January 2024 Stoked Spoke Adventure Series - Swift Industries
Back for its eighth installment, it’s time for another Stoked Spoke Series!! Stoked Spoke is a series of bicycling adventure presentations hosted in-person by members of the community. 2024 will feature presentations in Seattle and Denver in January, February & March. Full details here!
Did you miss the January 2024 presentations? Well not to worry. Check out a summary of the presenters along with their routes below.
JAN 26 DENVER PRESENTERS
Nick Malone and Sam Heiden
600 miles on The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route
Clay, Nick, and Sam decided to take this route to see more of our beautiful state of Colorado. This route followed the traditional GDMBR route South to North until diverting off after Silverthorne to make it directly back home to Nicks front porch in Boulder by traversing Rollins Pass. Along the way they met trail angels, saw the final Tour Divide racers, camped in some of the most remote areas of the country they had ever been, met up with friends, and had the time of their lives. Thanks to the great companionship they had along the way, even the bad times were stellar, and they’d do this trip again in a heart beat – but maybe taking a few more days off next time!
Clayton Fellman
The Bohemian Border Bash Race is a fixed route, unsupported, single-stage ultra-endurance on & off-road cycling competition. The route traces the ancient borders of Bohemia, crossing the current day borders of Czechia, Germany, Poland, and Austria. Totaling out at approximately 850 miles and 80,000’ of climbing, racers have up to 8 days to complete the course before the cutoff time. Up there in difficulty with some of the hardest off-road ultras in the far flung reaches of the world, this relatively new race is a hidden Gem, maybe not for long.
Spencer McCullough
This route takes you to all 51 National Parks in the lower 48 states in an order that optimizes for the seasons. With the way the world is changing, Spencer wanted to see all of these parks as they are now before they are inevitably impacted by climate change. The trip isn’t over yet. Spencer is currently making his way through the last half of his adventure.
Clara Friedman
The European Divide Trail is an almost completely off-road and gravel route from the northeast corner to the southwest corner of Europe. It crosses 9 countries and totals around 4700 miles. It traverses from the Arctic Ocean and Norway’s ancient rock landscapes, through endless boreal forests and lakes, seaside sand cliffs, fields and trails, mountains, valleys, alpine scruff, and touches the Mediterranean Sea before climbing back through red rocky mountains, olive groves and vineyards, and eucalyptus forests before ending at the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal. It crosses few cities but shows you the full spectrum of what European rural countryside has to offer. Fun Fact: Clara was the FIRST female to ride and complete this route.
JAN 31st SEATTLE PRESENTERS
Bob Shriver
Capp Coulee
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42190115
The channeled scablands of central Washington capture an incredible geological moment in basaltic amber. This route winds along gravel roads cut through and around most of Washington’s major coulees – ancient waterfalls long dry. Along the way you’ll enjoy infinite views across orchards and vineyards, the ecological impact of enormous irrigation projects, and the subtle changes in sagebrush steppe. A great mixture of lonely roads and wilderness, while never being too far from a burrito.
Rachel O’Grady
Tahoma Calls Me Homa
Route: ridewithgps.com/routes/43502811?lang=nl
Escape the urban grit of Seattle, traverse the expansive suburbs, and step into the enchanting realm of the Rainier backcountry.
JAN 31st SEATTLE PRESENTERS
Philip Ouellette
Newfoundland T’Railway
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30061079
The “Newfoundland T’Railway” is a nearly 550 mile route that crosses the scenic open country of Newfoundland from east to west along an unpaved railbed. This adventure was first inspired by an episode of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, which Bourdain describes Newfoundland as “a part of Canada all its own, with its own distinctive history and culture.” The route takes you through a wonderful mix of often damp open and expansive terrain and vibrant urban city’s as you travel between Channel-Port aux Basques and St. Johns.
Katie Smyth, Becca Book & Raasika Gaugler
Racing the Dark Divide 300
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31815152
The Dark Divide 300 (DD300) encapsulates the pacific northwest: working forests and loamy tree covered protected lands, high alpine wildflower meadows and huckleberry fields, and volcanoes dotting the landscape guide the journey. Starting in Olympia and ending in Portland, the route is a 330 mile mixed-terrain cycling route that traverses the expansive ancestral lands of the Squaxin Island Tribe, Nisqually Tribe of Indians, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. At its climax, the Juniper ridge trail offers panoramic views of Mt. Rainier, Adams, St. Helen’s and Hood from lush meadows and sheer single track. Further south, the route zig zags the Pacific Crest Trail stopping in the trail haven of Trout Lake before climbing to monolithic Cougar Rock through overgrown forest roads via the decommissioned Wind River District Historic work camp. At the core, DD300 showcases the expansive and wild backyard accessible from pacific northwest urban centers.
Stoked Spoke will be back in Seattle & Denver in both February and March.
- February 16th – Denver
- February 28th – Seattle
- March 27th – Seattle
- March 29th – Denver
Interested in being a presenter? Follow the links to submit your trip for either Denver or Seattle!
