For the third August in a row, heavy rain has blessed the northern Sierra Nevada. Amidst the best brown pow cycle of the summer, on episode 69, Pow Bot and Trail Whisperer froth over the fresh rainfall while burners out on the playa get mud plugged and hit with haboobs. TW also froths over his new Ibis Ripley and PB over his recent progress on the wing foil. Other topics include Old Farmer’s Almanac predictions on winter, differing opinions on vacationing in Santa Cruz, the expense of bike racks, and on a musical note, The Scientist’s dub reggae, St. Vincent and seeing Collie Buddz live at The Hangar in South Lake Tahoe. The boys also Dope or Derp Mariachi bands, wearing a shammy and tailgate pads while DOUBLE DOPEing ski straps and plastic grocery baskets as gear carriers.

3:00 – Best riding conditions of the summer in Lake Tahoe are happening right now in late August. Third year in a row of rain in August. BROWN POW!

4:00 – Burning Man woes – windstorms, epic mud, 10-hour wait line on the playa to get in.

8:20 – Dirk Hobskin calls in with Channel 69 news special brown pow report.

11:25 – Trail Whisperer celebrates New Bike Day – Ibis Ripley.

16:40 – What do you think about Santa Cruz?

23:30 – Pow Bot has been frothing on wing foiling on Washoe Lake.

31:00 – Ice Cream Man is still harassing Trail Whisperer.

32:45 – Old Farmer’s Almanac makes its predictions for Winter 2025-26. Do you think Farmer’s Almanac is an accurate tool for seasonal forecasting?

37:15 – Update on the rope swing at DL Bliss State Park getting cut down.

40:25 – We sold out! Thanks to all our listeners for buying a Mind the Track hat.

41:40 – On a Musical Note – The Scientist (Hopeton Overton Brown), Trail Whisperer saw Collie Buddz at The Hangar in South Lake Tahoe, St. Vincent (Annie Clark).

53:00 – Pow Bot recommends watching Florida Man before going on vacation to Florida.

55:40 – DOPE or DERP – Mariachi bands.

57:20 – DOPE or DERP – Wearing a shammy.

1:03:25 – DOPE or DERP – Tailgate Pads.

1:14:25 – DOUBLE DOPE – Singing the praises of the Voile ski strap.

1:16:55 – DOUBLE DOPE x2 – using a plastic grocery basket as a gear carrier.

1:21:40 – Part II of the Cosbey Chronicles will be on episode 70.

1:24:00 – Trail Whisperer going on a cross-country adventure driving a car from Boston to Reno.

1:28:50 – Pow Bot’s story of sleeping on the side of the highway and being woken at 4:30AM.

1:33:30 – The dilemma of inheriting family furniture and the cost of shipping it cross country.

1:38:45 – The Mountains to Meadows Enduro Festival at Plumas County Fairgrounds on September 12-14. The return of Grinduro!

On Episode 68 we introduce the first installment of the Cosbey Chronicles. Marc Cosbey, aka Uncle Coz, Cozmo, Sharkey, is the kindred spirit of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, and one of its co-founders. Born in the early 1950’s, Coz left home at 17 years old and never looked back, living a free-spirited life of adventure from exploring the American West to sailing around the world on everything from old pirate ships to the most advanced Americas Cup racing boats. In this first episode of a multi-part series with Coz, we chat about his youth in Southern California during the birth of surfing, working in the Utah oil fields as a roughneck, a three-week backpacking trip through the Shoshone Wilderness of Wyoming where he accidently set his face on fire, hitchhiking and getting picked up by gun-toting thieves, building and racing Americas Cup sail boats and surviving a five-day winter storm in the Pacific Ocean on a 1910 Baltic Trader, an adventure that he thought would be his last.

3:00 – Recording from the Downieville Classic.

5:30 – Introducing Marc “Coz” Cosbey aka Uncle Cozmo.

10:30 – DOPE or DERP – Hot Tubs.

14:10 – Part One of Cosbey Chronicles – Growing up in 1960s California, Traveling the West, Backpacking, Hitchhiking, Boat Building and Sailing.

17:30 – Growing up in Newport Beach, California in the 1950s and 1960s, early days of surfing.

20:10 – Leaving home at 17 years old and started surveying for oil.

24:10 – What was Moab, Utah like in the early 1970s?

27:10 – Cody, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park in the early 1970s.

28:00 – Backpacking from Cody to Jackson, Wyoming through the Shoshone Wilderness, accidentally burning down their tent and burning up his face and hands.

38:00 – Hitchhiking and getting picked up by guys who just robbed a convenience store.

42:58 – Do you ever pick up hitchhikers or Pacific Crest Trail hikers?

47:30 – Spending a winter skiing in Mammoth Lakes in the mid 1970s.

50:30 – Moving to Oahu, Hawaii to live on Waikiki and Ala Wai work on boats, surf and wind surf in the 1970s.

54:00 – Spending months sailing across the Pacific Ocean on the Lord Jim sailing ship.

59:30 – Finding the section of an old NASA rocket floating in the open ocean, then a killer whale follows next to them riding down a giant swell.

1:02:30 – Refinishing a 12 meter sailing race boat for an America’s Cup team in 1986 for Tom Blackaller and competing in 1987 America’s Cup in Australia.

1:15:35 – Sailing a real pirate boat built in 1910 from Alaska to San Francisco and the closest Coz ever came to perishing at sea in a 5-day storm.

1:26:10 – Delivering a super high end sail boat across the Atlantic and receiving a mayday call about a captain who was lost at sea with clients stuck on the boat.

The first live recorded show of Mind the Track was at last weekend’s grand opening of the brand new Start Haus bike and ski shop in Truckee next to the “mouse hole” on Highway 89, the only shop Pow Bot will take his splitboard. Considered by many to be the best bike and ski shop in Tahoe, Start Haus has a core lord crew of ace mechanics, including one of today’s guests, co-owner Gregg “Stubby” Stone, a recovering singlespeeder who can fix your bike almost as fast as a rides downhill. The boys also chat with OG mountain bike legend Scot Nicol, the founder of Ibis Cycles. Born in 1981 at the dawn of mountain biking, Ibis is the only original mountain bike brand left that is still part owned by its founder. At the ripe young age of 70, Nicol still rips the legs off people half his age. He shares a bit of wisdom about staying young and healthy, a bit about mountain bike history and bike innovation. The boys also chat about California State Park’s recent decision to limb up a Lake Tahoe tree that was the granddaddy of all rope swings, and why social media and “influencers” are squarely to blame for its demise.

3:30 – Recording live at the Start Haus grand opening in Truckee.

6:10 – Optimization culture – forget that. Optimize having fun. That’s most important.

8:00 – We are down to our last 10 Deso Supply hats…so get on it and order yours!

9:20 – Pow Bot’s story about riding the Amtrak from Chicago to Colorado to go skiing.

11:40 – Listener shout outs to Amiel, Clark and John B.

14:55 – A little bit about today’s guests, Scot Nicol, founder of Ibis Cycles and Gregg Stone, co-owner of Start Haus.

20:16 – NEWS THAT MATTERS – California State Parks cut down the tree limbs of an iconic rope swing on the West Shore. Social media blew up the spot and ruined everything.

34:08 – Former Truckee mayor, Dave Polivy, makes cameo appearance.

37:00 – DOPE OR DERP – Bar Down. Liability risk in skiing in the US compared to Europe.

45:15 – Euro Carver and Fritz Schmitz talk about difference between Smoke Shack and Start Haus.

50:50 – Interview with Scot Nicol, founder of Ibis Cycles.

54:40 – The transition from a one-man custom steel frame builder to a 50-person company making composite bikes.

58:00 – What innovations have changed mountain biking the most? Suspension. Tubeless.

1:01:10 – Why has nobody figured out a 21st Century solution to the Presta valve?

1:04:45 – If Scot were to buy a custom hardtail, what would he buy? No. 22 Bicycle Company.

1:07:25 – DOPE or DERP – Hardtail mountain bikes.

1:10:00 – Staying young and healthy at 70 years old. The key is a life of bikes, avoiding stress and eating healthy.

1:15:45 – What is your best day outside North America and inside North America? Slovenia and Lake Tahoe.

1:18:50 – What is the Ibis Migration event in Mendocino and La Ventana, Baja Mexico?

1:24:53 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

1:26:35 – Interview with Gregg Stone – co-owner of Start Haus.

1:27:45 – Where did Gregg get his nickname “Stubby”?

1:29:20 – How did Gregg go from being a mobile bike mechanic to being a big bike shop owner?

1:34:06 – Start Haus has a great YouTube series with easy to understand tech tips.

1:37:00 – How did Start Haus manage to purchase a piece of land and build a brand new building on Highway 89 in Truckee?

1:41:45 – What is the best way to get in and out of the parking lot at Start Haus?

1:44:10 – What’s the most bizarre bike you’ve ever worked on? Pennyfarthing aka high wheeler.

1:48:00 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

1:50:00 – Singlespeed mountain biking and SInglespeed World Championships in Bend, Oregon.

In the hazy aftermath of 4th of July, thankfully Tahoe didn’t burn down but tragically the North Rim Grand Canyon Lodge did. On Episode 66, the boys chat about how they spent the holiday, their favorite fireworks stories, announce the closure of all Sierra Pacific Industries lands to recreation until further notice due to wildfire risk and rant about kids terrorizing neighborhoods on electric motorcycles and the threat to mountain biking. Trail Whisperer cites a recent study about what traits constitute a “cool” person, Pow Bot gives hot purchasing tips on where to buy outdoor gear for less, some core lords call in and DOPE or DERP mobile DJs in the woods, sucking someone’s dust and pond skimming. Also, a little Whatcha Been Riding? and On a Musical Note listening suggestions.

2:00 – Fritz Schmitz loves his Deso Supply Mind the Track hat. Get one before they’re gone!

5:50 – 4th of July happened and Tahoe didn’t burn down. Participating in the Truckee 4th of July parade with Truckee Dirt Union. Pow Bot loaded the van and went to Oakridge for 4th of July.

10:08 – 4th of July fireworks shows gone awry in San Diego and Michigan.

13:25 – Pow Bot’s favorite fireworks show/war/bonfire/propane explosion in Boulder, Colorado.

17:45 – DOPE OR DERP – Fireworks.

23:45 – North Rim Grand Canyon Fire – Lodge burns down.

29:55 – Sierra Pacific Industries announces summer land closures for all recreation. This includes Yogi trail network and Martis Peak Road.

31:30 – Kids illegally riding electric motorcycles and destroying public property in the Town of Truckee and Sierra Vista Park in Reno.

41:30 – Recent study reports on what it means to be a “cool person”.

50:40 – Tom’s The Dicky Box at Burning Man story – the story of a “cool” introvert.

55:45 – CORE LORD CALL IN – Local Line Larry – More Ice Cream Man rants.

1:02:00 – CORE LORD CALL IN – Doug – PCT Gordo Update – He bailed in Tahoe. Foot issues.

1:05:00 – DOPE OR DERP – Backpacker chair and a tarp when hiking.

1:13:30 – Sportsman’s Warehouse and Sierra Trading Post – great places to buy outdoor equipment for half the price of places like REI.

1:17:15 – DOPE OR DERP – Mobile DJ’s in the woods playing music.

1:22:55 – DOPE OR DERP – Sucking dust riding behind someone.

1:26:55 – DOPE OR DERP – Pond skimming.

1:32:15 – Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship Downieville Epic – Upper Butcher Ranch, Gold Valley Rim and Pauley Creek are riding awesome. Also, Upper Tollgate on Mt. Hough is open.

1:35:00 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – All Them Witches and Pachyman.

Recorded deep in the Toiyabe Range of central Nevada far from civilization, the guys talk about the Toiyabe Crest Trail project and the tumultuous arrival of summer in Lake Tahoe, where 11 people perished in a couple days due to a boating accident and hikers drowning in a swimming hole. The boys discuss complacency in the mountains and how it can be deadly, Trail Whisperer recaps his Wilderness First Aid training experience with Bliss Wilderness, Spooner Lake State Park puts out a survey for a new master plan, core lords call in to ask how you recover from a mountain bike accident, a rebuttal to DERPing UGG boots, saving wildlife you find in the backyard and if the ice cream man and his truck are DOPE or DERP. Also, Mind the Track announces its first piece of branded apparel for listeners to purchase! 

2:30 – Recording on location in the Toiyabe Range of central Nevada, working on the Toiyabe Crest Trail. 

5:35 – Jim Zellers and the early days of mountain biking in 1970s Cupertino, California.

8:55 – Trail Whisperer’s first time riding the Toiyabe Crest Trail in 2016.

18:15 – Mind the Track swag is finally here! Our first piece of apparel – the Mind the Track Do All Adventure hat made by Deso Supply Co (desosupply.com)

25:30 – Summer is here. The solstice has arrived. Post work steamy singletrack sundown rides and the deadliest day in Tahoe boating history?

29:22 – Three hikers drowned at Rattlesnake Falls on the N. Fork American River. Juan Heredia – a free diver hero who retrieved the bodies.

32:20 – Complacency is dangerous. Always be on guard in the mountains because Mother Nature rules.

37:45 – Mono County Search and Rescue extracted a splitboarder who fell 1,000 feet off Mount Dana. 

39:00 – Ebikes, bad ideas and what’s healthier – no drinking and riding ebikes or drinking and riding mountain bikes?

44:05 – Recap of Bliss Wilderness and his teaching of Wilderness First Aid and being a First Responder. 

51:14 – Nevada State Parks survey for Spooner Lake State Park. Share your thoughts and ideas!

Surveymonkey.com/r/spoonerlakebackcountry or email [email protected] . Survey closes July 20. 

53:50 – Core Lord Call-Ins – Sean - @familysize – how do you go about rebounding from a crash on the mountain bike?

1:00:48 – Nate – Another name for Tourists – COD – Careless, Odd and Dangerous. He vehemently disagrees with DERPing UGGs.

1:05:45 – DOPE or DERP – Kellen on Insta – handguards on mountain bikes. 

1:14:20 – DOPE or DERP – The Ice Cream Man and his ice cream truck. 

1:17:40 – DOPE or DERP – Saving wildlife you find in your backyard. 

1:24:05 – The ice cream power move at camp. What are your favorite camping power moves?

1:26:30 – Shout out to Myles at Incline Spirits and Cigars in Incline Village. 

As summer riding season settles in amidst massive plumes of tree pollen and afternoon thunderstorms creating hero dirt conditions, the boys discuss a bunch of random topics from 888 COR LORD listener call-ins, emails and messages. The boys dope or derp a variety of topics from petunias and the wind to dogs on leashes, UGG boots, bike racks on motorcycles and flat versus clipless MTB pedals. The boys also draw parallels between all you can eat sushi and ski resort season passes, contemplate being struck by lightning while riding an e-bike and Trail Whisperer recaps his failed Mount Shasta ski attempt with the words “diarrhea and blisters”.

4:00 – Trail Whisperer skied Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak. Diarrhea and blisters.

9:30 – Lots of chatter and feedback from the Truckee River Public Waters episode.

13:25 – Tree pollen and the reproductive process of evergreen trees.

17:20 – Being struck by lightning while riding an e-bike.

20:35 – Whatcha been riding? Mount Hough, Sky Tavern, Boca/Verdi Ridge

36:00 – Where is Gordo on his PCT trek?

37:50 – Core Lord Call-Ins – Nate – Dope or Derp? – Listening to speaker playing Mind the Track while skiing or MTB in a crowded area.

40:06 – Sky Emerson – disagrees about the wind. Dope or Derp? – Petunias

45:00 – Wayneo – Dogs on leashes. Which MTB pedals do you prefer – Flat pedals or clipless and what brand do you ride?

58:00 – Neil – Dope or Derp? A bike rack on a motorcycle.

1:01:05 – Sam – Dope or Derp? Adult men wearing UGG boots outside the home.

1:07:50 – Dope or Derp? All you can eat sushi. Reno is the all you can eat sushi capital of the world.

1:15:20 – 2025 was the second busiest ski season in American history.

1:20:00 – Getting worse at your #1 sport while getting better at your #2 sport.

1:23:15 – Jackass Trail is back! No more Donkey Town trail. Truckee Dirt Union Loam Masters Rally was a huge hit.

Along one of the best stretches of the Truckee River for fishing, a private landowner in Hirschdale has been blocking legal public access by placing no trespassing signs below the high water mark of the river. Longtime Hirschdale resident Matt “Gilligan” Koles, who’s been a fly fishing guide on the Truckee River for more than two decades, has been fighting these illegally placed signs, as well as dealing with aggressive intimidation tactics involving drawn firearms by the landowner. The Truckee is considered a navigable river, meaning the public has legal access to the river below the high water mark. Nonetheless, the illegally placed signs have not moved, and the intimidation has scared most of the public away. In response, last fall, Matt and a group of fly fishing friends formed @truckeeriverpublicwaters – a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to protecting legal public access to the Truckee River. In Episode 63, the boys chat about the importance of the Truckee River, a bit of its history, a little about fishing and a lot about the access struggle community members in Hirschdale have been facing and what we as the public can do to ensure legal access is preserved.

2:00 – PowBot growing up fishing for Walleye and Northern Pike in Michigan.

7:25 – Trail Whisperer growing up fishing at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

13:00 – The importance of the Truckee River to the Reno/Tahoe region.

16:45 – Truckee River public access issues are happening in Hirschdale.

19:35 – The story of OTB and Deer Creek trail access issues.

24:00 – Public vs private land access issues and knowing your access rights.

27:35 – More reminiscing about Cape Hatteras.

29:10 – Whatcha been riding?

30:45 – Truckee River Trivia – the river doesn’t start in Lake Tahoe, there’s an Upper Truckee River.

31:35 – Introducing Matt “Gilligan” Koles and Truckee River Public Waters.

35:30 – Senator Newlands (Newlands Act) bought a bunch of land and diverted the Truckee River.

38:45 – Matt’s story moving to Hirschdale and creating Gilligan’s Guide Service.

43:30 – What makes the Truckee River so special for fly fishing?

46:10 – Lake Lahontan and the origins of the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout – a native prehistoric fish.

48:09 – Some unique facts about the Truckee River.

49:45 – The Paiute Tribe of Pyramid Lake, water rights, drought and the reservoir system feeding the Truckee River.

55:00 – Truckee River Public Waters – preserving public access along the Truckee River.

56:30 – The current public access issues people are facing currently in Hirschdale.

1:05:15 – The confusion over the “high water” mark on the Truckee River.

1:19:00 – The Hirschdale bridge is the main access point for the Tahoe Pyramid Trail.

1:22:00 – What should the public do regarding legal access to the river in Hirschdale?

1:25:30 – What if you get harassed by a landowner? What should you do?

1:32:16 – How can people help support Truckee River Public Waters?

1:34:25 – All fisherman are liars and the Truckee River is hard to catch big fish.

1:38:20 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

In an age where local journalism is struggling to survive, Lake Tahoe is fortunate to have Julie Brown Davis, a West Shore native and staff writer for SFGATE who exclusively covers Lake Tahoe. As the daughter of ski bums who moved to Tahoe in the 1970s, Julie grew up skiing Homewood and Alpine Meadows, worked her first journalism gig at the Sierra Sun and eventually became managing editor of Powder Magazine. After a handful of years as a freelancer, Julie has returned to her journalism roots as a staff reporter, and she isn’t afraid to take on the big, controversial stories. On Episode 62 the boys chat with Julie about stories including infamous bears, the crush of tourists amidst the changing face of Tahoe, the role of TRPA, the negative effects of the season ski pass from mega resorts, recent federal staffing cuts and the potential impacts it will have on Tahoe tourism, the effect AI has on journalism and why corn is the new pow.

2:15 – Happy Mother’s Day!

8:00 – Introducing Julie Brown Davis – professional journalist who works as the SFGATE Tahoe editor.

13:00 – Trail Whisperer and his former life as a freelance writer for Chevron.

14:20 – What kind of gasoline should you put in your vehicle?

19:00 - The problem with bears in Lake Tahoe and all the bear stories Julie has reported on.

29:20 – Julie’s youth growing up on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe in Tahoma.

35:42 – Julie’s path to getting into writing as a profession and her first job at the Sierra Sun and Tahoe World, later writing for Moonshine Ink and going to UC Berkeley for graduate school.

41:45 – Going from an unpaid intern to managing editor at Powder Magazine and Transworld.

46:46 – What print magazines and newspapers do you subscribe to?

52:14 – Being a full-time employee for SFGATE as the Lake Tahoe region beat reporter.

57:28 – Is there a sustainable future for recreation, traffic control and parking in Lake Tahoe?

1:00:20 – Is the cheap season pass from IKON and Vail Resorts good for mountain communities?

1:06:55 – What is a better model for digital media – paywall or free content that’s ad driven?

1:11:15 – Julie’s story about the history of Graeagle, California and the West family who owned Vikingsholm in Emerald Bay.

1:15:30 – Doing a story about the wolf pack situation in Plumas and Sierra County.

1:19:31 – Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make reporting quicker and easier, but it isn’t developed enough to replace good journalists.

1:22:20 – Reporting on federal staffing cuts to the U.S. Forest Service and the negative impact it will have on the summer tourism season in Lake Tahoe.

1:28:05 – Road construction, new bridges, new bike paths, tons of traffic and the TRPA transportation plan.

1:31:00 – Lightning round questions for Julie.

1:16:30 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

The 888 COR LORD phone line has lit up the last couple of weeks, and the boys address numerous calls from listeners with questions about backcountry skiing, DOPE or DERPs including wearing full Lycra while mountain biking in the backcountry, riding a splitboard inbounds at a ski resort, blasting music on a Bluetooth speaker while riding and tracking vert skied at a resort and posting to Strava. The boys also talk about the recent closure of all trails in and around Marlette Lake and Spooner Lake State Park for the next two summers and beating the tariff price increases coming with outdoor gear. Trail Whisperer gets chainsaw certified, ASS rants about people saying “could care less” instead of “couldn’t care less” and gets his first snowboard lesson from Pow Bot at Donner Ski Ranch. 

3:20 – Pow Bot gives Trail Whisperer snowboard lessons at Donner Ski Ranch. 

11:30 – You have to ride the chairlift to become a better skier before backcountry skiing. And if you want to be a better mountain biker, don’t ride the chairlift.

18:20 – Trail Whisperer gets chainsaw certified by the U.S. Forest Service.

21:50 – Pow Bot starts riding his mountain bike after spring skiing burnout and Trail Whisperer almost gets attacked by a swarm of bees. 

25:50 – Listener feedback and 888 COR LORD call-ins – Fritz from Calpine – Kirkwood closing day, pond skimming. 

31:10 – Shred the Gnerd – wants to get into backcountry splitboarding and is seeking advice about what to do in the off-season to prepare. 

37:26 – Mystery Non-NARP – DOPE or DERP – Full Lycra kit in the backcountry?

46:10 – Gordo – about to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail over the next 5 months and a bit about the book “Born to Run” and the 5 finger shoes.

52:20 – Steve emailed us about the 10 Shredmandments and people doing dumb things.

56:30 – Nevada State Parks shuts down all trails around Marlette Lake for two years.

1:03:10 – Washoe County Releases Mount Rose recreational trails survey – 

https://engage.zencity.io/washoe-county-nv/en/engagements/580ebe44-fd70-4b4d-a9e2-bc0c593d55f6?utm_medium=referral

1:04:50 – How are you going to beat the increase in outdoor gear costs due to tariffs?

1:09:00 – DOPE or DERP – Riding a splitboard at a ski resort.

1:12:55 – DOPE or DERP – Tracking vert skied at a resort and posting to Strava.

1:16:25 – DOPE or DERP – Bluetooth speakers while riding.

1:21:30 – ASS RANT – could care less vs couldn’t care less. 

1:23:55 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – Ethiopian Jazz – Mulatu Estatke. Shout out to Myles at Incline Spirits.

Few families in the Lake Tahoe region have had more of a positive impact on recreation than the Fish family. Ben and Amy revived the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) in 2010, and started both the 60-mile Rose to Toads epic and Corral Night Ride. Their son Max, about the same age as TAMBA, grew up alongside the organization, and as soon as he could walk, he was on two wheels in dirt, two sticks on snow and a trail tool in hand working last year as a paid employee at Bijou Bike Park, a park designed by Ben. Since November 2016, Ben and Max have skied and snowboarded every month through pow, ice, corn, sun cups, rocks, man-made snow and even the Caldor Fire, reaching 100 consecutive months in February. On Episode 60, the Fish family talks all about TAMBA, the process of their 100-month snow adventure, the importance of bike parks and adventuring together as a family.  

2:00 – It’s Corntastic! Trail Whisperer makes his first turns as a snowboarder.

4:30 – Recording at Kirkwood at the Reid household with Ben, Amy and Max Fish.

9:00 – Ben and Amy started Rose to Toad’s and Corral Night Ride.

11:45 – The history of Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA).

15:53 – Max recalls his earliest memories with TAMBA and Bijou Bike Park.

17:30 – The concept of “radical families” – not letting children slow parents down from having adventures.  

20:30 – Max talks about The Smaine Fund - created in memory of Kyle Smaine - and becoming a ski racer.

22:45 – Recounting 100 consecutive months of skiing and snowboarding, starting in November 2016. Only 6 months were not in the Sierra Nevada.

26:26 – Dave Webster - “The Daily Wavester” – surfed every day for 40 years, catching at least 3 waves each day, totaling 43,923 waves.

29:30 – What patches of snow in the Sierra Nevada hold the longest into the summer?  

31:25 – Skiing during the Caldor Fire.

33:30 – Using ebikes to access ski areas like Heavenly, Tioga Pass and Mount Lola.

35:25 – Some of Ben’s favorite memories from 100 months of skiing.

38:30 – What have they seen over the last 8 years with snowpack and climate change?

46:30 – Max’s love of the Gunbarrel 25 event at Heavenly and Kurt’s experience at the Gunbarrel.

53:00 – Max’s transition from freeriding to competitive ski racing.

54:30 – Odd mountain biking footwear – Tevas, cowboy boots, Vans and five finger shoes.

57:10 – Max working last summer as a paid employee at the Bijou Bike Park and Ben’s work as a landscape architect in designing the bike park.

1:00:00 – The importance of bike parks to a community and to developing skills.

1:03:35 – Do you feel more comfortable jumping through the air on skis or on bikes?

1:07:50 – Amy wants to learn to play drums and her long, stupid ride exploits.

1:10:45 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – What are you listening to right now and when Ben and Amy met at a punk ska show in high school.

1:14:45 – The concept of learning a new sport and getting better and Trail Whisperer’s experience making his first turns as a snowboarder.

1:19:55 – What new sport or hobby would you like to learn? Most want to learn wing foiling, e-foiling and wake foiling.

1:23:30 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

1:26:30 – New trails TAMBA is working on to get excited about – Lost Lake, Meeks Ridge, General Creek are highlights.