The Adventure Stache
Professional mountain biker Payson McElveen sits down with some of the biggest names in sports and adventure to get an inside look at what sets them apart. With no script, the casual conversations are as diverse as the guests, with topics ranging from harrowing tales of survival, to debates on current events, to everyday tips and tricks and everything in between. As Payson travels the world for his two-wheeled day job, listen in as he rubs shoulders with and learns from some of the most inspiring athletes, entrepreneurs, academics, and others as they chase and inspire greatness.
Episodes
297 episodes
Justinas Leveika on his Tour Divide record and choosing chaos over preparation
When Justinas Leveika raced the Tour Divide for the first time last year, it was, according to him, “a disaster.” But despite having done almost no preparation, he emerged from two weeks in the wilderness in second place behind Ulrich Bartholmo...
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Season 1
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Episode 295
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1:26:29
Rad Dirt recap with Finn Gullickson and Cecily Decker
On this week’s episode, we’re covering round five the Life Time Grand Prix which took place last weekend in Trinidad, Colorado. We hear from listeners who attended the race followed by Payson's breakdown of the current points standings ...
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Season 1
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Episode 294
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1:32:38
Rosa Klöser, winner of Unbound
In just two short years, Rosa Klöser went from never having ridden a gravel bike to winning the biggest gravel race in the world. Between her first gravel ride in 2022 and standing on the top step of the Unbound podium in 2024, she also managed...
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Season 1
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Episode 293
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1:25:23
Chequamegon recap with John Borstelmann, Anna Hicks, and a points breakdown
Another Chequamegon 40 has been and gone, and we’re here to recap it all with the help of 7th place finisher John Borstelmann, 8th place finisher Anna Hicks, and the listeners who sent in their reports on the race. And because this was a Grand ...
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Season 1
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Episode 292
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1:40:50
Brennan Wertz on winning Gravel National Championships
When Brennan Wertz lined up at Gravel National Championships last weekend, he was coming off of a bad case of covid and wasn’t sure if he would make it to the end of the race. When he came across the finish line, he was National Champion. Brenn...
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Season 1
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Episode 291
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57:54
Anna Greetis on being the go-to mechanic for the pros
Anna Greetis is a mechanic and race technician for SRAM and one of the unsung heroes who helps to keep athletes on track during big events. As part of her role, she travels around the world to gravel events like Unbound and the Traka, road even...
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Season 1
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Episode 290
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1:21:33
Christian Bagg on racing Leadville by handcycle
When Christian Bagg crossed the finish line at the Leadville 100 this year, he became the first rider to complete (and start) the notorious high alpine race with a handcycle. He did it with a bike he created through his company, Bowhead Corp, t...
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Season 1
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Episode 289
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1:43:42
Melisa Rollins, Leadville 100 winner
There are many riders who dream of winning Leadville, but few if any have spent as much time working toward it as Melisa Rollins. She’s done the mountain bike race seven times, the stage race twice, the Leadville Trail Marathon once, and the ba...
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Season 1
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Episode 288
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1:07:15
Leadville recap with Michaela Thompson and John Gaston
To recap this year's Leadville, Payson sits down with two riders who had some of the most impressive results on the day, Michaela Thompson and John Gaston. Michaela rode to third place this year, a full hour faster than her time last year. She ...
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Season 1
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Episode 287
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1:47:55
David Spindler on brain chemistry and mental health for athletic performance (with Riley Amos)
Dr. David Spindler has been working as a high-performance cognitive specialist for over 25 years, helping top-level athletes unlock their brain chemistry and reach new levels of achievement. Cyclists he’s worked with include Mark Cavendish, Sam...
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Season 1
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Episode 286
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1:19:30
Savilia Blunk recaps the Olympics XCO race
Just a few days after returning home from Paris, Savilia Blunk sits down with Payson to talk about her experience competing in the XCO race at the Olympics. After years of targeted preparation, she had a lot riding on the race. In the end, she ...
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Season 1
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Episode 285
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1:12:21
Riley Amos on the Olympics and a dominant World Cup season
After going nearly undefeated on the World Cup circuit this year, U23 XCO rider Riley Amos returns to the show to talk about the season and the lead-up to the Olympics, which have just gotten underway in Paris. He talks about the heated points ...
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Season 1
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Episode 284
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1:17:58
Sarah Sturm on Migration Gravel, plus Crusher cancellation analysis
Sarah Sturm is back, fresh off of winning Migration Gravel in Kenya. As usually happens when she and Payson start chatting, the conversation covers a broad range of pressing topics. Did Sarah watch Cole Paton ride to his doom in a rainstorm jus...
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Season 1
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Episode 283
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1:48:36
Dylan Stucki on aid station chaos, Single Speed Worlds, and the Durango Derby
Dylan Stucki has dabbled in just about every bike-related career out there. He's worked as an equipment tester, mechanic, and race promoter, and even found the time to do some pro racing along the way. These days, one of his main roles is team ...
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Season 1
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Episode 282
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1:45:51
Samara Sheppard on her Grand Prix debut, Olympic disappointments, and Cape Epic podium
New Zealand cyclist Samara Sheppard has found success in multiple disciplines, including cross country (she won a U23 World Cup in 2012 and is a multi-time New Zealand and Oceania champion), road (she nearly landed a contract with one of the mo...
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Season 1
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Episode 281
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1:29:44
Chef Biju Thomas on cycling, food, and emigrating to the U.S.
As co-founder of SkratchLabs and co-author of the FeedZone cookbooks, Chef Biju Thomas has played a major role in how cyclists fuel themselves. He and his family emigrated from a rural part of Southern India to Colorado when he was 10. As a tee...
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Season 1
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Episode 280
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1:07:38
Paige Onweller on her surprise Unbound success after ankle surgery
A year and a half ago, Paige Onweller was working as an emergency PA and racing bikes on the side. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, she won Big Sugar. Recognizing that she had a fraction of the racing experience that her competitors had, Paige q...
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Season 1
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Episode 279
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1:21:36
Lea Davison on putting the “tired” in retirement and being an advocate within the sport
Lea Davison thought long and hard about her retirement, but even when she finally decided to bring her mountain biking career to a close, she didn't have any intention of slowing down. During her racing career, she won a silver and a bronze med...
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Season 1
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Episode 278
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1:10:48
Payson's 10 craziest moments from Unbound
Trains, a moto crash, the hero pull of the day, and two peeing mishaps are just some of the crazy moments from Unbound that make the cut in this episode. As the race expands every year, so does the potential for chaos within the peloton. Payson...
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Season 1
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Episode 277
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54:10
Unbound recap with Pete Stetina and Lauren De Crescenzo
This year’s Unbound was one of the most dynamic and exciting in the event’s history, featuring two new winners, separate starts for the elite men and women, and a nine-up sprint at the women's finish. Payson caught up with two of the top riders...
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Season 1
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Episode 276
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1:47:00
Jasper Ockeloen on Unbound, Sockeloen, and the Dutch Mafia
Jasper Ockeloen started racing on the road in the Netherlands when he was 8 years old and took up cyclocross not long after. The combination has come in handy now that he’s turned his focus to gravel and the increasingly popular discipline of b...
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Season 1
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Episode 275
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1:37:52
Kateřina Nash on 30 years of racing and her role within the UCI
At 46, Kateřina Nash has been racing bikes for three decades and continues to compete at the highest level. Originally from the Czech Republic, she competed in skiing throughout her early life, even competing in two Winter Olympics before disco...
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Season 1
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Episode 274
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1:41:32
Kenny Belaey on 9 trials World Championships and life after competitive cycling
Kenny Belaey started riding professionally at age 9 when he and his brother began doing trial biking shows in their native Belgium. Since then, he’s racked up nine UCI world championship titles in the discipline, more than any other rider. But ...
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Season 1
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Episode 273
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1:26:00
Taylor Lideen on missing out on the Grand Prix and starting the season with a bang
After participating in the Life Time Grand Prix in its first two years, Taylor Lideen missed out on a spot this year. While that might leave some riders struggling for motivation, it’s done the opposite for him. Two weeks ago, at Sea Otter (the...
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Season 1
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Episode 272
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1:38:50
Sea Otter recap with Hannah Otto
The Grand Prix is back and Hannah Otto is here to give a rundown of the first race of the season. She and Payson discuss the opposite tactics that played out in the men's and women's races, which new and returning riders caught their attention,...
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Season 1
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Episode 271
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1:20:19