Fair warning: Mike's a talker, in the best possible way. Our conversation meanders back and forth through his work background, and each turn reveals another piece of the puzzle that's come together to create the "Mountain Bike Stage Race World Championship" event. He's also running the Vail Outlier, a consumer mountain bike festival that's quickly established itself as a major late-season event. Oh, and he's running a PR firm that works with some of the top brands in the cycling industry. If you're looking to create and run an event, whether sporting or a business seminar or lifestyle retreat, there is a ton of hard won knowledge in here.