I Wrote a Book

It’s taken some time, and at points it was hard but nothing nearly as hard as riding the damn Colorado Trail, but I wrote a book.

It’s very practically titled: Mountain Biking the Colorado Trail. I have some great blurbs from Doug Schnitzspahn, a fine writer and Editor-in-Chief of Elevation Outdoors, and Lachlan Morton, current owner of the fastest-known time (FKT) riding the Colorado Trail.

The writing took a couple of years. It started out as mostly personal narrative, since that’s my natural kind of writing, but Derek Lawrence at Bower House Books suggested I not only share my experience, but make it more of a how-to book for aspiring bikepackers. That was definitely a new angle–something I hadn’t considered–and yet, it made sense. Sure, I’m no super-fast racer, but I learned a ton of practical lessons along the way. And it was fun trying out a new writerly voice: sage advisor.

The book turned out beautifully. I’m exceptionally proud of it. It’s available at pretty much all the usual online bookstores, and REI also has copies for sale, too.

Best of all, it’s already out there in the wilds of Colorado. Recently, a friend and his son were riding the CT and took my book along. While out in the middle of nowhere, they came upon a fellow thru-rider from New Zealand, and from his pack he pulled out his own copy.

Here’s some slightly blurry visual proof:

I hope he made it okay and I didn’t steer him wrong.

Happy riding, people.