The first issue of Mountain Athlete Journal is coming together, and if all goes to plan will print this summer. By popular request I’ve extended the submissions deadline to May 15. I’ve had strong early interest and some amazing submissions come in, and I want to give everyone time to put together work they’re proud of.
Looking for writers, photographers, and artists whose work lives at the intersection of movement and meaning. Personal essays, photographs, poetry, art and illustration, trip reports with real reflection and creative expression. Depth over polish.
Full submission guidelines and the form are linked in my bio. Issue 01 is self-funded and I’m unable to compensate contributors for this issue. I’ll change that by Issue 02.
If you’ve been sitting on something you’d like to see in print, this is your nudge.
🫶🏻
— jackson
A few film frames from the @stagecoach400 odyssey. Maybe I’m just a chopped unc but I love the combo of long form writing paired with analog photography to tell the story of these bikepacking races. Processing the film negatives brings me right back to the moments on the trail.
I wrote a two part piece about Stagecoach on Substack, including all about my bike and gear setup and the race experience. There’s a link in my profile if you’d like to read it. I’m already itching to get back out there at the next one.
@alliancebicycles@oldmanmountainracks@silca_velo@oceanandsan
Postcards from the @stagecoach400 spirit quest – a masterfully crafted 400 mile route of mountains, ocean, and desert through Southern California. I went in seeking a bit of redemption from my disappointment at the Atlas Mountain Race, to prove to myself I still have what it takes to be successful in these long races. There’s a beauty in the introspective, solitary journey one experiences in a self-supported bike race. Many problems to solve and obstacles to face. I’m really proud of my effort.
From climbing into the Cuyamacas late into the night to the sand-based mindfuckery that is Coyote Canyon, it was a beautifully difficult ride. Even more special to have such a great battle with two legends @schultzy954 & @t_s_d to motivate a quick pace.
I was able to finish first in about 41 hours, but second overall to David who played the strategy to gain more points in the end.
Thanks to all involved in such a magical event, and special shoutout to @gravbros for hosting Alex and I with amazing hospitality and for driving me home from the finish at 1:30 in the morning 🥴
@oldmanmountainracks@oceanandsan@silca_velo
Call for submissions! I’m working on a print magazine celebrating creative mountain athletes who find meaning through movement and expression through art, called The Mountain Athlete Journal.
I’m looking for endurance athlete-storytellers and artists, photographers, and philosophers of the mountains who want to share their creative work in print. Specifically answering the questions of:
Why do we feel compelled to move in the mountains? What does it reveal? How is physical expression linked to creative expression? Movement + Meaning is the theme of issue #1.
Get in touch via direct message or through the contact form on the website in my bio. Submissions close May 1st.
🫶🏻🏔️ - jackson
@oldmanmountainracks Experimental Bikepacking Team member, Jackson Long (@jlointheflow ), went to the start of the wildest edition of the Atlas Mountain Race yet. Sadly, Jackson had to scratch due to illness, leaving him with the heavy emotions that often come with a DNF.
Scratches define the sport of ultra-cycling; they are a core part of the bikepacking world. Almost every athlete will experience one or a few, but we often neglect managing the stigma and emotions.
Explore Jackson's story and let us know how you've felt if you've ever scratched.
📸 @jlointheflow
A failed mission at @atlasmountainrace cuts deep. It’s never easy to drop out of a race, especially one which requires such an enormous amount of preparation, travel, and sacrifices in other areas of life. I managed to avoid illness through much of the last year, so it’s devastating to have hit me less than 24 hours into a huge goal.
But as I’ve wallowed in self pity over the last week I’ve also tried to recognize that this is the nature of sport. It doesn’t always work out; rarely are the stars perfectly aligned. Yet we keep showing up, because it’s the risk of failure and the dance with the unknown that alchemizes challenge and discomfort into meaning and beauty. I’m proud to have stood on the starting line in Beni Mellal, trying something that didn’t work. Certainty and ease are antithetical to the core of ultra endurance sport. There’s always another objective on the horizon, and I hope to channel this disappointment into energy for the next one.
I did manage to take some pictures during my time in Morocco, so here are a few from my first roll.
1. Start of the Atlas Mountain Race. Rain would follow us deep into the night before temps dropped and everything froze. I had to stop at one point to chip ice from my derailleur to shift gears.
2. Riders make their way up the first climb out of Beni Mellal, the historic kasbah in the background.
3. Climbing into the clouds.
4. A local rider pedaling through the town of Telouet, a previous checkpoint of Atlas, where I’d stay for a night en route back to Marrakech.
5. I spent a lot of time in taxis, here is one of the views.
6. An odd scene at the summit of Tizi n’Tichka pass in the Atlas Mountains, which I rode over to descend into Marrakech.
7. The medina.
8. Bikes awaiting the start.
Yay, it’s @atlasmountainrace day! I’m ready to tackle 1,400km of mountains and deserts aboard this @alliancebicycles weapon. Race begins at 5pm local time, and you can follow the race tracking via the link in my profile. These are my intentions going in:
Balance. push myself, but not become a victim to the ride.
Presence. stay focused on my own experience, not compare myself to other racers.
Creativity. make time for photography and not be too consumed by racing to enjoy it.
Execution. stay grounded in efficiency and forward progress. Finish.
So much gratitude to everyone who has made it possible for me to be here. LFG
My submission for the @thetranscontinental x @peakdesign photo competition. To me this image captures the calm before the storm of an odyssey like the Transcontinental. The calm presence of anticipation before traversing an entire continent by bike is one of the best feelings I’ve experienced. Even more special beginning in the historic pilgrimage terminus of Santiago de Compostela. A very special moment.
#peakdesignfromthesaddle
