Better late than never for an @midsouthgravel recap post, right? Photo by Gretchen Powers Going into the weekend, I was determined to do the 100 mile distance. I've been riding a lot more this year and wanted to beat my time from last year, plus I loved the B-road section and couldn't wait to do it again. As event day approached, however, I got realistic with myself and decided to do the 58 mile. A couple of factors played into this: I've been struggling with energy management thanks to some new psychiatric medications, I had a very full schedule of events at MidSouth prior to the ride itself ..read more

Occasionally I’ll check the foster role at Best Friend’s NWA, mainly to see if there are any senior dogs needing a temporary home. After bringing Daisy Mae and Lacey into my life three years ago, there’s a very soft spot in my heart for older dogs. Most of the time I don’t see any older dogs, instead it’s mainly puppies needing homes. And don’t get me wrong, puppies are cute. However, I didn’t have kids for a reason. I’m not patient and I most definitely don’t like to clean up pee and poop. (This was confirmed with our emergency foster, Button, who was with us during the extreme cold snap. Cu ..read more

The post below contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item using these links, I receive a small commission, with no extra work on your part. This past July I participated in my first RAGBRAI ride, and wow, I thought I knew what to expect, but boy was I in for a surprise. RAGBRAI, for the uninitiated, is the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. In their own words, RAGBRAI “is more than just a bike ride, it is an epic eight-day rolling festival of bicycles, music, food, camaraderie, and community. It is the oldest, largest, and longest multi-day bicycle touring event in the w ..read more

Last month I was both honored and surprised to be named to the Escape Collective’s 50 Most Influential People in American Cycling. While it was quite the honor, as I read through the list of fellow honorees, I noticed that a number of folks who I expected to be on the list were missing. As I dug deeper, I realized that this list was really just the brainchild of one man, who both readily admits this in the article and acknowledges that people would inevitably be left out. So I set out to make my own list of influential people that I think you should know in the bike world. This list is in no p ..read more

Back in 2016, I was lucky enough to visit Jamaica while on vacation with some friends. While we were only in port  for a few hours (yes, we did a cruise ship. Please don’t judge me too hard), I left with a longing to return and experience more of the island.  Which is why I am so excited to announce that this November 30-December 4th, I’m returning to Jamaica with Cycle Jamaica,  and you’re invited!! Cycle Jamaica is an all-inclusive cycling vacation that includes 4 nights stay at an all-inclusive resort based in Runaway Bay, and 3 organized day rides through Jamaica!  Eac ..read more

The article below contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using my links, I get a small commission, which helps me continue to do this work. Read more about my use of affiliate links here. My event season officially kicked off a couple weeks ago, with MidSouth Gravel in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Heading into the weekend I was feeling a bit wary about my capability to ride 100 miles - my knee is still not back to 100% and my lungs are still clearing themselves after a bout of bronchitis.  Celebrating my DFL win at the end of MidSouth But there is something incredibly special about ..read more

This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using my links, I get a small commission, with zero extra work on your part. To learn more about my use of affiliate links, click here. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you have to stop bike riding! I’ve rounded up my favorite winter riding gear, from base layers to gloves and shoes - I’ve got you covered. I’ve done my best to include a variety of sizes and price points too - after all, everyone deserves to be warm! Base Layers Your first layer of clothing is absolutely critical. Base layers should be close fitting and ide ..read more

The post below contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using my links (which I hope you will), I get a small commission, with zero extra work on your part. For more information on my use of Affiliate Links, click here. If you’ve found this page, you’re probably looking for a more comfortable bike seat! Let me tell you - you’re in the right place! All of the recommendations below are great for bigger riders, with the first 4 recommended saddles not having a weight limit. It’s always good to remember that you’re not married to your saddle - if it’s causing you pain, saddle sores, or d ..read more

Dates: November 2015 Route: Unfortunately there isn’t one… basically look for all the silliest things in Victoria and ride them! Previous links You could sum up my early years of bicycling with one word - naive. I jumped headfirst into all sorts of ridiculous adventures, absolute not knowing any better how challenging, dangerous, or just plain stupid what I was about to do was. The beginning of the Meat Stick with Justin Reznick and Rza Allen Which leads us to my first adventure in cyclocross racing - Single Speed World Championships in Victoria, Canada (SSCXWC). At the time, I had gone to on ..read more

Dates: June 2016 Ride with GPS Route Original Blog Post Starting out on the Adventure Trail. Oh how naive. I still have dreams about the bikepacking trip I did with Komorebi Cycling Team in 2016. Before I knew what single track was, before I knew to fear a 2000’ climb in 10 miles, heck, before I knew you could get paid to do this work! This was to date probably one of my hardest and yet most rewarding trips. Not only because I got to go with folks like Anna Brones and Meghan Sinnot (who have become good friends) but because I was introduced to a whole new world of bikepacking, pushing my limi ..read more