Where do I even begin with 2013? If I can say anything about PiNP, it’s that the site is ever-evolving, much like cycling and my own experiences with it. As my own habits change, so does the content. Looking back over the past twelve months, I still can’t wrap my head around how much I traveled. It was overwhelming at times, but in the end, worth it.
So where do we begin? How about with the first Photoset: a new camera.
Check out the PiNP 2013: A Year in Photos below!
January was pretty still over in Austin. I spent the weeks putting in base miles and getting out on the cross bike as much as I could. Staying fit is tough when you travel all the time, but luckily, I’ve always got my bike with me. The same goes for when friends come into Austin to ride and get rad!
When Kyle came to visit Austin, I took him out on a cross ride with some locals, down a trail none of us had ridden before. It was, um, challenging on a cross bike.
Of course, life isn’t all about bikes. Sometimes, you’ve got to soak in nature.
After some back and forth talks with Steve from FBM, I finally built up a Made in the USA Sword track bike.
Before I knew it, NAHBS was here and the Outside is Free photo show at Pearl Velo!
NAHBS, to me anyway, means work. It’s my busiest weekend of the year but this year, I stopped trying to cover the show frantically and just had fun…
Oh yeah, and I picked up a new MTB. It’d been over 10 years since I owned one and the trails of Austin were callin’.
Before I left town, I did my thing with Shop Visits.
After NAHBS, a bunch of my friends realized that winter in NYC sucks and they came to Austin to ride and race bikes.
March is where all the madness began. Mission Workshop reached out to me to do a bike tour that would leave from Shanghai for a week with the guys from Factory 5.
It was miserable and exhilarating all at the same time. Would I do it again? Maybe…
Especially if it means I could swing through Australia afterwards for my good friend Dan’s 40th birthday Bush Bash ride.
There’s nothing better than a two day ride in the ‘bush with your mates.
After shooting with my Mamiya 7ii in China, I caught the portrait bug and photographed people from Melbourne.
When I returned home to Austin, I had a few days before I took off for a trip to California and the ATOC. This was the first of many flights to Los Angeles in 2013.
Jeremy Dunn from Rapha North America wanted to profile Geoff McFetridge for the Rapha blog, so I shot some photos of a Griffith Park ride.
From LA, we went to Santa Barbara and climbed Gibralter.
Then went north, stopping at various host towns.
We rode in Santa Cruz with Garrett.
In 2012, my beloved touring bike was stolen and finally, after a year of waiting, its replacement came in from Geekhouse HQ. Let’s just say, this bike is pretty jamming!
But I barely had any time to ride the damn thing because as soon as I was home, I hopped back on a plane to SF to set up my photography show from China, The Ends, at Mission Workshop!
While there, I shot some photos of Keith Bontrager for Trek and Bike Mag!
… and rode my favorite climb in the Bay Area, Diablo!
But… Hawk Hill ain’t bad!
I was starting to get burned out after a week in San Fran, so Brian Vernor came and drove me down to Santa Cruz to ride mountain bikes with him and Garrett from Strawfoot.
After having a few weeks at home, it was time for Lauren and I to visit some family. We flew to NC and then drove to Vermont to partake in the JDRF ride for a cure fundraiser century.
It was there, in Vermont that I proposed to her…
… and of course, I had to visit a frame builder while I was in town (sorry Lauren!).
From Vermont, it was off to NYC for a week!
I spoke with Seth Rosko about building me a hardtail 29r and shot some of my favorite Shop Visit photos of the year with my Mamiya 7ii.
The next few weeks were a blur. A blur of cheese curds, beer, greasy food, parties and bikes. Sound familiar? I went to Minneapolis…
For the All-City Championships Crit and alleycat!
I had barely recovered from the long nights of drinking bourbon and going skinny dipping in lakes before I was sitting on a plane, heading to Eurobike, where I bumped into an old friend!
But let’s be honest, some of the best coverage came from the trip after Eurobike. Since Mission Workshop felt kinda bad about making me ride through the polluted landscapes around Shanghai, they took me to the Swiss Alps for some MTB riding!
… oh man, I miss this!
And to think, one of the critiques people had in 2012 was that I needed to cover more mountain bikes. Personally, I couldn’t be happier with the addition!
After the alps, I was buzzing with dirt fever. In the weeks after the trip, I hit the trails everyday and before I knew it, it was time to go to Los Angeles yet again, to see my friends and to greet Andy from Fyxomatosis. We went hard!
We rode all over LA, including Mt. Low at sunset.
… and Mt. Gleason, which was one of the toughest rides I’ve ever done.
The real reason I was in LA was to drive to Los Vegas for Interbike and the Urban Cycling Hall of Fame. Before we went to Vegas though, we spent the night in Zion!
Oh yeah… Interbike.
… which means CROSS VEGAS!
In the States, Cross Vegas is sort of the unofficial season opener for cyclocross. I raced the biggest turnout in Texas history and won the C’s.
Oh yeah, then I was back in Australia, riding more MTBs.
… and got to see some of Andy from FYXO’s private collection.
This Euro Sport road being my favorite!
I finally got to make it out to a Dirty Deeds CX race.
Returning to the States, cross season was in full swing and I decided to throw a race with All-City. Shit got weird.
Fat and squishy.
Oh god, let’s not forget the shitty weather that followed everyone to Austin for the next chapter in Yonder Journal’s Brovet rides. At least we survived this one!
Wait, wasn’t I just in LA?
Yep. This time, I was back for some more mountain bike action with GSC and Mission Workshop.
LA was the last ‘official’ travel for PiNP in 2013. Now, I’m back in Austin, ready to hit the road bike yet again to put in base miles and fitness because if 2013 proved anything, it’s that 2014 is going to be even more wild!
Thanks for tuning in, commenting and adding to the fun guys! Maybe I missed your favorite event? Feel free to link to it in the comments.
