Welcome to #followcamfriday Season 5

I almost quit. Almost. Guess I just needed a week off. Last friday was the first Friday that I have missed in 3.5 years. That is some Casey Neistat shit right there. Keeping the streak alive. But yes, I needed a day off. The internet is still here, as it turns out. The algorithms are pissed off, but fuck the algorithms. Bikes. 

From the start, FollowCamFriday has been all about motivating people to get outside and ride their bicycles. In this age of digital narcissism, the more time we spend on our bikes, and less time we spend with our phones, the better. I realize the irony in this statement, as you read these words on your iPhone. But please, set that thing down for a minute and go outside! Take a walk, go fishing, whatever! 

I almost quit. If I am being honest, this is the hardest and most time consuming job I have ever had. I am certainly not complaining, I get to ride my bike more than I want to, in sweet locations with some of my best and dearest friends. I am very fortunate and privileged and never take this for granted. But sometimes, I just need a day off. Sometimes you just need to take a step back to really appreciate what you have. 

So why do I keep making episodes. Well, I guess I feel the need to motivate people to live this healthy lifestyle. When people send me messages and tell me that they started riding again after an injury, or bought their first bike because of my videos, I am successful in my goal. If I can motivate a few more people to get out there and enjoy the outdoors with friends, then I will die a happy man. Nothing more. 

I want to extend a genuine "thank you" for everyone that has supported me over the last 4 seasons. Fans, sponsors, friends. Without being surrounded by excellent people, I would be in the ditch. Hell, I'm almost in the ditch, even with all the support. Love my friends. Thanks for being part of the ride. Here's to another season of shenanigans. 

​Cheers!

#followcamfriday giving you those mellow singletrack cruisin' feels all up in your snot box with all of the #lightbro and side portion of back wheel love, courtesy of Mr. James Weingarten

This episode marks the end of Followcamfriday, Season 4. My what a journey it has been. 206 episodes in total. I have missed two Friday's in 4 years. This was due to the fact that I was in the Bolivian Andes with Joey Schusler on a bikepacking trip. Internet was not an option. How refreshing.

I am very thankful to be able to travel the world with my bicycle, riding some of the best bits of trail, but more importantly, experiencing different cultures and areas that are seldom seen, and meeting passionate people along the way. If I am being honest, all of the friends that I hang with and keep in touch with are from mountain biking. I owe my friends everything. Without skilled riders to film, FCF wouldn't be FCF. If I can give anyone a piece of advice, it's to always surround yourself with good people. I am very fortunate there. My community of friends is amazing. 

When I began this project 4 years ago, I never intended to make much of it. Basically, I would go ride with Kyle in Moab and just film the ride. Nothing was ever set up or rehearsed or thought out, it was just what we would normally be doing when we go out for a ride. After Kyle and I completed our ride, we would watch the footage while drinking beer and laugh for an hour at the ridiculousness of our lines and how the day unfolded. As it turns out, this formula somehow resonated with people. I started making edits and the rest is history. I sincerely hope I have stayed true to that original model and not changed things up too much. It's still all about the riding. 

I hate being called a "YouTuber" I don't even know what that means. I am a professional mountain biker. I reach an audience through YouTube, Instagram and the like. At the end of the day, I ride bikes, first. These are just platforms to share my adventures and motivate people. There are many people that have jumped on the Youtube MTB scene, since I began 4 years ago, being recreational cyclists and thinking that they can make a quick buck on the platform. That approach is very different. Those people are "YouTubers". More power to anyone making content, that gets people motivated, but our philosophies are very different. I tend to question the motivation there. Sorry to burst your bubble, but Youtube doesn't actually pay very well unless you are Casey Neistat. End rant. 

So, where do we go from here? If I am being honest, I haven't had a day off for 4 years. Filming, producing, and launching a weekly video is more time consuming than you could ever imagine. People frequently tell me how lucky I am to "just ride my bike everyday", I just smile. I've never worked mor,  or harder in my life. I am certainly not complaining, I could never work a 9-5 job and be happy, but don't think for a second that this is "easy" . Nothing worth doing is easy. What motivates me to keep this rolling is when people tell me that my videos motivated them to start riding, or just simply go out for a ride. That is the end goal. That is what feels good. If I can inspire a hand-full of people to spend some more time outside with their friends, and lead a healthy lifestyle, than I can sleep at night. Job done. 

I struggle slightly with the irony of my circumstances. My goal is to get people on bikes, away from their phones and away from this digital world that is becoming increasingly prevalent. People consume my content on these devices, without them, I wouldn't be able to reach these people. As humans, we desperately need to find that connection to nature to live fulfilling lives. I spend as much time on Instagram as anyone but, I hope that after reading this sentence, you go out to the garage, put some air and your tires, and go ride your bike! 
​
A sincere thank-you everyone who reads my ramblings, my friends, and my wonderful partners in the mountain bike industry. None of this would be possible without you. 

#followcamfriday Laps on Laps on Laps with the Kiwi contingent, Megan Rose and Nelly the dog. 

Take me to the top, magical shuttle truck. I don't have an eBike, so I need to get up there somehow... haha. Sometimes you just need to bang some laps.  I was digging through the hard drives this week and somehow overlooked this gem of a day from July. My Canadian tour was a complete whirlwind that I am finally catching up with and absorbing. 

Fortunately, Megan Rose was kind enough to let us rally in her truck. Owner\ lady-boss of the TransBC, and absolute shredder, lives in town and gave us a proper tour of the local DH trails. Boondock Mountain has some of the finest steep riding in the area. 

Tom Kiwi Bradshaw is an absolute legend. Looser than a prom date with a shot and a beer. Like throwing a hot dog down a hallway, loose. Fortunately, loose is fast and Tom gets lucky more often than not. Legend. When I follow Tom, I can't help but yell and swear from top to bottom. Tom brings out the best in me. Top Bloke. 

Commitment is a scary thing for most people. Weather in relationships or on the bike. Most will avoid it like the plague. Not Tom. Death grip till you hit the deck, love at first Tinder date. Be like Bradshaw.  

Nigel McDowell was in town to race TransBC and was all about ripping some loam filled, party laps with the crew. I mean, it would be rude not to. This Kiwi legend is pinned on the bike and has been known to ride in sweet as jandals bru. Kiwi's have sticky feet. 

Nelly the dog, affectionately named after the famous rapper, is a hot mess. I am not certain how she is still alive after witnessing several near-death close calls, on trail.  If you listen ever so closely in the video, you can hear her panting at my heels, at full pace, just inches from my rear wheel. Nelly is a ninja. Pete the dog would not have lasted 3 turns. Canadian dogs are just a little bit more hardy. A diet consisting of mostly bacon and maple syrup seems to be working out. 

I hope you have enjoyed flashbackfriday as much as we have. Sometimes things slip through the cracks, but eventually, must see the light of day. I just bought a new hard drive to try and make order from the chaos. Shooting 4K video for the last four years has placed a reasonable demand on my storage situation. As I type these works, my Macbook is burning my legs, about to catch fire, fans running full speed. Apple recently sent me a recall notice, as my battery is apparently known to catch fire. I am "supposed" to send it back for a free replacement. Ain't nobody got time for that. I also don't have time to do "basic" maintenance on my bike. Just run everything till it explodes.  I only have so many fucks to give. They need to be appropriated properly. Someone needs to type this shit. Go ride your bike this weekend!

#followcamfriday riding on the edge of a cliff and chasing daylight with Tito Tomasi at Gooseberry Mesa in Hurricane, UT

How is it that I have never ridden here before.... I was amazed how much fun we had, despite coming as close as possible to getting darked on. Plus those down-canyon views of Zion at sunset..... Mind melted. 

The blue hour is real. Just after the sun sets, the sky emits the most wonderful blue hue, that compliments the soft lasting glow, so very well. I'm not trying to be all douchy-cinematic here but, would you just look at it!! Maybe it was the rock out here, but I have never seen the blue light so pronounced. What a wonderful afternoon to ride till dark. Couldn't have timed it better. 

Gooseberry is basically one giant skate park, made out of sandstone. This is the Bartlett Wash of southern Utah. We definitely need to come back out here and line up some proper hucks to flat when we are not being chased by darkness. Bowls and lines for days! You could spend a lifetime out here, riding new lines and pumping around. Neat. 

Tito is quite the artist. When we first met, he was traveling the world with his bike and drawing sketches along the way to fund some of the expense. His MTB inspired art is something to behold. Thanks for the sketch my friend, you are a legend. 
Keep up to date with Tito's adventures HERE

The trip out to the point of the Mesa is mandatory! If you are afraid of heights, have someone blindfold you and drag you out there. The perspective from the point is unreal. You are basically looking into the valley where Rampage takes place and then into Zion. We sat there and soaked it all in before sprinting back to my van. Truly maximizing the day and our experience. This is the sort of thing that sticks out in my mind. Times to be remembered. 

Stay tuned right here for more adventures from the road. Colorado is snowy and cold currently as I arrive home from this trip. I have a new bike to build. Oh the suspense. Where will FCF turn up next? Thanks for the good times Tito! Aloha. 

The Tito tour continues. #followcamfriday getting my fill of desert riding in Southern Utah on Grafton Mesa. 

After watching some of the legends of mountain biking risk life and limb at Rampage last week, this was a welcome decompression from the stress of the event. Just watching was stressful. I couldn't imaging riding some of those lines. I will say that my perspective of what is possible has definitely changed. And the cycle continues. Thank you for pushing and progressing the sport, heroes of Rampage. 

"More Money" and "Dig It" on Grafton Mesa are "double blacks". If I am being honest, after witnessing Rmapage, this feels like a green run to me... My perspective has changed. What some would consider dangerous, is actually child's play now.... After watching people huck 70ft step-downs, hucking 6 or 8 feet to flat seems pretty insignificant somehow. JRA. NBD. 

Those down-valley views tho. More Money has some highly entertaining rock-work. Basically, the "skinnies" of Utah. You have to work with the terrain you have and the builders did an amazing job of highlighting the local landscape and building some unique rock features. Kudos. Less flow trail, more rock jank please. When I hear my rims hitting the rocks, I know I am doing it right. My happy place. 

Skinnies for days. 
Keep up with the constant adventure that has become Tito's life of travel, by subscribing to his Youtube channel HERE
You will not be dissapointed. Tito is returning to France in a couple of months and having a baby so he is making the most of his stay in the US. Congrats friend. 

It was brought to my attention that the best part of this area lies in the descent back to Rockville. Fortunately, I will be back to Southern Utah soon and need to tick the "Grafton Mesa" end bit, off of my list. Apparently there is a road gap that needs to be hit. Child's play after Rampage.... Right? 
Desert season is just getting started. Stay tuned for shenanigans. You might just see me send some shit. 

#followcamfriday finding Zen in St. George with Tito Tomasi. 

Zen- a state of calm attentiveness in which one's actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort. 

As we are riding this for the first time, I feel that the definition is an appropriate description of what is happening here. Flow-state is what everyone is searching for when they ride in a new area. Getting your head around new terrain and learning to read the trail is an art form. Fortunately, Tito is an artist. 

I first met Tito at the legendary Andes Pacifico race in Chile. I remember doing a 3 hour transfer with Tito, climbing and carrying our bikes over 1000 meters on one of the hottest days on record in the region. Hot like 120 degrees hot. We became friends and suffer buddies on that day. Same program. Just out for a walk with our bikes while people were coming apart at the seams. Type 2 fun. 

I have not seen Tito since that race, 4 years ago. Fortunately there happens to be an event called Redbull Rampage going on this weekend. Maybe you have heard of it... Long story short, Tito and his wife are on an epic road trip across the US in a sweet van that I had dinner in last night. Since we just happened to be in town at the same time to spectate Rampage, it would have been a crime to not grab a few rides together and explore this amazing area. 

Tito has been a full-time adventurer and cyclist for the last 13 years. Living the life, traveling the world and appreciating his surroundings to the fullest. He is quite the artist and shares a passion for sketching and drawing, and has combined that with his love of cycling to create some inspiring work.

​Check out Tito's Youtube channel HERE

This is my first trip to Southern Utah and it will certainly not be my last. St. George is only about 5 hours from Moab and lacks the crowds and the chaos of what is becoming the norm in the mountain bike mecca. A welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Moab. The trails here are proving to be amazing. 

One day I will travel to France and ride Tito's home trails, and learn how to properly ride the most awkward of French switchbacks. Watching Tito ride speaks volumes of his home. Nose game on point. The French just have a different way of turning, a product of their environment, some of the tightest turns in the world. Turning a bike is art to this man. 

I can't even believe that I have been a professional cyclist for so long and never witnessed Rampage in person before. I may have a hard time sleeping tonight. I am nervous and excited and ready to feel the atmosphere that that only this event can provide. I am sipping a Tequila Ricky as I type these words and may have another. I am certain that tomorrow's spectacle will make me change my perspective and teach me what is possible. I hope to ride some of the "bab"y lines at the old venue this week. I'm pumped to see some history being made tomorrow. What an amazing time to ride bikes. 

Desert season is finally upon us. #followcamfriday time to get fat, winter is coming. 

Oh yes, my favorite time of year is back. Desert season, dessert season. Extra portions of both please. It will be cold soon, time to start packing on those winter layers for the sake of insulation. Why did you eat that entire pint of gelato? Winter is coming. Entire box of donuts.... Child's play. 

Always start riding as late in the day as possible to maximize the lightbro. This way you can truly earn your dessert. Nothing to keep the legs sprinting like impending darkness. It also doesn't hurt to have Noah Sears to chase through a field of boulders on the edge of a cliff. Wouldn't have it any other way. If all else fails, go right. 

This is the season when I get to hang out with my desert homies again. After traveling for the last 6 months, dessert season can't come soon enough. I am certainly not complaining, I had an amazing summer, but it is nice to be home for a minute, getting fat, waiting for winter to arrive. Maybe I'll go skiing....  Or maybe, I'll drink tequila and ride my bike in the desert. 

Those river views tho. I bet there is someone on that river, floating on an innertube and drinking beer in copious amounts. Seems like a good way to spend an afternoon. Probably safer than riding bikes. Maybe when I grow old, I will get into river sports. 

The trees are just starting to change down here. Where I live in the high-country, the fall colors have been replaced by snow and gray. Fall was nice while it lasted. Fortunately I can have fall number two in the lowlands of Grand Junction. It's like breakfast number two. More delicious than the first. 

Noah is the mayor of Jank-Town. Flow is absent from this section. Just how I like it. I have had enough pats on the back and high fives for a lifetime. Now I just want punches in the face and rocks shaped like mail boxes. Mack Ridge delivering the squares. I bet this section has claimed a derailleur or two in its day.  

If you need me, I'll be roaming the desert southwest, looking for sweets and square rocks to smash my wheels on. Where will followcamfriday turn up next? Only time will tell... Send ice cream. 

#followcamfriday ticking 2 fourteeners off the bucket list before winter settles into the high country. Type 2 things with Tall Guy. 

As I type these words, it is snowing heavily in the alpine. We snuck this one in, just in the nick of time. I have skied around these beauties and stared at their majesty for 20 years. Hell, I can actually see Grays and Torreys from my back door. Strange that I had never been up there in the summer, really. I ski in these mountains, all winter with Ryan. He is the man for the job. Ryan has completed the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent, doubling up, for 25 years straight. Yes, you read that right, Type 2. This is a rest day for Tall Guy. Ryan doesn't talk much about his accomplishments. 

Majestic AF. The United States is home to 96 fourteeners, 58 of which are east of the Mississippi, in Colorado. 18 of these are outside of Wilderness designation and open to cycling endeavors. The only one I have ridden prior is Mt Elbert, Colorado's tallest at 14,439ft above the ocean. No, I didn't make a sign for the summit, to later post on the IG's. I did however, take this sweet photo. 

So just because it is "legal" to ride up here, should you? This is type 2 fun, at its finest. We carried and pushed about 80 percent of the ascent. Not everyone's cup of tea. There is no flow trail up here. How very refreshing. If I never ride another flow trail, other than Dirt Merchant, that is fine with me. Just square rocks and dust. The descent was about 95 percent rideable for us. 

Basically like riding through a sea of toaster ovens, mixed with microwaves. Throw in a solid coating of baby-heads, and you have yourself a "trail". I honestly live for this. How we made it through all of this without double-flatting is beyond me. The terrain here is rougher than anything I can recall riding in the world. The Bolivian Andes come close. I suppose this is why they are called the "rockies". It all makes sense now. 

This photo represents everything that I find appealing about riding mountain bikes. Exposure, unknown, open spaces, adventure. Seriously, would you just look at it..... Dropping of the top of Grays was surreal. Not knowing what is coming, not being able to see the "trail". Into the abyss of chunk. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

We began this route at 3:15, giving ourselves just under 4 hours to do the loop, before darkness. The goal was to summit Greys, and then Torreys, no later than 6. The beauty of starting late is that you don't run into other trail users. This would be far to late if traveling on foot. This is one of the most hiked 14ers in the state and we managed to only encounter about ten people total. It should be noted that everyone we encountered was very pleasant, despite us looking so very out of place, carrying our bikes uphill at 5pm, as they were racing darkness on foot. 

We honestly couldn't have picked a better day, or timed this any better. Standing on the continental divide, devoid of wind, nearing sunset, was an experience I will never forget. Just Ryan and I, and our mountain bikes. No one taking selfies, no one talking loudly and saying "rad" or "epic", just hanging out in the alpine,  on a peak with one of your best friends. I took some photos. No selfies.... 

Just the tips and the moon. I couldn't think of a better way to end fall in the high country. Very thankful for these mountains, in which we recreate.
​Now put your phone down, and go ride your bike! 

#followcamfriday from my favorite bit of alpine singletrack in the state of Colorado. Lenawee Trail with Ryan Soderberg, aka, "Tall Guy" 

I am honestly not sure why it has taken so long for me to film this one. Maybe I was waiting for the perfect light, or the right person to do justice to this alpine gem, of the perfect golden aspens. Maybe I just travel too much and sometimes forget that some of the best trails in the world are very close to me. Whatever the reason, this episode is long overdue. 

The perfect storm. Light, nature and rider. All working together to make my job easy. I try not to get too douchey with the cinematic stuff, I mean after all, I shoot with GoPro's, but would you just look at it....  It's fucking surreal. People ask me why I ride bikes. This is why I ride bikes. You can't make this shit up. Just out here, throwing fish in a barrel. 

As I type these words, I find myself sipping on a glass of tequila. A bit of lime, dash of salt, splash of soda, but mostly tequila. This is an interesting time of year for me. I start to feel the pressure and anticipation of winter setting in. This was shot 2 days ago, as you read these words on Friday. The temperature at the top was about 40 degrees as we began the descent. Ryan and I both know that the next time it precipitates, it will be of the frozen variety, and basically means game-over for riding in the alpine. I feel pressure to ride as much as possible before winter sets in. I feel excitement for the coming of ski season. This is an interesting headspace. I love winter but feel like I need to make the most of my fall. Bittersweet. First world problems, yes. But it makes me anxious somehow, nonetheless. And so I drink tequila and type these thoughts. 

I implore you to make the most of every day. It's rides like these that make me feel very fortunate for what I have in this life. This is my happy place, why I get out of bed in the morning. Why I drink tequila in the evening. It doesn't even need to be good tequila. It doesn't even need to be evening. 

The climb to this saddle never gets any easier. I have seen grown men come apart at the seams, trying to clean this climb. I have spent half of my life in these mountains, winter and summer, wind and snow, dirt and rain. I've been snowed on in August up here. I've hiked these ridgelines with skis on my back, in 60mph winds to ski some of the worst conditions imaginable. Thank you. 

Tall Guy and myself have been friends for 20 years. We have skied more than 1000 days in the backcountry together and he is one of the few people I trust with my life, while mitigating risk in one of the historically worst snowpacks in the United States. We share a level of risk acceptance that others do not. Despite what the marketing departments have fooled you into believing, the skiing in Summit County actually isn't very good. Sorry to burst your bubble. Ryan and I don't get to ride as much as I would like in the summer because I am constantly on the go making these videos for you to watch, racing bikes, and drinking tequila, but it sure is a treat when I am in town. 

So what have we learned? Make the most of every day. Choose your friends and backcountry partners wisely. Appreciate where you have come from. And, last but not least, drink tequila. 
​Go ride your bike before it snows!

The weekend that just keeps on giving. #followcamfriday taking part in the 4th annual, Colorado MegaRide. Sounds big. Nederland to Winter Park and back to Boulder, by bike. With 18 people. What could go wrong?  

Yes, you are reading this right. 4th annual. As if the first three times weren't enough. There are certain types of cyclists that enjoy this sort of thing. Bikepacking to the bike park.... Perhaps some drinking. Why do you ride bikes? 

Judging buy the look on Blair Reed's face, whatever is in that green bag is not very delicious. While apple flavored whiskey may sound good while being indecisive on aisle 6 of the local liquor store, in real life, this is a terrible decision. You can thank me later for this advice. Just trust me here. Whiskey isn't supposed to be flavored. Sort of like putting flavored syrup in coffee. Kill me now. 

So back to my original question. Why do you ride bikes? Sleeping in a hut built for 6 with 18 people isn't everyone's cup of tea. That hut smelled bad, i'm not gonna lie. The chorus of farts as I lay awake, wondering what I had gotten myself into,  was impressive. Hot tip of the day- drink just enough whiskey to pass out, but not so much that you are hungover and hating the climb over Rollins Pass in the morning. Blair failed this game, but didn't recall hearing any farting. Maybe he won that game... 

So if bikepacking isn't your thing, let it be known that we did ten laps in the Trestle bike park after spending the night in that stinky hut, and riding over Rollins Pass to get the the bike park the next morning. Joey Schusler is a man who enjoys bike park as much as bikepacking. His form above is impeccable. During this lap, Joey got a bee sting on his left breast, just inches from his nipple. He also rode with great disregard for his personal safety and sustained several flat-tires. Good man, that Joey Schusler. If I am being honest, Joey was the one, several years ago, that inspired me  to give a few less fucks about being a poor bike racer, and motivated me to carry around cameras and get the people stoked for a living. Joey and I are "stoke enablers" We bring the party to the people. Joey rides for the right reasons. 

Taylor Phinney rides bikes for the right reasons. If you have raced the Tour De France, you can ride in jeans too. Long days on the road bike, wearing nothing but a skinsuit,  will do this to a man. Taylor has earned it. He can wear what ever the fuck he wants and completely blow your doors off, up or down, tarmac or dirt. To be clear, Taylor is an absolute shredder on the mountain bike and absolute legend of a human. Taylor likes to party. 

After riding park laps all day, the only thing left to do was drink beer and eat pizza. Duh. I mean, it's only 65 miles back to Boulder on Sunday. Only 8K feet of climbing. I mean, that is basically a recovery ride for Taylor Phinney.....  All we had to do was make it back to Boulder before 9pm to eat Nepalese food at Sherpa's and drink beer. What could go wrong? Seems easy. No big deal. JRA. 

So yeah, this is why this ride is named MegaRide. 65 miles on Sunday, hangover lever- moderate. Sometimes you get a log in your wheel. Sometimes you have a standoff with a moose. Sometimes you get 4 flat tires and start smoking weed during the last flat change. Sometimes you get lost and roll back to town on the road. Bottom line, everyone made it to dinner. Except for Allen Krughoff. Death before DNF. Allen gets a solid DNF and will be publicly shamed from here on out. For the 17 other people that finished in the dark, I salute you. You ride bikes for the right reasons.