Scott Bowden set out two weeks ago to tackle a 580km route across Tasmania. His goal was to beat Payson’s FKT from 2021, but most importantly, he just wanted to finish. With 11,000 meters of elevation, multiple river crossings, all types of weather, and punishing terrain, the route is brutal to say the least, and when Scott found himself struggling to keep his body temperature, he thought about pulling the plug. In the end, he did finish, and he joins Payson to swap war stories. 

Before discussing the ride, however, they talk about how Scott got there in the first place. He began his cycling career in XC, and even competed in the Olympics in 2016. After transitioning to pro road racing in Europe, however, his career was cut short by several factors caused by the pandemic. After moving back home to Tassie, he started a new chapter, both on the bike and off. 

This episode is brought to you by MAAP, TrainingPeaks, and Osprey. 

Watch Payson's new film Crossings: New Zealand here.

Watch Crossing Tasmania here. 

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