Ride Buddies

Gravel cycling's favorite dad, Ted King, and bikepacking's favorite philosophy professor, Joe Cruz, sit down in Ted's cozy living room for an IRL chat.

On the surface, it might not seem that a former WorldTour pro and a bikepacking-infatuated philosophy professor have much in common, but the two were so motivated to record an episode in person that Joe drove 2.5 hours north to meet Ted in his home. As it turns out, they've been on each other's radars for a while. Ever the obsessive and thoughtful route designer, Joe poured over maps of Vermont to help craft what would become known as Ted's legendary VT-XL ride in 2020, a 310-mile/+35,000' homage to the Dirty Kanza (presently known as Unbound Gravel), which he rode as a DIY substitute to that year's event. Joe then went on to write about it on Bikepacking.com.

With that unique collaboration as a backdrop to their meeting, the two discuss a wide range of topics in this episode, covering everything from the type of riding they're both inspired by these days, to being early adopters of social media as a tool for inspiring and building community; they touch on Lael Wilcox's recent Arizona Trail FKT attempt and some of the controversy surrounding what it means to be "self-supported"; they discuss the value of rides that leave you so tired and hungry that they cause the constructs of daily life to fade away; and ultimately, they share the notion that people are fundamentally good and want to take care of each other, which seems to be especially true in the congruent worlds of gravel cycling and bikepacking.

It's a great conversation between two of cycling's most interesting and inspiring personalities, so sit back and tune in, you're in for a great ride.

Full episode recap: https://ridewithgps.com/journal/6363-ride-buddies-episode-8

In Episode 7, Master of Stoke and all-around bike adventurer, Chas "Not Chas" Christiansen, chats with Stagecoach 400 organizer and tattoo artist extraordinaire, Meg Knobel.

If you follow us online, you’ve probably seen Chas’s permanently smiling face - he’s one of our ambassadors, an artist, ex-bike messenger and alley cat racer, and in recent years has become a full-blown adventure and endurance cyclist. The guy is always on the move and always brings the stoke. For real, he’s got a seemingly infinite supply of good vibes and positive energy.

His partner in conversation for this episode is Meg Knobel. In the long-distance mountain biking world, she’s a bit of a legend. Official organizer and matriarch of the iconic Stagecoach 400 MTB race, she’s also an incredibly talented tattoo artist based in San Diego.

After racing the Stagecoach 400 last year, Chas was excited to compare notes about this year's route and together they share tons of useful tips for taking on the legendary MTB endurance race. So if you’re doing the race or just curious, there’s a whole lot of good info here. They also talk about tattoos. They talk about their obsession with their cats. And they generally swap a bunch of great stories about their various cycling endeavors. So saddle up and tune in, you’re in for a great ride with these two.

GET THE EPISODE RECAP HERE: https://ridewithgps.com/journal/5719-ride-buddies-episode-7

For our sixth episode of Ride Buddies, the stars magically aligned and we get to enjoy a rare IRL sit-down between two of ultra cycling’s greats: Lael Wilcox and Kait Boyle. Despite months of recent travel, they both just so happened to be in Tucson at the same time. So...we decided to hit the record button.

In this conversation, the two talk about witnessing the devastation of climate change, cringe over Kait’s recent hydration woes on the AZT (check it out on Instagram - it's gnarly). They bond over bushwhacking through countless races, and dissect the nuances of deciding when it's time to bow out. It's the type of conversation only these two could have so saddle up and tune in, you're in for a great ride.

GET THE EPISODE RECAP HERE: https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports/5594-ride-buddies-episode-6

The professor meets cycling’s alt kid. For our fifth episode, we welcome Australian cycling pro Lachlan Morton and ultra endurance veteran Kurt Refsnider. While they have corresponded for years, this was as close as an IRL meeting as the two have ever gotten. In this episode of Ride Buddies, the two cyclists talk about falling in love with biking, their worst and best ultra cycling experiences, wild sleep-deprived hallucinations, and more.

GET THE EPISODE RECAP HERE: https://ridewithgps.com/journal/5554-ride-buddies-episode-5

Our first Live and IRL episode! In the fourth episode of the Ride Buddies conversation series, we caught up with All Bodies on Bikes advocate Marley Blonsky and Pittsburgh’s Major Taylor Cycling Club President, Shequaya Bailey LIVE at the SBT GRVL event in August.

A longtime advocate for larger bodies on bikes, Marley Blonsky and her message skyrocketed to fame when Shimano released its “All Bodies on Bikes” video this past March. Shequaya Bailey, meanwhile, also spends a lot of her time advocating for inclusivity but with a focus on the BIPOC community. United in a dream for a more inclusive, accepting and safe cycling community, Blonsky and Bailey work tirelessly to get more folks in the saddle and change the industry, one event or one additional clothing size at a time. They sit on boards, lead rides, head organizations, write emails, attend events throughout the country yet somehow they still found the time to sit down to chat.

Strangers until this recording, Blonsky and Bailey cover a lot of proverbial ground including their newbie mountain biking woes, ‘the Booty mantra’, a PSA to please wear helmets on the bike (and on the toilet, apparently!), and how to feel safe on a solo bikepacking trip.

LISTEN/SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

Spotify: https://bit.ly/ride-buddies-spotify-p...

Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/ride-buddies-itunes-po...

YouTube: https://bit.ly/ride-buddies-youtube

GET THE EPISODE RECAP HERE: https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports/...

In the third episode of the Ride Buddies conversation series, Rebecca “The Queen of Pain” Rusch and decorated paracyclist Megan Fisher share the harder side of (sporting) life — as well as some hearty laughs, too!

These two incredible women have spent their careers redefining what people are capable of. Together they share a lengthy palmares of world titles, Paralympic medals, Guinness world book records and, even, an Emmy Award.

Rebecca and Meg talk about overcoming obstacles, finding strength in the struggle, Betsy the wonder dog, winning races in order to eat, and crushing a male ego or two.

Get the full episode recap here: https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports/5451-ride-buddies-episode-3

Pantless hike-a-bikes, epic journeys, and so much laughter. We handed the mic over to off-road cyclists Sarah Sturm and Sarah Swallow, who will definitely keep you entertained for the next 40 minutes.

In this second episode of the Ride Buddies conversation series, the two Sarahs connect over their many similarities (name, sponsors and Durango-living), dissect the merits of different race formats, and swap hilarious stories of recent adventures.

Get the full episode recap here: https://ridewithgps.com/journal/5407-ride-buddies-episode-2

Welcome to Episode 1 of Ride Buddies! In this episode, Jenny and James cover a lot of interesting ground: from Jenny's world record as the fastest female to cycle unsupported around the world to James's impressive endurance race podium finishes. They talk about what it's like to ride through the night to see the next day's sunrise. They discuss their different approaches to doing what is ultimately the same thing (going really fast on really, really long bike rides). They crack countless jokes. They laugh...a lot. And they also reflect on life lessons they've learned along the way.

We've got nothing but respect for both of them and hopefully you're just as excited as we were to listen. So saddle up and tune in 'cause you're in for a great ride with these two.

Full episode recap here: https://ridewithgps.com/journal/5385-ride-buddies-episode-1