Hailing from the rolling foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, Randy has made his mark in both the ultra-distance running and bikepacking communities. Known by many as the "spiritual heartbeat of Arkansas bikepacking", Randy’s infectious energy and unwavering resilience have earned him a well-deserved reputation as an adventurer who brings his personality and his passion to every mile.

This past October, Randy completed the full course of the Arkansas High Country Race with a time of 8 days, 7 hours, and 3 minutes. Although this wasn’t Randy’s best performance on the course from a historical perspective…what’s most interesting is that Randy has logged over 2,800 miles on the route since 2021, earning him local legend status across the Ozark and Ouachita Mountain ranges.

What I admire most about Randy is how his self-expression and personality bleeds into the bikes he rides, the bags he runs, the patches that are sewn onto those bags, the photographs he captures and shares, the Spotify playlists he curates, and the smiles and warm reception he elicits from the community. 

During this conversation, Randy and I chat about his experience during this year’s Arkansas High Country Race and how he first learned about the event. We cover some memorable and not so memorable moments from Randy’s 2024 season. We chat about Randy’s previous life as an ultra-distance runner and how it has influenced and informed his bikepacking career. We chat about ‘intention’ and how Randy, and other racers, navigate this complex mental state. And lastly Randy gets his turn to ask myself some questions about this year’s bikepacking adventures.

My guests today are Tanner Frady and Dave Easley from Oklahoma City, OK. Tanner and Dave are ultra-distance cyclists, their single-speeders, and, given their relatively short racing career, have already reached impressive milestones. Between the two of these guys…Tanner and Dave have accumulated thousands of miles racing events like MidSouth, East TX Showdown, Osage Passage XL, Kansas Cannonball 500, Rule of 3, Ozark Gravel DOOM, and the Arkansas High Country Race.

In this conversation Tanner and Dave talk about how they each found their way to ultra-distance racing and how the bike has served as a vessel of transformation for the both of them. We discuss the upcoming event Mega MidSouth (starting this Wednesday, September 18th) and how Tanner and Dave test rode the course during its development, we talk about the subculture of single speed racers hailing from the state of Oklahoma and the legends that exist within that community, and finally we discuss Tanner and Dave’s preparation, expectations, and dreams for the Arkansas HIgh Country Race coming up on October 5th.

I’ve previously mentioned that bike packing and ultra-distance racing has brought many new friends and a supportive, welcoming community. Tanner and Dave are prime examples of this community and are two friends that I’m forever grateful to know…

Joining me for today’s conversation is none other than Jen Swartout. Jen lives in Bella Vista, AR and, in March of this year, completed the daunting DESPAIR course as part of Ozark Gravel DOOM.

Jen’s story and overall perspective is an intriguing one. Jen’s been riding bikes as a hobby cyclist for almost 20 years but really didn’t start her journey into bikepacking and ultra-distance events until recently. Jen is also a ride leader for Femmes Gravel in Northwest Arkansas which is a community of female-identifying riders with a mission of empowering, inspiring, and training women to achieve their first 100 mile bike ride. 

As a quote/unquote beginner bikepacker, Jen has served as an inspiration and role model for other women who are interested in joining the sport. In this conversation Jen and I reminisce about her entrance into bikepacking and what aspects of the community resonated with her, we chat about her involvement with Femmes Gravel, her experience during the torturous but rewarding Ozark Gravel DESPAIR course, and finally we chat about the ‘Women of the High Country’ and Jen’s plans to tackle the 430 mile Central Loop of the Arkansas High Country Race this October.

I truly enjoyed catching up with Jen, listening to her story of transformation by bike, and getting excited for her adventure coming up this fall.

My guest on the show today is Alex Kowalski. If that name rings familiar it’s probably because you 'followed the dots' during this year’s 2024 Tour Divide. Not only did Alex leverage his infectious attitude and good vibes to capture the hearts of dot-watchers and Instagram followers alike, he did so while ultimately winning the single-speed category with a total time of 17 days 22 hours and 16 minutes. And the most impressive part was that Alex did all of this on his rookie attempt on the course.

For those who may be new to the scene, the Tour Divide is a 2,700 mile bikepacking course that traverses the spine of the Rocky Mountains from Banff, Alberta down to the US/Mexico border crossing in Antelope Wells, NM. For ultra-distance athletes, this race serves as a bucket list event that requires years of training and accumulated experience to complete.

I first met Alex earlier this year when we raced East TX Showdown and Ozark Gravel DOOM & Despair together. I’d known of Alex for a while before that while following his adventures on the Ouachita Triple Crown, The New Colo, and many other high-level courses. Alex seemed to be pushing himself consistently all while maintaining such a positive, joyful attitude. 

Last Friday, I was able to sit down and catch up with Alex and his dog Luna as they traveled from Fayetteville, AR through St. Louis, MO on their way to Michigan. During this episode, Alex takes us through his experiences on the Tour Divide, how this year’s single-speed category competition unfolded, why riding single-speed resonates with him so much, and his intention to tackle the Triple Crown of bikepacking later this year. Stoked to know Alex, stoked for the conversation we had, and stoked for everyone to listen.

My guest today is Dr. Chanel Mitchell aka Chanel Tsunami from St. Louis, MO. Chanel is many things but labels herself as a disruptor. As a member of The Regulators Cycling Club and ambassador for Ride For Racial Justice, Chanel is continuously finding ways to disrupt the norm, create sustaining change, and provide more opportunities for BIPOC cyclists. As a plus-sized woman, Chanel has also proven that the cycling community welcomes everyone no matter your race, gender identity, or body style.

Aiding Chanel in her quest for disruption is the fact that she also possesses her Doctorate in Philosophy in Social Work as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Behavioral Therapist, and Adjunct Professor. Not only is Chanel healing her community as a professional but she’s finding ways to do it from the saddle of her bike.

In this conversation Chanel and I cover the early days of her discovering and riding a bike, the intersection between life as a LCSW and her involvement in cycling, how Chanel serves as an agent of change for marginalized groups of people, and finally we talk about Chanel’s plans for an exciting 2024 season.

My guest today is someone I stumbled upon rather naturally. Over the last few weeks I’ve been reflecting on my journey as an athlete especially while preparing for UltraMegaJoy in March of next year. For those who weren’t aware, I spent several years as a competitive powerlifter and strongman athlete post graduate school. However, once I found the bicycle the rest was history. And I’ve always wanted to chat with someone about this athletic progression and, low and behold, Nino Giganti arrived at the forefront of my brain.

I first met Nino through a mutual friend in St. Louis and he’s been someone I’ve kept in touch with off and on over the last few years. As I got to know Nino a little more, I discovered he also came from the realm of strength sports and, much like yours truly, recently discovered all the joy to be had while riding and racing a bike. So, I texted Nino, got him to say yes to this mess and, before I knew it, we had another episode recorded and ready for publishing. 

In this conversation, Nino and I wax nostalgic about our powerlifting days and how we both ended up ditching the weight room for long days in the saddle. Nino also takes me through his formative years as a strength athlete and the people and events responsible for converting him from muscle man to an accomplished cyclist. However the most enlightening part of the conversation comes when Nino discusses his recent move from Missouri to Utah and how that transition has continued to influence his progression as a cyclist and budding bikepacker. Lastly, Nino shares an intimate story about how he was able to more deeply connect with himself and his late father during his 6 day, 600 mile bikepacking trip across the state of Utah. This conversation with Nino really resonated with me and I think it’ll hit home with you…

My guest today is Stephanie Hall. Stephanie is someone I met a few years ago at the Arkansas High Country Race and has been someone I’ve admired and enjoyed keeping up with as the calendar turns. Plain and simple, Stephanie is an ultra distance athlete and is someone who continues to push the envelope on what’s possible during the events she’s competing in.

In this conversation Stephanie and I discuss her recent move from Austin, TX to Vermont and what that transition has been like for her, we chat about her experiences at Vermont Super 8, we chat about how Stephanie manages life and racing bikes as a Type 1 diabetic, we dive into some mental health related topics, and then finally we close the conversation with Stephanie’s plans for the 2024 season.

My guest today is Mike Weiss, owner and founder of Big Shark Bicycle Company located right here in St. Louis, MO. If you ride or race bikes in St. Louis there’s a very significant chance you’ve come across an organized event or race that is sponsored and supported by Big Shark. With three store-front locations in the St. Louis area Big Shark’s mission has always been to share the adventure and passion of cycling with members of all age groups. 

Not only is Mike the owner and founder of Big Shark but he’s also a founding member of the American Criterium Cup, a Professional Crit Series composed of several races held across the United States.

In this conversation Mike and I talk about the history of Big Shark, how it was founded, and what motivated Mike to take the leap of opening the shop at 23 years of age. We also touch on the oral history of cycling in St. Louis, the people who laid the foundation for our community, we hit on some of Mike’s personal racing experiences, and lastly we wrap up the conversation with the history of Gateway Cup and how Mike sees criterium racing, and the American Criterium Cup, evolving in the coming years.

It was a pleasure sitting down with Mike for this conversation however I felt like we simply scratched the surface of the stories, history, experience and knowledge that he possesses.

My guest today is Olivia Reeve from St. Louis, MO. Olivia and I sat down earlier this week to celebrate and discuss her recent signing with Women's Domestic Elite cycling team, United Cycling.

In this episode we dive into Olivia's journey from a Category C racer at Tuesday Night World's to competing in the Women's Pro peloton. We also discuss how Olivia plans to find balance between her professional and athletic careers next season,  her past athletic experiences, and what the process of joining United Cycling looked like.

At just 23 years old, Olivia's wisdom, character, and unwavering drive for success are truly impressive, and I believe listeners will find her story inspiring.

Back again to tell us their personal tales of the Arkansaw High Country Race are my good friends Zach Smith and Matthew Roeleveld.

Zach and Matthew raced the South Loop this year which features 487 miles of gorgeous, backcountry Arkansawyer roads mixed with a healthy 32,000 foot dose of elevation gain. In Part 2 of Talkin' High Country, Zach and Matthew revel us with their experiences while on the course, the long days and longer nights they endured, the new friendships they forged, and their renewed sense of appreciation and connection for riding bikes in Arkansaw.

I couldn't be more proud of these two for their valiant efforts and I hope you enjoy this intimate conversation with two of my closest friends!