randall Jacobs around the launch of logos components and the three new sets of carbon wheels that they're bringing to market. At the end of 2020. They're 29 or wheelset received . Bike packing dot comes gear of the year award, which is pretty amazing. We've talked about the many details you need to look through and think about when purchasing a carbon wheel set. And I encourage you to reference that episode, whether you're looking at the logos wheel sets or something else. Randall does an excellent job of breaking down from the rim to the hub, to the spokes, all the things you should be considering and looking at. As you match. Which wheel set is going to be right for the type of writing you do. If you're considering getting a new carbon wheelset this year, I encourage you to go check out logos components.com. I'll put that link in the show notes. Logos offers three different wheel sizes, 700 C six 50 B and 20 Niner. I personally am rocking the six 50 bees out of my garage. It's got an internal width of 28 millimeters. So you get that nice kind of C shape. When you're running larger volume tires. Again, check them out at logos components. Dot com when you have a second. With that said let's dive right into my conversation with Ian. [00:02:48] Craig Dalton: Ian, welcome to the studio. [00:02:50] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Thanks for making it happen. It was a little last minute. [00:02:53] Craig Dalton: Yeah. Studio is a euphemism for the shed office in my backyard, but I appreciate you coming over and it was actually pretty cool to see your bikes getting out of the car. [00:03:03] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Yeah. You got a, you got a sweet set up here. [00:03:05] Craig Dalton: It was a shed that held the bikes and then we hired a contractor to drywall and put it all together. So it's kind of a covid investment, so I could have an [00:03:12] Ian Lopez de San Roman: office at home. Nice. It looks, it looks legit. It looks well made, [00:03:16] Craig Dalton: and I got my bikes on the wall, so That's all right. [00:03:19] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Something to look at. [00:03:19] Craig Dalton: So, you're actually just coming off competing at low gap, right? In one of the grasshoppers. Yep. How'd that go yesterday? [00:03:27] Ian Lopez de San Roman: I made a lot of mistakes. Yeah, let's talk about it a little bit. Yeah. So I went into the race and I was like, , I kind of really wanna win this race. It's kind of like my home race and I know Pete's on good form and everybody there is like really fast. So I just decided like I, I'm not usually not nervous for races, but I was actually nervous for low gap, which is weird. So I slept kind of weird. Started the race, , it was like super hot on the first climb. And then I, I was thinking about what I did the night before the race. Mid race for some reason. And then I was like, dude, I didn't charge my shifting. And then I look back and I see the blinking red light on the axis and I'm like, dude, really? You forgot to charge your shifting. And so I think it was like halfway through the race I roll up to the aid station. So the shifting died on this like cement climb and then I roll into the aid station, I'm yelling, Blake, give me an access battery. Blake, which is like my friend. . Everyone from the shop I used to work for was there, and I was like, dude, I'm gonna get so roasted about this later. I'm gonna, yeah, people are gonna have, this is gonna be the story people are telling. And so they didn't have an access battery. Usually they have a pile of 'em and they just sell 'em out and give 'em to I see my old Nica coach, Mike, Mike Warren is there and he's I was like, Mike, Mike, I see you're here. Gimme your access battery. And he's no, man, no man. I have to ride outta here. Come on. Come on. And then I was like, I'm racing gimme your access battery. He's no, no, no, no, no. And so I got in, like I spent like a minute and a half like arguing him and finally I get his battery. And so I go in and he's dude, you're really stranded me out here. You owe me. And he is he was like really mad. And so I took his battery and then I'm still kind of working out a couple kinks on the new bike. And so I dropped my chain, lost some more time, but then, I think my fitness is pretty good right now. So then I caught up to Lance who is in. , which I guess was like fourth place. And then we caught up the Tyler, which was third place, and then we see Chris Blevins right down the road. And then I was all like, I was like, yeah, okay, maybe I'll sudden a little flyer at the end and try to get these two Legion Crisp printers. But I didn't really think I had a very good chance. And then half a mile from the finish, I flatted. , and I was like, like my rear tire was kind of bouncy and I could feel the rim. And I was like, really? This is so stupid. So then Tyler went, he did 1500 watts and he got third. And then I took Lance to the line. Like I, I made him fight for it, but I, I got fifth. So, not a bad [00:05:44] Craig Dalton: result. You would've thought with all that negotiating to try to get an access battery, you wouldn't even be part. [00:05:50] Ian Lopez de San Roman: The event. It wasn't a very, I didn't have very good luck that day. Like right after the race, me and like Stan and a couple other people went and rode around and then like we rode up the old low gap finish and then like my friend Taj was like next to me and then he like got too close and hit my rear brake going or my front brake going like 20 and then I crashed and flooded my other tire on the front. And then, It was always like lying on the ground with another flat tire, like after the race. And I was like, what am I doing? So then like a log a truck with some logs came by and then we put my bike in the back and I held onto the back like a garbage man and rode five miles down the road on the back of this truck. And then I was like, I was just like so bummed, but whatever. Not a, not a [00:06:32] Craig Dalton: terrible result. And best to get that bad [00:06:34] Ian Lopez de San Roman: luck out of the way. This part of the season. Yeah. Something to improve on. And so we'll go from there and see. [00:06:38] Craig Dalton: Let's start at, let's take a step back and just understand one, you're from Sonoma County in California, right? Yeah. And two, you've, you were the youngest person to get accepted in the Lifetime Grand PR pre for 2023. [00:06:54] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Yeah. Yeah. Super excited on that. And your age is? I'm 19. [00:06:59] Craig Dalton: Okay. So at 19, how did you find the bike? Like when did you find the bike originally, and what was your progression like? How does a 19 year old find the. with the capability and skill to race at a professional level on the gravel scene? [00:07:11] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Yeah. Honestly, I don't really know how I'm, how I'm here, , I started like actually kind of riding when I was like third or fourth grade. Like me and my mom would kind. Be like, yeah, yeah, we should, we used, started mountain biking. So my aunt is a pro. She went to the Olympics like twice I think. And so we always kind of, me and my sister kind of looked at it like, man, that's, that's kind of cool. And then we just we just had some like really crappy, like old bikes. And so we started kind of riding a little bit, and then there's like a local Wednesday night race called dirt C crits. And then we I had ridden like maybe like a total of like couple days like cumulatively like a one. Not like one week, but you know what I'm saying, like seven total days over a couple months. And I was like, my friend invited me to this local race. I went and I was like, man, that was pretty fun. And then like my sister came and showed up and watched and she's nah, never. I'm never riding a bike like that. I'm never riding a bike. And then like I kind of just kept riding from there. And now my sister's racing, cycling cross in Belgium. And I'm here in the Grand Prix . I don't know I honestly don't know, like in, I feel like we're missing a few [00:08:17] Craig Dalton: pieces there. So then you, you sort of, you discover it through the local dirt Cris series [00:08:22] Ian Lopez de San Roman: at Local Dirt Cris. And then I kind of slowly, I raised that whole series and it was just like every Wednesday night you go and it's just like juniors beat down. Like it's just like a fight with ev all the juniors. It was so fun. the bike pedler, like they didn't put like the winner got $150 gift card. It was like super cool. They, they cm c h at the time, right? Yeah. And they'd take these old like motorbike trophies and it was awesome. And so, yeah, I kind of just kept going through and then my sister and I got a coach. Did you get, did you get involved in the Nica scene? Yeah. So we got involved in the Nika scene when I was in like fifth or sixth. I want to say like I started riding with him and then like pretty quickly, like I was always kind of riding with the varsity group and so if you've been riding with a varsity group since you were in like fifth or sixth grade, once you're actually in the Nike varsity, it's a little bit weird. , but it must have been nice to [00:09:15] Craig Dalton: have those older student athletes just kind of teaching you the ropes a little bit and showing you like, Yeah, you're capable of riding a 35 mile mountain bike [00:09:24] Ian Lopez de San Roman: ride or whatever it was at the time. Yeah. Back in the day, we barely rode it all. 15 miles was like such a big day. , it was good. We didn't have, we had a pretty strong scene, but it was like the people who were like a year or two older than me that were good, the people that were like, Older that we were actually in were, were like, I feel like the level was a little different then. But yeah, it was super solid. We got the kind of ride like every Saturday. But from there I don't know, we just kind of rode a lot. And then as you were, as you were in [00:09:53] Craig Dalton: high school, competing in [00:09:55] Ian Lopez de San Roman: like a mountain bike races? Yeah. Actually now I remember. So the point where it actually got serious was like, I think it was like 2016. , we like worked, did like a couple cycle cross races, and then we met this kid Paul, and then his dad like coached people and then like his brother Gavin had been to like Europe as a pro and then was kind of on the way out. And so then he just kinda took us under his wing and was like, , I'm gonna coach you guys. And he was a super cool dude. He was like, well, I'm, he was like super religious and he was like, well, I don't charge you guys anything. We're coasting coaching. So I can say a prayer before the races. And he'd get you together. And he'd be like, God, what He was, he was an awesome guy, awesome guy. Love that guy. He got us pretty serious. He gave us psycho cross drills and then we just like kind of kept going from there.. It was weird. Like I wasn't a very good junior. Like I always followed exactly like exactly what the coach gave me, but , it like was not working. And so, it's really weird to say, but junior racing is a lot of who develops first? . And so I was like super late and so I was going to these Nire races and I was just getting likes like o obliterated. Yeah. In every single race. And I was like, I was getting like super done with it and I was like, I'm falling all this coaching, like nothing's working. And then, , it was covid, COVID year is when I think it, like when I really got serious, it was like three years ago. And then I, I think I like, back then I thought I had three months. of writing, and I was like, dude, I'm gonna be done in three months. And I never really thought like I actually had a future as a pro. Like I just thought, I wasn't you're not built for it. Yeah. And so, I was like, all right, like I had a really bad relationship with my previous coach. I don't really want to like, like talk trash or anything, but then I just like switched coaches and then I was like, it. A couple months later, I was like, whoa. I'm like actually getting like faster, like really quick. And then it's just been like a, like an up from there. And , it honestly might be a good thing because like it kind of kept me hungry and I had no success. Obviously sucks to lose races, but if you're, if you're out there every single weekend just getting your face kicked in, like I feel like at some. You're gonna, you're gonna win. And hopefully that's this year. Yeah. I think, I [00:12:14] Craig Dalton: mean, that's part of the process, right? Yeah. We all start out as this lowest person on the ride. And you, you know, you get to the top of a climb and you're the last person there and everybody's ready to leave. And you keep doing that, you keep plugging away and next thing you know, you're not the last person to arrive at the top of the climb. And I think that's, you know, the nature of developing as a cyclist. It's interesting in your case, like developing as a young cyclist and having to have that patience. , you know, ultimately discovering Hey, I actually am talented even though I've been getting my teeth kicked in for a few years. [00:12:45] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Yeah, yeah. And yeah, junior cycling is interesting. Like it's, it's funny how like a result as a as a good junior can like really land you on a team, but it's also like those kids like long term, might not be in the sport. And so, I've once I kind of figured out like you actually could do. I kind of had the mentality like maybe I'm not the most like naturally talented, but I'll be there, I'll be there to take these kids sponsors once they burn out, or, it was kind of my joke. I don't wanna say it like that, but I'll be, I'll be there like to put in all the work and then it's all the work you don't see. And I feel like a lot of people were kind of like, well, where did this Ian kid come out of? And it's I, the past three years, it's like I, I. Missed a day of training without being like, oh, I'm sick, or whatever. Right. So so a certain point, process point [00:13:30] Craig Dalton: sounds like in the last three years is really when you picked up road cycling and [00:13:34] Ian Lopez de San Roman: gravel cycling. . I would say like more two years for the road. I I'm super green on the road. I think it like it helps that I like, I'm naturally like fit, like I have experience in the pack on gravel, like a little bit, but I've just kind of. I just I went to a couple South American like road tours and just threw myself in the deep end. Let's get some handling skills and let's, let's go ride. And that that's super fun and I really had nothing to lose and like people down there really had all to lose, right? Because like I was just some like random American kid no one had heard of and then I was just down there having a good time. Nice. [00:14:08] Craig Dalton: And so as you thought about like where you wanted to go with your cycling, there's obvious. going on the road and there's sort of a process for ultimately getting into the world tour, and that may start with development teams. It may start with kind of going and finding your own opportunities in Europe. How were you thinking about what was gonna be next for you as, as we came to 2023? [00:14:32] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Yeah, I mean like are you asking about what my decision, my decision. [00:14:38] Craig Dalton: Yeah. It sounds you know, in getting to know you a little bit, you did have an opportunity to kind of stake your claim and say, I'm, I'm going to kind of go down the road path full, full force Yeah. Where there's this other opportunity to go gravel and potentially there's another one where it's kind of a little bit of [00:14:53] Ian Lopez de San Roman: both. Yeah, yeah. What do you, what are you thinking? It's hard. Like I, there's not really a, like a, a manual for how to do this, and I'm like super on the untraditional side of this. there's like the regular use act development path where you kind of hop around the teams and then you go race with the national team and like I've never raced for the national team. I, yeah, I would love to, but I just haven't. And so I've kind of been like, I've been under the radar and so yeah, I, I like when I went to these South American Road race, I like I got noticed by an agent and he was like, yeah, I'll put you on a road team. So I sent him some power numbers and he got me a spot on a team. And then, is it north of Spain? And so like the road scene there is or the amateur road scene is what it was for. So it's like super high level races every weekend. They're very underrated, like very hard races. Yeah, I had an opportunity to go there. I was gonna sit in an apartment with this like Costa Rican kid I met in Panama. And it was gonna be pretty cool. And I was pretty, I was pretty, decided I was doing that. And so, and then what happened was I had negotiated this guest ride spot for, to go to B W R Kansas In B w R or no, no big sugar in Arkansas. And yeah, I like. . I just got picked up by the ma la team and I was just like, the vibe of the team was really good and I was like, man, you guys are making this, this decision a lot harder. And I literally had a decision to decide like that week. And you had to, you had a [00:16:29] Craig Dalton: successful gravel season last year in 2022, right? You did. Yeah. [00:16:33] Ian Lopez de San Roman: People say it was like this breakout season, but I mean I didn't even have that crazy of results or anything. I just kind. Just put my, put myself in as many races as I could. Like I basically had no sponsors. Supportful helped me out a little bit with some kits and I just was like, all right let's make a mark. And yeah, I just got myself like I see like where I had friends in the country and be like, all right, I'll go to that gravel race. I can stay at their house. And so, [00:16:58] Craig Dalton: and also probably fortunate that you've got the Grasshopper series in your backyard. Yeah. So you can hit all those. At this point, MIGS done such an amazing job with that series. They're both so much fun and so competitive that if you can get your name on the top step there for the series as you did, that's huge. Like people are gonna take [00:17:17] Ian Lopez de San Roman: notice. Yeah. I don't know. I don't, I feel like the series win wasn't that big of a deal last year. Like I, I was like, whatever. It's just it's another series when I didn't actually win the race. [00:17:28] Craig Dalton: , I'm gonna have to hype you up as that is a big deal winning the Grasshopper series. And why don't you talk about some of the other races that you did and how they performed at the [00:17:36] Ian Lopez de San Roman: bws. I switched to gravel as I was like, I'm traveling all over the country and then I have this series in my backyard that's like world class. And so that's where my kind of switch to gravel came. And I was like, I always knew I wanted to do longer events and I realized my power profiles more built for that. And so like I switched to that. I kind of started over a year off with some grasshoppers and then I went to B W R San Diego. And I, like I met, , Michael Marks the, the kind of BWR founder. And the story is like I double flighted the first day. I like made it like I, I closed this big old gap. I made it back to the front group. People were like, whoa, whoa, okay, who is this little kid in the group? And then, and then I like, and then I started like barfing at like hour five or six or something and I was like, gone. Gone. And I finished like 17th. So it wasn't like a super great day. And then I. And then they hit the wafer the next day and I was like, yeah, let's trace the wafer. Like this will be, this will be super fun. And then it was in a front group, and then I. , like I hit a pothole going like 35 and no one had called it out in the group of four of us. I was holding on my water bottle and I just yard sailed and so I like cracked my bar. I was like, I was super scraped up and so then Michael Marks picked me up off the road and he was like, dude, and like you were about to get second. And he was like super, he was like super bummed for me and so I actually it was kind of a get, I don't know, it was kind of weird, like it was that really. That was a kind of pivotal moment in the season where he I met him, we had a really great like connection and so then we kinda drove around the rest of the day. I was like bleeding all over the inside of his Bronco and yeah, like he had kind of helped me. He was like, dude, you're really fast. He kinda helped me get to the rest of his races. And so then I did the B W R series and then I finished fifth like overall. And so I didn't like, I didn't really think that was possible, but it was a pretty big result with. with having STNA win and then like Griffin and Brennan. So like it was kind of big names and I was like, whoa. Like I'm really standing on the podium with Yeah. Giants right now. Yeah, [00:19:38] Craig Dalton: that's huge. So then you decided, as you mentioned, you kind of made that connection with the La Mazda team. Yeah. You got an opportunity to race with them as an option in 2023. Yeah. Did you decide to do that before you got accepted to the Grand Prix? [00:19:53] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Yeah, I did kind of take that gamble cuz I. . If I, if I don't get in the Grand Prix, like everyone kept telling me I could get in and I was like, I, I don't know. There's a chance I don't get in. And yeah I was kind of planning on doing most of the races anyways, except and maybe I probably wouldn't have done Unbound if I hadn't got in. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. But [00:20:13] Craig Dalton: obviously like the, the Grand Prix creates a lot of structure to the season. Yeah, because you've got. Seven events, six, you know, you get to drop whatever that you need to focus on as you think. Does that change your mentality going into the year or do you and your coach have that kind of figured out like how you're gonna prepare for these different [00:20:31] Ian Lopez de San Roman: events? I think we're gonna play it like, and see how it starts out and so I don't know. I'll go in the sea with pretty good farm hopefully, and then we'll see how it goes from there. Yeah, I don't know, it doesn't really change anything. I think. I like, I think it, I find it I can kind of race into form and so I can, yeah, like I basically was doing like last, last season, I think there was like, I had six consecutive race weekends and it was just like Grasshopper, Nike race, other gravel race, grasshopper. And it was just like back to back to back to back. And it like, I was hitting at a hundred, like after Sea Otter, I came out with 150 ctl and then, . I got one of the whatever, like Sea Otter sickness was going around that like everyone had. I got something in there and I was like so wiped out for Sea Otter last year. It was so bad. But yeah, I don't know. I'm excited for the season. I don't really, I'm not gonna put too much oh, what's the Grand Prix? I'm just gonna treat it as another race. Yeah. Do your [00:21:29] Craig Dalton: thing and be consistent along the way. It sounds like given your background with the Nica mountain bike racing and obviously the gravel experience you have, it's not. A roadie going into the series being intimidated by, you know, the mountain bike style racing, the mountain, actual mountain bikes race you're gonna do. Is there anything on the calendar that does seem intimidating in the [00:21:49] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Grand Prix to you? Obviously Unbound, but honestly I think big sugar is the one I'm like the most apprehensive about. Cuz like this last year I went to Pig Sugar and I got six. And I was just like, so done. So I finished the race. I don't even know why I finished the race. It's just part of I don't, I don't really quit on races, but it was just so stupid. Like it was like 17 miles in. I flatted it and then I like put all my like CO2 s and plugs in that tire and then like it was gone. And then I was like, well, and then I had tube and so I went. , I went to this Arkansas local's house. I like knocked on his door and was like, yo, you got a pump? And so I rode up his driveway and everything. So I went to his garage and I just tuned my bike up, like we pumped up my tires. And so like I had already lost like 20 minutes in the first like 17 miles of the race. And then it was just like flat after flat after flat. And then like it was so early in the race, no one was giving me tubes. So yeah, I was honestly like a little. I'm, I'm honestly like, oh, I have to really go back to big sugar. That's like what I'm not looking forward to, but whatever it'll be. Yeah. Maybe some tire [00:22:54] Craig Dalton: inserts and some different tires, [00:22:56] Ian Lopez de San Roman: man, next year. Oh, like the bike I was running, I could only fit, like I was running 30 eights that measured forties and that was like the biggest, and it was like rub on the front derailer and there was like rubbing on the frame, and so I. I'm maxed, I'm totally maxed. And every, I was running like 45 psi, which is like, everyone was like, well, like Ste had told me, no wonder you flat as you just bounced off the rocks. And and I was like, come on. Like I'll doing everything I can. Not flat , but. So [00:23:24] Craig Dalton: this, this season what, what is your equipment choice? [00:23:27] Ian Lopez de San Roman: What are you riding? I'm on the LA sla. Yeah, it's a sweet bike. It's pretty light. Yeah, I have a couple different setups. I can kind of run it. But yeah, [00:23:34] Craig Dalton: having just helped you take it off your car, it's definitely a light rig. Yeah. It look like it could take a bigger tire than what you were describing from last [00:23:40] Ian Lopez de San Roman: year. It takes if you can put like a 2.5 on it, and I, I'll just say I'll never, I'm not gonna be running that ever. But , it's cool. I I have mud clearance. Yeah. If Unbounding is mud, you know, [00:23:54] Craig Dalton: I think pros of these days, everybody likes to take a little bike packing trip, so maybe you can [00:23:58] Ian Lopez de San Roman: get some two fines off. Yeah, maybe I'll do that. [00:23:59] Craig Dalton: Is there any particular event in, in the Lifetime series or otherwise that you're very excited about [00:24:05] Ian Lopez de San Roman: for this year? I would say Leadville, like I kind of showed up last year and like I feel like I kind of showed that like I did have some potential to do a little better at that event and so I'm excited for that one. I think I'll probably I'll, that's probably like my, that Target one, maybe Crusher and the Tusher as well. . I don't know, as I live at two level, but I seem to actually like the altitude. Like I can adjust. I think at least I think I can adjust pretty quick. And [00:24:30] Craig Dalton: do you, do you feel like, the way you're built and the way you ride, are you, would you categorize yourself as more of a climber? [00:24:36] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Yeah, I still haven't hit those those world tour power numbers, like the people in the, the series. But I would say I have the body type of a climber and I'm, I. I'm on the way to developing the numbers to have as a climber. [00:24:48] Craig Dalton: Yeah. Nice. Well, it's gonna be super exciting to see how you do. I am always rooting for the NorCal guys and [00:24:55] Ian Lopez de San Roman: girls to do well. Thank you. Yeah, I'm excited. I think we've got some of the [00:24:59] Craig Dalton: best training in the world, and, , you're a product of that environment. Just all the great roads and great mountain bike trails you have up in Sonoma County. [00:25:07] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Yeah, yeah. We definitely have it going on here. Yeah, I'm super excited. Yeah. Well, [00:25:14] Craig Dalton: awesome. Well, thanks for coming over to the studio and if I don't see you before, I'll see you down at Sea [00:25:19] Ian Lopez de San Roman: Otter. Yeah, I'll see you there. Thank you. Big, thanks to Ian for stopping by and talking to us. I hope you enjoyed getting to know em, and you are as excited as I am to see how he fairs throughout the year and the lifetime grand Prix. As you guys know, I've got a strong bias to the Northern California athletes. So I'm super excited to see another one joining our strong contingent to compete throughout this gravel season. A big, thanks goes out to our friends at logos components for sponsoring this episode. Make sure to check them out@logoscomponents.com. If you're interested in connecting with me, I encourage you to join the ridership. That's www.theridership.com. That's a free global cycling community. If you're able to support the show, please buy me a coffee.com/the gravel ride or ratings and reviews are hugely appreciated. Until next time here's to finding some dirt under your wheels.
Good news, FasCats! Belgian Waffle Ride announced today that we are the Official Coaching and Training Plan Technology Partner of their excellent series, which includes events from Arizona to Canada this year. We are honored to have Belgian Waffle Ride founder Michael Marckx as a guest on the podcast today. For 2023, we have 6 and 12 Week Training Plans created specifically for the BWR events in Arizona, California, British Columbia, North Carolina, Utah, and Kansas. Hand in hand with this great news, this podcast episode is all about how to train for long gravel and other long endurance events. Plug in and get ready for a great 2023!
I had a blast speaking to one of the leading referees on the UK Indy scene in my latest live interview, Scott Bell. We discuss Scott's amazing 2022. Including, 1PW, Progress, Rev Pro, BWR, Will Ospreay, Matt Cardona, Kip Sabian, Scotty 2 Hotty, Robbie X, Katie Forbes, RVD, Reece & Rogan, Ref Bumps, Death Matches, The Stripe Squad and so much more! Scott also answers all of your fan questions! (Duration 76 mins) You can follow Scott on the following Social Media channels... Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/refsgb93/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/RefSGB93 Follow & Subscribe to Wrestling With Johners on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to avoid missing out on a single LIVE episode of Wrestling With Johners! Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2P51c6szAyElgFPdKiqzEg Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2235004610046988 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wrestlingwithjohners/ Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/wrestlingwithjohnerspod TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@wrestlingwithjohners Network - https://wrestlingwithjohners.com/
This episode of the BWR podcast is unique we will be giving you all unreleased content from backstage at Investfest 2022. We got to interview the legendary real estate developer R Donahue Peeples. We also got to get some insight from various successful entrepreneurs about their failures and how they were able to grow from them. If you're interested in advertising on the Black Wealth Renaissance podcast, please email podcast@blackwealthrenaissance.com for further inquiries. Leave Us A 5 Star Rating & Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you love the show and want to show us some support donate below. Donate here GET TICKETS TO UPCOMING EVENTS
Alexey Vermeulen is exhausted. He deserves to be, having just taken a hard-fought podium spot in the Life Time Grand Prix. And wins in multiple BWR races. And producing a show where he mentors novice cyclists. And much more. But he still found time — hours after flying home from Big Sugar and hours before he flies out to his next event — to get together with the Marginal Gains crew to talk about how he doesn't just survive in this demanding environment, but actually thrives. Don't miss this episode of Marginal Gains!
In the newest episode of the #BWR podcast, we interviewed business attorney Soluto Uba of the Uba Law Group. Soluto specializes in business formation, tax planning, and protecting your business in the event of being sued. We speak about the 4 types of business structures, Trademarks and Copy-writes, and what it looks like to build wealth through ownership. If you're interested in advertising on the Black Wealth Renaissance podcast, please email podcast@blackwealthrenaissance for further inquiries. Leave Us A 5 Star Rating & Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you love the show and want to show us some support donate below. Donate here GET TICKETS TO UPCOMING EVENTS
Michael Marckx, founder of the popular Belgian Waffle Ride series of un-road races, joins the podcast to share all about the history of BWR and its unique brand and model as it expanded from a singular event in San Diego to now events all over the country (including here in Michigan). Michael also gives a preview of the course for the upcoming Belgian Waffle Ride Utah in Cedar City. Reminder - still time to use code "Michigander" for a discount for BWR Michigan.
In this episode of the black wealth renaissance podcast, we interview Dr. Kenyon Godwin a chiropractor and business coach based in Dallas Texas. Dr. Godwin goes into the growing pains he experienced opening his first practice directly out of school and what it took to grow into two fully operating practices. Dr. Godwin also dives into what it takes to create a scalable business that can be purchased as an exit strategy. Sit and enjoy another insightful episode of the BWR podcast. If you're interested in advertising on the Black Wealth Renaissance podcast, please email podcast@blackwealthrenaissance for further inquiries. Leave Us A 5 Star Rating & Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ GET TICKETS TO UPCOMING EVENTS
What up wealthy people! In this episode, we are doing a throwback to the original show format where the hosts of the show share their thoughts, opinions, and findings related to the world as we know it today. It is no secret now that the US and many economies around the world have entered a technical recession and in this episode, Jalen and David get into some of the ways that they have been preparing to take advantage of the impending economic turmoil. Tune in to learn about things you can do to thrive in the recession, the factors that are playing into this current recession, and how this situation will differ from any other recession we have seen in the past. Tap in for some valuable info and real conversation with the founders of BWR! As Always Leave Us A 5 Star Rating & Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ JOIN US SEPT 3 IN DALLAS FOR OUR FIRST IN-PERSON EVENT OF YEAR
We are back with another great episode of the BWR podcast! On this episode, we interview Henry Washington a real estate investor out of Northwest Arkansas. We cover how he was able to walk away from his 9-5 through investing in real estate. Leave Us A 5 Star Rating & Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Learn how to use small banks to build your real estate empire! Purchase Course Now! (Only $40 with code BWR) Complete this short survey to help grow the BWR Podcast: 1-Min Survey "It Pays To Know How To Purchase Knowledge" Click Here to Learn How to Build Wealth
On this episode we hear all the details about the most latest Belgian Waffle Ride edition, the Hell of the Great Lakes, out of Traverse City, Michigan. Race director and Michigan local, Jon Houlberg, shares all the details about not only BWR, but also the new MoMitt festival which features multiple races and cycling opportunities the entire weekend long. Use code dirtychain30off for $30 off any of the non-BWR races during the MoMitt festival!
This week we sit down with bicycle industry veteran Brad DeVaney. Brad has been with Litespeed Titanium and most recently OBED Bicycles since the early 1990's. Brad has an infectious passion for cycling that shines through in this conversation. Episode Sponsor: Trek Travel - Join me in Girona Nov 6-10, 2022 Litespeed Website OBED Website Support the Podcast Join The Ridership Automated Transcription, please excuse the typos: Litespeed/OBED [00:00:00] Craig Dalton: Hello, and welcome to the gravel ride podcast, where we go deep on the sport of gravel cycling through in-depth interviews with product designers, event organizers and athletes. Who are pioneering the sport I'm your host, Craig Dalton, a lifelong cyclist who discovered gravel cycling back in 2016 and made all the mistakes you don't need to make. I approach each episode as a beginner down, unlock all the knowledge you need to become a great gravel cyclist. This week on the podcast. We welcome Brad Davine from Lightspeed and obit bicycles. If you've been around bicycles for a while, you're probably familiar with the Lightspeed titanium brand. They've been building bikes out of Tennessee since the late 1980s. Brad joined the team as a young man in the early 1990s. And has been following his passion within the titanium frame building industry. For many, many years since he's worked with the likes of Greg Lamond and the LA Sheriff's cycling team, he's worked on projects for NASA and done a ton of exciting things for the industry. You won't meet someone who's more friendly and passionate about the sport of cycling. So we were happy to hear when they turned their attention to gravel cycling. A handful of years ago. In addition to the Lightspeed brand. The company also owns the obit brand. Obit is a direct consumer carbon brand that has been making inroads for the last few years. I've really been impressed by. Both the refinement of the design in the obit frame set its modern day gravel bike. But equally impressed with the amount of customization that the team has been able to build into your process. You can customize the paint and decal logos on the obit models before they're delivered to your door directly. I encourage you to check both brands out and give a listen to this conversation. I think you'll get a lot out of Brad's experience and how he contextualizes. The different performance between titanium frames and carbon frames. Before we dive in i need to thank a new sponsor this week our friends over at trek travel. Those avid listeners may recall. I had you in Shepard from truck travel on the show. Back in episode 98 and September of 2021. To talk about the Jarana. On a gravel experience. Since that time I've been eyeing a trip with our friends at Trek travel. I was so excited. Jarana comes up so often. In both road and gravel cycling as a place you have to discover. Certainly after that conversation with UN I was completely committed ultimately to getting over there. It took a while COVID got in the way, but I'm now settled in, on a trip on November 6th through 10th. This year in 2022, and I wanted to invite you to join me. I figured it'd be a great opportunity. I know it's not easy to get over to Europe. There's both the expense and the time you'll need to take. But I couldn't be more thrilled to commit to this trip with Trek travel and to explore the fabulous trails around Gerona. We'll be staying right in the heart of Gerona at the hotel. Nord. To experience everything the city has to offer. The track team is going to design some gravel rides around the undulating and rolling Hills around your Rona to make sure that we experience everything we can. During that week in Spain. I know I'm going to train my butt off to try to be fit because I want to ride. Everything that's possible to ride in the area. I know this trip gives a lot of flexibility for riders to explore and ride as much, or as little as they want. During the week. So there'll be options for everybody. I know it's going to be a killer experience and I'm hoping and optimistic that some of you will be able to join me. I'll put a link in the show notes for the Jarana gravel bike tour, where you can simply visit Trek, travel.com and search Jarana gravel bike tour. I'll be working with the Trek travel team to put together a little something special for any gravel ride podcasts guests that joined us on that trip. I very much, I'm looking forward to seeing some of you November six through November 10th in Spain. With all that said let's jump right into my conversation with brad davine from lightspeed and obit bicycles [00:04:19] Craig Dalton: hey, Brad, welcome to the show. [00:04:21] Brad DeVaney: Oh, it's great to be with you, Craig. [00:04:23] Craig Dalton: I'm excited to continue our conversations. We've interacted a couple times over the years, but it's great to kind of have you on the podcast and just learn a little bit more about you. [00:04:32] Brad DeVaney: Yeah. Yeah. It's yeah, there's a lot of history, right? I mean, the and, and the topic at hand, you know, the, the gravel category it's It's that it's that common meeting spot where you all seem to be finding these days with with old friends and. [00:04:46] Craig Dalton: I feel like this is a double header episode, cuz we get to talk to you about both the light speed titanium brand and also the Obi carbon brand. And just get your unfiltered opinions on what bikes are good for what types of riders? I think that's gonna be a really valuable part of the conversation for the listener. [00:05:03] Brad DeVaney: Oh, good. Good. Yeah, that's that? That's what fires me up the most, you know, we're we're, we're really open to multiple materials. And building what we love. So, yeah. [00:05:15] Craig Dalton: Let's set the stage a little bit just by getting a little bit about your background, how, how you came to be passionate cyclist and ultimately get into the business side of the sport. [00:05:25] Brad DeVaney: Yeah. Man, I, I don't enjoy talking about myself, but you know, just a, a, a kid that grew up racing bicycles BMX road, mountain. And was really fortunate to have sponsorship when I was super young and, and you know, bikes being provided and traveling and, and living you know, a kid's dream, life racing, bicycles, and you know, everything stayed super competitive through those years. And, and [00:05:52] Craig Dalton: part of the country did you grow up in Brad? [00:05:54] Brad DeVaney: I grew up in the Southeast here in Tennessee, and you know, lot of not, not a lot of national events happened here in Tennessee. And so my, my base was Atlanta, Georgia, where you know, where Schwinn bicycle company was a, was a big deal back then. And they had a, a major distribution center there that, that our team was stocked out of. And we would go up Chicago to headquarters. Very infrequently in the three years that that I raced with the team there. And, but there was the cool thing was I was the perfect demographic within the team. I was the perfect age that they were looking to develop new products. And so, the bikes that I was riding were typically the prototypes and where the rest of the team were all on production bikes. I was getting some bikes rotated. From beneath me and, and that really lit a fire. I didn't, I didn't realize that fire would turn into a career. [00:06:47] Craig Dalton: Did you find yourself at that age, having that ability to be very discerning about, oh, this frame feels this certain different way. Even if the changes were fairly. [00:06:57] Brad DeVaney: yeah, it, it, it came to realize Sometime later, my dad was he's to this day he is, he's a Motorhead he's, he's always tuning something. It's not always race inspired, but he, he built some pretty crafty two wheeled and four wheeled race machines through the years. And growing up in a, you know, where in our garage, we. Cutting welding modifying strip it down, machine it, modify it, you know, sort of mindset. He taught me how to take caged ball bearings and Polish them and, and use valve grinding compounds, and then clean 'em and what levels of grease. And so as an 11 year old kid, I went on the road with, with a manager and teammates. And had the ability to release a wheel. And my choice of wheel at that point in time was Aniah seven B the, the seven X was the hot rim out and it was It wasn't a full double wall, but it, it had some channels within the extrusion that were, I felt were unnecessary. And the lighter seven B was just that it was lighter. It was faster. It was more fragile of course, but I had Campon Yolo track hubs with Ari seven B rims you know, spec spokes and spec nipples. I was really, really particular as an 11 year old kid, but to use that particular rim. I had to be able to lace wheels. I, I didn't have that luxury even at home. I didn't have that luxury. So when I egg shaped or, or, you know, flat spotted a rim, I could change them out. And it was, was pretty adept at it. So my, we would be at a motel, you know, somewhere in Florida or Texas or New York or wherever we were racing on any given weekend. And it wasn't uncommon on a Saturday night between, you know, Saturday and Sunday races. that, you know, there would be a, a group of dads sitting around drinking beer, watching the 11 year old monkey lace of wheel, because that was kind of a funny thing. So, yeah. Sorry for the story, but [00:09:03] Craig Dalton: No, I love [00:09:04] Brad DeVaney: it out of me. Yeah. Yeah. So, yes. To answer your question. Yes. [00:09:09] Craig Dalton: So that was back in your BMX days. And sounds like later, you kind of transitioned to road riding and, and mountain bike racing. [00:09:15] Brad DeVaney: Yeah. Yeah. The road bike came around first. You know, I was, I was almost 16 working at a local motorcycle shop before I could drive and, you know, a good form of transportation was bikes. And you know, I ultimately wanted a really good road bike and, and Made that happen. And then through my high school years really loved, loved the road bike and was racing locally off to college with that. And then during college, I was I was fortunate to have gotten some attention through the local shop and, and got some sponsorship and, and ended up on a Raleigh. Mountain bike. We were selling rallies. The local rep, you know, saw what I was doing. I was really trying to rep the brand because that's what we were selling. And, and we sold GT Raleigh and, you know, a few others, but that was, that was the aggressive rep of the day. And, and he was he was good to try to find a way to reward me and for what I was trying to do in the shop. And, and that got me my first mountain bike and, you know, off, we went always, it, it was fun. Great [00:10:17] Craig Dalton: Yeah, back those early days of mountain biking were a lot of fun. And I remember there was always, the shop teams were such an important part of the movement back then, I feel like, and you would, you would get your, you know, the brand that you sold in the shop and they would agree to give everybody a pro deal or something on the frames. And it was a really great time to be part of the sport. [00:10:36] Brad DeVaney: yeah. You know, and coming from BMX, the Raleigh thing was kind of cool. Tomak was doing his magic and. He you know, I, I couldn't call him an old friend. He was somebody that I looked up to certainly you know, BMX and, and you know, I, I was fortunate to, you know, compete at a, at a good level. It was all age group based. I was never old enough to to compete as a pro. And as he, you know, Kind of broached that he moved into mountain bikes and, and wow. What a, what a legend he game. But and that, that was sort of the pattern that I followed in my equipment choices and, and paid really, really close attention to what was happening on the world cup level of those days. And that was a driver for. [00:11:18] Craig Dalton: so after you hung up your, your sort of racing cleats, so to speak, was it immediately obvious that you wanted to go into the bike business? [00:11:26] Brad DeVaney: No, I was, I was still racing. I was still racing, working retail going to school. And that's when you know, the guys at light speed were, were a local business in the area that I was in. So. I was building outside of work. I was building in my own little shop at home where I did overhauls and rebuilds and paint jobs, and a lot of things you know, side jobs I'd do pretty much anything that involved a bicycle. But I, I was building show bikes for those guys and you know, when you're a resource and, and you turn things around as quickly as you can. You know, it turned into a job eventually to be honest. And they, they didn't really care what I was that I was studying engineering or, you know, they just needed extra help. And, and so I worked in the shop a lot. I, you know, minored tube SETSS and a aligned bikes and, you know, a lot of things within our operation. But when it came time you know, I was always ready to to design as well. And. That fell in pretty naturally. So that's, and, and I was still competitive at that point in time road and offroad was was really my focus. [00:12:35] Craig Dalton: And did you, presumably you started riding titanium bikes around that time. [00:12:39] Brad DeVaney: Yeah, it was tough. I I'd actually broken. I'd actually broken my Sera. I had a, a Hammi down seven 11 team bike. It was one of Ron keels bike. He had, he had won the, we kind of got a little bit of history. I was racing for a team that through true temper sponsorship here in Tennessee, our team acquired or was able to acquire several of the motor or not motor seven 11 true temper CADA built team bikes. They were labeled as Huffies And so Bob roll and Andy Hamson and RA Alola and you know, some of those guys at that day and age but Ron keel was the guy that was closest to my size, and I was able to get one of his bikes out of this batch, that true temper owned and, and got for us. So I'd been racing that bike for a couple of seasons working here at light speed part and full time. And when I snapped that bike I was able to you know, jump onto a loaner bike for a few weeks and then finally worked it out so that I could have my own. So, and that was, it was out of necessity. You know, I, I came onto titanium out of necessity and, and that's when I really started going bananas on design elements because I, you know, I was looking for, I came from top level steel had been working with selling. Doing, you know, Sera we had a fit cycle and used the fit kit and so forth at the retailer that I'd worked with. So I was pretty passionate about all that. And you know, when I'm, when I'm out of that environment into a manufacturing environment, I'm still working those tasks. And with that mindset out of my own home shop and Yeah, I wanna jumped onto titanium. I wanted to tune things. I wanted to change it. I wanted to get more of a, not a Columbus SL or SLX tube set. I was looking further ahead to like Columbus max [00:14:32] Craig Dalton: And I think, you know, to contextualize it a little bit for the listener, you know, this was the era where you really had, you had steel bikes and maybe some early aluminum bikes from someone like Cannondale at the time and titanium was that next level. Next generation material that I think at that point was very much a premium product in terms of how much it costs. So it felt very exotic at the time. [00:14:55] Brad DeVaney: It was, and, and, and the tube sets I knew could be advanced. That was, that was one of the things is that if you were looking at a, a light speed, a Merlin, a moots, you know, that was kind of the three big players at the time. Everything was pretty much straight gauge, round tube sets. And, you know, I, I wanted to see beyond that. I was I was, you. Driving towards a cycling specific titanium tube set. It wasn't just titanium. And I think that became one of our ad slogans back in, you know, in those early nineties, it's not just titanium it's light speed titanium. And what made it light speed titanium was the, the obsession to create. A cycling specific titanium tube set. And we did that by manipulating wall thicknesses, tapering, the tubes, shaping the tubes and all of that. Having engineering purpose, not just some visual marketing blind. So that's, that's really what we, and we continue to work by those same principles today. [00:15:56] Craig Dalton: Yeah. It's so interesting. Given the sort of production process of a carbon frame versus steel or titanium where you're really manipulating the tubes. And you're just, just a lot of hand work that goes into these products. [00:16:08] Brad DeVaney: Yeah. Yeah. [00:16:10] Craig Dalton: Well, we could go long and deep on titanium and the history of that period, [00:16:14] Brad DeVaney: a deep hole brother. It's a deep hole. Let's back away. Let's let's let's come closer to the surface. You got listeners. [00:16:21] Craig Dalton: we're gonna fast forward, but I think we've at least set the stage that you've had your hands on titanium for a few decades now as the light [00:16:30] Brad DeVaney: More than 30 years. [00:16:31] Craig Dalton: Yeah, which is amazing. And, and the brand is such a storied brand in America, producing in Tennessee when it came to gravel, starting to come to market, how quickly did light speed kind of move into that territory? [00:16:45] Brad DeVaney: Yeah, we were pushing it. Um, ,, you know, one of our brands Quintan we've got a, a, a tremendous triathlon following and not just road cyclists, not just offroad, cyclists, but also triathletes we're converging into this space. And that that's once again, AC acknowledgement to the beauty of this, this platform. But the, a real innovator within triathlon founder of the Quintana brand Dan infield, he, he drives a, a really good form for multi-sport athletes and, and he was begging me, please build me a custom gravel bike. And, and we already had a production gravel bike in the works and planned. , but we weren't wholly agreeing internally what that might become. And you know, Dan and I saw pretty eye to eye on this. And so when, when I built his bike, he really he really chanted and blew horn and wrote articles. And, you know, he, he made it a real focal point of of his website [00:17:49] Craig Dalton: Yeah. Yeah. A couple points to make, just to interrupt for a second. So when Brad talks about multiple brands, American bicycle group, the parent company owns Quintana, which is a triathlon brand. You mentioned light speed and O I D. And kind of manages all three brands along the way. So as you're taking inputs, it's just interesting, I think for the listener to understand that, and then follow up question on that custom bike and, and granted it's gonna timestamp it whatever year it was not this year. What was the design spec? What, what did your friend, what was he saying? I need for this to be a good, fun gravel bike for me. [00:18:26] Brad DeVaney: Yeah. You know, he was really he was really focused on his road, fit specs, and, and Dan has a school of thought that he teaches, he coaches it's the fist fit methodology. And he, he holds classes and I'm certified in it. And as well as thousands of other people that, that have been through his camps and. I I, I have so much respect for that. But we disagree almost every time we get together, you know, he, it's, it's fun to debate with, with someone you love so much. And but yeah, the, the whole geometry and fit principles were different. And especially in the smaller size bikes, cuz we've got a longer fork and that creates some design constraints and so forth, but he really, you know, he had this road bike and these are the stack and reach numbers that he wanted on that gravel bike. And I was like, no buddy, no, no, let's bring that. Let's let's change that let's tailor this let's change stem link let's you know, and, and, and what it really came down to was his Terrafirma was different than mine. You. His terrain is different than mine. And what we've learned over time is, you know, there's no wrong answer. It it's all about where you live and where you ride on a, on a weekly of basis. And so he still has that bike. He still loves that bike. I've probably had three or four since then. but it's, it's, you know, that's my job is, is to develop and create and, and do new things. But and, and I really don't timestamp anything. It's hard for me to look backwards because I'm, I'm trying to constantly wake up, having forgotten what I knew yesterday and look forward and remain creative and, and look for trends and, and develop them if, if possible. So. [00:20:08] Craig Dalton: When, when you started to think about gravel cycling and how light speed might play in that market, what attributes of titanium were you thinking? This is great. This is the perfect application of this material. And what potentially, what other elements were you thinking? Gosh, maybe this is not the best material for [00:20:24] Brad DeVaney: Well, I mean, you've gotta realize I, I came through the nineties with, with a lot of pro cyclists reaching out to me personally, asking for custom bikes that were gonna be rebranded. For their team use, you know, these were top level cyclists that were coming for specialty bikes, whether it be a climbing bike, a sprint bike, a time trial, bike, whatever the case may be. I'm creating the, all these specialty bikes for over a decade. And as, as we roll into the two thousands carbon, you know, clearly became king of the elite road. And, and what had changed was the, the sponsorship levels and the number of bikes that any given rider was allocated at at their pro retirement pro tour level riders, they had so many more bikes at their disposal that. You know, the old mindset of having that one great climbing bike or that one great time trial bike didn't exist anymore. They had multiples and mechanics were Uber busy because they weren't riding around with a couple of vans and, you know, a few team cars. They, they had semis pulling up stocked full of. Bikes and equipment and, you know, sponsorship went up and cost of everything changed and all with those budgets, changing titanium got washed out of the top level just on pure economics. It wasn't performance, it was pure economics. And, and then you see those economic swing into the, the retail market and the profitability of carbon became so much higher. Titanium was just, I won't say it ever became a stepchild. It still remained a nice elite product, but it was for a more mature cyclist. And it was for a cyclist that respected it from a decade prior with those business dynamics, changing our business went we, you know, we worked through that and fortunately we had grown through acquisition. We had other brands we're still working with multiple materials. Triathlon road so forth, but for light speed specifically, I'm looking at my love and my passion for road and offroad cycling coming together. And there was no better material. There was absolutely no better material. I mean, a great titanium hard tail is still a great titanium, hard tail. They bake, they make wonderful, single speaks. When you start looking at drop bar bikes and a utopian drop bar bike that you could just, you know, whacker rocks against it and it's, it doesn't care, titanium's it. And then the ride quality just plays in furthermore. So that I was, I couldn't have been more fired up to be working and obsessive in this in this category where I'm just retuning. New ideas to different tire volumes. And, you know, the, the whole formula is just, just a melting pot for me. I I'm, I'm still going nuts, having fun with it. So, [00:23:39] Craig Dalton: Yeah, your enthusiasm [00:23:40] Brad DeVaney: and, and titanium, holy cow, it's, you know, I've got some athletes who, who um, you know, we talk to on a, on a weekly basis that. You know, they're begging for both, you know, Hey, can I do a, you know, can I ride a tie bike at this event or a carbon bike or that event? And you know, we struggle with that trying to represent brands through specific athletes. [00:24:03] Craig Dalton: Yeah. Yeah. As you and [00:24:04] Brad DeVaney: me to make tougher carbon bikes and, and lighter titanium bikes. So, you know, you just, you're always balancing the virtues, right? [00:24:11] Craig Dalton: Yeah, maybe that's a good segue. Introducing the carbon brand, which is Obi. And just kind of when that came about and what the thinking was. [00:24:20] Brad DeVaney: Yeah. So, OED OED was started because we had, you know, for 20 years we've been working in the carbon channel and, and in a value stream where I had developed relationships with and, and one primary or a primary relationship with a family owned. Carbon frame maker. And I would go over and visit with them multiple times per year, depending on the number of new products and new projects we had going on. But as, as Quintana was really cruising along product wise and, and quality standards were, were just going so well. And, and, you know, the, I. Kind of had, had worked all the product that we really needed to develop and, and what happens in my job because I'm a multitasker within our business. You know, I, instead of my development mind, I'm spending more time on process and quality systems and that sort of thing. But with, with some free design space and, and on my calendar, I felt like I really encouraged. You know, the, all of our team members here that we should consider new products and consider a brand that was you know, just an adventure outdoor brand. And, and that was just dirt bikes, just fun, dirt bikes and offroad bikes. And because it really hasn't been our, our nature as a whole group. I, you know, I have this passion and it doesn't mean everybody else has to, but at that point in time, we were growing and, and a lot of our staff were also dirt minded. And the, the economics of, you know, who can afford our bikes internally and externally became a, a, an awareness. You know, we, we really became aware of, of. [00:26:10] Craig Dalton: yeah. [00:26:11] Brad DeVaney: How, how available are we with, with our passions and our products? And so it just made sense that, that we use our current suppliers and our current quality systems to deliver some products. And, and we, we started it with open model product. We didn't even design and invest in tooling. I, I love that, that we started that way. and, and came with a, a value bike with, you know, cooperation I'm developing the, the, the or designing and, and the factory was was funding the tooling, and we allowed them to sell some of those models outside of our markets and so forth. And. we evolved and, and it took off quite quickly. We were able to establish the, the brand itself was, was successful. And now we're, you know, we're producing our own clothes models that, you know, they're exclusive to us. And so yeah, it was, it's been a really, really good experience for us to re you know, re exercise the principles of how we develop products and, and who our customers are and focus on their needs. So, [00:27:20] Craig Dalton: Yeah, the timelines actually sounds pretty interesting because you know, back three, four years ago, I think it was less defined. What a, what the perfect gravel bike was gonna look like. And through a lot of trial and error from a lot of companies, I think we've arrived at these very, very versatile bikes that can handle pretty wide variety of. Gravel cycling terrain. [00:27:42] Brad DeVaney: Yep. Yeah. Yeah, it's fine because I, you know, I'm, I may be spending time in a wind tunnel, developing super arrow, cutting edge products. The next thing you know, I'm, I'm out on the dirt. Trying to find watage the most recent was finding the most efficient wheel set. For me, going to Kansas on the lowest fitness I've ever gone there. and, and understanding my efficiencies and what zones I need to be riding in. And it was such a good exercise, but I was doing so on a bike that I had had in the wind tunnel. And I knew exactly how many watch at what wind speeds and what y'all angles. And I'm, I'm literally thinking about this stuff on course and, you know, it's, it's, it's a strange place between my ears, but that's that's what [00:28:28] Craig Dalton: This is hearkening back to the kid who was lacing wheels at 11 years old in a [00:28:33] Brad DeVaney: brother, if you only knew I've got, I've got a wheel to rebuild right here beside me right now. It's [00:28:38] Craig Dalton: So when we talk about the ground up design that you ultimately arrived at with the Obi, what are some of the specs, like what type of tire size, what were some of the takeaways that you kind of took away from that process? [00:28:50] Brad DeVaney: you know, first thing is, you know, we want a racer design. We, we had a really univers. Super capable bike and, and we wanted the, the option to go fully integrated. So cable free, fully tucked cables or exposed cables. That that was one of the design requirements going in. And if you're gonna have a super clean, most modern presentation of a bike, it needs to have proven shapes. And so, so I don't know if you can see in this, but you know, I'm showing you a down tube that shrouds a water bottle extremely well, but it, it it's super functional. This, you know, this isn't a razor arrow shape, but it's so functional at the speeds that we're riding in the winds of wherever. I won't just say Kansas, but and then when, when you get to tire size, you know, This thing's gonna house some of the fine tread fifties. You start getting more Nobby you're, you're stepping down. I mean, if you're getting to a super Nobby tire that you think you're gonna be loading up with mud, it's gonna, it's gonna step down proportionately. So, so yeah, we're, we've got amazing tire cleaner. You see a, you know, a seat tube relief. so we're not wedging rocks and cracking carbon in a dumb spot. You know, when I say dumb non-intelligent spot of the frame that doesn't really have function other than stiffness. And by reshaping this tube, I'm picking up stiffness. I'm blowing out a big box section down here that really amplifies some stiffness at the BB round seat, 2 31 6 drop or capable. You see this modular brace. That actually is so that I don't have to embed rack mounts. If a guy wants to put rack or underside, it's tapped to drill for fender. So just option friendly, but super cutting edge, clean racey. I mean, even the seat stays have got a really, you know, arrow, triangular shape to it. [00:30:48] Craig Dalton: Can I ask you, did you say the C post is 31 6? [00:30:52] Brad DeVaney: yeah, 31 6. [00:30:53] Craig Dalton: Interesting. Cause I, you know, I, I'm just curious to, to get your thoughts on why that size. Yeah. [00:30:59] Brad DeVaney: Yeah. So, you know, we hear that and, and I listen to a lot of people saying, and, and we sell a lot of titanium seat posts. If you're buying a titanium seat, post a lot of people, oh, it's gotta be 27 2 so that you can get the, the soften more flexy feel. And 31 6 is, is a platform that. I'm not restricted with droppers. I'm not restricted with stationary post. It can be zero offset, rear offset. I've just got more options available for my customer. And that was a big change. That was a big change in going into this bike. And, you know, we, we do build the component selections and options with our bicycles is amazing. Any given model that you buy, you've probably. Eight different seat, post options. So it was important that every option on our shelf fit the bike and with [00:31:48] Craig Dalton: I have to say [00:31:48] Brad DeVaney: that's not possible. [00:31:49] Craig Dalton: I was playing around on the Obi site today and I have to say one of the things that I was super excited to see was basically the custom color selector. [00:31:57] Brad DeVaney: Yeah. The color blocking that we do is is a lot of fun, literally thousands of options. [00:32:02] Craig Dalton: Yeah. So you can, I mean, for the listener, you can choose your, your base color of the frame. You can choose your decal color, you can choose the color of your fork and lots of beautiful options. I have to ask just cuz of the business geek inside me. How are you doing that? Operationally? Are you building frames raw and then just leaving them, getting 'em painted. [00:32:21] Brad DeVaney: So, yeah, all of my carbon we bring in raw. I, I, you know, it's not painted over. There's no fillers, nothing is hidden from me. So our quality standard is higher. On carbon than it's ever been because we do all of the prep work, the sanding, the prep, the base coats, the painting, the graphics application. So it may as well be within defined options and let the customer choose it. It allows me a built order system. That's very complicated. It's not easy. I'm sure. There's MBAs that. Sit back and look at our business models. Oh yeah. Let's duplicate what these guys are doing. No, it's, it's not so easy even within you know, what appears to be canned options. How we process and flow is, is really a learning process. [00:33:10] Craig Dalton: It's very operationally challenging to run a customized operation. I've I've run one myself and, and I hear you. That's why I was so impressed. I love [00:33:19] Brad DeVaney: single order is custom. Yeah. That's, that's what we have to be willing to provide. [00:33:25] Craig Dalton: Are you doing that? That painting in Tennessee then? Okay. [00:33:27] Brad DeVaney: Oh yeah, yeah. Every bit of it right here in the building. Yep. [00:33:30] Craig Dalton: Yeah. Yeah. Impressive. Truly impressive of me that earnestly [00:33:34] Brad DeVaney: Thank you. Yeah, we just completely revamped our, our painting operation. We're, we're actually gonna do a little bit of a a show and tell. And, and produce some content that's gonna be coming within the next month or so that shows some of how we do it. So yeah. Be, be ready to see some of [00:33:52] Craig Dalton: Awesome. So, I mean, we started offline talking about when you've got a customer coming through the door. Now you've got a world options. You've got carbon bikes, you've got titanium bikes. How are you helping the consumer navigate [00:34:06] Brad DeVaney: It's fun. It's so much fun. Holy cow. And I'm always that contradictory guy with our sales team. They, they, it's a love, hate relationship. I'm sure for them, I, I love them, but they don't always love me. Being at I was talking about being at VWR and, and kind of standing in for some sales folks there so they could participate the hate. Um, But it, it was wonderful to have folks coming up saying, what's the difference? and the difference number one is, are, are you bothered when rocks fly off the front wheel or your buddy's front wheel and hit the down to your bike or the top tube, or, you know, hearing those stones hit your bike is bothersome. Tough and composites are, are what we build our bikes with. And that's, that's a big piece of it. These Aren. They're, they're close to what would've been super elite road bikes, not too many years ago, but we, you know, we've developed toughened composites to a point that they're very gravel worthy also that they can withstand some chainsaw and, you know, the, that the natural things that happen in gravel riding. So durability does lean towards titanium. It's, it's not impervious. You can dent a titanium bike, whereas a carbon, you dent it. It's gonna need a repair. It's just, it's just fact of the matter ride quality is something that's very, tuneable in both materials. You know, it just takes a different skill set in how you develop to. Diameters wall shapes, thicknesses, all of that. When you're, when you're obsessive about creating titanium, we go through that and provide multiple models. So we have a pure race bike. We have what I consider a high performance SUV, and then we've got something that's more of a touring model. But then we also have the full customization. If you need custom geometry, if you need custom tube selection, no problem. We can provide that. That's, that's something that our consultation process we typically take. I say we engineering will take that order from sales and go into a consultation process with with that customer and develop the bike carbon, believe it or not, isn't always the stiffest that that's where I start to contradict. The, you know, the theories of material and it's fun to have demo bikes setting, ready to ride, and a guy come back and say, wow, that carbon bike was softer than the other, or that carbon bike was softer than that titanium bike. Whereas that titanium bike is the softest of the mall. Um, And being able to tune car titanium above and below what is considered now, the carbon standard is a lot of fun for me, but having a really well tuned carbon bike and our offering is is so gratifying and That's what's really gone into this latest GVR model that, that I was just holding up and using as an example is it's is got vertical compliance, the bike. When you stand, when you corner the bike rips, it just, it responds really, really well. And it's a, it's a platform that, that I look forward to how we continue to provide that and, and what may come years down the road from. And it is, it is absolutely inspired, different performance characteristics in titanium. So I'm, I'm playing, you know, good versus evil or one versus the other. However you wanna look at whichever team you choose to join. That's I'm, I'm the guy that's that, you know, and, and playing those games and, and one advancing because of the other. And, and I think that's one of the real benefits of my job. [00:37:46] Craig Dalton: Absolutely. If people are looking to purchase a light speed bike, is that directly through you or is there a dealer network? They would go through. [00:37:53] Brad DeVaney: Both both. Yeah. That's, that's something that you know, we love our, our longstanding dealers and, and honor them in every way possible. We try to drive business through their doors. As the OED brand was created. You know, we've, we've been forced out of a lot of shops with light speed, just, just due to the business dynamics that the bigger players have created in shops today. And that's unfortunate. So in, in creating the new brand, we, we made that consumer direct whereas light speed also is available consumer direct in, in areas that That's necessary or even desired because sometimes a light speed dealer in town. Isn't the service provider for someone that's interested in a light speed and you know, so we we try to make everyone happy there and, and work, work openly. [00:38:39] Craig Dalton: Nice. And then you mentioned being out at BWR. North Carolina. And then also out in Emporia in Kansas for Unbound, are the teams traveling to other events this year? If gravel, cyclists are looking to find you and test some of these bike. [00:38:53] Brad DeVaney: Yeah, for sure. For sure. Once again, I, I feel like one of the luckiest people on earth, I would've been in Kansas. Would've been at BWR Asheville. Next stop will likely be S B T be out Steamboat. And yeah, from that point on we're, we're a little bit flexible. Just based on a lot of. Event obligations that, that our, our true event team has on their schedule, cuz we do support a lot of events within cycling and triathlon. And we have, we have a good team of folks that, that work on that [00:39:22] Craig Dalton: Right on, well, I'll make sure that the listener has in the show notes, the websites and social handles to make sure they know how to get in touch [00:39:28] Brad DeVaney: on a weekly basis. Yeah. Please do jump on the jump on the websites we keep. We keep live chat. And you know, if, if we're not in house those questions get answered first thing in the morning, and then it's always best to catch someone live. And, and I, I love the dynamic. I is listeners may not have heard in our conversation earlier. Our business has, has completely changed in the past couple of years how we've chosen to To try to really link directly with consumers and, and provide direct answers. It's, it's, it's been a, a big growth for us and we want to hear every issue. We want to know every squeak, every rattle, every great story. That's, that's something that we weren't doing. When we were wholly working through bike shops with light speed and. We're better engaged with our consumers today. And, and that really inspires our product development. And I, I try to keep those channels completely open as well, but, but we do like to communicate and answer every single question. [00:40:32] Craig Dalton: Yeah, that's great to hear. I'm sure it garners a lot of support from the cycling community, just to be able to, you know, chat someone or pick up the phone and talk to someone. I feel like for me as a consumer, you know, just makes you feel that much more connected with the brand. [00:40:45] Brad DeVaney: We hope so. That's, you know, as, as passionate cyclists that's, that's how we want to be treated. And so that's, that's what we aim to. [00:40:53] Craig Dalton: Amazing. Well, I appreciate all the time, Brad, and I appreciate your sort of lifetime, your career of putting energy into making all these fun bikes for riders around the [00:41:02] Brad DeVaney: Thank you, Craig. You're you're a giver brother. You are a true giver and much respect to you and, and what you provide right on. [00:41:11] Craig Dalton: world. Cheers. That's going to do it for this week's edition of the gravel ride podcast. Huge. Thanks for Brad coming on the show. I appreciate everything he's done in the world of gravel cycling and cycling in general with Lightspeed and the new obit brand. Huge. Thanks to Trek, travel for joining us as a sponsor. I'm very excited to join the Jarana gravel bike tour November 6th through 10th this year. And you're all invited to come with me. Check out the link in the show notes and join me for a little Spanish gravel. If you're interested in connecting with me or have any questions about that, you're on a trip. Come on over to the ridership. That's www.theridership.com. It's a free online cycling community. You can connect with writers all over the world and discuss roots, equipments, anything that's relevant to gravel cycling. It's been a really fun exercise seeing that community grow and seeing the conversations that happen in my absence. If you're able to support the podcast, please visit buy me a coffee.com/the gravel ride. And until next time. Here's to finding some dirt under your wheels
FYI FLI - For Your Information Financial Literacy & Investing
Ever thought about starting your own podcast? If so, FYI FLI's got you covered! This FinLit Friday, Hassan Thomas chops it up with top ranked podcaster, author, and wealth enthusiast: Jalen Clark of The Black Wealth Renaissance! In this episode, Jalen and Hassan talk about: - How to start and grow a successful podcast - The top mistakes to AVOID when creating your new podcast - How to make your podcast STAND OUT from the rest If you're looking to be motivated, educated, and entertained…this podcast is for you! — • Connect with Jalen and BWR: https://instagram.com/blackwealthrenaissance?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= • Subscribe to our website for FYI FLI app updates: https://fyifli.com/ • Purchase the playbook to increasing your drive, destiny, & dollars: https://fyifli.com/fromcollegetocovid/
We have a special podcast guest this week: The Belgian waffle ride winner, Alexey Vermeulen. Alexey went full on beast mode this past Sunday, riding away from his comrades with an incredible display of wattage and courage. In this episode, we not only get a full recap of Alexey's experience of winning BWR, but also background on where he came from, his racing pedigree, and what his big plans are for the rest of the season and the future. Plus, we also diving into Alexey winning Junior National Road Race in 2011, getting called up to the big leagues with Lotto Jumbo and his new Jukebox cycling team with our good friend and FasCat Athlete, Phil Gaimon. Lastly, we have two huge announcements to share in this episode... 1. Our Mother's Day sale is LIVE. Use MD50 for 50% off any and all of our five star rated training plans. Head over to www.fascatcoaching.com to redeem. 2. FasCat is hiring full stack software engineers! If you want to work on new sports science to make training fun, simple, most importantly effective, hit up Coach Frank! But don't delay. We're moving fast and we're paying competitive salaries. Email frank@fastcatcoaching.com.
The racing was high-intensity and high-drama around the world last week, from Belgian Waffle Ride to the Tour de Romandie. What did we learn from covering these races? Ben Delaney, Betsy Welch, and Daniel Benson talk through the hot spots. Watching Lauren De Crescenzo win a stage by five minutes and the overall at the Tour of Gila while Mo Wilson won BWR by 25 minutes has us looking forward to a showdown between these two powerhouses at Unbound Gravel early next month. Speaking of Unbound, can anybody beat Keegan Swenson? Daniel was in Switzerland for Romandie, where Aleksandr Vlasov executed a TT-to-road bike swap in the final time trial, and blew past jersey-wearer Rohan Dennis to capture the overall. Are these type of stages gimmicks or legitimate racing? Dan and Ben discuss. And why was Ben hanging out of a car window at BWR? Tune in to this week's episode of the VeloNews Podcast.
This week we discuss all the bike racers who know we exist and the amazing results they've achieved. We talk Romandie, BWR, and Gila. Plus, we receive another clue in our continuing search for the KBK donkey. The poddy is also supported by Hammerhead. For a limited time, our listeners can get a free Custom Color Kit and exclusive premium water bottle with the purchase of Hammerhead Karoo 2. Visit hammerhead.io right now and use the promo code SLOWRIDE at checkout to get yours today. This podcast is supported by the generous and amazing donors to the Wide Angle Podium Network. You still have time to pick yourself up the first EVER official SRP merch at wideanglepodium.com/srp300 Find us, and other fantastic cycling podcasts on the Wide Angle Podium Network, at wideanglepodium.com! Check out the brand new WAP app available in the Apple and Android app stores! You can listen to us in a variety of ways: Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or anywhere great podcasts are found. Give us a review and rating! We'd appreciate it! You can email us at theslowridepodcast@gmail.com Find us on Twitter: The show (@theslowridepod) Matt (@Matt46292097) Spencer (@spencerhaugh)
This week we sit down with professional gravel racer, podcaster and adventurer, Payson McElveen. We learn about his path to the sport, his drive for adventure and his plans for the Life Time Grand Prix and the rest of the races on his calendar. Episode sponsor: Hammerhead Karoo 2 (promo code: THEGRAVELRIDE) Payson McElveen Web / Instagram Support the Podcast Join The Ridership Automated Transcription, please excuse the typos: Payson McElveen [00:00:00] Craig Dalton: Hello, and welcome to the gravel ride podcast, where we go deep on the sport of gravel cycling through in-depth interviews with product designers, event organizers and athletes. Who are pioneering the sport I'm your host, Craig Dalton, a lifelong cyclist who discovered gravel cycling back in 2016 and made all the mistakes you don't need to make. I approach each episode as a beginner down, unlock all the knowledge you need to become a great gravel cyclist. This week on the podcast. We welcome pacing. McKelvin pacing. As you may know, is a gravel racer, a mountain bike racer. A podcaster, a red bull athlete. And in all around adventurer. I've wanted to have pacing on the podcast for quite some time. I'm an avid listener of his podcast, but moreover, I'm a fan. And that probably comes through in this episode. I'm a fan of pace. And as he's every bit as approachable in real life, as he comes across in social media, He not only races at the front end of the gravel races on the calendar. But even more importantly, I feel like he's out there in the community and he's always after some great adventures. You can see him crisscrossing the country of Iceland. You can see him setting FK teas. You can see them getting brutalized on the Colorado trail and one of his first bike packing expeditions, he's just a hell of a lot of fun and a hell of a great guy. So I look forward to listening to this episode. Of the gravel ride podcast. Before we jump in, we need to thank this week. Sponsor the hammerhead crew to computer. The hammerhead crew to is actually the computer that pacing uses. So you may hear them talk about it, both on his podcast and in social media. His experiences are quite similar to mine. The Karoo two is a revolutionary GPS device that offers the rider. A whole bunch of customizability that really translates to giving you the information you need. When you need it in the format that you need it. I've mentioned before. A few of the things that I really love about the career too, are one, the climber feature. I've become addicted to the climber feature. It's quite amazing. Every time you approach a climb. The crew too, is going to display in graphical format in color coded format. The gradient. The length to the top and the amount of elevation you need to gain. I find that really useful in terms of pacing and it's fascinating. I've always been fascinated by grade. So seeing that great in front of me on the computer, I've started to really understand where my sweet spot is. I know that I'm quite good in the six to say 12% range, but north of 12%, I start to suffer. So it's quite interesting looking at that. The second thing I wanted to highlight is hammerheads bi-weekly software updates with new feature releases. That are unmatched by the competition. So unlike other head units, your crew to continues to evolve and improve. With each ride being better than the last you can seamlessly import routes from Strava commute and more. Route and reroute and create pin drop rooting on the fly. All available with turn by turn. Directions and upcoming elevation changes. The crew two's touchscreen displays, intuitive, responsive, and in full color. So your navigation experience is more like a smartphone than a GPS. You'll see your data more clearly than ever while also withstanding rugged conditions since it's water and scratch resistant. Tens of thousands of cyclists have chosen the crew to you as their trusted riding companion. Including this week's guest pace and mckelvin and another fan favorite amanda naaman. For a limited time, our listeners can get a free custom color kit and an exclusive premium water bottle with the purchase of a hammerhead crew to. Simply visit hammerhead dot. I owe right now and use the promo code, the gravel ride at checkout to get yours today. This is an exclusive limited time offer only for our podcast listeners. So don't forget that promo code, the gravel ride. After you put a custom color kit and premium water bottle in your cart. The code will be applied Would that business out of the way, let's dive right into my interview with pace and McKellen. Payson. Welcome to the show. [00:04:11] Payson McElveen: Thank you happy to be here. [00:04:13] Craig Dalton: Yeah, it's good to finally get you on. I feel like I've been wanting to get you on since back in 2019 and the mid south gravel race. [00:04:21] Payson McElveen: Yeah. Yeah, that was that wasn't my first foray into gravel, but one of the first [00:04:28] Craig Dalton: Yeah. And I think it was one of those moments that it was, you know, there was very much a different style between you and Pete when racing in those adverse conditions, all the mud and whatnot, and how you [00:04:38] Payson McElveen: Oh, 2020. Yeah. [00:04:40] Craig Dalton: 20, 20. Yeah. So babying the bike and. [00:04:44] Payson McElveen: yeah. [00:04:45] Craig Dalton: being a little bit rougher on the bike and you know, both you guys smashed into pedals and I, it's funny, cause I'd heard you interviewed after the fact about that race and I'll refer to the listener back to some coverage there, but you were being, you were very conscious of what mud could have done to your bike. And that was clear in the way you were taking care of it. And I had that thought while I was watching the coverage, like that's smart, dipping it in the water, clearing it out, just being conscious of what is going to do the driver. [00:05:12] Payson McElveen: Yeah. Yeah, that was a boy. That was, I mean, gravel racing is always a dynamic thing and I feel like to varying degrees, just emission of damage control even on dry days. But Yeah. That was such a dynamic damn. Early on even. I mean, I thought my race was over 20 miles in when literally right as I think it was Pete might have been summer hill, actually Danny Summerhill was just absolutely on a mission early in that race too. But someone putting in a attack around mile 20 kind of first narrow section, and literally at the same moment, I got a big stick jammed in my rear wheel and had to stop. Pull it out. And yeah. because that selection was made and I ended up in like the third or fourth group that wasn't moving as quickly right off the bat. I think I had like a minute and a half deficit to to the lead group of P call and, you know, all the usual suspects. And it was pretty convinced that the day was over at that point. But also over the years, I've learned. Gravel racing or not kind of, regardless of the style bike racing when you don't give up good things tend to happen, no matter how dire it seems. And I was fortunate enough to ride back into the first chase group with my teammate at the time Dennis van Wenden, who spent many years on the world tour with Rabobank and Belkin and Israel startup nation, bunch of good teams. And. During that day, there wasn't a whole lot of drafting that was going on. Cause the surface was so slow and there was so much mud and you were just kind of weaving around picking your line, but it was really pivotal to have him to kind of join forces with him there. Because he really quieted me down mentally and he was like, Hey man, if you want to try to get back into this race, you need to do it gradually. Like don't panic, chase, you know, A minute gap. We could probably bring back and 25, 30 minutes, but if you do it over the course of an hour more you know, you can stay below threshold and that'll really pay dividends late. So long story short, I was really grateful to have his kind of Sage wisdom and sure enough, we got back into the group right before the aid station there at mile 50 ish. And I was surprised we got back. Pete and Collin and everybody else was even more surprised to see us come out of the mud from behind. But yeah, that was a member of that was a memorable day and in a weird way, I think getting having that setback so early on almost kind of calibrated my mind for the survival contest that it was going to be all day so that when the shit really hit the fan there and the last 30 miles, I was kind of already mentally prepared to roll with the punches. [00:07:52] Craig Dalton: Yeah, I think there's some good points there. I'll, you know, it's always interesting to me talking to elite level athletes and, you know, with most of my listeners, presumably being like myself, mid-pack racers, the same rules apply, right. Should always breaks down for everybody. And you can have a really bad moment in one of these long gravel events and come back as long as you do the right things, right. If you're. If you haven't eaten enough, you haven't drinking drank enough. You just got to get back on top of it and the day will come around and more likely than not the field in front of you is going to experience the same problems. Just a generic initially to yourself. [00:08:28] Payson McElveen: For sure. And I know we're going to get into the grand Prix, but I think that's one of the things that makes the grand Prix so fascinating, especially when combined with the pretty unusual point structure, I think it's just going to be so topsy, turvy and tumultuous and. You know, obviously we saw two, two of the favorites, you know, most people's picks for the overall in Keegan and Mo already take the lead. But I would be shocked if they maintain that lead, you know, all the way through the next five rounds, just because of the nature of gravel racing. Weirdly, I think the mountain bike events will be the least least selective in a way. [00:09:06] Craig Dalton: Yeah. Yeah. It's going to be interesting. Well, let's take a step back pace and I know, you know, I feel like I've gotten to know you through the course of your podcast, the adventure stash, but for our listeners, I want to just talk about how you got into the sport of cycling and we'll get to how you arrived at the gravel side of things. [00:09:24] Payson McElveen: Yeah, sounds good. [00:09:26] Craig Dalton: Yeah. So where'd you grow up? Where, when did you start riding? What was the first kind of race experience you had and how did you sort of develop the vision that you could be a professional athlete? [00:09:37] Payson McElveen: Yeah. So I grew up in a very small town, about 20 minutes outside of Austin, Texas. The rural Texas hill country. I'm fortunate enough to grow up on a little I don't know, hippie farm hippie ranch with my parents. You know, we had chickens and dogs and 18 acres couldn't see any houses from our house, which is something I, you know, in hindsight really appreciate pretty cool environment to grow up in. And I played pretty traditional sports growing up basketball ran track and field. Well, that sort of thing. But bike, riding and racing was always a little bit of the back of my mind because my dad did it some off and on while I was growing up. And then also Lance was winning all the tours during that time. And actually live just 15 minutes away from us. So he was a little bit of a hometown hero and all that was always front of mind. Freshman year of high school. I want to say I kind of had this recurring knee injury from playing basketball and that nudged me towards cycling a bit more. And I just started riding more and getting more interested in mountain biking in general. And there was this really cool mountain bike film, one of the early kind of. Shred it mountain bike. Documentary's called Rome that was playing in a bike shop and I just totally was transfixed one day. And that summer just kind of went all in. Building trails on the property and mountain biking and trying to learn more skills. And through a little bit of, a little bit of coaxing from my dad, I decided to, to line up for a mountain bike race, a local Texas mountain bike race when I was 14. And got absolutely. But for whatever reason, just it hooked me and that fall after getting absolutely destroyed by all the local, Texas kiddos. I just really dedicated myself to training and developing skills and came back that following spring as a 15 year old. And I don't think I lost a race in Texas that year and it sort of solidified. This idea of putting work in and getting a significant reward. And I'm not really sure why that never clicked with other sports. I was, you know, I guess had had a little bit of talent for basketball, maybe definitely talent for track And field, but I never dedicated myself to them from a work ethic standpoint, but for whatever reason, I was really motivated to do that for cycling and. Yeah, it just became a fan of the sport student of the sport, followed it like crazy. You got to know the pros, the U S pros and saw the Durango was really kind of the hotbed for domestic mountain bikers. And one thing led to the other. And now here I am still chasing the dream. [00:12:25] Craig Dalton: And did you end up going to college in Durango? Is that what I recall? [00:12:28] Payson McElveen: Huh. Yeah. So went to Fort Lewis college. That was also a big selling point. I ended up going to Europe with the national team as a 17 year old with USA cycling. And the one of the USA cycling coaches there for that trip was Matt Shriver, who happened to be one of the coaches at Fort Lewis college at the time also. And he sort of, you know, did a little bit of recruiting work with those of us there that. camp and a few of us actually ended up going to Fort Lewis, but yeah, boy, Durango's incredible. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to come here and then call it home for [00:13:05] Craig Dalton: Yeah there, the riding and mentorship in that communities. [00:13:10] Payson McElveen: It is. It is it's it's pretty incredible that the town is so small and so. Isolated in the scheme of things like it's pretty hard to get here. It's a long drive from anywhere and it's a kind of pain in the ass flight from everywhere. Also. We found that out on the way home from sea Otter when it took extra, but Yeah. I'm a small town hard to get to. And yet it's just this ridiculous hotbed of talent, you know, talent that's developed here, but then also talent that moves here. And one other thing I really appreciate is it isn't super like pro dominated. Like there's a very healthy grassroots contingent of cyclists here that. Frankly, do not care what's happening in pro bike racing whatsoever. And that's actually quite refreshing. When you spend a lot of your time at big race weekends, and you're getting asked 25 times a day, what tire pressure you're running, it's really nice to come back to Durango and, you know, just go shred some single track with someone that's wearing jorts and grab a beer afterward. [00:14:11] Craig Dalton: I bet. When you graduated from college and decided to go pro, was there a particular style of mountain bike racing that you were, you had in your head? This is what I want to pursue. [00:14:22] Payson McElveen: Man, this is where it gets pretty complicated. This is where it's very hard to make the story short, but I'll be as succinct as I can. So moving to Durango I had my. Sites, very firmly set on world cup XCO and the Olympics. I'd had some successes of junior and making the national team each year and doing some world cups and going to, you know, selection for Pan-Am games and all that sort of thing, podiums at junior nationals, all that sort of thing. But what I wasn't familiar with yet obviously is most. Teenagers or not is the economics of professional cycling, especially on the dirt side, on the roadside, it's pretty pretty cut and dried. There's almost a league obviously, and there's a fairly well-worn pipeline to the highest ranks of the sport. But in mountain biking, there's just really. Isn't that USA cycling tries, but it's there's such a high barrier of entry for a kid that doesn't live in Europe to go over to Europe, learn that style racing in a foreign land. And you know, it's very cost prohibitive. The writing style is completely different. It's not a mainstream sport. So their talent pools inevitably are just so much more vast than ours because of. that there are more kids that are just interested in being high-level cyclists, where most of our, you know, kiddos are interested in being NBA players or NFL players. So it's, I mean, it's a well-known story that it's very hard to break through at that level. And then there's the other component, which I don't think is talked about as much, which is just you start with the handicaps of inexperience. Obviously fitness, if you're a younger writer and then just start position. And I mean, it's, it is. So it's such a wild setup where you have to be so much stronger to break through and start earning results where your start position improves that just everything is stacked against you. So I had a few what I'd call kind of flash in the pan results enough to not give up on it, but not enough to really. Make it feel like it was a foregone conclusion. So I felt very fortunate to be in college and getting exposed to other styles of cycling as collegiate cycling frequently, you know, allows for. But going into senior year, I was kind of looking down the barrel of having to make some tough decisions. Cause I was making. Money racing professionally, but it was like serious poverty line sort of situation. And you know, finishing seventh or eighth at pro XC nets as a 23 year old is cool. But it's not going to give you an illustrious career. And so late late summer, early fall I just started kind of. Looking outside the bounds of this very narrow lane of focus that most folks my age were focused on, which was XCO mountain biking and the Olympics. And the other thing kind of to notice that one thing that strikes me frequently is that in mountain biking there are just fewer jobs of value in a way, if that makes sense, like on the roadside, if your [00:17:40] Craig Dalton: Yeah. [00:17:42] Payson McElveen: strongest on a world tour, You can still have a very fruitful position that is valued. I mean, if there's 400, some people in the world tour Peloton, I don't know what the number is exactly, but if you're 350 strongest, you're still a very valued member. If you line up at a world cup and there's 200 guys on the start line and you finish even 80th, like what's the value of that? There's [00:18:09] Craig Dalton: Yeah. [00:18:13] Payson McElveen: You're the backdrop for the folks that are at the top to anyway sort of digressing, but point being, I started looking around the sport and. I'd had some offers and opportunities to try racing on the road, but culturally, it just didn't quite jive for me. And then, you know, I started kind of looking at some of the folks that have, that had created their own paths, folks like Rebecca Rush Lil Wilcox hadn't really rose risen to prominence yet, but those sorts of people and I thought, you know what maybe I'll just go try. Something a little bit more adventure oriented. Just for fun. Like I don't know that I'm going to have the opportunity to dedicate as much time to cycling in the future as I am now. So maybe I'll go on an adventure. And sort of around the same time weirdly, I got a message from this race promoter, Italian guy that was putting on a race in Mongolia called the Mongolia bike challenge. And I still don't exactly know how that came about or why he reached out to me. But sure. You know, I'll come try, erase. And he said if I could get myself over there, he'd cover all of my expenses when I was there. And that said, you know, a flight to Mongolia, I think was like 25, 20 $600, something like that. And I had maybe $3,500 to my name as a senior in college. And I was like, well, you know, I just have this sneaking suspicion that this style of racing might be more my cup of tea. Obviously the Xes. I'm falling out of love with that. So I drained my bank accounts flew over there, had an amazing experience. That's a whole other story. [00:19:50] Craig Dalton: Yeah. It's such an amazing country. I had the good fortune of going there and I had previously raised a couple of the trans racist and trans Rockies up in Canada and had friends who had done the. The ones that were over in Europe. And I caught wind of that Mongolia one after visiting Mongolia on a hiking trip. And I was like, that must have been at epic. [00:20:07] Payson McElveen: It was super epic. And you know, it was, I think it was eight days, seven, eight days, the stages where there's one TT day, that was like an hour and 15, but most of the day. Five to four to five and a half hours. And there was some good races there. You know, Corey Wallace was there. He'd won, I think, Canadian marathon nasty year before. And he'd won the Mongolia bike challenge the year before. There was also this Italian world cup guy there, who I'd never been able to be close to at world cup events. And then all of a sudden found myself going shoulder to shoulder with these guys and just feeling way more capable as an athlete and ended up winning that series outside magazine did a little interview and like photo epic on the wind. And that's I found out later kind of what put me on red bull's radar, but that was the thing that really set the hook for me, where I thought, you know what? This was way more fun. I got to see an amazing part of the world. The media cared way more about. Like way more media interest than I'd ever received. And I was just way better suited to it. I had no experience had barely been doing five-hour training. I'd never done a five hour training ride and yet was able to kind of rise to the occasion and do five-hour race days and back it up day after day. So after that point, I started kind of dedicating a little bit more time to to that style. And then consequently one Pro marathon NATS the following year. And that's, that was those two things were kind of the inflection point, I would say. So around 27. [00:21:34] Craig Dalton: and was that, had you joined the orange seal team? [00:21:38] Payson McElveen: So I had been on the rebranded show air team for anyone that remembers the Scott Tedros show our teams. It was called ride biker that year. And it was sort of like a collection of private tiers. It seems like there are some equivalents these days, like, I think the shoot what's it called? Eastern Overland. I want to say they run something similar to that. And then. As far as I can tell that new jukebox program seems to have a bit of a similar setup. So it was kind of set up that way. So I was able to start to pull together some of my own sponsors. And then once I started to get that media interest, the outside interview was kind of the biggest thing. I was able to parlay that into better support or SEL came on board as one of my bigger sponsors, but I hadn't that the team didn't exist yet. And then when. NATS. That's kind of when orange seal and track are like, Hey, what if we like made a team? Like rather than this being a private tier thing, what if we kind of took some ownership and let you just race? And we set up more of a team. So that's how that worked. [00:22:43] Craig Dalton: And you mentioned getting on red bull's radar. When did you end up becoming a red bull athlete? [00:22:47] Payson McElveen: Let's see, I guess 2018, early 2018. Does that, is that right? 2018? [00:22:56] Craig Dalton: The [00:22:57] Payson McElveen: I can't remember. I think [00:22:58] Craig Dalton: timeline sounds right. And did it change your perspective of yourself as an athlete, as you got exposed to the red bull family and other red bull athletes? [00:23:09] Payson McElveen: Oh Yeah. Enormously. I mean, it changed everything and it's funny because when I say. Started communicating with them. At first, it was just like this childhood euphoria of, or my God. This is the most sought after prized sponsorship in adventure, sports outdoor sports. Like this is, I can't believe they're interested, but this is incredible. And you start getting so fixated on the potential of it. for anyone that's familiar with their process they'll know that it's not fast. So basically they were doing background on me for a year. And then for two more years, we communicated. Dated almost you could say decided to figure out how much commitment, mutual commitment there wanted to be. Obviously I was very interested in commitment, but, and then came the phase where it looked like it was going to happen. And all of a sudden you start feeling the pressure and you start questioning. Am I worthy? What is this, what does this mean? What's going to be asked of me, how do I need to rise to the occasion? And I'd say even after I signed for a solid year, that was kind of my mindset. Like, oh man, need to not screw this up. I need to prove that I'm worthy. I need to do innovative things. But one thing that's interesting is that they red bull never. Puts any pressure on you and they really drive home the fact that they want to partner with you because of who you already are and who you can become the potential that they think they see. And they really like to bring people on board before they've reached. They're their prime, their best. They want to help you be a part of that growth process. So once I was able to gradually shift my mindset and realize that this was more of an opportunity and less of an obligation, that's where I think mentally and emotionally, I was kinda able to free up free myself up a little bit race with more race with a sense of opportunity and joy. And then also start to kind of tap into. Creative aspect that I've really started to lean into over the last few years that I've come to realize is like very necessary just for my happiness and sense of fulfillment. And I think that's really where there's most significant interest came from. And it was also just great timing. You know, they wanted someone in this endurance, mass participation sort of arena. That's also why they brought a in, around a similar time. And so, yeah, like, like any success timing was a massive part of the opportunity as well. [00:25:56] Craig Dalton: Yeah. I feel like in some way and correct me if I'm wrong, your relationship with red bull for a few years prior to the pandemic left you very well-suited to whether the pandemic and the lack of racing, meaning you had a wider view of yourself as an athlete and the things you could do. [00:26:13] Payson McElveen: Yeah. And you know, I over the years I've questioned kind of this all of these extracurriculars that, that I'm interested in. Whether it be the podcast or some of the films we do, or some of the, you know, crazy routes, I like to try to tackle Question, you know, how much does that detract from more traditional racing cars like riding across Iceland three weeks before the Australis off-road isn't, you know, stellar prep, but But by the same token, you know, I've really tried to zoom out over the last handful of years and think about how will I look back on this time when I'm 45, 50, 55, whatever. And really, it kind of goes back to Mongolia, you know, T deciding to take that red pill rather than blue pill spend most of the money. I had to go on a crazy adventure halfway around the world by myself as a 23 or. With no experience, you know, I'll never forget that experience the people I met over in Mongolia. And ultimately I think going through life experiencing as much as the world, both interpersonally and just travel wise as you can is a good way to do it. And I've had many mentors over the years who have raised at the highest level, kind of. Persistently remind me that the, what they remember or the things between the actual races and to make sure that, you know, if you go to all-star Germany for the world cup, do everything you can to make sure you don't only see the inside of your hotel room and the three kilometer race course. So that's kind of why. More and more ambitiously gravitated towards some of these more adventure oriented things. And ultimately from a professional standpoint, getting back to your point, it really does, you know, the way I look at it as sort of like a diversified portfolio, there are athletes that only hold one kind of stock, you know, maybe your stock is awesome. Maybe you have a bunch of shares of apple, but you know what happens if for whatever reason, apple tanks. Similarly to the stock market. You know, you want to have a diversified portfolio when we're operating in this space that doesn't have a league. It doesn't have a bunch of structure. And there is a lot of room for creativity. So, it's a personal need, but also it's worked out professionally as well. [00:28:28] Craig Dalton: yeah, I think as a fan of the sport, when you're out there doing those adventures, and obviously you do a lot of filming around these adventures. We just feel closer to you as an athlete. So when you line up at some gravel race, like we're rooting for you because we've seen you struggle. Like any one of us might struggle on it. Adventure. [00:28:46] Payson McElveen: Yeah. that's interesting. I mean, that's good to hear. It makes sense, you know, anytime, you know, I think about I'm, I mean, I'm a massive mainstream sports fan, so I'm always comparing. Our little cycling sport to these mainstream sports. And it's interesting to look at something like say basketball versus football, the NFL versus the NBA and in the NFL, there's massive athlete turnover because of injuries. And also everyone's wearing loads of protective equipment, you know, helmets, pads, all that sort of thing. So you very rarely do you actually see the athletes. They're just these incredible people. Rip it around on the field, hitting each other. With basketball, you see all the writers, interesting hairstyles, writers, basketball players, interesting hairstyles, you know, the way they react to like a bad call, the way they're talking to each other on the bench. Usually they're, they feel more comfortable, you know, giving more flamboyant post-game interviews. And so it feels like the. Collectively like the fan base for individual players in the NBA is so much more engaged than in the NFL. Like fans are with the exception of folks like maybe Tom Brady or like people that have been around forever. Folks of the NFL are fans of the game, fans of teams. And on the NBA side of things frequently, they're fans of the individuals because they feel like they know the individuals. And so I think the same can kind of be said for cycling. And interestingly, I think that. This is a whole other conversation, but I think it's one of the reasons we're seeing such amazing professional opportunities for folks outside the world tour. Now, obviously the most money bar, none is still in the world tour, but there's so much less freedom for personal expression for frankly, like having. Personality. I mean, look at guys like Laughlin that are like redefining the sport and all they had to do was get out of the world tour and do what they wanted to do. And I think that's really interesting and I feel fortunate to be in a part of the sport where that's more celebrated for sure. [00:30:48] Craig Dalton: Yeah, absolutely. So chronologically on the journey, we're back at 2018, you've won your second XC marathon title. Had you started to dabble in gravel in 2018. [00:31:04] Payson McElveen: yeah, I think that was 2018. I did Unbound. Yeah, I guess that would have been 2018 and that was a hundred percent due to sponsors requesting it. I was not interested. And I had a whole mess of mechanicals and actually didn't finish. And I think that might be the. That might be the most recent race I haven't finished maybe besides, well, that's not true. Mid south just happened, but yeah, I was, I didn't get it in 2018. I was like, man, this is carnage. People are flatting everywhere. Why are we out here for so long? This is so [00:31:41] Craig Dalton: It does seem like a Rite of passage to get abused by your first unmanned professional experience. [00:31:47] Payson McElveen: Do it for sure. And Amanda Naaman loves to make fun of me about this cause like I really not publicly, but I was fairly outspoken to some people about how I just didn't understand gravel after that experience. And then I ended up going to mid south in 20, 19 two weeks before the white rim, fastest known time. And I was planning to use it as like. Training effort for the white rim fastest load time. And I ended up winning that mid south race. And then I was like, oh, gravel is sweet. Everyone cares so much about this when Getting loads of interviews, like A massive bump in social media followership, like, wait, maybe there is something to the Scrabble. It Amanda's always like, Yeah. The only reason you fell in love with gravel is because you were fortunate enough to win a race early on, which, you know, might be kind of true, but long story short, it was not love at first sight with gravel, but that's obviously since changed. [00:32:40] Craig Dalton: And you were, are you still kind of in the sort of, I guess 20, 20 season where you still doing XC marathon style racing in conjunction with gravel 2020 is probably a bad example because that was the pandemic year. But in the, in that period, were you doing both still. [00:32:56] Payson McElveen: Yup. Yup. Yeah. And you know, the funny thing is I still. see myself primarily as a mountain biker and there are people who, you know, question, you know, how. I define myself as a racer at this point, but I don't even really feel the need to define what Sal racer you are, because I'm just interested in the biggest races in the country. The, and really, you know, at this point, it's kind of becoming the biggest mass participation, non UCI events in the world. And it's I look at it as a spectrum. You know, if you kind of go down the list of. How do you define these races on one end of the spectrum? You've got something like, you know, BWR San Diego, which in my mind is just kind of like a funky sketchy road race. I don't know that you're allowed to call it a gravel race. If everyone is on road bikes with 20 eights and thirties narrower tires, then the people use a rebate. But and then on the other end of the spectrum, you have something like. I don't know, an epic rides event or, you know, even like the Leadville 100 that really blurs the lines like is that you could for sure. Raise the Leadville 100 on a drop bar, gobbled bike, because as Corey Wallace did last year and you've got everything in between. So, you know, you've got grind. Durose where some people are on mountain bikes. Some people are on gravel bikes, you've got the grasshoppers same. So I look at it as much more of a spectrum, and I think we're just in this incredible golden age of. Grassroot grassroots is such a misnomer, but just like mass participation, non spectator, primary races. And I'm just, I'm here for all of it. It's all. [00:34:38] Craig Dalton: Yeah. Yeah, it's super exciting. And I think the event organizers have just a ton of freedom of how they want. Design the race courses. You know, if I think about the difference between the LA GRA Villa event at this past weekend, which was probably 75% single track, it was the, basically the 40 K MTB course, super single track, heavy required, a pretty hefty skillset. I know a lot of quote, unquote gravel riders were scratching their heads. After that one, thinking they were definitely under. And then the other end of the spectrum, you have something like BWR, as you mentioned, or even SBT gravel. It doesn't require a lot of technical skillset to be competitive in those races. So I find it fascinating. And I think that even goes down to where you ride and where you live. Like my gravel here in Marine county as the listener. Well, nose is quite a bit different than Midwest gravel. Not better, not worse, you know, just depends on what's your company. [00:35:36] Payson McElveen: For sure. And I mean, here in Durango, our best road rides our gravel road rides, and we've been riding road bikes on them for ages. When I first moved here, you know, every, so we have a Tuesday night world's group ride, which for what it's worth is still the hardest group I've ever done anywhere in the country by a lot. But Frequently, you know, every third week or so the route that we'll do is majority dirt and everyone's on road bikes. And up until a couple of years ago, everyone was on 26 or 20 eights. And you know, they're fairly smooth gravel roads, but pretty much if you ask anyone locally, our best road rides are half dirt roads. So when this whole gravel movements start. I know I was one of many that was, we were kind of scratching our heads a little bit about, well, isn't this just bike riding, but I understand the industry has needed to kind of define and brand things, but Yeah, it's it's interesting. [00:36:30] Craig Dalton: Yeah, it's interesting as we were talking about your career in this sort of transition, a transition, but just as melding of your love of ECC and this new level of gravel low and behold in 2022 lifetime announces the grand Prix half mountain bike races, half gravel races. How excited were you around that announcement? [00:36:50] Payson McElveen: who very excited. Yeah I'd had some conversations with lifetime in the year or so prior kind of generally talking about structure and what events might make the most sense and all that sort of thing. But It was a little bit ambiguous about whether it was going to happen and to what degree and what it would all look like. So when the announcement? came out I was sort of primed for it, but I was also surprised by quite a few things. And that certainly. You know, increase the excitement too. As I read through the proposed rules and the points structure and the events they decided on and all that sort of thing. But yeah, I mean, it feels just like an enormous opportunity and I think it feels like an enormous opportunity. Personally because of the events, obviously, but I think it's an enormous opportunity for north American cycling as a whole, because there are so many aspects of the series that are completely different than any other series we've seen. I mean, in the United States with the exception of, you know, the heyday of mountain biking in the eighties and nineties, we haven't seen. Cycling massively successful really as a spectator sport or as a televised sport. Because there's always been this goal of making it a spectator sport, but I don't think in the United States, that's really ever going to be a spectator sport. The key in my mind is that it's a participation sport in this country, and that's what these huge grassroots mass participation events have really tapped into. And made them so successful. And so when you combine that with, you know, a year long points, chase, maybe all of a sudden that is the secret sauce for making it more spectator friendly, even if it's more of this kind of modern age of spectating, where it's very, online-based, there's lots of social media coverage. There's, you know, maybe a live stream there's, you know, Really cool. Like drive to survive, TVC series type things coming out of it. I mean that actually drive to survive as a great example. Like look what drive to survive has done for F1 in the United States virtually no one cared about F1 until that series came out. And now, you know, people are talking about peer gasoline and Daniel, Ricardo, like, you know, [00:39:04] Craig Dalton: Yeah. [00:39:05] Payson McElveen: You know, Kevin Duran or Tom Brady. So, it's a very interesting time and I just feel fortunate to kind of be reaching my peak career years right now as it's happening. [00:39:15] Craig Dalton: Yeah, to your point earlier, I think it just creates this great opportunity for storytelling throughout the season. And this idea of, you know, some courses are gonna be more favorable to mountain bike athletes. Others are going to be more favorable to traditional gravel athletes and just seeing how it all plays out and having the points across the season, as something as a fan that's in the back of your mind. I just think it's going to be a lot of fun and great for this. [00:39:41] Payson McElveen: Yeah. I think so too. I really hope so. And the thing that I really hope, I think what can truly set it apart and almost guarantee its success is if they're able to. Lean into those personal storylines, kind of like we were talking about earlier, the things that I think really makes a fan base fall in love with following a league or a sport, which is the individual stories. You know, like I hope there's all kinds of awesome coverage of Aaron Huck making this return to racing, following pregnancy, or you know, there's so many. Incredible individual storylines that can be told. And I hope that's really seen as an asset and taken advantage of. [00:40:26] Craig Dalton: Yeah, for sure. I mean, I have a. You can look at like Amber and Nevin and her experience, just like sort of getting a little bit crushed, still getting in the points at , but having a really rough day out there, that's the kind of narrative like you're looking for somebody who's coming way outside of their comfort zone to race this entire series. And unsurprisingly like a mountain bike style race was super challenging for. But it's going to be fascinating to see like how she bounces back for Unbound, which is this other radically different experience in my mind at 200 miles. [00:41:00] Payson McElveen: For sure. Yeah. I think we're going to learn a lot over this first year and I hope we get a couple of years at it because I think there will be lots of adjusting along the way. Lots of cool ideas and yeah, I think there's just massive potential and I hope everyone's able to hang in there for a few years to figure out what that potential actually. [00:41:22] Craig Dalton: Agreed. Unfortunately, you have to drop this race due to your injury at mid south, but I'm curious, like, as you looked at the arc and the style of racing that you were going to experience in the grand Prix, does that alter how you're training do you sort of do one thing for Otter? Morph dramatically into something else for a 200 mile Unbound, which is the next race on the calendar for the grand Prix series. [00:41:45] Payson McElveen: Yeah. I mean, training Is definitely different. Just physiologically. I kind of gravitate towards those long slow burn events more easily anyway. So preparing for something like sea Otter, where, you know, the, I mean the average speed, I think Keegan said his average speed was like 17.8 miles an hour. Schwamm against average speed. I did it two years and we averaged over 19 miles an hour, both times. Ironically these mountain bike events and Leadville, you know, despite all of its climbing and high elevation, that average speed is almost 17 miles an hour. So these mountain bike events are very much gravel style, mountain bike events. It would be pretty funny. To see this field, you know, line up for something like the grand junction. Off-road where you're lucky to crack nine and a half mile per hour, average speed. And everyone's running one 20 bikes and two, four tires. But yeah. In terms of training those faster kind of leg speed high-end events are ones that I have to train a little bit. I have to like tune up some speed a little bit more for, so for example, I'll attend the Tuesday night. Group right here in Durango almost every week in the month, leading up to that sort of event I'll get in some good motor pacing sessions still, you know, log some good five-hour rides just because that's what helps me be at my fittest, but not worry about a six and a half, seven hour ride with Unbound. I will notch, you know, some good six plus hour rides. And a lot of it is also just about. Practicing, like practicing your fueling practicing with the equipment you want to use doing some heat acclimation and then just doing massive amounts of sub threshold work. So, you know, I'll do rides, you know, like a six hour ride and do three tempo, three, one hour tempo blocks in there Just like an insane amount of. KJS I'm just trying to get your body used to being efficient really. I mean, that's kind of what it comes down to and being efficient under duress. So being efficient when it's 90 degrees out and your stomach, maybe isn't feeling amazing and you're pinging off rocks and. You know, trying to navigate a big budge. So there are some different things that I do overall training is pretty simple. You know, on the XC world cup, it training gets a lot more complicated, I think. But for these longer distance events training, actually, isn't terribly complicated at all. [00:44:16] Craig Dalton: Is there any one in particular that you're super excited about? [00:44:20] Payson McElveen: In the series [00:44:22] Craig Dalton: Yeah. [00:44:24] Payson McElveen: probably Leadville. I've been consistently good at Leadville. I've never had a 100% clean run at it. But I've been third twice, fourth last year. That's one that I would love to win before I retire. You know, if there's one race I could pick. Before I get too old to be competitive. I think Leadville is probably it. It's tricky though, because we've got these two guys that are just sensational, you know, generational talents and Keegan and Howard, both of them grew up at very high elevation. They're small guys. And they just go uphill like nobody's business and you know, they're hard to beat. They're definitely hard to be so. Every year, you know, I look towards Leadville. I would love to love for everything to come together for me there. But you know, all of these races are really competitive, but if I had to pick one, that's probably the one I'm most looking forward to. [00:45:19] Craig Dalton: Got it. And is there any room in your calendar for a pace and adventure this year? [00:45:25] Payson McElveen: Yeah. Good question, boy. That's kind of the trade-off of the grand Prix, you know, it's really consuming said, I know that I always perform better off of big training blocks. So I've pulled back on race days pretty significantly. So I have some really big breaks in my schedule. I'm probably going to go do this four day GB Duro style stage race in Iceland. That is the route that We bike tour last year around the west fjords it's 450 mile days. Give her. Which would be a fun adventure. But in terms of like, whoa here's a crazy idea. No, one's done yet type thing. I have a pretty significant list of those. We'll see where they fit in. I'm going to do another trail town for sure. I really enjoyed that project of Ben last year and the storytelling aspect of that and the big gear giveaway we got to do and kind of the. The community that we developed online there that was really successful. So I'll do another one of those. There's also going to be another matchstick productions film coming up, which is really good for the sport. You know, really high profile, high production value, feature, length film that typically, you know, features a lot of backflips in three sixties and in Virgin, Utah, and. endurance riding as much, but they've been really cool about working more of that in, so I'm looking forward to filming for that again this year, their next one. Probably in terms of like a big crossing or, you know, massive MKT of some kind. I have a big scouting mission that I'll be doing in the fall, but it it'll be by far and away. The biggest one I've tried, not in terms of huh. Kind of distance too, but mostly just like it's extremely audacious and not the sort of thing where I can just go in blind. So I'm going to go in and do a lot of scouting for that and probably knock that out. Summer of 23. [00:47:18] Craig Dalton: Well, I mean, for the listener, Payson's always an exciting person to follow and your creativity. It's just fun watching how your mind works and the things you want to tackle. And it's just a lot of fun to watch what you're doing. I know we got to get you out on a training ride, but one final question. I just wanted to talk about your change in sponsorship this year, in terms of the bike you're riding. Do you want to talk a little bit about that? [00:47:39] Payson McElveen: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. There's a lot of drip, a lot of directions we could go there, but that was What are the scarier professional periods I've had thus far? I obviously had to two really great options and went back and forth between the two for months. I was very fortunate to have the support of an agent that I've come to lean on very significantly over the last couple of years, not sure where I'd be without him, but Yeah. I mean, that was a, that was another sort of like red pill, blue pill moment where the logical thing would be to stay with the brand that you've been with for seven years and is the big juggernaut and the proven, you know, you can be a reliable cog in a big machine type sort of situation. But I've always had. Kind of entrepreneurial drive. That's really hard to ignore sometimes. And there was a whole lot of upside with joining allied and they're doing some really industry defining things that other brands don't have, the ability or confidence or ambition to do. You know, they're 100% made in the U S. Component is really incredible. And that affords all sorts of things from a quality standpoint, a product development standpoint, and just social issue, standpoint and environmental aspects standpoint things that? felt very good. Morally in a way. But ultimately I just want it to be on the bikes that I thought I could win on. And Allied's bikes are just unbelievable. I mean, the quality and the care. Their process for product development and their willingness to kind of ignore industry trends in favor of just making the fastest, most badass bike possible was very intriguing and enticing. And I did go back and forth many times for awhile. But once I finally made the decision, I just it felt like a massive relief, a huge amount of excitement. And Yeah. in hindsight, I'd make that decision. 10 out of 10 times again, [00:49:44] Craig Dalton: Right on presumably you've got both an allied echo and an allied. What's the other one with the enable in your quiver, are you using the echo as your road bike or using one of their pure road machines? [00:49:56] Payson McElveen: so we were, we've been waiting on parts for the echo. I've had an echo frame for a good bit. Parts just showed up last week. So I'll be getting that echo built up. Probably over the weekend. I've test written one but I haven't put huge miles on an echo yet. It's a really, I mean, just a classic example of a brilliant idea from the incredible mind that is Sam Pikmin there, their head of product, but I'll definitely be racing the echo at things like Steamboat where, you know, aerodynamics and weight and more of a road style bike really would pay dividends. The ABL is just awesome. I was absolutely mind boggled by how light it was. I mean, it's over a pound lighter than the gravel bike I was raised in the previous year, which frankly I didn't really expect. So that's been great. And then Yeah. I'm also on an alpha, which is. They're road bike, just super Zippy snappy road bike, and has a really cool, almost a little bit old school aesthetic with the level top tube that has this really cool classic look. [00:50:56] Craig Dalton: Yeah, for sure. I'll refer in the show notes. I'm the listener to my interview with Sam and I've had allied on a couple of different times, so great product, super I'm super jazzed when anybody's making anything in the USA. And as you said, it's just fun as an athlete. I'm sure to be able to go to the factory and see the layups and talk to them to the craftsmen that are working on the. [00:51:17] Payson McElveen: Yeah, And just to have a lot of input, you know, just to be able to say, Hey, I'm interested in running my bike this way. Is that possible? And then go to the factory five days later and they've literally like machined the part already and run all the kinematics in the way. Let's pop it in, like what [00:51:35] Craig Dalton: let's do it. [00:51:36] Payson McElveen: that would have taken two years at a big bike brand. That's insane. [00:51:41] Craig Dalton: So true. So true. All right, dude. Well, I'm going to let you go. I appreciate all the time. It's been great to finally get you on the mic and talk about your career. I'm going to be looking forward to your comeback for the, for Unbound and throughout the rest of the series. We'll be rooting for you. [00:51:55] Payson McElveen: awesome. Thanks Greg. It was great to finally get on and chat with you and Yeah, keep up the good work quality podcasts are hard work and few and far between. So, nice job. And yeah, keep up the good work. [00:52:07] Craig Dalton: Thanks. I appreciate that. [00:52:09] Payson McElveen: Cool man. [00:52:10] Craig Dalton: Big, thanks to pay some for joining the podcast this week. I hope you enjoyed the conversation and huge thanks to hammerhead and the crew to computer for sponsoring this week's edition of the gravel ride podcast. Remember head on over to hammerhead.io. Use the promo code, the gravel ride for that free custom color kit. And premium water bottle. If you're looking to provide a little feedback, I encourage you to join the ridership. It's our free global cycling community. Just visit www.theridership.com. You can always find me in that group. And I welcome your episode suggestions. If you're able to financially support the show, please visit www dot. Buy me a coffee.com/the gravel ride. Any contribution to the show is hugely appreciated. Until next time here's to finding some dirt onto your wheels
Rama Mayo started a record label in high school, called Big Wheel Recreation, and worked with bands such as: Piebald, Say Anything, Jimmy Eat World, The Hives, At The Drive-In, Explosion, Jejune, The All-American Rejects, and many more. On this episode, we celebrate the 20 year anniversary for Piebald's album, "We Are The Only Friends We Have" and discuss Rama's crucial behind the scenes role which significantly contributed to the success of this record. We also talk about the early days of BWR, working with Max Bemis (Say Anything) and putting out the album, "Is A Real Boy", getting fired by Piebald & the shut down of BWR, and how Rama is applying his music business experience to his current career as the most successful cannabis marketer in America. Rama's links & socials: www.ramamayo.com BWR Instagram: @bigwheelrec Rama's Instagram: @ramathomasdavidmayo Two Week Notice Podcast partners: Furnace Fest - for tickets & more info, visit https://www.furnacefest.us/ Follow Furnace Fest on Instagram: @furnacefest & @furnace_fest_community So What?! Music Fest Instagram: @sowhatmusicfest Listen to my homies in For The Best https://open.spotify.com/artist/5YdRaUaTrCh8IrhdJ3b0Up?si=6bLtTo-9T-SL-PFU27cI6A Follow For The Best on Instagram: @forthebestband Go to www.plugyourholes.com and enter the code "TWNPOD" at checkout for a 15% discount Ways to support the Two Week Notice Podcast: Follow Dana on Instagram: @danafuggenb Follow the podcast on Instagram: @twoweeknoticepodcast iPhone users - give the show a 5-star written review on Apple Podcasts Non-iPhone users - give the show 5 stars on Spotify Tell a friend https://linktr.ee/danafuggenb --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dana-bollen3/message
This week we sit down with rising gravel racing star, Brennan Wertz from the Pinarello Scuderia team. Brennan has been tearing up the Northern California gravel scene in early 2022 with wins at the Grasshopper and Shasta Gravel Hugger. Episode sponsor: The Feed Support the Podcast Join The Ridership Automated Transcription, please excuse the typos: Brennan Wertz - Pinarello [00:00:00] Craig Dalton: Hello, and welcome to the gravel ride podcast, where we go deep on the sport of gravel cycling through in-depth interviews with product designers, event organizers and athletes. Who are pioneering the sport I'm your host, Craig Dalton, a lifelong cyclist who discovered gravel cycling back in 2016 and made all the mistakes you don't need to make. I approach each episode as a beginner down, unlock all the knowledge you need to become a great gravel cyclist. Let me start this week with a question. Did you come to gravel, cycling from another sport? This week's guest certainly did. Brendan worked, spent his high school and collegiate years at the front end of another pack. The USA rowing pack. Brendan road for the national team, as well as Stanford university. But injury led him back to cycling a sport. He discovered in his youth here in the town of mill valley, California. We're going to dive into his background and what's led this pro to be at the front end of the field in 2022. Before we jump into this week, shall I wanted to extend a big, thank you. And welcome to the feed. A new sponsor here on the gravel ride podcast. I've been enjoying getting to know the team over in colorado from the feed and have been really impressed by their commitment to bring together not only products but education around this idea of human performance. Today. I wanted to talk to you in particular about one category of product, their feed formula. As you know, on the podcast, I've been kind of investigating through my own lens. The idea of nutrition and performance and what I need as I've aged as an athlete. The team at the feed has been working with Dr. Kevin Sprouse. Who's the head of medicine for ETF education for cycling team. In their athlete, daily formula, they've designed a supplement. That's the right combination of micronutrients that can offset decline in energy production. Help avoid burnout and speed up next day recovery. What I found super cool about the product that in addition to the base product, you can have optional ad-ons. So, if you're looking for additional immunity or more joint support, you can add those into the packets. Regardless of what you add into the package. We're not talking about a hundred bottles sitting on yourselves. The feed formula is delivered in customizable. Many sleeves. So each morning you pick one of them out. You rip it open and it's got all the supplements organized for you in one simple place [00:02:27] Craig Dalton: The feed is running a special offer on the feed formula. Right now, you can get your first order at 50% off. By simply visiting the feed.com/the gravel ride. Again that's the feed.com/the gravel ride for special 50% off your first order of feed formula. With that business behind us, let's jump right in to this week's interview. brennan, welcome to the show. Thank you so much [00:02:53] Brennan Wertz: for having me. It's good to be [00:02:54] Craig Dalton: here. It's a rare instance that I've got someone in my home in mill valley. So I'm stoked to have this conversation face to face. [00:03:00] Brennan Wertz: Yeah, me too. No, it's a, it's a real pleasure. [00:03:02] Craig Dalton: We always jump into the conversation by learning a little bit about your background. So growing up in mill valley, when did you discover the bike and where did it go to from the. [00:03:12] Brennan Wertz: Uh, really early on, it was a vehicle that I use to get to. And from school, just down the road here, I went to tan valley elementary school. And I would ride with my parents when I was first getting started and, you know, kindergarten or the early days ride to and from school. And then later on in elementary school, it just became more of a fun toy, something that I could go out and explore with and go with my friends out in the Headlands. You know, rip around Mount Tam on our mountain bikes. So, uh, pretty quickly I got into mountain biking, more descent oriented, I would say I would go and do Downieville with some friends every once in a while, and even went and did some of the downhill. Shuttle access riding at north star one. [00:03:49] Craig Dalton: Nice. Did they have the Tam high school mountain bike program at that [00:03:52] Brennan Wertz: point? They did. Once I got into high school, it was when I was I kind of got swept into rowing and that required my full-time focus. [00:03:59] Craig Dalton: How did that happen? I'm super curious to dig into your rowing career, because I think as I mentioned to you before I've met so many rowers that came into cycling and with this huge engine. So I'm just curious to dig in a little bit that, so your freshmen in high school, it sounds like you started. How did that come to pass? I think of rowing as like a European or east coast sport. So out here in the west coast, how did you get drawn into. Yeah. [00:04:22] Brennan Wertz: I think a lot of people have that traditional view of the sport being very much like east coast, Ivy league or in, you know, England and in central Europe. But the west coast has produced a lot of really high quality rowing talent. There are a lot of top schools on the west coast here. I went to Stanford. That was a good brewing program. And then there was university of Washington and Cal Berkeley both had very, very good programs. And I think a lot of it just has to do with the climate. You know, it's the same with riding a bike around here. We can train all year round with rowing. We didn't have to deal with frozen water. So, I think that gives the west coast a big leg up on, on its competition and on the, you know, the, the school. Uh, east but more specifically how I got into it. I, my parents were both rowers in college. My dad grew up here in Morin as well. Uh, and he wrote for what was Redwood high school back in the day when he was there. And it's now the Marine rowing association. So I rode there and in high school they introduced me to the sport. They definitely. Pressure me to get into rowing. But they just introduced it to me. And they were actually kind of hesitant for me to get into rowing because it's not the best spectator sport travel, these odd places for this weird, you know, oblong body of water to go and do these races that, I mean, it's kind of like watching a road race. You're standing on the side of the road or on the side of the lake and boom, the race goes by and in an instant it's over. So, but they were encouraging and I went and, and tried out my freshman year and quickly found some success and found that the mountain bike riding that I had been doing in the years prior had help set myself up for some success there with a lot of leg strength and leg power and just generally good cardio. And so that was kind of a smooth transition. Like I said earlier, the, the mountain biking I was doing was much more descent oriented. And so I had to kind of put that to the side because I knew the two didn't really compliment each other. I was going out on the weekends and riding my mountain bike and you're trying to do more jumps and just rip down single track. And that wasn't really providing me the cardio benefit that I needed for training for rowing. And it was more of just a risky, fun hobby. So. But that to the side and hung the bike up in the garage for a number of years, what is it [00:06:28] Craig Dalton: like when, when you get into the sport of rowing what are the workouts look like and how long are the events that you would typically train for? [00:06:37] Brennan Wertz: The events vary by season? So in the fall, the races are five kilometers long, which is roughly 18 to 20 minute effort. And then in the spring, And that's usually kind of like a time trial where you're racing against the clock and you start on roughly 30 minutes staggers or sorry, 30 seconds staggers in the spring. You're racing six boats across head to head and it's a 2000 meter, two K race. And that's about five and a half minutes. And so it's. Really a VO two effort. It's really intense. It's just that horrible combination of an extended sprint, basically where you're sprinting out of the gate. And then you settle into your rhythm for a few minutes and then you're sprinting again at the end. And you're just red line the whole time. So to prepare for that, you spend the winter and fall kind of building your base similar to how you would for cycling, where you're just doing longer, steady state rows. And you're you know, just getting the heart rate in that kind of mid tier zone. And then later in the winter, you start building the intensity in and working that VO two engine a little bit more. And then as you get into the spring, then it's just sort of fine tuning. But I would say that there's also a really, you know, it's a huge, it's a really important team swore like the team element is huge in the, in the sport of rowing. Not only is the training really important, but also the comradery, but then the technique like matching with your teammates and really being on the same page as you go through the motion of the rowing stroke, you have to be really in synchronized motion for it to click and for it to [00:08:02] Craig Dalton: work. Yeah. I've heard that technicality of rowing is just really important. Like you've got to have good technique. You can have all the power on the. And if you don't have synchronicity with your teammates, it's a complete disaster. Yeah, exactly. So going into, you know, what would an endurance rowing workout look like? Is that like sort of, you know, we think about you probably go out for six hour rides routinely when you were training for rowing, would endurance be an hour long, workout, [00:08:26] Brennan Wertz: more maybe 90 minutes, two hours. So often what we do, uh, when I was at Stanford, what we would do is we'd go out on the bay in the morning when the water was calm and we'd do maybe two hours on the water we'd mix in some interval. The nature of the bay is that we had this kind of channel that we would run as a shipping channel in the port of Redwood city, similar to in high school, we wrote in the, of an air Creek. And so you have this. Two kilometer stretch of water. And so you can't ever really get a super long effort in because you're turning the boat. And so you have to stop and turn the 60 foot boat around in the body of water. And so it takes a minute or two to spend the boat. So you can't really get that super long, extended, steady state effort in unless the water is extremely calm. But I did spend one summer in Hanover, New Hampshire training with the national team there, and that. An amazing place to train in the summer because we're on the Connecticut river and you could go as far as you want it. So we would just take off and head north for an hour and then spin once and then come all the way back down. And so then it was really, it was really eye opening for me to see the physical benefit you get from that kind of like real long endurance. So to come back around, I guess I would say that the morning sessions were usually on the water. And then in the afternoon we would do a land session that was either. Some, not usually a ton of weightlifting, but some combination of like indoor bike and rowing machine and just kind of cardio and cardio and or fitness testing. [00:09:49] Craig Dalton: Cool. Thanks for allowing me to drill into that. Cause as I said, you know, knowing rowers always come out strong now it makes sense. There's a lot of work that goes into it. So you were competing at a pretty high level with USA rowing at the end of your career. What led to you kind of leading the sport of rowing and coming back to the sport of cycling. [00:10:06] Brennan Wertz: Yeah, most recently I was on the U 23 national team in 2018 and we spent the summer, uh, first the selection camp for the national team was held in Seattle. So we were training in Seattle. Uh, once I made the cut for the national team, then we spent that summer, uh, traveling around Europe racing. We went to Raisa elite world cup. Uh, we were the U 23 national team, but we were racing up at the elite level at the world cup in Switzerland. We raised that, and that was when I started to have some really challenging rib pain and back pain. So ribbon back injuries are quite common in rowing and effectively. What it is is your ribs are separating and kind of stress fracturing through the rowing motion. Just that repeated motion over and over again. And it was on my front and back, and it just caused a ton of pain. And, uh, it was really difficult for me to sleep or laugh or cough or sneeze, any of those, those things cause a lot of discomfort. And so from there, I, we had a training camp after we were in Switzerland at the world company, Italy for 10 days, we went on the training camp and I couldn't row it all that entire time. And so that was meant to be our final tune-up before we had to Poland for world. And I was basically sidelined that entire time and riding this indoor spin bike and the eight man boat was going out with seven guys and there was just like, I could see them out on the water rowing and there's just this one empty spot. That was where I was supposed to be sitting. Or they would have an assistant coach fill in who hadn't been rowing in two years. So yeah, it was kind of a grim situation and I had to just patch it together and I had a lot of KT tape and, you know, daily, or, you know, I was meeting with. The team, physical therapist, multiple times a day to get massages and get taped up and everything. And so really just hanging on by a thread through the end and went to worlds. We had a great team, the program that we were, uh, Uh, part of that year was a very, very high level, a lot of really talented athletes there. And we ended up coming away with the win at worlds and we set a world best time. So on paper, everything was awesome. But I had even had food poisoning during the event too. So I just kept getting all these, you know, these blows along the way that Just kind of felt like maybe I should take just, you know, take some time on my body, recover from this and heal. And, uh, so I took some time off from the sport and I came back home and was in really good shape, but I wanted to, and I wanted to keep that going. I wanted to remain fit and exercise, but I needed a break from my body from rowing. And so I grabbed my dad's road bike and just started cruising around Moran a little bit. And. Really quickly, you just found the group rides and found the culture and the scene here in Marin, and really loved going out on those rides. And when did a couple of rides and had just come back from winning a world championship, I thought I was, you know, in this amazing fitness and everything had been going, going. Training was good. And then I go on my first couple of group rides and I just get obliterated. I get dropped I'm way out the back. I remember having to almost get off my bike overall. I Alpine down, I'd never really been, been out there and done that loop and had no idea where it was or how much further I had to go. And, uh, it was really humbling and I loved it. I was like, wow, this is just such a cool experience. I get to go out and explore these new places and not to say that rowing training isn't inherently fun. I dunno, maybe it isn't where the act of riding the bike is just, it's inherently so much fun and it just brings so much joy and you're out seeing these beautiful places. And for me, that really quickly. Pulled me into the sport. So that was, was that 2018? That was, yeah, that was like fall of 2018. [00:13:28] Craig Dalton: And at some point you must've had to come to the conclusion that your body or your mind, or you just didn't want to do rowing anymore. Was it, was it the body that kind of was telling you, you can't go back to the sport? [00:13:40] Brennan Wertz: Yeah. Yeah, it was, it was the body for sure. But then I also had an insert. I'll have this other voice in my hair. Like, Hey, look like this alternative is also awesome. Like it's not like you're just walking away from something. Cause I think if I had just left the sport wrong and then had done nothing, it would have been really hard, but I had this other option that was amazing. And I was really enjoying. And at that point in time, the bike wasn't something new to me. I knew I knew the bike. I had come to appreciate it. I spent, you know, early in, earlier in college I spent a summer living in Germany doing an internship and I brought a mountain bike with me and I took the summer completely off from rowing and. That was the first summer where I rode the bike consistently and actually thought I was training on my bike and I'd go out and I'd just ride. It was a cross country bike. And I would rip through this, uh, German mountain range in central Germany, near Frankfurt and tons of single track and beautiful gravel roads. Uh, I wasn't racing at all. I wasn't really looking at any numbers. I had Strava on my iPhone. But I wouldn't really, I wasn't geeking out on numbers or data or time or anything. I would just go out and ride and really enjoyed it. And I had the opportunity to load my bike up a couple of times and go on these bike packing adventures that summer. And so that I knew at that time, I was not in a position where I could just walk away from rowing. Cause I, uh, I was on a scholarship at Stanford. I knew that I, you know, I wanted to go and sort of see that through. And that was my main sport at the time. But I did always have in the back of my mind, like, Hey, that's summer in Germany, you know, that bike packing trip through the black forest. Like that was pretty amazing. So, kind of the inverse of a lot of people have a lot of people come into to cycling and gravel racing. You know, it's very common to see people come from the world tour from pro road, racing into gravel and into this adventure side of cycling. But for me, it was actually that's really what got me into cycling and just riding a bike at all in the first place was, was that adventure cycling. Sleeping in my hammock, in the woods and packing all my belongings onto my bike and then riding on to the next town. And so anyway, that was always in the back of my mind. And then when I, when I had the time sort of the forced time from that injury, then it just became this, you know, it became much more realistic for me to focus more on, on the bike. I [00:15:42] Craig Dalton: ended up joining the local powerhouse team Mike's bikes eventually, and did a fair, fairly heavy season on the road to pre pandemic. Is that kind of the way it played out? [00:15:53] Brennan Wertz: Yeah, I spent that whole summer or that whole, the whole spring seasoned racing as much as I could. I was just totally in love with it. I wanted to get as much experience as possible and then. I made it from CalFire Volvo to cat too. And it was just really enjoying the road scene and decided I wanted to try to go and race in Belgium, uh, just because that seemed like really cool cultural scene. They love cycling there. There's tons of racing opportunity and I just wanted to go there and see if I could make it and see if I could kind of make the cut and figure it out. Unfortunately, got hit by a car the first week I was in Europe for that summer. Uh, and so I was sidelined for that summer and I didn't get to race at all. That was in 2019. But then when I returned in the. The fall of 2019, I had sort of had a year of like, all right, this is, I really, I'm still loving this. I still really want to focus on the bike. And that was when I got bumped up from the Mike's bikes development team to the elite team and decided I would continue to focus on road cycling, kind of going into what became the pandemic year. [00:16:48] Craig Dalton: And I believe they gave you a little bit of leeway to try some gravel racing, [00:16:53] Brennan Wertz: right? Yeah. Yeah. So they, they were, you know, Creative team. It's a creative bunch of guys and they all like riding gravel too. And they, you know, they saw the potential there with a lot of these events. And so they supported me to go to a couple of different gravel events and I went and did BWR with them. And so, you know, now last year in 2021, I had this awesome opportunity to go attend a few of these big gravel events, both with Mike's bikes. And then also with above category where I had started working. And then that's really. What got my feet wet in the gravel scene in the gravel racing scene, I guess I'd had a gravel bike for a couple of years, or, yeah, I guess a year, two years at that point. So living in Murren, there's an, there's an awesome amount of gravel riding. It's kind of everywhere. It's really easy to access. So I'd been riding a lot of gravel, but I'd never really done an erasing. And so then I had that opportunity to go do attend some of these races and then just totally fell in love with it. [00:17:43] Craig Dalton: And as you looked into this season and I presume at some point you had to make a decision, do I want to stay on the road? You know, continue with the Mike's bike squad or look for another deal. Obviously, domestic road racing has its own challenges economically. What was your mindset in terms of choosing the gravel route? And how'd you come to that decision? [00:18:02] Brennan Wertz: Yeah, I think last year I had a really amazing learning experience and that the month of June, I spread myself way too thin. I started the month off with Unbound and that was my first big high-profile gravel race. And we built. A very, very specific custom mosaic gravel bike for that event with above category. And I really enjoyed going through the process of designing this bike specifically for this one event and, and specking it out with all these amazing components. And that was when I really began to see the power of building these relationships with sponsors and working with partners that you really value as an athlete, and that the brands really value as an athlete. And that there's this really awesome mutual. Respect for one another and understanding that like, Hey, we're going to do something really cool together with this project. And so we put together this amazing bike. I had the opportunity to go out and race. I had a blast building the bike. I had a blast at the event. I ended up getting a 10th there and that results sort of opened up some doors to go to a few other events throughout the summer [00:19:00] Craig Dalton: under the MC spikes flag at [00:19:01] Brennan Wertz: that point still for the most part under the Mike spikes flag, that specific event at Unbound I did as a marketing project with the both category. And then later on in the summer, I did Steamboat again with above category, but for the most part, yeah, all my other races, it was with my bikes. Gotcha. You had to come back to that month of June. I did Unbound. And then right after Unbound, I went to pro road nationals and race status about 10 days after finishing Unbound, I was on the start line at pro road nationals in the time trial. And that was an event that I've been preparing pretty specifically for. So I had this sort of weird split in my training where I was doing these epic long endurance rides, going up into Sonoma, Napa riding in the heat to train specifically for the Unbound effort. But I was also during the week doing intervals on my TT by. Knowing that a week after Unbound I'd be racing the pro nationals time trial. And that was a big, I wanted that to be a big focus of mine, the time trial, but just the way that the calendar worked, it, it just, it was too short of a window for me to recover fully from Unbound and then prepare for the time trial. So I can remember what I got. I think I got like 15th or 16th and I was, I was pleased with it, but I knew like I could have done so much better. My power target was 50 Watts under my power target and, uh, at pro nationals. The following weekend, I went and raised elite nationals because Mike's bikes is an elite and amateur elite team. And so we got to race up at the pro road nationals, but then we went to the elite amateur nationals, which is kind of like our national championship at our level. And by that point I felt like I had recovered a little bit more. I made a few minor fit adjustments to my time trial bike felt like I was flying on the TT bike. Uh, ended up getting second in the TT and nationals by I think, two seconds. So a bit frustrating, but I felt like I, you know, I hit my power target, everything kind of clicked and it all, it all worked. But. I still felt like I left that event. Like, I don't know. I just spent these two weeks doing these, these national championships on the road and the racing superintendents, and it's super fun. And it's really awesome to push yourself like that and be in that environment around all these, you know, like a pro road nationals, you're racing next to people. You've watched on TV for a number of years and you're like, oh, I'm right here next to them now. So it's a super cool experience, but you know, I finished those races and it just seemed like it was kind of looking around. They're just everyone just after the race kind of went, did their own thing. They went their own separate ways and no one was really talking to each other. It wasn't, it just didn't seem like all that much fun. I was like, what's going on here? Like, [00:21:20] Craig Dalton: that's your Unbound experience where there's a joy at the finish [00:21:24] Brennan Wertz: line and everybody's celebrating each other and it's this huge party and there's, you know, a barbecue or whatever. And it just, it's, it's a little bit more of a, of an experience. And so then I'd kind of had those two, those two national championship experience. And then to finish June off, I think it was early July. I went down to San Diego for Belgium wall fluoride. And that was, that was kind of the moment when I was like, I think there's something like this, something really attractive here with gravel. And I went and did that race and it felt just as professional as pro road nationals, like we had, there was a caravan, there were cars were taking feeds from the, the follow car. We're getting bottles like everyone's you know, riding very professional. But then afterwards, it's this huge party and everyone's having a good time and you're, you're chatting with sponsors and there's this big expo and there's tons and tons of people. And I just thought like, oh, this is, I think this is much more my speed. And this is really what I'm, what I'm into. I [00:22:20] Craig Dalton: remember watching some of that coverage and seeing a couple of Mike's bikes jerseys. One, that's just fun to see the local team down there, uh, doing it. And two, I was sort of scratching my head. I was like, well, who are these guys? So, you know, it's great full circle to, to kind of have you on the podcast now and talk about that journey. Yeah, [00:22:36] Brennan Wertz: no, that was an amazing moment. And then, and then that really was the turning point. I think for me, where I realized, like, I think there's something here that I need to focus more on and pay more attention to. And at that point then I started looking at. To all the other gravel races throughout the rest of the season, like what can I get entries to? What can I attend? And from there, I got to go to Steamboat and did the rest of the Belgian waffle ride series. And, uh, ended up coming second in the overall for the Belgium Wolf ride series. And just really love the, the, the way that that season unfolded and having the opportunity to go to all those races. It was really, uh, really a privilege. Yeah, that's awesome. [00:23:09] Craig Dalton: So it sounds like, like 20, 22 this year defining your own schedule. Can you talk. One that the team and organization that's supporting you this year, and then two, let's talk about, you know, your first month of racing this year and all the big events you've hit and the successes you've been having, it's been great to watch. [00:23:27] Brennan Wertz: Yeah. So I signed with Pinarello to be a part of their scooter Rhea Pinarello team. It's an amazing team. Uh, a couple of different, uh, kind of a couple different focuses. Like there I'm part of the, it's like the competitive side of it. And so me and my teammate, Brayden Lang, we're going to be taking on all the biggest gravel races around the world. I have a packed calendar with races, both in the U S as well as internationally. And then some of the, uh, the other teammates that we have they're there. Community leaders they're really active in their communities. They're inspiring people to get on their bikes. And what I really love about the team is that it's a super supportive atmosphere, similar to what I had back in my rowing days, because there's this whole like gravel, private tier scene. I think it can be a little bit lonely from time to time. Like you're, you don't have a team network around you. You don't have that kind of base that I've become really accustomed to and really love. And so. Having that network of teammates around me that are supporting me and motivating me and inspiring me with all the stuff that I'm doing and then, you know, vice versa, they're inspiring and motivating their community. Uh, I think that it's just a really cool combination, so I'm really happy to be a part of. [00:24:33] Craig Dalton: Are they handling some logistics? Like if you go to Unbound, are they kind of getting a team house together [00:24:38] Brennan Wertz: and that kind of stuff? Yeah. Yeah. There's some of that as well. Which is nice. I mean, in the race itself, like we won't be doing any like teen tactics or anything like that. Like it's not that type of team, but it's, it's this really cool collective of individuals that are all. Coming into the sport of gravel for various reasons and are looking to achieve different things in the store and looking to but like at the core of it, the team motto is to motivate and inspire. And so it's just trying to get more people on bikes and more people to come in and see the joy that we're all experiencing while out on our bikes and want to be a part of it. [00:25:08] Craig Dalton: Just something I'm curious about in that team, is everybody riding the same equipment or do you. Other sub sponsors, uh, personally to the [00:25:16] Brennan Wertz: table. Yes. So everybody's riding a Pinarello frame. And then from there, we kind of, it's up to us. Figuring out how we want to spec it out and, and you know, what relationships we might have to, to kind of fill out the rest of the bike. So for me, for my bikes for my growl bikes specifically, it's the Pinarello Greville or Graebel and I'm working with envy and ceramic speed, and this is all kind of done through above category as well. So that's another one of my main sponsors local shop here. In Marin county and they're taking care of all the builds, making sure that the bikes are always super dialed and I'll take my bikes there to Robert, the mechanic for service. But yeah, envy wheels, ceramic speed for all the bearings. Uh, I've got Garmin for all the, the data and the analytics and everything, uh, Ceram road components for everything, uh, Rene her's tires. So yeah, it's really. Special build. And it's been really fun to be a part of the process of putting together all those various sponsorships and, and building this incredible bike that I get to now spend the season racing [00:26:13] Craig Dalton: in the show notes for a picture of your bike, as it is a beauty. Top end across the board. It's real. It's just a beautiful machine to look at for sure. [00:26:22] Brennan Wertz: Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Very feeling, very fortunate to have the opportunity to ride such an incredible machine. [00:26:27] Craig Dalton: Yeah. So you've, you've come out in 2022, just smashing, not only like super busy and hitting a lot of races, but having amazing success thus far. Remember, as we were trying to schedule this, it's kind of like I'm racing every weekend. I have like a kind of two day window between traveling to the next thing. So you've done some grasshopper. Want to grass opera this year already. And just this past weekend you won the Shasta gravel hugger. [00:26:53] Brennan Wertz: Yeah. Yeah. It's been really, really fun to get out and hit these early season races hard. And you know, I've, I've been very blessed with incredible weather all winter, and it's been sad from an environmental standpoint that we haven't got the rain that we really need. In terms of training and preparing for the race season, it has been, it has been really, you know, the weather has been incredible for that. So I've been riding a ton and just really excited to come, come into a big season ahead. I think this next weekend, I'm going out to Oklahoma for mid south, and then I'll take a little. Mid-season break. So we'll take a few days off and just rest and reset and talk to my coach. Kind of look, look at the plan, assess where we are, and then begin to build up to some of the bigger races later in the season. Like the Belgium waffle rides and, and Unbound. [00:27:37] Craig Dalton: Well, yeah, you know, it's interesting having talked to you and learned a little bit more specifically about your background specifically, that focus on time trials that you had kind of as a, as a road race. Watching some of the imagery come across social media. I think both of the events where I've seen you, it's just like Brennan on a time trial, you know, unafraid to just kind of take off and hit it on your own. You want it? Can you talk just a little bit about your mentality in this races and if it's helpful. To kind of talk about the Shasta race specifically, like how it broke down, because I know ultimately you ended up out there with Adam road there. So yeah, just, just curious, like what your mentality is and where you think your strengths are and how you try to break these races up. [00:28:20] Brennan Wertz: Yeah. I think what's been really fun for me in these early races is that if you look at all the courses that I have raised, they've been very, very different. So. Uh, I did a little low gap hopper, which was, it started out with a 20 minute climb and it was an eight or 9% and you've got Pete stepped into there. And so for me, when I look at these early season races, I look at trying to find just this really cool mix of diverse courses so that I can try different things out. And, you know, the effort at each one of these races was so different. And so for me, I know that. Uh, race like the Shasta gravel hugger. That's kinda my, that type of course is sort of more of my bread and butter. It's rolling the elements of that. So like not a ton of climbing. I mean, I can climb when I need to, but it's not my favorite thing to do. You know, living here in Marine county, we've got tons and tons of climbing. You can't really go anywhere without climbing, but I do really love these fast rolling courses, uh, where you can just paddle all day long. So Shasta was very much that, and same with Huff master hopper the week before. And for Shasta specifically, I know, you know, Adam wrote bears was there. I think that was his first race of the season. And I had a ton of really good battles with him last year. And a lot of respect for him. He's, you know, he's definitely at the top of his game. And, uh, he showed up to the start line of it had been snowing the night before and he shows up with no legwarmers, no shoe covers. Some are gloves, short finger gloves, and, you know, I'm bundled up, I'm wearing tights and shoe covers and thermal based layers and hat. And you know, all this warm gear and he's from Canada. He's been riding his fat bike all winter. So I get it like he's, he's been riding in the snow, so it's nothing new for him. I don't have that opportunity. I don't get to ride in the snow all that often, but I kind of, I saw that. I know. Okay. He's probably, he's trying to, he's trying to hit it hard early if he's coming here, dressed like that. And so I was keeping my eye on him and I was actually way in the back of the pack, having a quick chat with Pete stetting about his recent trip to Columbia, and we were just catching up and then the corner of my eyes, see Adam just take off from the front and like Pete and I kind of rolled her eyes, but like really already, you know, this is early in the race. I, I knew exactly when he, when he attacked, like I had to be right there, otherwise he would get away and that could be the end of it right there. So I had to blast up the gutter kind of along the side of this dirt road. And I think we're 20 minutes into the race or something. And, uh, at that point I was able to catch up to him. We had a few people on our wheel for just a brief moment, but then it very quickly became just the two of us. And it was clear that he was, he was there to work and he was there to ride hard. We settled into a rhythm and he's also at a time trial list. That's sort of his background on the road. And basically it was just like, all right, how long you want to rotate for two minutes? All right, let's go. And then just 400 wallets for two minutes and then switch and then do it again. And again and again. And then two hours later, we're still doing it. And it took about two or three hours for us to get any sort of time gap. And then we got a time gap about three minutes, and then, then it started to get a little bit more spicy. There was some attacking and some cat and mouse But I've been doing a lot of training recently where I'd go out and do these five to seven hour rides, really working specifically on the last hour or two and doing all my intervals and the really hard stuff in that last hour, so that, you know, when it comes to that point in the race, that that's what I'm prepared for. And it's very, very different from any of the rowing training I've been doing. You know, you have this basically five-hour warmup to get yourself nice and softened up. Dehydrated and sweaty and everything. And, and then you, you really hit the intervals at the end of the end of the session. So I felt like I had been doing a lot of that in training. So I knew that going into that last hour, I would be in a, in a pretty good place and I was feeling good. So, I knew that the course was changing direction. We were coming out of a long headwind section into more of a crosswind cross tailwind section. And so I attacked him over the crest of a. Got into the descent and I'm a little bit bigger than him. And so I was kinda able to just really put the hammer down on this descent. That was a pretty fast, but a peddling descent. And then once it flattened out, then it was just kind of Tom trial mode and basically put the head down for 40, 45 minutes and ride as hard as I could back to 10. [00:32:16] Craig Dalton: Yeah. Amazing. Congrats on that victory. Thank you. You must feel good. Now going into, I feel like mid south is going to be the big test because obviously. The Northern California seam is the scene is all was cracking this time a year. And for me, I encourage anybody who's interested in seeing who's going to be at the front end of the field to look at those grasshopper results. Because the last few years running the side from the pandemic, you could always see who was coming out and with really good form, going to mid south. Obviously you're going to get athletes from different parts of the country. You know, sort of unofficially one of the bigger openers of the season, how you feeling about that course. There may. It's certainly going to be cold. So you had a little bit of Shasta. It could potentially be more. Are you changing your setup on the bike? You changing how you're thinking about that race? Yeah, [00:33:02] Brennan Wertz: I would say the only thing I'm flirting, the only equipment I'd probably change is going to be my tires. Everything else is going to be the same. And to be honest with you, I haven't even decided what tires I'm going to run. It's kind of one of those things I'm going out there with one setup. I'll probably have my, uh, Renee has 38 C Barlow pass licks on and cross my fingers that it's dry. But yeah, it does look like there's snow on the forecast for Friday. So the day before the race. So we'll see what happens there. I will bring definitely a spare set of novels just in case it does get really nasty and muddy, but I'm crossing my fingers for a fast, dry race. I think that would, that would suit me a little bit better. But with that being said, a crazy mud Fest, it's one of those things where it could be an epic experience. You never know what's going to happen. And I would also embrace that wholeheartedly. [00:33:45] Craig Dalton: I really enjoyed watching. Pace and battle Pete stat know that one year. And it was interesting as someone with a mountain bike background, I saw how Pete was treating his bike versus how paisan was treating his bike. And it just seemed to me that at some point Pete's bike is going to fall apart because he was just not babying it, it wasn't cleaning it in the same way pace and was, and so it was interesting to see, kind of play out in that, in that respect. I do. I mean, I tend to hope for the, all the racers sake that it turns out to be a dry year and hopefully. The snow cold, snow hard pack. And I'll be a fast, fast a day. Cause I think that'll be an interesting race to, yeah, [00:34:23] Brennan Wertz: I'm really excited. I was messaging a little bit earlier today with both pacing and Ted king and we've been talking about, you know, setups and everything and it's going to be a good one. I think, I think a lot of the top contenders are going to be there. It'll be our first big showdown of this, this season. Hi, I couldn't be more excited to be kind of lining up against the top of the whole world's gravel seen at the, yeah. Yeah. [00:34:44] Craig Dalton: It feels like, I mean, obviously last year we had a bunch of races go off, but it didn't feel like with what had happened in 2020 with the pandemic, it didn't feel like it was full throttle and everybody didn't have the same choices and opportunities. And I feel like 20, 22 is a clean slate. Like everybody's getting to where they want to get to the races are going off and it's just going to be. To see all these talented athletes just kind of attacking this. Yeah. [00:35:08] Brennan Wertz: And I think it'll be interesting too, to see like what people have been up to in the off season. Like my off season was very brief. You know, all, I took a month completely off the bike, but then pretty quickly got into riding quite a bit. And then, you know, like I said, we had amazing weather, so I was training a lot. I did the coast ride all the way down to San Diego with Ted king and a bunch of others. And So, yeah, I'm just really curious to see like how everyone's recovered from last season. Cause that season did go pretty long and I think people got really excited and hit it super hard for a long period of time going way late into end of October. And so I'm just super excited to see like where, where everyone's at and get this kind of first, first barometer first opportunity to gauge everyone's form. And, and then, you know, we'll take it from there. [00:35:47] Craig Dalton: Yeah. You mentioned you've, we've got obviously a lot of gravel athletes coming from the world tour who have had long careers and I've come to group. You're kind of at the beginning of your career coming in and charging, how are you intimidated when you get on the line against some of these names that you've, you know, you've seen in the pro tour? [00:36:04] Brennan Wertz: I think I was a little bit last year. But at the same time, like I didn't grow up watching cycling, like I didn't, you know, we'd watch the tour de France every once in a while. And that was cool to see. To be honest, like, I didn't really know who these people were anyway. Like, you know, as I've come into the sport of cycling, I've done my, I feel like I've done my due diligence to watch as much road racing as I can. And I love watching road racing. I love watching the classics, especially. But yeah, I think, I think that's only really become something that I've come to appreciate in the last year or two is. The having the opportunity to align up against these guys that have come from this incredible background in the sport and someone like Lawrence 10 damn. Who's been at the top of the road cycling scene for so many years. And now to get to line up with him at the start line and Unbound or at any of these gravel races is a huge honor. So yeah, I think, yeah, it's it's, it was, I was nervous last year. And now I think I view it really more as an honor, and I'm just excited to get to line up against all these fierce competitor. I have a, have a solid battle. [00:37:03] Craig Dalton: Yeah. It sounds like you're willing to put it on the line for the win no matter who's [00:37:07] Brennan Wertz: there. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And you know, it's, it's also part of the, I think part of the sport, you have to be really focused on, on your equipment, on your own, your own race. Like you can't just go out there and ride as hard as you can for the first hour or two, knowing that you're going to explode and pay the price for that an hour 8, 9, 10, whatever. So you have to. Self-aware you have to know where your fitness is, what you're capable of at that moment in time, and then also manage your bike and your equipment and know that you're not digging yourself into a hole you can't get out of, [00:37:37] Craig Dalton: particularly in these ultra distance races like Unbound, you know, it's a different story, right. You know, I've heard from other pros that, you know, the first 30 miles is super intense and there's a lot of jockeying and then it'll shake out a little bit. It'll settle in and then kind of realizes like, you know, we're going to be on the bike for, I don't know, 10 hours. It's a, there's certain amount of miles. We just need to cover a little more tranquil and just get through it and then we'll attack each other later. [00:38:01] Brennan Wertz: Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. It was very much what it was even this past weekend with Adam, you know, there was three hours or two to three hours where we were just working super well together. It was basically a team time trial. We're just rotating knowing that Pete Stetson and a few others are behind chasing and the harder we're riding together. Now just putting us further and further ahead of them. That'll pay off in the long run. So yeah, it's a, it's a really fun way to race a race. You [00:38:23] Craig Dalton: mentioned sort of some of the high points for the rest of your year. And correct me if I'm wrong, you're doing an Unbound and the BWR series. [00:38:29] Brennan Wertz: Yeah. So I decided not to apply for the lifetime grand Prix this year. I'd already kind of set up my calendar. A few of those races didn't quite suit me. And I'm really excited about Steamboat two and coming from C-level I think going up and wanting to prioritize Steamboat is one of my big races for the year, but then doing Leadville the day before, just sort of felt like I'm was probably shooting myself in the foot. So I'm super excited to watch that whole lifetime grand Prix shake out and see, you know, fall out from season, start to end. Yeah. Couldn't be more excited to follow it. But for me, for my calendar, I'll be focusing more on Unbound Steamboat big sugar at the end of the year. And then throughout all that, I'll have the BWR series going as well. So I'll try to do, uh, as well as I can in the overall. They're nice. [00:39:14] Craig Dalton: Well, it sounds like you got an exciting season ahead of you. [00:39:17] Brennan Wertz: Yeah. Yeah. I couldn't be more [00:39:18] Craig Dalton: thrilled. Yeah. That's awesome. Well, thank you. So we're coming by and talking about it. It's great to get connected with you. You know, I'll be rooting from, from the hometown. [00:39:26] Brennan Wertz: Definitely. Thank you so much. Really? It's been a pleasure. Cheers. [00:39:29] Craig Dalton: So that's going to do it for this week's broadcast big. Thanks to Brennan for joining the show and huge thank you to the feed for joining us. Remember to get that 50% off the feed formula. Simply visit the feed.com/the gravel ride. If you're interested in connecting with me or other gravel, cyclists, I encourage you to join the ridership@wwwdottheridership.com. It's our free global cycling community for gravel and adventure. Cyclists. If you're able to support the podcast as a couple easy ways, you can do that. You can visit, buy me a coffee.com/the gravel ride for financial contributions. But I'd also just encourage you to share this episode with a friend or one of the earlier episodes. Sharing is a great way to spread the word that along with ratings and reviews are hugely helpful to everything we're doing here at the gravel ride. Until next time here's to finding some dirt onto your wheels
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