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The Radavist 2019 Calendar: October

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The Radavist 2019 Calendar: October

This is the tenth layout of the Radavist 2019 Calendar, entitled “Sandstone Sunset” shot with a Canon 5D and a 24-70mm lens in Bryce, Utah.

“Bryce Canyon and the northern region of the Colorado Plateau has been home to the Paiute since 1200 A.D. and before them, the Fremont and Anasazi (a weighted name with indigenous propaganda roots) since 200 A.D. Not much information is out there regarding the creation of Thunder Mountain. Sure the National Forest service made the trail, but did this area have previous navigation lines? What we do know is that indigenous peoples have long called this part of the Colorado Plateau home and it has great spiritual energy for the First Nations even today:

“Before there were humans, the Legend People, To-when-an-ung-wa, lived in that place. There were many of them. They were of many kinds – birds, animals, lizards, and such things, but they looked like people. They were not people. They had the power to make themselves look that way. For some reason the Legend People in that place were bad; they did something that was not good, perhaps a fight, perhaps some stole something….the tale is not clear at this point. Because they were bad, Coyote turned them all into rocks. You can see them in that place now all turned into rocks; some standing in rows, some sitting down, some holding onto others. You can see their faces, with paint on them just as they were before they became rocks. The name of that place is Angka-ku-wass-a-wits (red painted faces). This is the story the people tell.” – NPS

For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right click and save link as – The Radavist 2019 Calendar – October. Please, this photo is for personal use only!
(*set background to white and center for optimal coverage)

The mobile background this month is also from Bryce. Click here to download October’s Mobile Wallpaper.

Mark from Prova Cycles’ Ripido Prototype MTB, aka the ParTi Hardtail

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Mark from Prova Cycles’ Ripido Prototype MTB, aka the ParTi Hardtail

During the ENVE Open House framebuilder exhibit, one builder traveled further than the others: Mark from Prova Cycles in Melbourne, Australia. I’d never seen a Prova in person. Instead, I’ve had to check out his work via the lens of FYXO and the Prova Instagram. Mark learned at the Bicycle Academy in the UK and has been really putting in work on his brand. Let me tell you. It shows.

Riding Utah’s Thunder Mountain: a Trail with Residual Harmony on Santa Cruz Reserve 37 29er Wheels

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Riding Utah’s Thunder Mountain: a Trail with Residual Harmony on Santa Cruz Reserve 37 29er Wheels

If a trail is made by humans, versus game or erosion, does it carry along with it historical remnants of the trail builder’s psyche? Humans use tools to create trails and these tools are guided by feats of strength, both physical and mental. What happens when strength is combined with emotion? Are those emotional remnants carried along the path, forever altering the harmony of its intentional meanderment? Trails are all about control. Direction. Intention. Is there a marking of metaphysical energy within them?

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Brandon Semenuk Raw 100

Semenuk’s latest video needs no introduction. Rupert Walker and him have been working on the Raw 100 series for five years. Practice makes perfect.

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The Wheeler and the Biker

This project from New Belgium is awesome! As someone who lives for cycling and loves to 4×4 in the desert, it really resonates with me.

“Multi-use trails are just that, multi-use. Watch how Renee, a mountain biker, and Val, a wheeler, learn how each other use the trails in our public lands and how we all need to protect them. Fat Tire is donating up to $250,000 to organizations protecting our public lands. Visit https://www.publiclandsforall.com and share the full video to direct donations from Fat Tire to Trust for Public Lands and Tread Lightly.”

We’re all trail users, so be nice and say hi!

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Return to Earth is Now Available to Rent!

This is one MTB video project I’ve been looking forward to seeing! To celebrate the release of Return to Earth on Apple TV, Anthill films, Shimano and Trek released the Moments of Clarity segment – a true top-to-bottom line ridden by FBM world tour champion Brett Rheede – in what appears to be Green River, Utah.

You can now stream Return to Earth on:
Apple TV
Vimeo
Google Play

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Freeriding in Utah with Rémy Métailler

Freeriding is an artform, where the rider finds lines that exist within the landscapes’ natural curvature. Utah is a place with an abundance of geological features, making it a veritable playground for the sport. Check out the latest from Rémy Métailler for some mind-melting line selections.

The Radavist 2019 Calendar: May

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The Radavist 2019 Calendar: May

This is the fifth layout of the Radavist 2019 Calendar, entitled “White Cliffs” shot with a Canon 1DX and a 70-200mm lens in Escalante, Utah.

“This Navajo Sandstone formation cascades throughout scenic Highway 12 just outside of Escalante, Utah. A small town named after Sivestre Velez de Escalante, who was on the Domingues-Escalante expedition to Utah in 1776. This is part of the Grand Staircase Escalante, which include various layers of sedimentary crusts forming massive steps. The steps include the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks and all the wonderful lands between. This entire region is under threat of being auctioned off for mineral extraction and privatized coal, oil, and gas removal. Read all about it at the Save the Grand Staircase Escalante website.”

For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right click and save link as – The Radavist 2019 Calendar – May. Please, this photo is for personal use only!
(*set background to white and center for optimal coverage)

The mobile background this month is from the Lower San Rafael Road outside of Green River, Utah. Click here to download May’s Mobile Wallpaper.

Unapologetic. Relentless. Persistent: A Machines for Freedom Expedition in Utah

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Unapologetic. Relentless. Persistent: A Machines for Freedom Expedition in Utah

Unapologetic. Relentless. Persistent. A Machines for Freedom Expedition in Utah
Words by Aimee Gilchrist, photos by John Watson

The Utah desert, or desert in general, does not often offer comfortable accommodations to outsiders. High winds, isolated vegetation, sun-soaked and shadeless valleys, rapid nocturnal cooling and infrequent precipitation. The desert can feel like a bitter and unforgiving stranger. Lucky for us, Utah was well-behaved. Late March riding and a window between April showers painted the varying landscape with fragrant sage and spring blooms. Barren mesas were glowing with red and gold dust. And instead of the reliable, wind-blown silence often found on these remote roads, our Machines for Freedom team shared conversation and laughter that could be heard echoing in the canyons for miles.

A few months earlier, Jenn Kriske from Machines for Freedom gathered a group of ladies to ride an aggressive route mapped by John Watson. Our MFF riding team consisted of seven badass, hilarious, strong athletes from Santa Barbara and LA to Portland by way of Bozeman and Durango: Jessica Baum (Santa Barbara), Gritchelle Fallesgon (Portland), Mason Griffin (Bozeman), Stephanie Ortega (LA), Ginger Boyd (LA), Sarah Swallow (Durango) and I (LA). Heavy winter snow and rain this Spring impeded the original route and last minute adjustments were made exchanging knee-deep mud for pavement. Our goal was to ride 350 miles from Tropic, Utah to Green River, Utah in 4 days. We were well suited for this undertaking.