Ep 0: Chris Guibert, Photographer, and Mountain Bike Guide
Hello and welcome to CycologyFM! This is the show that goes in-depth for all biking enthusiasts, no matter where your focus and passion lie within the sport. For this inaugural episode, we are joined by the one and only Chris Guibert, and we take this special opportunity to look back at a friendship of about 30 years, consider what has changed in the last few decades, and reminisce on some amazing shared moments on the long ride we have been on! Chris has had so many different jobs and adventures along the way and continues to juggle his love of cycling in interesting and surprising ways. After we talk about the shop we worked at together in the early '90s, Chris fills us in on some recent highlights of work and play and lays out his current occupations too. We get to talk a whole lot about Copper Harbor and its trails, where Chris currently lives, getting the inside scoop on the resort that our guest is involved with there, and the role he plays in developing a great off-road destination. A big portion of our conversation is spent looking back at the Arizona Off-Road Adventures company that we started together and what this foray in business subsequently blossomed into. Chris is the first of many exciting guests that will be appearing on CycologyFM, a few of which will be name-dropped today, just to get you excited. So to hear this all, and a whole lot more from Chris, be sure to listen in and subscribe!
Key Points From This Episode:
How Chris and Rob met working at Bargain Basement Bikes in the '90s!
Chris' life and career since then; photography and the amazing remote location where he resides.
The array of positions that Chris currently holds, from helping run resorts to cleaning pools.
Expansion of the Copper Harbor Trail System and what makes it so special.
Accessing Copper Harbor through Houghton, Michigan, and the direct flights that are available.
The idea behind Arizona Off-Road Adventures; Rob and Chris' joint venture in the '90s.
Biking the trails around Las Vegas as research for starting the company.
Exploring and mapping unchartered territories and finding trails before the days of GPS.
Publishing and publicizing The Map, and getting involved in the early days of Amazon.
The scarce cell-service in Copper Harbor and what this means for routes and social interactions.
Chris' experience putting together the Dirt Camp event in Patagonia, Arizona.
Making friends through cycling and reminiscing with some crazy stories about Myles Rockwell.
Looking forward to some of the exciting guests we will be hosting on the show!
A brief look at the life-changing experience that Chris had guiding a trip with Adventure Cycling.
Advances in technology in the off-road biking world over the last 30 years.
Tweetables:
“You're really doing mountain biking. You're not just on a path through the woods. There is as much elevation change in a ride as you want it to be.” — Chris Guibert [0:22:58]
“We would run multiple cycle computers on one bike to make sure if we were going out for a mapping ride, that we had the accurate mileage.” — Chris Guibert [0:42:15]
“There's no cell service. Paper maps are still ruling the roost. In case your phone dies, and your Trailforks goes down, or whatever you have saved on your phone, the paper map is still ruling the roost up here.” — Chris Guibert [0:44:20]
“There's nobody walking around with their head in their phone. There's nobody quickly checking email. It's like how it used to be. People are approachable.” — Chris Guibert [0:45:29]