My Back 40

I have something a little different for you this week.

A friend connected me with Anne-Marie and Abby Berger who needed a place to reset and do some laundry. Both of these women have spent the last couple of years on the road exploring in their vans and working remotely.

I figured it was going to be a great opportunity to do a podcast to talk about the meaning people get from this lifestyle. I talk about community a lot on the podcast and It goes without saying that community extends into all of our lives whether it's bikepacking, van life, martial arts - the list goes on.

I may not be able to live the van life at this time in my life, but connecting with and helping Anne-Marie and Abby out connects me to their community. It feels good to help.

It is said that the epidemic of isolation has become one of the primary causes of poor mental health in our society. Being alone is one thing, but feeling lonely and isolated erodes our souls. Human beings are wired for connection so when this aspect of our lives is missing, we can feel out of balance. Reach out to a friend today and feel connected again.

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

Jenifer reached out to me a couple of weeks ago wanting to have a chat. Here's what she wrote in her message to me.

"My name is Jennifer, I am the owner of Ignite Health Coaching and Wellness based in Canmore. I help endurance athletes to support their mental health beyond exercise. Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are all too common in endurance athletes, but it’s often not talked about as it’s expected that regular exercise should be enough. It’s my goal to open these conversations so that endurance athletes recognize that they’re not alone and to give them strategies and tools to support their mental health so they can stop hiding behind their sport and start feeling like themselves again."

This resonated with me as I feel as though many of us head out on these adventure because we're running from something. Not always the case of course. We talk about various tools that can be sued to tackle anxiety on our day to day lives. We also get into forming healthy habits in order to cultivate a peaceful environment.

I really enjoyed this conversating and I hope you do too!

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

The last time Trish was on the podcast we had a fantastic conversation and this time around did not disappoint.

I was out on a ride and I sent her a voice message asking if she'd be okay if we dove deep on a couple of topics. This made for a really fun and flowing chat. We talk about her finishing the The Big Sky Spectaculaire, a 1500km route with 12,555m of gain. She finished in 7 days. 12 people signed up, 6 people started and 3 people finished. She shares a few stories about her adventure, trail magic and people. Trish is a great story teller.

Later in the podcast, I make a pretty hard pivot to talk about her sobriety. She shares the why behind it and we discuss how substance use can be a slippery slope that can easily turn into a coping mechanism.

In this podcast I mention a couple of books and podcasts that I have indulged in lately. They are:

Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

The Alter Ego Effect

The Lex Friedman Podcast with Joscha Bach

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to @pinkweaselcoffeeco for the caffeination.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

I love podcasting because it gives a platform where the listener feels like a fly on the wall, listening to two people getting to know one another. Fred Chagnon contacted me a few weeks ago to highlight the lack of chat about Randonneuring on the Podcast. Well then, we should talk about it.

Fred was a fantastic guest and shared a lot about his work, personal life, and the meaning he gets from the sport of Randonneuring. He explains the differences as well as the similarities between Rando and Bikepacking. We geek out about guitar and drums and discuss the Information Technology industry. It was an awesome chat, and I hope you enjoy getting to know Fred Chagnon as much as I did.

Fred also has a blog. https://randorambles.blogspot.com/ so please check that out and make sure you subscribe.

You know that I ask for voice intros all the time. I'd love to hear from you, so don't be shy. Whip out your device, record me something, and send it to [email protected].

Find value in the podcast? Please join my Patreon to get early access to the podcast and some extra tidbits from time to time. Thanks in advance for your support.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

Keep the Rubber Side Down.

In this episode I speak with Jocelyn De La Rosa about his 2023 Lost Elephant experience.

Jocelyn was riding head to head with winner, Meaghan Hackinen when suddenly his dot stopped moving. It then starting moving west and off route. I wanted to get the story and it's a good one indeed!

I have crossed paths with Jocelyn a number of times in the last few years, but we never had the opportunity to shoot the shit. Bikepacker, randonneur, coder and all around good guy - It was great to get to know him and I hope you get to know him better in this conversation.

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

This week I have a conversation with Jay Petervary about his new project, Great Divide Ride Unearthed. 

Jay is planning an ITT of the American Cycling Association's official GD route which starts in Jasper Alberta. The mission:

"To inspire others to use the bicycle to benefit their physical and mental health; to pursue their dreams; to do challenging things; to think outside the box and follow a passion.
I am also riding on behalf of the Be Good Foundation. All donations will be dispersed through the Be Good Foundation to bikepack scholarships and other affiliated bike non-profits."

We chat about gear, the meaning Jay gets from pushing his limits, and what the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route means to him as well as other topics.

I had some hardware issues during this episode but got them ironed out during the chat. Audio quality has always been super important to me, but as Jay put it, "It's raw."

To support the podcast, please join my Patreon or visit my sponsors.

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

July 22, 2023, I headed out to Fairmont BC to meet up with folks racing the Lost Elephant Bikepacking Race here in the East Kootenays.

Similar to the 2023 Divide, I brought the recorder with me to meet and chat with riders as they rolled into the only resupply they would see for the next 390km. This is a format that I enjoy and I hope you do too. My goal for the podcast has always been to make you feel like a fly on the wall listening to a long format conversation. Head out for a long one and pop the buds in.

This was a challenging podcast to mix as there was a lot of audio to go through and stitch together. I hope it flows nicely for you and of course I hope you enjoy it.

To support my work and get early access to episodes, please consider subscribing over on Patreon.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

In this episode of the podcast, I’m speaking with John Ogrodniczuk Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the University of British Columbia Psychotherapy Program, one of North America’s largest medically based psychotherapy training programs. John also heads up the Men’s Mental Health Organization HeadsUpGuys. Launched in 2015, their team of clinicians, researchers, and mental health advocates bring together their expertise and personal experiences to provide men with this unique resource.

John’s research focuses on a variety of psychotherapies and patient populations, with a particular focus on personality disorders and men’s mental health. Dr. Ogrodniczuk has held several grants to support his research, which has led to over 300 scientific publications.

The catalyst of this conversation was a paper that John and his colleagues published titled “Silence and its Manifestations in Men’s mental illness.” You’ll often hear me preach the importance of reaching out for help when in need and this conversation explores why many men suffer in silence.

Topics include. Masculine norms, the overcompensation of norms leading to maladaptive masculinity, society's expectations of men, the underrepresentation of men in mental health studies, the importance of recognizing the signs of men who are struggling and how vital it is to connect with these men, substance abuse, how the lack of support for men’s mental health has an adverse effect on society and other topics.

We cover a lot in this podcast, and I truly hope you find value in this important topic. I’m going to ask this again - No matter who are, if there’s a man in your life who is struggling, reach out to him. With a simple text, phone call, or conversation, you could be saving a life.

Please visit HeadsUpGuys.org to learn more about the program and do donate.

In this podcast episode, I explore a couple of voice intros and delve into some thoughts that have occupied my mind recently.

I am aware that it's been a while, and I want to express my gratitude for your patience. I tend to place a great deal of pressure on myself to release episodes as regularly as possible. I hope my absence didn't cause any concern. The podcast holds immense significance to me, just like each and every one of you.

Incorporating voice intros into my podcasting has been a tradition since my Bikepack Canada days. It adds a sense of interaction and an extra layer to the podcast that I genuinely cherish. It allows listeners to greet and provides me with an opportunity to connect with the community. If you'd like to contribute, simply grab your device, record a message, and email it to me.

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

Something a little different this week. Last week I hung out at the 2023 Tour Divide Grand Depart to take in the energy, and to wander around with my recorder to talk to people from around the globe as they get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.

It was such an exciting time for everyone. I also had the chance to meet previous MB40 guests in real life. Folks like Chris Wheeler, John and Mira as well as Steve Halligan. I met Steve in Canmore and we rode together to the start, which was a massive highlight for me.

I am pretty picking about audio quality and this one needed a lot of work but I think I got it to a good place. Enjoy this sneak peak into the 2023 Tour Divide Grand Depart.

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40

Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.

Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.

Visit Rollingdale Cycle

Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.

Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!