For the past five years, the Texas Showdown Series has been slowly, inevitably, drifting west. We started in the dense, pine-soaked forests of East Texas, moved through the rugged limestone of the Hill Country, but the destination was always clear: Big Bend.

Few landscapes in the world capture the heart and soul the way West Texas does. For those willing to push themselves to the edge, something different waits out there—something ancient, indifferent, and extraordinary. In the world of ultra-cycling, that "something" takes the shape of the West Texas Showdown.

The WTS doesn't just test riders. It strips them down. It pushes them to their limits and then, without apology or sympathy, asks for more. Out there, the desert becomes your only companion—its silence broken only by your groans, your breathing, and the steady reminder that you are very far from comfort.

And the numbers tell the story: only 32% of the field finished the course. In the Showdown category, the desert claimed all but three riders. Fifteen started. Three rolled into Terlingua.

Despite the brutality of the route, the racing was electric and equally unrelenting. A small but mighty group battled back and forth across the miles, creating genuine, edge-of-your-seat dot-watching. It wasn't clear who would take the win until the final stretch, and by then everyone—riders, spectators, and the desert itself—had given everything they had.

When the dust settled, here's who was left standing:

1st — Kyle Gilbert — 2d 5h 44m 2nd — Hannah Simon — 2d 16h 17m 3rd (DFL) — Robert Shine — 2d 19h 33m

These three deserve every ounce of praise and recognition—not just for surviving the desert, but for putting on one hell of a race. Everyone who was out there knows how hard they had to fight, and they earned the respect of the entire field.

On today's episode, I sat down with Kyle and Hannah in the back of DogSpeed Cycling in Austin, TX to talk all things WTS. At this point, they are the leading experts on the event, and we went deep: strategy, equipment, tire choice, water management, drop bags, preparation—you name it. Whether you're thinking about tackling WTS or you just want to hear two incredible humans break down an unforgettable ride, this episode is for you.

On a personal note, hosting both Kyle and Hannah at their very first ultra-cycling race back at ETS 2021 was one of the highlights of my time in this community. Seeing them return nearly five years later—stronger, wiser, and standing atop the WTS podium—was a full-circle moment that I'll never forget. I couldn't be prouder of these two, and I have no doubt they'll keep pushing boundaries and inspiring others along the way.

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The party starts again at the 6th Edition of East Texas Showdown at the Bullet Grill in Point Blank, TX. Need to know: - March 27th-29th, 2026 - Registration Open now - Showdown (395 miles), Slowdown (275 miles), Lowdown (160 miles) - NEW FOR 2026 we're introducing a Gravél option. Please say "hi" to the 69 miles Gravél Throwdown. This is a unique race format that introduces another opportunity for others to get in on the action over the weekend, but it also presents a new challenge for the ultra-cylists - anyone who finishes the Showdown or Slowdown before Sunday at 7am can enter the Throwdown for free. Should make for a really dynamic race...a battle between gravel racers and ultra-cyclists - its the Gravél Throwdown y'all! - more info can be found at TexasShowdownSeries.com

Thanks to our newest Patrons!!!

Dustin Mareth

Indiana Shulz

Manuel Busse

Dave Milam

Borja G

Join them won't you?! - Patreon.com/bikesordeath

We're 60 days out from the 3rd annual Central Texas Showdown grand depart, so let's talk about it!

To talk about CTS I brought in a couple experts. Andrea Roelofs has participated in the Central Texas Lowdown the first 2 years. And Javian Quinones has participated in the East Texas Slowdown and came in 5th place this last year at the Central Texas Showdown.

I'm stoked to have both of them in the studio to share their experiences and expertise. It was great to get both perspectives from the competitive and non-competitive fields as both are an important component to the CTS experience.

Listen to today's episode. Get stoked. And join us in 60 days for the 3rd Central Texas Showdown in the Texas Hill Country.

"The Hills are Calling"

EPISODE LINKS

TxORA: https://www.txora.org/

TxORA Hill Country Relief Fund: https://www.txora.org/floodresponse

RYDB Fest: https://www.ozarkgravelcyclists.com/rydb-fest

Central Texas Showdown: https://texasshowdownseries.com/central-texas-showdown/

NEW PATRONS

Chuck Willox

Join them won't you? www.patreon.com/bikesordeath

Today on the Bikes or Death podcast it's all about the ladies! For the first time ever I turned the microphone, and podcast, over to the talented Kayla Hall who guest hosted today's episode!

Her guests for today's podcast are Abi Snyder, Jenny Klecak, and Leila Husain, who among other things, participated in this year's Rockstar Challenge. A 270ish mile, singletrack focused, backcountry bikepacking race in Virginia that boasts about 40k feet of elevation.

Each of these Rockstar Women put on an impressive performance, all beating the previous Fastest Known Time. Abi took the overall Grand Depart win and set a new FKT. Leila was 3rd overall and 2nd place female. And, Jenny, who had to scratch from the Grand Depart came back just 2 weeks later and set a new FKT, besting Abi's time by 2 hours.

Another story from today's episode that caught my ear was when Leila got a stick lodge into her leg on a descent. I'll let Leila tell that story, but trust me, you're gonna wanna hear it (or maybe not 😬).

I want to send a special shout out to Kayla for doing such a fantastic job facilitating a fun and engaging conversation! She emailed me this idea a couple of months ago and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to turn the platform over to the ladies for this conversation. And she killed it! Kayla is lining up for the Silk Road Mountain Race in a couple of days, so make sure to send her some good vibes.

Housekeeping: my computer is on the fritz and I can't post this to the Bikes or Death website yet, so in the meantime just find it wherever you pod (or in my bio links).

Episode Sponsors:

RYDB Fest: Three days of riding bikes in the Arkansas Ozarks. We've got a little something for everyone: a Beginner Friendly Community Overnighter, the Fayetteville Ultra Circuit, and Gravel Crit, and we'll have workshops and an expo for you to enjoy on Friday. Come ride your damn bike with us in Arkansas!

Central Texas Showdown: The second in the Texas Showdown Series we visit the iconic Hill Country. With distances from 88 to 500 miles, competitive and non-competative options, we've got a little something for everyone who loves to ride bikes in beautiful places with rad humans. Whether you're a seasoned racer or a first timer, this is the perfect event for you to ride your damn bike in the Texas Hill Country!

New Patrons 🫡

Matthew Trinneer

Paul Mendricks

This year's Tour Divide was one for the books - and the record books. With good weather and a very competitive field we saw dots moving so faster than anything we'd seen before, putting all the previous FKT's in potential jeopardy. Among those dots was Andrew Onermaa who was taking on the Tour Divide for the first time, and on a singlespeed!

For much of the race Andrew's dot was ahead of the 2016 FKT set by Chris Plesko. It looked as though we were witnessing history as Andrew dug deep to stay ahead of the record. Towards the very end of the race reality would sink in as Andrew was forced to take the new CDT section (added since 2016) while Chris's dot took the highway to Antelope Wells. In the end Andrew would finish with a time of 15d 11h 15m, less than 3 hours behind Pleskos' FKT of 15d 8h 4m.

Any way you look at it, this was a historic and impress run by Andrew, but we did take this opportunity to have a discussion about the differences in the routes and about FKT's in general on today's episode.

A record would have been nice, but nothing can detract from Andrew's performance on his first Tour Divide attempt. He said on the podcast that the Tour Divide should feel like something you "have to do". Andrew rode like a man possessed by a feeling of need, not want.

During his race he did not open Instagram or social media one time. He only took 4 selfies to send to his girlfriend Taylor, no other photos the entire race! He was locked in. But he did check Trackleader's often, especially Chris Plesko's dot. To say he was focused would be a significant understatement and the results speak for themselves.

It was an easy decision for me to rent a car and drive 14 hours so I could have this conversation with Andrew in person and I'm glad I did. You can watch or listen to my chat with Andrew with the links below.

Instead of Sponsors this week, we'd like to highlight ways you can help with the Texas Hill Country flood recovery and rebuilding efforts.

TxORA Hill Country Relief Fund - The Texas Outdoor Recreation Alliance is accepting contributions that will bring critical, near-term relief and support restoration for the Central Texas Floods. The small businesses, venues, parks, and fixtures of our recreation community along impacted areas of the Guadelupe River will be the recipients of these funds to align with our status as the Texas outdoor business alliance.

Kerr County Flood Relief Fund - Grants from the Fund will support nonprofit organizations, first responder agencies, and local governments actively involved in response, relief, and recovery efforts. While we are unable to award grants directly to individuals or families - or to fund repairs to private property or replace personal belongings - we are committed to channeling resources to the trusted organizations working tirelessly to help our neighbors in need. Together, we can make a meaningful difference during this challenging time.

Central Texas Showdown - The CTS route/s go directly through the areas of Texas that were most impacted by these floods. Many of the families and businesses along the route are hurting right now. We will be doing everything we can to support the communities along the route through our event. For starters a percentage of all registration will go to the TxORA relief fund. We will also be highlighting businesses along the route that could use your support. We always have an opportunity to leave a positive impact in the communities we ride through. This year that opportunity is even greater, please consider joining us as a way to lift of and support these communities.

Last year I participated in the inaugural Arkansas Graveler where we traversed the State from Fayetteville to Jonesboro through the Ozarks into the Delta. This year Arkansas invited Ariel Marlowe and I to check out their new course for year two. This year the route would take us from Mena to Russellville mostly in and through the Ouachita Mountain range.

The Arkansas Graveler can best be described as a 5 day bike festival + bike tour on some of the best backroads Arkansas has to offer. Put on by the Ozark Foundation and led by race director Scotti Moody, no stone is left unturned as it relates to the rider experience.

Unlike bikepacking, the Graveler staff carries your gear from camp to camp so all you have to do is ride your damn bike. At each stop along the route we got to experience charming and hospitable Arkansas towns, and the Graveler always made sure we were well fed before and after our rides. Once at camp, participants also had activities like fly fishing, archery, live music, and more!

All of the support and festivities allows riders to just focus on enjoying the ride, the scenery, and Arkansas hospitality. Ariel and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience and tell you all about it on today's episode. We hope to see ya at the next one :)

Today's episode is provided ad-free thanks to Arkansas Tourism!

Stephen Fitzgerald is a husband, father, owner of Rodeo Labs, and accomplished cyclist. When time allows he's been known to dabble in gravel and ultra cycling races. In 2020 he placed a respectable 19th in the Atlas Mountain Race. Building on that experience he signed up for Pinyon & Pines this year. It was a stacked field of experienced riders and Stephen found himself in the lead group for most of the ride. His goal was to be efficient and maintain forward progress. When the dust settled, Stephen's strategy paid off with his first win in an ultra cycling event.

Since this was Stephen's first time on the podcast I also took the opportunity to get to know him better and, of course, talk about his work with Rodeo Labs. Rodeo Labs was founded in 2014 with a fresh take on the gravel bike which quickly gain popularity within the adventure cyclists community. For Pinyon & Pines Stephen rode a prototype Show Pony, a mtb that they are currently developing in the USA.

Stephen's influence in the adventure cycling community cannot be overlooked. Whether on the bike or from within the walls of their Denver, where Rodeo Labs is based, his passion for cycling and the outdoors is infectious. It was a true pleasure to have him on the podcast.

Central Texas Showdown – Registration open now! Use code "bikesordeath" to get $20 off registration.

New Patrons Kimberly

Join us won't you at www.Patreon.com/BikesorDeath

Cjell Moné just did the unthinkable by riding his custom Moné La Roca with coaster brakes on the Arizona Trail 800. The AZT 800, which is actually 840 miles, traverses the length of Arizona from the USA/Mexico border to the border of Utah. It's infamous for being one of the most challenging bikepacking routes in the world.

Riders will face extreme temperatures, brutal desert terrain, long stretches without resupply, all on a trail that was designed for hikers, not cyclists. While the route is riddled with challenges it is equally beautiful and awe-inspiring, which only adds to it's mystique and it's growing popularity among those with a sense of adventure and maybe a slight penchant for abuse.

For the uninitiated a Coaster Brake bike is like the one you probably road as a kid. When you pedal backwards it engages the rear brake. And that's it. No hydraulic disc brakes to control your speed to keep you from flying off the trail and into the abyss. Coaster bikes can only work on Singlespeed bikes, so on top of taking on the AZT 800 with a coaster bike, he was also only had one gear.

Crazy? Maybe. Wild? Yes! But if you know Cjell Moné you wouldn't be even a little bit surprised. Cjell is known for his style, flair, and fondness for individuality. Which is represented in everything he does, from how he rides his bike to the bikes he builds at his custom bike factory (which is a truthfully a 1990 Wonderbread Truck). Learn more about Cjell and the beautiful bikes he builds over at MoneBikes.com.

Farther Bag Co. – Use code "bagsordeath" at checkout to get 15% off your order!

Central Texas Showdown – Registration open now! Use code "bikesordeath" to get $20 off registration.

New Patrons None this week.

Join us won't you at www.Patreon.com/BikesorDeath

On today's episode I'm joined by a long time friend and cycling buddy of mine, Kerry Snow. Kerry was our 2nd place East Texas Showdown in the women's category and was 10th overall. While an impressive accomplishment on its own, Kerry's effort was even more incredible considering that she is undergoing chemotherapy for stage 2 breast cancer.

Determined to not let cancer dictate her life, she has continued to maintain an active lifestyle by working out, riding her bike, and even competing in the 400 mile East Texas Showdown this last March. Along her way she raised money for a local non-profit, BCS Fights Cancer, and was able to raise over $15,000 for this organization alongside her friend and riding partner Maegan Fitzgerald.

Kerry and I live in the same town and have been riding bikes together for longer than I can remember. I know her to be a physically and mentally strong rider and I credit her with being one of the people who inspired me to get into bikepacking. It was a true pleasure to have her on the podcast. I appreciate her sharing her experiences on her cancer journey and wish her well as she kicks it's ass!

Kerry's favorite local gravel rides: - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49836607 - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45676352

Farther Bag Co. - Use code "bagsordeath" at checkout to get 15% off your order!

Central Texas Showdown - Registration open now! Use code "bikesordeath" to get $20 off registration.

New Patrons Stephen Flusche Joey Acuff Aleksander Scully

Join them won't you at www.Patreon.com/BikesorDeath

My guest today is the one and only Dr. Eliza Sampey who brings her wealth of experience to the podcast. Eliza was a professional adventure athlete for 13 years. Her adventures and expeditions have taken her all over the world by way of all modalities of human powered travel. She is also a doctor of physical therapy, a concussion specialist, and a coach. Needless to say, we had a lot to chat about!

Several years ago she sustained a concussion on a bike ride that ultimately ended her career as a professional athlete, but it spawned a new passion for helping other athletes who are managing their concussion rehabilitation. She's even written a book about it that you can download for free on her website.

On today's episode we hear about some of her adventures and athletic accomplishments before diving into a robust conversation about concussions, especially for backcountry athletes. We also weave in some topics about her work as a physical therapist and coach. Eliza's vast experience in the adventure athlete sphere contribute to a highly entertaining and educational episode.

Arkansas Graveler – a five-day cycling adventure winding through the moody Ouachita Mountains. Starting in Mena and ending in Russellville, this route traverses incredible backcountry. June 3-8th - Register Here

Bikepacking Roots - Enter to win a custom Chumba Slackr MTB plus a lot of other cycling goodies AND support the BPR Bipoc Bike Adventure Grant Program.

New Patrons Andrew C.

Join them won't you at www.Patreon.com/BikesorDeath

I'm stoked to bring you my latest chat with Eric House fresh off his finish at the Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco. After being laid off from his job in September he decided to go full send on bikepacking and has an epic 2025 planned. Probably most notably, he'll be doing all three of the Nelson Tree's Mountain Race series on a singlespeed. Something no ones ever done before!

He's got a lot more on his plate for 2025 as he tries to pack in as many adventures on his bike as he can during this time of unemployment. We go over all his plans for this year on today's episode. We also have a healthy does of fun tangents and a brief period where we both take off our pants, a Death or Death first haha! Most importantly, we hear about his experience at AMR this year and what a successful year will look like to him.

Eric and I met up in the Sam Houston National Forest which was the perfect backdrop to an awesome chat. He's one of the nicest, most down to earth humans I've met and he's pretty damn good at riding bikes too. All of which contribute to a helluva good chat.

Eric's able to do all of this in part to support from his sponsors, who he'd like to personally thank: - Old Man Mountain - South City Stichworks - K-Lite - Doom Bars - Race Ready Repair

Old Man Mountain – Use code "mountainordeath" at checkout to receive 10% off your order!

New Patrons Aaron Newbury Annie Bilotta

Join them won't you at www.Patreon.com/BikesorDeath