In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Drew Raney @raneydayss. Drew recently helped put on a bikepacking event in the Los Padres National Forest in California - Tour de Los Padres - which he completed on a singlespeed! Additionally, he raised $1,000 for his elementary school to give away bikes and start a comprehensive "learn to ride" program…

In this episode, I am speaking with Bill Donahue about his book Unbound: Unforgettable True Stories from the World of Endurance Sports. Bill Donahue is an independent writer who lives in New Hampshire. He has written for Outside, The New York Times Magazine, Bicycling, and Runner's World. In reporting stories, I’ve searched for fallen meteorites in…

In this episode, I’m speaking with Jeff Woodgate, Instructor, guide and owner of Alberta 66 Mountain Biking and a key player in the Grow Kananaskis movement. They’re on a mission to protect over 900 hectares of pristine wilderness in West Bragg Creek and Moose Mountain from logging. Yep, that's the equivalent of 833 soccer fields! Can you imagine? …

In this episode, I connect with Mike Dion, Director of Ride the Divide (2010), the movie we all know and love and, for many of us, was the catalyst for us to tackle bikepacking races and eventually, the Tour Divide itself. We chat about the films old and new. Mike discusses his process as a creator and the meaning he found creating the film and att…

In this episode of the podcast I connect with Nathan Siemens of the Lost Elephant Ultra Race (drink). We chat about the race itself and the logistics of organizing bikepacking race such as these. We chat about how women are dominating these events as well as other topics. Nathan drove up to Invermere from Cranbrook BC so that we could chat in perso…

I have been wanting to talk to Dean Anderson for some time now. Finally, we were able to connect and we had a great conversation. I have admired Dean's Ultra Endurance efforts for many years. From completing the Triple Crown of bike packing in the US on his single-speed bike to Everesting projects, Dean is always getting after it In this episode he…

Katrina @nutrition_with_katrina wants to change your relationship with food. Our relationship with food goes beyond mere sustenance; it's intertwined with our emotions, habits, and overall well-being. Taking the time to evaluate and potentially transform this relationship can have profound effects on our health and happiness. In this conversation, …

Just a little self promotion for a 24 hour ride I’ll be doing next week on the Old Coach Road here in the Columbia Valley to raise awareness and donations for Heads Up Guys, a resource that provides men with information and practical tips to manage and prevent depression. I promote the idea of doing hard things and movement through nature as great …

Doug Dunlop @coldbike, renaissance man, is a dad, adventure cyclist, musician, and bike mechanic. He is also a sewist specializing in pogies for flat and drop bar bikes and also creates awesome frame bags, one of which packed enormous amounts of gear on my ride down to Mexico on the Divide in 2022. Check out his website to learn more. Doug and I sa…

Apologies for a somewhat scattered podcast. Spinning off a voice intro, I chat about a 24 hour ride I'm planning for February, thanking folks for a great 2023 and share some lessons I learned in 2023 as a result of trying to manifest the future that I want. KTRSD in 2024.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout. Visi…

Hello My Back 40 Community and Happy New Year! 2024; You know they say time flies and what I am finding is that the older I get, the faster it flies. That being said, make sure you tell the people in your life that you love them because in a snap, it could all be gone. I was struggling to come up with something to put out there sooner, but every ti…

Apologies for taking so long to get this one out to you! It's been around around 4 years since Mike and I first chatted on the Bikepack Canada Podcast and here we are again, connecting to talk about the Japanese Odyssey. It's always good to connect with Mike who has been fabricating Bikepacking bags for several years now. We chat about the challeng…

In this episode, I shoot the shit with Julian Vicente from Shaka Packs. American born but now living in Canada, this entrepreneur identified a niche in the bikepacking industry. Determined to fill the gap, he took it upon himself to learn to sewing. Now, he crafts stunning custom framebags and accessories to help you cram stuff on to your bike with…

Riding the SIlk Road Mountain Race is hard enough, but to choose to do it on a cargo bike would make most of us run the other way. For someone like Allan, who lives life behind bars, this was a challenge that was right up his alley. Allan is the founder of Gay's Okay Cycling. Gay's Okay is a small cycling apparel brand with a big, positive, empower…

This is just a short podcast to talk about some things that have recently been on my mind. As well, we hear from my buddy Allen Green about the Danger Bird Bikepacking ride happening in New Mexico. To support my audiobook project, please visit my Patreon Page and sign up at the $10/mo level to get access. It’s a wonderful project but a shit ton of …

LP Landry @lplandry_overcomecafe is a Psychotherapist and Leadership Coach at Overcome Café, where he helps leaders and cyclists better balance life and work. I saw he had posted about life balance on LinkedIn, so I invited him to chat about it. I think many of us can use sport as a way to escape. Finding the balance between all aspects of our live…

I have something a little different for you this week. A friend connected me with Anne-Marie and Abby Berger who needed a place to reset and do some laundry. Both of these women have spent the last couple of years on the road exploring in their vans and working remotely. I figured it was going to be a great opportunity to do a podcast to talk about…

Jenifer reached out to me a couple of weeks ago wanting to have a chat. Here's what she wrote in her message to me. "My name is Jennifer, I am the owner of Ignite Health Coaching and Wellness based in Canmore. I help endurance athletes to support their mental health beyond exercise. Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are all too commo…

The last time Trish was on the podcast we had a fantastic conversation and this time around did not disappoint. I was out on a ride and I sent her a voice message asking if she'd be okay if we dove deep on a couple of topics. This made for a really fun and flowing chat. We talk about her finishing the The Big Sky Spectaculaire, a 1500km route with …

I love podcasting because it gives a platform where the listener feels like a fly on the wall, listening to two people getting to know one another. Fred Chagnon contacted me a few weeks ago to highlight the lack of chat about Randonneuring on the Podcast. Well then, we should talk about it. Fred was a fantastic guest and shared a lot about his work…

In this episode I speak with Jocelyn De La Rosa about his 2023 Lost Elephant experience. Jocelyn was riding head to head with winner, Meaghan Hackinen when suddenly his dot stopped moving. It then starting moving west and off route. I wanted to get the story and it's a good one indeed! I have crossed paths with Jocelyn a number of times in the last…

This week I have a conversation with Jay Petervary about his new project, Great Divide Ride Unearthed. Jay is planning an ITT of the American Cycling Association's official GD route which starts in Jasper Alberta. The mission: "To inspire others to use the bicycle to benefit their physical and mental health; to pursue their dreams; to do challengin…

July 22, 2023, I headed out to Fairmont BC to meet up with folks racing the Lost Elephant Bikepacking Race here in the East Kootenays. Similar to the 2023 Divide, I brought the recorder with me to meet and chat with riders as they rolled into the only resupply they would see for the next 390km. This is a format that I enjoy and I hope you do too. M…

In this episode of the podcast, I’m speaking with John Ogrodniczuk Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the University of British Columbia Psychotherapy Program, one of North America’s largest medically based psychotherapy training programs. John also heads up the Men’s Mental Health Organization HeadsUpGuys. Launched in 2015, their team of clin…

In this podcast episode, I explore a couple of voice intros and delve into some thoughts that have occupied my mind recently. I am aware that it's been a while, and I want to express my gratitude for your patience. I tend to place a great deal of pressure on myself to release episodes as regularly as possible. I hope my absence didn't cause any con…

Something a little different this week. Last week I hung out at the 2023 Tour Divide Grand Depart to take in the energy, and to wander around with my recorder to talk to people from around the globe as they get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. It was such an exciting time for everyone. I also had the chance to meet previous MB40 guests in rea…

Just a short one for you this week. I was inspired by a voice intro from Steve in Manitoba to record some ramblings. Life has been pretty hectic lately, so it's been hard to find time to record so I thought I would just get a track down to connect with you. The one thing I truly love about the podcast is the engagement I get from you, the listener.…

By Steve O'Shaughnessy

In this episode, I'm speaking with Matthey Kadey, dietician, author, bikepacker, and route developer. It's been a while since we've had a chat and it was great to catch up with him. You'll know Matt as the author of Rocket Fuel, Muffin Tin Chef and The No-Cook, No-Bake Cookbook. Matt is also the creator of the BT 700 and has contributed to many oth…

This week on the podcast, I'm speaking with James Folsom, ultra-endurance cyclist, and bikepacker. I've been wanting to connect with James for some time now. I had the pleasure or riding with him during the 2021 AR700. We sat and enjoyed some snacks at a gas station in Coleman, before rolling on to find a place to sleep in some random field. We did…

This week I chat with Rob Biron, aka Salty Beard Bikepacking @saltybeardbikepacking about his new route on Vancouver Island, Caves and Coves TT. Caves and Coves offers a new format for riders in that there are a ton of options on how and when you participate in the event, making it more accessible to more people’s timelines. Rob wanted to show off …

Thought I would just sit and go in cold with a few things that have been on my mind. I share a couple of voice intros, talk a bit about eating during long distance events and chat a little about mental health in regard to the stories that we tell ourselves. Life has been pretty intense for me, but it has been an opportunity to process and to contin…

This week I’m speaking with Stefan Barth, Coach at SBU Coaching and Author of Ultracycling & Bikepacking. Stefan is an entrepreneur who started his coaching business after being dissatisfied with his path. His coaching business is unique as he takes a whole-body approach to training his athletes. As a Medical Fitness Coach, he can pay particular at…

The last couple of days have been hard. Last evening I decided I’d put on Ride the Divide and escape into that world for a bit. It was very cool to see places that I had been, long desolate roads and the rider’s struggles as they navigated the trail. Despite being separated by a big screen and that over a decade has passed since the film was releas…

This week, I bring you a conversation with Jerry Kopack. Jerry reached out to me a few weeks ago requesting to connect on the podcast. He wanted to share his personal adventure and how the simple act of riding a bike, provided him with invaluable insight. This is from the bio he sent me. After 10 soulless years in corporate America, Jerry founded a…

Those of you following the Iditarod Trail Invitational may have noticed a couple of riders heading back to Anchorage, RJ Sauer being one of them. On the heels of just publishing a podcast with RJ, he messaged me to let me know that his heart just wasn’t in it. I thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to connect with RJ, while it is all fresh…

One of the fringe benefits of doing this podcast is having my guest’s phone numbers. I saw that RJ Sauer was getting ready for the Iditarod Trail invitational, 350-mile race across Alaska, so I reached out to him to wish him luck and to keep the rubber side down. The next day, I was thinking to myself “Is he in Alaska already?”. When I found out th…

This week, I chat with Jonathan Hogg. Jonathan is riding the Tour Divide in 2023 and wants to raise a million dollars for Rocky Mountain Adaptive, a charitable organization that creates and provides accessible adventures for individuals living with physical and/or neuro-divergent challenges. Jonathan discovered the Tour Divide during his recovery a…

Joy, Habits, Life Obstacles, Validation, Trauma, Human Design. This chat with Ryan Draper, despite being truncated by family duties, is a doozy and one of my favourite ways to podcast. No framework, just conversational flow. We get deep fast! I know I just re-posted a podcast with Ryan, but I think the topics here are fresh and interesting. I share…

From time to time Ryan and I connect for a chat to catch up on things that are going on in our lives and there are great things happening for him. Namely the birth of his son, Maxton. Ryan started coaching as a passion project in 2000 as athletes in his community were asking him for help with their training. In 2014, he took the leap and Cycling 10…

In this episode of the podcast, I connect with Meaghan to talk about some of her 2022 cycling highlights, including the World 24-Hour Time Trial Championships, The trans Continental Race and Mallorca 312. Meaghan Hackinen is a bikepacker, writer and adventure seeker cyclist from Kelowna, BC, whose two-wheeled adventures have taken her from Haida Gw…

This week I thought I would chat a little about Fat Bikes and why you need one. I have had a Fat Bike in my quiver for the last 8 years or so and it’s one of my favourite bikes to ride. I mostly roll her in the winter but summer riding with a fatbike can be equally as fun! In this episode I reflect back on the Divide. Memories that were bought back…

In this episode, I speak with one of my Mindset Coaches, Paige Royal. Paige and I have known each other for a many years. Last year, after being disconnected from her for a long time, I stumbled across her online. We connected for a conversation, which turned into a personal coaching opportunity. Coaching and Therapy have been vital for me over the…

In this episode of the podcast, I bring you a fantastic conversation with Valorie Masuda, Psychedelic Therapist with Roots to Thrive, “Roots to Thrive is Canada’s first and only multidisciplinary, non-profit healthcare practice to legally offer evidence-informed, multi-week, group therapy programs that use a community of practice model, uniquely de…

Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40 Save 25% off a consultation at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout. Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout. Visit Rollingdale Cycle Thanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support. Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support. Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in …

I just wanted to check in to give some thanks to everyone for all of their support while I navigate some murky waters. It’s been super tough for me so all the love that I’m receiving has been welcome. Thank you. I neglected to thank Mason for his voice into, as I recorded my part before I inserted his. Thanks, Mason. It’s gratifying to hear that yo…

I was privileged to receive a Redshift Sports ShockStop Suspension Stem in the mail the other day, thanks to my buddy Jim from MTXC in Missoula, MT and Dylan at Redshift Sports. As a purist, it’s a little outside of the box for me but I had heard from other Divide riders, who had run this stem, that it’s a game changer and I was pretty stoked to tr…

Hey everyone! It’s been pretty quiet out here at My Back 40. I tend to withdrawal when things get hard in life. Finding the balance during these times can be challenging so I thought I would chat a little about some topics that have been top of mind lately. Motivation can be challenging when you’re experiencing the lows, and I try to practice what …

This week, I bring you a conversation with Steve Halligan @halligan.steve about his experience on the Silk Road Mountain Race, A grueling 1895km route, with around 34,500m of elevation gain, which he finished in 8 days 6 hours and 35 minutes, taking 3rd place. Steve’s resume of events is impressive having tackled the Tour Divide twice and has crush…

It has been a while since Kyle @kyle_mess and I connected on the podcast, and this one, where we discuss his recent win on the Alberta Rockies 700, did not disappoint. After scratching on this year’s BC Epic 1000, due to stomach issues, Kyle knew he had to make some changes. He delved deep into his training and nutrition, learning more about his ph…