{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Ep. 212 ~ Live From the Bikepacking Campout at Sea Otter","description":" Something new came to Sea Otter this year, and I went to get the scoop. Sea Otter is widely regarded as the largest bike expo in the world, but calling it a \u201cbike expo\u201d doesn\u2019t quite cover it. With over 70,000 attendees, 1,000+ brands and exhibitors, and 10,000+ athletes competing across a huge variety of races, it\u2019s\u2026 a lot. And with all of that, it\u2019s hard to imagine anything was missing. Enter Old Man Mountain. Five years ago, Erik Fenner, OMM\u2019s Marketing Manager, attended Sea Otter for the first time. That night, he organically invited a few folks to join his campsite hangout. Nearly 30 people showed up. An idea was born. This year, that idea became reality with the inaugural OMM Bikepacking Campout and After Party at Sea Otter. OMM and their partners staked out a beautiful campsite about a mile from the main expo, tucked into a serene setting that felt worlds away from the chaos. People came from far and wide. Some rode their bikes. Some drove. Some flew. Some may have crawled. However they got there, everyone seemed to find what bikepackers tend to gravitate toward: a little dirt, a little community, and some grassroots vibes. It turns out, in the sea of Sea Otter, something was missing. Bikepacking is still a small but mighty corner of cycling, but it\u2019s clearly on the rise. You could see it in the growing number of adventure cycling booths, the people stopping by to ask questions, and the strong turnout for the first-ever OMM Bikepacking Campout. In today\u2019s episode, I take you into Sea Otter as a first-time attendee. But I wasn\u2019t there to see how many grams I could save if I sold a kidney. I was there to see what my friends at OMM were cooking up. Spoiler alert: it was really damn good. This episode is made up of five conversations with sponsors, vendors, and attendees of the OMM Bikepacking Campout. You\u2019ll hear from: Chris Kratsch \u2014 Co-Owner of Old Man Mountain Carley Boyce \u2014 Campout attendee who attempted the Great Divide with her dog Rowdy, then went back the next year to attempt the Tour Divide Noelle Battle \u2014 Executive Director of Bikepacking Roots Wade Green \u2014 Managing Partner for Tout Terrain in the U.S. Erik Fenner \u2014 Marketing Manager at Old Man Mountain I had an incredible time at this inaugural event. It was so good to be far from home, but still feel like I had a built-in community of \u201cmy people.\u201d Big thanks to everyone who took a little time to chat with me about their experience at Sea Otter. Let\u2019s do it again next year! SHOW NOTES As heard on today's episode, Carley is racing the Tour Divide for a cause. She is raising money to support the Autism Society of Oregon. Find out more at Racing for Awareness EPISODE SPONSORS Old Man Mountain would like to thank their supporting partners and sponsors that made this event possible: Priority Bikes Tout Terrain Ortlieb Swift Industries Outershell Sklar Feedback Sports Revelate Salsa ABUS Fayetteville Ultra Circuit: on today's episode Alex Kowalski, FUC race director, comes on the share a little more about the route. Take a deeper dive, and register, here. For being a loyal listener you can take $15 off reg when you use the code: FUCBOD NEW PATRONS Oregoniangal Join them won\u2019t you at www.Patreon.com\/BikesorDeath   ","author_name":"Bikes or Death","author_url":"https:\/\/bikesordeath.com\/","html":"