This episode is part of our logging series which covers topics in safety, education, and what we need to know as recreationalists in active logging areas. In this episode, we connect back with Jennifer Beathe, Forester and Outreach manager of Starker Forests and Austin Finster, owner and operator of Finster Forestry. We have an open discussion abou…

In this episode, the Dirty Freehub team goes on a tour to Alder Creek Tree farm with Jennifer Beathe, Forester and Outreach Manager of Starker Forests. During the ride to Alder Creek Tree farm in Corvallis, Oregon, we dive into identifying the recreational and rider safety around logging operations, the dangers involved in this type of work, what t…

In this episode, the Dirty Freehub team goes on a tour to Alder Creek Tree farm with Jennifer Beathe, Forester and Outreach Manager of Starker Forests. During the drie to Alder Creek Tree farm in Corvallis, Oregon, we dive into identifying the recreational and rider safety around logging operations, the dangers involved in this type of work, what t…

If you've ever cycled through Oregon, you might have passed under the canopy of a Red Alder tree. In this episode, we chat with Glenn Ahrens, an extension forester from Oregon State University, about everything related to alders and conifers. We'll also explore various tree species native to Oregon, learn how to identify them, and discover what a f…

Jason Kirchner joins us from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Newport, Oregon to dive into one of nature’s most enigmatic creatures: the wolverine. As the District Wildlife Biologist, he answers questions like: What are wolverines? What do they look like? How do they behave? Where do they reside? Separating fact from fiction, we will revea…

Located in Harney Basin in eastern Oregon, Malheur Lake sits within the 187,000 acres of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, an area that is an important wildlife habitat. Aquatic Biologist, Dominic Bachman, at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge shares insights into whether this body of water is really a lake or not, ecology, history, and conservation …

Did Oregon even have black pioneers? Listen to our interview with Zachary Stocks, Executive Director of Oregon Black Pioneers (a non profit which preserves the history of Black Oregonians) to find out more about this whole topic. When did black pioneers arrive in Oregon? What were some of the places where we ride bicycles today that were utilized b…

Riding next to scenic terrain, such as the Wallowa Mountains, are often in very remote and rural areas. Many of these rural areas in Oregon are active rural areas so while you may be out for a Sunday morning gravel ride, there are many ranchers actively working. Listen in on Eric Makela, the Vice President of the Wallowa Mountains Bicycling Club, a…

Discover the mysteries of the Newberry Caldera and its volcanic activities spanning half a million years. Whether you are riding Creek to Peak or looking for thermals, Ranger Randy and Dr. Daniel Macakay of University of Oregon answer many of your questions about this geological formation in Central Oregon. In this podcast, they also discuss the fe…

Welcome to Pine Mountain Observatory, nestled in the serene landscapes of Oregon about 34 miles southeast of Bend. In this episode, we unveil the highlights of the night sky with our guest, "astro monk" Alton Luke, Head of Operations at Pine Mountain Observatory and a key figure in the University of Oregon's Physics Department. Today we get to peer…

Have you ever encountered a jumping cacti? More specifically, the jumping cholla cactus in Arizona? If you have ridden our Rock Art or Bring a Fork routes in Arizona then you have dodged more than a few of these spiky cacti. Today we interview Peter Breslin who holds his Ph.D. in Environmental Life Sciences and focuses his research on evolution, bi…

Do you ever see some bright green, shrubby looking creature on a gravel ride? This organism is likely Letharia Vulpina (and no it does not have magic or poisonous powers like a spell) which is also knows as Wolf Lichen. Bryologist, mycologist, and lichenologist Tim Wheeler works to dedicate his life studies towards nonvascular plants and over the l…

Where do beavers live? What's their impact on other wildlife? How do they impact the surrounding property where they live? When should we reintroduce them? Can you relocate a beaver? Are they a protected species in Oregon? How have the laws recently changed about beavers? Listen to our interview with Maureen Thompson, the Manager of the Beaver Work…

They may be cute ... but are wild burros actually helpful or harmful? Dr. Erick Lundgren who is an ecologist with a lot of research concerning wild burros, horses, and other introduced megafauna discusses the topic of wild burros (which are also called wild donkeys). He addresses perspectives that might encourage you to look at these animals a litt…

Travel Oregon recently announced they will fund the nonprofit Dirty Freehub to create 20 to 25 gravel cycling All Access Ride Guides across the state of Oregon. These electronic guides are designed to help adaptive athletes, ebikers or other cyclists such as the 75 year old athlete with aerobic challenges, the person who got busy with life and gain…

The juniper tree is an iconic tree across Central and Eastern Oregon and yet, in some places they are being removed. Find out the real scoop about this unique tree from Gena Goodman-Campbell who is the Stewardship Director at ONDA (Oregon Natural Desert Association) where she works to engage volunteers in hands-on restoration projects in Oregon's h…

Today we meet with Patti Lynch, a former Law Enforcement officer, to talk about Search and Rescue and what that looks like in times of trouble. When should you call Search and Rescue and what happens on their side to deploy a rescue. As a cyclist, what should you carry that will really make a difference when things go south. This podcast is produce…

Learn about Joseph, which is a town in Eastern Oregon, as Chris talks with Jude Graham who is the Wallowa County Museum Curator. They discuss history, art, culture, events and activities. Among other things, Joseph even hosts a qualifier for the Iditarod! With so much great gravel cycling in Joseph, we are sure this will just give you one more reas…

Meet Harley Rustad, author of “Big Lonely Doug: The Story of One of Canada’s Last Great Trees.” In this episode, Dirty Freehub’s Sarah Burch interviews Harley about his book for the READ & RIDE program. Learn what inspired Harley to write Big Lonely Doug, how his book has impacted the ecotourism and environmental movements, and so much more! This p…

Let's meet Ken Wu, former Executive Director and co-founder of the Ancient Forest Alliance, who has spent years protecting ancient forests in British Columbia, including being a major player in protecting the Big Lonely Doug. Ken tells how he named the iconic Doug Fir tree which is located in Vancouver Island. He also talks about how the indigenous…

Meet TJ Watt, Big Tree Hunter and co-founder of the Ancient Forest Alliance. TJ is an award-winning nature and conservation photographer from British Columbia whose images have helped bolster campaigns to secure the protection of important environmental areas. In this episode, TJ explains how he got interested in big trees, what it's like to climb …

In Yachats, Oregon the town pays tribute to indigenous heritage through a story about Amanda. How did this one story come to represent the history of the local tribe? Joanne Kittel started out wanting to donate 1/2 miles of land in Yachats, Oregon to support the Oregon Coast Trail. This turned into 30 years of research and advocacy work about the l…

This podcast explorers how Kristen and Ville Jokinen met and fell in love while scuba diving in Vietnam. Ville then left his native Finland to join Kristen in Oregon, and together they embarked on a life-changing two-year cycling adventure covering 18,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Ushuaia, Argentina. Despite never having cycled further tha…

In March 2022, Chris Cole, a local Bend artist, installed a new sculpture in the Discovery West neighborhood. This new public art in Bend, Oregon is a tribute to Annie Londonderry, the first women to bicycle around the world in 1894 and 1895. The seven foot tall, inverted pyramid design includes decorative bike cogs, ship window, and illuminated im…

In Southern Arizona you might be lucky enough to see Sonoran pronghorns. In this podcast, we learn from Stephanie Fuest, the lead wildlife biologist for the recovery of the endangered Sonoran pronghorn. She walks us through the history of the species in the area, recovery efforts, and best practices should you encounter one while riding. She also e…

What is a fish hatchery? Why are they important? What fish do they raise? What impacts the survival of the fish? Our guest is Kyle Bratcher who is a District Fish Biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and he will discuss fish hatcheries with an emphasis on the Wallowa Hatchery in Enterprise, OR. We promise, the next time you rid…

Ever visited a location from your favorite book? Cool, right? Dirty Freehub's new READ & RIDE allows you to do just that! READ & RIDE matches 5-star gravel routes with books to create a memorable journey. Read to learn, then ride to bring the pages to life! No worries if books aren't your jam — you can still learn about the places you'll ride throu…

The Wallowa Mountains in NE Oregon have the most complicated and longest geological history of any range in Oregon. In this podcast, we talk with Dr. Kim Ely, a geologist, about this unique and beautiful area. You will learn how to "untangle what you see" when riding in the Wallowas! For the full transcript and bonus information, go to the podcast …

So many great gravel bike routes go by wind turbines. What does it feel like to hang hundreds of feet in the air working in the elements? Learn all about wind turbines as Chris Kutach talks with David Anthes who is a rope access technician (and fellow cyclist). What does that mean? David repairs the blades on wind turbines while dangling from ropes…

Thinking about transitioning from road riding to gravel cycling? Join us in a fun conversation between Linda English (aka Gravel Girl and Executive Director of Dirty Freehub) and Kira Corbett (overall badass in cycling) as we talk about everything around the challenges and joys to making the switch from road to gravel. From route planning, what to …

WebCyclery, a bike shop in Bend, Oregon is celebrating their 25th anniversary. Let's catch up with Owner, Kevin Gorman as he talks about how it all began. What makes WebCyclery different and the story behind moving the shop into a former church. How has his family been involved in building the business and what is Kevin's favorite Central Oregon gr…

Have you ever driven through Paisley, Oregon and noticed the advertisement for the Paisley Mosquito Festival? Is it really a festival about mosquitos? Today we talk with one of the festival's organizers, Amy Davis, to learn about a festival that may very well involve mosquitoes. Sure would be fun to polish off the Milk and Honey gravel bike route a…

The Milky Way is a stainless steel sculpture that is located at Shevlin Park Road and Mt Washington Drive in Bend, Oregon. In this podcast, Pete Stein interviews Devin Field who was the artist behind this fun piece. Listen in as we learn about how the art was commissioned and then how we designed and built this sculpture. Also, The Milky Way is a l…

We all know that it is important to spend where we ride .... to support the local economy. But do all dollars spent have the same impact? In this podcast, we explore that premise with Thomas Barr, the Vice President of Business Development for Local First Arizona. Local First Arizona is a nonprofit working to build equitable systems for Arizona’s l…

Riding on obscure Tuscon trails, we ran across amazing art that was created out of rocks carefully arranged in the sand to form very cool figures. A huge rabbit, a heart, a wolf howling in a moonlight, a horse, a hummingbird .... we also ran across the original artist, Karen Garno, who was busy working on her latest masterpiece. Listen in on this p…

Rattlesnakes scare the bejeezus out of most of us. But ... should they really? In this podcast, learn more about rattlesnakes and what to do if you do get bit out in the wild. Our guest is Dr. Nick Brandehoff of the Asclepius Snakebite Foundation. Nick is board-certified in emergency medicine, medical toxicology, and addiction medicine with a passi…

This is a thought provoking interview about bikepacking racing etiquette and preparation with Kait Boyle, the co-founder and Education Director for Bikepacking Routes. She returns to answer more Leave No Trace (LNT) questions from listener-generated questions. We dive into the summer's events surrounding the large number of SAR rescues on the Tour …

As straightforward as it may sound, navigating a gravel route is much more than following a line on your bike computer or phone. We chat with Executive Director of Dirty Freehub, Linda English, to share some navigation topics to think about (and practice) along with some comical stories while navigating. What are the common mistakes cyclists make i…

The playful, retro "Greetings From" murals across Central Oregon bring back fond memories of the postcards that were a huge hit with tourists in the mid 20th century. These murals are part of the The Central Oregon Mural Trail and are created by Karen Eland and Katie Daisy for Visit Central Oregon. In an interview with Karen Eland, learn about the …

Bikepacking in bear country, what should you do with your gear that will attract bears? Wet trails, what are the best practices for Leave No Trace? Kait Boyle returns to answer more of your questions. Kait is the co-founder of Bikepacking Roots and serves as its Education Director. Bikepacking Roots has worked with the Leave No Trace Center for Out…

Lael Wilcox is American ultra-endurance bike racer who holds women's records in the Tour Divide and Trans Am. Lael is motivated to encourage more people, especially women, to ride and in this podcast she joins us to talk about her experiences as an advocate in the cycling community, riding in Arizona, and sustainable tourism as a cyclist. Lael's We…

Kait Boyle is back to discuss the Love Where you Ride campaign and Leave No Trace actions for backcountry cyclists! We discuss how cyclists can minimize the spread of invasive species, where we should and shouldn't camp, and dive into the the nuances of campfire use. Kait Boyle is the co-founder of Bikepacking Roots and serves as its Education Dire…

Ever wondered what makes up a 5-Star Route? Is it road quality, visual payback, texture and terrain, or connection to culture, history, and heritage? Hint: It is some of these, but not all. In this podcast, we talk with Kevin English, the Director of Routes & Technologies for Dirty Freehub. ---------------------------------- Dirty Freehub is a nonp…

"What happened here?" That is a common reaction many have after seeing the immediate impact of the tree thinning and forest mowing work in the Phi'ls Network of trails. In this podcast, we talk with Melanie Fisher from the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project to discuss the ongoing work to restore the forest back to a healthy ecosystem that suppo…

Linda English (aka Gravel Girl) shares how to find (or as we call it "shop for") a gravel bike route. Linda explains how to analyze the risk of a route and select a route for your abilities and what’s important to you. Linda is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Dirty Freehub. She logs over 5,000 miles a year of gravel riding across the Weste…

Sarah Swallow is a world-renowned bikepacker, route developer, and storyteller who has spent a significant amount of time riding and exploring Southern Arizona. In this podcast, she shares her perspectives of the beauty and uniqueness of the Sky Islands, but also the "uncomfortable" issues arising. https://bikepacking.com/plan/sky-islands-odyssey/ …

In this podcast, we hear from Sarah Swallow, who was instrumental in developing the Sky Islands Odyssey bikepacking route in Southern Arizona. The Odyssey is a journey through the vast borderlands of the Southwest, featuring a diverse network of rocky and sandy roads that traverse the ever-changing landscapes characteristic of the Sky Islands biore…

Let's talk river conservation with Jacob Kimiecik who is a project manager with the Deschutes River Conservancy. Learn about the role of the Deschutes River Conservancy and their impact on the Deschutes River. And hear about their current projects to restore the natural flow to the middle reach of McKay Creek outside of Prineville, Oregon. This inc…

We all know about the iconic psuedo "Red Chicken" sculpture within the Phil's Trail System in Bend, Oregon. But ... do you know the story of the actual sculpture, the Phoenix Rising, located at Galveston and 14th street? In this podcast, we talk with Romy Mortensen of Art in Public Places, a non-profit formed in the 1970s to bring art, culture and …

In this episode, we focus in on backcountry hygiene, peeing, pooping, and proper disposal. We interview Kait Boyle who is a mountain biker and record-holding ultra-cyclist who also helped co-found Bikepacking Roots and serves as its Education and Events Director. Bikepacking Roots has worked with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to crea…