The trees are calling — and there’s a huge group of cyclists waiting to answer. Each year, the East Texas Showdown kicks off the state’s largest bikepacking event in a little town on the shores of Lake Livingston. In this episode, I take a ride and see what the burgeoning sport is all about.

Hosts:

• Morgan O’Hanlon is a senior staff writer at Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine.
• David Yoskowitz is the Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Episode Guests (in order of appearance):

• Patrick Farnsworth, founder of East Texas Showdown and host of Bikes or Death podcast

Show Highlights:

• Bikepacking is a sport at the intersection of backpacking and biking. Cyclists carry everything they’ll need to pitch camp on their bikes and set out on an adventure.
• The Texas Showdown Series will be composed of three races: the East Texas Showdown, the Central Texas Showdown, and the West Texas Showdown.

To learn more about the Texas Showdown Series, visit their website. If you like this podcast, you might also like Patrick’s podcast, Bikes or Death. Listen to it here.

You can read more stories about the Texas outdoors at tpwmagazine.com. If you want to get copies of our beautiful, glossy magazine delivered straight to your mailbox, you can subscribe here for only $2.00 a month. And if you want to keep up on live events and behind-the-scenes takes, follow the magazine on Instagram at @tpwmagazine.

Learn more about current hunting regulations in the Texas Outdoor Annual.

Keep up with other agency news on Facebook or Instagram at @texasparkswildlife.

Did you know Texas Parks and Wildlife has a TV show?

Our theme music is by Walker Lukens and Grant Eppley. And, if you like our song, you might also like the album Walker produced for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation. Sales from the album benefit TPWD's conservation work. Listen to it here.

Better Outside’s artwork is by Aaron Zachary. Follow him on Instagram at @filmnfish.