[HornsHighMTB]

We had 12 days to ride and bounced all over the place dodging either rain or snow.  My next video might be from the 401 in Crested Butte.  I say ‘might’ because we got caught in rain on the way up and hail once we got to the top.  So the footage may be lousy.  I’ll know more next week when I get started on the next video.  It rained/hailed the entire descent.  We were going about 4mph it seemed.

We also rode up in Wyoming and woke up to snow a couple of times.  The season is winding down for sure.

[HornsHighMTB]

Thanks.  That trail was a ripper.

[HornsHighMTB]

I’m seeing great feedback on this subject and that’s important.  It shows that people are taking notice and expressing how they feel about what some believe is probably a rather bizarre phenomena.  It may come across as harsh criticism to some, but I see it as criticism nonetheless.  I learn a lot from my successes, but I learn a lot more from my failures.  And if someone offers criticism, harsh or mellow, it behooves me to at least consider their ideas.

I, too, am a YouTuber with the desire to take my channel as far as I can take it.  To explore things I never thought I’d see.  To wonder if I have what it takes to be great at something that currently seems daunting and overwhelming.  Sounds a bit like mountain biking, wouldn’t you agree?

Although I’ve been riding for over 20 years, my adventure with a camera and an audience has only recently begun.

When I think back on my riding career, one thing has resonated deeply within me: to learn everything about mountain biking.

From before I even bought a mountain bike (the heavy drooling phase as I like to call it) to my first year of riding, learning to wheelie.

My second year, learning to wheelie drop.

Fifth – how fast is too fast?

10th – Holy crap I could probably get hurt pretty bad at these speeds.

15th – great, now I have 4 pieces of metal and 28 screws holding my left leg together.

20th Anniversary – I’ve been riding how long?! Shit, I’m just getting started!

And to this very day, my eyes and ears are keen to find knowledge about what I’ve literally spent more than half my life pursuing.

My videos are a mixture of solo rides where I share dialogue with my audience and rides with my buddies, which usually have less dialogue but we still talk about bike parts, other trails or whatever comes to mind.   The dialogue I share with my audience is the same as if you and I were riding in real life.  It’s real and it’s honest.   Hell, I’m 43 years old….I’m too old to give a damn about much other than riding with my buddies at this point.

My videos are for guys like me who can’t always ride their bike as much as they want to, so they search out the next best thing.  For me, that’s awesome videos.  My channel isn’t about me, it’s about my audience and how my rides can improve their riding experience.  Be it from just watching, to seeing me turn around (sometimes several times) and keep trying a feature that is challenging me or some random dialogue while I’m riding solo.   I want to share 22 years worth of riding with whomever is willing to listen, because I ain’t gettin’ any younger and this lifestyle is hard on the body.

I can’t begin to count the number of jobs I’ve quit or been fired from because my heart belonged to mountain biking.  The best mountain bike trips aren’t always planned, they arise in an instant and when they do you have to chose between the ride or the job.

I’ve lost lovers because I spent too much time on my bike.

I gave up not one, but two, six-figure salary career opportunities because there weren’t good places to ride where those jobs were at.  Because those jobs would have taken more of my time than I was willing to give. Those jobs didn’t support my ride.  Today my salary is ridiculously modest compared to what I walked away from.  But I did it for the ride and I don’t regret it for one moment.

My day job is a commercial photographer but I’m really just a dirt bag who lives for the ride.    So the concept of bringing a camera along on my rides wasn’t a stretch for me.

I don’t know if I have anything on my rides that resonate with you, but you’re always welcome to join us.  I have a few videos on here so I’m not gonna pimp myself out but I thought I’d offer my two cents on the subject.

And a little shout-out to BKXC, Seth, Phil, SS and of course, Nate Hills…thank you for opening my eyes.  The trail is bright today.

[HornsHighMTB]

You should have seen the reactions I got from a Facebook group dedicated to reptiles (herpetology).  I posted that video and said, “I’m a mountain biker.  Wanna see what I do to snakes when I find them on a trail?”

As you would guess, people were expecting total douche baggery but when they watched the video, all of a sudden a whole bunch of reptile lovers became huge fans of us mountain bikers!

I gotta admit, mountain bikers are a pretty rad bunch of folks.

 

Keep watching, I come across critters all the time.  I’m sure there will be lots more critter encounters on my channel.  😉

 

And if you guys feel like subscribing, I would dig your support.  It stokes me to make more videos.

 

 

[HornsHighMTB]

I’ve seen riders at the trailhead doing that.  They’ll look around suspiciously, set their keys on their tire, look around suspiciously some more, then head into the woods for their ride.  Makes no sense to me.

 

I keep all that stuff on me.  I’ve had more than one break-in happen at a trailhead and the risk of losing those items on the trail seems less likely than someone popping my window and making life a real bummer.

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