On Mentorship, Hunting and Exploring the Toiyabe | Marco Osborne | E16
As one of America’s top-ranking Enduro World Cup racers, @marcoOsborne92 has always put his focus on adventure and having a good time, as evidenced by his #senditrandy moniker. But when Marco was sidelined off the bike for 18 months with nerve issues after a serious bike wreck, his desire to be in the woods led him to discover the challenge and thrill of archery and rifle hunting. In Episode 16 @pow_bot and @trail_whisperer dive into Marco’s youth, how the mentorship of @mark_weir_mtb got Marco into bike racing and how hunting helped Marco stay active with a positive mindset despite not being able to ride his bike, let alone race. We open the first 30 minutes of the 90-minute chat with Marco about our recent adventure riding the Toiyabe Crest Trail in central Nevada.
4th of July in Lake Tahoe | Downieville Classic Recap | E15
After a wild couple of weeks in Lake Tahoe, @pow_bot and @trail_whisperer catch up on their adventures of riding the new Capital to Tahoe trail linking Tahoe Rim Trail to Carson City, a recap of all the festivities and shenanigans of the @downievilleclassic and celebrating the Fourth of July weekend in Lake Tahoe, which also included some unfortunate national media attention around the public trashing of beaches at Zephyr Cove. Trail Whisperer continues to search for a volcanologist to explain the Hunga Tonga eruption and its link to weather, Pow Bot dives deeper into the issues with Palisades Tahoe charging for parking, the lack of public transportation in #laketahoe and #truckee and the need for a shitshow traffic forecaster much like a snow forecaster so people know when the mobs of skiers will be coming to Lake Tahoe. Rate, review and subscribe to #mindthetrackpodcast on Apple and Spotify. Supported by @sendy_app.
25 Years of the Downieville Classic | Greg Williams | E14
After a four year hiatus, the granddaddy of all mountain bike events, the Downieville Classic, returns in grand fashion on July 14-16, 2023, celebrating its 25th anniversary, and there’s no better person to interview than the man who started it all, Greg Williams. Not only is Greg the founder of the Downieville Classic, as well as the founder of Yuba Expeditions bike shop, but he’s also a co-founder and executive director of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship. In this episode all about Downieville and the history of the Classic, Greg shares his roots growing up as a kid spending summers along the North Yuba River, discovering old mining trails on his mountain bike that he showed friends, eventually turning into a guiding and shuttle business that shared the magic of Downieville with thousands of people around the world. Greg is full of wisdom and hilarious stories, but he’s also a heartfelt human who cares deeply about his friends, family and the event that’s transformed Downieville from a place that hated mountain bikes to a place would be nothing without them.
Summer Arrives in Lake Tahoe | E13
Recorded right after the Summer solstice, @pow_bot and @trail_whisperer catch up mano y mano for the first time since episode 1. Tom and Kurt cover a cornucopia of topics including a recap the best Spring ever in Lake Tahoe, riding electric dirt bikes in South Lake Tahoe, volcanic eruptions and their effect on weather, Kurt’s new job with the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, the Toiyabe Crest Trail in central Nevada, Palisades Tahoe charging for parking, worker shortages and their effect on business in Truckee, ebike to ski missions in the eastern Sierra, getting caught out in severe thunderstorms, quickly melting out snow levels in Tahoe and the return of the Downieville Classic.
Saving South Lake Tahoe from the Caldor Fire | Todd Woodward | E12
In August 2021, the Caldor Fire came dangerously close to burning the entire city of South Lake Tahoe. In those critical moments when the fire crested Echo Summit, hotshot wildland firefighter Todd Woodward (@thefirenomad) was at his home in Meyers ready for its arrival despite the entire town having been evacuated. Although he was on injury leave from work after a serious mountain bike accident, Todd saw there were no resources yet dedicated to the fire, took initiative, put on his firefighting gear, jumped on a tiny Kawasaki KLX 110, and rallied the dirt bike around his backyard near the Corral Trail, flagging miles of dozer line in the middle of the night as crown fires were raging around him. When bulldozers arrived to cut line, during the most critical time of the fire, Todd ran point on the entire operation, directing 10 dozers and 3 masticators from the seat of a little dirt bike.
Bikepacking Adventures with Jake Mann | E11
Recorded once again in the back of the Toyota SendRadder mobile recording studio on the shores of Donner Lake, @pow_bot and @trail_whisperer shoot the bull with @notjakemann (it’s him he promises) and his upcoming 5 week, 1,300 mile bikepacking mountain bike adventure from Truckee to Port Townsend, Washington. Jake is the founding member of the @truckeebikepackingcollective but he only got into bikepacking three years ago during the height of the COVID pandemic, riding the entire Continental Divide trail from Canada to Mexico after not riding a bike for 10 years. After that trip, Jake was hooked and hasn’t stopped riding. He even quit his job @newmoonnaturalfoods to ride the Divide, only to return with a pay raise and a better title! The boys also talk about PowBot turning 50 years young and getting an ebike, not providing too much information regarding trails and ski zones, whitewater rafting the Truckee River, PowBot’s eastern Sierra ski mission and a lot more! Help support Jake and his effort to raise money for @worldbicyclerelief – donate through the link in his Instagram profile and follow along with him as he makes his way north! Rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Spotify. Supported by @sendy_app - #mindthetrack #mindthetrackpodcast #bikepacking #continentaldivide #bikeadventures
Cam Zink Invitational | E10
Recorded in the SendRadder, the Toyota Sunrader 4x4 mobile recording studio, @pow_bot and @trail_whisperer were invited to the @camzinkinvitational north of Reno to experience the athlete-only event and interview some core lords involved with it. Our first guest was Ian DeQueiroz (@manawolf), co-founder and CEO of @sendy_app, charter partner of Mind the Track and primary supporter of the Invitational. He tells us the fascinating story of SENDY’s Ukranian software development team building the app in the midst of war with Russia. Ian also traveled solo to Kiev in the middle of war to visit his heroic team and launch the app on time! Then at minute 52 of the episode, we sat down with @hank.wilkins and @iwanaga_damon – the lead builders of all the massive jumps at the Invitational. We learn about their backgrounds as riders and trail builders for @sensusradtrails and the @truckeebikepark , how you build massive jumps for the most talented athletes in the world while also building approachable jumps for the general public and youth. Thanks again to @camzink for letting us be the random gawkers at his property, and thanks to SENDY for supporting the show! Rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Spotify and help spread the word. #mindthetrack #mindthetrackpodcast
OG Van Life Living | Christina Thayer | E9
Episode 9 is all about #vanlife and being on the road living out of a vehicle. Recorded in the back of Trail Whisperer’s 1990 Toyota Sunrader 4x4 RV, the boys chat with guest Christina Thayer about her 20 years living in a 1976 Volkswagen Westfalia Bus called Buttermilk, her nomadic lifestyle and the endless adventures and occupations she’s had over the years. The best way to describe Christina is “Renaissance Woman”, as her exploits include rock climbing, mountain biking, dirt biking, whitewater rafting, skiing, surfing, logging and working as a trail builder, house builder, van builder, hairstylist, interior designer and chef. A self-professed woman with career ADD, Christina seems to have found her calling as the current Trails Program Coordinator for Washoe County. This episode is a smorgasboard of topics, driven by the fact that Christina has always been nomadic, enabling her to live a fascinating life doing lots of different cool adventures.
Corn Snow and Hero Dirt in Spring | Evan Roa | E8
Recorded at the iconic Tunnel Creek Cafe, home of Flume Trail Bikes in Incline Village, Nevada at the site of the Ponderosa Ranch and the old TV Western, Bonanza, Pow Bot and Trail Whisperer celebrate the transition from winter to spring, the arrival of "dual sport" season and awesome bike to ski missions, finding early season hero dirt and late season corn snow wearing flip flops and ski boots. The boys chat about why out-and-back rides are better than loop rides this time of year, recent mountain bike missions to Sea Otter, Pollock Pines and Quincy, California, a "First Descent" on Emerald Chutes after Pow Bot forgot his split board bindings and Trail Whisperer's former life as a Silicon Valley corporate employee and the satirical book he wrote about the experience, "The 5 Habits of Highly Successful Slackers - Because 7 is too Many." The boys also spend a few minutes chatting with one of the new owners of Tunnel Creek Cafe, Evan Roa, and the inevitable crazy stories of tourists frequenting the restaurant. This episode is a cornucopia of random topics!
Amy Morrison | Serious Fun | E7
Turning professional after only her first Enduro race, Amy Morrison is one of America’s top mountain bike talents, winning U.S. Elite Enduro National Championship three times. Although she didn’t discover the mountain bike until adulthood, Amy grew up waterski racing and jumping internationally (and barefoot!), as well as competing at the national level in swimming and diving, and holding a state track and field record as a pole vaulter before competing at the varsity level at Clemson University. Her combination of athleticism, determination and not being afraid to crash is what helped her climb the ranks so fast in mountain biking. That and knowing how to balance the seriousness of training with the joy of simply having fun on bikes. Fresh off a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place at the Sea Otter Classic in the Pro Enduro, Downhill and Dual Slalom (and days after speaking with us won the TDS Enduro) , Amy sat down with us in her Carson City home to talk trails, mountain bikes, skiing, mentorship and balancing her racing career with being a teacher at Dayton High School while starting the mountain bike club to get more kids on bikes.
Duncan Meyers - Arnot Roberts | Winemaking Shredder | E6
Recorded in the beautiful wine cellar of Dawn and Bryan Bertsch in Tahoe Vista, Episode #6 profiles legendary winemaker and core lord shredder of pow and loam, Duncan Arnot Meyers (@duncanarnot). That’s right, a ripping skier, snowboarder and mountain biker who makes and drinks fine wine! Duncan’s wine brand Arnot-Roberts (arnotroberts.com), is world renown, and his story of growing up as kid in Napa Valley exploring the region on bicycles and its connection to winemaking is fascinating. Duncan also dives into the recent privatization of Homewood Resort and its concerning future as the Yellowstone Club of Lake Tahoe, he documents the hilarious origin story of Tom’s nickname PowBot, their adventures at Ice Creek Lodge in British Columbia, his sister Vanessa Hauswald and her efforts running the NorCal MTB League getting thousands of kids on bikes, shifting priorities as an athlete turning 50 years old and what “Mind the Track” means to Duncan. PowBot and Trail Whisperer also talk about their recent trip to the Toiyabe Range of central Nevada and the great snowmelt of 2023.
Daron Rahlves | Training for Life | E5
As the most decorated American male ski racer in history, Red Bull athlete and local legend Daron Rahlves know how to send two sticks downhill. But as Daron approaches 50 years old, he is finding more enjoyment in putting his mind in the track, going deep in the backcountry, skiing with his son Drey in Alaska and his dog Zoe in the backyard, appreciating the beauty and incredible terrain of the Lake Tahoe region. Daron also recalls two of his top ten days ever skiing in the backcountry were with PowBot, one big day in Desolation Wilderness, and the other unknowingly racing PowBot to the bottom of Bear Scratch. It was a tie.
Sam Hamilton | Backcountry Ski Guide | E4
Trail Whisperer’s next door neighbor in Verdi, Sam Hamilton, is a man of many interests from skiing and skateboarding to surfing, whitewater kayaking, rafting and mountain biking. Sam is a full-time ski guide for High Sierra Snowcat and Palisades Tahoe in the winter and is a professional photographer (samhamiltonphoto.com). Sam joins us to talk about ski guiding, being the parent his teenage ski racing daughter, skate parks in southern California, the upcoming kayak season, massive avalanches and what minding the track means to him.
Record Breaking Tahoe Winter | Scott Kessler | E3
The last couple weeks in the Lake Tahoe region have been historic, adding to an already crazy winter, this episode is all about SNOWMAGEDDON and the mayhem of relentless storms. Scott Kessler, owner of Truckee Overhead Door, has lived in Tahoe since 1976 and has seen a lot of big winters here. Scott declares 2023 to be a “1 in 50 winter”, so we sat down in his Hirschdale workshop and talked about the shovel quiver, snowmobiles, Telemark skiing, the early days of Squaw Valley, the Alpine Meadows avalanche of 1982, snow loaded roofs, minimizing property damage, snow removal and playing in the best quality snow we’ve ever seen in Tahoe.
Longboard Racing | Matt Chappell | E2
The very first guest on Mind the Track is none other than Truckee core lord Matt Chappell, co-founder of orbitaldesignlab.com and truckeedirtunion.org. Recorded at the historic Gray’s Cabin in downtown Truckee, Matt shares some town history while we discuss a potpourri of topics from the Ag Check station to corn snow on Eureka Peak to longboard racing in Johnsville, to skier hitchhiking to ghosts in the attic.
Adventure Begins Where Certainty Ends | E1
Adventure begins where certainty ends. PowBot and Trail Whisperer embark on a new journey of storytelling with the first episode of Mind the Track. In the inaugural episode, the boys discuss why they decided to start Mind the Track, who the show is for and what topics will be discussed, the huge winter so far in the Sierra Nevada, learning to snowmobile, touring out in Desolation Wilderness, the etiquette of the skin track, always skiing “Fall-line Freddy”, traffic woes in Truckee and Jackson Hole sidecountry.