Bikes or Death

When we did our Bikepacking Basics episode earlier this year we got a lot of questions, but the most asked questions where about route building. So I reached out to Kevin Prentice with RideWithGPS to see if they would be interested coming to do a episode on route building and (spoiler alert) they said yes!

On this episode we get to know Kevin and some history on RWGPS and then we get into the maps! And we go deep. But, we also cover very basic topics. This episode was designed with the hope that it will be a resource for you to build your own routes, modify existing ones, or fly by the seat of your pants using heatmaps. Even if you think you're a RWGPS expert I can guarantee you'll learn something on this show, I sure did!

For me Route Building is one of my favorite parts about bikepacking. With the tools and information available to us now it's truly remarkable what you're able to do from your laptop in the comfort of your home. This is where you can hone in and find the perfect camp spot or best gravel roads. Regardless of how well you plan, we all know that even the best plan can go wrong. So it's also important to know how to navigate when things don't go according to plan. After listening to (or watching) this episode you will be able to know more about doing both!

This episode is available where ever you get your podcast and also in video format with timestamps so you can comeback to it as often as needed.

These episodes aren't possible without your support.

Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Courtney Naquin Travis Vliem Scott McDonald Brian Benavente 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 🚨 Patron Perk 🚨 - 20% off RWGPS Subscription

When I contacted Ryan Stoyer about coming on the podcast it was with the idea that we would talk about his unique lifestyle and how it allows for him to life a more fulfilled life. I still like that topic, but Ryan had other ideas. After the official BoD instagram invite was sent, his reply was an enthusiastic yes, followed by a suggestion, "how about we go bikerafting?". My response was equally enthusiastic and I gave no thought to the fact that I'd never been bikerafting, or had a raft, or new how to build a route, etc etc. But we had 5 weeks and that turned out to be the just enough to assemble the necessary gear and courage to tackle new adventure territory. The plan was to create a bikerafting route and share our experiences through a podcast.

As I learned more about Bikerafting, I learned that there is a lot of interest in this re-emerging sport. The first recorded bikeraft trip was in 1987 by Roman Dial, but it seems to be growing in popularity in recent years. So the focus of the podcast shifted from being about Ryan and our trip, we also tried to provide some information that may help you prepare for your own bikerafting or packrafting trip! We discuss where to get packrafts, what to look for, how they handle, how to pack, how to plan a route, etc. It was a huge learning experience for me and I'm excited to share what I learned. I'm a complete newb and my tips reflect that, which is why it was good to have Ryan who brings more experience. It came in handy on the river and on the podcast.

The route my friend Connor Thomas created in NW Arkansas is a real beauty. I will be publishing that route soon!! Unfortunately, you can't plan the weather and we got Cold and Wet every day we were there. So our trip had an extra element of Type 2 fun sprinkled in to keep it interesting. I will let the podcast speak for itself, but I can tell you that every person on that trip had a great time and the ones that didn't have packrafts are all now wanting some. Bikerafting was a little scary to me at first. It doesn't make sense that a 195 lb guy + 55 lbs of gear can float safely down a river on a 5 lb inflatable raft. Call me crazy! Any initial fears I first had were quickly squashed and I found bikerafting quite to my liking, and as Ryan says, "It's a great rest day after a long day on the bike". Not only that, but it opens up so many possibilities both with routes and with scenery.

I'm glad that Ryan challenged me to do this. It was barely on my radar, but I'm not one to shy away from a new adventure. I equally enjoyed getting to meet and learn from Ryan. He is a wealth of information on a variety of topics that I find fascinating and meaningful.

We cover a lot on this episode! To make it easier for you to enjoy and refer back to this episode at a later time I've included timestamps in the show notes so you can quickly find the topic/s you're interested in. Timestamp:

13:45 - Talking Tiny Home 22:15 - Maker Space - Elijah, GA 26:10 - Ryans First Bikepacking Trip 33:25 - Ryans First Bikerafting Trip38:30 - What is Bikerafting 44:15 - Rockgeist fanboy talk 47:20 - Resources for renting, buying, or building a packraft 48:33 - Renting backraftings from https://backcountrypackrafts.com/ 51:00 - What is it called? Bikepack Rafting or Bikerafting? 52:15 - What kind of features to look for in a packraft that will work for bikerafting 57:45 - Creating a Bikerafting route 62:40 - Our Bikerafting Trip 65:00 - Packing a packraft on a bike 83:00 - Continuing our Bikerafting trip Day 2 85:00 - How to pack your gear and bike on your packraft94:15 - Description of the water on route98:10 - Trip Continues - Day 3106:20 - Random tangent about Psychotropics 120:00 - Beginning of the End

Today's episode is with a true living legend. Rebecca Rusch has had a long and successful career spanning many different sports, but in the past 15 years has dominated the mountain bike scene, which as spilled over into bikepacking and gravel racing as well. She's been referred to as the Queen of Pain since at least 2004 and she was inducted into the MTB Hall of Fame in 2019. Here list of accolades and victories is as long as her storied career.

On this episode we get insight into some of the wisdom that she has gained through her career. Her perspectives are deep and well thought out. You can tell they've been forged in her mind over the years and countless endurance endeavor that have pushed her to grow and challenge who she is as a person.

For the uninitiated, here is a very brief history of Rebecca Rusch. She began her career as a professional athlete in Adventure Racing, which was popularized by the Eco Challenge and the subsequent TV show produced by Mark Burnett. She competed at a high level, often on the winning team or threatening the lead, from 1997-2006. She faced a pivotal point in her life and career when one of her teammates, Nigel Aylott, died in an adventure race in front of her and her team, the same year they lost their major team sponsor. With some time left on her Red Bull contract she decided to give MTB a shot. In 2006 she signed up for, and won, the USA Cycling 24-Hours MTB National Champion in the Women's Solo category. But she didn't just win her field, she had the fastest time out of all participants, women and men! And this was in a discipline that she said in her own words was her worst sport. This win catapulted her fully into the MTB world where she continues to be a real threat any time she signs up for a race.

Her accomplishments are not limited to the mountain bike. She also won the ITI 350 in 2019 and 2021, She is the Smoke n' Fire women's record holder, Unbound Gravel XL 350 winner in 2018, and she held the FKT on the Kokopelli Trail until just recently when Kait Boyle took it away by a meer 13 minutes. Her list of accomplishments is much longer, but I hope this paints the picture that Rebecca is a lifelong endurance athlete who has been competing at a very high level for a long time. In those years she has gained a rich understanding of human powered movement in the outdoors.

For me it's daunting to put keys to pad and conjure up words to describe someone who has been a personal source of inspiration for me. Luckily, we recorded a podcast so you can hear directly from the Queen of Pain herself!

These episodes aren't possible without your support.

Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Denise Brodigan James Vineyard Charles Gurrey Rick Stinson Joseph Lowhorn Damián García Crispin Hoult Mikey Hanrahan 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 🚨 ADnouncements 🚨

Jefe.bike – Patrons receive 10% off Arkansaw High Country Race - Registration Opens June 1st East Texas Showdown – Presented by Bikes or Death

Happy 420 everyone! My guest on today's episode with John Watson is one that I've been looking forward to for a while. We had plans to record this one a while ago, but covid put it on pause. On my recent trip to AZ and NM I was able to meet John at his Santa Fe office where he runs The RADAVIST. His office is quaint and simple with merchandise bins tidily lining the walls and stacked to the ceiling. I felt a kinship immediately as I pictured him editing photos, writing articles, fulfilling orders, etc etc. Despite his obvious success, what you may not see immediately is the 15 years he's been doing, the passion that started it, and the long hours that took to fuel it. In 2006 he began capturing urban bike culture for his blog that was at that time called "Prolly is not Probably". He was debating 650b v. 700c before you even had your first bike. He's been called a "Bike Snob", "Respected Tastemaker", a "Prolific Photographer" and more over his years in the industry. John made his mark by following his passion and using his camera and keyboard to share and shape the bicycle culture. If you are high af and want to go down the rabbit hole, google (or use DuckDuckGo) "Prolly is not Probably". You can find his original blogger page and hundreds of articles he's written or than have been written about him. Now The RADAVIST is a staple in the bike industry for its tasteful photography, wide range of articles and resources, and thoughtful articles that cover a large swath of the bike industry and culture. And from my perspective we are all the benefactors of his 15 years of hard work.

It was an honor to meet John in person. Behind the scenes over emails he has always been very supportive of me and Bikes or Death. He has been a person that I look up to professionally for his work and personally because he's just a damn nice guy. So if for any reason you haven't been visiting The Radavist on a daily basis it's time for you to get your life together and start! Both his instagram accounts are equally worth a follow @johnprolly and @theradavist.

After the interview the light was getting good and John asked if he could photograph my bike, which was a dream come true for me. Find those pictures and a write up by John on The Radavist and you can read my blog reply on Bikes or Death.

Shred Lightly my friends.

These episodes aren't possible without your support. This episode is the result of my recently podcasting trip covering 2,500 miles, 2 states, and 3 interviews in 4.5 days. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal.

Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Bryan Seef Thomas Elliot Katya Morzhueva Mark Debano Ken Wallace Alex Cahill Chris Weiss Andrew Green Christopher Earnst Matt Knight Tim Nakoneczny Mike Morris Ian Goldinger 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 🚨 ADnouncements 🚨

Jefe.bike – Patrons receive 10% off 6AM WorkShirts – Patrons receive 20% off East Texas Showdown – Presented by Bikes or Death

It's always an extreme pleasure to sit down and chat with Lael Wilcox. Her positivity and honesty is infections as is her drive to push herself to extremes all in the name of bike racing. She's an inspiration to so many of us in this community and I am no exception. She has been a huge source of inspiration for me as I dipped my toe into the bikepacking waters. There is something about her fearless approach to bikepacking that lulls you into a false sense of achievability, but make no mistake she works hard and has been at this a long time. This sport has come a long way in a short time and Lael has been at or near the tip of the spear for the entire time.

This was the third time Lael has been on the podcast and each time I have to reign in my personal tendencies to be star struck. Luckily, Lael is a total pro and is so easy to talk to. This time we met on Mount Lemmon outside of Tucson, AZ at the Gordon Hirabayashi Campground. Interesting side note, the road up Mt. Lemmon was built by prisoners in the 1930's and to house the criminals they built prisons as they went. The campground we recorded at was a former site of a Prison Camp. They say you should "never meet your idols". I've met one of mine three times now and have never been disappointed. Lael is Lael, what you see is what you get. The person I watched in the 2016 film from REI is the same person I met on a park bench on the side of Mt. Lemmon. Success, fame, racing results, through it all she has been able to stay humble, gracias, and kind. Maybe the saying should be, "get better idols". Personally, I'm grateful to Lael for just being her and pursuing what she wants in a way that is authentic to herself. We talk about this a little in the episode, but sometimes knowing yourself and staying true can be easier said than done, especially with some of the controversy she has faced, but in even in success she continues to navigate it all in a way that seems authentic to herself. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

These episodes aren't possible without your support. This episode is the result of my recently podcasting trip covering 2,500 miles, 2 states, and 3 interviews in 4.5 days. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal.

Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Alex G. Tanya Rios Chris Schow Tim Fitzpatrick 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 🚨 ADnouncements 🚨

6AM WorkShirts – Patrons receive 20% off East Texas Showdown - Presented by Bikes or Death

This episode is the first one to come from my recent road trip to New Mexico and Arizona to interview guest for the podcast. My first stop was in Las Cruces, NM to meet up with Matt Mason to ride a portion of the Monumental Loop. We rode up to the base of the Organ Mountains and camped in perfect weather. In the morning we recorded this episode under little outcropping before descending 10 miles back to town on some epic singletrack.

You may have noticed that the route was revised and released as the Monumental Loop 2.0. These changes were made for several reason, but all in an effort to make the route more enjoyable and attractive to a wider range of riders. We get into all the specifics on this episode and it left me wanting to spend more time than I had available on this trip. I will be back! *Outdoor Adventures The place to go for route information, gear, advice, and community https://www.bikelc.com

*Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Friends are on the frontlines of protecting and providing access to the public lands around Las Cruces. https://organmountainsdesertpeaks.org

*Southern New Mexico Trail AllianceSNMTA works tirelessly on advocating for new trails, maintaining current trails, and hosting the Sierra Vista Trail Runs. https://snmta.org

*Doña Ana SheWolves A group of FTW riders providing support and community. Several of their crew are certified bike instructors and their skills clinics are highly recommended. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthernNMDirtGirls/?ref=share

*MTB New Mexico Jose Solis has a YouTube channel and rides centered on a welcoming environment for beginner mountain bikers. MTB NM's videos are equally informative and entertaining. https://youtube.com/c/MTBNewMexico

These episodes aren't possible without your support. This episode is the result of my recently podcasting trip covering 2,500 miles, 2 states, and 3 interviews in 4.5 days. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal.

Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Jeff Bloodworthy Barry Turner Dave Ortiz 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

On March 6th, 2021 twelve college students in the Adventure Media class at Texas Tech University set off on a bikepacking trip as part of their course curriculum. This year the classes challenge was the Caprock Canyon State Park and Trailway, which in total was 66 miles with very little climbing, but the wind made up for what the elevation profile lacked! This course is the brainchild of Dr. Jerod Foster who somehow convinced a University to allow him to take students bikepacking in remote places as part of a college course he created and teaches called Adventure Media.

To be honest, when you read the words, or hear someone tell you about this Adventure Media course it doesn't click immediately. At least, it didn't for me. When Jerod originally laid out the course in Episode 3 I kinda got it, but I didn't really get it until I went on their class trip in 2019 to Big Bend Ranch State Park. The Terrior film was produced from that 2019 trip and it's a visual introduction into what this class is all about.

When you show up in a remote destination with rugged terrain, hours away from any medical assistance, and you look around at the 16 college students assembled ready to tackle whatever comes. And their gear is a mess, and they are wrecking, and bags are falling off, but I can promise you none of that is what defines this or any of the other trips like this.

This episode is different from anything we have ever done before. It takes place in an Arroyo in the Caprock Canyon State Park at dusk. It was a beautiful setting to have a discussion about the experiences and feelings that were had and shared throughout the day.

This will be part one in a two part series from this trip. In the next one I will be following Elysa and Tom on their personal journeys during this trip, with narration and commentary by Jerod Foster and I.

These episodes aren't possible without your support. If you haven't heard Bikes or Death is going back on the road to do in-person interviews again! My first trip with Van or Death with be to NM and AZ covering 2,500 in 4.5 days and interviewing 4 great guest. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal.

Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Jeff Cory Steven Young Robert Crawford Paul Fallon Tyrell Lewis Aaron Huey 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 🚨 ADnouncements 🚨

Bikepacking Roots 4th Annual Survey 6AM WorkShirts - Patrons receive 20% off

Miles is BACK! The first time we did an interview was in his van at the Bikepacking Summit in 2019. This year, thanks to COVID, we are relegated to Zoom, but that didn't stop us from having a good ole time. We sang, we laughed, and there was some really great chats about Bikepacking.com and other super interesting bike stuff that you won't want to miss! Including, but not limited to, the best shoes for bikepacking, thoughts on old mtb restorations, guidelines on submitted events and routes to Bikepacking.com, plus so much more.

Miles and I are friends and this conversation reflects that. We can get a little silly, but who couldn't use a little dose of that right now? I think we were able to squeak in some good information in between the silliness. I'd go far as to say that maybe this episode is the perfect blend of silly and serious, but I guess you will have to be the judge of that.

Most importantly, if you are anticipating a 2nd verse of the Bikes or Death Theme Song you're in luck! Just like the first episode Miles surprised me with a second verse, performed live on his guitalele. And I can tell you now, it's hot fire, but you'll have to wait to the very end of this episode to hear it.

If you missed my first episode with Miles Arbour you can Listen Here.

This episode listeners have a chance to Watch if that is your preference!

These episodes aren't possible without your support. If you haven't heard Bikes or Death is going back on the road to do in-person interviews again! My first trip with Van or Death with be to NM and AZ covering 2,500 in 4 days and interviewing 4 great guest. If you've been on the fence about becoming a Patron this would be a great time to sign up and help get BoD back on the road! You can Sign Up here or leave a one time Donation on Paypal.

Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! 🖤 🖤🖤🖤🖤 Ben P. Gabriel D. Balazs B. Graham W. 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Over the last couple of years I've received a lot of request for episodes that address some of the "how-to's" and "what's what" of bikepacking. I've delayed for a couple of reason. One, a personal belief (or lack thereof) that I should leave that to more experienced and knowledgeable people in the community. The other problem, was figuring out a way to deliver the information in a podcast format. I kind of always thought it needed to be a YT video and maybe I would get into that one day.

I believe now, through my conversations with a variety of guest, that everyone has something to contribute, and that includes myself. I pulled in my friend Connor Thomas to shoulder some of the weight too! Connor and I met at my LBS and as we got to know each other we learned that we shared a similar interest in the outdoors and adventuring. We've been able to go on a number of great trips and I know him to be an a person whose passion for the outdoors is equalled by his knowledge of it. When he agreed to record a podcast on some Bikepacking Basics I was stoked, because I think a conversation about these topics is far more interesting that a monolog, and he brings his own unique experiences to the table as well.

In this episode we use a recent trip to Big Bend National Park as the backdrop to answer your questions. Ultimately, we received 41 questions, that boiled down to 18 questions and we tackle them all! The most requested topic was on Route Building, which was really perfect because our trip to BB was a route finding mission. We saved that one for last and answer your other questions as we build up to it, but you won't want to miss "How to make cake while bikepacking" (video coming soon) or our thoughts on e-bikes!

Thanks to everyone for their questions, we hope you find this information helpful, and if you enjoyed this episode please let me know. I bet I can get Conor to do another one if we ask nice.

~~~~~~~~

BoD Theme Song by Miles Arbour

Thank you to our newest supporting Patrons! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Alissa B. Jennifer A. Michael W. Julien L. Barry C. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The first episode of 2021 is with the very inspirational Jacob Hora. At only 15 he's accomplished more than most regardless of age. I didn't know who he was before watching the Trackleader dots of Jay Petervary's Fat Pursuit. The first place finisher was Jacob, so I clicked on his profile and was immediately intrigued when I saw he was only 15!

You may remember that the first episode of 2020 was with, 15 year old, Alana Rose Parent. I thought that was such a great way to start off the new year, with a inspirational story from the younger members of our community. Hearing their enthusiasm for cycling and the outdoors truly makes me feel good about the future of this sport and community we love.

I knew very little about Jacob going into the interview; which I always enjoy. I got to be truly surprised by him, his accomplishments, goals, and perspectives. What I heard from him was nothing but positivity, excitement, and love for bikepacking. But as you'll hear, accomplishments don't just happen, Jacob has already learned the value of hard work to accomplish goals. There are no shortcuts here, he's putting in the work and making the sacrifices to do the thing he loves and to pursue his goals.

He's currently training for the ITI 350 in February, so make sure to follow his dot and send him some love.

You can follow him on instagram @jacob_hora

To listen to the FULL version of the BoD Theme Song (Cover) by Ian Cherry Click Here.