9 wild years at Rapha. And just like that, my big pull is coming to an end.
My entire career has been at this place. For nine years the line between my personal and work life was barely visible. In the way that all my best friends and life experiences were completely connected to it.
I’ve ridden my bike like, literally 80,000 miles since joining this company. Many thousands of them were alongside co-workers, customers, athletes, friends, all around the world. I’ve cried and sweat and bled and snotted and screamed from every humanly sensation along the way.
Rapha is a place where living the values matter. Where if you can dream it up and figure out how the hell to make it happen, and you really want it, you’ve got the leash to create. The whole journey I always felt I had no business in the positions I found myself in, but I appreciated every chance I got and tried to make the most of the situations and people around me.
What I gained here will shape the rest of my life. I met my wife because of this job. All my best friends. And I’ll carry forward many friendships from all around the world.
To everyone who worked with me, pedaled with me, mentored me, inspired me, pushed me, had patience with me…thank you. This is a hell of a place. And it took a big ole leap of faith and a unique opportunity to pull me away from it. Im psyched for my next challenge, but for now just extremely grateful to this Brand for getting me here. I’ve got my company email until Jan 30. After that, y’all know how to find me 🙂
The other day I was catching up with @antonkrupicka and he’s like, “how the hell did you end up riding plastic bikes??” After seeing the titanium rig in my recent posts. I said you know, im not too sentimental about bikes. The bike is just a thing that allows me to have a great ride. I’m not too fussed these days about what it is.
I said that, but then over the past week I’ve been thinking about my two ti bikes. Back when I moved to Seattle in 2015, @therhys managed to convince me that money wasn’t real, and that I should spend all of what I had on a bike made by @333fabmax . Seems insane looking back on it. I basically worked for a year, saved everything I made and then blew absolutely all of it on the bike. But out of that, Max who built it for me became a really great friend. And over the next 7 years that bike took me across more than 40,000 miles. Max later made me another bike just for SRMR, but as I sit here looking at both of these handmade bikes, drawn up and pieced together by a good friend, I feel a lot about them. Max passed away from cancer a few years back, so I feel really lucky to have these two rigs that remind me of the legit joy he brought to his people. I miss stopping by his shop on my rides home. His laugh was the best.
All that to say I guess there is something to metal bikes. Or at least things in your life that were created with purpose, that allow you to have incredible experiences, and are connected to people who are important to you.
So to that, maybe not everything in your life can have that depth, but when you can find it, it might be worth blowing all your savings on.
Two years married to @lydlovesmud . A good relationship isn’t really about being easy. Good ones are pretty hard, like anything that’s good. Lydia has pushed me hard since we met in 2019. I’ve been way off hanging on the edge of my comfort zone - physically, mentally and emotionally. It’s all made me better. I can honestly say I wouldn’t be the person I am right now if we hadn’t woven our lives together six years ago.
It’s an exercise in adaptation. Like this trip we did together to Southern California to scout the route for the Yomp Rally. We had it all planned out, but we ended up in a snowstorm (in Santa Barbara!?!) and had to shapeshift our plans and expectations in an instant. Made for a very different adventure, but one that still left us with worthwhile memories. Kinda how our whole relationship has gone. Love you Lydia. I’m real lucky to be apart of your life.
In 2020 Lydia and I rode the Colorado trail together. It was the depths of the pandemic, and we were less than a year into dating. We had moved in together a few months prior after we realized a long distance relationship wasn’t going to fair the pandemic well. What an intense time. Moving across the country and stepping all over my new girlfriend’s space. The highs were so high and the lows felt rugged.
Lydia had been riding sections of the Colorado trail since she was a kid. But she had little to no experience bikepacking. I on the other hand was a toddler on a mountain bike but had many weeks of experience bikepacking over the years. Our strengths were a good compliment. But it didn’t always feel like it 😅
A year later I planned to ride the CT by myself. I was doing my homework to sort out how long each section would take me, so I poured over our Strava activities from the year prior. I noticed that each day my moving time was way longer than hers. Like, over an hour longer. It hit me that everyday, over the many miles and feet of climbing, Lydia would wait for more than an hour on me. At the tops of climbs, bottoms of descents and everywhere in between. Not counting the bits where I laid on the ground claiming I was dead. I said I was a toddler but Lydia may as well have been riding with an actual child.
Anyways, we got through it and I don’t know I’d recommend doing the trail with a partner, but if you wanna know if you’ve got wife or husband material on your hands it’s a solid test to suss that out in a hurry. Really glad we took that test. ❤️
I met a lot of wild and amazing folks over at @silkroadmountainrace . Many I’ve stayed in touch with over the years and have reconnected with across the world. Rapha (Raphael) in the first image walked his bike for ages with a totally blown up ankle. Another rider, Guy, pedaled well over 100 miles with a single crank arm (after the other fell off). When you want something, you can really push through some bull shit. It’s so impressive what you can handle when you’re hungry.
The last few SRMR photos I recently dug up from my archives. Makes me sort of want to take photos again. Though not taking photos the past few years has been really nice from a “stay in the moment” pov.
Been going through some old photos I took in Kyrgyzstan during the first and second editions of @silkroadmountainrace that I never really did anything with. It’s surprising how well I can remember each of these moments. I guess the intensity of the race really burns em into your mind.
Inspiring and influencing aren’t the same. One is hollow and short lived. The other runs deep and is done through living and breathing the thing, pouring yourself into something you care about. In a world of influencing, I’m thankful to be surrounded by a crew of people who are genuinely inspiring. Honestly. All time cast at Rapha right now. Hard to think of a better way to celebrate 36 yrs than being in the trenches with this bunch at Leadville.
Summer 2025. An all time week that will go down as one of my better. Full of all the folks I could dream of packing a few days off with.
Played a tiny role in helping @sethruhling run the race of his life. Lapped Lake Tahoe with a crew of buds who filled it with laughs and absolute kookery. And celebrated @its_jimmy & @anabelleleec locking it down. Feels like I crammed a few weeks into one. 📈
📸 (1) @_joshuawstrong
Been a whirlwind start to the year. To be honest I don’t have any personal goals this year. No bike missions, trips planned. A bit of a pivot that I’m leaning into, fully focused on trying to create meaningful moments with @rapha_n_america and support others to achieve their goals. It feels good. Next up I’m headed to @wser to crew @sethruhling & i cannot wait to help that brother go big. Big shout to the mobile service course crew and our athletes this past weekend at Unbound. I’m exhausted & loved every bit of it. 📸 @sean__greene
