John Shilling took over AZT bike race responsibilities from Scott Morris a few years back and has been killing it. The route and all it's wilderness work-a-rounds has become spectaular...spetacularly hard, but spectacular none the less. We talk all things AZT on a bike. Thank you for your service John.

Ben helped out with the audio on this one...if you like the imporvements and would like us to continue having a pro massage the audio...let me know.

Last day, (May 12), to enter to win a Hachita Frameset courtesy of Brown and Wood Auto in Greenville. Buy anything on the store and you're in.

shouts to Moavii for the intro jingle. Enjoy.

Rob is everywhere on the AZT. The gates, the roll-overs, the rain collectors, huge swaths of the trail itself. Rob and his wife michelle have been tirelessly making the AZT what it is today throught their efforts in trail infrastructre improvment over the past decade. If my AZT experience wasn't already impacted enough by one person...Rob is also the guy we have to thanks for lots of the cutting edge coaster brake technology we have today. He's the grand-daddy of the souped up Shimano coaster hubs we build for our customers and I used on the trail. Riding a rob-built trail, on a souped up shimano coaster and passing over a rob constructed rollover next to a super well made custom rob designed, built and installed AZT gate...well that's reason enough to give the guy a call i'd say. Enjoy.

Star studded AZT interview. The Strempkes calling in from Moab with a bonus Eszter Horanyi to boot. Can't beleive our luck. We talk...what else?...Arizona Trail. As well as some updates from Eszter and a quick chat about Andrew and Katie's bikepacking bag operation, Dispersed Bikepacking.

My fastest friend, Justin Dubois. We hash up, what else, the AZT. I love his perspective on racing and getting after it for these bikepack races. A super motivated and capable dude. Always a pleasure.

also..don't sleep on the Hachtia Give-a-way. Will pull a name early next week. Brown and Wood Auto in Greenville are the ones to thank. Just make an order on Monebikes.com and you're in.

Almost forgot...intro tune from Moavii.

Alexandra Houchin and Johnny Price are two of my favorite people on the earth's crust. They are also chronic AZT competors. There work ethic and competative spirit is infectious. If I can display 1% of their character in my life I take that as a win. We talk lots about the new coarse, the grand canyon portage, among other fun AZT topics.

Don't forget, we've teamed up with out favorite Greenville, NC cadillac dealer, Brown and Wood, to give away a Hachita frameset. We don't have a huge audiance so your chance of winning is pretty good. Buy anything on monebikes.com to be entered to win.

Matt Mason is a jaugernaut of bikepacking and has done a great deal to promote bikepacking in our regeion of southern new mexico. He's best known for creating the Monumental Loop...but he could be known for much more...includeing memorizing the names of over 400 potbelly pigs.

A few quick hours talking to Scott Morris. This dude literally makes the bikepacking world go round. Humble guy with great stories. Enjoy

Mike Curiak is a living legend. His contributions to bikepacking and bikepack racing are many. From the first website organizing racing along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, his Grand Loop where people like Jefe Branham and Scott Morris cut their teeth and even organinzing a summit at interbike where he encouraged people from the 24h race scene to make races of their own...birthing the CTR, AZTR among others. This is all on top of many (10+, 20+? idk) idiarod attempts/finishes. And then we just scratch the surface of some if his insane packrafting adventures. Mike is not only an adventurer, but a facilitator and inpiration to countless others doing the same.

His wheelbuilding website:

https://lacemine29.com/

Some looks at all the crazy fatbikes we discuss:

https://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2008/02/snowbike-timeline.html?q=snowbike+timeline

Gary Die stories

https://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2017/06/divide-stories-gary-dye.html?q=gdr

Tour divide stories

https://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2017/12/divide-stories-bike-evolution.html?q=gdr

Paul Price of Paul components is his sweet self. A humble capable guy with knowledge and insights that are worth taking note.

Kurt and i talk bikepacking trips, gear, training. We find out he's single...so if you see a white awd chevy express at a trailhead..bring a bottle of wine. Super generous guy with informatoin on all the routes he's created. When i grow up...i wanna be kurt refsnider.