07/01/2026
I thought Devil's Head was going to be about racing.
I left realizing it was really about the people.
This year's Devil's Head ISDE pushed me harder than any race I've ever done. Eighty-three miles of rocks, roots, hill climbs, mud, and enough elevation to make you question why you signed up in the first place.
Around mile 33, I completely flipped my bike trying to climb a rooted hill. When it landed, it smashed my throttle. The throttle wouldn't snap closed anymore.
Then I realized...
My tools were sitting back at camp in a different gear bag.
So, with what I had on me, I grabbed my Ge**er and a rock and pounded the throttle housing back just enough to get it moving again. It still wouldn't snap closed, so for the remaining 50 miles I had to manually roll the throttle shut every single time I let off the gas.
It wasn't perfect.
But it was enough to keep going.
By the time I reached the finish, the bike had its own battle scars too. The P3 Carbon pipe guard took hit after hit and did exactly what it was designed to do. Looking at the pipe underneath, I'm convinced it saved me from replacing an expansion chamber. The FMF silencer wasn't as lucky—it took a direct hit that punched a hole straight through it. Every scratch, dent, and broken part tells the story of another mile earned.
As the miles went on, something changed.
We all had one goal.
Finish.
We were all cramping.
We were all exhausted.
Every obstacle seemed bigger than the last.
Somewhere along the way, complete strangers started feeling like teammates.
We weren't thinking about classes or positions anymore.
We were simply trying to finish... and helping everyone around us do the same.
Every time someone got stuck, someone stopped.
If a bike needed lifted over a log, we lifted it.
If someone needed a push up a hill, we pushed.
If someone needed encouragement, they got it.
None of us had to stop.
We chose to.
Because by that point, helping each other finish mattered more than saving a few seconds.
A special thank you to . Around the second half of the race, the cramps hit hard. After another bottle of Ultra-Formance, they eased up enough for me to keep moving another 20 miles.
06/29/2026
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