Ope! Bikes.
It's pretty straightforward. Riding and racing bikes has brought me tremendous joy and has transformed my life for the better. And I know I'm not alone in this...
Ope! Bikes. is a podcast, well, about bikes. It's a collection of stories and intimate conversations with members and participants of the cycling community. It's the deep-dive into how bikes can act as catalysts for personal development, healing, social and civil rights advocacy, environmental action, community building...the list goes on and on.
The goal of Ope! Bikes. is to bring these stories and conversations to life and to provide a platform for guests to express themselves as impassioned advocates of the bicycle.
I hope you enjoy the show!
Ope! Bikes.
Arkansaw Singlespeed Yo-Yo Extravaganza with Lindsay Shepard.
Today’s episode features the one, the only Lindsay Shepard. I met Lindsay in 2021 while riding together during the Arkansaw High Country Race. Since then Lindsay has been one of the most inspiring and most influential members of the bikepacking community that I’ve had the opportunity to follow and become friends with.
Lindsay is no stranger to hard things. She’s been adventuring on her bike since 2014, having completed the Tour Divide, the French Divide, and the American Trail Race. Most recently Lindsay set sail on what we’ll call the Arkansaw Singlespeed Yo-Yo Extravaganza which consisted of Ozark Gravel DOOM, the Quachita Triple Crown, and the Arkansaw High Country Race. A 'Yo-Yo' is when a rider or racer completes the course in one direction and then turns around to finish the course in the opposite direction. Altogether, Lindsay racked up an estimated 3,200 miles and 280,000 feet of elevation gain before it was all said and done.
During our conversation, Lindsay and I touch on how she was introduced to riding a bike, her entrance into ultra-distance bikepacking, why she chooses to tackle such difficult events, and what she discovers about herself in the process.