tag
“You’re sleeping in a tent out there? Aren’t you worried about them?” a girl from Kyrgyzstan’s capital city who was enjoying a weekend trip to the local favorite Song-Kul lake asked us. I thought to myself wondering what she might be referring to. After a moment she realized our confusion and clarified… “The Wolves”.
The Kosciuszko Alpine Classic is just a name I came up with for a ride I did with my two good mates, Ben and James. We had organised a week off work in late October to go and spend some time in the Australian Alps. The route would see us riding primarily through the Kosciuszko National Park, taking in the wild brumby infested Long Plain, then going up and over the highest rideable trail in Australia, and also along some of the newest and flowiest single track built in the region. It was going to be classic!
Start ’em young! … and not just with racing, because there’s so much more to cycling than racing! In the Summer of 2019, the Oregon Chapter of National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) took 18 of its riders bike packing along a section of the Oregon Timber Trail (OTT)…
We had quite the coverage of mini velos last year, beginning with this dude’s personal bike. Isao’s Falconer was one of my personal favorites to hit these pages in 2019 because it really embodied the notion of deep custom and something we don’t address a whole lot here on the Radavist; this idea that when you get a wacky, 100% custom bike, you’re essentially getting a working prototype.
Tajikistan. It’s wild. It’s remote. It’s unforgiving. It’s out there.
Over eight days of breathtaking riding and spectacular scenery, we follow Christian Meier and Peter Gaskill of The Service Course on their adventure through Tajikistan, weaving through the Wakhan Valley, over the Khargush Pass, along the Pamir Highway, into the Bartang Valley and beyond. A journey into the unknown, and one that will live long in the memory. As a result, The Service Course will be hosting their inaugural Tajikistan Gravel Tour in June 2020, limited to six adventurous participants.
Where do we even begin with this post? 2019 was a year that defies all previous efforts here at the Radavist. Never have the pages of this site been graced with more exceptional photography and words! While we’re known for our full-res galleries, we really made a push to include exceptional writing this year. While this isn’t a top ten list, we’ve highlighted some of the exceptional work below. Stories that really stood out from our normal, year-to-year Reportage. Or if you’re a nostalgist, simply flip through the mega-gallery. Keep in mind, this one will take a bit to load!
I speak for everyone here at the Radavist when I say I can’t wait for 2020! Your feedback last week really helped all of us hone our vision and where we should direct our pens and our lens glass.
On the 6th of July 2019, 84 riders arrived at the Scottish city of Inverness to take on the Pan Celtic Race is the longest ultra-endurance race in the British Isles.
Karla and I had planned to explore a route that has been in my books for a while now which would connect Naco at the México-USA border to the city of Hermosillo via mostly dirt roads, as part of a project I tend to call “Ruta Trans-Sonora”, a way to cross the Mexican state of Sonora from north to south offering a continuation from the GDMBR, the AZT, and the most recent Wild West Route. This could, eventually, connect with the also recently released Trans-Mexico Route, which so far assumes you’d do the Baja Divide first. Although I don’t know why anyone would miss the opportunity of doing the Baja Divide, the idea is to put another option in the menu, and well, it’s my home state after all.
Our friends from Montanus sent over this wonderful project that I hope stokes some weekend plans for you and your riding buddies!
‘The Wolf’s Lair’ is a 400 km bikepacking route that winds through medieval castles, alpine scenery and ancient Italian villages in the Apennines mountains. The Montanus duo traced that route in 2016, after they felt the need to explore deeper Abruzzo region to learn more about their culture and origins. Giorgio and Francesco are back on The Wolf’s Lair to film the experience and show the hidden beauty that fascinated them three years before.
Remember that sick stem caddy bag Wizard Works made for Morgan and Stephanie? Well, the UK-based bag magicians have been very busy designing a new Wald basket bag called the Alakazam with some very unique details. Check out all the info below.
My favorite event last year returns for 2020 with a plethora of new activities. The Ruta Del Jefe weekend will include a 55-mile gravel ride, bikepacking tour, 12-mile run/ride…
Ruta Del Jefe is a 125-mile self supported adventure race following dirt roads around the Santa Rita Mountains, the lair of one of the only North American Jaguars to live in the U.S., El Jefe. Rural Del Jefe takes place on Tohono O’odham and Hohokam lands, in the Sky Islands region of the Sonoran Desert and the US/Mexico borderlands in Southern Arizona. The race follows remote and rugged dirt roads through one of the most biodiverse and beautiful places in the world yet, the region is plagued with many environmental threats and a humanitarian crisis that need our attention and action.
Want to learn more? Well, head to the Ruta Del Jefe website and be sure to check out our Reportage from last year’s race! Remember, registration opens December 13th at 7:00 am mountain time and is limited to 100 racers, so jump on Bikereg to set a reminder.
“The Transcontinental Race is rarely a race against fellow competitors, nor against oneself. It is, primarily, a race for oneself.”
Onboard is a film that has been four years in the making, documenting the immense beauty that is the TCR. Be on the lookout for the full-length in the coming weeks!
This is the twelfth layout of the Radavist 2019 Calendar, entitled “Mojave Mob” shot with a Canon 5D and a 70-200 lens in Death Valley National Park, California.
“Our trip through Death Valley National Park was one of my favorite stories of the year and with it, came many memorable moments, but this one image really resonated with me, even after editing, culling, and selecting hundreds from over a thousand photos. Enjoy…”
For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right click and save link as – The Radavist 2019 Calendar – December. Please, this photo is for personal use only!
(*set background to white and center for optimal coverage)
The mobile background this month is a layered blue hour ombré fade, complete with the lilies of the desert, the joshua tree. Click here to download December’s Mobile Wallpaper.
With the Dolomites as the backdrop, the Veneto Trail is equal parts hard, as it is stunning. This year’s route – which changes each year – totals 450km of distance with over 10,000 meters of elevation. Mark your calendars for June 27th, 2020!
The Hunt 1000 is an intense bikepacking route through the Australian Alps. This video, produced by Hunt Bikes, really showcases this breathtaking event. For a more in-depth and personal look, be sure to read Jorja’s recap from last year!
“See that rock formation over there, and the other skinnier one in the distance?” Jon Yazzie says, “they represent the story and fate of Big Snake and Owl Maiden. Big Snake came from what is called Sugar Loaf near Mexican Hat, Utah slithering its way down, and eventually ending up coiled around Agathla Peak or (what Kit Carson called) “El Capitan.” The Owl promised to look over Big Snake until he came back to life again. Owl is frozen in sandstone looking right at big snake on Agathla Peak.” Having passed through Kayenta countless times, driving from the southwest US to Moab, or further into Colorado, these prominent volcanic plugs and sandstone towers rising iconically out of a sea of sandy fields and sandstone mesas have always caught my eye. As we rested there just a few miles into the ride, legs slung overloaded bikes attempting to absorb everything Jon was telling us about the surrounding landscape, I knew this was going to be a special weekend.
Gear Junkie sits down with Lael Wilcox, a woman who needs no introduction here and asks her 21 questions about her career, life, and ambitions.
The University of Minnesota – Duluth has pulled together an exceptional profile video on Alexandera Houchin, the SS TDR record holder. Check it out!
“After living thousands of miles away and spending time zig-zagging down the Continental Divide on bike, Alexandera Houchin’s homecoming is extra meaningful. Growing up, she never saw a Native American dentist or doctor, and decided to counter that with plans to practice dentistry on her reservation. Through her example, Alexandera envisions empowering the next generation to take care of its citizens. “If you can’t see it, how can you believe it?””