The Stoke, It Comes and Goes

I’ve never been one of those guys who can maintain stoke for an entire season. It comes and goes in waves, and sometimes I take some time off to step back and see where I’m at. A week off the bike? Not a good thing…but sometimes necessary. Ya see, I used to work in a shop. Did it for a long time, and that sort of took the fun out of bikes for a while. Now I don’t work in a shop and my stoke for bikes has returned, but I have to be careful because for me, riding bikes can be something of an abusive relationship.

This summer, it’s been full stoke.

I have a job that allows me to travel a bit, and I get to ride cool bikes while I’m there on business. It’s a good gig. So, this summer, yes. Maximum stoke. So much stoke that I haven’t had much time to share with you what I’ve been up to. So here’s a photo journey for ya. Get a beer. This might take a while.

That one’s a self-portrait (thanks for being a great assistant, Jeff!) from Press Camp in Deer Valley, Utah. I’m riding the new Orbea Orca. Pure badass.

The day before the road ride at Deer Valley, Jeff and I hit the trails on a Turner Flux. It was my first foray into 27.5 wheels and I can safely say I was impressed. Deer Valley? A bit of alright.

Banksy put a flower in my hair while we were in Park City. That makes me legit or something.

A few weeks later, Will and I hit up Copper Mountain here in Colorado for another industry event. Fun trails, perfect weather…yes. Yes. And Fuck Yes.

Fat tires. I’m hooked. Seriously. This was the most fun I’ve had on a bike in a long time, even if it was a Specialized. I think I see a Salsa or Surly fat bike in my future. If you haven’t ridden one, trust me on this: you cannot ride one of these and not smile like an idiot.

Well how about the everyday ride? I’ve been spending a lot of time at Apex in Golden, CO. It’s my go-to afternoon ride. A few days ago, I went to Apex and rode for two and a half hours…and saw three people total. That may not sound all that impressive to some of you, but for those of us living along the Front Range of Colorado, this is a goddamn miracle. Thanks, monsoons, for keeping out the riff-raff.

In case you’re wondering, that tire SUCKS HARD. Just swapped it out with a Nevegal.

The view just before the rains rolled in. I live in a pretty cool place.

We talk a lot about badass women who ride bikes on this blog. Sometimes we talk about badass women who just sit on bikes. Both are cool, but goddamn if a woman who rides isn’t just the coolest shit ever.

I was fortunate enough to catch the women’s race here in Denver a few weeks ago. A friend of mine was in the Cat 3 race, so I went to grab some photos. She races for Naked Women’s Cycling team, which is full of badasses. Seriously. Just look at the photos and tell me otherwise. I dare you.

That there’s some intensity. It was a fun race. These ladies know how to throw down, and every single one of them could tear my legs off in a race. Lots of respect.

Here’s Brittany. She’s a certified badass.

Having friends who ride bikes has other advantages, especially when they can do cool shit in front of my camera. Here we have Downey shredding the proverbial gnar at Valmont Bike Park in Boulder. I took these photos shortly before the skies opened up and poured on us, so I didn’t get a ton of shots, but here’s a few good ones.

My job is cool.

Downey is cooler.

Sick wallride, brah.

I was going to try to get these in the magazines and get some exposure for D2 Photography, but fuck it. They look cooler on Drunkcyclist anyway, wouldn’t you agree?

I pooped a little watching this. Seriously scary shit.

So, without getting all deep and philosophical, suffice it to say that it’s been a good summer on two wheels for D2. I love it here in CO and have had some great opportunities to see trails I’ve never seen before, roll singletrack that is ever-life-changing, and meet folks who are just plain strong on the bike. That’s what it’s all about.

Hope you’re near the end of your beer now that you’ve reached the end of the post. Now grab another and start again from the top. It will help you bide the time until tomorrow when the sun comes up and you can ride once more.