Joining me for today’s conversation is none other than Jen Swartout. Jen lives in Bella Vista, AR and, in March of this year, completed the daunting DESPAIR course as part of Ozark Gravel DOOM.Jen’s story and overall perspective is an intriguing one. Jen’s been riding bikes as a hobby cyclist for almost 20 years but really didn’t start her journey into bikepacking and ultra-distance events until recently. Jen is also a ride leader for Femmes Gravel in Northwest Arkansas which is a community o...

My guest on the show today is Alex Kowalski. If that name rings familiar it’s probably because you 'followed the dots' during this year’s 2024 Tour Divide. Not only did Alex leverage his infectious attitude and good vibes to capture the hearts of dot-watchers and Instagram followers alike, he did so while ultimately winning the single-speed category with a total time of 17 days 22 hours and 16 minutes. And the most impressive part was that Alex did all of this on his rookie attempt on the cou...

My guest today is Dr. Chanel Mitchell aka Chanel Tsunami from St. Louis, MO. Chanel is many things but labels herself as a disruptor. As a member of The Regulators Cycling Club and ambassador for Ride For Racial Justice, Chanel is continuously finding ways to disrupt the norm, create sustaining change, and provide more opportunities for BIPOC cyclists. As a plus-sized woman, Chanel has also proven that the cycling community welcomes everyone no matter your race, gender identity, or body...

My guest today is someone I stumbled upon rather naturally. Over the last few weeks I’ve been reflecting on my journey as an athlete especially while preparing for UltraMegaJoy in March of next year. For those who weren’t aware, I spent several years as a competitive powerlifter and strongman athlete post graduate school. However, once I found the bicycle the rest was history. And I’ve always wanted to chat with someone about this athletic progression and, low and behold, Nino Giganti arrived...

My guest today is Stephanie Hall. Stephanie is someone I met a few years ago at the Arkansas High Country Race and has been someone I’ve admired and enjoyed keeping up with as the calendar turns. Plain and simple, Stephanie is an ultra distance athlete and is someone who continues to push the envelope on what’s possible during the events she’s competing in. In this conversation Stephanie and I discuss her recent move from Austin, TX to Vermont and what that transition has been like for her,...

My guest today is Mike Weiss, owner and founder of Big Shark Bicycle Company located right here in St. Louis, MO. If you ride or race bikes in St. Louis there’s a very significant chance you’ve come across an organized event or race that is sponsored and supported by Big Shark. With three store-front locations in the St. Louis area Big Shark’s mission has always been to share the adventure and passion of cycling with members of all age groups.  Not only is Mike the owner and founder of Big...

My guest today is Olivia Reeve from St. Louis, MO. Olivia and I sat down earlier this week to celebrate and discuss her recent signing with Women's Domestic Elite cycling team, United Cycling. In this episode we dive into Olivia's journey from a Category C racer at Tuesday Night World's to competing in the Women's Pro peloton. We also discuss how Olivia plans to find balance between her professional and athletic careers next season,  her past athletic experiences, and what the process of...

Back again to tell us their personal tales of the Arkansaw High Country Race are my good friends Zach Smith and Matthew Roeleveld. Zach and Matthew raced the South Loop this year which features 487 miles of gorgeous, backcountry Arkansawyer roads mixed with a healthy 32,000 foot dose of elevation gain. In Part 2 of Talkin' High Country, Zach and Matthew revel us with their experiences while on the course, the long days and longer nights they endured, the new friendships they forged, and...

Hey everyone! And welcome back to Ope! Bikes. My guests this evening are Zach Smith and Matthew Roeleveld from St. Louis, MO. Zach and Matthew are both small business owners and two dudes who are genuinely stoked on riding and racing bikes. Not only do they excel at cycling, but they’re also amazing fathers, friends, and family men. I’ve known these guys for a few years now and I’m grateful to be included in our “DaddyFriendGroup” activities which includes racing bikes, talking about bikes,...

My guest today is none other than Chuck Campbell. Chuck is a retired science teacher who lives in Russellville, AR and is someone who is passionate about the state’s natural and human history. This passion Chuck possesses is something that inspired him to create the Arkansaw High Country Route, a 1,000 mile tour through some of the most beautiful and challenging parts of The Natural State. Not only is this route recognized and established by the Adventure Cycling Association, but since 2019...

Today’s episode features the one, the only Lindsay Shepard. I met Lindsay in 2021 while riding together during the Arkansaw High Country Race. Since then Lindsay has been one of the most inspiring and most influential members of the bikepacking community that I’ve had the opportunity to follow and become friends with. Lindsay is no stranger to hard things. She’s been adventuring on her bike since 2014, having completed the Tour Divide, the French Divide, and the American Trail Race. Most...

Do you know Kayce Peters? You should. Kayce is a friend, cyclist, USA Cycling official, and a pillar of the St. Louis cycling community. Not only is Kayce from St. Louis but he's been around long enough to see the community evolve and grow. Kayce's contributions extend far beyond his personal pursuits. As a USA Cycling official and dedicated advocate to the cycling community, you can find Kayce scoring points races on Thursday evenings at Penrose Park Velodrome or officiating our local, and...

My guest for today’s episode is Maggie Livelsberger from Erie, PA. Maggie is coming off an impressive showing at DOOM where she took 1st place in the women’s category and became the first woman ever to complete the route on a singlespeed. Maggie finished the 390 mile course with a time of 3 days 4 hours and 3 minutes. Maggie has an impressive ultra-distance resume. She took 1st place at Coast to Coast Gravel Grinder in Michigan, 1st place single speed and 3rd place overall at Gravel Worlds,...

Hey everyone! And welcome back to the second edition of Ope! 'N Mic with my friends and guests, Nate and Steve. On this episode we're recapping Week #1 of the National Cycling League that took place on Miami Beach in Miami, FL earlier this month on April 8th. The race was streamed live via GCN+ so Nate, Steve, and myself decided to get together and discuss what we observed during the first week of racing. In this conversation we give a brief recap of the race, offer our first impressions,...

My guest this week is Travis Finan, the creative engineer behind Art of Shralp. Travis is a local St. Louis resident who has been riding (and sometimes racing) bikes since he was a wee lad. Over the last few years Travis has redirected and refocused his energy for bikes into the artistic endeavor Art of Shralp. If you’ve seen stickers around St. Louis that showcase a Sucky Panther complaining about gravel, a grim reaper riding a tall bike, or a mind melted smiley face cruisin’ and shroomin’...

Joining me this evening are my friends Nate and Steve from KewlBeanz Cycling. We’ve been homies for a few years now and we often find ourselves discussing current events surrounding cycling. So, instead of continuing our seemingly endless text message chain, I decided to bring them on the show to discuss these items in podcast format. Tonight we’re talking about the new NCL racing league, how the racing is structured, and whether or not we believe it’ll find success in today’s environment....

Today’s episode features the one, the only, Mr. Scott Ogilvie. If you ride or race bikes in St. Louis, there’s a good chance you know who Scott is. Not only is Scott a pillar of the cycling community but he’s also the Complete Streets Program Manager for the City of St. Louis, working as part of the Planning and Urban Design Agency. In this role, Scott is committed to making our streets safer and more accessible for the city’s residents. Prior to Scott’s tenure as Program Manager, he also...

Tonight I sat down with Monica Cox from St. Louis, MO. Monica is a video editor, producer, photographer, and freelance content creator. Last year, Monica's capstone project was a film documentary focusing on women's crit racing in the 2022 American Criterium Cup. Together with her production crew, Monica sat down to interview racers from ButcherBox, LA Sweat, and a local St. Louis racer vying for her seat at the proverbial table. The bulk of Monica’s documentary focused on Day 3 of Gateway...

On this episode I sit down with Andrew Onermaa from Fayetteville, AR. If you don't know Andrew, that's OK. He's only been on the ultra distance bikepacking scene for a few years now. Most notably, Andrew is the 'local kid' who went head to head with Ted King during the 2020 Arkansas High Country Race, pushing Ted to ultimately claim the Fastest Known Time...at least for a couple years. Andrew's resume doesn't stop there. Andrew is the founder of Ozark Gravel Cyclists which is a community...

This week I sat down with Carolyn and Susan of The Monthly Cycle. The Monthly Cycle is a community organization in St. Louis, MO that is committed to fostering an inclusive environment for women, trans, and femme riders and racers. The organization was founded in 2013 and continues to push the envelope of aggressive inclusivity in the cycling space. 

My guest today is Kat Lin who races for Road Crew Coffee & Cycles right here in St. Louis, MO. Kat came over last Friday evening and I had a wonderful time learning more about Kat and her background, her entrance into riding and racing bikes, and also her motivations for continuous performance and improvement within the sport. Kat does it all, and she's always there. She races crits, track, gravel, and cyclocross and is always a joy to be around both on and off the bike. I speak for...