TGA is back! Come join us for the spring season. We roll out of Warren Townsend Park on Tuesdays at 6pm. Two lap format; lap 1 social pace and lap 2 whatever pace you want 😉
Ever wonder how the Barry-Roubaix awards get made? No? Well we’re gonna show you anyway.
They’re lovingly crafted by Nelson Wood Products and @attackeracker , using only the finest* premium gravel. We’re talking elite stuff here. Harvested straight from the Three Sisters, with tiny, perfectly curated granules plucked from the top of “the Wall,” plus a delicate sprinkle of the highest grade gravel, a.k.a. “sand,” hand-picked at peak ripeness from Sager Road. Very fine. Very exclusive.
Fueled by drinking some @blackrocksbrewery beer Matt lets the mixture cure overnight, then reveals the incredible masterpieces! Who will win these coveted awards? We’ll find out on April 18th!
*gravel may or not have been picked from these locations…we’ll never know the truth 😂
#barryroubaix #blackrocksbarryroubaix #gravelforall
A collection of images from the Mid South this past weekend. There’s so much going on and so many good people to hang with it seems to pass in the blink of an eye. I think less about the race itself and more about all the other fun gatherings and activities to be honest. The best part of the event is the time spent together having fun and being in that time and space.
Very grateful to be a @salsacycles and @teravail athlete. It’s easy to rep brands that are backed by good people that show up and spread good energy. So fortunate to be a part of both groups of humans. Feels good to FINALLY be able to really lean into the Flyway, show it off and talk at length about the new bike. I got to spend some quality time with the chaise lounge cheering, handing out patches and messing about. The custom patched Updraft tires from Teravail look so good and the 50c width floated like a dream on those rough and tumble roads.
Feeling energized and motivated to take on the Barry-Roubaix in just over a month’s time. Mid South is always the boost I need to get fired up to host a bike party of our own!
📸 1-3: @kbrowerphotos
📸 4: @erikhmathy
Tucson ride trip is in the books. Great crew of buds to soak in the sun, knock out long rides and test gastrointestinal fortitude with. Every year I feel like we dial it in just a little better than the last. Throwing in a @donnybenet show was the perfect touch. Spent as little time possible on the phone and computer. Never turned on a TV. Plenty of tunes cranked and beverages swilled though. Already thinking about what to do different for next year, but in the meantime getting some rest in before Mid South. Thanks Jay, Mike and Steve for joining us on another desert adventure!
It’s hard to find a better winter adventure weekend than Polar Roll. Our crew decided to take a break from the Ultra and do the traditional 30-miler to just “chill”. So naturally nature made sure we got our money’s worth. Plenty of running, scooting, sliding and just a dash of riding. Our whole crew got the job done ✅
Phase two was recover at Blackrocks Brewery over pints and telling stories. Always a pleasure seeing all kinds of familiar faces and catching up during a long winter. ✅
Phase three was support riders doing the Ultra out at Evan’s camp. I think digging out camp and keeping the fires going was harder work than the race 😂 Fun to be on the other side and spending quality time with 45NRTH teammates. ✅
All in all a splendid weekend and yet another proper #adventurebybike
📸 1&2: @robmphoto
I noticed a trend today, looking at our top ten episodes of all time. Are Ginger’s just superior? Or do we play favorites? Most of our most listened to episodes are capital G gingers. Who is your favorite fair skinned Casanova? Do you want more fire in your feed or should me mix it up? We have @attackeracker at number 1, @munymunson , @jake3000forshort , @davidbrower9 , @jeffjacobsen27 , our own @mihucker24 and on YouTube we have @davidn.sara from @biked.app . 1% of the world population representing most of our listens…. #gingersdoitbetter #gingersofinstagram
This has been the best winter in quite a few years. Consistent snow, proper cold and even a bit of sun. The groomed trails have been top notch, but I’ve really been enjoying the snow covered country roads and unplowed seasonal roads (thanks to snowmobiles for “grooming”). As always I’m grateful to have top notch gear from @45nrth and @salsacycles so I can just focus on enjoying the ride.
Aye, it’s been a good off season! I made a promise to myself *during* Mega Mid South that when I wrapped up my season at Iceman the following weekend I would take some proper downtime. Downtime from everything the felt like work. I’m happy to say it’s been great.
To the best of my ability I have done mostly what I want and feel good. It’s been the first proper offseason in at least a dozen or more years. I certainly haven’t been lazing around though. I like physical work and being productive. We’ve been busy working on trails and clearing deadfall in our backyard. We built a wood fired sauna. Many adventures with Darryl. Celebrated holidays and birthdays. Hiked with good doggos. Sat by many fires. And the list goes on.
🍻
Happy global Fatbike day to all who celebrate! Enjoyed a fun lakeshore ride hosted by the WMMBA in Holland thanks James!). Good times soaking in the winter weather then warming up with Tacos Borre.
#adventurebybike #salsacycles #45NRTH
What does it take to win the Mega Mid South? Matt Acker knows. Here are @attackeracker 's top three tips for thriving on this 300-mile course:
-Prepare to be exposed all of the day(s) while out on course. Whether it's cold, hot, windy, rainy or otherwise you will be out in the elements with little tree cover or protection. Plan accordingly with your clothing system, sunscreen, lip balm, rain gear, etc.
-The roads in Oklahoma are rough! From sun-baked rutted clay roads to overgrown un-maintained tracks, you and your bike will take a beating. Wide tires, low pressure, extra thick grips/bar tape, suspension and comfy touch points are key. I was pleased to have a wide tire/rim combo that I could run at low pressure and supply carbon bars with thick tape to protect my hands. I'd go with even wider tires next time around and consider a short travel suspension fork.
-While there aren't any mountains in Oklahoma, don't let that fool you into thinking there's no climbing. It's death by a thousand cuts when it comes to the rollercoaster terrain, and you'll amass over 17,000' of vert when all is said and done. Choose your gearing range wisely with a front chainring that doesn't have you buried in the top of your cassette. I went with the stock 42t chainring and was pleased I did by the end. For the 100-mile Mid South I'd typically size up to a 48t but I'm glad I left that at home. If you're running single speed I suggest leaving that pie plate at home and spin to win!
Earlier this year the Salsa crew reached out to myself, Britt and Jill about riding the new Flyway down at Mega Mid South. We unanimously said we were in and the planning began. In short order we were all on the production samples logging miles. I managed to sneak in a little over 1,000k on mine before the event.
All the details for this bike will be released in the coming weeks so stay tuned to @salsacycles but I can tell you this bike is a real gem. I got the bike comfortably setup for me in no time. It fits big tires and is super smooth. It was a pleasure training to tackle 300 miles of red dirt rollers on the Flyway.
Last minute details included these killer bags by @morrow_packs , new pedals from @wolf_tooth_comp and my trusty @zippspeed aerobars. Despite the relatively rough and rutted roads, tough weather and lumpy gravel I stayed fairly comfy all day on this bike. Definitely could’ve used some more warm clothes tho…
Super stoked on the rides by @britty27 and @billfartindale alike. A big day out for all of us and even an FKT for Jill! It’s a pleasure to be teammates with these fine folks. Support leading up to and after the event by Miker, Jill N, Ian and Gabe was top notch. Thanks to all of you and the Mid South crew for a great weekend!
