Bikes or Death
Bikes or Death is a podcast centered around the growing sport of bikepacking, adventure cycling, and the outdoors. The show features the amazing people who participate in these activities and contribute so greatly to the cycling community. The Bikes or Death Podcast is dedicated to sharing the stories and experiences of these individuals with the hopes that it inspires others to get outside, get on their bikes, and experience what our natural world has waiting for them. At its heart Bikes or Death is more than just a podcast. Bikes or Death is a lifestyle. It's the idea that a life without bikes is a life not worth living.
Episodes
Ep. 216 ~ Anna Claire Beasley, No Big Bend Wall
In 2019, I joined a group of students from Texas Tech on a five-day bikepacking trip through Big Bend Ranch State Park. That trip is where I met Anna Claire. On the morning of day two, she and I sat down to record Episode 6 of the Bikes or Death Podcast. That conversation provides important context for today's episode, as it showcases AC's longstanding love for Big Bend. We play a clip from it in
Ep. 215 ~ Meaghan Hackinen, New Tour Divide FKT
Meaghan Hackinen just made history on the Tour Divide, completing the 2026 Grand Depart in 14 days, 10 hours, and 2 minutes. In the process, she lowered the previous fastest women's time, set by Austin Killips during a 2024 ITT, by more than 13 hours. She also improved her own Grand Depart record by nearly 37 hours, one of the largest leaps we've ever seen at the front of the sport. For a full wri
Ep. 214 ~ Daniel "Dirty Dan" Connell, Pacific Coast FKT
Daniel Connell, aka "Dirty Dan" is fresh off setting a new FKT on the Pacific Coast route from Alaska to the Mexican border. Dan ripped down the coast on his new, yet-to-be-released Trek Domane, setting a new time to beat: 6 days, 15 hours, 53 minutes. What some people may not know is that Dan is also preparing for a Guinness Book of World Records attempt on the Pan-American Route from Prudhoe
Ep. 213 ~ Maddy Nutt, Traka 560 FKT
Maddy Nutt just made her mark on ultra-cycling in her very first attempt at this year's Traka 560. She is no stranger to big efforts on the bike — or The Traka itself. Over the previous three years she competed in the 360km event, notably finishing 7th last year despite tearing her AC ligament only 100km into the race. She's also raced some of the biggest gravel events in the world including Unbou
BONUS: RYDB Fest Preview
We're gearing up for the second edition of RYDB Fest in Fayetteville, AR. In today's episode, we're breaking down everything you can expect this year. So what is RYDB Fest? A bike festival? An ultra-cycling race? A friendly bikepacking overnighter? The answer is: yes. RYDB Fest is an open invitation to ride your damn bike, any damn way you want. Built by the bikepacking community, for bikepack
Ep. 212 ~ Live From the Bikepacking Campout at Sea Otter
Something new came to Sea Otter this year, and I went to get the scoop. Sea Otter is widely regarded as the largest bike expo in the world, but calling it a "bike expo" doesn't quite cover it. With over 70,000 attendees, 1,000+ brands and exhibitors, and 10,000+ athletes competing across a huge variety of races, it's… a lot. And with all of that, it's hard to imagine anything was missing. Ente
Ep. 211 ~ Jacob Ashton, World Tour | DOOM | ETS
Can you imagine packing up everything you own on a bicycle, riding away from your home with plans to cycle the world over the next four years? Now imagine it's your first bike tour. That's exactly what Jacob Ashton did in 2016 when he rolled away from his home in Idaho. Over the next four years, he would cover roughly 77,000 miles, visit 100 countries, and ride across six continents. His travel
Ep. 210 ~ Tyler "Freakin" Reynolds, Texas Slowdown SS Triple Star
Tyler "Freakin" Reynolds and the First Texas Triple Star In 2025 the Texas Triple Star was born. Complete all three events in the Texas Showdown Series, in the same category, within a calendar year, and you'll earn a handmade belt buckle crafted by Texas builder Kyle Gilbert. Last year the series became official with the addition of West Texas Showdown, and seven riders stepped up to attempt the f
Ep. 209 ~ Kurt Refsnider, First to ride the 5,000 mile Orogenesis Route
My guest today is someone who is no stranger to the front of the field. A perennial podium finisher as a professional mountain biker, and over the past decade-plus one of the most accomplished ultra-endurance cyclists on the planet, he has first-place finishes at the Tour Divide, AZT, CTR, and many many more. The truth is, I'd need to create an entirely new podcast series to fully unpack the rang
Ep. 208 ~ Turning the Mic Around: Eric House Interviews Me
We're kicking off the year with a special guest—Eric House! We met up in the Sam Houston National Forest for a bit of a role reversal; this time, Eric took the mic to interview me. I gave him free rein to ask anything, resulting in a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from the silly to the serious. The heart of our chat focused on the last six years of work that culminated in 2025 w
Ep. 207 ~ Kyle & Hannah - West Texas Showdown, 1st & 2nd Overall
For the past five years, the Texas Showdown Series has been slowly, inevitably, drifting west. We started in the dense, pine-soaked forests of East Texas, moved through the rugged limestone of the Hill Country, but the destination was always clear: Big Bend. Few landscapes in the world capture the heart and soul the way West Texas does. For those willing to push themselves to the edge, something
Ep. 206 ~ Central Texas Showdown w/ Andrea Roelofs & Javian Quinones
We're 60 days out from the 3rd annual Central Texas Showdown grand depart, so let's talk about it! To talk about CTS I brought in a couple experts. Andrea Roelofs has participated in the Central Texas Lowdown the first 2 years. And Javian Quinones has participated in the East Texas Slowdown and came in 5th place this last year at the Central Texas Showdown. I'm stoked to have both of them in the
Ep. 205 ~ Rockstar Women, hosted by Kayla Hall
Today on the Bikes or Death podcast it's all about the ladies! For the first time ever I turned the microphone, and podcast, over to the talented Kayla Hall who guest hosted today's episode! Her guests for today's podcast are Abi Snyder, Jenny Klecak, and Leila Husain, who among other things, participated in this year's Rockstar Challenge. A 270ish mile, singletrack focused, backcountry bikepa
Ep. 204 ~ Andrew Onermaa, Tour Divide 1st Place Singlespeed
This year's Tour Divide was one for the books - and the record books. With good weather and a very competitive field we saw dots moving so faster than anything we'd seen before, putting all the previous FKT's in potential jeopardy. Among those dots was Andrew Onermaa who was taking on the Tour Divide for the first time, and on a singlespeed! For much of the race Andrew's dot was ahead of the 2016
Ep. 203 ~ Arkansas Graveler with Ariel & Patrick
Last year I participated in the inaugural Arkansas Graveler where we traversed the State from Fayetteville to Jonesboro through the Ozarks into the Delta. This year Arkansas invited Ariel Marlowe and I to check out their new course for year two. This year the route would take us from Mena to Russellville mostly in and through the Ouachita Mountain range. The Arkansas Graveler can best be described
Ep. 202 ~ Stephen Fitzgerald, Pinyons & Pines Winner and Rodeo Labs owner
Stephen Fitzgerald is a husband, father, owner of Rodeo Labs, and accomplished cyclist. When time allows he's been known to dabble in gravel and ultra cycling races. In 2020 he placed a respectable 19th in the Atlas Mountain Race. Building on that experience he signed up for Pinyon & Pines this year. It was a stacked field of experienced riders and Stephen found himself in the lead group for most
Ep. 201 ~ Cjell Moné, AZT 800 World Record!
Cjell Moné just did the unthinkable by riding his custom Moné La Roca with coaster brakes on the Arizona Trail 800. The AZT 800, which is actually 840 miles, traverses the length of Arizona from the USA/Mexico border to the border of Utah. It's infamous for being one of the most challenging bikepacking routes in the world. Riders will face extreme temperatures, brutal desert terrain, long stret
Ep. 200 ~ Kerry Snow, 2nd place at ETS while undergoing chemo
On today's episode I'm joined by a long time friend and cycling buddy of mine, Kerry Snow. Kerry was our 2nd place East Texas Showdown in the women's category and was 10th overall. While an impressive accomplishment on its own, Kerry's effort was even more incredible considering that she is undergoing chemotherapy for stage 2 breast cancer. Determined to not let cancer dictate her life, she has co
Ep. 199 ~ Dr. Eliza Sampey, Athlete + Coach + Physical Therapist
My guest today is the one and only Dr. Eliza Sampey who brings her wealth of experience to the podcast. Eliza was a professional adventure athlete for 13 years. Her adventures and expeditions have taken her all over the world by way of all modalities of human powered travel. She is also a doctor of physical therapy, a concussion specialist, and a coach. Needless to say, we had a lot to chat about
Ep. 198 ~ Eric House, Atlas Mountain Race on Singlespeed
I'm stoked to bring you my latest chat with Eric House fresh off his finish at the Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco. After being laid off from his job in September he decided to go full send on bikepacking and has an epic 2025 planned. Probably most notably, he'll be doing all three of the Nelson Tree's Mountain Race series on a singlespeed. Something no ones ever done before! He's got a lot more
Ep. 197 ~ Indiana Schulz, Cycling the World
For the past 8 years Indiana aka "Drive by Dildo" has been focused on bikepack racing. He's got a laundry list of accomplishments to his name. Including being a Triple Crown Challenge finisher. He's one of only 23 people in the world to have accomplished this feat. I met him in 2018 when we were both participating in the GranGravel 500 and he was the first (and only to-date) to Yo-Yo the East Texa
Ep. 196 ~ Matt Annabel, AZT 300 Yo-Yo on a Singlespeed
While you were sipping egg nog and opening the presents that Santa Claus brought you, Matt Annabel was starting his AZT 300 Yo-Yo attempt. And while you were watching the ball drop or lighting fireworks to ring in the New Year, Matt was still out riding the AZT 300 Yo-Yo. I can't think of a more epic way to close out one year and ring in a new one than riding your damn bike on one of the most b
Ep. 195 ~ Justinas Leveika, New Bikepacking Triple Crown FKT
At this point Justinas needs no introduction. In 2024 he completed a total of 10 ultra cycling races, winning most of them. Among them was a win, and new FKT, at the Tour divide, where he bested the long standing record Mike Hall set 8 years ago. He then went on to finish first, but not win*, at the Colorado Trail Race. Followed by a first place finish at the Arizona Trail Race, a time that would
Ep. 194 ~ Annabelle Bitterman, Central Texas Showdown 3rd Overall
Annabelle Bitterman was our 2024 Central Texas Showdown (472 miles) 1st place female, which was also good enough to secure 3rd overall. This was her third time participating in a Texas Showdown Series event. Her first bikepacking race was the 2023 Central Texas Slowdown (297 miles) and was our 1st place female finisher. Next she signed up for the 2024 East Texas Slowdown (280 miles) where she was
Ep. 193 ~ Tim Krueger, Esker Cycles CEO
Tim Krueger has been in the cycling industry for almost three decades. He got his start at a local bike shop breaking down boxes as a teenager. After college he landed a job at Salsa Cycles as the Product Manager during the birth of the "Adventure by Bike" category. A pivotal time in the bike industry that ultimately led to an entirely new market and category of Adventure Bikes. After his time at
Ep. 192 ~ Hannah Simon, Answers Listener Questions
Hannah Simon is quickly becoming a dominant force on the ultra bikepack racing stage. She recently added another feather in her cap of accomplishments with a win at this year's Silk Road Mountain Race, with a time of 8d 20h 16m. At this point, Hannah probably needs little introduction, especially to the Bikes or Death audience. This is her 7th appearance on the show and this time we turned to you,
Ep. 191 ~ Jen Kelly, professional poker player and winner of 3 bikepacking races this summer
In her first year as a bikepack racer Jen Kelly has already racked up an impressive resume. She entered into 3 bikepacking races this summer and won them all! She's also a professional poker player who picked up cycling 4 years ago when she moved into a condo next to a rails to trails. She quickly fell in love with it and just wanted to ride further and further. Last year she put her career, as a
Ep. 190 ~ Nicolette Jones, 2024 Colorado Trail Race Female Winner
Nicolette Jones just won the 2024 Colorado Trail Race on her first attempt. Not only was this her first time racing the Colorado Trail, it was her first bikepacking race ever! Which makes her finish time of 5d 12h 21m even more impressive. Although this was her first bikepacking race, she is no stranger to adventurous pursuits or the Colorado Trail. She is the only person in the world to have t
Ep. 189 ~ Justinas Leveika, Colorado Trail Race 2024
Justinas Leveika is fresh off an impressive Colorado Trail Race finish. This was his first time at CTR and he finished in 4d 7h 17m, which was over 8 hours faster than the next rider. However, due to a rule violation, which was unknown to him at the time, he was not the official first place finisher. That honor goes to Xavier Chiriboga with a time of 4d 15h 55m. Going into Leadville Justinas de
Ep. 188 ~ Chris Smith, Racing the Tour Divide Legally Blind
In 2000 Chris Smith was diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease, by 2009 he was declared legally blind. No longer able to drive he turned to the bike as a way to get to work 3 miles from his house. At the time he tipped the scales at over 300 lbs and the 3 mile ride to work was a real challenge, but Chris wasn't discouraged. He kept at it, joined friends for group rides, and eventually went on to earn
Ep. 187 ~ Edyn Teitge, Youngest Tour Divide Solo Finisher at 15
Edyn Teitge, at 15 years old, just became the youngest person to complete the Tour Divide solo. He set out with a goal of finishing in 20 days and was able to complete the race in 19d 13h 14m. An accomplishment that may be shocking to outsiders, but for Edyn, this just feels like the next step in his progression as a cyclist. Edyn first joined me on the podcast in September of 2022 after he finish
Ep. 186 ~ Spencer McCullough, First to visit all 51 National Parks by Bike
Spencer McCullough just did something that's never been done before! He visited all 51 National Parks in the lower 48 by bicycle. This epic trip around the U.S. involved 411 days of riding, 18,000 miles covered by bike, and a total of 28 flat tires. Spencer was inspired to do this trip after reading an article in the New York Times, titled "What to Save? Climate Change Forces Brutal Choices at Nat
Ep. 185 ~ Justinas Leveika, New Tour Divide FKT!
Eight years ago Mike Hall made history and etched his name in the record books, and in the hearts of an entire community, with his record setting Tour Divide time of 13d 22h 51m. Since then, hundreds of others have lined up for the Tour Divide grand depart to chase his dot to the US/Mexico border. This year, on his second attempt, Jusinas Leveika became the first person to best Mike Hall's record
Ep. 184 ~ Ulrich "Uba" Bartholmoes, Tour Divide 2024
Last year Ulrich Bartholmoes, aka Uba, won the Tour Divide on his first attempt. This year he came back to do it again, but with a larger goal of completing the Bikepacking Triple Crown. We will be following Uba's Triple Crown attempt at each stage along the way. This is the second episode in the series, you can listen to our first chat we recorded just days before the Tour Divide Grand Depart on
Ep. 183 ~ Tales from the Arkansas Graveler
The Arkansas Graveler is a supported bike tour across the state of Arkansas. It boast 366 miles and 26,700 feet of climbing over 6 days. The route takes you into parts unknown, showcasing some of the most remote rural roads that I've had the pleasure of riding. This inaugural year attracted 300+ riders from 35 states. It's clear that the word about Arkansas is spreading and cyclists are traveling
Ep. 182 ~ Ulrich "Uba" Bartholmoes, Triple Crown 2024 Begins
Last year Ulrich Bartholmoes, who goes by Uba, won the Tour Divide in his first attempt with a time of 14d 2h 23m. This year he's back to defend his title at the Tour Divide, but he's got bigger goals than that. This year he will be attempting to complete the Triple Crown of Bikepacking (Tour Divide, Colorado Trail Race, and Arizona Trail race) and he's gunning to beat the current record time of
Ep. 181 ~ Daniel Connell, aka "Dirty Dan"
Daniel Connell has become a regular on the bikepacking race scene and in the cycling community. You will often see him on Trackleaders under his trail name, Dirty Dan. It was under this pseudonym that he recently set a new FKT on the Race Across Arizona and will be lining up in a couple of weeks to race the Tour Divide for the 4th consecutive year. Each year he's done it he's been able to shave a
Ep. 180 ~ 20,000 Miles by Bike, Exploring Wild w/ Alissa Bell
Alissa Bell is the creator and owner of ExploringWild.com and BikeSleepBike.com. Both projects are inspired by her 20,000+ miles traveling by foot and bike all over the world and her passion for helping others find their own adventure. In 2018 she quit her job to travel the world – a move that many of us dream about making, but that few of us ultimately find the bravery to take the plunge on. Whe
Ep. 179 ~ The Midsouth Experience, w/ Patrick & Natalie
It's Midsouth Week! At least here at Bikes or Death headquarters ;). This week, we are going back in time and reliving Midsouth through the lens of Patrick and Natalie's experience. Whether you're Midsouth curious or you got hit with those post-race blues and are feeling like a little Midsouth 2024 nostalgia, this episode is for you! So charge your headlights and grab your chamois butter because
Ep. 178 ~ Patrick's AZT 300 Attempt
Since my youth I've had a passion and love for the outdoors. While all wilderness landscapes appeal to me in their own unique way, desert landscapes have always been my favorite. So it's no surprise that when I got into bikepacking and found out about the AZT it quickly ascended to the top of my bucket list. After 5 years of hoping, dreaming, and planning, I finally made the leap and signed up
Ep. 177 ~ Meaghan Hackinen, DOOM 3rd Overall
Meaghan Hackinen is your 2024 DOOM female winner and 3rd place overall. On day one she skipped a critical resupply point and found herself leading the field for a good part of the day. Dexter Kopas would eventually catch her and go on to take the win. Overall, it made for some exciting dot watching and resulted in an impressive finish for Meaghan. Meaghan got into competitive ultra cycling even
Ep. 176 ~ John Schilling, AZT Race Director
On today's episode John Schilling, AZT Race Director, is here to talk all things AZT. He became the race director in 2019 when Scott Morris passed the torch after 14 years of creating and overseeing the race. John is no stranger to the AZT. He first attempted it in 2012 and completed it in 2013. He's a local to the Pheniox area and is well known for his hard work developing routes, leading rides
Ep. 175 ~ Jenny Tough, Adventure Athlete & Writer
Jenny Tough is one of the most impressive adventure athletes I've had the pleasure of chatting with. Her accomplishments in sports and writing are truly inspirational and mesmerizing. She is an ultra runner and bikepacker with numerous accomplishments to her name. Among her accomplishments, in the running world she was the first person to run across Kyrgyzstan solo and unsupported. Following that
Ep. 174 ~ East Texas Showdown Preview for 2024
The East Texas Showdown is in its fourth year and it's our biggest one yet. With 250+ riders from all over the world decending on East Texas we wanted to produce an episode to help you have a successful weekend in the woods. We surveyed all the riders participating in ETS 2024 and I brought in a panel to help me answer your questions. The panel consist of one person from each of the three cate
Ep. 173 ~ Lewis Ciddor, 3rd Place at Tour Te Waipounamu
Today we are catching up with Lewis Ciddor after his impressive 3rd place finish at Tour Te Waipounamu. Many of you will be familiar with Lewis. He won the Tour Divide in 2018 and was the host of the Overland Archive Podcast for many years. Lewis was on the show in Aug. of 2020 for Ep. 51. Since then I've noticed he's been keeping a lower profile. Not entering races, not releasing episodes of his
Ep. 172 ~ Dogpacking with John & Mira
John and Mira are a bikepacking duo who were the first to complete the Tour Divide Race as a human and dog team in 2023. They also emBARKed on a world tour in 2023 with the goal of dogpacking all 7 continents of the world. A feat that is so big that if you think about it too much it seems almost unattainable. But, John and Mira have over six years experience traveling the world together by bike an
Ep. 171 ~ Angus Morton, filming "The Divide"
On today's episode, I sit down with Angus Morton to chat about his latest film: The Divide. This masterpiece follows Angus's brother, Lachlan Morton, on his 2023 ITT of the Tour Divide. The Divide masterfully captures Lochlan's Journey, the landscape, and the beauty and challenges along the way. Lochlan traversed 2,700 miles, 2 countries, and 5 states over a period of 12.5 days. Showcasing a r
Ep. 170 ~ Sofiane Sehili, "Where Do I Go From Here?"
At the end of the year Sofiane made a post on social media that caught my eye. The first line read, "So where do I go from here?". Sofiane is arguably the best ultra bikepack racer in the world. A position that he earned by winning some of the most grueling races in bikepacking, in some cases multiple times. Having accomplished so much, he now finds himself in a unique position and wondering what'
Ep. 169 ~ Part 3: Ask Me Anything, with Patrick & Natalie
In the final installment Patrick answers listener questions and he gets his girlfriend, Natalie, to ask your questions. We got a ton of questions, so this episode will be sure to make the "long live long-form" listeners very happy. Thanks for riding bikes with us in 2023. After five years of podcasting I'm never not grateful to the listeners who support our work. As always, I've got big plans f
Ep. 169 ~ Part 2: Meet the Team
Bikes or Death is growing and I've hired some people to help. In this episode I sit down with Mckensie Barney, Ariel Marlowe, and Ben Crannell, to introduce you to the people that help make what Bikes or Death does a reality.
Ep. 169 ~ Part 1: BoD Awards + 2024 Goals
It's that time again. Time to look back at a year of podcasting, give some awards, and make some promises for next year that I'm sure to break a few :) This is the last episode of the year, and it's a doozie. Originally intended to be one episode, I've broken into 3 parts due to its length. So here's what we've got for ya with this one: Part 1: Bikes or Death Awards - Today We asked our list
Ep. 168 ~ Hannah Simon, Bikepacking Triple Crown Completed!
For the final episode in this series, we catch up with Hannah Simon after finishing 3rd at the Arizona Trail Race last month. The AZT was the last race in a three race series dubbed the Bikepacking Triple Crown. Prior to that she tied for 3rd at Tour Divide in June, followed by a 6th place finish at the Colorado Trail Race in August. The Triple Crown is the hardest and most prestigious accompli
Ep. 167 ~ Kurt Refsnider, Continental Divide Trail by Bike
Kurt Refsnider just became one of only a handful of people to have ever successfully traversed the Continental Divide Trail by bike. The trail is 3,300 miles long and spans the length of the United States along the Continental Divide. In many ways it's similar to the popular Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. However, there is one big distinction, the CTS is primarily singletrack. And much of i
Ep. 166 ~ Alex Schultz, Arizona Trail Race Winner & New FKT
My guest today is the winner of this years Arizona Trail Race 800, Alex Schultz. Alex is no stranger to bikepack racing or the AZT. In 2019 he entered his first bikepacking race, the Colorado Trail Race, and was hooked! In 2022 he entered the AZT 300 and won it. This year he came back to take on the 800 with only the goal to finish and do his best. It turns out his best was good enough to win and
Ep. 165 ~ Patrick & Natalie, Ozark Rando 120
Last month Natalie and I took on the Ozark Rando 120. This is a new event by Ozark Gravel Cyclist and hosted by Experience Fayetteville. As the name suggests, the format of this ride is a Randonneur -a non-competitive long-distance unsupported endurance cycling event. I used this ride as part of my training for an attempt at the 475 mile Central Texas Showdown Route. I've also been really in
Ep. 164 ~ Patrick & Ariel, Central Texas Brokedown
After I scouted the Central Texas Showdown route by car it was time to ride the damn thing. Last time I did an ITT of the ETS route my editor, Ben Crannel, joined me, but aside from the start and finish, we never saw each other. That experience taught me how much different an ITT is vs a group start. I still wanted to do an ITT of the CTS, but this time I wanted to invite some people. Invita
Ep. 163 ~ Jay Petervary, Unearthed Interrupted
Ultra-endurance and bikepacking legend, Jay Petervary set out on his solo and unsupported FKT attempt of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route which he called "Great Divide Ride Unearthed". Over 2,000 miles into his ride he was struck by a motorist. Suffering multiple series injuries, Jay's resilience is unwavering. He may be battered, but he is not broken. He continues to inspire with his mantra "
Ep. 162 ~ Hannah Simon, Bikepacking the Triple Crown, Part 3
By now I'm sure you are familiar with Hannah and her quest to take on the Bikepacking Triple Crown. She's agreed to share her journey with us at each stage along the way. So far she's been able to complete the first two races, the Tour Divide and Colorado Trail Race. In this episode we follow up with her after finishing 6th on the CTR and only a month before taking on the 800 miles of the Arizona
Ep. 161 ~ Phillip Crosby, aka "Weston" from To Shake the Sleeping Self
Ten years ago Phillip Crosby and Jedidiah Jenkins set out on a bike trip that started in Oregon and traversed Central and South America and ended in Patagonia. Jedidiah, was an aspiring author at the time and was on the trip to have an experience worth writing about as he grappled with his sexuality and Christian faith. He wrote that book, and it's titled, "To Shake the Sleeping Self". For a full
Ep. 160 ~ Katya Rakhmatulina, Colorado Trail Race Winner & FKT
Katya Rakhmatulina just won the 2023 Colorado Trail Race and set a new FKT in the process. With a time of 5d 1h 53m she beat the previous time of 6d 1h 34m set by Alexandera Houchin in 2019. Prior to this she placed Second at this years Tour Divide behind Lael Wilcox. For a full writeup please visit BikesorDeath.com, this episode is available to watch on our website as well. New Patrons Spencer S
Ep. 159 ~ Miron Golfman, 2023 Colorado Trail Winner
In 2022 Miron Golfman set a new FKT on the Baja Divide. Then he set his sites on an even bigger challenge in 2023 by attempting to race the Iditarod Invitational, the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail, and the Arizona Trail Race, all in a calendar year. A feat that I've never heard of anyone attempting before. For a full write up on todays episode along with photos and links from todays episode please v
Ep. 158 ~ Payson McElveen
Payson McElveen probably needs no introduction. Among many of his achievements he is a Red Bull Athlete, 2x Marathon National Champion, 2x MidSouth Campion, and he is the host of the popular Adventure Stache Podcast. He's also a wizard at production and social media which has added to his visibility. Please visit www.BikesorDeath.com for a full writeup, show links, and photo galley from todays epi
Ep. 157 ~ McKenzie Barney, Cycling the World Solo
Last month McKenzie Barney peddled her bike into Colombia, the last country in her Cycle the World project that started years before. In total McKenzie cycled 18,000 miles, through 28 countries and 5 continents, and most of it was solo. Her travels would take her through Africa, South America, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, and South East Asia. For a full writeup on McKenzie's episode and for pho
Ep. 156 ~ James Collins, Central Texas Showdown ITT
This June James Collins became the first person to attempt the new Central Texas Showdown route as an ITT. James is a 3 time veteran of the East Texas Showdown and will be leaving Texas before the CTS group start this October. Not wanting to miss out on this new route in his backyard, he decided to tackle it as an ITT (individual time trial). This episode is a great introduction to that route a
Ep. 155 ~ Hannah Simon checks the first box in her Triple Crown attempt with a 3rd place finish at Tour Divide
In todays episode we catch up with Hannah Simon two weeks after finishing tied for 3rd on the Tour Divide Race. If you've been following along you'll know that Hannah has committed to attempting the bikepacking Triple Crown, which is the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail, and Arizona Trail, all in a calendar year. With only four weeks left to prepare for the Colorado Trail I caught up with her on a par
Ep. 154 ~ GRUSK w/ Maggie Livelsberger & Chris Joice
GRUSK or Grave Ride up Spruce Knob is a bike race that has been taking place in West Virgina since 2016. It's evolved over the years and now offers distances from 25 miles up to 260 miles. Each route features a long out and back up Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virgina at 4,863'. Please visit www.BikesorDeath.com for a full write and a large gallery of images from my weekend in West V
153 ~ Chris Burkard, Tour Divide 2023
Chris Burkard is a well known photographer and storyteller who has brought his passion for life and his dedication to be successful to the endurance cycling world. The results are hard to argue with. In 2019 he set a world record of the WOW Cyclothon in Iceland traveling 844 miles in 52h 36m 19s. He then put together a team and did the first ever interior travers of Iceland on the bike. This t
Ep. 152 ~ Ulrich Bartholmoes "Uba" the 2023 Tour Divide Winner
Yesterday Ulrich Bartholmoes aka "Uba" finished the 2023 Tour Divide in first place with a time of 14d 2h 23m. For much of the race he was head of the record setting pace of Mike Hall. In the end he would finish only 4.5 hours behind that record setting run. Considering the rain, mud, and wind on this years Divide his time is beyond impressive. I sat down with him the morning after his win at
Ep. 151 ~ Jesse Turner with Slow Southern Steel bikes
This week we are talking with Jesse Turner who is the custom bike maker and artist behind Slow Southern Steel based out of Fayetteville, AR. Jesse started this new company less than a year ago and I've been following with interest since the beginning. I love to showcase and support people who are following their passion and doing things to make the cycling world a better place. I'd certainly in
Ep. 150 ~ Hannah Simon, Triple Crown, Part 1
In less than 2 years Hannah has established herself as a real contender in endurance bike racing. Somewhere along the way she decided it was time to take it to the next level, or maybe the next next next level! This year she will be taking on the biggest challenge that Bikepacking has to offer, The Triple Crown. Please visit www.BikesorDeath.com for a full writeup on today's episode and photo gral
Ep. 149 ~ BoD goes to Costa Rica, with Falcon Murty
At the end of last year I was encouraged and inspired to get my passport by my girlfriend, Natalie. It's something I always thought I would do one day, but had never made it a priority. I've been so enamored and satiated by the wild and natural beauty of North America that I hadn't even really started to think seriously about international travel. Natalie is a very well seasoned and experienced tr
Ep. 148 ~ Maria Osowski, How to stay out of Physical Therapy
I don't know about you, but dealing with injury and being sidelined while I watch all my friends go play bikes is not my idea of a good time. As I've started to get a little older I'm starting to notice that injuries are happening with greater frequency and staying longer than I'm used to. The real motivation for me is to have a healthy body and prevent injuries when possible and deal with them ap
Ep. 147 ~ Lindsay Shepard, an Adventurous Life
I started following Lindsay Shepard's journey when I saw on social media that she had built her own bike frame and was planning to race on it. To my surprise the first race she signed up for was my East Texas Showdown! Right after that, she turned her van North East and did the Gravel Doom race, in Arkansas. When she finished that race, she wasn't done. She turned her bike around to ride the cours
Ep. 146 ~ Eric House talking ETS & DOOM
Eric House joined our community during the pandemic, like many others. However, two and a half years later, I don't think this pandemic-born-bike-baby is going anywhere, but up! His first bikepacking race was the 2022 East Texas Showdown. He packed light, read "nothing", went fast, placed 9th, and learned a lot, but most importantly, he got hooked. This year he leveled up. He completed the MidS
Ep. 145 ~ ETS Recap with Hannah Simon, Stephanie Hall, Ariel Marlowe, & Russell Pickavance recorded Live at Cycleast
Ever since I started the podcast I dreamed of one day recording an episode in front of a live audience. Fear kept me from pursuing it. Fear that no one would show up. Fear of having an audience that amplifies the pressure and anxiety. At one point that dream progressed into a goal. And a goal needs a plan. And a live event needs a venue. Austin, TX seems like the obvious choose as a Texan. It's
Ep. 144 ~ Patrick's East Texas Showdown ITT
During the pre-race meeting for the 2022 East Texas Showdown Hannah Simon asked me, "have you ridden the entire course?". Even though I'd ridden many of the roads over the years and was very familiar with the area and the route, I had to say "no". I hadn't ridden this particular route. The fact that I couldn't answer that question in the affirmative stuck with me. It ate at me. So I decided to do
Ep. 143 ~ Winter Riding with Rebecca Rusch
Rebecca Rusch is an accomplished endurance athlete with 40 years of experience. Her list of accomplishments over that time period has been impressive. Among other things, she is a 7x World Champion Adventure Athelete, 2x Iditarod Trail Invitational winner, MTB hall of fame inductee, and a Red Bull Athlete. On today's episode we tackle the topic of Winter Riding. Some of the topics discussed are la
Ep. 142 ~ Jerry Kopack, 5 continents, 26 countries by Bike
Jerry Kopack followed the "laminated playbook" that many Americans are familiar with; go to college, get a job, buy the house, save for retirement, have the family, etc. etc. While he was on the path to a traditional standard of success, he wasn't fulfilled. In 2016 he set out on a 4 week bike tour in Zimbabwe with the goal of resetting himself in search of what's next. That 4 week trip turned int
Ep. 141 ~ Ronnie Romance aka Ultraromance
Ronnie is roaming around the states on a much deserved vacation. He was in Austin for a few days and we were able to meetup at Cycleast for a little chat. A lot has happened since the the last time we spoke back in the Fall of 2019. During the pandemic he moved back to Connecticut and ended up staying there and ramping up on his entrepreneurial efforts. What he's been able to accomplish in the cyc
Ep. 140 ~ East Texas Showdown 2023 Preview
As the East Texas Showdown heads into it's third year the excitement is growing and so are the questions. To help answer the questions we brought in a few past participants who are also competing again this year. Our guest are Kuya Takami who won the Showdown last year, Emily Miller who is hoping to ride the Slowdown without sleeping, and Brendan Hare who was our Pro Slow winner last year and is s
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