Is it cruel to recommend this? cc @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social

Had an ultra-coded conversation with @cmehlman34.bsky.social . We talked about his Badlands ride, which transitioned right into a 1.500 km bike packing trip, the dark side of ultra racing, and his potential move to Europe. Listen here: zencastr.com/z/GBS2Qm29

Board: “we need some Young blood”

So much going on with that sign

It also contains the premiere edition of "Gravel Motives", a new interview format I'm launching. I chatted with @cmehlman34.bsky.social who was kind enough to give me a transparent look behind the scenes of his privateer setup, told me about his most memorable moments on a gravel bike and more.

I’ve peaked 😅

Almost there 🤣 strava.app.link/WGPkBrFZQVb

I am under-qualified for this group ride

Leadville

maybe shut up about the "bad" descending: "Gigante's descending time that day beat all but two riders competing in the closed-course L’Étape (and those two riders went exactly one second faster). " escapecollective.com/letape-femme...

Shameless plug. Trying to hit 500 subscribers by the end of August. It’s free, and I share a bit of my experience racing on the margins on “professional” cycling in the endurance/ultra scene! open.substack.com/pub/chrismeh...

20 years of doping, that’s How

I though Demi was into waiting for the yellow jersey 🤷‍♂️🤣

One friend is trying to get into the Leadville 100 elite corral (now above gold corral). You have to apply. He's been to world champs multiple times & is stronger than most U23 riders in the elite corral, but they expect he's top 5'd XCM World Cups to get in (almost none of LTGP ppl could do this) 🤦‍♂️

Former tenant of our house came by to pick up some important mail today, and told us that someone broke in when they lived her and her husband held him at gunpoint for 15 minutes in the backyard #coloradosprings

Spectacular highlight: both Arensman and Lipowitz almost wiped out on that last zebra crossing. First TA: looked like a chain jump, we only just saw the road. But then FL from the helicopter: rear wheel went SIDEWAYS. #tdf25

📍🇬🇧 📆 September

Velocio Northeast now sponsored by Santini 🤦‍♂️

ISO gastroenterologist in Boston for a profession cyclists dealing with some super strange/confusing symptoms. He’s Europe based but could be in Boston in the fall since his GF will be there….

Feel like I’m seeing a lot more 💉💉/doper comments about Pogi this year in the tour than before

ummm... pretty sure no object is ever "perfectly aero," unless you're grading TT positions on a curve, I guess

Modeling: my next career 🤣

“You want me to replace 1/50th of a roll of packing tape? Here’s 6 rolls”

Who would like to see an ultra challenge that involved riding to every Dunkin in New England?

$6 million budget for 6 years according to one friend. Seen this before…

Highlight of today’s race: bear scratching its balls at the start

Joe wrote this piece, and while I know it’s going to piss some people off, I agree. I was quoted in there saying the following, and I 100% stand by it www.cyclingweekly.com/gravel/opini...

PSA these pliers are the 🐐

IYKYK 🤩🤩

US Envoys arrived today and are pleading with our leaders to refrain from imposing retaliatory tariffs. We initially denied their pleas until their ambassador returned wearing a suit and thanked us for existing.

Some lighter reading open.substack.com/pub/chrismeh...

I am going to Sea Otter as an athlete, as a writer for Pro Gravel Magazine, and as a representative of my company. Essentially, there will be 3 versions of me each asking for different things from the companies. It could get interesting

Haven't had the mental energy to spend much time on here recently, but I will just say that I think yesterday, in combination with other recent events, might become one of the defining diplomatic meetings of this era, during which the US de-facto re-aligned itself

The last 26 hours has been both absolute shit and also somehow ok and brought with it a side of an existential crisis. All of this with the undercurrent of atrocious news.

@outsidemag.bsky.social please tell your Velo Podcast host to stop constantly using the word “dumbass”

2 most common questions/comments I get: 1. "Do you have a discount code for _______?" 2. "I want _______ to make ______ product." or "I want _______ about _______ to be changed." 😂

DOGE. department of gross expenditures www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/u...

I'm currently going through a 2015-era list of 800+ bike shops and updating contact info... let's just say the % that are permanently closed now is almost half

The fact that Trump first mentioned how tragedies bring people together before immediately blaming "DEI" and the previous administration for the causes of the crash, none of which have been established, is just disgusting. Not surprising, though.