Why do you ride your bike?
I rode bikes growing up, but I was a team sport athlete through college. I was obsessed with the sport of lacrosse, it was what drove me. When that ended after college, I had to fill my void with something as fast paced, but different. I started mountain biking in Montana, a lot. Little did I know that single track would lead to road riding and then a career focused on endurance gravel cycling. All forms of bike riding bring perspective to my life and allow time for myself to clear the gray areas in my mind. It's the medicine that keeps me ticking, keeps me wanting more. I love that moment during a ride when you realize you just zoned out for the past 20 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour! Is there anything better in life?
In your mind, what is the most special part about Gravel Camp?
Gravel Camp has become an experience that draws out the best in a place and it's people. Similar to our style of riding and our ability to directly source our foods; Gravel Camp is designed to shift your perspective on something. It could be your next adventure, your next race season and how you'll prepare, maybe it's a shift in your choice as a consumer to think differently about where you spend your money on the foods you eat. Whatever it may be, Gravel Camp is a moment in time for each of us to check back in with reality; the one that's right in front of us. Gravel Camp is the best because we form relationships and then go home with a newly tuned mind, body and soul. Ride Bikes Eat Food!
You’re a pretty special dude, who is that one person in your life who's encouraged you to think outside the box & truly become who you are are today?
Over the course of my young adult life, I've been lucky to build relationships with some incredibly influential people. Each of them cross my mind daily, providing me the confidence or understanding to make great decisions or problem solve. There's no doubt I'm thankful for my parents, Kitty and Andy Ault. They've pushed me to be me, since day 1. They're both incredibly different and in their own ways, have influenced me to curate my life's path in a way that when combined, reminds me how special the family dynamic really is. Growing up I had severe learning disabilities, so my parents got me signed up for boarding school in Connecticut. I lived on campus from grades 6-8, it was a trip! Study, eat, play sports; that's all we had to do to succeed. It was incredible as I was not much for books. The headmaster of my school, Dary Dunham, became my advisor. I was not sure how that was going to work out in the beginning! I was a trouble maker, how would I do with the head master as my advisor? Of course, as fate would have it, we became incredible friends and the life lessons he taught me (without me knowing of course) have been guiding me ever since.
If you could be 'professional' in something, what would it be?
If my professional career ends at what I'm doing right now, I will not have achieved my goals. I want to take what we do now and continue to pushes the limits. I want to make the cycling industry a better place. I feel strongly connected to the idea of there's absolutely nothing that can hold you back, except for yourself.
What is your secret power during gravel camp?
My secret power is being able to slow time down and remind each other why we've gathered in this place. Arizona, Vermont, Iceland, Spain; wherever we are, let's slow life down, a lot! Weather it be conversations over dinner prep, that grueling climb over Harshaw Creek in the San Rafael Valley or as we're sitting down to our final meal together at the end of a memorable week; I take a deep breath and share with my family, that this moment is about being together right now, lets eat!
What is your dream vacation?
I have a few locations in mind, Japan and Mongolia being a few of them. I'd like to travel to these places with my bike and Heidi for an adventure of a lifetime. We've been talking about it for a few years now and I know we will make it to the middle of nowhere soon! There's a few friends I know who will join us during this trip, whether for a week or 2 or more. It will be a ride that will change how we look at life from that point on.
@zanderault
I rode bikes growing up, but I was a team sport athlete through college. I was obsessed with the sport of lacrosse, it was what drove me. When that ended after college, I had to fill my void with something as fast paced, but different. I started mountain biking in Montana, a lot. Little did I know that single track would lead to road riding and then a career focused on endurance gravel cycling. All forms of bike riding bring perspective to my life and allow time for myself to clear the gray areas in my mind. It's the medicine that keeps me ticking, keeps me wanting more. I love that moment during a ride when you realize you just zoned out for the past 20 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour! Is there anything better in life?
In your mind, what is the most special part about Gravel Camp?
Gravel Camp has become an experience that draws out the best in a place and it's people. Similar to our style of riding and our ability to directly source our foods; Gravel Camp is designed to shift your perspective on something. It could be your next adventure, your next race season and how you'll prepare, maybe it's a shift in your choice as a consumer to think differently about where you spend your money on the foods you eat. Whatever it may be, Gravel Camp is a moment in time for each of us to check back in with reality; the one that's right in front of us. Gravel Camp is the best because we form relationships and then go home with a newly tuned mind, body and soul. Ride Bikes Eat Food!
You’re a pretty special dude, who is that one person in your life who's encouraged you to think outside the box & truly become who you are are today?
Over the course of my young adult life, I've been lucky to build relationships with some incredibly influential people. Each of them cross my mind daily, providing me the confidence or understanding to make great decisions or problem solve. There's no doubt I'm thankful for my parents, Kitty and Andy Ault. They've pushed me to be me, since day 1. They're both incredibly different and in their own ways, have influenced me to curate my life's path in a way that when combined, reminds me how special the family dynamic really is. Growing up I had severe learning disabilities, so my parents got me signed up for boarding school in Connecticut. I lived on campus from grades 6-8, it was a trip! Study, eat, play sports; that's all we had to do to succeed. It was incredible as I was not much for books. The headmaster of my school, Dary Dunham, became my advisor. I was not sure how that was going to work out in the beginning! I was a trouble maker, how would I do with the head master as my advisor? Of course, as fate would have it, we became incredible friends and the life lessons he taught me (without me knowing of course) have been guiding me ever since.
If you could be 'professional' in something, what would it be?
If my professional career ends at what I'm doing right now, I will not have achieved my goals. I want to take what we do now and continue to pushes the limits. I want to make the cycling industry a better place. I feel strongly connected to the idea of there's absolutely nothing that can hold you back, except for yourself.
What is your secret power during gravel camp?
My secret power is being able to slow time down and remind each other why we've gathered in this place. Arizona, Vermont, Iceland, Spain; wherever we are, let's slow life down, a lot! Weather it be conversations over dinner prep, that grueling climb over Harshaw Creek in the San Rafael Valley or as we're sitting down to our final meal together at the end of a memorable week; I take a deep breath and share with my family, that this moment is about being together right now, lets eat!
What is your dream vacation?
I have a few locations in mind, Japan and Mongolia being a few of them. I'd like to travel to these places with my bike and Heidi for an adventure of a lifetime. We've been talking about it for a few years now and I know we will make it to the middle of nowhere soon! There's a few friends I know who will join us during this trip, whether for a week or 2 or more. It will be a ride that will change how we look at life from that point on.
@zanderault
