We catch up on life as a race mechanic, from a tightly run USA Cycling mountain bike camp in Bentonville to the long, chaotic days of the Redlands stage race. Along the way, we get into suspension basics, feed zone survival, and why local racing only stays alive if we actually show up.
• how USA Cycling camp works behind the scenes
• what mechanics do all day to keep athletes rolling
• suspension setup mistakes that kill traction
• tire pressure habits and why many riders go too high
• how a stage race support crew operates at Redlands
• feed zone and tech zone realities at race speed
• how day rates and event contracts work for staff
• why pro team service course organization is so intense
• OKXC schedule updates and what races are coming
• Maverick Crit practice night recap and race etiquette
• Tornado Alley Race Series dates and how to help keep it going

McMurtry this weekend, April 25th, come out, bring your kids.

We share how Maverick Criterium grew from a lunch idea to a true city race weekend, with campus corners under the lights, a revamped downtown sprint, and a bigger prize purse. We break down last year’s wins and messes, the new categories, neutral support, and why community buy-in matters.

• year-one highlights and hard lessons
• permits, signatures, and city partnerships
• campus course design and OU collaboration
• downtown crowd energy and safety choices
• weather delays and real-time fixes
• Porsche pace cars and protocols
• 2026 updates: new categories, night racing
• revised downtown course for growth
• Fondo, 10-mile ride, beer mile
• host homes for teams and how to help
• volunteers, weeknight tune-up crits
• neutral support details and free-lap basics
• prize purse increase to 15,000 dollars
• why Maverick is the perfect Tulsa Tough tune-up

Come race Maverick. It’s before Tulsa. There’s gonna be people here that I know you want to beat.

https://www.mavcrit.com/

Host Home/Volunteer - https://www.mavcrit.com/volunteer

Register - https://www.bikereg.com/maverick-criterium

We sit down with Tulsa trail builder and race director Bobby Reese to map how Turkey Mountain grew to 70 miles, why Cold Turkey became a three-day fundraiser party, and how OKXC aims to unite Oklahoma racing with a rider-first spring series. From vintage 26ers to party enduro to short-lap XC, we keep it fun, fair, and community-led.

• Turkey Mountain’s trail expansion and wayfinding
• Cold Turkey Fest schedule, formats, and camping
• Enduro party timing and mini-enduro for beginners
• OKXC vision, six-race spring calendar, short laps
• Bales, Purcell, Mooser, McMurtry, Keystone, Arcadia
• One-day state championship structure and goals
• Team challenge rules and free first number plates
• Nonprofit funding, sponsors, and community impact
• Little Shredders kids racing and Saturday schedules

If you have interest in any sponsorship of the OKXC series or this podcast, please reach out and let me know

Instagram @okxcraceseries

www.okxcseries.com

We sit down with Dave Ortloff to trace a life on bikes from rigid forks and jorts to Cat 1 wins, White Rim epics, and choosing joy over endless intervals. We also launch The Dirties, a new, irreverent awards night to celebrate trail crews and the people who make our scene hum.

• sponsors, local events, and dates for Damn Zombies and OKXC
• Dave’s origin story from Lake Thunderbird to Bluff Creek
• stepping through Cat 3 to Cat 1 and what it cost
• training structure, coaching insights, and erg mode heresy
• White Rim logistics, beauty, and safety lessons
• Little Sugar strategy, sodium mistakes, and pacing
• gear talk on tires, pressures, tubeless, and side knobs
• why flow is meditation and community is the win
• announcing The Dirties awards night details and sponsors

The Dirt -EZZ will have free pizza, cash bar, and raffle at Angry Scotsman, Thursday, February 26, 6–9 pm. Pizza at 6. Awards at 7. “Please come join us. It’s really just a good time for a bunch of fools to hang out and laugh at each other.”

Dirt-EZZ Details https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1872VTJwwR/

*Discussing the 2026 Oklahoma Race Calendar

*Redman Triathlon is back with a new venue

*Update on Ryan Drummond bid for a UCI World Championship spot

*Alan's winter thong

*Coldlahoma Endurance Series

*Springtime mountain bike racing

*How we got here with 2 mountain bike race series

We share the full story behind the Lake Thunderbird rebuild, from a million dollars in funding to permits, design choices, and the future of sustainable singletrack in Norman. Josh explains how a barber chair conversation became a blueprint for community-led trails that protect the lake and elevate rider experience.

• why T-Bird’s redesign matters for Norman’s cycling scene
• how funds unlocked a professional, sustainable build
• working with Bureau of Reclamation and State Parks
• straightening lines, adding drainage, saving Tabletop
• bridges, rock armoring and erosion control near the lake
• target mileage, likely direction and room for session lines
• volunteer stewardship and a new generation of trail crews
• fixing race fees and parking pain points with State Parks
• building a statewide playbook for trail funding and access
• inspiring partners to support future jump lines and hubs

Coldlahoma Endurance Series

https://www.webscorer.com/registerseries?seriesid=416898&fbclid=IwY2xjawPE4OdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEwb0U1ZldiRmpLVURnVktlc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHk0uRixF3Fv0g5nxJmkmpHDsckmjzTFncfGLZamw656i_GtRbrlFgynq1OZO_aem_5leC7-RtP5exvj01bVGumA

We share how a Tulsa firefighter helped launch NICA’s first Oklahoma season, building a safe, welcoming league that gets kids racing, families involved, and communities investing in trails. From scholarships and loaner bikes to short‑lap course design, we map the practical steps that make youth cycling work.

• mission to empower youth for life through mountain biking
• why NICA’s short courses and marshals make racing safer and more fun
• how teams form, coach training levels, and practice formats
• 2025 fall race plan including Purcell, Turkey Mountain, McMurtry, Arcadia
• economic impact of weekend‑long youth events on host towns
• Teen Trail Corps and 565+ youth hours improving Oklahoma trails
• scholarships, loaner bikes, and access for families
• aligning calendars so parents can race and support their kids

Instagram @oklahoma.mtb

We trade gossip for a plan to fix Oklahoma mountain biking: rally support for OMBA, align race calendars, simplify categories, and build real youth pathways. Sponsors get thanked, Arcadia’s new features get spotlighted, and we outline a statewide board to bring order to the chaos.

• OMBA’s role, funding gap, and 50-dollar membership drive
• Palo Duro Marathon’s low turnout and event promotion lessons
• Arcadia’s dual slalom, Outer Space build, and safety signage
• NICA’s growth, parent logistics, and youth progression paths
• Mass starts pros and cons based on field size and trail width
• Category bloat, sandbagging, and mandatory upgrade ideas
• Shorter Cat 1 vs Cat 2 parity, prologues, and course design
• Unified calendar with seasons for XC, endurance, short track, and cyclocross
• Forming a statewide board to coordinate dates and standards
• Practical ways shops, teams, and racers support the trails

Join OMBA at omba.org. “It’s $50 a year—please do that.” Also: “More very, very exciting news to come very soon. As soon as I can release it, I will release it.”