Advertise on podcast: Mind the Track

Ski Pow. Eat Ramen. Smile More. It was Kyle Smaine’s mantra. Jenna Dramise first met Kyle when she picked him up hitchhiking in New Zealand in 2010. While it wasn’t love at first sight, Jenna was drawn in by Kyle’s irresistibly positive energy and love for life. They started dating in their early twenties while competing together on the professional world circuit, Jenna as a snowboarder and Kyle as a skier. They moved in together, living in South Lake Tahoe with Kyle’s dad and brother. In 2014, Kyle and his dad taught Jenna to mountain bike, and although she struggled at first, she found her new favorite sport thanks to Kyle. Kyle also taught Jenna the ways of backcountry skiing and how to safely navigate terrain. But only two months after Jenna and Kyle were married, while skiing Japan in January 2023, Kyle was killed in an avalanche while transitioning in a seemingly safe place. Kyle’s positive energy and kindness has touched so many lives, and to celebrate his life, Jenna and Kyle’s father started The Smaine Fund, supporting young athletes in their quest to become professionals. 3:30 – Introducing Jenna Dramise recording in the dirty south of South Lake Tahoe. 5:50 – Shred the Gnerd gets philosophical about Mind the Track. 9:45 – Janky dangerous side hits on the Tahoe Rim Trail. 13:00 – Riding Scott’s Lake Loop in South Lake Tahoe. 14:40 – How many times have you ridden Corral Trail? 16:15 – Training for the Leadville 100. 18:10 – Bikepacking the Toiyabe Crest Trail in Central Nevada. 20:20 – Growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada and getting into snowboarding at Lee Canyon. 22:45 – Moving to Truckee, joining Northstar snowboard team and competing in half pipe. 25:00 – Half pipe snowboard tricks – flips, spins and the naming conventions. 29:15 – Transitioning away from competition to becoming an orthopedic physician’s assistant. 31:00 – Becoming an endurance athlete after Kyle Smaine teaches Jenna to mountain bike. 33:50 – Recapping the 170-mile Plumas County fire lookout ride with Trail Whisperer and Jenna. 39:30 – Racing the Mount Hough Enduro and getting second place. 41:00 – Crashing and getting cut to bone at Rahlve’s Banzai Tour at Palisades Tahoe. 47:40 – Learning to snowmobile and sled ski. 50:54 – Meeting Kyle Smaine while hitchhiking in New Zealand. 55:00 – The difference between halfpipe snowboarding and mountain biking. 56:30 – From competitive snowboarder to backcountry splitboard filming trips. 57:45 – Kyle’s love for skiing in Japan, Japanese culture and skiing fun pow. 1:03:45 – The Japan avalanche that took the life of Kyle Smaine. 1:15:20 – How has Jenna’s relationship with the backcountry changed since the accident? 1:17:35 – Commemorating Kyle’s life by starting The Smaine Fund. 1:34:00 – What is the future path for The Smaine Fund? 1:37:30 – Using stolen plastic hand baskets to carry bike and ski gear. 1:39:20 – Kyle visited while on our ride in the form of a huge bald eagle. 1:41:00 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

It’s peak dust season in Lake Tahoe and the trails are blown out with no precipitation in sight. Pow Bot is using his mountain bike as a drying rack for his wetsuit while Trail Whisperer goes to a Reno Aces game and cringes when he hears Sweet Caroline. The boys talk about new trails like Pines to Mines and Beckwourth Peak, pay respects to the life of Guy Eriksen, name some favorite pre-shred soundtracks, DOPE or DERP blasting that music in the parking lot while putting your ski boots on and DOPE or DERP quitting your job when ski or surf conditions are firing. Pow Bot introduces the concept of “Friction Country” – places that retain their unspoiled character because they are hard to get to and comment on the latest South Park episode about kids terrorizing neighborhoods on e-bikes. And a friendly reminder from Start Haus to get your ski gear tuned now before El Niño arrives!   3:20 – Mind the Track is a registered trademark! 6:30 – Gordo has been mentoring PowBot in his Lieutenant Tangle wing foiling quest 15:50 – Trail Whisperer focused on trail projects, but Floriston Fire impacts Verdi Ridge trail 19:45 – Beckwourth Peak Trail in Portola is complete! 22:50 – PowBot’s road trip to Mendocino 28:00 – The concept of “Friction Country” – places that are hard to get to off the beaten path 34:35 – More El Niño talk and flooding in the southwest 37:25 – TW goes to a Reno Aces game and was very impressed, except for Sweet Caroline 41:25 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE - PB shouts out Billy Strings for performing with Pearl Jam 45:00 – DOPE or DERP – Pre-shred soundtracks – Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Jane’s Addiction 47:00 – DOPE or DERP – Blasting music in the parking lot before going skiing 50:44 – An ode to the life of Guy Eriksen. 56:30 – CORE LORD CALL-IN – Carter talking about doggy bags and limiting dog names 1:02:20 – CORE LORD CALL-IN – Jed getting some brown pow and kudos to trail builders 1:05:50 – Riding the new Pines to Mines Trail on Donner Summit 1:08:10 – Mount Bohemia in Michigan tries to save skiing with a non-lift terrain expansion 1:13:55 – DOPE or DERP – Quitting your job to ski pow in a big year 1:19:55 – “Get so pitted” – channeling Michael Peasley - Making noises while surfing 1:22:00 – Paying people to crowd out the surf lineup so you get more waves 1:24:50 – The new South Park episode about e-bikes and kids terrorizing neighborhoods 1:31:40 – Having Jenna Dramise on the show to talk about Kyle Smaine and The Smaine Fund 1:32:55 – DOPE or DERP from the Start Haus – Get your skis and boots tuned now!

As meteorological Fall and the “ber” months arrive, the boys play some bike polo and continue talking about El Niño, with the hopes of a wild and wet winter. Meanwhile, in the absence of any rain, the Hawk Fire in Reno scorches 15,000 acres on Peavine Mountain, burning trails and 40+ homes. A woman swimming in Lake Tahoe is attacked by a river otter, a group of hikers become Dumb Ass Rescued Persons after asking AI to plan their ill-fated ascent of Mount Shasta and Vail Resorts faces a third anti-trust lawsuit alleging ski pass price fixing. Big Sally calls in with an Edward Abbey quote, Trail Whisperer rants about being a part-time crusader and the boys chew on a few DOPE or DERPs including taking home restaurant leftovers, fasting, paying to park and ride mountain bikes and Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline.   3:00 – The boys play bike polo at The Backcountry in Truckee 9:00 – The beginning of meteorological Fall has arrived on Sept 1 11:20 – Wet weather is coming to Tahoe? More super El Nino hype 14:15 – Devastating flash flooding in Grand Canyon, Zion National Park and in Nepal 17:45 – Preparing for a 3-day bikepacking adventure with big mountain bike rides 21:30 – The Hawk Fire in Reno burns a lot of Peavine Mountain and 40+ homes lost 30:20 – A woman was attacked by a river otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe 33:35 – Dumb Ass Rescued Persons on Mount Shasta after asking AI how to hike the peak 41:45 – Vail Resorts is now facing a third anti-trust lawsuit, brought by a shareholder 45:50 – Big Sally calls in with an Edward Abbey quote putting life into perspective 52:00 – Lee from Marin County calling to say The Crooked Stuff is DOPE. 55:00 – DOPE or DERP – Not eating all your dinner at the restaurant and taking home leftovers 1:03:00 – DOPE or DERP – Fasting 1:11:30 – DOPE or DERP – Paying money to park then ride mountain bike trails 1:18:30 – DOPE or DERP – listening to podcasts in 1.5x or 2.0x speed 1:19:35 – DOPE or DERP – Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline 1:22:00 – Ski Bowl Songs – Top 40 songs listened to over and over again at Tom’s childhood ski hill 1:25:45 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE - talk about Def Leppard, The Osees, KEXP and All Them Witches 1:30:00 – Mount Rose Meadows – solving the ongoing winter parking issues along the highway 1:35:45 – Going on a road trip and joining Harvest Host – service for 10,000 places to boondock

Wildfires, triple digit temperatures and dusty, blown out trails – it must be the middle of August in Tahoe. Episode 94 features a grab bag of topics including the relationship between dogs and bears, magicians and the ice cream man, new Tahoe trails, Heavenly opening its gondola to mountain bikes, Palisades Tahoe offering a midweek pass for $699 while Alterra gets sued for price fixing, poisoned trees in Incline Village and the development of the largest El Niño in recorded history. Also, the 888 COR LORD hotline blows up with voicemails, Trail Whisperer gives his initial impressions on his new Aventon Current EXP, issues a call to action in Nevada to stop Greenlink North and the boys shout out Kyle and Jessica Aster for donating $250,000 to TAMBA for finishing Meeks Ridge Trail. Throw in a couple DOPE or DERPs and On a Musical Notes, this is a variety-packed episode. 3:00 – Buy a Mind the Track hat at Start Haus in Truckee! 4:10 – Downieville Classic Recap – Tobin Ortenblad and Marco Osborne winners! 6:50 – Cosbey witnesses carnage on Baby Heads 8:30 – Big fires in Reno/Tahoe area – Bug Fire, Stallion Fire and Talbot Fire 14:25 – Pow Bot’s two brothers visit from Michigan and ride Tahoe 16:00 – Trail Whisperer gives his initial impressions on the new Aventon Current EXP 20:00 – Core Lords Call In – Josh from Loyalton – Tahoe Donner, Glizzys and Bike Polo 25:40 – Lauren – Picking up a new truck camper while listening to truck campers. 26:40 – We have female listeners, Glizzy Gauntlet results and 7-Eleven is lame 34:13 – Jon calls in and praises Gordo as well as prioritizing play over work 41:17 – Eric calls in and shares a funny ice cream man story 46:36 – Magicians are like the ice cream man – people don’t like either 49:10 – Stop the Greenlink North power line from running along Highway 50 in Nevada 53:00 – Does your dog make you safer in bear country? 58:15 – Someone is poisoning and killing dozens of trees in Incline Village 1:04:00 – Huge shout out to Kyle and Jessica Aster – THANK YOU for donating $250k to TAMBA 1:06:50 – The new Panorama Trail at Heavenly opens, as well as the gondola opening to MTBs 1:11:20 – Palisades Tahoe bringing back midweek season pass for $699 1:12:30 – Class action lawsuit against Vail, Alterra, Powder Corp and Boyne for price fixing 1:15:05 – The Super El Nino of 2026-27 seems to be a certainty at this point 1:22:15 – DOPE OR DERP – Cell phone mounts on bike handlebars 1:28:40 – DOPE OR DERP – Hand guards on a mountain bike 1:35:50 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – Organically Good Trio 1:39:05 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – Genesis Owusu 1:40:30 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – The Crooked Stuff 1:49:20 – Sept 11-13 – Mount Hough Enduro and Grinduro. Be there! 1:51:07 – The Crooked Stuff – Waking Alive

Regardless of whether you have a van, a pop-up camper, an RV, a rock crawler or just a basic old pickup truck, the vehicles we own help facilitate the adventures we want to have. In Episode 93, we camp at White Rock Lake with Harry Wagner of @harrysituations and KP Pawley of @zerodeclination and talk all about adventure vehicles and what set-ups are best suited for different purposes. Both Harry and KP have vast experience traveling around the globe and living in different rigs, gaining unique insights on what works – and more importantly – what doesn’t work. They’ve built, driven and seen nearly everything and share with us their experience. Topics include roof top tents, if you need a winch, diesel versus gas, traction boards, the best tires and the most common modifications that make people’s vehicles worse, not better. We also discuss the astronomical cost of new vehicles and some of the best used vehicle values that make for great adventure builds on a budget. Whether you have a six-figure build or just an old beater and a tent on the ground, you can learn a lot in this episode.   2:30 – Recording from White Rock Lake near Mount Lola 5:00 – The legend of the Warren Lake trail 8:00 – All About Adventure Rigs with KP Pawley and Harry Wagner 16:02 – Old and new Toyota Trucks – slow and expensive but reliable 19:00 – How Harry and KP know each other 21:05 – Universal hatred for UTVs and side by sides 24:08 – The difference between people who want a van vs a pickup with a camper 26:20 – Pow Bot’s Ford Bronco he grafted a fiberglass camper onto 29:25 – How important is the pass-thru from cab to camper? 30:20 – A brief background on Harry Wagner’s 4x4 adventure career 31:40 – A brief background on KP Pawley, living full-time in his camper 33:20 – Taking 3 years to drive the Pan American Highway in 2016 34:50 – What was your biggest breakdown on the Pan American Highway trip? 36:47 – Was there a piece of gear that saved your trip? 39:00 – Have you ever been extorted by law enforcement? 42:10 – Is a gray market import from a foreign country a good adventure vehicle?  44:50 – What was Harry’s favorite overlander/adventure vehicle he owned? 46:40 – What is your most essential creature comfort in an adventure vehicle? 49:40 – Roof top tents – Harry is not a fan. Why? 54:00 – The rise of the six-figure adventure vehicle 58:20 – Everything you do to your truck makes it worse 1:01:20 – Why have Toyota Tacomas become so popular? 1:02:10 – Harry is driving a 2015 Mercedes GL550 he bought for $10k 1:05:40 – The astronomical cost of new vehicles 1:08:30 – What are some used trucks that are reliable and affordable? 1:13:35 – The shortsightedness of gas prices and old V8s versus new EVs and hybrids 1:14:35 – Diesel vs gasoline – what’s more reliable? 1:21:00 – Zero Declination – building a full-size truck camper that fits gear like a van. 1:26:20 – What is it that pulls you away from the pavement? 1:27:45 – Advice of what not to do, winches, traction boards and Hi-Lift jacks, best tires 1:33:40 – The “power move” – one thing on your rig that makes other people jealous? 1:35:45 – How important is a shower or a toilet? 1:38:30 – You have $10,000 to go adventuring, what are you going to buy? 1:40:40 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

When it comes to mountain bike races, nothing captures the essence of the sport better than the Downieville Classic. Since 1995, the Classic has evolved with mountain biking’s growth, challenging riders with soul crushing climbs and rocky, rugged descents pushing both rider and bike to their absolute limits. As one of the only point-to-point races left in America, the Downieville Classic is the ultimate test of what it takes to be a well-rounded mountain biker. Add in a historic Gold Rush-era town perfectly preserved in time, the Classic is as unforgettable to spectate as it is to participate. In Episode 92, the boys sit down once again with Marc Cosbey, aka Uncle Coz, who first arrived in Downieville with a mountain bike in 1990, helping make the Classic what it is today. Not only has the Downieville Classic made a huge impact on the sport of mountain biking, but thanks to the efforts of people like Coz, the event has helped keep this small town of 250 people from losing its identity long after the booms of gold and logging played out.       5:35 – Cosbey gets his first mountain bike in 1990 and his first clipless pedal experience 12:00 – Discovering Downieville and meeting Greg Williams for the first time 14:55 – Cosbey’s first experience riding the Downieville downhill from Packer Saddle 18:00 – What was Cosbey’s first impression of Greg Williams? 20:30 – In the early days, mountain bikers in Downieville were considered outsiders 22:30 – Working at Yuba Expeditions and driving mountain bike shuttles 28:00 – Mike Ferrentino entering the Downieville scene and doing trail work 30:50 – Starting the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) in 2003 38:05 – Shoveling more than a mile of snow that almost canceled the race in 2011 45:26 – 15 year-old Henry O’Donnell beating Mark Weir in the Downieville Classic 49:33 – The legend of Mark Weir and his reign of domination in Downieville 53:48 – What impact has Downieville had on the sport of mountain biking? 57:38 – The story of “Taze Bro” and winning “That Guy” award in Downieville 1:02:20– “Ron’s House of Big Air” River Jump, “Cozmo’s Wild Island” and the Log Pull 1:09:15 – Who was the most badass woman in the Downieville Classic? 1:10:43 – The 2002 Single Speed Mountain Bike World Championships in Downieville

Ten years ago, Kurt the Trail Whisperer and four friends rode the 32-mile non-Wilderness portion of the Toiyabe Crest Trail, the longest trail in Nevada, about 30 miles south of Austin and Highway 50. The 13-hour adventure was ripe with bushwhacking and overgrown trail that hadn’t seen maintenance in 40 years. After the adventure, Kurt thought to himself if the TCT was maintained, it could be one of the greatest mountain bike epics in the country, so he bought himself a reciprocating saw and got to work in 2018. Eight years later, after thousands of hours of labor with friends cutting 32 miles of brush, the TCT is clear from Ophir Pass to Kingston Canyon. Last weekend, Kurt, Pow Bot and a cast of friends including Chad Kelly and Dean Kemp from @battlebornadventures shuttled to Ophir Pass to celebrate the achievement by riding the 32-mile maintained stretch of the TCT. It was a historic ride, reaping all the benefits after eight years of labor. Because of its high elevation, staying in the alpine between 7,500 and 10,500 feet, Pow Bot considers the TCT one of North America’s greatest mountain bike epics, calling it the closest thing to a long-distance, point-to-point ski traverse you can do on a bike. In Episode 91, the boys recap an unforgettable weekend spent in the remote wilds of Nevada, and dream about what’s next for this iconic landscape few humans ever set foot on.   2:35 – Introducing Guillermo – the new canine co-host of Mind the Track 9:45 – It’s July and it rained hard in Tahoe. Super El Nino is living up to the hype 13:50 – All three of the 10% off CORE LORD new bike discounts at Start Haus are claimed 17:00 – Greg from Start Haus drops knowledge on disc brake maintenance 19:15 – Mind the Track Deso Supply hats are in stock. Reach out to us if you want one or purchase one at Start Haus 21:30 – Trail Whisperer orders a new Aventon Current EXP 23:25 – Trail Whisperer buys Swan John an e-bike and it’s been an amazing investment 26:00 – 4th of July mob of TikTok teenagers take over King’s Beach 27:14 – Remembering the life of David Page – Executive Director of Winter Wildlands Alliance 28:55 – Colin – come participate in the Glizzy Gauntlet on August 16 – Sky Tavern 30:55 – Stu wants to shout out Land Trusts in the Tahoe region and how important they are 33:22 – Carlorado – imagine everyone getting along on trails, making room for each other 35:15 – Big Sallie – believes we need to use chainsaws in wilderness and some forestry wisdom 38:30 – Tell us your diarrhea story and what you did on your day off from work 39:15 – Ripley V5 wants to hear some exploits about the wilds of Nevada, the 10 Shredmandments for MTB and an angry trail builder who destroys bridges 43:25 – Riding the Toiyabe Crest Trail in central Nevada from Ophir Pass to Kingston 45:30 – What was it about the Toiyabe that drew Trail Whisperer to spend 8 years cutting brush 50:55 – How many volunteers have helped in resurrecting the Toiyabe Crest Trail? 54:00 – Recapping the weekend and the logistics of completing the Toiyabe Crest Trail ride 1:00:34 – Yuri Hauswald and Chris Brown recount their 2011 TCT ride 1:09:45 – TW recounts his ride of the TCT in 2016 with Yuri, Chris and Scott Markewitz 1:11:45 – Pow Bot’s experience riding the TCT – like a backcountry ski adventure on a bike 1:17:30 – The concept of “A Third Place” – coined by Ray Oldenberg 1:21:10 – Pow Bot’s story of losing his rear brake on the final descent and crashing 1:25:25 – What was the feeling of completing the ride after 10 years of trail work? 1:31:21 – Lightning round questions about the TCT 1:34:30 – The TCT project has been a spiritual experience that has real meaning and impact

His co-workers know him as Gordon, but when he’s not working – which is often – his secret alter ego is Gordo, and all Gordo wants to be is outside. Whether it’s sailing, surfing, foiling, skiing, running, biking, swimming 22 miles from Catalina to San Pedro or hiking 2600 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, Gordo Clute has never in his life worked more than he can play. Over a successful 30 year career in shipping sales, Gordo elaborately lived a lie, being perceived as a dedicated hardworking employee when he was instead outside playing, his real dedication focused on finding the flow state we all seek. Gordo’s dedication runs so deep that he secretly moved his entire family to Mammoth for three years when his boss thought he was living 10 miles across town from work headquarters in Orange County. In Episode 90, we chat with ultra-Core Lord and Mind the Track superfan Gordo Clute, and the many life hacks he’s developed in shirking work to prioritize play, time with family and putting his mind in the track.   3:00 – Summer shenanigans and tourist dodging in Tahoe 5:30 – Introducing Gordo Clute core lord superfan of MTT 10:20 – The benefits and drawbacks of riding dirt bikes 14:30 – Learning about Gordo’s background in sailing, ship captaining and becoming a ski bum 17:00 – Solo endurance swimming 22 miles from Catalina to San Pedro starting at midnight and swimming solo 12 miles across Lake Tahoe 23:30 – Who is Gordo Clute? There’s no information on the internet about him. Man of mystery. 26:30 – Secretly moving his family to Mammoth from Orange County without his boss knowing 29:00 – Gordo’s secrets to slacking success so he could be outside playing instead of working 33:30 – “Diarrhea” – the magic word to get you out of any work jam 37:00 – Coping with the redundancy of doing sales to make it work for an outdoor lifestyle 40:10 – Buying ski resort lift tickets with the work credit card and expensing season passes for clients that he could end up using 44:00 – Training clients, playing offense versus defense and using procrastination to your benefit 46:00 – The “Action Required – Not Really” flowchart – using procrastination to test importance 49:20 – Shirking work and getting paid to do as little as possible 52:10 – Time is the most valuable thing in existence. The only thing you can’t buy back. 53:50 – Getting into mountain biking in the 1970s in Marin County at the dawn of the sport 55:30 – The stress of crafting a life built around lies and being busted while caught in a lie 1:02:00 – Two years into “funemployment” without a full-time job 1:04:00 – Using Waymo as a wing foiling shuttle 1:11:00 – Uphill vs downhill trail traffic – who has the right of way? 1:21:10 – Lightning round questions with Gordo 1:23:30 – Gordo’s ice cream man story, except he’s the propane man in Mexico 1:25:55 – Burning Man – Gordo went from anti to pro Burning Man 1:29:00 – Attempting to through hike the Pacific Crest Trail 2600 miles 1:37:00 – Mountain biking the PCT with a permit after having to drop out with foot issues 1:47:30 – DOPE or DERP – fireworks on the Fourth of July 1:48:50 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

The pollen is thick, kids are out of school, the tourists have invaded Tahoe and temperatures are soaring, which means only one thing – summer is here. In Episode 89, Trail Whisperer recaps a mountain bike road trip out to the California coastal town of Eureka while Pow Bot fun hogs on Lake Tahoe with his wing foil. The boys stand corrected by listeners about their Strava rant, California considers instating an official Bruce Lee Day, people are dying from foraged mushroom poisoning, the Ice Cream Man is back again, and TW recommends seeing Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience. The boys also tackle the “Bieber-ification” of trails, aka, making them lame by dumbing them down, and how this act of Bieber-ing trails is a microcosm of society at large getting dumber, as evidenced by how easy Jeopardy questions have become. Also, TW ASS rants about preservationists protesting efforts to allow chainsaws in Wilderness areas so volunteers can clear a maintenance backlog many thousands of fallen trees deep. Plus – only two 10% off coupons for any new bike at Start Haus in Truckee remain! Just use the password CORE LORD and save.   2:20 – What are we going to do when we hit episode 100? 3:00 – For newer listeners of MTT, go back and listen from Episode 1. 5:00 – The pollen is thick. The tourists are here. It’s hot out. It’s SUMMER. 7:45 – Recapping the Lost and Found Gravel Bike Event in Portola. 8:55 – Drop into the Start Haus – 2 CORELORD 10% off a new bike discounts remaining! 12:00 – Recapping a road trip to Eureka, California and riding Hatchery Ridge trails. 22:15 – Foil Bot has been local fun hoggin’ and finally wing foiling properly. 28:00 –Marlette Flume trail and Chimney Beach is back open after 5PM on weekdays. 31:00 – Follow up on Strava – Pow Bot shares a Strava confessional. 34:30 – How you can shut off the heat map on Strava so it isn’t shown publicly. 38:00 – “Bumblies” is what they call clueless city people in the mountains in the UK. 39:30 – California State Assembly bill will potentially create an official Bruce Lee Day. 41:20 – Mind the Mycelium – 50 cases of mushroom poisoning including 4 deaths. 44:10 – 2N Benn calls in with a PSA – don’t make new trails going around snow and down trees. 46:50 – Don’t shortcut the trail or make it easier or more lame – aka – “Bieber-ing” the trail. 53:20 – American culture is getting dumber and Jeopardy questions are getting easier. 58:00 – Another ASS Rant about the Ice Cream Man. 59:30 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – Seeing Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience. 1:05:50 – The Grit podcast having their intro song being flagged for copyright infringement. 1:09:10 – Forest Service is considering allowing chainsaw use in federal Wilderness areas. 1:16:00 – Motorized users are most often hated because of the noise factor, not the act itself. 1:17:40 – Support your local non-corporate ski hill this winter and buy a non-Mega ski pass. 1:21:55 – Met a welder who builds cloud seeding machines to increase winter snowpack.

Amidst the best spring ever, in episode 88 the boys recap Memorial Day weekend filled with skiing Lassen and Shasta, riding moto out in the Toiyabe and Toquima ranges of central Nevada and digging dirt with the Truckee Dirt Union. Memorial Day was also highlighted by stupid people doing stupid things, including a grown man taking his 18-month old son on an ebike ride that ended at 10,000 feet in snow, darkness and a helicopter rescue. The boys also make a huge announcement – their first sponsorship with a local business, the Start Haus in Truckee! To celebrate, the first three people to who walk into Start Haus and drop the password CORE LORD will get 10% off any new bike of their choice. Speaking of Core Lord, in the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy, the boys run through a “You Might be a Core Lord if…” exercise. Got more? Call or email us! Plus Mark Weir rants about Strava, we DOPE or DERP Hypershell Exoskeleton legs and more Mind the Track hats made by Deso are coming, so get your pre-order in if you want one.   3:00 – Best spring ever? Blessed rain and cool temps 4:28 – Truckee Dirt Union Trail Day and Loam Masters Rally recap 9:00 – The legend of Pow Bot the bartender and the power of being a conversation starter 16:40 – Memorial Day weekend recap – TW rides moto in NV, PB skis Shasta/Lassen 28:00 – Memorial Day stupidity - Dad and his 18-month old son getting airlifted off Freel Pass 37:10 – Words of wisdom from Mark Weir about Strava and Strava users 40:38 – We misspoke about a trail system and mentioned trails we shouldn’t have 41:45 – Bike parks, Vail Resorts, Heavenly and Northstar 45:05 – Mind the Track announces a sponsorship with Start Haus! 48:48 – The first three listeners to drop CORELORD as the secret password – 10% off a new bike 51:08 – All about the new Aventon Current ebike – available at Start Haus 57:00 – More Mind the Track Deso hats coming! Reach out to us if you want to pre-order 59:30 – Carlorado - You might be a Core Lord if…. 1:10:20 – Downhill Phil calls in and asks – do you watch motocross or supercross? 1:13:10 – Watching professional extreme sports and 100 Foot Wave documentary 1:16:45 – Gordo calls in but gets cut off twice 1:19:00 – DOPE or DERP – Hypershell Exoskeleton Legs. The ebike of backcountry skiing? 1:25:00 – Meeting a legend while riding mountain bikes on Prison Hill in Carson City

Since 2016, more than two million acres of Northern California have been torched by devastating wildfires, leaving vast tracts of previously forested land nothing but black matchsticks. As the landscape recovers, efforts are being made to ensure forests regenerate so massive brush fields don’t take the place of trees. As staff chief for CalFire’s Wildfire Resilience Program, Stew McMorrow has more than 30 years experience climbing trees, falling trees, planting trees, funding agencies in reforestation, as well as working as a Registered Professional Forester (RPF). McMorrow is also an avid outdoorsman and mountain biker, and understands the value of balancing recreation with forestry, serving on the executive board of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship. In Episode 87, we join McMorrow planting seedlings on Mount Hough near Quincy, California, heavily impacted by the Dixie Fire, then chat with him about forestry, pinecones, growing trees, reforestation and how recreation plays a role in all of it. We also talk with Michael Hall of Feather River Resource Conservation District and fellow RPF, Jason Moghaddas, about the recent controversial news around glyphosate – aka Round Up – being sprayed on public lands.   2:00 – Pow Bot forgets his mountain bike helmet on the Mt Hough shuttle. 5:00 – Introducing Stew McMorrow – forester for CalFire leading reforestation efforts. 8:15 – All the new amazing trails on Mount Hough including Upper Tollgate trail. 13:20 – Stew McMorrow and Michael Hall describing reforestation on top of Mount Hough. 21:50 – Stew McMorrow interview in the back of the Toyota Sunrader. 23:20 – Stew’s upbringing, going to school and working as a sawyer on a fire crew. 26:40 – Getting his Registered Professional Forester (RPF) license and working in Lake Tahoe. 32:05 – Running the CalFire Wildfire Resilience Program and Reforestation program. 37:35 – Climbing trees and collecting pine cones for tree seeds and replanting. 43:10 – Dropping his phone out of a tree and getting attacked by bees. 45:35 – What is the plight of the Pinecone Cowboy? 50:50 – What would the landscape look like if a forest isn’t replanted? 57:45 – Balancing the element of playing God with nature and letting nature do its thing. 1:01:00 – Home hardening and creating defensible space around communities. 1:04:30 – Millions of dollars in state money available for reforestation on federal land after fires. 1:10:23 – The spraying of herbicides like glyphosate on public lands to control brush regrowth. 1:18:39 – Michael Hall and Jason Moghaddas talk about glyphosate spraying on public lands. 1:28:50 – Being on the board of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship – forestry and recreation. 1:42:20 – Talking about the rescinding of the Roadless Rule. 1:50:40 – Being in the zone, what Stu calls the Quiet Room. 1:53:00 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

Spring is in full swing and Tahoe trails are opening for business quickly. In Episode 86, as the snow vaporizes, the boys chat about a bunch of trail tales, some funny, others concerning. After an extended Rumspringa on the ebike, Pow Bot returns to the traditional “Amish” mountain bike, but will he be Sin Bot for still occasionally riding his ebike? The boys share four-wheeling stories with their in-laws, talk about new trails being built, trails north of Truckee being closed for the season and some trails in burn zones being sprayed by the Tahoe and Lassen National Forest with glyphosate, aka Roundup, known to cause cancer. Trail Whisperer asks is it dope or derp to go on a road trip when gas is $6/gallon, jokes about Breckenridge opening local trails to ebikes (only with a medical condition) and a Core Lord calls in with a rant that South Lake Tahoe doesn’t have any cool, progressive mountain bike trails.   2:40 – Everything in Tahoe is a month early – riding hero dirt and Pow Bot hanging up his snowboard. 3:45 – A recap on Winter 2025-26 – Ended up at average snowfall for the season. 6:15 – Pow Bot comes off the ebike Rumspringa and returns to the Amish bike community. 11:20 – Early season Tahoe trail conditions – Riding the Tahoe Rim Trail and Flume Trail. 12:40 – Trail Whisperer building new trail on Verdi Ridge. 16:15 – Tahoe National Forest has closed trails in and around Emigrant Trail, Prosser, Boca. 20:00 – Shout out to Tahoe Mountain Sports – helping TW out with a ski binding issue. 20:50 – The Truckee Follies – Rated X fundraiser for Downtown Merchants Association. 23:15 – Truckee Dirt Union Loam Masters Rally happening May 29-30. 24:08 – Sugar Bowl is selling off all their vintage 1950s gondolas for $10k a piece. 28:40 – Randy Robbins thinks snowboard beaver tail slapping is DOPE. 29:45 – Parkhill has some thoughts about hallowed vs hollowed ground and gatekeeping. 31:02 – Reno Tahoe tourism blowing up a sensitive hot spring on social media. 33:00 – Gatekeeping – don’t blow up the spot when its firing. 34:10 – Chris has a rant about public versus private property. 40:30 – Jacob really enjoyed VCGP episode – big divide between motorized and non-motorized communities. 44:00 – Breckenridge is finally legalizing ebikes…but you have to have a doctor’s note. 45:40 – Moab allows ebikes on some trail but not all, but Jeeps and side-by-sides are all over. 47:55 – Pow Bot’s story of four wheeling in Telluride in a rental Chevy Blazer with his in-laws. 50:40 – Trail Whisperer’s 4x4 story of getting stuck in a Land Cruiser and spending the night in it with his ex father-in-law. 58:15 – DOPE or DERP – going on a road trip when gas is $6/gallon. 1:00:54 – Tahoe National Forest and Lassen National Forest spraying toxic Roundup weed killer on public lands. 1:10:18 – Big Sally calls in with a trip report from Lost Cannon Loop MTB and Sonora Pass ski. 1:13:20 – Chad wants to know why there aren’t more progressive MTB trails in South Lake Tahoe. 1:27:20 – If you get baptized for coming back to the Amish bike, then you ride the ebike, are you a sinner?

Twenty miles east of Lake Tahoe, high up in the Virginia Range at 6,500 feet elevation is one of the best preserved Old West towns in America, Virginia City. Known to locals as VC, in the 1860s, it was once the richest city in the world, home to the Comstock Lode, one of the largest silver strikes in history. In fact, the gold and silver from VC in the 1860s built all of San Francisco. Today, VC still has wooden boardwalks on C Street, ornate Victorian-era homes, two dozen saloons, a cemetery almost as large as the town itself and an Old West vibe that’s admittedly a bit touristy, but undeniably genuine. VC also has the Grand Prix, a 55-year long tradition of dirt bike racing, as wild and rugged as the town itself. Episode 85 documents this year’s Grand Prix, in the field on race day, talking with event volunteers and racers with different experience levels to really understand what this race is all about and how compares it to another legendary race on two wheels in a Gold Rush town, the Downieville Classic.   3:00 – Introducing the Virginia City Grand Prix. 9:05 – Larry Sussman – getting peer pressured into racing dirt bikes. 10:40 – How does the Downieville Classic differ from the VCGP? 12:30 – What’s more intense, the chaos of a mountain bike race or a moto race? 14:20 – Thomas Lay – growing up in Virginia City, getting into dirt bikes and organizing the event. 16:50 – How long has the Virginia City Grand Prix been happening? 19:00 – How many people race in the VCGP and where do they come from? 23:00 – Who owns the land the event is on? 27:30 – How long is the race and how are people staged at the start line? 30:20 – Talking with Darcy about course design. 31:20 – What’s the hardest part of this year’s course? 32:55 – Moving from Truckee to Virginia City and becoming a Nevadan. 34:40 – What got Darcy into riding dirt bikes? 38:30 – What’s the secret to surviving the VCGP? 39:31 – Talking with the local legend Josh Wilson about the moto community. 44:30 – Talking with Ryan Downing about the racer who passed away on course. 46:10 – What’s the secret to surviving VCGP? 48:04 – How does mountain biking compare to dirt biking? 49:30 – How do they stage racers at the start? 52:00 – Catching up with Pow Bot and talking about the start of the race. 56:10 – Reporting from Chaos Hill on course in the middle of the race. 1:01:00 – Would Trail Whisperer ever do the VCGP? 1:03:30 – Seth Johnson goes from last to 9th place, passing 400 racers. 1:05:15 – Missing the race by a month on Seth’s first attempt. 1:08:50 – Catching up with Thomas after Day 1. 1:13:30 – Beginner riders biting off more than can chew attempting the VCGP. 1:17:40 – How did the electric dirt bikes – a Stark Varg – do in the race? 1:20:45 – Running into Tobin Ortenblad after the race. 1:22:15 – How was the race course and how does it compare to bicycle racing? 1:25:55 – What was the start of the race like? 1:28:50 – Garmin stats: 20,000 feet of climbing! 1:30:00 – How do the Downieville Classic and VCGP compare and differ? 1:36:00 – Is there anything the bike community can learn from the moto community? 1:44:20 – Is Tobin doing the Lost and Found Gravel Festival?

With five feet of new snow on the Sierra Crest in April, Tahoe is finally getting the snow we should have gotten in March. As a result, the boys are back to skiing, with a couple days at the resort and a backcountry mission to the Eastern Sierra for the annual Green Creek Chute-Out. The boys talk about the concept of hallowed ground – places with spiritual significance and importance, and how social media has led the charge in exploiting these places, resulting in “hollowed ground”. The concept of gatekeeping is also discussed, and asking, is gatekeeping actually a bad thing when you are trying to protect hallowed ground from abuse of the masses? Other topics include new ebikes launched at Sea Otter, lift line DOPE or DERPs, is AI music a plague that should be resisted, upcoming events to check out, discovering the original ice cream man song has racist affilations, and CALL US BACK, GORDO!     2:30 – Winter isn’t over yet – recapping a busy late season Palisades pow day 11:25 – DOPE or DERP – The Rogue Single in the lift line 16:20 – DOPE or DERP – Smacking your snowboard off the ground to remove snow 18:08 – Pow Bot went wing foiling and Trail Whisperer got some hero dirt 19:28 – Skiing the east side of the Sierra Nevada – Green Creek Chute-Out 29:20 – The concept of hallowed ground and respecting special places 35:45 – The Jackson Hole Air Force – the first JH skiers to ski out of bounds 39:00 – White Man Hallowed Ground vs Native American Hallowed Ground 42:40 – Gatekeeping and protecting Hallowed Ground 44:50 – Hallowed Ground vs Hollowed Ground 49:20 – Downhill Phil calls in – POP-CORN was the phone number, prefers the original theme 52:44 – Colin says AI music is DERP. AI is a plague 54:15 – Seeing the band DEVO in RENO – the importance of the band and their art 1:02:50 – Discovering that the original Ice Cream Man song is super racist 1:05:45 – Call back GORDO! 1:08:40 – Amery wrote in about Russell, the Canadian snow Yoda, and his funny words 1:11:45 – Clark wrote in about the reintroduction of grizzly bears 1:16:55 – Lots of new ebikes introduced at Sea Otter Classic 1:24:00 – The value of ebikes in making you a better rider in less time 1:30:00 – Upcoming trail work days in the Reno/Tahoe area 1:32:30 – Going to the Virginia City Grand Prix 1:36:05 – May 15-17 – Spring Epic Trail Work/Ride in Quincy

After two weeks of bi-polar weather in Canada chasing pow and getting rained on, aka a “dog’s breakfast”, the boys recount the trip to Ice Creek Lodge and the wisdom gained from the jedi master of snow, Russell Hulbert. Meanwhile, back home in the Sierra, a dismal March left zero inches of snow on Donner Summit, the first time in recorded history, capping off a Winter to forget. Moving on to Spring things, the boys chat about a variety of topics including DOPE or DERPs on 32” mountain bike wheels, uphill or downhill traffic having the right of way on trails and reintroducing grizzly bears into the Sierra Nevada. Other topics include introducing a new AI-generated Mind the Track theme song, Trail Whisperer almost getting maced by a hiker while logging out a trail with his chainsaw, Lost Sierra trail conditions updates, a class-action anti-trust lawsuit against Vail Resorts and Alterra and has social media ruined April Fools Day? 2:10 – New intro song for Mind the Track created by AI. Maybe AI is good for something. 4:30 – Recapping a wild Canada ski hut trip to Ice Creek Lodge. 8:00 – Watching avalanches come down all around the crew at Ice Creek Lodge. 9:00 – Russell Hulbert, owner of Ice Creek Lodge, is a jedi of snow. The snow Yoda. 13:50 – Learning everything you’d ever want to know about avalanche beacons – Mammut Barryvox versus the BCA Tracker 4. 17:50 – Is all the risk, variables and dangers of pow skiing worth it? Should we just ski corn only? 21:50 – Shout out to the crew of Ice Creek – Benny, Brodie and Hannah. 25:05 – Jerry of the Day awards from the trip. 28:14 – Skiing Kicking Horse in Golden, BC and attending the “State of the Snowpack”. 35:25 – March closes out with zero inches of snow on Donner Summit all month – the first time in recorded history. 38:20 – Has social media ruined April Fools? 40:45 – A few LOST and FOUND stories – leave it where you found it. 43:10 – Anti-trust lawsuit against Alterra and Vail Resorts regarding a duopoly and inflating the price of day pass tickets. 49:50 – Update on the Downieville mountain biker getting lost. It’s way dumber than expected. 52:20  - DOPE or DERP from Stu – 32” wheels on a mountain biker. 54:30 – DOPE or DERP/RANT from Lee – Uphill traffic has the right of way. 1:02:45 – TW almost gets bear sprayed by a hiker while cutting out a log with a chainsaw. 1:04:55 – DOPE or DERP – reintroduction of grizzly bears into California. 1:12:55 – Update on the Ruby Mountains ski resort near Lamoille Canyon. 1:16:35 – Listener feedback about the Frog Lake avalanche accident. 1:18:40 – The Durand Glacier accident in 2003 changed guiding in Canada. 1:23:50 – Spring corn skiing missions to Shasta and Lassen. 1:25:55 – Calling 311 to complain about the Ice Cream Man 1:28:30 – Trail Whisperer’s story about being a cold calling headhunter machine.  1:35:15 – Lost Sierra trail conditions update – Mount Hough completely open! 1:39:10 – Weather forecasters calling for Godzilla El Nino!