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.
Rookie of the Year with Alex Kowalski
My guest on the show today is Alex Kowalski. If that name rings familiar it’s probably because you 'followed the dots' during this year’s 2024 Tour Divide. Not only did Alex leverage his infectious attitude and good vibes to capture the hearts of dot-watchers and Instagram followers alike, he did so while ultimately winning the single-speed category with a total time of 17 days 22 hours and 16 minutes. And the most impressive part was that Alex did all of this on his rookie attempt on the course.
For those who may be new to the scene, the Tour Divide is a 2,700 mile bikepacking course that traverses the spine of the Rocky Mountains from Banff, Alberta down to the US/Mexico border crossing in Antelope Wells, NM. For ultra-distance athletes, this race serves as a bucket list event that requires years of training and accumulated experience to complete.
I first met Alex earlier this year when we raced East TX Showdown and Ozark Gravel DOOM & Despair together. I’d known of Alex for a while before that while following his adventures on the Ouachita Triple Crown, The New Colo, and many other high-level courses. Alex seemed to be pushing himself consistently all while maintaining such a positive, joyful attitude.
Last Friday, I was able to sit down and catch up with Alex and his dog Luna as they traveled from Fayetteville, AR through St. Louis, MO on their way to Michigan. During this episode, Alex takes us through his experiences on the Tour Divide, how this year’s single-speed category competition unfolded, why riding single-speed resonates with him so much, and his intention to tackle the Triple Crown of bikepacking later this year. Stoked to know Alex, stoked for the conversation we had, and stoked for everyone to listen.