The Radavist

Last summer, we featured The Coyote Collective’s Fastest Known Time attempt to link all the 14,000-ft. Peaks in California under human power. Now, we are proud to share their short film documenting the journey, A Study of Self.

“Hypothesis: The California 14ers could be linked up by bike in under 9 days, covering 800 miles of riding, 100 miles of running, and nearly 100K of vertical gain. In August 2020, we set out to test the hypothesis, starting from Mt. Shasta. Charlie, Jonny, and I rode our bikes, and Colin and Nick followed along in the van, filming and having an adventure of their own. We didn’t know how things would unfold, only how hard we’d worked to make it all come together, and how much fun we were having figuring it all out with our best friends. We were field testing our lives — planning out a route and diving headfirst into bikepacking. We were taking a chance on something we believed in.

Was our hypothesis correct? Did we break the speed record and find fame and glory? Check out our scientific beatdown in the first film project from The Coyote Collective, “A Study of Self: Methods & Madness.”

Jason Fitzgibbon, who has delivered some exceptional content here at The Radavist over the years, MTB shredder and wildlife ecologist, makes a point to stop to smell the flowers.

Fitzgibbon monitors, tracks, and documents the vast and delicate landscapes of the southwest. He knows that the more aware people become of the needs of the landscape we share, inhabit, and recreate in, the better we are able to work to sustain and protect it.

Filmmaker and fellow SoCal resident Brian Vernor documents Fitzgibbon as he shreds through subalpine regions around Los Angeles, educating and elaborating on our impact to the regions where we live and ride. Made for The Pro’s Closet.

The latest video from Pas Normal Studios takes us from the Bay Area to the Yosemite Valley for some of California’s best road riding…

The Cannel Run, aka the Plunge, is an all-day endeavor in the Kernville area of California. Ian Watt and his friends decided to descend it on a recent bikepacking trip on hardtails and a rigid bike.

Matt has submitted a Readers’ Rides post before and this week, we’re featuring his “Unicorn” Soma Wolverine build, which he’s documented in detail for your enjoyment below!

Wahoo Frontiers takes to one of California’s most breathtaking places, the Lost Coast:

“In this first episode of season two, Ian Boswell, Peter Stetina, and Colin Strickland meet up in California for a bike trip that explores the Lost Coast. This is not just an adventure, it is the new training camp for these privateers. What do you do when you need your competition to get better so you can beat your competition later? Ian, Pete, and Colin find out as they tackle the Lost Coast each seeking something a bit different and each riding away with fresh perspective and motivation for challenges ahead.”

See the route links below…

Hallie Silva is taking on the Tour de Los Padres this year and is running a fundraiser to help raise awareness for the area. Hallie reached out with some details of her effort, including some organizations she’s currently fundraising for:

“I’m a teacher in Santa Barbara riding the Tour de Los Padres this year as to bring awareness to, and fundraise for the San Marcos Foothills Preserve. This public space is the ancestral home of the Chumash and one of the last remaining access points for front-country wilderness in Santa Barbara, and right across the street from the junior high I teach at. This access point is being currently threatened by corporate luxury home development. 

I’m currently collecting donations that will go directly to two local organizations:

Seeds to Forest Defense, an autonomous group of Chumash, BIPOC and white allies protecting the land who center Indigenous ecological knowledge. They also work to provide resources such as lawyer fees for the indigenous folks who were arrested in ceremony while protecting our public lands. 

The second organization is Save the San Marcos Foothills Preserve, led by Channel Islands Restoration, whose mission is to purchase the undeveloped property next to the San Marcos Foothills Preserve at fair market value, to protect it forever as public open space, and to restore the native habitat. You can learn more at their website, https://www.savesanmarcosfoothills.org  “

If you can and would like to help out Hallie’s efforts, you can donate to her cause. Right now, she’s $1,000 into her $3,000 goal. Expect more to come from Hallie in the near future.

Our friends at Easton worked on a beautiful project:

“An avid cyclist, artist, and designer, Ariel conceived of The Full Circle Cycling Land Acknowledgement Project to raise funds and awareness of the land that we use every day as cyclists up in Marin County, the birthplace of modern mountain and gravel riding. This land was once home to the Coast Miwok, but their existence is seldom acknowledged.

In support of the Coast Miwok’s work to share and preserve their culture, the Full Circle Cycling Project aims to sell artwork inspired by the land, cycling, and community. Funds raised will go towards current and forthcoming projects that the Coast Miwok have established (you can find further details on their cultural learning center, and land acknowledgment statue at the link) as well as funding to assist Trips for Kids Marin to continue to make cycling accessible for all. Ariel’s ultimate goal is to help all people experience nature through cycling by supporting local programs that help bring cycling to underserved communities.

Please head to the Full Circle fundraiser page to learn more about the artwork, and to purchase a Tunitas Carryall musette, handkerchief, or print of the artwork. Easton Cycling is excited to support the work Ariel has put in to develop these connections through art, and we are proud to provide financial assistance in bringing this project to fruition so that all proceeds can benefit the community. Special thanks to the Coast Miwok Tribal Council for their support of this project.”

Head to the Full Circle Project to purchase a poster, musette, or bandana.

The Pray For Speed film follows cyclist, Safa Brian, in search of some of the fastest descents in Southern California. See a full-length descent of Mt. San Jacinto now and more coming in March.