Conversations with Laurel

June Trop, Associate Professor emerita at the State University of New York at New Paltz, talks about the inspiration for her Miriam bat Isaac Mystery Series, her years of teaching middle school science, her twin sister, and lots more!

Laurel recounts the craziest race her husband, Mike, ever participated in: A pack burro race up Mosquito Pass and back during a Leadville Boom Days weekend. He raced with a rent-an-ass from Curtis Imrie (RIP) and met the legendary Ken Chlouber for the first time as well. This is a crazy-ass story with some poignant moments.

Alison Sandoval is a Silver Queen after completing the Leadville Race Series two-day race: a 50-mile mountain bike race on a Saturday followed by a 50-mile foot race the very next day, starting at over 10,000' elevation and climbing through mountainous terrain from there! And she is the one who inspired her husband (who is the current record holder for the Leadman race) to start competing!

Short Story 6 is a fictional story inspired by nonfiction bees coming back to life!

Chuck Bost is an 85-year-old Leadville native and he has stories to tell! He's also about the nicest man you'll ever meet. A miner like his ancestors, Chuck talks about what Leadville was like "back in the day" and what he has done for work and for fun all these years.

Laurel interviews her husband, Mike McHargue, a four-time Leadman and two-time titanium man, about racing and sacrifice and suffering and some fun things too. As the Emergency Manager for his county and as a volunteer for Search and Rescue, he has experienced more unusual physical challenges than the average bear. Listen to his philosophy on pushing past self-imposed limits and on the different "types" of fun in the world.

Brent Goldstein's bucket (list) is empty after completing the 2018 Tour Divide, but he's back in Leadville to compete in his 12th Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race!

Brent races for the First Descents (FD) Organization--he's the Chairman of the FD Board--and is working on a book about his experience riding the Tour Divide and working with the FD organization.

Rest in Peace, Gracie. Thank you for the light you shared with me, and with everyone who knew you, not long ago. (1/25/2020)

Some might say that the Tour Divide would challenge the fittest among us. After all, this annual bicycling epic spans 2,745 miles between Banff, Canada and Antelope Wells, NM, right on the Mexican border. Some might even say that a person with Multiple Sclerosis would be a fool to attempt such a feat.

But not Grace Ragland. Having lived with M.S. since age ten (and she admits to being “50ish” now), she has yet to meet a challenge with an “I can’t.” When a friend mentioned trying this ultra-endurance event, Grace knew she had to challenge it. Spoiler alert: Grace is the first person with M.S. to complete The Tour Divide.

What would you do if the internet and your phone service were down and you had no idea when or if they'd be restored? This happened to Laurel on August 1st. Find out what she did!

Wesley Sandoval broke the record for the Leadman Race in 2016. Find out why he signed up for this epic ultra-endurance high-altitude race series and how he convinced himself to go for the record.

Also find out what it's like to compete with a brother! Wesley's race experience has truly been a family affair.