Because just one episode is clearly not enough. #followcamfriday picking up where we left off last week on LPS. Prepare to be amazed as the Mayor has his way with the rock!

I touched on this last week but I basically need to reiterate that riding Moab with Kyle is a completely different experience. Never have I witnessed so much delicate chaos unfolding before my very eyes. I have ridden a ton with Kyle, and there is honestly nothing like it. 

Here are the rules of engagement, pay close attention.

​Rule number one. Everything is a jump. Everything. Truth be told, this trail is so rough that touching it as little as possible is actually faster. And smother... You can't get hurt in the air, right?! When in doubt, pull up and reach for the next rock to backside. Now do it 700 times over the course of a couple of hours. Maybe start in the gym. 

Rule number two. Give no fucks about your bike. Not a single one. If you even think for a second about taking it easy on your bike, you will be going backwards in no time. This trail destroys everything and you just need to come to terms with that. Having this much fun has it's consequences. 

And this brings me to rule number three. Speed is your friend. It may sound counterintuitive, but the faster you go, the smoother it gets. It's the middle ground that feels so terribly bad. Full gas, all the way. This means, stand up and sprint into the rockiest parts. Full commitment. Trust me, this feels better. Just ignore the sounds of agony coming from your wheels, they are built for this sort of thing. 

So what have we learned? Go as fast as possible, smash into shit, and always, always spend as much time in the air as possible. Get any of that wrong, and you're gonna have a bad day. Or, a long one... Any day on the bike is a good day. If you figure all of that out, you still won't be able to ride like Kyle because the Mayor is a ninja and only a ninja can kill another ninja. That is rule four. But I digress. 

So yeah, I just rode my 100mm bike down the roughest hour and a half, maybe known to man, behind Kyle on his "big" bike. And what did I think? While my 55 clearly offers a more plush trail experience on this one. But, that said, I was reasonably amazed at the new breed of "XC" bikes. People are throwing around labels like "down country" to describe this thing. I try not to put labels on things really, but I guess you could build one of these up for just about anything. Uphill, downhill, whatever. I like to call it "mountain biking". The bike is solid, that I have proved. It took an absolute beating. Could it be faster on this trail? Hard to say. If you are strong enough to hang onto this thing in this type of terrain, it's an absolute rocket ship. That much I know. 

As I type these words, #followcamfriday is currently in Santa Fe, poaching Starbucks WiFi. This shit ain't gonna upload itself.  I am racing the BME at Glorieta on Saturday. Wish me luck, I am gonna need it. Keep it locked right here to see where the party will occur next week!

The man everyone has been waiting for. Kyle Mears, #followcamfriday royalty. Hide your rocks, we will break them with our wheels. 

The fans have been asking. Ask and you shall receive. Kyle has been strangely absent from my video series as of late. He has been plagued by some nagging injuries. Turns out, when you are as pinned as Kyle, you blow up ever once in a while. Good thing Kyle is a brick shit house. Otherwise, he would be dead. Seriously. 

We shot this a couple of weeks ago while I was in town for the Klondike Bluff Enduro Cup race. Side note - It's a good thing for us that Kyle didn't race, he probably would  have put the wood to us... 

Admittedly, I was really smoked from racing the day before, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to ride with Kyle. I love, and am grateful for all of my friends, but there is just something about riding with Kyle on his home trails. Nothing compares. It's basically a different sport. Brute force and power, mixed with eloquent grace. It's fucking stunning to watch, really. Perhaps ballet mixed with rugby is a better analogy to describe what I am witnessing in front of my handlebars. 

The "SNOTCH"!!! Insert diabolical music... Nemesis of many, child's play for the mayor. The guys standing in the background were in awe when I came by. I don't think they were registering what they just witnessed. Basically, if you screw this nose-pick up, you fall 15 feet off of a cliff. Hopefully the landing is sandy. Probably not though...  I hope we never find out. 

This is full commitment, pictured above. If you are going to do something, don't fuck about, do it right. Down with the ship if need be. Kyle rode this out because he decided that he wasn't going to let himself hit the ground. Always commit. When I crash, I always strive to keep my hands on the bars. When you see a man on the ground, with his hands still on the bars, that is a man who gave it his all. Be like that man. 

  I rode Jimmy Keen Trail for the first time. This newer section basically avoids Kokopelli and adds a solid 20 minutes of blue , pedal-flow to the day. When the top of The Whole Enchilada is snowed in, this is a good way to add some miles to the ride. It's like Hazard, but flatter. I much prefer Koko. There is just something about pulling up as hard as you can off of every water-bar and rock on Koko that seems to never get old in my book. 30mph hucks, over blue-flow, any day of the week. Jimmy Keen is fun, its just not....... scary?  Give it a try, see what you think. 

Man that was fun. Even on my 100mm bike. The beating that this trail hands out is unmatched. My 55 would have been a better choice, but if I can keep up with Kyle on his big bike, I say my new mini-bike is mind-blowingly capable.  All in the name of testing. Always commit. Always find the limit. 
Keep it locked right here. Part 2 is lit. 

After having way too much fun riding Blackjack last week, James and I continue the Buffalo Creek kitty-litter surf tour. #followcamfriday giving you a preview of next weekend's 5 stage enduro race. Come out on May 20th and drink beer while heckling us! Throw things. 

What? An Enduro race at Buffalo Creek? Correct. Front rangers rejoice. You finally get to show everyone what is up at your local trails. Instead of imaginary racing on Strava, you can race in real life, on the same day, under the same conditions, against your peers. You can even have a beer afterwards with your fellow competitors. Try that with your  iPhone.... The Revolution Enduro Series is fresh this year and has stops at Angel Fire, Steamboat and Granby Ranch. 
​More Info Here 

#followcamfriday will be producing event previews leading into each of the four events to raise awareness and increase the stoke. Keep it locked right here for updates throughout the summer. Consider supporting local races. This community is amazing. Most of my life-long friends I owe to mountain bike racing and the good people that frequent these sort of events. My people. 

As per usual, everyone's favorite back wheel unicycle gymnast is getting things off to a good start. James rides for the people and doesn't care about racing. He is still faster than you, but prefers stunts over Strava and has no time for front wheels. If I had 1/2 the skill of James, I would be famous in real life, not just on the internet. #irony

Iv'e always kind of turned my nose up at Buffalo Creek in the past. Other than Blackjack, I didn't think there was a whole lot of interesting trail to ride. Well my friends, I stand corrected. There is definitely a bit of pedaling, but once you are up to speed, the descents will melt your mind. My new "XC" bike definitely isn't slowing me down, but, there are actually some scandalous high-speed sections with roots and rocks. I really enjoyed my kitty-litter surfing session. 

It can generally be said that any section of the Colorado Trail is something worth riding. I haven't met a section that I didn't enjoy. The section of the CT between Little Scraggy and Green Mountain is legendary. 30mph, long sigh lines, rocks, blasting through the pines. So much fun. And Little Scraggy... Where did that come from and why haven't I ridden that before? 

Charlie's Cutoff is pretty rad. Flat turns and rock booters everywhere. James is certified. Be like James. Always pull up. After all, you can't actually hurt yourself while you are in the air. I'll figure out the landing when I get there. 
Keep it locked right here race fans. Hope to meet everyone this weekend! Please corner me and introduce yourself if you come out to heckle. You will be rewarded with the most awkward hand-shake that you have ever experienced. Love to meet ya. 

New bike day is always special. #followcamfriday chasing James Weingarten on Blackjack at Buffalo Creek. 100mm travel, what could go wrong?

Now that I am back in Colorado for a bit, I am trying to tick off some of the classics that the fans have been asking for. New Zealand was amazing and I can't wait to go back next year. That said, Buffalo Creek is a pleasant reminder of how much I love Colorado. It's nice to be home. 

Not only are we riding one of the sweetest trails in Colorado this week, I just built a fresh bike. New bike day is always a treat. My new Yeti SB100 is the shortest travel bike I have owned since riding a hardtail 12 years ago. Is it up to the task of handling business on Blackjack? I figure taking my smallest bike on one of Colorado's rowdiest trails is a great way shake out the kinks. 

It's always a pleasure to ride with James. The man has more skill in his pinky finger than I possess in my entire body. Nose game on lock. Legend has it that he has been spotted riding around Denver without a rear wheel..... Can anyone confirm? James runs a tee shirt business that donates 8$ from every sale to a different animal charity each week. Instead of having 8 beers at the bar, maybe just have 6 and buy a shirt for good cause, haha. Check it out HERE

Raspberry Ridge and Blackjack are some of the most technical sanctioned trails that exist in Colorado. Everyone has been asking for this one, so here you go. Go ride these lines. The rock here has grip for days. It will tear the skin off of your body if you mess up, but, don't do that... 

And now for the question of can a 100mm bike handle Blackjack.... I was very naughty and basically rode disrespectfully with my new bike. Everything to flat, all the hard lines, basically complete disregard for intended category. And you know what? The bike blew me away. The rear end is stiff, the head angle is perfect in my opinion with a 130mm fork and this thing acceleratetes like non-other. I was honestly amazed at what I could do with this "XC" bike. I am a hucker. This is my XC bike. Technology is amazing. 

Full disclosure, I am a Yeti athlete, so take all of this with a grain of salt if you must. I get it. But if I am being honest, this may be my new Colorado secret weapon. Light, stiff and fast as fuck. Pretty much everything I am looking for in a bike most of the time. I am a big believer in the driver over the car, and I fully realize that not everyone could get away with riding an XC bike like this. I can, and I love it. 

I am racing in Moab this weekend at round one of the Enduro Cup at Klondike Bluff. I will be racing my new bike. I am fortunate to have a quiver to choose from and I will be racing the 100. Wish me luck!
​See you on the trail!