#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. 

#followcamfriday testing out the latest and greatest addition to the Snowmass Bike Park with everyone's favorite guinea pig, James Weingarten. 

Long story short, Snowmass has been working hard all summer to build a new jump trail and thought it would be a good idea to host James and myself for a weekend. You know, to "test" it out and shoot some video. Thank you to the Limelight hotel and Aspen Snowmass for taking good care of us. Love your work. 

This new section of trail is aptly named "Gonzo" and consists of a bunch of large jumps and wooden features. The one that James is boosting in the photo above is all of 40ft, lip to landing. Let me be the first to say "thank you" for building a progressive trail with properly sized features. After spending the last month in Whistler, I was pleasantly surprised by the scale of this trail. This is what we have been waiting for. Kudos to the bike park. When you do visit, give the trail crew a high-five. I bet they dink beer too. Off of the clock, of course. 

Next time you see Mr. Weingarten, you can congratulate him. James is a dad now, but I am happy to report that this has not slowed him down one bit. After all, who needs sleep to jump bikes.... Right? I mean, dad-bod hasn't even set in yet, I thought fatherhood would be different. James just has less time now, so compensates by going bigger off of every jump and feature. Got to pick your battles I guess.

As I type these words, the trees are just starting to turn in the high-country. Fall is upon us, my favorite time of year in Colorado. Just think how sweet this jump will look when the trees are glowing yellow. Fire. Snowmass is open for the next few weekends and well worth a trip. Unless you hate jumps and stunning scenery, in which case.... stay home. lol. 

If you look closely, you can just make out "Rim Trail" Its on the rim of that cliff, hence the name. Well worth a pedal if you find yourself in town. Government Trail is also a classic and can be added to the "scenic fall ride" list. I don't know anything about that lake in the distance. Maybe someone can educate me there... Looks refreshing tho. 

This bridge jump is a committing maneuver for the certified. Much like raising a child, I would imagine. James is all in, all the time,  in all aspects of life. That is perhaps why I enjoy his company so much. No half assing, always full-send. You can learn a lot from James.  Pull up, not out. See what I did there?

If you need me, I will be spending as much time outside as possible over the next month. It will be winter soon and I will be making the most of my time until the snow flies. I will not be shutting down this website for the global climate strike today, but I promise not to throw my carbon frame into the ocean when I am finished with it. But seriously, think about what you can do to make a difference in your own way today. Our actions shape the future.
​I am headed into the mountains for a couple of days to ride with friends.  What high-country, leaf peeping destination will #followcamfriday turn up at next? Keep it locked right here. 

If something gets in your way..... Turn. If there is a plane in the trail.... Jump it. #followcamfriday blasting through the forest with Heiko Krause. 

This actually isn't click-bait, we actually jumped over a plane. I don't know the whole story behind the wreckage, but I am guessing that things didn't end well for the pilot.... Now it's a stunt. Only in Canada.  

I filmed this during my road trip through Northern BC, earlier this summer. If I am being honest, these are some of my finest memories from the trip, so this one deserved another episode. I promise that I pedal more uphill miles than you, but somehow there is nothing that puts as big of a smile on my face as, DH shuttle laps. Put Smithers on your short list. Yes, it's hard to get to. Yes, it's worth it. You can thank me later. 

More groms doing dog-pissers. I should start the hashtag #gromsdoingdogpissers.... All of the natural talent in the world coming from Heiko Krause. I can't get my head around how well this kid rides. Especially considering that he doesn't really have that many close friends that ride. Natural talent. 

Just another blind huck, first time down this track, chasing someone I barely know. What could go wrong? This trip definitely got me out of my comfort zone. Most of my videos are chasing my friends. People who I know well, and trust with my life. I rarely film people I have never ridden with prior. By rarely, I mean never. Do you know how many requests I get to film people. The email usually goes like this... I am the raddest rider in the______, you should come film me so I can show you how rad I am..... Delete, delete, delete. My index finger is tired. Sorry, but I don't want you to kill yourself in front of my camera, even if that would get all the views. 

Now having said all of that, Heiko was dialed. Lucky for me, because I can honestly say that I have never ridden so fast down a trail that I had never laid eyes on before. Heiko is pinned. Do not take that statement lightly, I have seen a thing or two in my travels. Keep your eye on this kid. I was blown away. 

Fall is fast-approaching and I bet these trees will look amazing soon. This particular zone reminds me very much of the terrain in Crested Butte or Aspen. Just more sweet jumps. Any more wood. This is Canada after all. The resemblance to Colorado was uncanny. Good thing for me because I would have been dropped in an instant. 

Blasting. The kids are alright. I just need to say that as long as the kids are hitting jumps at warp speed, everything will be okay for the cycling future. While people are wasting their lives worrying about wheel size or complaining about e-bikes, Heiko is out here blasting jumps and having the time of his life doing it. How refreshing. Riding feels good. This is why I ride. 26 for life. 

Don't feel bad if these little kids make you look silly. If you grew up in Whistler, you might be able to keep up with them. #followcamfriday for the children. 

It is easy to start feeling bad about yourself after watching small children do things that you never thought possible on a mountain bike. I was definitely scratching my head a bit. Benny is 12, Landon is 10. Prepare to feel like quitting bikes, lol

Double over-head berm roost. This is the proper technique to make the dogs bark. When you hear the dogs barking, you are doing it right. I wonder where all those holes come from..... Keep it up boys. Holes are for hacking and jumps are for stacking. Burritos are for snacking. 

Speaking of dogs, Benny has a dog-pisser that would even leave R-Dog shaking his head. So much style coming from these groms at such a young age. The future is promising. My feet only leave the pedals by accident these days. 

A-Line rock drop pre-jump? Yup, if a 10yr old can do it, so can you... Right? If we were playing Mario Brothers, these kids would be gobbling up all the coins. If you are old enough to understand that reference, you probably shouldn't try to pre-jump this one. Landon on lock. 

Classic moody Whistler vibes. There is just something magical about riding here in the mist. I am not trying to be all cinematic, but would you just look at it.... Groms in the mist. 

It's really inspiring to see the family dynamic here. Father Judd, who is a legend in his own right, definitely gets father of the year for keeping these groms stoked without making riding feel like a chore. These two look out for each other and push each other to progress. I can't even imagine what the future holds. World cup DH podiums? Crankworx Joyride fame? Someone sponsor these kids now. They are way beyond their years. 

Nose-manual down the biggest slab in the park? Landon got it on lock. When I was ten, I was still crapping my pants. Seriously, just start sending these kids bikes. You can thank me when they dominate the world and bring your bike company with it. Iv'e had the pleasure of riding with a lot of the world's best and most talented people to ever throw a leg over a mountain bike. Mark my words, these groms are going places. One dog-pisser at a time.