I am joined in studio by Mountain bike Legend Kyle Strait. In my early days as a fan of mountain biking, Kyle was a child prodigy that served as an inspiration to a generation. From one of the most talented junior racers to ever come out of America, to Dirt Jump contents, dual slalom and eventually Freeriding, Kyle Strait could do it all. He’s also a massive fan of moto and has bridged off into coaching, trail build and even promoting his own races
To get early release and ad free audio versions of the podcast, as well as exclusive feature content, head to http://www.gypsy-tales.com
SPONSORS:
DRINK AG1: http://www.drinkag1.com/gypsytales
Make sure you use the code to get your years free supply of Vitamin D and 5 FREE travel packs!
MANSCAPED: http://www.manscaped.com
Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code GYPSYGANG
KRUSH OZ: https://krushoz.com
DriTimes: http://www.dritimes.com
FIST HANDWEAR: http://www.fisthandwear.com
CODE: GYPSYGANG 15%
DIXXON: http://www.dixxonquality.com.au
TROPICAL AUTO GROUP: http://www.tropicalauto.com.au
SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST ►https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsBG…
ADD GYPSY TALES ON INSTAGRAM ►https://www.instagram.com/gypsytalesp
00:00:00 Intro
00:03:35 Sheep Hills era
00:06:00 Being a Child Prodigy
00:13:50 Shaun Palmer
00:18:58 Evolution of Downhill Bikes
00:33:58 Kyle & Cam Zink’s 1st World Cup
00:40:30 Media in 2000’s MTB
00:54:39 Peak Money in MTB??
01:02:55 Thoughts in this years World Downhill
01:06:43 Are we cooking the Supercross rookies?
01:12:39 The Stark Varg (BANNED FROM RACING?)
01:36:18 Modern Trail Building
01:43:22 How would you describe Red Bull Rampage
01:49:04 22′ Rampage Crash
02:06:39 1st time at Rampage (14 Years Old!)
02:13:45 Wheres the limit for MTB?
02:26:37 Kyle’s Favourite Trip
02:33:35 How did Kyle become a child prodigy
02:57:10 How to get into ‘THAT ZONE’
03:18:41 Outro
Say the World Cup guys right you got your race bike and you’re maybe a practice bike and then spare parts for all of it to me I say send it let’s go everywhere you know what I Mean well like when you went there the first time what did you think it was going to turn into so the first year I went I was 14 and obviously it was were your parents my dad wrote an email like hey why not give Kyle a chance it was
Right at the time where as a kid right I was like I’m 11 I’m like go F I’m like air time my Fork fell off and I didn’t realize it fell off until I looked over at my bike and it was gone and I was like my dad comes over he’s like you
Okay and I was like okay I was like I’m too old to cry aren’t I and he’s like you could cry I was like I Can’t I met a CH now if you’ve been following the podcast recently you would know that we’re on a massive Health kick uh as we get ready to take on world vets at Glenn Helen in November of 2023 athletic greens is not only an all-in-one formula that helps me just cover all my
Nutritional bases uh it’s also the first healthy habit that I have uh that starts every single day ag1 is packed with 75 vitamins minerals and Whole Food sourced ingredients of the highest quality that are able to offer gut health support mood support can affect your energy each day and contribute to overall healthier
Looking hair and Skin does it have it’s okay there water there so if you want to pour it in whatever I just uh it’s iced tea I’m an iced tea drinker big ass tea I never got into the last tea you haven’t really got in it but I haven’t really given it a chance either I’ve
Never been a coffee guy yeah see that’s crazy to me as I sit here and I’m about to hook in to this coffee um yeah so that that’s a little bit C that thing no no that’s as long as it’s good for you and yeah you just move it up but it’s
Just the tables and then headphones or no headphones up why not but you sound good you look good thanks Kyle straight is uh joining us on Gypsy tails and we’re we’re on just like that oh okay yeah all right sick we’re doing it I uh like I was saying a big fan
Growing up uh I remember the the early days of the the child Pro the child prodigy of Kyle Strait in my mountain bike days and uh yeah pretty sick to have you on the podcast just had an epic lunch with your with your family and uh
You know a new spot yeah dude it’s don’t be tell don’t be telling everybody though I was thinking about that I was like do we shout it down on the podcast or do you just keep it quiet keep it quiet I know that was like local that
Was old school local boy food right there yeah it was good um you know as as we were talking I spent uh like over a decade here just riding dirt jumps with a lot of my close friends and got over uh you know not having space and the trails getting plowed basically every
Year or whatever trying to take over sheep Hills things like that and it just not working out so um moved out east uh East County San Diego and that’s where we have the property straight acres and yeah doing great out there man it it was
A it was a time though like that whole sheep Hills you know like there was that was a generation of mountain blers that were kind of like raised in that area but then it had a bit of a ripple effect all over the world you know for sure
It’s had so many generations of um BMXers mountain bikers like BMX race guys like all of that and a lot of different um what’s it called uh just gener yeah generations of just like Riders and styles and everything and like it’s pretty awesome to be able to
See and it’s still around today what was your first memory of going there uh actually it was my 12th birthday no way yeah my 12th birthday um you know I grew up like in about an hour Inland from here and where where did you go in in
Redlands right below Big Bear yep y so I grew up going to the mountain bike races and things like that but um I think it was my 12th birthday my dad was like he goes okay what do you want to do for your birthday and I was like I want I
Want to go to sheep Hills he’s like all right I’ll figure it out and we actually I think we drove into Newport and we were like went to a bike shop and ask asked around yeah cuz there was no obviously no social media or anything
Like that and yeah and we uh ended up finding it rode down there like hey Park in this Zone ride down there and then I remember riding like some of the back jumps and then started getting like a little more comfortable hitting more and more jumps but yeah I definitely
Remember the the first day I went there dude so cool like I think every kid that mountain bikes or BMX cuz I think we’re the same age pretty much and our generation like we didn’t really have video games that much we didn’t have social media for when we were 12 like
The internet really wasn’t a thing and dude so many of my life experiences were shaped around being at the dirt bike jumps making dirt bike jumps being at the jumps and then like even today we’re talking about like the homeless situation like dude remember the junky
Sort of dudes and like we had a lot of like indigenous Australian dudes that would be [ __ ] hanging out you’d be like kind of you learned a bit of the ways of the world as like a as a teenager at jumps you know yeah like I I
Feel like a lot of our generation is is we learned off of magazines in VHS right where you’re like waited until that magazine came out to even see the results of the down the NOA race or or whatever that may be like you had to
Wait till the video the VHS came out oh man and it was there was something about it like I mean that’s how I would know about you like I would know about you from Mound bike magazines and DVDs and vhs’s and just like growing up in cans and shredding mountain bikes and like
That was the inspiration you know yeah it’s pretty wild I mean like thinking as a kid right you’re like for me I mean you’re talking about like child prodigy right like I’m like a lot of people have said in like for a long period of time right and I’m like
Well I was just a kid that was just wanted to ride and when say say like when uh um one of the VHS vhs’s came out I was like oh I think I can do that now I’m going to do that now yeah and I feel
Like just me wanting to strive for like riding as much as possible it kind of just went along with it right and being in the right places the right time whether that was uh the SE jump comp like when I was 13 or something like that or Rampage itself the first year
Like I was like oh okay I’ll do that and I just kind of mold it around like okay I can dirt jump so that I’m going like oh I can try this drop or I can I loved racing and and that’s what I grew up
With so I just kind of would go oh I can do this and this and this and like I was pretty open to just writing whatever yeah you were zinc the podcast isn’t out yet but uh me and zinc talked about it and I never really thought about it but
You were this like Phenom racer kid essentially and right at the same time it’s there’s almost like a Travis Pastrana parallel to where it’s like Travis was the serious racer I mean he’s way sicker but I me thanks he is pretty dope but you think about the parallels
In terms of the career of child prodigy and then does racing but at the same time that he’s doing his thing there’s also this like parallel freestyle Motocross deal that he’s like super drawn to and in a way I mean that’s what you kind were in mountain biking in a
Sense is like you were the mountain bike kid that was like the dope ass racer that also did all the jumps and all the drops and and it was like that time was the same time that you were coming up and it’s like we saw it happen with
Other people they just fragmented off and they’re like I think I want to try this new thing I think a lot of it has to do with um like the ADD and like me not being able to do specific things for a certain amount of time right so I’m
Like oh okay what’s this over here what’s over here what’s over there you know and um just having a lot of energy as a kid and and um I guess like for my head I would watch like a VHS like Palmer and chain smoker like Sean Palmer right yeah and I
Literally took every word he said like he did that like little interview or whatever he’s like yeah you can do anything you put your mind to and he’s wearing a he’s got no shirt on no shirt on a full face on and he’s just hanging
Out on a couch and I was like I can do anything I put my mind to and I was like from then on I was like that’s it okay I can do anything and so I think that that you know looking at that mentality and thinking like oh that is that’s real
Life I can do anything I want um I think that paralleled with mountain bike in its infancy kind of like not as just mountain bikes but as as racing it was it was starting to Branch off um and looking after Action Sports as well right yeah you know there
Was all sorts of different events like uh the rebel freeze ride it was a slop style event but on snow yeah and I was like oh okay I’ll try that and then there was like other free rides in Europe and then there was Rampage started and dirt jump coms and like so
It was starting to fracture off a bunch right then and I think I just was interested and wanted to do all of it at the same time so I think that you know I mean Growing Up Racing it was just that’s that’s what there was right um
And I still definitely love it to this day for sure it’s crazy to be a kid that hears that message and fully absorbs it from a guy like Palmer like I just I don’t think that like I guess I would look at that differently cuz I’ve
Watched all the same [ __ ] and it didn’t hit in that way like I always looked at people just better and I’m like ah dang it like I’m just not that guy but to be a kid in that position and then hear sha Palmer say it and then fully believe it
Like that’s actually really cool I I’ve never really thought about that I mean I think I grew up um my dad was always really confident in anything I mean he’s just a construction worker but he was always confident like oh I’m going to do
It this way and this is why I’m doing it this way and he was had like a lot of confidence in it um and I think that’s helped me you know I don’t have any nowhere near like the confidence things has like he’s on like his own level of
Of like confidence and focus um but I feel like I had good examples to be able to look at that and I remember even asked my dad like look and and I’m hey does is that true like I can do anything I want if I put my mind to it and he’s
Like yes and I was like so sick okay and so I just took it from then on yeah dude and it’s crazy like I I said the same thing to Brian Degan MH uh it was just was like an offhand text one day where I was like man just think about the fact
That you raised a kid that can walk into a stadium at 16 and just swing his dick around like that is crazy that you raised a kid that is not scared to put himself in that situation you know like and it’s the same with you like being so
Young at Rampage and you know like all of these races and doing everything that you’re doing like to be so young and so confident is like I find that very special yeah I I I I don’t know man I mean as I get older I’m like realizing what kind of things started that
Confidence yeah um and some of it that you know took it away right like certain things who knows what life experiences or whatever it may be um and I it seems like it yeah you’re either kind of born with it or not born with it um but you
Can definitely build it for sure I just as you’re saying with with Dean like I mean it like you can see it like just oozing out of him right like there’s like a a haze of him of just like confidence like exactly an AA you’re like yeah it was orange and it
Was on fire so it’s it’s I mean that’s obviously built in in like you know obvious like the Talent Plus the the confidence and the backing and support and all of that at it all to combined in together is is that yeah you know which is super sick to see well even Rachel
Just said then like you didn’t you should have seen yourself back then you know when you were like 20 and like just full of your you know full of your own enthusiasm and confidence you know but like you’re just living it you’re fully just living like that moment and it is
Stages in your life right for sure yeah yeah like uh I think the confidence you have have it’s you know just kind of General right like with humans and in your early 20s you’re just like I can do anything you’re like and and like how I
Am too I’m like black and white like I can do that no no we’ll never do that yeah okay yeah I’m doing this you know so it’s very uh like the honeymoon yeah exactly I’m like just let me relax yeah not doing a hike not doing a boat not
Doing none of this [ __ ] I’m [ __ ] jilling yeah but she got me to do all of it I did this I did this hike in sandals dude I was like no I don’t I don’t eat shoes dude I damn near ripped off my toenail and then I put my hand like
Right next to the actually no she put her hand she put her hand right next to the centipede and I was like don’t move your hand you’re good but don’t move your hand experiences right dude that’s so funny yeah but Le like just to be just
To be able to like ride those waves at those periods of your life like you know sha Palmer perfect example like dude imagine being imagine being Palmer in his prime like there’s nothing that dude couldn’t have done in his own mind like he raced a [ __ ] Factory Honda at
Glenn Ellen National like dude that’s so sick yeah and and spending time like I started hanging out with him maybe like 201 12 13 somewhere in there yeah um as he was kind of trying to like get back into mountain bikes a little bit and the amount of like the amount of confidence
That dudes has it it it makes so much sense yeah on how he’s able to do that with so many different types of sports right like Tech a really good athlete that’s just good at things right and then add that confidence and then that confidence and messing with other
Athletes yeah like he tried to get in my head and I was like no it’s not going to happen this is what you do and then I was like it’s happening I’m like [ __ ] is he going to beat me and I was like no there’s not a chance he’s like 50 years
Old like there’s no way you know like and and I took a lot of that stuff from him as well and I mean I call him Uncle Shawn right because he’s he’s such an knucklehead but he’s like the baddest dude ever you know like he’s awesome
What what do you think he did for mountain bikes because he came at a pretty important time like there was the skin suit era there was the like mountain biking really could have gone either way and I feel like he saved mountain viiking in a sense I feel like
He brought it down the more action sports Road right like it wasn’t Action Sports yet right but it probably would have stayed in skin suits and and currently it’s almost back into skin suits which is kind of wild to me right like you look at all everybody’s running like in the World
Cup down everybody’s running like downhill kits but everything is super tight again yeah yeah and it makes sense but well has L was saying that he ran the uh he ran the BMX one because it was tighter like he actually ran like the French BMX Jersey so like I I feel like
They’re all traumatized though like it’ll just never it’ll never fully go back there and like the Casual side of it as as well you know but yeah like Palmer came in at a time and like he just could have like he could have fully gone the other
Way and slid off a cliff never to be rescued and it’s like he he made it cool he he made it super cool I mean there’s like multiple Parts I was just you we were talking about L and I got sidetracked I’m going to get sidetracked
A lot by the way not hey let’s do it that’s why we got so with palm right he brought in like the attitude that like I can I can just beat you out of like sheer will right um you know the the Motocross clothes um all of that like getting your
Set up coming trying to make the bikes more like a motorcycle right cuz they were kind of like huh I don’t they were more cross country side right like everything was more cross country and it was trying to get even the down bikes they were starting to go in that direction of
Being not quite like Moto but on its way trying to figure out how to how to make that work um so there’s that whole part and then by the time like uh zinc and I came along as like Juniors racing you know norbas and going to world World Championships things like that he
Brought a whole another side of all these extra rules cuz Palm was so flamboyant and just like I’ll do whatever I want you know like I’ll break all the rules or if there is any rules you’re going to make new ones because of me because of me because of me and so
Zinc and I got that you know we looked up to him and and Kurt VOR and all those guys and we were like well oh if they can act like that we’re going to be twice as crazy and and we got we got held back so much and there was multiple
Times where they were like the world’s team was ready to send us home they’re like no we’re sending you home really yeah they I was like you can’t do that I paid my own way to be here they’re like we’re going to pull your number and I’m
Like well go go ahead and try um so yeah I mean obviously that’s that’s being little little shits for sure confident confident little shits yeah but that’s it was that that era though you know and like there wasn’t I guess maybe just sitting here thinking about it now like
There wasn’t that much of a blueprint to follow like you guys kind of got to pick who you wanted to be in a sense cuz the sport was super young yeah that it’s kind of wild like thinking back in that in that term right like we we uh we the
Only blueprint we had is is like a racing background right like you know whether that was sponsors of like hey what what place did you get at this race or what place did you get this race we’re like oh well we did that but then we went to this Freer ride event yeah
And then we got a cover of this magazine and then we went and did uh you know film for New World Disorder and they’re like well make sure you do this though and you’re like well does that really matter yeah and so I mean it’s kind of wild to think back and
Go okay that wasn’t an option for for us but now that all those options are there for all the current writers right current riters and then also new writers um but blowing it somebody’s calling me I thought I turned it off same thing just happen to oh typical it’s my mom
She’ll be all right yeah yeah I can flag that one yeah uh what was the transition like in that period of time with the like kind of before they were like downhill bikes because so my first downhill bike was like one of the original intense m1s and that to me like
Before that I remember Bren ainson had the GTI drive and that was like pretty dope that was pretty down early but you kind of lived through that transition and I think like nowadays man like even just a in eurobike would smoke that old M1 like not even not even close so but
You actually lived and raced through that transition was that pretty wild how much those bikes changed in that short period of time I think the almost the wild we’ll go through like the from where I started cuz we I didn’t have much money growing up um I actually
Raced downhill dual somam and a little bit of dir jumping on the same bike that’s insane 24in hard tail um with no like At first I had an inch of travel in the front or inch and a half but it was aaser do you remember aler no so Lasser
Are like this little rubber things that they put inside instead of a spring yeah and you could change the rubber yeah there were like different teters or something like that I rode that at like you know Big Bear Fontana all those races until it fell off in the air and I
Drug my chest across the ground for like 20 feet and I was like no [ __ ] I think I was maybe 11 or something like that 10 uh probably 11 and it it so funny um it was right at the time were as a kid right I was like I’m 11 I’m like going
Fast I’m like hit air time and my Fork fell off and I didn’t realize if it fell off until I looked over at my bike and it was gone and I was like my dad comes over and he’s like you okay and I was
Like I’m okay I was like I’m too old to cry aren’t I and he’s like you could cry and I was like I can’t it was like right I remember like so specific that it was right at the age and I remember my head I was like I’m
Too old to cry I’m supposed to be it’s one one of those um so I started with those bikes and a couple other kids they were starting to be you know like not quite 24in down bikes there was one kid that had one but it was like custom
Made for him ni [ __ ] um and then I got on like ex dude exactly he would beat me at all the rough tracks I’m like come on man yeah you only beat me because your black has suspension yeah um but I feel like that truly gave me a lot more
Skills in the beginning until I did get a downhow bike and then I got like a Ventana 6 in like a used bike or something um and then I had an M1 right after that I think it was 13 14 I got an M1 and then zinc was on the same thing
He had a black M1 I had a white one yeah yeah one of the black ones yeah so I mean once it got to that you were like oh there’s nothing better than this yeah you know um so I was kind of late to the downhill bikes um but I would have
Served you so well dude I think it did I I think that’s it’s kind of crazy too A lot of people watch my writing and say like like how are you so smooth and like and I think that’s because of I had to be smooth on a hard tail for sure and
And be conscious of line choice and so on instead of smash three things so even to this day I’m I’m like really kind of smooth for my size I would say yeah yeah yeah no I dude 100% that did you ever did you ever go to cans and ride I never
Made it no I missed uh what was the first year they had it 96 world something yeah so I was too young for that one and then the one the couple after that I what just wasn’t racing World Cups yeah so there was this dude in Australia do you remember the mud
Cows movies of course yeah do you remember Benny bramham on the hard the dude that was always on the hard think bro he was like he’s the the example of that [ __ ] too like he was just I guess it’s two-stroke fourstroke almost you know like just the dude that goes I’m
Never getting off my two-stroke that was Benny bramham with a hard and that [ __ ] used to send [ __ ] like the roughest Gest [ __ ] into all the drops and like he was an incredible writer because he just didn’t have 8 in or seven in of suspension to save him you
Know and if you could be a kid I guess it’ kind of be like doing trials on a Moto you know like you hear so many guys that grew up doing trials riding or whatever and um yeah Benny bamham was just that that dude that just always
Rode the the hardel yeah I mean I I still ride the hardel a lot actually the last last five years I’ve gotten like I’ve always ordered and built a like a 29 or 27 um inch wheel like hard tail but I now I have like a
One 160 fork in the front and then the angles are all slacked out and um I end up riding those cuz anybody I ride with now like just that are like weekend warrior or like friends of mine they’re insanely fit yeah they’re insanely fit and I’m like all right well I guess I
Ride by myself up the hill cuz I’m like I’m not trying to go full doing that exercise mode you know I’m like not a chance sometimes I do if I’m training for something but I’m like no how are you guys so fast aren’t don’t you have
Jobs um so I’m faster climbing on the hard tail and then when I go down then I’m more similar Pace to everybody else that’s kind of your weekend warrior right and I don’t have to go that insane speed like if I read a normal trail bike
I’m like yeah you really going way too fast and I’m bored unless I am going that fast yeah so then I’m like man I probably shouldn’t go that fast every time that makes sense so then I call like my batting donut and I’ll ride that
Hard tail and I’ll get down the hill and and do that and I’m like having to go full like full 100% Focus or else I’m like say if I blow off a foot on the hard tail yeah dude you’re done for you’re going down every time so I feel
Like that bike kind of like got me excited to ride TR bikes again right yeah kind of got me excited so um yeah a lot of that stuff is like all skill-based things right and then so when when did you like or what was the bigest evolution in bikes do you was it
When you got the M1 that was like the biggest change for for me that was that was a huge change um and then was that like the first best downhill bike ever do you think or like what dude I I wrote it for like three seasons yeah and then
Uh my next sponsor after that was har and they had m1’s as well well it was basic M1 as well right just a different like seat tube or something like that um I mean that you can’t it’s still even to this day you can’t really go wrong with
That four bar with a rocker right like yeah how much has it really changed I mean tons of change on Geometry it’s so much better yeah so much and the suspension everything um I feel like our biggest strides on downo bike side would be maybe in the last 10 years right uh
Eight8 to 10 years like I feel like that’s when it really changed and what what was the biggest change like what’s the big breakthroughs um I mean your easy one is wheel size right yeah so your wheel size um and then it kind of got Goofy for a
Second just on Geometry because they were still trying to figure it out the wheels were they didn’t last you didn’t have enough tires um and then it then all those things like with wheels and tires that all caught up and then the geometry started getting really sick right and then that’s basically roughly
In that area that’s that’s when the trail bike started coming out and being like oh these things are like mini way better faster downhill bikes well that’s what I couldn’t believe when I cuz I mean I haven’t owned a downhill bike forever like I basically I basically RAC
Downhill until I could afford a moto and then I sold my downhill bike and then I raced motos ever since and then I ended up getting a bike off specialized I want to say in like 2016 or something and it was just one of the stump jumpers like
Before it went to like that new style and I went riding I was like what the [ __ ] like this is ridiculous and they roll so much faster too you’re like oh I’m going really fast I need big brakes now yeah yeah it was like a just a seismic
It felt like a seismic shift you know yeah I I would say yeah like that ate to 10 years ago CU they were dabbling you know 10 years ago with like 29er wheels and then all of a sudden 275 came out and it was like oh okay that’s that’s
Like a middle ground um and then the the bikes kind of got they were too short because everybody a lot of the engineers thought that the wheelbase was going to get too long so then they shortened the cockpit and you’re like no no it’s same same same thing’s fine short in the rear
End now or or you know whatever and it was totally fine to have a longer wheelbase and look at the wheelbases now I mean they’re probably like a foot and a half longer than like our bikes our M1 that we had back in the day which is so
Crazy to think about and just the like the level I mean I don’t know how much you follow the World Cups these days oh yeah but dude I follow it the level is insane like I honestly I I really want to go I said I want to to go to one this
Year I didn’t make it but I which one do you want to go to which one would you want to go to First dude I don’t know like I’ve been to I’ve been to Andora you have been to that one okay oh no like I’ve been to the the town yeah so
I’ve like visited the place I would go to that one yeah I was going to say like so we went to we CU Jack Miller lives there yeah and so we were just chilling we were driving from lemon to Barcelona basically and then we stopped in Andora
And I just saw those Hills and Jack’s like yeah that’s the start of the downhill track and I went f [ __ ] you that’s the start of the downhill track cuz it was Psycho I just couldn’t believe the like just the steepness of the hill and man these days the speeds
They’re carrying to it okay so you know I raced a lot of people don’t know but I raced World Cups for over a decade right they had some like good results whatever um but I I took a lot of time off of it right went more kind of like Free Ride
Slope style all that stuff came back I went to Andora three three or four maybe 19 or 20 yeah maybe it was 19 and coached our Junior like us kids on commensals and so on and dude I was like okay yeah like I race this track you know I’m like still
In my head I’m like yeah I could come back if I felt like it and I’m walking the track with the Juniors and I see I I think I saw L and Finn come down at the top and I was like that’s the speed they’re going and
I remember one of my juniors goes see how fast they’re going now and I was like yeah you guys could do that I was like it blew my mind man I could I was like man I I think if I train maybe I could I don’t even if I could qualify
Now I’m like dude and but in my head as I was coming into it I was like oh yeah it’s fine how much could it have changed in 10 years and it’s like well all of it everything changed yeah they’re they’re not even the same people like you know
The same speed it’s like in uh tallad day nights he like are those other drivers yeah yeah yeah no dude 100% like I remember I did a like first time I met L I think he just won his first world title or he’d like won his last Junior
It was some he was like he was good but he he wasn’t as good as he is now obviously and I remember we were filming in just the trails in Tula like the downhill track there and I had just never seen anything like it you know
Just that that gap of when I quit riding mountain bikes to seeing that I was just like what the actual [ __ ] is going on right now and I I couldn’t believe it and it’s not just one thing either right it’s it’s like a whole combination of
Like the fitness the like the amount of time of the bike the skills like how connected they are like dude ly is so connected with his bike in like his movements he does I mean obviously we only had we had insane Racers you know Manar Sam all like Sam you ever see that
Guy move like he doesn’t he goes so fast but he doesn’t he’s just constantly in one spot right like minimal movements but like holding that traction now there’s there’s like two handfuls of riders that are like that yeah um and it’s it’s pretty wild and it’s awesome to see yeah
The you wouldn’t think that that sport had that much room to evolve like that’s kind of a crazy thing but I guess it’s the same with everything you know like you look at you look at Moto now but you want like you’re you’re obviously a moto fan it’s like you wonder
Like are they is is Jet and Chase and Eli going that much quicker than babba and and Ricky I dude I I think about it all the time I want to know so bad but what do you think I I don’t know I I don’t know like there’s no way possible
To to be able to get an accurate like okay let’s take Stuart from whatever year or even Ricky let’s go eight and like 05 or something for Ricky or something would it be 05 I don’t know I’m bad with and then let’s stack him up this year yeah or beginning this year
You know what I mean like there’s no way who knows I I don’t know enough about Moto to actually like visually see the differences like I can see like how they’re riding and so on but I don’t know it’s sick to see and especially from my side is like being such a fan
You know I’m like oh no he’s got it for sure but in it you can have that conversation in modo yeah where you’d be like dude I don’t know like Ricky was a bad [ __ ] James was maybe the baddest and there it’s like but Eli ston
Jet like dude nly but in downhill no like it’s so clear that year on year on year on year it’s wild how Manar can keep doing it though like evolving with not only the the faster Riders and the new riders coming up but then the evolution of the bikes and what they’re
Changing in the courses I mean a lot of the tracks are pretty similar a lot of them are faster than they used used to be cuz there’s a lot of bike park added into those tracks the rest of the year has a bike park or whatever but before a
Lot of those locations were just um you know like Hey we’re going to have a race here the World Cup and then they would have the trail that they used every year or fresh track um but it’s insane to see how like monarus keeps going and there’s
There’s a couple other writers like that but but in terms of just like the the straight up like if you took like a Sam Hill in 2010 or you know like Peak Sam Hill and then put him against you know like a Jackson gold stone it’s just like
It’s like dude you’re probably getting smoked probably you know and but just because it’s changed like so the sport evolves so much but then you look at what Sam did to everybody when he come in and it’s like for some reason downhill just has room MH to for a guy
To come along and you never think there is but then they’re just somehow it finds like those guys find the room to be that much much faster I mean my mnc’s first worlds we went to Sam was still a junior that was his last Junior yeah and
I want to say he won I don’t know he beat G or something like that by like 10 or 12 seconds yeah that was huge that one yeah and so zinc that was our first one dude we have such good stories from that one getting in fights in the in the
City really yeah what happened okay bad ex we’re bad examples don’t do this don’t do this um yeah he he I think his time he crashed Sam crashed and I think he was only like a couple seconds off of manar’s time in the Pro class that’s right actually it
Was insane yeah dude I I got fourth that year yeah um so some of the funny things um so we’re there for you know World Champs or whatever and we’re first year Juniors and we’re like okay this is you know they have the US team and so on and
We find out that uh you have you have to stay with your team um you know Team USA whatever you stay accommodations and they have mechanics and blah blah blah and Cam and I were used to like having our own pits and so on and do our own
Thing right yeah and we find out that there was a um like a water jump competition in the lake nearby so it was like a judged event for cash and we’re like oh we’ll go we’ll win some cash right now and so we talked to the the USA officials or whatever the people
Are taking care of us and cuz of granted we’re we’re 16 and 17 so miners so we’re miners right and we’re like Hey we’re going to go down here and we’re going to win some money in this Lake jump competition and they’re like no that’s not what you do you’re here to race
Downhill and we’re like yeah but we’re kind of we kind of do everything and then he’s like no absolutely not so we ended up sneaking out uh that night rode our bikes it was all the way downhill um tried to make it we just we fully missed
It we didn’t make it there in time we’re like bummed out end up uh getting in a fight downtown with some like local kids um and and uh I think I I just remember like kind of like ah yeah we kicked their ass like all right sick you know
And then going to the Burger King down down the in the town there and we realized that they had beer on the tap and we were like yes beer on tap yeah they had beer on tap so we grabbed beers on tap and we were just so amped and
Then we figured out how to get on a bus back up to the mountains and we made it halfway until we got kicked off the bus cuz they didn’t like our bikes on the bus and we walked the rest of the way and then um I guess after that oh after
That zinc’s bike got stolen and he was wearing he rode some some of the girl on the team the Team USA he rode her bike and helmet his helmet was on the handlebars in the race in yeah in the race no [ __ ] he rode this uh this chick
L Lan’s bike yeah so like when we we we thought we were going to be gnarlier than like pal and like their party story or just being Rowdy and we got throttled down so hard but we still like I guess tried to you like resisted it oh 100%
You’re like no we’re doing it we’ve just got you had it in your head like what being a promount biker actually was yeah we we were like oh we just we just wreck wreck wreck shop and even the next year at Worlds uh we were shooting uh that would have been
Le yeah world so like the year py no PD crashed PD crashed what year would that have been 05 maybe okay that sounds I’m real I’m real bad at years uh so in our second junior year um we were feeling even more confident that coming in that one we
Were like oh yep our second year you know and um all while that like same all while the same time right we’re filming video parts and we’re doing other free red events and so on so we’re just like oh yeah oh you’ll just Fully live oh yeah we’re yeah we’re doing great um
There’s like a parade that there is there’s a parade that goes through town and and like the start of the event the the World Championships right and we were like yeah we’re not going to be part of that not chance and we found yeah we were like not not a chance and
We found this shop like a little shop that sold fireworks and uh we decided to shoot fireworks Roman candles at the at our own parade and it got to this point and we’re just rowdy kids we’re doing practice we’re doing whatever we’re throwing uh baby Bell cheese waxes on
The walls just being like a full non like uh non like a what’s that word nonsense nuisance we being a full nuisance of just like everyone we had like made like little porn collages and like gave that to one of our sponsors and then we had this sit down they’re
Like hey they’re going to send you guys home they’re like not a chance you can’t send us home what we paid the we paid for we paid for our tickets and we’re racing they’re like we’re going to pull your number plate and luckily we had uh
Our actual down hook coach she was super nice Ela and uh she had a like a chat with us you see like hey guys like I know you’re just being Knuckleheads it’s fine but they want to send you home and we’re like yeah right not a chance so
She’s like hey just clean the cheese off the walls maybe tone down the porn mags like don’t shoot fireworks at the parade cuz Europe is just a [ __ ] freefor all that’s the thing that people don’t understand too is like if you’re from America then there’s like a lot of
Culturally like it’s it’s a lot more buttoned up culturally here like you get to France they’re freaks bro they don’t care they do they do porn everywhere [ __ ] beers everywhere like you just literally we could go to the store buy beers we were like yeah this is awesome
We love this um so then yeah we and like you’re saying yeah it’s there there no rules until you bro go too far and then they’re like well you broke five rules you’re like I didn’t see those anywhere where were these rules when I was breaking the rest of
Them so then uh she has that chat with us right and we’re like okay all right don’t shoot fireworks don’t uh throw cheese no porn no cheese in the walls and she’s like oh and you have to wear like your team uniform in practice we’re
Like no you guys don’t pay us like no not a chance so we decided the next day it was a full mud day and I was like okay I’m like let’s let’s run our USA like team polo button-up shirts and on our tan slacks and We’ve ran tan slacks
Full USA button up and I got to the we’re covered in we’re covered in mud and I get down the bottom I’m like look look team uniform and she’s like oh you little jerk [ __ ] yeah but uh what was what was the media lock at this point was the internet good was the
Internet bad or was this just still full magazine days no no by then it was it was a you know you I vital wasn’t around but it was um pink bik was around a little bit yeah um but it was magazines were booming yeah magazines were booming like you
Know you had 26 you had decline you had B bike you had uh Mountain B action and then that’s just on the US side right and those it was all big um and then even with the the like all our contracts also too like oh you get a half page you
Get a cover you get a you know a two-pager it’s like bonus bonus bonus yeah right so us us were really incentivized to like be in the magazines and for sure and and do trips and like any any even when you’re on like say those New World Disorder like um segment
You know your video parts right you’d have your photographers there and then they’re sending out to the bike magazine they’re sending out to decline you you know so all those and then also sending to your sponsors that so that you can get um you know product shots or
Whatever yeah that cuz that that is a very different time like I could see how your attention would be fragmented back then you know because like racing just you don’t really get paid to just race almost that that was right at like that was just the start of like that turning
Point I think we were thinking I maybe 16 17 17 18 somewhere in there where there was comen an option there was sponsors were starting to sponsor those video Parts they were starting to sponsor you know allowing us to go out to these Free Ride events um and like
You know we would do a World Cup World Cup a free ride event and then fly over to the US do a US World Cup and then film film a project um so we were bouncing all over the place doing multiple different you know traveling with three or four bikes for
Each event you know not for each event but for each thing well because you’d have to go from thing to thing exactly yeah like there was a year what have been 1920 or something like that 19 that I I was like top 40 top 30 in
The World Cups and I was like super stoked and I was only racing and then one of my sponsors was like hey how’s your video segment going and I was like well well I don’t have one like I’m I’m racing I’m I’m the top American in the U
Like in the World Cups right now like sick this is awesome like you didn’t see that he’s like oh well we paid a lot of money like you should probably have video part and I literally left the World Cups flew to Canada and I was in
Canada for a month and had my actually my best video part I’ve ever had which is kind of crazy but I was actually focused because I had to yeah but then when I flew back to the the to go to the World Cup finals I missed like two races
Or something maybe one or two too I flew back I’d been on my free ride program for a month and I flew back and I dude I struggled so hard oh I bet I was awful yeah dude it’d be so hard to go back and forward yeah it was it was really hard
Just kind of like focusing some some sponsors would want you to do one thing one would do other and then you got to trying to make make one whole travel schedule that would make everybody happy but yeah and who was helping you with this stuff was it all just you um I had
A manager from when I was 16 to 22 or so um so he helped me with that and then from then on it was always just me and sponsors and and so on until I don’t know about 10 years ago when I met ra and then I was like oh you’re good at
Schedules and booking everything you’re the best at it oh that’s so true I can can relate um yeah so you have I guess it’s like you’re incentivized to go in all these different directions were was that in the era where the contracts were decent too back then or like cuz that’s one
Thing I guess I don’t ful have my yeah so that was too early yeah so it would be a little bit early it was starting to get big um cuz har is like they were a huge company back then they were yeah um it was after
The big boom with like Palm so it would have been like 2000s or something like that and then it started falling off it fell off huge I think 2000ish when Cam and I were like really getting into it and then it started picking up a little
More and then it picked up until like the market crashed so like was it eight or nine yeah oh and then went back down again and then it started picking up again and it’s been really good until yesterday yeah basically basically this year yeah dude it’s [ __ ] crazy the
It’s bad yeah I mean we were talking about it a little bit at lunch but it just seems like I mean you obviously would know a lot more about it than me but it’s just like the whole Co boom and they couldn’t keep bikes on the shelves
And then it’s like let’s buy a [ __ ] ton of bikes for 2021 yeah let’s buy them leate yeah but also because everyone’s Manufacturing in the same three or four factories there’s just these huge weight times so now all these companies like rockshock and shm and fox and [ __ ] name whoever them
And it’s like they literally having to project 3 years in advance two years in advance and it’s like now [ __ ] inflation like the free money caught up like there’s huge economics at play and they just fully cooked it and then you add in the fact that a lot of you know uh maybe
Not Venture Capital but like investment fund and investment groups buy these Brands and then they’re like oh this kind of sucks and then they just [ __ ] dump it you know yeah it’s it’s um we’ve seen it happened not exactly the same as what’s going on right now I mean like I
Was saying with the market crash before it was like all right no one has money no one yeah it’s like that was like a legit Global recession though you know and you know obviously it bounced back after that and you know I mean like at
That point I was looking back then I was like all right well looks like I might go work at Jack in a box or you know something you know and at the same time with me that’s actually when I was burning out as well I was like burning
Out at that point and like unsure and I was like maybe should I anyway anyway um we can go back to that if you feel like it but yeah with uh with the one currently it’s like we were coming into it and I had a lot of companies like hey
What do you think like you’ve been in the industry a long time what do you think and I’m like honestly I think when everything gets shut down people are going to go outside yeah and did exactly what happened and I’m not saying I told the future or anything but I’m like dude
The last time the market went bad people wanted to go outside people wanted to do things that you know they couldn’t normally do um and that’s that’s what happened so I feel like a lot of companies the most the bigger portion of companies not only couldn’t make things
But they else also halted a lot of production even when it went to open back up again yeah and so then their lead times you know stretched out and they got way bigger some of the companies that I know of that they’re like okay well we’re not going to do
Anything crazy but we’re not going to stop anything they had like so much product they like crushed it crushed it crushed it unless they brought it too far and got a little greedy and was like oh keep ordering more and more and more and then that’s when they start having
Problems but I know a lot of the big Brands they they like kind of pulled back a lot and then tried to order and then once they got it they tried to catch back up and they’re like it’s going great keep ordering and then it just stacked on top of itself because
You’re you’re like you know it’s not going to last that long yeah um and just like you were saying with the a lot of the companies that are publicly traded that you know I mean some of those investors came in at that boom and they’re like oh it’s down all right fold
It like get rid of this stock get rid of that you know it’s like crazy that you’re like that stock is now that stock is a an industry actually like you’re like oh hey man that’s that’s my livelihood dang man come on yeah this is it’s crazy that they’re looking at
Bottom line numbers and being like Oh well in 2020 they did this and then now they’re doing this like this is a terrible investment let’s clip it and it’s like no dude this is a market and an industry and a like a there like economy in this you know and it’s like
It these things go like this isn’t just like a a stock that goes up or down or like one company there’s like an entire industry but it’s I I wonder what the Fallout is going to be like and how long it gets fful there’s a couple couple ideas I had
Um you know and granted I’m not I’m not an investor I’m not you know just like this is like my life yeah right like this is what I grew up doing this is what I love this is what my passion is like everything and I’m like well dang
All right um I forget I was going with that but yeah like uh I feel like for the future of it it’s going to be tough for a lot of upand cominging athletes right yeah because it’s going to take a long time for it to rebound back to you
Know to where you can make this as as your career yeah right um especially added with you know current contracts of where you know it used to be like okay hey you’re winning races here’s your check you know to where it came from winning races and here’s your check like
That’s the simple straight up to you’re like all right well then you start adding social media you add all these other things um you know you add okay we need um we need media from you so now nowadays you’re not only now you got to get a filmer and exactly you’re not
You’re not only an athlete trying to get results but you’re getting results you’re your photographer your editor you’re you’re the stunt guy you’re um the marketing careator you’re coming up with ideas you’re doing all this um it I think it’s going to be hard for the next Generations
To fill check all those boxes for companies at such a small value yeah um of of getting support or whatever I mean it’s going to take some time for it to come back up for sure yeah and the the thing that’s always hard in these kind
Of sports and like in Moto we always say like oh we need a ride as Union and it’s like okay cool but then you get the one dude that is that’ll just do it anyway yeah and there’s guys that are like they’re desperate you know and they they
Might be on the verge they’re on the cusp for making it and you know they they might never get a factory ride and then you get a union or you get guys that get together and they say we won’t race until this changes and then you get
20 dudes that’ll go we’ll [ __ ] race that factory Kawasaki you know and that that’s always I think I mean it’s the problem with like filmers and editors too you know you’ll always get someone that’ll film for free you’ll always get and I think it’s probably just a problem
In the industry in general and I mean dude I was like in a lot of Industries well I was the I was this guy you know like I’d literally film like that’s what I started as I was a filmer and it’s like I’d film for boots gear and a
Helmet because I couldn’t afford to buy them it’s like why can’t you afford to buy them well you don’t have a [ __ ] job you want to do the mountain bike and the motorbike thing so a lot of people in the industry and it’s cool in one sense because you get like core people
That still run the sports you know they’re like a lot of mountain bikers run a lot of mountain biking in terms of like companies and [ __ ] you know but yeah you kind of get into this problem in a sense where it’s like a lot of the
Industry would just do it for the free shoes or the free helmets or the free you know and then you got one dude that you filming is worth something you know and then it’s like H well I can do it I get a camera I’ll come along and it’s
Sort of I guess that the fact that it’s such a lifestyle Sport and it’s such a Lifestyle brand like dude Moto still just the lifestyle that I live you know go to the track a couple times a week and like it’s like my ecosystem I go to
Races my holidays are kind of like Moto inspired it’s like one of the best parts of the industry and one of the downsides and when it comes to the whole industry like catching back up and people getting paid it’s like there’s going to be a lot
Of riders that just have to ride for free and that’s going to be the new normal whereas a couple of years ago that was not the normal everyone was asking for money or everyone got paid and that was normal so it’s like you kind of it sucks when you enter this new
Normal type of territory and because there’s just always guys are going to want to ride for free bikes for sure and I I think um a lot of those a lot of the younger generation too that they’re coming into it whether it’s Moto or mountain bike or
Whatever I feel like those kids have these new ideas too right of like how to get around that or how to do it easier because if you told me you know hey uh you know we’ll pay x amount and uh we need you to do five video Parts I’d be
Like all right I need uh 250 Grand yeah you know and like that’s what because in my head I’m like okay this is how you do it this is what you do and I’m like in that I guess you’re in the thought process of like yeah of like okay we
Gotta do this this and this this how much you’re gonna cost yeah instead of like probably the new exactly I’m like okay if we want to do it right we’re going to do it this way this way and those new generations are we I come up
Be like Oh no I got my homie he’s got this camera that’s the same thing but it was 250 bucks on Amazon and we do everything on Snapchat and we the stories and we match together cuz Snapchat does this and and I’m like oh all right you know
I’m sure they’ll figure out a lot of ways to do things like that and make it happen um but to be able to I don’t know who knows if those big contracts will even come back or not or what I mean probably yeah you know might just come
Up come back in a different way what was the peak money making for downhill or like mountain bike in in general do you think hard to say I I don’t know what like you know like gwy or ly or any of those guys are currently getting paid
You know like I can guess um but dude I want to say it was still Palm you know maybe maybe Aaron could like maybe Aaron could say like no I think it’s us now you know like I don’t know that answer it might be me you know um I don’t I
Don’t know the answer but to me I feel like it probably was still that Palmer era right yeah I mean just looking at at um you know uh sponsors that sponsored the events right like it was Chevy trucks norbas right you know things like that so also I’m looking for a Chevy
Truck no so like I’m looking at that kind of like what was around the industry and like almost every um team had a car sponsor that’s true right so there was like Subaru specialized it was like the Chevy truck snas it was I want to say was it Trek in
Ford or it was something like that anyway but almost every big mountain bike brand that had like a big presence had a car sponsor yeah right so so I just looking at the backing and how much it was on like commercials and TV I mean I feel like it’s starting to get back
Into that yeah it might peel off again I who knows maybe when the industry is down that that’s when they’re like you know outside Industries are like oh yeah Mountain biking’s cool yeah let’s do a commercial you know I actually just did one for uh BFG tires oh sick yeah like
Right two days after Rampage I was like okay I got to stay focused and I got to do the commercial where was it oh it was it was in the in Utah yeah like down the street like I just on same uh same type of riding that’s sick they’re a cool
Company I yeah I I really like those guys they’re good people um you know I I don’t ride for them or anything but I did a a couple things back in the day with them maybe 10 years ago and one of the marking people still works there and
I was like yeah sure I’ll do a shoot I don’t usually ride after Rampage because I don’t know if I’ll be able to yeah normally I don’t commit to this I don’t but I’ll try and they’re like okay well is there a backup Rider you can send us
To and um yeah usually I take off like a whole take off all November I call it no ride November yeah yeah yeah like plenty of nuts no riding no no ride no ride November dude um just because sometimes I don’t know if I’m going to be able to
Ride I mean even last year I you know I was broken until March right so not always broken but it’s it’s nice to be able to take that time off especially living in San Diego like we can ride year round so like I need that time to
Be able to kind of De decompress from the season and then start you know do whatever house projects ride Moto like work on old trucks Trail building things like that and then I then I need that like drive to get back and I’m like I need to be able to want
Like sorry I want to have that feeling of of like want to ride you know I need that drive right and so when I take time off from it I get back on it and and um I’m I’m super amped Because by the time I get back into you know December
January it’s like full training season already you know so I’m like and Grant I’m not World Cup Downhill dude right like those those guys are same with Moto I mean Moto’s insane I can’t even understand that yeah it’s zero zero off season no chill none unless you’re a
Supercross only right yeah but then if what is that then you’re testing or dude Kenny’s now today seems like with the whole Supercross only and then the SMX deal and then the world Supercross which granted the world Supercross was a bit [ __ ] this year like they obviously I
Don’t know how much you know about that but I didn’t really I know a lot not a lot but I I know of it for sure and I didn’t really see a whole lot yeah they they had the funding pulled and then they had to get like a new Investment
Group they had to cancel some events and [ __ ] but I think they they ran uh the UK which is rad and then they ran Abu Dhabi and then Oz which is always great like the real that they do there but yeah I mean so Kenny did oh probably half the races you know
Like 17 super crosses three one outdoor then he did Motocross the Nations so that’s 19 and then he did three SMX 22 and three you know so he’s done 25 races as opposed to 31 that’s still insane I mean it’s a lot but when you think lot less than outdoor and everything yeah
Dude and and just like the the travel grind that those guys go through like you know the the whole downhill the downhill World Cup’s obviously garly because it’s like InterContinental essentially but it’s just kind of yeah it needs to be more very Euro kind of about GP though it’s like a European
Championship that goes to a couple I wish they would do more and and they I feel like probably even on the motor GP side right they’re like oh no but we go here yeah like but you’re mostly based in Europe um where where could they go they surely downhill would just be open
For the taking everywhere I would think so um I mean it seems it seems like whatever is the best money gets the the the races but I mean there’s lots of I mean back in the day there used to be one in Japan yeah um I I raced one in
Bra I raced a couple of them in Brazil which apparently finished on the beach really it finished on the beach it was a sight a World Cup yeah wow uh Flor andopolis or something yeah um I don’t remember exactly but it was yeah finished on the it was so sick uh there
Was one in New Mexico I don’t think we should go back to there but other places but there’s other places but you know like track was sick but the location the town wasn’t there’s not much there which is unfortunate but the the track was
Super sick yeah um so I mean I wish they would just go more places I mean Mount San is super dope yeah I I think it should forever be on the calendar um but let’s go more places I mean they used to do the one in new Windom New York yeah
Yeah um but I yeah I think it should go to Asia you know what’s the um well they ride biks though well like F1 doesn’t F1 just actually go everywhere well it does now yeah right yeah why why not do that yeah I mean well L was saying he did a race
In I can’t remember if it it was like Costa Rica or it was somewhere and he said it was the craziest [ __ ] that he’s ever seen in his life maybe uh Pan-American Champs or something maybe it was some it was something like that but he said that the fans would
Literally run down the hill filming him as he was going down you know South American fans are the best yeah yeah it’s the same same for the world championship like they go to Argentina but I guess Logistics like cuz teams with trucks and all that sort of stuff but I
Mean [ __ ] I it’s the same in modo where it’s so much of it comes down to like oh but the teams don’t want to do this the manufacturers it’s like [ __ ] them like just figure it out like surely pack like if I can pack a downhill mountain bike
And travel to somewhere with a bike to ride like go to Whistler or whatever it’s like surely it is feasible when you’re looking at like growing a sport well even when it would you know like it would go to Australia right went into cans and then went to CRA and all that
Like you just have tents that you rent or whatever or maybe the organization sends up sets up big tents yeah done yeah you bring some banners you know what I mean like bring your new fancy yellow typ great u i mean it it sucks and it’s hard but it’s definitely easier than flying
With like your moto stuff right actually most Moto guys fly with just suspension huh plastic yeah like suspension suspension clam SPS but at the same time it still doesn’t weigh that much yeah no I mean I mean realistically if I got to bring three bikes and the I’m only
Racing down like say the World Cup guys right you’re racing you got your race bike and you’re maybe a practice bike and then spare parts for all of it I mean to me I say send it let’s go everywhere you know what I mean yeah but
I mean that’s a way to grow a sport and obviously they’re trying to do that with like the discovery deal um what do you think of the the different I guess coverage of the downhill this year um I I this time it was I was I’m
Fully on the fan side right so like it was a little bit different experience right um bring back Rob Warner yeah yeah I mean in the beginning they definitely struggled on an you know not that it’s easy at all in by any means you know the announcing stuff um and they got better
With over time I actually liked the look of it yeah I liked the pylons they did and I liked the splits and how they laid it out um I liked all of that side of things I was a little worried about you know a lot of the hiccups they had you
Know when they missed something in one of the French races or something weather and [ __ ] yeah the Juniors didn’t even race they took quality time I’m like it’s pretty whack yeah like you can’t just do that yeah that doesn’t it doesn’t really count yeah unless there
Was like a a hurricane or earthquake or something you know something crazy we like we really couldn’t race yeah you know it’s like you know how are those Juniors supposed to get that experience because I mean literally in the next year they’re going to be thrown to the
Wolves in the Pro class and there’s I think there’s less there should be more kids that make it from junior class to Pro CL you know to the Le field yeah but I think that they’re they don’t have the time right like I mean you look at Moto
Right you you you’re running 250s you’re running so you’re doing lettas you’re doing all your school boys stuff you know like the small class you can but you’re like inching up through it but you’re still going to be most kids are what are they 16 you start
At 16 or something right if you’re good enough yeah like these days I I was going to ask what age a lot of guys have gone like Elite these days in down they’re not allowed to go until they’re 18 yeah we used to so zinc and I had we
Had 16 17 18 for to be able to go to Juniors right we didn’t have a junior class Y unless we’re at Worlds but you we could go to Worlds at 16 nowadays it’s 178 so we got I got one extra year of like getting used to it and so I mean
Granted I didn’t have at the World Cups I didn’t have a junior class like I was just Racing Pro but at least I got to go you know world and so on but nowadays they have a junior class but they only get two years of it yeah and you’re like
Dude your first year you’re just like Oh’s what’s going on where do I get my my Fruity Pebbles or you know you’re just a kid right what how do I do this oh I’m in the airport oh I’m over here now you know like you think out of that
Age or two you’re just like I got to learn fast oh and the pressure and like the the speed that the guys are you know obviously it’s good to be exposed to it but yeah it’s good I just think they they need more exposure they need
Another year bring it back to 16 and and I almost feel like there shouldn’t be there shouldn’t be an age like if you can qualify and and be in those ranks why not yeah you know what I mean I like there’s a couple kids there ryer uh you
Had his dad you had Randy on oh yeah Ro lawence why not let like to me like we’ve been letting Rider at our races like do certain races and we’re like yeah get in there go to and certain kids are like hey get in there go go to get
That experience do this isn’t there there’s another kid that he’s close with like the two of them are like nalia super fast uh ASA ASA you talking about ASA oh I just know there’s another they’re both just like killing it so exactly they’re not even eligible to race yeah you know for
Another what is it maybe another I’m guessing don’t quote me they’re not even eligible for another year but why wouldn’t why wouldn’t you want them out there trying to do it you know what I mean instead of just like no not possible not possible I mean like you’re
Like oh come on yeah as you know as you can tell I’m like definitely a rle bender yeah but hey I’m [ __ ] here with it yeah but it’s uh it does it does make sense to I guess like yeah let them have more time to develop and I think
The same thing in modo like I wish that so you got you essentially it’s the same thing for Moto like you go pro at 16 17 and then you’ve got a two-year contract and if you can’t mix it up with the big boys then get the [ __ ] out of Dodge yeah
And I think that we’re cooking it in the sense that you’ve got all of these kids that are so so gnarly but they’re getting drowned out by the guys that are you know 23 24 25 like think about how much your body just changes in those in
Those years you know so it’s like you imagine good a class would be it was the combine class you know how they do the combines so yeah you go in and at all of these races you’ve got imagine if it was like Hayden Degan Ryder D like Nick
Romano like just all of these young dudes that are just fully fully shredding and you put all of them in a class of their own and just same weekend as the Nationals like put them on TV Dude you it’s the same as like the downhill stuff the the top guys are
Going so [ __ ] fast in that age like it is entertaining to watch oh yeah for sure like it’s a series you could follow the uh just the because I obviously I’m not like I love Moto him a fan but does like the Ricky thing the Supercross is that
Does that help out like the generation sure I think yeah like uh so they it seems like it so now they’re doing the Futures yeah so I think it’s at five rounds this year but like do you remember that’s do do you remember Dean at A1 at the Futures race he [ __ ]
Sucked like he got smoked you know and it was crazy like they almost just were like hey you’re not going to pro this year B based off that one race but look at what it did for him exactly like if he wasn’t out there that maybe maybe it
Would have been prolonged into that like to the next year and then it would have started from that point instead of where he’s at now yeah well it gave him the biggest reality check yeah to where he was like oh [ __ ] I really still have a
Lot of work to do and you know and even he admitted like for all the confidence that he has he was on that start line at A1 [ __ ] his pants just like you said you know like you’re 16 and you’re trying to make sure you’re getting your
Flights and no one like the World Cups dude no one Speaking the same language you’re changing languages every almost every time every 100 km or something you’re like yeah it’s different here now yeah got to pay tolls in like weird ass money that’s all colorful and funky but
You know it is like a huge culture shock but I just think the kids are so talented now that you like I would on my Saturday when the Nationals are on I would watch a class that had like Dean Ryder D Dax benck like all those kids
And put him out there on the gnarliest track and like let’s watch these kids fully send it and it does actually to your point like it does actually bring them up and it does like groom those kids for the professional career then they’re ready I mean dude even um like
Like goldone dude I remember looking at like racing crank works and Whistler and looking over and like what is that and he was on like a Strider just like hopping around doing threes and like little dude just like and I was like oh those are going to make kids really good
Bike riders and then I was like I had that like thought in my head when he won uh Mount San right and I was like oh yeah the stri the Str kid now that and obviously I’ve known him for a long time after that but like I remember just like that like the
The tools they have to not only the confidence of seeing like oh you can do this and this this this and this and then this equals this okay I got that and like how much everything’s grown from there but just the tools they have to be able to get to that point are
Insane dude it’s so true and so when I was first in America like 2010 11 12 kind of I remember Randy was training Ty Simmons at KTM and so I remember going to his house and filming them do their thing and Ryder was in the driveway on a
[ __ ] Strider jumping this thing and I was just like dude that’s I I don’t think I’d ever seen one until I saw that kid exactly the same same as yeah and then you watch a ride you’re like oh that makes sense you’re like H okay cool
Well I wonder it’s the same have you written a stark yet no dude what’s it paror do you ride paa do you have a dude trackwise I like I did tracks for a long long time with zinc like when I lived in Orange County here and I was like oh
Yeah I’m a track guy track guy yeah yeah until I got over to the maintenance and I was just like man I’m over this and I quit for a long time and uh it for me now it depends on like my track would be more like uh kahia like I’m like oh okay
I’ll go kahia is nice out I’ll go there okay well um but I would go to Paula I would my buddy Ro aot Mitch rot he’s on this whole like Loretta’s Chase he’s he’s like getting it he’s like oh I’m after it and I I think he’s going to
Come down next week or something he’s like hey would you go if I came down Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday could you do Paris could you do or whatever track it is called now he’s like or not star west it’s not what’s it called anymore yeah Paris is still there star
Is going yeah he’s like oh could we do this and then Paula and then kaha and then I was like dude my 125 is not even running and believe it or not my track bike is a 0515 y yeah that’s that do still Stacks up yeah except for it doesn’t run ever a
Poor mechanic when they’re good they still stack up but either way you you got to rob my stock I I’d be stuck track I got mountain bike brakes too wait oh but I’m fine with Moto sty cuz if but then at the same time if it doesn’t have
A clutch then I might get confused actually that’s good point but yeah you should be you should be sweet on it but dude Game Changer Beck like Absolut I just get it out of the van like you roll it out of the van and then I just
[ __ ] ride around the street like a kid I was just like doing wheelies and [ __ ] like that I can cuz you can you know and then it’s like my wife she’s got one of the have you seen those greenes no is that a trials one dude so
It’s like a it’s like a CRF 110 but it’s an electric bike who in grer Greer is like the name of the company I’ll send it to you but like dude it’s the [ __ ] dream like they’re insane it’s a it’s a CRF 110 yeah with an electric motor it’s
Like a Tesla 110 and they’re just phen and it’s like my wife she’s riding those things around all the time like we take it to the track every single time we go to the track you [ __ ] charge the thing it’s like a remember like XR 50s
You guys did the xr50 talking about I got banned from SE one year doing that oh really cuz I mean you look at like so those that area with palm and curtain and all that they in front of their pits they had like five or six of them lined
Up and they would just ride them everywhere and I was like yeah that’s me I’m getting all of them but it was it’s that you know like you just and you would never fill the thing up with fuel like the fuel lasts for [ __ ] 2 months
On the on them if you’re just dirt jumping and [ __ ] I’m kind of funny and like Mitch should have had this conversation about um just like you know the Stark or the just the electric motos electric cars whatever and I’m like yeah it just doesn’t sound right he’s like oh
Yeah the guy that had the horse in The Carriage probably said the same thing and I was like oh [ __ ] am I that I’m that guy yeah’s so I would be I would be interested to try it you know dud I would love to take you I’m not like a
Full hater but I’m like it doesn’t sound right yeah well it is weird it definitely does sound weird and like when you’re when you’re writing it and you’re like your back off in the air it’s like you’re like what is like did I break it like is it good but just unreal
In terms of like it like rideability or just the power or what well it’s better in just the power like the way that it handles it’s just it’s pretty insane actually like how good they are but it’s more just like it rained I could literally take that we
Got like a big we got kind of Hills right behind the house I could go home after this and just spend an hour riding around in the Hills making turn tracks doing wheelies just like zero consequences zero maintenance zero anything and it’s just like time like bike time you know what kind of
Maintenance would do you have to do on those things just lbe the chain dude just L the chain yeah wash it lbe the chain do the tire presses like really grips it’s pretty wild it is so like but it’s to your point it’s like that stride of generation and think about like how
Many kids now do you see just doing insane like wheelies and [ __ ] on sirons and it’s like if you do to do that on a mountain bike like if you saw a guy Mountain Wheeling a mountain bike that good you’d be like holy [ __ ] bro like you’re insane and it’s just kids riding
Her from school and they just have that level of skill there’s like a whole like new generation of like s on kids and so on and like just the skills they can get you know when they can’t go to the track yeah you know control never even go to
The track yeah true huh like they’re just not you know the I’m I’m interested to see what kids and like you just mentioned with Jackson I didn’t know that about him like I didn’t know that he’s like the first strier kid in my head that’s the first Strider I’ve ever
Seen yeah and I was like oh that makes sense that’s cool how do we not think of that yeah you know dude yeah and so you I’m waiting for the time where it’s like you get the kid that has had a a shrier his whole life then he had a stay sick
Then he had a suron then he gets a stark and then he just races A1 it just skips everything he like oh I’m good ready go yeah and it’s almost like McGrath in a way you know it’s like he just raced BMX and he had this crazy
Skill and then he kind of did Motocross with [ __ ] at it and then they’re like hey you should do this Supercross race and it’s like BMX I’ll try it out but I mean that’s kind of almost what we’re looking at with like the whole Strider
Thing what do you think uh where what is Ama or what are they going to do with those things just like classwise you I don’t because I I hear things about I’m just like the fan side of [ __ ] but have you been have you been following the
Whole taty bzc thing I just saw that he started competing on or something about they banned him oh they banned him from racing really yeah yeah so there’s all types of rumors and that’s for endur cross right correct so they’ve like signed taddy like huge signing and then
They so I’m I’m pretty tight with all the stock guys I’ve kind of got some information and they’re like they got the fim rule book and they just went fully through the rule book like with a they have sports lawyers they have like they’re doing it as buy the book as you
Could possibly do it and then they like built the bike around it they like built all of these you know fail safes for the FM and it was like here’s the inside of the bike here’s everything like you just this is we’re doing it right and then
Yeah what do they call them out for how do they I think that it’s other I think you you got to think I’m trying to be careful I’m trying to just make people like I like these ones these are fun I’m trying to make people hear what I’m
Saying without me saying it you know but it’s like you would have to think that there would be manufacturers that would sponsor the series and then you’d have to think that there’s like it’s mountain bike things there’s other things that play than than rules rules right there’s
Other things that play yeah and then it’s like it’s the same thing as the the whole film is like someone will film for free it’s like these people that are at fim how many of them are getting paid like 300 Grand a year to be like an fim
Worker or are they getting like some free bikes and they get you know what I mean so it’s like might have a side by side or two yeah like what’s the relationship like what’s the and you know so I think that yeah there’s people that aren’t ready for them to be racing
Yet and I think that the people that aren’t ready for them to be racing yet will be ready at some point and I I would I would say that as soon as maybe two other manufacturers have one that’s ready to race that the uh rules will probably change in very similar time
Yeah might change real quick yeah see I didn’t even know I saw I think just on Instagram the other day that I was like Oh okay that’s cool because I’ve heard of him for sure don’t know anything but um yeah I didn’t even know I was like oh
Okay well it looks like they’re racing sick yeah but I know they want to race everything like they’d race world uh like the world championships and I know they want to race Supercross but there has to be a company that is the one one that like has to break ground you know
Like it’s just there’s Tesla was the same sort of [ __ ] you know like they’re not you haven’t seen any I guess Daka like have you have ever followed Daka stuff like that [ __ ] Audi that just mopped everybody so it’s like some of the examples of e Vehicles racing gas
Vehicles mean that the gas vehicles got [ __ ] up powerwise or does it I mean like it’s so much faster for for Supercross would it wouldn’t even matter right well well cuz there’s no like who out there is running dude have you actually seen have you seen bogle’s
Instagram dude he’s like so he’s riding uh he’s riding the some test stuff for Stark okay and man like there was this just section he was showing me on his phone he’s like triple triple just like jumps all of it really you’re like [ __ ] that’s probably not
Okay dude have a look at this I’ll actually show you this was me at World vets I’ll show you the video and I’m I’m not exactly the world’s best riter or best starter and then D wait till you get me on the track he’ be like oh maybe
I shouldn’t have C ride this thing no you [ __ ] smip me right where are these I’m so I’m so actually you know what in general I’m pretty timid on things really yeah like people especially with the Rampage stuff people are like oh yeah like yeah you’re crazy
You must have the biggest balls ever and I’m like no I’m like pretty like smart like about scared oh scared for sure like we’re all scared out there but just like my my comfort zone right my comfort Zone’s different than everybody else is but like I stay pretty close in that
Comfort zone where I’m like yeah okay I’ll I’ll dip a toe in here there or when the pressure’s on all right I’ll I’ll I’ll put my foot over there it’s hot but it’s it’s not bad you know like but I’m not like the type that’s just
The full s I’m not a full Center like never happened you know just my comfort level is different than most you like a comfort through reps kind of guy watch yeah for sure this is this is how they go but and and keep in mind while watching this video that I [ __ ]
Suck dude it’s crazy y but I didn’t get a I didn’t get a start like that again for the rest of the what’s the weight feel like just balancing in um it’s it’s CU it’s pretty SAR a bit closer um it’s definitely a little bit heavy like
Balance wise I’m saying yeah you I mean it feels like it feels better than a normal bike um when you’re riding it but definitely I noticed it like Glenn Helen and um where there’s like the bigger Hills and bigger kind of G outs that it’s like the actual weight transfer
Like that’s probably the thing that you would feel the most but then it’s kind of like deceiving though because there’s no sound you’re kind of hearing all this different [ __ ] and it’s like in my head some of the time like some of the feedback I’ve given to the team over
There I’m like man it’s just like heavy slaps like when you land cuz you can actually hear the but then it’s like is it just that I can hear this [ __ ] thing you know just like smash into the ground and I’m not like when you when
You land so it’s like it’s actually kind of hard to know but as far as the weight like it’s it doesn’t have the inertia you know like it just doesn’t like cuz when you think when you’re on a dirt bike like a 450 especially you’ve got a
Crank that’s moving you’ve got like that whole bottom end then you got the Piston that’s like going up and down the valves are spinning and it’s like picking up a hard drive you know when you like pick up a hard drive while it’s running and you got the gyroscopic effect well so
Think about that but just you’re you’re trying to slow down but the motor is still revving wheel yeah everything is moving in between your legs and so on right so like you just don’t have that and I think that’s like the biggest deal so it’s like the the weight Wise It’s a
Few I mean it’s probably like minimal right 7 lb or 8 PB I’m not sure it’s it’s definitely heavier but you just don’t have that massive JY it’s like a it’s like picking up it’d be like picking up the a an SSD hard drive that doesn’t spin MH and you’re like it’s
Heavier than the this but as soon as it starts spinning like you just feel there’s more weight it’s probably like the best way to explain it that makes sense yeah we used to do uh even in my hardel like dirt jump hardel we used to do like heavier tubes and tires and so
On for that Dy dyos scopic right cuz we don’t have a motor or anything to like so I noticed like it’s it’s it was easier until I got to like say a 29er downhill bike 29 front and rear that those things they want to stand up right
So like when you’re whipping it you can throw it harder and you if you trust it it’ll stand up but then I was unsure what to do with that it took me a long time to like figure it out I feel like I never actually got it back you know like
When I started CH changing wheel size and everything like I couldn’t figure it out I was like I don’t know what to do with this thing yeah yeah that makes a lot of sense say but even just on like a such a smaller side right like so much
Less weight we would try and add weight to do some do things but then change the wheel size and then add you got way more gyroscopic effect but then you know what you’re saying with the Moto from a traditional Moto to that like you’re taking all of that away but then you
Still have the weight and the balance of it that it’s actually like a good point like a good thing and the power too the craziest thing you know I’m like Mad Skills where like the bike can be like this and then you hit the Thro literally that’s what they’re like really because
Good for me yeah yeah you could never Endo that black like I’ve had it to where it was like the first time I started riding it here I got kicked a little bit over the Finish Line jump at Glenn Helen so I just [ __ ] went and
Just hit the throttle and like the bike goes from like underneath you really and like blows your legs backwards and go because you’ve got no gear changes so let’s say you’re in oh yeah yeah that’s true it just hits the rev it hits the Rev ler it only start spins that that
Fast yeah and this thing whatever gear you’re in no rev limiter so you can be like fully nosed down hold that thing wi like and that’s why you’re going to see it be insane in freestyle like J archers going to start doing triple flips on the
Rag on them huh just yeah it’s just very very different very different I don’t know it still doesn’t smell right dude you know what’s [ __ ] crazy though like I want to be better on a normal bike still yeah like I just it’s something that I’m like ah [ __ ] everyone
At Glenn Helen like I just did day in the dirt there yeah and everyone’s like man you ripping out there on that thing and I was like [ __ ] no one says that when I’m on my real blik I feel you there you know so it’s
Like I kind of want to be I want to be pouring rice gas and [ __ ] just sending it you know it was that’s why I ride at 125 cuz I’m they’re like people are like oh you’re too big and I’m like yeah but I’m not good
Enough to do anything else like and it sounds like I’m ripping everywhere yeah I doesn’t matter how slow I’m going it sounds like I’m ripping I’m like that’s that’s good enough for me oh dude they one 125 is R though and you’ve got a good one yeah I mean currently it’s not
That good what so what’s wrong with it’s just [ __ ] motor uh no for whatever I bought it used a couple years back and dude the I don’t know I’ve had so many problems with the clutch on it really yeah and the motor’s been apart it was a
Part last year and then I was like okay the clutch is good and then Carson Storch was riding at sinks the other day and or not I don’t know recently and the clutch just stopped like basically it that um so you know the cable comes in
And then it pulls that pin across yeah that pin or something is jacked in there something in internally just messes messes up yeah right um I’ll get it fixed eventually but yeah that’s an easy fix yeah what what other blocks have you eared um I got my tractor yeah which is
A05 KTM 525 damn son the Baja BL exactly yeah I got that uh that was a bonus uh in 05 or something like that from Red Bull no [ __ ] yeah yeah they’re like hey you’re big so we got you a big one and I
Was like this is a big one I used to take it to Paris no yeah dude all the time I love that I take it to Paris I I bought like a small Tech cuz it had the five or six gallon tank on it or whatever size that is bigger than my van
Yeah and I would take it to the track and I I you know I’ve had it since then so it’s like it’s it’s old and I still ride it um currently I’m riding my wife’s bike unfortunately um cuz it’s the only one that’s running what’s she got it’s a 18 KTM uh uh
250 it’s like a plated they’re like a exe uh not the it’s a w exe F oh sick yeah yeah X xcf it’s got a lot of lot of numbers or a lot of letters whatever that one xcf I think but it’s plated but it’s sick so like this the trail riding
I do that I really enjoy like out of MCC canes and things like that that bike’s perfect for it it’s sick um so what you’ll go Trel riding like kind of East County San Diego like in those Hills yeah yeah yeah yeah that’s that’s like my favorite everything cuz it’s it’s
Like so much like mountain biking on these these Trails out there that I’m like that’s like my favorite can you ride from your place not really no not legally um if it was you know the 90s or something for sure or even 2000s oh I could easily ride from my house um but
No um I’m basically surrounded by like like native uh reservation and uh fishing game and County and so yeah um but then it’s nice because then the trail bike DRS are right right from my house which is cool yeah how so what’s the so you got straight Acres
Which was just the the nickname that ended up sticking for the house so what have you guys got there exactly so I I mean like I was saying before that it you know I grew up kind of here and I was like okay well I’m going to get that
Property I can build some jumps and start training and doing these things and practice this and that and that was never going to happen and so then we and my wife is kind of East County raised as well and so she’s like why don’t we move
To Alpine I was like I don’t know maybe when I get old I don’t know it seems like a lot of driving I’m not sure and she’s like what about now and I was like believe it or not I was the one that was like tracking my feet really yeah yeah
Which is kind of funny right um then we we lived in uh Alpine for almost a year and then we found our our current house and bought that house and almost have 11 acres there and so from when we got that until now right like I’ve just built
Things that I need to like train or or practice on right and it started with that and then I started you know doing Instagram stuff and then uh my father-in-law was like oh call straight Acres it’s not quite a ranch but it’s kind of like you know blah um so then in
2020 I have you know I already had a dual somm track that I could practice on I had a speed and style track I had like random jumps everywhere I was like when everything got canceled all the events got canceled in 2020 or so
Um I was like well why why don’t we do a race here invite only and so then we did that and we proved ourselves that we could run a race and that we already had the track and everything and and basically homies were like oh yeah I’d
Come to a race at your house so went from there and like oh I guess we can do it that that was really cool um to where Snow Summit was like hey would you bring that race to our Mountain oh well we were like yeah we can do that and so
That’s when the straight Acres race moved from our house um just trying it to Snow Summit it’s been there three three years now um so then that turned into a whole another thing right to where it’s like people saw it on Instagram people saw it all over the
Place and then I started building tracks all over the place right so I I’m starting to build more and more the more time I have I guess in between events or things but um so now we have our own race uh that we do up in big barar at
Snow Summit and and then I build the the uh the track at seaotter the Dual somm track at sea otter up in NorCal um and I’ve done that for two years now and i’ have next year as well and then so it’s like turned into this thing that we
Didn’t plan on like I didn’t plan on just like being a promoter of running races or building tracks but I’m like I like it I’m like oh this is fun yeah yeah so it’s it wasn’t planned on but uh yeah and then now we’re doing coaching
As well um so yeah I’ve been coaching for I don’t know 14 or 12 12 12 years or something like that um so now now I’m going to be doing more coaching as well um but yeah just kind of turned in we weren’t planning on any of it but my
Wife as you were talking my wife she’s like has a marketing degree she’s into it oh she’s good at it she’s so good at where I’m just like a mountain biker too you yeah a mountain biker and she knows races yeah and she knows how to do
Everything and and I guess come some of the important things about our race is that you know we’ve been to so many races and done so many events whether it’s like a crank works or Rampage or a norba back in the day or whatever we’ve seen how
What we like about events and what we don’t like and we try and strive to make it the best we can and the most enjoyable experience right yeah well I mean it makes sense like by riders for Riders kind of thing you know yeah um
Did you think it would go the way that it did like do you think that it’d be as successful cuz it’s crazy that whole Co time I think a lot of people ended up finding things that they were you know people just kind of like got into weird
Stuff that kind of through necessity and it ended up because they need to yeah being [ __ ] with like holy [ __ ] this is actually awesome you know when I came into it I I cuz it all makes sense in hindsight right oh totally yeah um you
Know I I talk a lot of [ __ ] you know especially with my wife and I’m just like oh yeah you know like hot dog and and she’s like well put your money in your mouth this right yeah what you got a plan and I was like uh what uh you
Know she like hit me with that reality check and I was like okay yeah so if I’m going to do a race I’m do this this and this and we figure out what was like necessary um but yeah I mean in my head I was like real confident then when I
Came down to it I was like okay this is this is pretty tough actually yeah um so it gave me kind of that balance from you know being frustrated with promoters um through events I’ve been to or things like that where I’m just like hammering
On them just like ah you guys got to do better BL you know to where I’m like a little more you get it I’m a little more refined I’m like okay I guess cultured yeah I’m a little more refined um but yeah so that that was kind of an eye
Opener but then at the same time we were like oh I guess yeah we can run a good race and and uh make a cool event yeah that’s super cool hopefully more you know hopefully more in the in the future and and uh give people a a place to come
Race and whether that’s either make money um or just like learn how to ride yeah what month in the year you guys do it it’s in August oh okay cool yeah yeah sweet yeah definitely race yeah I don’t know about racing oh dude we got all classes really yeah every class I just
Need to get another M this year uh we’re in Mountain black podcast now so why not it’s the same thing I’m a m I’m a moto fan it’s all the same thing this year my wife’s sister which doesn’t race doesn’t grew up riding a little bit she raced
Her husband RAC and her two kids race and three out of the four four that was our first race ever and they were like I had the best time that’s so cool and so the fact that you can have like for dual SN like the fact you can have an
Insanely challenging race for pros but then also first timer can go out there and have an awesome time so like and and and at the same time anyone that’s watching can see the entire track yeah so for me I’m like dude this this checks all the boxes for like people to come
Learn to race yeah yeah the modern TR building has evolved so much obviously I’m very close with Glenn Jacob so like that whole like I’ve watched the world Trail thing happen for since the ’90s you know and you go ride in any of his Trails anywhere and it’s like it’s like
All about flow and predictability and just like vision and it’s like if you’re rolling no breaking no pedding yeah if you’re rolling off the brakes and like if you don’t touch the brakes through that corner you can make this jump if you touch the brakes then probably don’t
Jump stand in the center of the bike yeah and that’s what I do with coaching too I’m like don’t move this is your home do not move I don’t care what’s coming oh is it really steep okay your butt can go back a little bit okay big
Jump’s coming don’t move you stay right here that’s how I coach man like I’m because it realistically if I’m doing a you know a half a foot tall jump or a 100 footer my body position does not change yeah I’m not leaning back because o that’s a tall lip I’m scared and
That’s a lot of people what they do is they lean back and then they start get bucked over but with Trail building right the the main thing is that there’s so much more for people to learn on and so much cooler stuff I mean a lot of
It’s changed into like you look at Whistler you look at a lot of your big bike parks right it’s turned into like uh what’s else the um Queenstown one um I know I know what you’re talking about um uh no um the other one do you just see how
Much more has gone into to it like where there’s like you know it used to be only a set of dirt jumps that had like that nice sculpted like lips and like you know lips weren’t perfectly straight they had like a curve in them and then they would transfer you over here now
That’s translated into the bike parks right and it’s so sick to see that that transfer from like you know private dirt jumps that you know only a handful of dudes could ride into like oh we made this into like a blue drill everyone can read this and it’s like a sharkwave lip
Or whatever you know yeah yeah which is really cool to see oh man it’s super cool and and like yeah I’ve got Derby as a point of reference for me where it’s like you can go there at any skill level and you know even on the same Trails
Like they’ve just got stuff where it’s kind of off the side where like if you’re not a if you’re not a mountain biker like a good mountain biker then you’re not even going to see that that’s an option you know I feel like when I first started writing it was just like
Who could be the gnarliest who could just have have like no just holes in the middle of noing on the Fire Road yeah yeah yeah yeah like let’s just make this [ __ ] as sketchy and as gnarly as possible otherwise you’re not very cool and it seems like that’s really changed
But I think that’s the big difference in like now you go to it’s kind of gotten early where like there’s $25,000 mountain bikes but you know it’s like lawyers doctors accountants like the clientele of mountain biking has been opened up so because of trial building I
Think for sure I mean my dentist rides yeah you know like really good Rider um yeah the availability accessibility with bike parks with you know public Parts there’s pump tracks everywhere and dude I didn’t have any of that growing up it’s like oh I got to go to this random
Field over in Reno Valley and then I’m going to go ride downhill this weekend up in Big Bear and then I’m gonna and but then there I couldn’t ride big bear unless there was a race there yeah that you couldn’t just ride the park and if
You were able to ride the park you rode the Fire roads yeah right why was that it was just closed like it just wasn’t yeah it was like oh it was a race and then there was you couldn’t ride there sometimes dur in the weekend you could
Take the lift but there wasn’t like Trails made out there it was like you hit a fire road to like a single track you raced the pre previous weekend you’re like oh sick let me hit the section to the trees you know I mean but nowadays it it’s so sick it’s so
Accessible right you know with your pump tracks your I mean they’re popping up everywhere which is so sick and there’s so many more people riding because of that do you think that you’ll get into the more like public Trail building side of things like building like local
Networks that sure I think I um for the next couple years or something like that I’ll probably try and keep pretty local yeah just for my daughter and stuff like that but I mean I’m yeah hit me up if you want to build some stuff in your
Backyard or whatever I mean I love building and uh yeah we on our website whatever you can you can look up like whether it’s kosing or building stuff I mean I built a bump track up at Sky Park this summer and then oh sweet yeah yeah cuz I think that there’s definitely
You’d have to think that there would be a big market for but even like in Australia it’s a lot like public uh like government funded stuff you know where it’s like here I guess you’d call it the county but yeah a lot of it’s County stuff which is I I probably won’t get
Into that soonish but maybe one day just because of how many restrictions and rules and so on like I would have to be a like a fully licensed contractor to get any of those big jobs yeah unless was contracted out from the big company right and then a lot of times too when
You I actually just learned this last last year year before cuz I had a lot of people tagging like straight acres and myself like hey Kyle build this track in San Diego that’s hopefully coming up build this one and I had a meeting with San Diego mountain bike associate and I
Was like how do I do that actually like sure I’ll do it he’s like well you he’s like realistically you have to you have to be one of those giant contractors like the bid you have to bid for this you got to build the Baseball Park you
Got to build the soccer field you got to build you know all these things in that whole park to get the mountain bike one and basically a lot of times that a big Corporation will get that bid of the whole place and then they’ll subcontract
Out the bike bike park portion um so I was like oh man all right I maybe I could just hope for that one day um but there’s a lot more into it for sure than I definitely thought there was I was like yeah sure give me the job I’ll
Take it yeah yeah I can do it yeah I’ll build something cool you I was like oh I guess there’s a lot more to it um but yeah I think one day we’ll get there for sure um I definitely enjoy building stuff and you know I mean it shows
Through like the yard and all sorts of different things and like you know Rampage I was thinking about this other day with Rampage like right so you’re invited to Rampage you build your line in realistically if you want practice in four days right a whole line like those
Massive Landings everything and I was like man if I had to bid this line right I would take like two three months like a team of 10 you know helicopter some excavators in but we do everything by hand right everything build these wall crazy walls and everything by hand and I
Was like man that would be an insane thing you know and it’s it it made me open my eyes and go like oh man I I do love the [ __ ] yeah or why would I do it yeah you know what I mean why would I do it unless I did
Truly love it I I love that [ __ ] how would you explain Rampage to an alien that like they land like they landed in Utah first thing and they’re like what the [ __ ] are you guys doing all right so we got these really confident idiots we take
Them uh I think the best uh explanation explanation would be these Red Cliffs in Utah right so you have these Red Cliffs in Utah and there’s a bunch of different ridges fingers going down it right they give us this giant area right in between this Ridge here and this Ridge here you can
Ride anything you want you build the trail you build the whole thing and we will judge you on what you ride how you ride it how fast you ride it possibly what tricks you do and then the best high score wins um and so there’s a lot
More in between that but I me I guess kind of my best explanation of it um yeah it’s it’s wild it is crazy I still haven’t been out there you dude I need to if it it was I was close to going this year but it was in between some
Stuff and I was there was something we were trying to go after yeah I think the I think maybe Supercross was the week after and then I think the week before Coliseum yeah and then I think the week before I was somewhere else and I was
Like dude this is too big of a job to get there but I would love to see it one day it’s a it’s a different thing when you actually go out there and start walking around on on the cliffs and you start watching walking ridges and and no
Matter what anyone that’s out there is like an insane bike Handler yeah right like and it it just yeah like anything in in the whole build process of like and being able to see from a raw raw Ridge lines that nobody would even want to walk around
Like you you’re like why would I want to walk around there like I don’t want to fall off anything to like the hiking trails to get into our zones build like build that build the trials to get to the jumps yeah I mean you’re scaling like this edge of in
Between two Cliffs you know big dogs right and you’re walking over here to get to this point to start a lip to build the landing to eye it up to someone um the amount of stuff we build out there is insane like dude there’s so many times where I’m like one-handed
Picking leaning over like leaning over the edge of the cliff and like sometimes I see photos of it and I’m like what was I thinking what up to bro like what you you doing but like I’ve I’m so used to it by now that I see photos of and I’m
Like oh man that’s kind of messed up yeah what are you doing man but it is it is uh it’s really cool it’s insane what we can build out there in such a short amount of time and what do you attribute that to just that’s you just have to get
It done well you have to or else you have nothing to ride yeah and the better you build it the safer you’re going to be yeah um I mean that’s that was part of one of our problems uh last year with it when I jack myself up is that it
Wasn’t it wasn’t ready we kind of bit off a little too much for that that year and the landing wasn’t like perfect and yeah I was like hey we had no no more time and Mitch was like yeah I don’t really feel that good about it and
Because usually I look over at M I’m like how do you feel he’s like if I had to do it I’d do it yeah and I’m like all right cool I’m ready to go like and I’m like that like builds that confidence the last you got that trust half half
Like that half a percent that I needed as well like where I’m like feel pretty good you know how’s how’s it look and he’s like if I had to I’m like all right perfect I’m ready yeah copy that yeah copy so uh that one he was like yeah I
Don’t I don’t feel that good about it he’s like yeah I don’t feel that comfortable like I don’t really like it and what was it about it um it’s such a weird um like if you see my hands like this there’s it’s like in this bowl and you come off this top
Here and you land in a hole of that whole bowl and so it was really hard to get like from from the takeoff it looked really short from the side it looked kind of long and you’re like why what what’s going on here and it was really
Hard to tell and it was a little bit further from the back of the cliff and the cliff went down and then down again and then the landing was here right so it was like had a lot of weird Optics to it yeah um and then with it not being
Ready is I was like hey we got more no more time it needed to be steeper taller it just needed more time need more work yeah needed more work um and uh it ended up being a lot further than we thought yeah and so it just yeah it didn’t go
Didn’t go right it went pretty good to be honest for how bad it went yeah but uh it was really sick to be able to fix that build I mean we didn’t really we did a lot of work to it for this year um but we only realistically added probably like four or
5T um of height and then just had that steepness move the lip over a little bit and moved it down 6 in kind of like that’s all it’s all it took and they hit it and we like and it still felt weird too though like not when we hit the drop
It felt weird but the guinea pigging of it it was kind of like it’s really hard to tell and usually we’re like really spoton really like quick of of like feels like this speed going to hit it now yeah um but it went well it was a
Pretty insane line I mean I knew from last year I was like hey man this feels like the winning line and uh or has the potential to win which is cool that zinc was able to do it it was sick and and so when you had the the injury like walk us
Through that crash the takeoff cuz I’m assuming that you knew straight away that I did yeah yeah this that was also my third back break too so I I knew I knew me I was like yep C off like and people thought I was like uh like just
Out but I was like I’m not I was kind of face down and when I was crashing so I popped there was multiple things right so I I popped I didn’t I came into it I took a crank didn’t even know I took a crank until I looked at the video but
That was like me actually seeing the landing like oh [ __ ] I’m [ __ ] you know like I’m done for and so I I pedal I took a full crank cuz I wasn’t planning on that and popped as hard as I could but when I popped I sunk in the lip sunk
Dirt because it’s like extra I po and it just wasn’t packed enough and so I sunk and then that threw me forward a little bit pump did the p double pump the double pumpo [ __ ] yeah and then when I reached to like just get that little bit
Action more The Landing was so flat that it just it immediately bounced me yeah so as soon as I landed I bounced and um I bounced a little bit left and I knew where I was at and I hit the first one remember everything I was like and I was
Like oh that sucks and I was like oh man that ditch is coming up we just filled in and when I the next time I hit the ground it was like 30 feet later down the hill next time I hit the ground I just stopped and I was like oh man
That’s not good I was like that’s bad and I was like doing like a system check I was like on the I thought I might have been in that ditch but ended up being on like right next to it um like not actually in the ditch and I was doing
Systems check and I was like uh this ain’t good my legs are feeling real heavy yeah that’s kind of I was like oh this is bad I’m just going to stay here I ain’t doing [ __ ] and I’m like I know it’s for sure my back and um yeah I got
Carded out of there had um had a nice real cheap hel flight 17 grand dude oh dude yeah that seems kind of cheap actually it was worth it for six minutes yeah oh okay six minutes well yeah yeah I mean it’s well it hey I got no
Complaints on that but it was it’s kind of a while to look at like you know time to price and so on yeah Insurance uh I didn’t pay 16 Grand now yeah okay yeah okay after surgery everything it was I was uh I was like seven Grand with insurance that’s great
But then I had a supplemental insurance that paid for that one as well which was like real smart of my wife she’s a genius yeah yeah yeah but was left out to us oh man I don’t even know if IID have it 250 Grand in the hole exactly um
So then I I had uh I got in there in the noon or something and I was like yeah it’s broken it’s right here dude yeah I’ll tell you right now um found out it was the T6 it was like burst fractured just like mangled and then it was broken above and
Below that so then they um the surgeon was Super Rad he’s awesome dude um did my other buddy Paul’s surgery there after Rampage one year to and um made me feel real confident and did it up and he was even he said he had me on the table
And he had like my brain connected to some charts and things and he was moving he put a piece in to like fix things moved me on the table look at the charts and go like oh he doesn’t like that one take it back out put it back in move me
Around and go okay looks like you liked he’s like yeah you liked this one thing I did and I was like oh good thanks That’s Heavy I was like thanks man yeah um got out of surgery at like midnight or something like that that same day which is insane awesome um cuz that
Stuff when it comes to spinal like those first few hours are extremely crucial in the heing process I think I was also Lucky in like how strong I was coming into it and then also know breaking my back before that I was like hey some
Someone come get me yeah you know I was just like you weren’t even trying no nothing I was like still face down with my helmet on like this like I’m good come get me you know like and dude insane Rachel was the first person to be next to me where’s Stevie in the
Backpack no way yeah I’m glad she doesn’t remember that one or she won’t oh Stevie I was going to say I’m pretty sure R remembers that no she does yeah that was hard yeah um but yeah Stevie was in the backpack it’s right there on the hill it is insane what wives go
Through for guys like you I mean even so we were at it was actually a couple days before we did the zinc pod actually yeah I was riding a parlor with my buddy Anthony he he worked here and um he hadn’t ridden in a year dude’s a [ __ ]
Great riter and uh took him out to parlor he rode the Stark for a bit and he’s like oh I want to back to back with the 450 and I was like sweet gave him the 450 he [ __ ] rides good huge gust of wind just took him like that on the U
Ramp and then it just stayed there like he just couldn’t bring it back and he literally dude he just [ __ ] landed like pancake on the ground like past the landing he his thumb went in five places like they can’t even pin his thumb it’s just [ __ ] mashed potato and uh then
He broke his scao and then like cracked his hip right so anyway touchwood I’ve been pretty sweet I broke my hip when that’s a big one that [ __ ] was [ __ ] it sucked so bad but Anna was still living overseas at that point so we’re together but she was away and um so she
Sort of like sort of had to go through that injury but then also like didn’t at the same time yeah from from a distance yeah but then this she was like at the track we were both on the on the ground and she’s like [ __ ] tripping being
Like whoa what’s going on over here and then everyone else is freaking out then we did the hospital thing and then that’s like traumatic when you’re just like waiting for Hospital doctor dude [ __ ] terrible and uh and anyway she’s just like yeah I’m just just don’t know
How cool I am with this and I’m like I’m safe like I really try my hardest like I’m fine with going slow but like you guys aren’t in that position like you have to like you said you have a comfort zone yeah but that comfort zone is
[ __ ] dangerous yeah I mean uh I mean I dude I was actually kind of like depressed after or two so anyway surgery goes all good right uh I get out of surgery it’s like 1: in the morning and I’m like looking and I’m all hopped up and I was like Hey
Ra I think if we can get out of here in the next hour I can do a little stretching and I think I could make my run and she’s like what are you she’s like no you idiot and I was like no I feel pretty good now I feel much better
And she’s like and I remember telling her I’m like no it’s okay I can’t miss I’ve never missed a rampage like I got it I can even just I’ll start I’ll hike up it’ll be I’ll be a little stiff but oh dude I was insane I literally it was
The U I was thinking fine but it was the uh nerve blocker cuz when that nerve blocker wore off oh dude I was in like it’s like five six days of just darkness really oh yeah and you stayed in hospital that time no I left the next
Day wow before the Nerf blocker were off I was like no let me give me out of here I’m not going to do any better here oh no I left uh I think I was right over 24 hours left at S I don’t know before dark the next day
Saturday that’s insane yeah cuz I just knew that I wasn’t G to be doing better there they were like yeah you can go to the bathroom both sides like we’ll let you go and I was like I’m going to do that right now yeah so then I just hung
Out of my Airbnb then like a day and a half made it to Vegas to my sister-in-law’s house and then I was just in the paint cave for like quite a few days yeah um but after that yeah I mean the the amount I forgot what we
Were saying earlier about oh just like what yeah what the girls go through to be you know like I just imagine it’s her position to you know be there the first one and laying face down like [ __ ] and it’s just funny like it’s top of mine because we had that conversation only
Recently and I’m and you know then cam was in here and then I was showing her the stuff that cam does and then she’s like I just don’t think I’d be cool with that and I’m like well [ __ ] like that’s your job people have crazy jobs yeah you
Know and like that is your job and like I do this because I have like a certain set of skills you do that because that’s the skills like that’s where your life took you your whole life you you’re on bikes and you’re pushing the limits and pushing the limits and it’s just like
You have this skill set and you can operate within that skill set very comfortably but it’s like something goes wrong dud something goes wrong it goes real bad yeah yeah there’s just not wiggle room no there isn’t any and it’s it’s kind of crazy like when you go into
That that uh like th% Focus just like you’re just like okay this is where I’m doing this you know and and uh there’s not one thought of you that is different than stomping stomping that whatever that may be whether it’s like a jump or a drop or so then there’s not
Not one thought of it and then when you make a mistake you’re like damn oh that’s what I was going to say is what I went into like a little depression after um where I couldn’t even understand I was like man I don’t I
Don’t do this like this is not me like I don’t I don’t make mistakes like that and I was like really upset about it and I like couldn’t even understand I was just like man I don’t I don’t make mistakes like that I can’t believe that and Rachel’s like luckily she’s so smart
And like just strong that she goes yeah like you did you think about your track record there and I was like well yeah like I don’t miss them and she’s like well it’s a pretty good track record that you’ve done 16 of them and you
Crashed once yeah and I was like is that your first crash there not my first crash but my first first big injury like where it took me out yeah yeah and I was like well I guess that is pretty good and and it’s it’s odd when you’re at
Like a high level and you make a mistake and dude there’s like this weird uh embarrassment where like nobody no like hurts your ego more than it it hurts your ego and it also like I feel ashamed and it was so wild because I know no one
Thinks that of me you know what I mean like I totally knew that but I had this weird like shame embarrassment just was like I can’t believe that they like and I know like so many riders go through that whe whatever sport you’re in Moto Mount Mike whatever that like when
Someone crashes I see it all the time when I’m coaching and the people are like oh oh no I’m good yeah and it’s like that like oh no and it doesn’t matter how how bad that hurt or not they’re like oh no I’m good I’m I’m just
Going to go over here and and I wish that everybody knew that that doesn’t matter who you are how good you are it’s part of it man you know and I just didn’t I didn’t have it I haven’t had it in a long time right and so I was
Just like oh man yeah but uh luckily you know got through it and like understood it and and thought about it a lot of what went wrong what went right like what to never do again and so on yeah what was that your first time like dealing with depression in your life do
You think or like could you notice it in that sense of be like [ __ ] I was depressed back then or because no I knew I knew it in in the time yeah like in the moment I was just like in a hole just like man I and that was the first
Time yeah yeah for sure um because I never had like I’ve had injury lots of injuries right my third back break and the other ones I was able to get through like just like okay yeah 6 weeks you know like back in it ready to go and I
Just was like plus the where it was yeah you know like at my thing yeah you know I was like it’s at my thing my R my Rampage right like and I was just like ah you know and um it was it was wild for sure you and it wasn’t
Like I don’t feel like it was like a depression of like just couldn’t do well I couldn’t do anything anyway but like it felt like a different a little bit different than like a just a simple depression right like not not saying depression is simple but almost just
Like a just a darkness of like I can’t believe that I knew what happened but I’m like I couldn’t believe it happened yeah you know it’s probably the the flip side of having the level of confidence that you have you know to where it’s like you man I’ve Got Friends where you’ll
See like they’re the coolest [ __ ] alive right and they’re like the cool the best riters they’re the best looking they get the hot chicks and like they kind of just go like 35 years without ever really having anything go wrong and then they get like
Dumped by a chick and it’s just like the biggest [ __ ] L you’re saying and it’s just like I’m going bro welcome like this is [ __ ] life dude like you know how many chicks would not ever want to [ __ ] hang out with me like you know
How many races I didn’t win bro like and it’s almost like no I think I think you’re right on that you know some it was a big loss yeah and I hadn’t had any like that I took a huge loss dude I was like oh spinning off of Just loss like
Just big big L dude yeah and I think that makes sense yeah I was a huge thanks psychologist that’s what I doo thanks appreciate it yeah but I think that’s natural you know like and there’s a saying it’s like the worst thing that ever happened to you is the
Worst thing that ever happened to you you know like for some people they their life is like this insanely traumatic thing whether it’s like you know self-induced or the experience that they got baked in and like they just face different things at like different times you know and it’s just like yeah it’s
Almost like Rampage to you was like this pristine there was like nothing that was ever bad about it and then it was just like ripped away from you kind of sense there were some of them right that i’ crash in the in the run or what there’s
Tons of those right but it didn’t like take me out this one felt different though this is way different yeah yeah and then like most of the time it was in the Run itself like in the finals or something like that but like for me I was like somehow always managed to make
It to whether I got injured earlier in the year or what I was able to make it to the finals and and do my run yeah um so yeah it was like just yeah was a lot but then luckily when you’re injured you you know like all you have to do is time
To is to think yeah so then I you know went through a lot of process and dude I had so many people like on my Instagram and all sorts of things like hey bro you should hang it up like really yo dude like hey you got a family and I’m like
Yeah know this is how I pay for my you know support my family this how I live this is how I support my family man you got you got to you want to give me some cash or what are you saying over there you know um so I had you know so many
People until like for me I had to like just be like hey whatever dude you know like that’s the life they want to live this is the one I’m focused on and you know had all those conversations with ra and and like yeah this is what I love
This is what I’m going to strive to get back to and and uh crazy enough this year I hit all of the points I wanted to hit like CU I had all that planned out right in my head I’m like if I could hit this point this point this point this
Point I’ll be ready for next year’s Rampage yeah and literally I I hit all my points and it was like within the week where I was like okay I’m ready yeah for this year’s Rampage which is super cool to like figure out and then obviously like as you seen the footage
And stuff I mean yeah it worked out sick it was it was bitching man it’s just a crazy event it’s almost not mountain biking it’s like it’s its own Universe it’s its own like super ball right but it’s its own thing yeah it’s like it is you’re on mountain bikes but it’s like
It’s kind of just not it’s like this one event and there’s I think the thing that I find so cool about it is just like the different characters and like the different lanes that people come from and like dud the first the first one that you won you know it’s like full
Racer kid oh yeah and then it’s like that’s the kind of person that’s always going to win Rampage and then you get like a Brandon seminar and then Cam and you get all these different guys from all of these different I guess verticals of mountain biking you know know and
It’s like it’s like this one Crucible where almost any style can win it if you see the mountain the right way and just it’s a it is a crazy event that’s what’s so cool about it like it’s that’s what makes it so hard to judge but also why
It’s so cool is that we have freedom to do anything on that hill and if your style is X you’re going to make X line or if your style is y you’re going to make a y line right and you know sometimes that’s in your cars to win sometimes that’s not sometimes you’re
Like oh well I thought I was going to do better or whatever you know Jud events right but it’s so sick to be able to go okay I have this canvas here and I have these ideas and these are going to fit in this zone I’m building this yeah and
I think that’s why what you’re saying is that it’s so different than everything else yeah and what what’s been your or like when you’ve went there the first time and you got your first win like what did you think it was going to turn into so the first year I went I was
14 and uh [ __ ] obviously it was way different the [ __ ] with your parents well they my dad my dad my dad wrote an email like hey why not give Kyle a chance and I was like my dad’s like hey you want to try it I was like yeah I did that one drop
At the norba in Deer Valley I was like yeah I could do some drops um my dad was so supportive too that like he’s like I heard about it and I I’ve seen Bender doing you know that kind of stuff in Utah and I was like my
Dad’s like there’s an event you want to go and he’s like yeah cool let’s go and he’s like I’m like Dad what happens if I can’t do it he’s like well there’s a jump contest afterwards and you can do the jump comp and I was like it seems
Fine yeah I was like oh it’s a win-win you know if I can’t do it no big deal I get out there and I start we all like and it wasn’t just me like oh if I can’t do it no big deal it was like a whole all mountain bikers right and
There was mountain bikers from all across everything right from Northshore like Canadian Free Ride to world world yeah World Cup Downhill right to you know us Racers to everything like that right so there was kind of like two roughly two different groups like you know Northshore free ride and then like
Kind of racer group and I was like well I kind of seen these Racers at the races and I was like hey can I follow you you know so at that time it wasn’t just me like experiencing what Rampage it was everyone exper together yeah and we were
Like figuring out what you could and couldn’t do like and then from then on it you know from I didn’t the first time I won was when I was 17 so like three four years after that from the first one and that one we from the beginning
We all were trying to especially myself I was trying to bring tricks in because I that’s what I knew you know I knew how to do dirt Chumps and tricks and things like that so from there it just kind of went and kept growing and then we kept
Getting bigger and even in 04 like the jumps that the drops we were doing then it was still massive to today um so it grew up really quick and then it had that break to ‘ 08 04 to 08 and then they brought in Wood stuff and we were
Trying you know all sorts of different things and and then uh went every other year after that and then every year from for 14 yeah so maybe some anyway somewhere from there so for me experiencing it in the beginning it was like oh this is really beautiful wow all
Right cool we’re going to ride this you know just a little kid just like oh okay right cool um and then just spent so much time out there that yeah just always was comfortable no matter what every time I went there um a lot of
People thought I was I was from Utah I was like no man I don’t I got mountains but I don’t have any of this yeah um so I don’t know it’s uh it’s definitely a different experience and I think with the experience that I have there I I
Think that’s what’s I’ve been able to like ride it for so long because of that experience yeah that that makes total sense that it’s like a place that takes years to just build a it’s like a back country snowboard type Vibe you know where it’s like you have to know the
Mountains like you have to be a mountain man almost to make that [ __ ] work like you could be the best park Rider and you know on [ __ ] yeah you could be the best apala and go to the sand trck and totally blow yeah and it’s like you just
Need but it’s all it’s not even the snowboarding or the the Moto or the mountain biking that you need to be good at it’s like no just being in the mountains like just being in this Zone physically is what you have to almost get good at and not being like
Intimidated and understanding like you said standing on one leg one rock like shoveling out it it’s like you have to know that that’s going to be a to stay there for sure yeah it’s it’s a it’s a while I hope you get to go there man yeah
I I think I’ll just make it upen next year I’ll just try and get out there but um what where would you like to see it go in the future uh I mean with my riding style I have no idea what direction it’s going to go right with my riding style I would
Like to see it stay big mountain right you know and like for me that’s my style and so like I’d like to see it go that way it’s not always going to go that way who knows where it’s going to go um I think with it it’s all dependent on
Locations right so like is that does that venue that they pick going to have something bigger or is it going to have you know the Str the bones of it roughly to be able to make a bigger drop to be able to do bigger things like
To build up multiple big drops in a row I mean we can’t just make it you know it has to be there right so I would love to see it go that direction but I have no idea I mean it seems like it would be much simpler and easier to like make it
More on the slope style or big Mountain slopes outside um you know I mean a lot of that stuff is like sometimes one or lost at the bottom couple jumps right so for me I I I like the other direction but I mean luckily there’s a couple
Riders like Tom man seberg and then and Carson and those guys that like that’s their style Braga yeah like they’re down with that and so it’s it’s for me I’m like stuck to see that like all right cool like one day when I’m out like they’re going to keep that kind of going
On which is really cool um yeah because I guess when it’s a cuz it’s a a huge event for Red Bull you know like I I feel like Rampage was probably like the signature series event like I don’t they don’t do Signature Series stuff anymore do they no I don’t think so it’s
Definitely the Pinnacle though of of their series and then also for like their NBC spot and so on it was it was pretty big and then obviously with their online stuff it was insane yeah yeah so I think that it’s such a key event for
Red and it just feels like it makes so many careers like you can really you know kind of provide for yourself off that or you can create a name for yourself you know at that event so it’s like it definitely needs to stay what’s really cool is that so like when I was
Younger traveling if some old lady on the plane next to me was like oh hey what do you what do you do and I’m like oh I ride bicycles mountain bikes and they’re like and back in the day it used to be like oh do you wear spandex or do
You hop around yeah yeah and like I was like no i’ kind of do more gravity like downhill and they’re like H so Spanx are hopping and I’m like no and nowadays it’s it’s like do you wear spanic or you ride off the cliffs yeah you do Rampage
And I’m like oh yeah the cliff one that’s me yeah yeah so it’s it’s cool that it’s gotten that big at such a big audience that don’t even really know mountain bikes right which is it’s really cool you know and I’m glad to be part of it and where do you think that
Just like mountain biking in General goes you know like the Fest series stuff and it seems like the just jumps are getting bigger shit’s getting weird and it’s like you know same as downhill where it’s like okay well we when was this going to cap out and it you think
Well it sort of doesn’t these dudes just get ner and ner and ner I I don’t think there is a cap on drops yeah really realistically I mean if you could find a landing long enough and steep enough I I don’t think there’s an end I
Mean right um jumpwise I feel like jumps have been at that 100 100 mark for a while and I think that more and more Riders have gotten comfortable at but the biggest part of the jump side of things is that these jumps have gotten safer and safer yeah and so then you
Have you’re you’re able to get more people I mean there’s a lot of chicks that are doing them too now like with the darkfest SW yeah um which is so sick um but like they’ve gotten safer so I don’t see why not I mean it’s kind of
Still to me it’s it’s not at the end I mean um with like Freestyle Moto you see they kind of hit like okay this is our jump yeah this is our jump this is what we do it on and it kind of hit a peak until like I feel like or it kind
Of hit a plateau until like uh Pastrana started making that wild ass like super steep step up jump right and they’re like oh look what we can do now yeah hold my beer yeah oh look at this so I mean with mountain bikes I mean uh there’s so many different Avenues to
Be able to go right and I think those new generations are just like oh yeah I’ll do this I’m going to focus on this and they’re actually able to do that which is cool yeah I have no idea man yeah I don’t know I’ll build something
I’ll be the builder then yeah yeah yeah just tell me what you want guys like let let’s just TRW some [ __ ] yeah I think racing racing will always be there yeah I mean because no matter what you need that like on the paper stopwatch this is your place doesn’t matter this is what
You got it just feels try harder it feels good though like next time yeah there’s something about just like knowing yeah you know that okay I’m I’m that [ __ ] yeah cuz judged events are hard man um they’ll always be around and but then racing will always be
Around as well who knows what those judged events May look like yeah I mean slop style from the beginning was like this mixture of all sorts of different features from different ideas like different sports even like oh there’s a wall ride okay let’s do a drop let’s do
This teer tow let’s do you know like a just a combination of like let’s try this yeah to where now it’s like you have your your just combos right you have your your two doubles and then you have like a hip or something and they all are pretty similar right so it’s
Fine tuned into like okay this is the best way to portray that the Riders are going to be here right or vice versa but um the Freer right side I don’t know man it’s it I think it just keep can keep going and then you always have your
Racing yeah now are there any other zones in like Utah or other states that you think could hold like a rampage event or do you think it’s like really entrenched where it is it is it’s really stuck where it’s at but for other reasons um so that location that it’s
Been at is uh I believe it’s statel land okay and you you know the events sponsored the the state sponsors event and so on so there’s like this like okay it works out it mes meshes well together um so it’s it’s kind of hard to find
Locations that are we able to use take all the boxes yes correct um so it is really hard but there are some really cool spots out there I mean um I think they’re doing approving grounds in New Zealand next year um which is dude New Zealand is crazy yeah I’m like hope I
Get to go to that one that’ be sick um I did see one time I saw uh I was took this awful long trip through Bolivia um too long this awfully long trip through Bolivia what was that about oh dude it sucks um we went through Bolivia all the
Way through the Salt Flats blah blah blah and then came all the way down from the high elevation crossed into Chile to go to go to the airport and I look out the window and I was like am I in Utah am I in southern Utah like that’s insane
Um really so I feel like there’s a spot in ch there might be a couple spots in Chile um a little bit different style it wouldn’t be exactly the same as Rampage or some other spots in Utah that would work as well um it just depends you know
Like to me I’m like yeah there’s lots of places kind of yeah but on when it comes down to it ticking all the boxes to have an event it’s a little bit different story yeah and so much just planning and [ __ ] goes into it on the event side and
Just personnel and Logistics like it would be pretty nly but it seems it seems like from what you’re saying to go bigger and bigger and bigger it’s like you can’t make that zone bigger you know no and and when you keep using the same venues you kind of get
Like boxed into like okay this is the winning line for this area or this venue that like this is what we have to hit I guess it’s just tricks now yeah you know so then you just up your tricks so when you have these new venues or new
Different locations it changes and moves and which I love about it right he just kind of like morphs and moves around and you know luckily for this year it kind of morphed back into like a big mountain freered event like Gnar lady right yeah to where other years sometimes you’re
Like it’s a little more slow style um but I think it should be just kind of me moving around that uh you’re asking about Bolivia yeah yeah what were you doing that dude I’ve been there a few times actually really yeah what’s on down there nothing really yeah nothing you
Just it uh no I I went the first time I went for a one of those Urban races oh am I am I too far away no no you good I went for an urban race went there and uh at the time I I rode for Red Bull and uh
You know I would go to all these different like all sorts of urban races all over the place right just all over South America like Europe um PTO Rico like you know Central America and then I got signed up for this thing where it’s like you ever
Heard of the Red Bull Loom contest it’s a photo contest Photo contest yeah yeah so they hit me up Reed hit me up and they were like hey do you want to go to Winter X Games and I was like well yeah like that sounds great like I want to go
Hang out they’re like yeah okay so we’re doing the loom contest and the winner if you want to go we put your hat your name in the Hat for like one of the athletes that could be picked for the winner of the photo contest and I was like oh perfect like
Who who’s on the list they’re like yeah Shawn way like these and so they’re saying all these names and I was like perfect I will be picked yeah I would love to go sign me up yeah so then I you know I go to the photo contest thing and winter act games
And I was like man this I had a great time find out later this skate photographer uh French skate photographer one and he picked me and I was like what why I was like he’s like I love Mountain Bikes mountain bikes are so sick and it’s so different from like
The skate filming that I film in the cities and and I was like all right cool okay it’s fine he’s like and I want to go to bivia and I was like no I’m like you ever been there he’s like no but I’ve seen photos and I was like I don’t
Think you want to go so anyway had you been that before that yeah that would have been my second time right so I went there for the for the race Urban race the urban race and I was like it’s it’s pretty rough but you know I went there
And I’m like Okay cool so then the second time he was like yeah I’m going to go there and I was like no I don’t think so and he’s like I’m going to go to these Salt Flats and I’m going to go out here and we were in the middle of
Nowhere so I planned it out and I had uh andreo come with me and also like a a team of people and we started in La laa yeah laa and then yeah and then grabbed all our supplies and then we were on the road for we were supposed to be out
There for two weeks just in the deserts right riding these like old reefs I guess you could say really yeah like so in the saltt flats there’s like these crazy reefs um that you know when there was water there it used to be an ocean yeah when it used to
Be an ocean there was like a reef wow and so we would ride these reefs and I was it was pretty gnarly because we were so far from anywhere if we actually got injured that I was like H we’re going to tone it down a little bit and so what
Ended up happening is we were out in the middle of nowhere for we were eating llama llama stew llama steak llama like everything for our protein and we were staying in these salt hotels that were all made out of salt cuz the Salt Flat is so big that you know you drive for
Hours and then you’re like oh here’s a spot and there’s no power or anything there’s like two hours a day for power that’s insane the floor was made out of Salt Rock right it was salt rocks the bed frames the night post the walls we’re all made out of salt right and uh
It was a pretty rough trip and then the photographer and I and Andrea like we did not see I ey he was like it just was not working out really it was not good yeah and then so what did he just want you doing super weird [ __ ] yeah like we
Were draw we found this old train there used to be AI like a train system railroad that went through there like back in maybe don’t quote me again bad with dates 1800s or something who knows long time ago and I was doing drops off of it Andrea was like no I’m not doing
That I was like all right I guess I’ll do it myself and it just became to where the dude didn’t do enough homework and we were too far away from everything to actually try and do cool [ __ ] yeah that it was just didn’t work out yeah um so
Then I was like Hey we’re going to have to call the trip short we were still out there like 10 days just eating llama and [ __ ] and and the crazy thing is like say say I accidentally crashed on the reef and hit like an artery or something we
Had a medic guy with us that I I love and Trust the dude but like he can only hold my artery for for so long yeah you’re still going to die it would just be six minutes instead of three yeah it’s like maybe I’d last a few hours
Yeah um because there’s there’s only two helicopters I I believe in that area that can fly there and one’s the presidents and the other one is the other military one so it’s not like we’re getting saved and I was like man this is this is too much like we’re too
Far out here um and so I ended up calling the trip and I was like Hey we’re going to have to go but then once we called the trip we still had a 14-hour drive in the back of a Land Rover awkward as [ __ ] dude awful like my knees never hurt so
Bad um so it was it was a yeah long like I said a long trip big one man when you’re I did a trip to Alaska MH and it was I was like on a snowmobile I like my backpack with like my red and [ __ ] massive tripod all my lenses batteries
And a skoo yeah and it’s like don’t go over there cuz of the Avalanche there that’ll definitely Avalanche and that’ll kill you that’ll kill you yeah and I’m just like bro this all looks the same like I shouldn’t be here I don’t belong here I’m from cans there’s jungle
There’s like you’re sweaty like it’s red dirt that’s the extent like I know how to look out out for snakes snakes and spiders I’m good sweaty I’m good Cold Mountain but there you feel vulnerable and we we landed in Anchorage and we drove into the Arctic Circle in a
[ __ ] motor home no really and then we just like slept in a motor home for a week we left the gas on the first night so we had no heating the entire time it was I slept in all my snowboard gear boots and everything and how many days a
Week oh [ __ ] it was Heavy bro and I was just like that that feeling of just like dude I’m too far away I’m so out there and this is not my habitat like I’m not this guy like I’m way more comfortable in a completely different environment
Than this yeah and that dude I feel you man when you it’s a comfort thing but then it just didn’t line up like eye to eyee on like what he was looking for we ended up just doing wheelies and the salt flats and I was like this ain’t it
Man this is not it like yeah maybe you’re getting a cool photo but like I don’t want to be the guy that’s wheeling in ass Salt Flat yeah like I don’t want to have to travel all the way we could have G to Utah like Salt Lake City and I
Could have got the same shot yeah like I don’t want to be out here um so it just it was it was a rough one for sure what what was the favorite trip you’ve ever done those some of those of stuff would have had to be unreal oh they’re insane
There was one that didn’t get a lot of publicity it was supposed to be finding a new Rampage location ah and I I think it was called like the Red Bull Recon yeah um so we were there was a bunch of us there was like zinc Cedric Aaron Chase Robbie
Bordon there was a bunch of us and we were basically looking for a new potential new Rampage location right this would have been I don’t know I think it was like 18 or 19 or something and and we had so much budget set up all
Of us together had like a 100 foot uh like wood yacht type thing you know classic Mexican yacht and we were down laas island hopping with this insane amount of heli time and two ponga boats and four Jeeps so when we were on land we had these jeeps and all this stuff
Plus a film crew and we just were island hopping moving around looking for new locations is getting six shots we ended up figuring out that it looks sick from the plane in the alley like kind of Rampage ass type a little bit different colors a little bit different style but
The dirt was so hard that we couldn’t ride hardly anything oh like it was like it like rock it was hard super hard dirt you know like a lot of times at Rampage it’s like softer and you can keep traction and like you can ride super
Steep stuff when you have that soft dirt because you can slow down get control so on this was like you start going down something you were like good luck hopefully there’s a big run out yeah um that was an insane trip because for one we were just like island hopping on this
Yacht in the helicopter we were doing shuttle runs on a helicopter just that was super dope until the helicopter got impounded by before by the Mexican Government no yeah yeah and uh they apparently we landed on an island that was like we weren’t allowed to land on that island and it got
Impounded and then the trip got a little short wow but I ended up making a spot on NBC but it was only like 30 minute spot really how much do you reckon they would have spent on it too much really it was a great time we called the redel vacation it was
Awesome it was so much fun man you used to hear crazy stories about like did you ever go to any of the lagona sea trips like back in the day for Moto GP no I never went to those man Apparently that is like Peak Red Bull really like that is Red Bull just
Swinging dick and just like just shuttling people in on helicopters to like the VIP Zone and [ __ ] but like you had Nikki Hayden Red Bull HRC like that was the flagship North American event and that was like Peak that apparently it might have been around the same time
We we used to go to like Air Races and rebel Air Races and like all sorts of different things and I was like oh this is this is luxury this is nice yeah Red Bull did not [ __ ] around and that but that was Old Red Bull like I think I
Think these days it’s like a little bit different we were using the we had so much heli time that we were using the helicopter to get spare tires for the Jeeps cuz they were rental jeeps and dude we actually stopped changing like getting the Jack out and everything we
Figured out how to pull it on the side of the road and levitate like not levitate but like keep one wheel up and just do a quick tire change cuz anything was poking the tires they’re just cheap tires but we’re using the heli to get spare tires and tequila
And so like that was the level we were just like ah this is sick so much fun oh that’s so that that trip for sure uh I mean granted it was a long time ago any trip I even recently I just did like some road tripping with um
My family and stuff and hit some insane bike parks I dud I hit one a new one in Montana that was so dope really camped yeah nice [ __ ] was really sick yeah like big jumps too really yeah it’s called Legacy okay yeah that was sick um another insane trip in Columbia I’m huge
Fan of Columbia really I’ve never been to colia awesome really yes I love it I would love to go to Columbia yeah Columbia is awesome um pretty good Rider it was another Urban race what year was that 14 maybe okay maybe 14 I went a
Couple times but I think the last time I went might have been 14 South America is just wild it’s sick yeah it’s like a very very wild Place yeah and like each country down there too has like some are a little more wild some are a little more
Like little tougher you know like tougher to be in some are like super dope I mean I love it for sure um I definitely enjoy South America um Columbia what else is there I don’t know there’s been a lot of I mean there’s I’ve been to like 50 countries just for
Mountain biking so I’m like that’s crazy it’s at like a high number where I hope I try and remember enough and um there’s some that I’m like not that interested in going back to but there’s some that I’m like that place rules yeah um but yeah I’ve been very fortunate for shirt
It’s pretty sick and then you just did Baja too was that your first was that your first, oh no you’ve done that a bunch of times yeah never never raced it uh my mom and my dad um used to race off-road when I was little what I did
Not know that yeah so I I thought I was going to be a moto dude cuz I saw motos and I was like yeah I’m going to race Moto and they’re like yeah hopefully you’re going to get a 50 soon and then my mom my mom raced um so my dad raced
Moto desert and then off-road cars he’s huge R he’s like 65 like massive guy he’s big dude yeah I’m I’m a little guy next to him and then uh then my mom was like no I want to do it and so then my mom raced Offroad she did like quite a
Few races and like be uh early to mid 90s yeah uh she did she raced a b 500 solo and single seat race car she did the Thousand solo um didn’t finish at Thousand but um so like the whole time they were doing that I had like a little
Quad and I was like waiting for my Moto and I was like yeah I’m going to race motorcycles never got one really I got a mountain bike when I was seven I think I was seven and they’re like yeah I’m like okay is I’m going to get my Moto soon
Right they’re like yeah maybe your birthday and then the birthday would passed and I’m like Christmas and they’re like yeah maybe and uh I mean granted it worked out sick but I fully thought I was gonna be a moto guy and what was the reason for not getting you
On I just couldn’t afford it yeah okay yeah I got a mountain bike and they were like yeah this is going to work for now right um so I mean it’s sick and I always had like a lot of family support for sure didn’t have any money but like
The support was always there which was cool what’s like obviously you were the Phenom like prot kid what happened for that like what went right for that to happen like how much of it is you how much of it is is the situation that you
Were in was it just like you were a crazy Talent or did you just put in an insane amount of bike time like when you look back in your life now and you because dude Rampage of 14 like what the [ __ ] dude that’s not okay you know so I
Was like there was something different about you as a kid that led you to do what you did like it’s that’s a hard one yeah I don’t I don’t actually know but I can guess it a lot things um I think that yes I was a kid
That just like wanted to ride ride ride ride like whatever I’m doing I’m just like hyperfocused on that until I’m like oh what’s that over there yeah and then I’m like what is that I need to only do this um so for me like my dad was really
Supportive and like kept me focused like just like oh you want a ride let’s go try this let’s go try this oh your birthday you going to ride the jumps sure let’s go do that I’ll figure out a way to do it yeah so I had that huge
Support support from my family which was awesome I wonder if they do you think they saw it in you or was it just fully naive like they just wanted to support their kid I think they gave me the the idea that I could they’re like oh you want to do that this
Is how you would do it if you did you have to do you have to ride this much you go try this look what these Pros are doing over there oh okay and so for me I’ve always I’ve always been a visual learner right so I can see something and
Go oh I need to do that yeah so I’ll do that um from like a young age so I think the combination of that I think a little bit of time frame as well like when I came into it yeah um was huge uh so for
Me the the start into like getting into like that 14 15 16 range from from like you know 9 or 10 till then was like full family support right yeah like not on monetary not money or anything like that but just like supporting hey you want to
Go here you can do this you can do it you can do it hey finish your school work we’ll go to the race yeah you know um and then from then on from 16 on that was just me I think it was just me like
I I don’t know if I directly believe in like just Talent yeah I think it’s more of a it’s more of a thing that you understand it faster whatever your you look at it and you understand something faster than someone else might it’s that’s actually very well said I I
Don’t cuz I mean yeah you can say it’s easier to say oh that just that person’s talented like they have Raw Talent or they figure it out you know compared to like another writer or whatever it may be but I I think it’s because of the way
Their brain works and yeah and how they understand things I mean cuz you trying to get me to do math or memorize something I’m awful yeah I can’t can’t do anything like that and but then the way I look at you know someone riding or myself or
Thinking of how I could do a certain trick or how I visualize that I look at it completely different than someone else that would you know that doesn’t know how to do that yeah or maybe it’s even a product you know like I’ve had so many different signature products like
My grips with zinc like I had these knee pads that sold insane and I I made them I made them like by myself my so I was like no I want this to do this and this and this and it’s just uh just I guess a different thought process of how you
Understand things and so on do you remember is there anything you remember like examples of how you would think about something differently cuz I kind of from you know Moto I’ve got some heuristics that I would I especially when I really started like trying to focus in on like technique and Moto and
Like trying to ride better I started looking at the best dudes but in kind of like a different way and then there was like some rules that I came up with where it’s like okay seon’s knee never goes past the foot the like the top arch
Of his foot so it’s like it’s never thought of that and then what that does and you know so you sort of start to in my head I’m like I’m looking at it differently than what it was like told to me you know so it’s like that kind of
Makes sense and then in Jiu-Jitsu like I would always I was always very like the guard like the bottom being like the dude on bottom like that to me I’m like oh I fully understand that there’s like some Concepts in there and I could see things I got like I would do triangle
Chokes like that was like my thing that I’d do and I’m like but I can see that everywhere like I can be in any position and go oh there it is yeah exactly but then it was like when it come to guard passing I’m just like when I’m on top
And I’m trying to get past I’m like [ __ ] [ __ ] but it was because I couldn’t couldn’t see it you couldn’t visualize it when I would do the class and if it was a class teaching triangle chokes or whatever it was like I literally could just drive home and
Watch myself do it in my head but then if it was like guard passing got to do that I’m like gone like just couldn’t see it couldn’t it just wasn’t obviously it catches up over time but yeah like I Tak longer to drill it in to figure it
Out but there was certain things where I’m like oh you just get a triangle there you get a triangle there get a triangle that and everyone’s just like that’s [ __ ] that’s weird that you would even think that you could do it from there you
Know I think a lot of it came to me I I I can’t think of anything right now of of like oh it it was like oh it was this that helped me do this this and this it was um I think I just understood it when
I’d seen something like say a Rider’s body position like whether it was downhilling or jump or whatever I just could see that and go that looked right and I felt like I could just do that like I get my body I could see it visually and go okay that’s what I do
Yeah um from like a a very beginning part you know part right I didn’t even realize I thought different until zinc and I lived together in coesa here really where he was like wait what that’s what you’re thinking about and I’m like you don’t think about that and he’s like no that’s
Why we’re different yeah and I’m like oh oh you know I mean I I I thought I was just like the same as everybody else I mean and the fact too that zinc thinks differently as well yeah like people think that that dude just send [ __ ] but that dude just
Thought about it thousands and thousands in time oh man it was cool when he was sitting there and he was talking about um you know like the flip that he was going to do this year and he’s like he said I he would like he saved the uh the
The announcers calling his name to like dropping in cam Zing drop in Rampage final run and he’d like play it in his headphones sitting on his balcony every day for 10 minutes like that is that’s like I guess they’re the lengths people go to and then you just end up looking
Like the guy that sends it yeah exactly but it’s like okay you weren’t on the balcony and you don’t and when he gets there he he just does it and it’s the same as a guy like Brandon sear you know like we posted that clip the other day
And I loved it where he’s like I just want to tell any kid right now that that it’s not about Talent I’m not talented like I had to work so hard at this and it’s just like never seen dude then that was like when Brandon I heard I saw that
Clip and I was like dude that was so right because when we he came in we’re like man he’s pretty good and realized how much that dude rode I was like man that guy rides way more than any of us we we should be worried and that was
Like when he was like 14 really we should be worried it’s like oh no and then it just then it was just Brandon takeover yeah which is so sick yeah but I mean it’s like that yeah like we’re talking about with talent and then it’s it’s uh it’s not I
Don’t know I don’t know if it’s actually real or not who knows it we’ll never know but I think it’s like an understanding of like understanding what you’re doing and maybe understanding faster but then it’s like how much how many times can you do that to where
You’ll never fail at it yeah whatever that is right your trick or your writing or whatever and were you the kind of kid like you just spent all day every day on a block at some point yeah yeah anywhere I could go take the bus to go ride dirt
Jumps I would like ride street like I didn’t like riding Street on a BMX bike grinding and [ __ ] but I did it almost every day because that’s all I could do yeah we didn’t have like we were talking about how many um you know like public parks bike parks there were or bike
Parks in general or pump tracks or anything like that I was just like oh I’m going to ride over here to this field there might be a jump there I’m going to try and build this over in this you know random area I’m gonna build this grass jump I’m gonna try and grind
This or whatever it may be um but I think that also helped like especially zinc and I is that we tried to ride everything yeah and so then when we were becoming into like a pro era right that we already had so many skills behind us in different things that we could just
Go oh okay it’s kind of like this with this and so on yeah you just got like a database to pull from kind of yeah yeah yeah and I think that there’s something as well you know like I think I can’t remember whether you said it here or at
Lunch but you’re talking about like ad and it’s like I was one of those kids that was like clinically diagnosed with ADD and it’s like I think a lot of us are that you know and it’s just weird that I I don’t know what it is about
Like call it just action sports or like The Wider whether it’s snowboarding whether it’s skating whether it’s like us like our type of people 100% seemed to just gravitate towards this and like man I spent just the biggest part of my life almost [ __ ] up my life so I
Could ride yeah you know and it was it’s like dude if you just made some better decisions then you’d probably have like a little bit more money to ride like You’ probably things would go better but it was like you’d almost just blow off all of the responsibilities to try and
Ride and it’s like but it there’s something about having like that kind of brain where it’s like it’s the ultimate outlet for someone that has I don’t know whether it’s [ __ ] add but it’s just like whatever’s going on with our brain like it seemed like BMX Moto SK that all
Those Action Sports kind of almost like saved a generation in a sense 100% yeah I mean especially at our age too like where it was like oh put them on medicine yeah you know like that was so you had that those conversations as a kid like I didn’t I didn’t yeah my
Parents were like no he needs more sport yeah so I was kind of Lucky in that way um but yeah it was kind of it wasn’t wouldn’t it be our generation was kind of started that dude I was on that [ __ ] for a bit Yeah so I mean you look at
Action Sports and we’re all kind of similar in those ideas right um and I think it has to do with just that anything that’s going to keep our Focus for x amount of time yeah we’re like I love this what is it yeah yeah I want
More yeah and so then we’re able to go into that that hyperfocus what we normally can’t do that in some conversations whatever whatever it is you know yeah yeah cuz I think that’s sort of how it almost like shows up for me and and it’s
Like if I don’t love it I can’t pay attention to it I’m just out school I was so bad yeah so bad even if I was really truly trying I’d be like okay yeah like and start just and I’m looking and I’m just daydreaming yeah
Yeah how can I go ride right now yeah and then dude it was the same same [ __ ] where it was just like all I wanted to do and I don’t know what I spent a lot of time thinking about it now I just think there’s a kind of just like it’s a
Way to get out of that you know it’s sort of a ticket to just actually be focused I think that that the like call it 0d brain or whatever it’s like it feels good for us to be focusing on something yeah but it’s really [ __ ] hard to focus on something so you have
To it has to just be something that kind of grabs you but then you know when it comes to like business and stuff like that you can if it’s in like like Trail building you know where it’s like you love that it can keep your attention
It’s like you kind of you have to find things purposefully that you love so that it can keep your attention 100% I mean dude I I sit in a machine and I just like my brain hurts yeah because I’m thinking the entire time yeah I’m just sitting there but my brain is
Going and so then I love it because my brain is actually focused on one thing and I’m just going and I think yeah I think you’re right on that that you uh it gives you something if you’re able to stay focused in it you’re like oh yeah that feels
Good yeah like look what I did yeah yeah but but it’s just like you can’t force it mhm other you know if it’s just something even though it’s something that’s quote unquote good for you like doing your taxes or you know like just any adult [ __ ] and you’re just like I’m
Fully incapable of doing this and I’m sorry yeah dude I I 100% agree and it it’s funny having conversations with Rich and she’s just like hey where you at right here yeah and I’m like sorry and she’ll just watch me and I’ll be looking at her
I’ll be right here she’s like I can tell you’re not listening and I was like what I’m sorry yeah what yeah dude right before we we bought like we bought dinner from home cuz I got to do another show after this and then Anna’s standing
There and I was like did you put did you put the stuff in the fridge and she was just like bro like I was literally standing right here in this very Spot 2 minutes ago telling you that I was putting this in the fridge and she’s
Like I think we need to get your memory checked I’m like it’s not my memory I’m just not [ __ ] I’m thinking about something else like just paying ATT I wasn’t there I wasn’t there this was here I was not I was not there I get in
Trouble all the time with that too she’s like I I told you and I’m like what were we doing and she be like you were standing right there and I was like and I’ll have to remember and I’ll go oh yeah I was thinking about this and then that’s why
I didn’t hear that and and then literally it’s just like constant you know the one thing for me too I never can remember if I put deodorant on just it’s just like a automatica yeah you’re on autopilot and it’s like and then that was another thing this morning where she was like
Yeah we’re in we’re in the bathroom together you definitely put deod on I’m like driving the car I’m on the free I’m like [ __ ] I don’t think put deod on but yeah it’s just like fully off with the fairies like thinking about all the [ __ ]
You know it’s cool that we have so many things to actually do now though right where you’re just like you know I’m going to go Ry Moto I’m going to ride mountain bike and then like all those are things are pretty good for you to be
Honest yeah yeah yeah no that is so true and I guess it’s like they when you get older and you get a little bit more established it kind of like can be a good thing in a like cuz how many kids do you know that you would have rode
With that were awesome and they kind of just like never got their life together you know like they just stayed at the jumps like the dude that was 35 at the jumps at sheep Hill and you were first there you know and it was like that their guys that probably had that same
Thing but they kind of just never got their life together in that sense I think that’s too also why I did so many different things like in mountain biking yeah is that I was like all right well I’m I’m enjoying racing but I kind of want what’s over here and I would just
Go back and forth and it was hard for sure but excuse me um it was hard for sure but then I I think it keep me kept me in it for you know so long yeah yeah well that just like and and that is true right because it’s like you get very you
Get told what a racing career is and how long it lasts for and when you’ve got to retire unless you’re Greg Manar and and you know like this career that that you’ve got and same with Cam you know it’s just like you kind of have a
License to just do whatever the [ __ ] you want and that can last a a long time yeah that’s pretty wild um it’s going to be hard the next couple years for sure um but I mean the fact that I can kind of go out and go build and coach and go do
Event here go to event there is it’s pretty sick yeah um it’s pretty rad to be able to do that yeah and but I think that you’ve built that’s why it’s important to build that kind of foundation you know to where you’ve got the trail building you’ve got the
Coaching like there is a lot of stuff that you’ve got going on that kind of leads into the next step like was actually just talking to um to a Alex you know Alex Ray a y yeah Privateer and he was saying the other day he’s like
Bro they do not teach you how [ __ ] up it is to like cuz he just started working at O’Neal okay like full death job yeah he’s like man they do not tell you that the reality of life I was not ready yeah yeah but you think you think
It would be you’re like damn I’ve been racing Supercross for the last 10 years like how hard can an office job be it’s like no bro like you now have [ __ ] all going on in comparon I feel like there needs to be something like that to where you’re prepared for
Your potential exit or retirement and then also from the for the younger generation of like what it becomes What It Is What It Takes and what it involves to become like a professional anything right yeah cuz like in the beginning I was like oh I just ride and I do well
Right and it’s like no there’s so much more to it you know there’s sponsorship obligations there’s like testing there’s you know like just a list of things and then it’s just more and more and more these days right you know what we’re talking about with media side and so on
So I wish there was somebody that was like hey yeah you’re good at riding but be aware this is this is what you also are going to have to be good at you’re going to have to learn this and there’s going to be this thing over here that we
Don’t know what it is yet who knows what it may be but you’re going to have to change and and mold and and figure out how to do that as well so I mean it would be cool to like you know Mentor upand cominging Riders and then also at
The end of it too of like all right hey man like maybe let’s start doing uh you know some I don’t know let’s work on your emails today yeah cuz you’re going to need to do that later on yeah yeah or what whatever you know for your
Potential exit or whatever that may be it would be cool to like start trying to helping kids whether it’s motor mountain bikes or what because it’s pretty much the same thing right yeah yeah no 100% and you’ve got to know and I think I think it’s why it is important to have
Other interest in a sense to where it’s like obviously you have to dedicate a certain amount of time to writing and training and and doing your thing but it’s like you kind of need to be three-dimensional in a sense to where it’s not writing and training like you
You have other things that you know you do but that’s such a fine line because it’s like you know what it takes to race at the top and it’s like you just got to be got to be all in it’s almost not a system that’s like set up well it’s not
No not at all um you almost find those things when you’re injured in in in your pause your mandatory pauses right mandatory pauses you’re just like oh I don’t want to be here but I’m here now and like in your injuries or something like that um you
Almost try and find those things you know strive to keep working hard on you know fixing your injury or whatever that may be to get back out there but like find out maybe you know what it is you well almost find out what what makes you
Tick what you enjoy and that can help you like figure out what you’re going to do later in life yeah yeah maybe yeah no I think it’s good advice and yeah like having guys like you that have walked a path you know and I think that’s what’s important about liking mountain
Bike still or liking Motocross still or whatever it is that you did as a profession like how many dudes leave the sport with a shitty taste in their mouth and then you kind of they just disappear and you sort of you don’t get like the wisdom in a sense because they end up
Getting Poison by you know for whatever reason but it’s like it’s important as a culture and as a scene that it’s like okay you have to keep people in the sport don’t let them not just like a cut you’re done you’re retired like see you later bro it’s like
There should be phasing out of a career that keeps you loving and keeps you like into the sport for sure I definitely would have been one of those in my first career I guess so like when I when after the market cracked and so on like I was
Bitter bitter bitter to everything like overtravel like you know too too many events so on like didn’t really care anymore and uh if you know if I wouldn’t have gotten out of that hole and started like building my career back up again and and to where we are now right like I
Would have been so better yeah and like disappeared didn’t want nothing to do with it yeah um and in a way I was kind of lucky to like put in the work and stick with it and you know keep finding out what makes me you know I would have
Never been able to make my own race right yeah I would have never done that yeah or any you know thousands of things right um so I was just thinking about that I was R talking about that I was just like huh that would have probably never happened I would have been that
Bitter guy yeah dude it happens to so many people so many guys they just the sport [ __ ] me over this [ __ ] me over I’m like you know I’m I’m this unhappy like I got wrong by the sport and then they bounce and it’s like you know dude
Even privateers yeah that it’s like I never made it but it’s like bro you just weren’t that good and that’s okay that’s okay you can still love modotto dude like I [ __ ] suck and I love this [ __ ] you know like being the man doesn’t isn’t what makes you like bikes or you
Know and I think that it’s just like that perspective it’s it’s there’s so there’s so many things to it right like not only just like uh you know the professional side but I I don’t know I kept thinking about Focus right and what we were talking about F what we were
Talking about focus is that how how to get in like how do you get into Focus me yeah like when you’re like all right I’m gonna I’m going to do like you know your last race like what do you do to get in your focus and we
Back um I think for oh for me with Focus like for my race like World bets I just I don’t really care about the result mhm like so that one’s kind of a hard one the big one that like when I compete in Jiu-Jitsu like that’s the big Focus
Because just [ __ ] losing just feels so weird in that you know it’s just so binary it’s like there’s two dudes it’s very obvious who loses and who wins and everyone’s watching like just two people whereas in most if you’re not first like no one’s really watching you you know what I mean but
Yeah I think I just try and go blank and I have like a big in my life in general I try and have a big commitment to this whole law of like diminishing returns you know like I always just think there’s only a certain amount of thinking that’s actually going to help
Me so I just cut off thinking at the point where this is not helping me anymore so I just try and I guess like have a sense of awareness where it’s only just reaction and yeah either I’m not thinking at all and I’m trying to just like almost just it’s almost like
Meditation in a sense like you get so nervous and you get there’s so much going on that you’ve got thoughts that are just kind of like attacking you and then it’s like I kind of just try and go into like a meditation but I think I try
And do that in life in general whether it’s like at a dentist and you know you’re like an anxious about the pain or if you’ve been injured and then you’re laying somewhere in pain and it’s just like just let it go just accept the situation as it is now and then it’s
Like your body will do the thing that is required of it it’s like the Mind side is probably what’s going to get in the way I think it uh that’s like 100% spot on of like my best runs or my best like anything is there’s they’re like oh what
Were you thinking when you hit that drop and I was like nothing yeah no thoughts no like if I’m thinking about something else I’m I’m going to crash yeah but like I I can’t think of a better way to explain it than just that um I always
Like to ask people of like what what they’re in because you can tell if they’ve been in like a hyperfocus or not and then uh I try and ask a lot a lot of people too is how to how to if I can hear more ways of how other
People explain it in their hyper Focus then I can try and figure out how to explain it to other people if they’re F to get them into a focus yeah um for coaching or something like that but yeah do do you do any meditation no dude
That’s l i mean I’m sure I do of my own it’s yeah yeah but I I don’t like sit there and go okay I’m going to meditate you know I’m sure I do I think a lot of times when I’m like working on bikes in
The shop or I’m like building a trail or whatever it’s kind of my own meditation for sure yeah yeah I think that that to me is I learned a lot of that there and I think that that kind of gets to what we’re talking about with like the whole
Add thing is like we just want to feel like a guy like you I think that there’s so much going on upstairs and then it’s just it’s like a kind of a whirlwind you know oh yeah and then when you are in that moment when you’re riding or it but
It’s like partying too dude you know like you can be partying and you’re just not thinking at all like there’s no thoughts you’re just with the [ __ ] boys and you’re sending it and it’s like for 6 s hours 10 hours 2 days like you can just be not
Thinking like you don’t have any of the the internal dialogue that cuz you’re not in control of that that’s doubt that’s anger that’s anxiety it’s fear it’s or it’s [ __ ] great and then it’s not a problem but it’s like when it is problem what’s the technique that you’re
Using to get rid of it for sure how do you set someone to get into that well but I think that what we do as riders or as [ __ ] snowboarders or as Surfers you just race to the ocean or you race to the dirt bike or you race to the dirt
Jumps because you know like that’s what you associate the feeling of Freedom with is that you’re like you’ve got peace from mind and you can just kind of like dip out on it so it’s like that’s the that’s the tool that you’re picking up and then you get into that focus and
Then you get rewarded from it so it it becomes like this kind of feedback loop you know but then I think the trick and it’s crazy man like Cam man cam we’re talking about the same thing oh really where it’s just like that you because I
Think you guys experience it on such a high end you know like the because you think about you think about like the danger that you’re in and the risk that you’re in and the level of focus that you need to mitigate that it’s almost like biology is forcing you into that
State like you have to be there yeah or you’ll be [ __ ] up it’s uh I totally agree with that I also notice even when say when I’m in a jam format and not like a high press high stakes like event I’m awful I’m such a bad Rider in like a
A jam format yeah because the pressure is not there and I can’t get into that like I struggle to get into that that that super high focus the hyper Focus if I’m not under like a crazy pressure like I’ve able to figure it out in solemn and
Downhill pretty much most of those right that I’ve done over all the years obviously Rampages like but if I’m in like a oh well you know there’s there’s some money on the line but uh you can do your run or that trick whenever you’d like I can’t get into it yeah I just
Can’t and I haven’t figured out I just I just stopped doing it I was like N I don’t need to do the jam I’m good yeah and it’s I realized that over you know over over the years I was just like I can’t do jams I need pressure yeah you
Know to get me into that zone which going to well yeah and I think that a lot of that is like if you think about it from like a biological standpoint right so you’ve got this you’ve got this body and a brain and then it’s like about to do this
Thing and it’s like very dangerous and there’s a lot of risk and then if you have cuz I’m sure that there’s been times where you would like a crash has happened because you weren’t fully committed you weren’t fully in the zone you you doub mistake so it’s like it’s
Almost it’s almost as though the brain has a way of shutting that down man like automatically to where it’s like you don’t have control over it like you you just have to be kind of in that moment and then for you as a result like once
It’s done you have like a crazy level of fulfillment there’s like a reward system that’s to it so it’s almost like you you don’t know how to just get there at the snap of a finger but you know the areas where if you go here and
You do this you will get it it’ll go but I think that that’s what’s happening is that there’s so much danger there’s so much risk that it’s like your body is just shutting down all of the processes don’t need to don’t need to be there you know like I mean have you ever
Had those runs at like a downhill finals or like the best race of your life where it’s like you couldn’t even hear the crowd or you know and it’s like that is just parts of your brain like those things are in your awareness like they are in your they they’re actually
Happening it’s just like blade of attention is so finely you know razor sharp and it is just pointed in that One Direction and it’s like you get to the bottom of the hill and you’re like [ __ ] I didn’t even do that yeah or would you just didn’t you have those runs and that
Focus is there and you’re like oh I was just riding was that a good run yeah and you’re like oh I crushed it sick like how do I do that again yeah how did I do that yeah and I think so many races spend their entire careers
Like just figuring out how to get into that zone you know like you’d hear Sam Hill talk like he talked about it on here he’s like dude that’d be I think he said seven runs in his life and and he knows all of them he knows the tracks he
Knows every part of it and he’s like man I was in locked in like I fully fully did it and there’s guys that probably have the talent but there’s just so much head noise on the start line exactly and I can relate to that in racing but in
Jiu-Jitsu I don’t have that like in Jiu-Jitsu I can just train any any time any person High belt low belt high stakes not no competition friendly role in the [ __ ] kitchen like really just it just does it for me you know like I don’t even have to try
To do it Moto [ __ ] very very rarely happens I think I I’m also the same on of moto I think I hear Too Much outside yeah where I’m like is that a flat Tire I’m like dude seems like there’s a wind there’s a lot of wind am I going too
Fast yeah you know I’m like I’m like also I don’t have to yeah so then I’m just like I’m comfortable here yeah you know like very timid I’m like I’m com okay maybe I’ll do H this okay I’m good you know and uh definitely enjoy it
Though yeah it’s C always do that it’s crazy interesting the way like the things that get you into that zone and why and and how you find them and how do you you find when they don’t work or do work or you know the combos or whatever
It may be yeah yeah and I think that that’s why you’ll see you see those crazy generational talents like a you know in like MMA or um Jiu-Jitsu it’s like a hick and Gracie okay and then he’s just like doing the breathing have you ever seen like that crazy breathing
That they do and then you’ll see like Jack Robinson the Aussie Surfer and he does the same thing really just getting into that Z like you always see those like super high end athletes and it’s like they’ve just spent years like obsessing over like how to mentally get into that
Zone I’m trying to think if there’s anything I do to like actually you know once it’s in that scenario right that what is it I do I think I I do a lot of uh like moving on my helmet and kind of like little head shakes of like trying
To adjust my goggles to where they’re not not like bothering me just where I’m like no that’s that’s where that’s the spot they’re supposed to be yeah and then it’s like from then on it’s go time yeah maybe something like that yeah I don’t know if I do I probably am doing
Some breathing though who knows yeah cuz I I mean when you’re at the top you’re like you got H’s going and you’re doing all that and you hear the announcing and you’re just kind of hide and like focus on your line and then it gets to a point
Where I don’t think about the line at all M and I I just check wind and then you’re like and you’re like it’s go time yeah dude that must be the craziest feeling like there I can just imagine that first like pedal crank half a crank to
Get rolling cuz there is a point in over there’s like a point where you’re not doing it mhm and then there’s a point where you’re all the way doing it and it’s like that’s I think that’s thing for me when I look at guys like you that
Just have that insane talent and that insane ability where it’s just like [ __ ] the level of commitment like there is a point of no return and that’s the most fascinating bit to me is like what is it take to make that half a crank I think by the time that there’s even that
Leg thinking about going to that half a crank you’re already in yeah you’re already locked in yeah like I don’t think I’ve ever felt that half a crank to start yeah you know what I mean so I think it that’s what I’m thinking it’s before that it’s like
That I I think it’s that what I was talking about my goggles where I’m like that’s the right spot and then that’s the last bit on the checklist yeah I think so and once that’s done it’s no that’s right wind’s good check it go cuz is there anyone at Rampage that’s like
On the top saying go or you’ve got a little bit of like how long have you got so that’s what’s hard sometimes is that there is like when you get 10 minutes after they call your number you have 10 minutes and then you have to like step
Aside right which is kind of narly cuz you’re like usually the wind’s not just like 10 minutes shit’ll get off the pot bro yeah totally yeah um but there’s a there’s a stark guy and you he radios in and it’s like you know they’re checking they’re waiting for judges to be ready
They’re making sure hel’s are ready they’re not a commercial break or whatever but sometimes you get jacked and they’re like oh wait hold on hel’s got a refill and you’re like oh and you were like in right like seconds from into the zone and you’re like oh [ __ ]
And you’re like oh man and then then the demons start coming in you’re like God get away from me demons and um so those are really hard uh this year went so so quick which was awesome um shout out to those guys who are all doing that because sometimes it’s it’s really bad
Like I think the previous year was so many like breaks and so on that that would be so hard it sucks um I mean even dude we we’re kind of you in way we’re kind of used to it trying to get in and out of that like that focus zone cuz I
Mean even with like some of the crank workk stuff they’re like oh okay we’re going to Commercial and you’re like damn it goggles are fogging you’re like oh come on come on um Rampage has gotten a little bit better I mean there’s there’s still so many moving parts to it that
It’s it’s really tough for sure um but I feel like uh there needs to be more of those event like The Proving Grounds events and so on for younger athletes to come in and start feeling that pressure cuz if you just jump straight into that most most
Riders can’t they just can’t do it oh dude you know yeah I kind of imagine there was there was years back where there was like you know there was a lot of um like pink bike had like oh this router should be in there because of this edit and you know they
Petitioned kind of and then this one router showed up and was like oh I’m just happy to be here I’m stoked and then ended up pulling out cuz he was like I didn’t realize it was this much do it yeah well not even just the riding it’s all the building well the building
And then the the pressure and then expectations of whether that’s from yourself or from what you get out of everything all involved yeah yeah just pulled out I was like and I don’t even know what happened to that Rider like never heard of him again yeah what makes
Sense yeah kind of same [ __ ] the bed but yeah I mean I think there’s so many things too in life that you’re just like how do I get into that Focus M like it’s such a useful thing you know I wish I could figure out how to do that like
Just sitting at a computer I’d like to yeah I mean I I I struggle big time if it makes you feel any better like I [ __ ] have to force myself to do [ __ ] like a big part is just paying other people to do it but no I will say though
Like you should try um the the meditation app I use called waking up okay and it’s like a it’s obviously got like guided meditations but it’s not it’s not like a head Spacey kind of woo woo app it’s like there’s this dude he’s a neuroscientist he’s like one of the
Smartest dudes like I’ve listen I’ve literally done thousands of sessions now doing it but it’s like very very educational very practical for like just life in general it’s it’s more of like exercises type thing that you put your your brain through and you’re breathing or what yeah there’s there’s so much on
There dude like so much but there’s a really good intro course I think it’s like 30 days so you just do like 10 minutes a day for 30 days but I think that’s probably been like the single biggest difference in my life when it comes to just like cuz it’s
Not I guess it’s like you’re not trying to get into focus in a sense it’s like focus is what happens when you’re not distracted so it’s it’s not like you’re trying to get into somewhere it’s just helping it’s like you’re already if these things are gone and
There’s like kind of a way to see through the things that are distracting you if if that makes sense no it does yeah you know so it’s like cuz it’s the same thing with with that flow State yeah or that Peak experience kind of state where you know you’ve [ __ ] super locked in
You just sort of like don’t even know you did something it’s like that is just exper like that’s just an experience like if you’re if you are aware of something like you’re in this studio and you’re like aware of all the things but there’s probably like a million things
In Your Vision that if you like stopped and looked around now you’d be like oh [ __ ] I didn’t notice that I so it’s more about noticing than anything because like if you strip away everything what you’re left with is just what you’re actually experiencing and then there’s
Just these layers on top of it and that a lot of it’s just language a lot of it’s just like [ __ ] I really wish I was writing [ __ ] the weather’s good today or I wonder when the wind’s going to stop so it’s it’s literally like things that
Are just stacking on top so it’s almost like it’s not a destination you’ve got to walk to it’s like you’re already there what’s on top of this experience that’s kind of blocking what you would hope to be getting out of it if that’s sick I’d definitely like to try that cuz
I once I’m in once I’m into something yeah and who knows what it it could be like ah man I don’t want to fix my mom’s car yeah you know I mean where I’m like once a minute and then I’m just like but I’m like
Um so I mean it seems like it could help out with so many different things like different aspects in life yeah and I think that’s been why that’s been my big thing like I was never when I was riding as a kid I like even the other day like
When I did day in the dirt I did like three practice laps and I’m like [ __ ] if I get a flat tire and I’m like pulled over three it’s like just [ __ ] ride bro like you I ended up getting a flat later in the day and I laugh cuz I’m
Like yep you got a flat tire like you you know what that feels like but yeah now it’s like I’m looking use the experience of like you practice you know like I meditate every single day yeah and then it’s like a practice you’re practicing this state of
Mind almost and then you know that it’s achievable and you know like there’s no there’s no reason why riding at a local track for practice should feel different than the best ride you’ve ever had in a sense you know like again all it is is just like extra layers on top of like
The actual experience so it’s like you know I think it’s a when you when you’ve experienced those States so vividly and as much as you have I think that you’ve got a great point of reference to just have that all the time or not all the time obviously it’s like very hard
You’re not a [ __ ] Buddha but you know like in you can look for that in everything yeah I mean you could should have said it real slow how do you know just change o I was going to reverse it but I couldn’t do it but yeah so it’s like you’ve already
You’ve got such a good reference so it’s like once you kind of I think you make those distinctions and then every time you ride you just like think okay what’s distracting me what’s and then it’s like f for meditation you’ll always hear people say like focus on the breathing
And it’s true like it’s the it’s the it’s happens completely autonomously you know and it’s just like it comes in it it’s always there it’s always something that you can come back to and for writing it’s like if you’re thinking or you’re not having like that dope ride
Where you’re in that zone it’s like strip away everything and focus on one thing like the tires yeah the tires on my feet on the pedals or like just whatever it is just pick like the breathing of riding like what’s the thing it’s like okay well the tires like
Let’s focus on on that and and I think that you know purely based on just this extremes that you’ve been able to take like concentration and focus I think you’d find it super easy it’s like you just got to make the average everyday [ __ ] kind of feel like the same game in
A sense yeah totally yeah I think that that’d be really useful for me because I I definitely struggle yeah I do or just Drugs That’s the alterntive there’s that one there’s always that one I could be on the streets of San Diego you see me walking around no I’m kidding well so what’s
Coming up for the next foreseeable future um yeah just uh Christmas with the F getting a little little time off like working on the yard we’re just getting some rain finally and um that’s when I like still about to get out of my no ride November and then there’s
Holidays and stuff and so I’ll start building new things in the yard um we got some camps coming up that we’re uh we’re doing like two-day coaching clinics at the house Y and uh we’ll dat you want to shout those out people find you um just on our weite straight.com
Yep um there’s also like um individual coaching and stuff and just for everybody out there just because I do all that stuff doesn’t mean that I I can’t ride with anyone that I can’t and that I’m like too crazy to ride with any anyone else um I truly enjoy coaching is
Because I know that everybody has it in them yeah to be able to do X drop or jump or whatever it may be and I can see what is they’re doing right and wrong and we can fix it and so on so that’s what I enjoy about it
Um how mean literally I can sit behind someone and see what’s happening but also enjoy that like oh no elbow here no just you know and and like help them out and I I get stoked to see people get better and better um same thing for on
Our website you can find Trail building and stuff um if you’re roughly in the SoCal area or anything like that looking for something to get built um I’m out there doing that um what else is there we’ll have a race in August sick I don’t have dates for that yet um
We’ll be at a few other races and if anybody knows any frame deals out there hit me up yeah so you’re not on a not on a block at the moment uh no no I was in a I was in a three-year deal um with vus
And dude the the corpos got me yeah the investors got me uh yeah they totally folded the whole brand in North America and uh I’m out of ride so I’m currently looking for a new frame deal and and uh it’s super frustrating right I mean we’re talking about just like the ups
And downs of of the industry is it’s been tough for sure um so it’s it is what it is and luckily we’ll figure out lots of other things and lucky you call [ __ ] stride thanks yeah sometimes you don’t feel like that and you I mean maybe that’s why I’m I can chat with
People because I don’t think that way but um yeah I don’t know well yeah we’ll figure it out and and uh is there any Brands you’d want to be on like what would be the what would be the pick dude I’m bummed because I was so stoked on V
Is just the people I was working with um and what we were building was super dope um it’s more about a people thing right and and being able to create and design and make specific products for specific things right um I’ve been with lots of different brands before overall like my
Long career um so there’s nobody specific really um it’s more of being able to take the knowledge that I have of you know from racing free ride across the board and all these different bikes that I ride and enjoy riding the to make them better like I I love being able to
Work on on bikes to like make them better make them better for hey why is this rear end shorter or why why is this rear end not shorter for someone that’s 55 yeah why is it the same length as mine yeah let’s fix that you know so
Things like that I truly enjoy um you know designing things is awesome uh what else is there um over all the years I’ve been able to like kind of mold with the industry as it’s been growing and so on whether that’s like um doing demos chatting with people
Do working with Engineers working with like um salespeople so on like that I I enjoy all of those aspects of it and I hope to keep doing it for sure uh we’ll see we’ll see what happens for sure but um yeah I don’t know I’m just down you know I’m down
Down to move around and figure it out but uh I would would love to be able to keep uh just helping people design awesome bitching riding bikes uh I mean the fact that we didn’t really talk about this but with ebikes how many more people expect me to think that ebikes
Are like I wouldn’t be down with them but I’m like dude why wouldn’t I love them dude I love ebox like I want to I want to work half as much and get the same or or or if I choose work the same amount but get way more downhill time
For sure I’m like why would me I’m like dude and get more people to buy bikes yeah I’m so down yeah um so I don’t know yeah anytime you want to come out and cruise the yard always I teach you how to jump some bicycles I need to I need
To uh I just need to get a black in general it’s been we’ve been doing too many mountain black podcasts not to be Mountain blacking at the moment I’m [ __ ] ke I need to relive The Glory Days and Dan Black now is so sick I could probably find an one for you dude
Imagine that that would actually be pretty sick I would love swap do back to back and be like oh I thought this was better I thought this was dope my old [ __ ] Haze breaks need to be bled every time I ride yeah I will definitely
Come for ride and uh and we should go for a moto too yeah I’m down yeah especially next couple weeks or hit me up whenever bro yeah this is like my full off season so until like basically January I have like a race I’m going to
Go to in Texas and then our camp in mid mid January but uh yeah that’s what we’ll be doing and and uh we’ll see what happens on frames but currently I’m I’m I’m down to ride whatever sick all right brother well uh thanks for doing this this is [ __ ] R thanks for having
Me man fun thanks see you mate we are excited to announce the launch of our new membership site Gypsy tales.com packed with exclusive content and perks that you won’t find anywhere else this is your chance to become a part of the Gypsy gang and as a special bonus if you
Sign up to an annual membership you’ll be entered into the draw to win our custombuilt tc125 gypsy gang
24 Comments
Absolute legend on 2 wheels.. Thanks for delivering the best on here!!
Thanks for getting the weekend off on the right foot! Cheers 🍻
Oh shit!!!! brandon now kyle wtf this is amazing
So sick Kyle is a legend. Getting Jackson Goldstone on would be so epic too.
sooooo good kyle is a legend in our sport i grew up waching him
Get Jack Moir on!
Great interview as per usual!! Legend of the sport Kyle is 🥇👊🏼
Love to see a PALMER Episode!! 🤯
Sooo good Zink then Kyle! You need to have uncle kirt on. He will tell some stories. Showed these last two boys the ropes. Kirt Voreis is a legend along with Palmer.
Loving the mtb coverage.
I wasn’t the biggest Kyle fan but after hearing this he is a super humble guy. Plus shoutout Rachel for being a badass wife and mom!
This episode is sick best mtb one yet
Cant find the ep on spotify
The sign company I used to work for used to sponsor Kyle when he started riding his rockhopper up through the specialized times. I did all his graphics on his helmets, bikes, bedroom, etc. Great watching him get to where he is now.
You've managed to make MTB podcasts enjoyable! Keep doing what you are doing. I've really been enjoying listening to the show. Kinda got me regretting selling my 350 EXCF, but any spare time I have between work, kiddos and wife, and maintaining a home I just wanna spend on my MTB e bike.
Always loved to watch Kyle as a competitor in crankworx slalom stuff, seems like the toughest competitor and shows no emotion until the racing is done!
Real moto attitude, but then a down to earth dude on the side, I even started listening to country after he had Reba in his rampage vlogs!
Jack. Fucking. Moir.
Banger back to back
Nikoli Rogatkin wolf be an epic one. Triple crown, rampage and wild crashes 💁
I ran into Kyle once , at a local San Diego trail . Said hi and shot the shit for a few minutes, really nice guy. This was a great interview! Thanks again Gypsy tales 🤘🏼
Farrrrrrk Hardtail Benny, that brings back some memories. Seen him case the shuttle road gap on a HT, pretzel both rims… yet 'ride it out' in a blaze of sparks and shitshow.😂
hey youtube quit recommending this arrogant guy with a cringey voice
cant get past his weak attempt to be condescending
I'm an old Moto dude but have always loved Bmx,Mtb, anything downhill,skate,ski,etc.
This interview was epic.
Apparently I suffer from ADD😂
Thanks for sharing👍👍
Kyle is a true legend of the sport! Love this one. ❤
Wow! Much love to ya’ guys!