Smoove in Action

Growing up in the woods of Northern Michigan, the 90s mountain bike was my method of transportation to the outside world… but nothing was close. As a kid, a 10 mile ride felt like an eternity, but it was all for freedom. Fast forward to 2019, I brought cycling back into my life in order to negate the negligence caused by a few college years. My hopes at the time were to lose weight and feel better about myself. Now, in 2022 I'm still hoping to lose weight with cycling but my drive has shifted towards performance in (and out of) the saddle more than anything. The past three years I’ve been adding more and more races into my schedule, and 2023 is nothing different. Currently, I have 10 gravel races planned for the coming year with nearly 900 miles of Michigan back roads to travel. My definition of freedom on the bike has changed from my formative years; I don’t ride to see friends and get out of the house, I ride so I can have the ability to go further, for faster and longer than I was able to before. And if I'm lucky enough, I might be able to squeeze a couple more into the mix.

As a kid, I rode my BMX bike around the neighborhood until the streetlights came on, but as life got in the way, I stopped riding. In 2019, my dad gifted me his old Mountain Bike and I rode 50 miles in one journey once or twice a year to our favorite brewery. I thought that was a long trip then, but now I ride ultra endurance Gravel and Mountain Bike events. I started riding to lose a few pounds and become healthier, but it is now a lifestyle. 

I started mountain biking/racing in the mid 90s. I bought a road bike mainly for training, but found myself getting into racing some criteriums and a few long road races. I also did some time trials and a few duathlons.  My main focus though, was mountain biking until the early 2000. I then backed off on racing and started just riding for fun and fitness. I enjoyed doing century rides around the state. I also did some centuries in the Blueridge mountains. I did the 3 day 300 mile make a wish ride for 10 years. I now ride and race for fun. I do a couple of mountain bike races each year, but my main focus is gravel racing. My favorite races that I try to do each year: coast to coast, mud sweat and beers, Michigan mountain mayhem, ore to shore, dirty thirty, and my all time favorite is the Moran 166 gravel race.