Inspirational cyclists

PDoz

Well-Known Member
I'd love to read any stories of adventure cyclists - lets start with Sam Mitchell . He built then rode an ebike along the canning stock route in Australia. That's the adventure riders equivalent to Everest without support in home made climbing gear.

 
I can't locate the link to it now, but there's a story about a father and his grown daughter riding the GAP trail in Pennyslvania. I'll be back.
 
These days, just like any other sports, cycling is also heavily commercialized but once in a while, you come across someone truly special and they stand out from the rest.
I will name a few athletes who really inspired me.

Lael Wilcox is an amazing ultra-endurance athlete.
She holds the record for Trans American and Tour Divide ultra-endurance events.


A few of the most inspiring men athletes for me are Marco Baloh who is a distinguished 7-time RAAM finisher and Adam Bickett.
Marko is perhaps the top-10 ultra-endurance athletes in the world.

This video by Adam Bickett was quite inspirational for me and I have watched this video may be 500 times :)
I am still in awe of what he did [ 400 miles in 23.5 hours on a REGULAR bike] even after 6 years.

 
Lael Wilcox afford to ride so much?
She is indeed amazing!
For a good while, she was just an outstanding rider with extraordinary grit and determination.
Back in 2016, when she set the record, that's when media coverage began but until that point, her journey was not easy.
There is not much money in long-distance racing. People who get into are a different breed. They are driven by something else, not money or fame.
Adam Bickett, for example, is a full-time telecom engineer and there are many others who are unknown to the public.
They don't maintain an active YouTube page or Instagram.
Coming back, when Lael Wilcox broke the record in 2016, big companies realized she is someone special and will be a great ambassador. It's only after that point, she got some sponsors.
 
It's amazing how strong the human spirit is when faced with adversity. For Ben Page it wasn't about breaking any records but more of a journey within himself. Beautifully shot in one of the most severest environments.

 
It's amazing how strong the human spirit is when faced with adversity. For Ben Page it wasn't about breaking any records but more of a journey within himself. Beautifully shot in one of the most severest environments.
I really enjoyed watching that video when it came out. Top-notch rider and work there.
 
It's amazing how strong the human spirit is when faced with adversity. For Ben Page it wasn't about breaking any records but more of a journey within himself. Beautifully shot in one of the most severest environments.

A great videographer... hard to believe that there was no film crew pesent.
 
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Very nicely done production. Having spent many days winter camping (with a 60 lb backpack on cross-country skis) miles back in the wilderness of Washington and Oregon, I can really appreciate the snow/wind/cold/effort. I spent one night in 80+ mph winds about 500 ft below the peak of Mt. Hood and my old Eureka Timberline was one of the few of our group that didn’t collapse and blow away in the middle of the night. I never did anything close to what this guy did and certainly never alone. I knew two very experienced winter campers who died making minor mistakes in such conditions.

So as a former photographer/video producer and snow camper, the skeptic in me has questions. Days and days of (supposedly) nothing but frozen wilderness in subzero temps with horrible wind chills, days of pushing your bike through 2’ deep snow yet he alone has the energy to do this? Plus he somehow has battery power to shoot gorgeous video including pre-setup wide shots? Not to mention perfect audio throughout? If it all really happened as presented and he really was alone with no experience in that kind of cold in that deserted a wilderness, he’s damn lucky to be alive and didn’t lose a digit or more to frostbite.🥶
 
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