BWR Arizona – a sick day for a sick day 

I am a big believer in the seasons of life. We all have sequences where things happen to us in cyclical ways. And I am not just talking about birthdays, anniversaries or holidays. I am talking about the less definite moments, feelings and vibrations which come rolling around year after year. 

I have a couple of these signifiers, but the most reliable one is getting colds in February or March. Without fail, it chases me down and gets me as the window of winter starts to shut. 

I thought I could maybe get away from it living here in sunny Arizona, which I have called home since August. Yet, Thursday morning as I woke up two days before what was my first gravel race of the year at BWR Arizona, I was a prisoner of the season once again with a sore throat, congestion clogging me up, and a quickly building sense of disappointment that it has happened again. 

The cold built through Thursday and Friday morning was not much better. I went through as many cold medication options as I could, checked my temperature often, and monitored my lungs for a buildup of congestion. I skipped a ride Thursday and did an easy recon ride on Friday, keeping my power well below the normal pre-racing engine revving I like to do. Yet still heading to sleep Friday night before the race, I didn’t know if I would take to the start in the morning. Sickness, I have learned, is not something you can bully your way through in bike racing. 

When the alarm rang at 5:00 AM Saturday, thankfully, I felt immediate relief. My symptoms weren’t worse, they were the same. That’s all I needed to take a stab at it.  And oh boy, am I glad I did! In retrospect, BWR Arizona was a sick day for a sick day and it is the perfect building block for the season to come. 

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Preparation

At 5:00 AM, the harsh buzz of my phone alarm shakes me awake. The temptation to hit snooze is real, especially knowing the comfort of 15 more minutes in bed. But I remind myself of the reward: another episode of The Sopranos, my new trainer session companion. I shimmy into my bibs and socks, letting the compression stir some circulation. My spare bike is already set up on the trainer, making it easy to slide on my shoes, swing a leg over, and press play. Last winter, I binged Six Feet Under, diving into its poignant storytelling of a family funeral home swirling in chaos. The characters were so maddeningly flawed that they became magnetic, drawing me into their world episode after episode. This winter, The Sopranos has muscled its way onto my training regimen, using classic Mafia tactics—charm and intimidation. Widely acclaimed as one of the greatest shows ever made, it was simply a show I couldn’t refuse. Tony’s relentless pursuit of control in a chaotic world feels familiar. Each episode is a reminder that life is often a balancing act between ambition and the forces that threaten to unravel it.

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Podcast: Rodeo Rider Profile – Jeff Chapman

We are back with another Rodeo rider episode! This time we sat down with Jeff Chapman. Jeff is from Kansas City, Missouri, and is new to Rodeo Labs this year as he has waded further into the gravel thicket.

Jeff started his journey into cycling around the pandemic and is now a two-time participant of Unbound. The race in Kansas has taken on extra meaning for Jeff whose day job is spent out on those same Flint Hills gravel roads. Nevertheless, as is common practice for Rodeo riders, the urge to explore has brought Jeff to expand his racing exploits and explores bigger challenges, most recently taking on a race in Germany.

Jeff’s story is different from our previous guests, but for me, it was very similar to the countless chats I’ve had with rodeo owners all across the country at races. Only this time did we turn on the microphones first!

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Foreign – Luke’s Traka Adventure

2 AM, on Sunday Morning and I’m in a Boeing at over 35,000 ft in the air. Sorry, over 11,000m in the air. When competing outside of these United States, we will use the metric system, like the rest of the civilized world. But I refuse to be some proselytizing Metric Snob just because I have been to Europe once. As soon as I cross that border, that Wahoo returns to miles and I’ll be referring to my beverages in “fluid ounces” and calling French fries by their true name, freedom fries.

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Dispatch from Edyn: Into the Drift

Editors Note: Edyn is one of Rodeo’s supported riders, and really excels in endurance and ultra endurance situations. His latest outing was another frigid, challenging fatbike race in his home state of Idaho.

After spending a cold night cramped in a van with one bike, two people, and a dog it was time to get up. Frost covered the windows and I could hear the wind outside. We had arrived in the dark so I had no idea what the area looked like but after stepping outside onto the cold crunchy snow I could see the beauty of where we were.

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A Season of Lessons, Pt II

Summarizing a 10-month season of racing is complicated, but in an effort to take you all along with me through 2023, I’m going to try. Events like Mid South in mid-March now seem so distant compared to the more recent sweltering heat of Foco Fondo in July.  Now it’s December, and I’m deep into prepping miles for the 2024 season. My brain wanders while on the trainer: What is it that defines a season as a success or a failure? Is it really either-or, or is it neither-nor?

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A Season of Lessons Pt 1

For the last 10 months, I have been racing professionally in CA, AZ, OK, CO, NE, KS, and AR. My TrailDonkey tells the story of long, dusty miles and many lessons learned. This is the first year I have raced full-time and it has been an enlightening experience. More than a tool for fitness, a bicycle is a teacher. The lessons are usually tough and sometimes take more than one confrontation with challenges. I entered the season wanting to dive deeper into the sport than ever. Over the season, I’ve grown as an athlete physically, mentally, and professionally. I’d like to share some of the things I’ve learned so far in 2023. I can’t wait to see what new lessons the next season will teach me.

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Edyn’s Adventures: Rebecca’s Private Idaho

Editor’s note: We’re thrilled to welcome Edyn Teitge, a young (14 years) endurance racer and gravel rider hailing from Colorado. Edyn is rolling on a purpose built Rodeo Labs TD4 for the remainder of the 2023 and the 2024 season, and we’re excited to see where he takes it, including a planned ride in the 2024 Tour Divide.

Photos courtesy @adventurescoutmedia @stellar_media. Now on to the story!

Rebecca’s Private Idaho or RPI is a multi-day gravel bike event in Southern Idaho. I decided to race the Queens Stage Race (QSR), which goes 186 miles through three timed stages and one rest day/social ride. The first day is one of the most beautiful and technical stages as it winds up the Harriman, a non-motorized double-track trail at the foot of the Boulder Mountains.

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UCI Gravel Worlds: Getting to the start is the hardest part

How I tried making it to the World Championships gravel racing.

So, my buddy Jan, who used to be a world champ on the track, asked me back in May to join a gravel race in Drenthe, The Netherlands. He said, “Hey, it’s a chance to qualify for the World Championships gravel.” He had already qualified a few months earlier at another event in Limburg. To be honest, I had no idea what I was getting into, but I thought, “Why not?” So, I coughed up 60 bucks and waited for more info. It came a bit later. The Gravel One Fifty is a 150-kilometer race, and let me tell you, it wasn’t a walk in the park. I scouted the course two weeks before the race and quickly realized that 45mm tires would’ve been a good idea.

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