Hi Dusty, thanks for being here. Your videos truly feel like a breath of fresh air and pure positive energy: canyons, dusty roads, Californian light, and steel bicycles that seem made to blend into the landscape. I’d love to start by asking who you are in your everyday life. When you’re not riding or behind the camera, how would you describe your life? What do you do?
I love spending time with my wife & cat. We have a routine of sipping coffee, enjoying pastries and looking for unique things at garage/estate sales on the weekend. We have chickens and a lot of fruit trees we take care of too. I love being outside and creative. In particular photography, sewing and design.
How did your passion for cycling begin?
It’s come in different forms throughout my life. As a child it was a silver BMX bike I could explore my neighborhood with. In college I fixed up a Centurion 70s road bike for fun. Then I got into bike polo and started a chapter in the High Desert. We made all our own gear and tinkered on old steel road bikes.
Do you remember the moment or the period when the bicycle became something more than just a means of transportation?
I’ve always viewed the bicycle as a tool for having fun. Much like my view was as a child.
"Wherever you live, enjoy the nature immediately around you. It's all unique and special."
Redlands and California are such incredible places. What kind of relationship do you have with these landscapes, and what do they represent for you?
I am always in awe with the vast variety of landscapes CA has. I have much gratitude for the area I currently live in. Located at the foothills of the San Bernardino mountain range with orange groves, canyons and a rocky Santa Ana riverbed. There are still swaths or pockets of undeveloped land. I have seen much agricultural land disappear and become wear houses. It makes me sad, even though I had to work at these factories for a short time. Wherever you live, enjoy the nature immediately around you. It’s all unique and special.
Like me, you also seem to be a lover of steel frames. What brought you to this choice? Is there something deeper behind it?
At first it was the construction/craftsmanship of lugged frames and swooping forks. Then I realized the longevity of such frames. Timeless & sturdy.
"It plays a big part in my life now. Leading to freedom, health and exploring more of our natural surroundings."
Your videos carry a strong sense of freedom and calm. When you create this content, are you trying to tell a story, or is it more a personal way of remembering and living the moment?
Personal. I make the videos for myself; to remember my rides and record the landscapes that I connect with. Secondly, I want others to feel inspired to go out and explore what’s around them. Connect with nature, feel the wind in their hair and smile.
What are you looking for when you go out riding? Exploration, training, silence, connection with nature… or a mix of all of these?
Mostly to connect with nature. I love finding a quiet place to pause. I mostly ride alone for that reason.
Is there a ride or a journey that stands out as something truly special for you, more than the others? A moment that stayed with you the most?
Exploring old mines and bikepacking around Joshua Tree in the Mojave Desert. Part of the journey was riding by moonlight across a quiet desert landscape.
The encounter with the snake in one of your videos is incredible. Do you often come across wildlife like that?
Yes, very often, depending on the season. I always keep my eyes open for critters and snakes. I find them fascinating and it excites me to see unique wildlife. They’re always there but not always seen.
The online community today is huge. What kind of relationship do you have with the people who follow you, and what do you hope they take away from your content?
I try to be friendly and open to everyone; responding to comments and questions. Although I don’t scroll through my feed that often. Mostly I just want folks to feel inspired to connect with the land around them. And a bicycle is a fun and practical tool we can use.
Final question: what does the bicycle mean to you today, and what role does it play in your life?
It’s a stunning invention. Both simple yet complex. I don’t have the knowledge or finances to work on cars but a bike I can handle. It plays a big part in my life now. Leading to freedom, health and exploring more of our natural surroundings.
