Mind the Track

Twenty miles east of Lake Tahoe, high up in the Virginia Range at 6,500 feet elevation is one of the best preserved Old West towns in America, Virginia City. Known to locals as VC, in the 1860s, it was once the richest city in the world, home to the Comstock Lode, one of the largest silver strikes in history. In fact, the gold and silver from VC in the 1860s built all of San Francisco. Today, VC still has wooden boardwalks on C Street, ornate Victorian-era homes, two dozen saloons, a cemetery almost as large as the town itself and an Old West vibe that’s admittedly a bit touristy, but undeniably genuine. VC also has the Grand Prix, a 55-year long tradition of dirt bike racing, as wild and rugged as the town itself. Episode 85 documents this year’s Grand Prix, in the field on race day, talking with event volunteers and racers with different experience levels to really understand what this race is all about and how compares it to another legendary race on two wheels in a Gold Rush town, the Downieville Classic. 3:00 – Introducing the Virginia City Grand Prix.9:05 – Larry Sussman – getting peer pressured into racing dirt bikes.10:40 – How does the Downieville Classic differ from the VCGP?12:30 – What’s more intense, the chaos of a mountain bike race or a moto race?14:20 – Thomas Lay – growing up in Virginia City, getting into dirt bikes and organizing the event.16:50 – How long has the Virginia City Grand Prix been happening?19:00 – How many people race in the VCGP and where do they come from?23:00 – Who owns the land the event is on?27:30 – How long is the race and how are people staged at the start line?30:20 – Talking with Darcy about course design.31:20 – What’s the hardest part of this year’s course?32:55 – Moving from Truckee to Virginia City and becoming a Nevadan.34:40 – What got Darcy into riding dirt bikes?38:30 – What’s the secret to surviving the VCGP?39:31 – Talking with the local legend Josh Wilson about the moto community.44:30 – Talking with Ryan Downing about the racer who passed away on course.46:10 – What’s the secret to surviving VCGP?48:04 – How does mountain biking compare to dirt biking?49:30 – How do they stage racers at the start?52:00 – Catching up with Pow Bot and talking about the start of the race.56:10 – Reporting from Chaos Hill on course in the middle of the race.1:01:00 – Would Trail Whisperer ever do the VCGP?1:03:30 – Seth Johnson goes from last to 9th place, passing 400 racers.1:05:15 – Missing the race by a month on Seth’s first attempt.1:08:50 – Catching up with Thomas after Day 1.1:13:30 – Beginner riders biting off more than can chew attempting the VCGP.1:17:40 – How did the electric dirt bikes – a Stark Varg – do in the race?1:20:45 – Running into Tobin Ortenblad after the race.1:22:15 – How was the race course and how does it compare to bicycle racing?1:25:55 – What was the start of the race like?1:28:50 – Garmin stats: 20,000 feet of climbing!1:30:00 – How do the Downieville Classic and VCGP compare and differ?1:36:00 – Is there anything the bike community can learn from the moto community?1:44:20 – Is Tobin doing the Lost and Found Gravel Festival? 

In the third installment of the Cosbey Chronicles, the boys sit down with Coz at his caretaker’s quarters on the shore of Gold Lake and dive deep into trails. Raised as a Mormon, by age 12, Coz knew organized religion wasn’t for him. At that same age, he rode a Honda Trail 90 motorcycle for the first time, and it was the beginning of the rest of his life. His religion became exploration on two wheels in the outdoors. Coz talks about the three years he spent laying out and building Mills Peak trail in Graeagle, as well as working on all the trails in Lakes Basin for the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, an organization he co-founded. Coz talks about the future of recreation in rural mountain communities and encourages listeners to escape the negativity of life, losing their minds in the track, being present in the moment. He also encourages those with financial means to contribute their wealth to trails and trail projects, benefiting the public in an age where connection to place is being lost to invasive technology. 6:30 – Podcast – The Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know8:25 – Coast to Coast Radio with Art Bell9:55 – Car Talk with Click and Clack11:50 – Recording at Gold Lake near Graeagle, California with Marc Cosbey18:20 – Living through two winters in Lakes Basin – running naked out into a snowstorm22:20 – Tuning into nature through the sounds of nature25:30 – Being raised Mormon, not digging it, and instead embracing nature and trails as religion30:05 – Riding a motorcycle for the first time in his life at 12 years old – beginning of the rest of his life.34:30 – Trails are a pathway to spirituality – tuning out the world and focusing on the moment in the track.36:15 – Building Mills Peak trail and spending years in the Lakes Basin improving the trails.39:50 – What’s it like to ride a trail you built after 3 years of your life working on it?43:15 – Stew McMorrow – a volunteer who’s had his life changed by the importance of trails.45:15 – Where does Coz see the future of trails and trail organizations?49:45 – Volunteers who have desk jobs that come and volunteer – it can change their life.56:57 – What is the biggest challenge and opportunity for rural mountain communities in securing their future?1:00:31 – What have you learned about yourself, community and public lands in the wake of devastating wildfires over the last 5 years?1:12:30 – What trail is Coz most proud of building over the years?1:13:55 – Building the North Yuba Trail from Downieville to Goodyears Bar and the enjoyment of designing a trail before it’s built.1:18:27 – What was the significance of building Mills Peak Trail in Graeagle?1:21:33 – What advice does Coz have for folks starting their own trails organization?1:29:48 – If your life were a tree, what kind of tree would it be?1:32:47 – What’s an epic ride people have to do in the Lakes Basin? Mount Elwell.1:38:25 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

Imagine being the mayor of a mountain town during the height of COVID. For Dave Polivy, owner of Tahoe Mountain Sports, being a COVID mayor became his reality after being elected onto Truckee town council in 2018. For better or worse, Dave’s tenure during COVID cemented his nickname in the community as “Mayor Dave”, even though he’s no longer mayor. He’s also Kurt’s doppelganger, giving him another nickname; “Doppelganger Dave”. In Episode 71, we chat with Dave about how he landed in Truckee on September 11, 2001, and his path to business ownership, community building, keeping the ski bum dream alive and eventual mayorship. Dave has appeared on a lot of radio and TV shows, as well as podcasts, but usually he just ends up being a sound bite. But in this near two-hour episode, listeners will get a behind-the-curtain look at what it takes to be an elected official in a mountain town facing growing pains and an identity crisis, all while balancing family, business ownership, and of course, getting outside and putting his mind in the track.   2:30 – Trail Whisperer recaps his 4,200-mile cross-country drive from Boston to Reno.6:00 – Introducing Dave Polivy – former mayor of Truckee and owner of Tahoe Mountain Sports.9:15 – Doing the Rose to Toads mountain bike ride, a fundraiser for TAMBA.12:40 – Dave’s September 11, 2001 story.14:20 – Kurt’s September 11, 2001 story.16:10 – Tom’s September 11, 2001 story.17:30 – Dave arriving in Truckee after driving cross-country from Saratoga Springs, NY.19:14 – Starting Tahoe Mountain Sports in 2003.26:00 – Moving to Truckee from the northeast to be a ski bum.30:50 – Fondest memories of Truckee back in the early 2000s.33:45 – Going from ski bum to politician through working for Sierra Business Council.41:20 – As Truckee mayor, did you ever have to make a decision that went against the wishes of the community?45:05 – Is there such a thing as affordable housing? Is there enough of it in Truckee currently?47:30 – Getting foreclosed on in 2008 while on vacation outside the country.49:00 – A shortage of availability of living wage housing. There’s enough housing stock, but they aren’t available, so the Lease to Locals program was developed and it’s working.1:00:10 – Can Truckee solve its housing issues by emulating the funds the town has raised for recreational trails through ballot measures?1:08:05 – Raising funds for trails through sales tax and giving non-profits money to build them.1:15:07 – How do you promote Truckee as a mountain bike destination when most of the trails are illegal?1:21:13 – What kind of conflict exists between being a business owner and a politician?1:32:20 – Being mayor of Truckee during COVID helped solidify the persona of “Mayor Dave”.1:34:15 – What is your vision for how Truckee will look in 10 years?1:44:00 – Dave and Kurt are doppelgangers – people mistake both of them as the other person.1:50:10 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

For the third August in a row, heavy rain has blessed the northern Sierra Nevada. Amidst the best brown pow cycle of the summer, on episode 69, Pow Bot and Trail Whisperer froth over the fresh rainfall while burners out on the playa get mud plugged and hit with haboobs. TW also froths over his new Ibis Ripley and PB over his recent progress on the wing foil. Other topics include Old Farmer’s Almanac predictions on winter, differing opinions on vacationing in Santa Cruz, the expense of bike racks, and on a musical note, The Scientist’s dub reggae, St. Vincent and seeing Collie Buddz live at The Hangar in South Lake Tahoe. The boys also Dope or Derp Mariachi bands, wearing a shammy and tailgate pads while DOUBLE DOPEing ski straps and plastic grocery baskets as gear carriers. 3:00 – Best riding conditions of the summer in Lake Tahoe are happening right now in late August. Third year in a row of rain in August. BROWN POW!4:00 – Burning Man woes – windstorms, epic mud, 10-hour wait line on the playa to get in.8:20 – Dirk Hobskin calls in with Channel 69 news special brown pow report.11:25 – Trail Whisperer celebrates New Bike Day – Ibis Ripley.16:40 – What do you think about Santa Cruz?23:30 – Pow Bot has been frothing on wing foiling on Washoe Lake.31:00 – Ice Cream Man is still harassing Trail Whisperer.32:45 – Old Farmer’s Almanac makes its predictions for Winter 2025-26. Do you think Farmer’s Almanac is an accurate tool for seasonal forecasting?37:15 – Update on the rope swing at DL Bliss State Park getting cut down.40:25 – We sold out! Thanks to all our listeners for buying a Mind the Track hat.41:40 – On a Musical Note – The Scientist (Hopeton Overton Brown), Trail Whisperer saw Collie Buddz at The Hangar in South Lake Tahoe, St. Vincent (Annie Clark).53:00 – Pow Bot recommends watching Florida Man before going on vacation to Florida.55:40 – DOPE or DERP – Mariachi bands.57:20 – DOPE or DERP – Wearing a shammy.1:03:25 – DOPE or DERP – Tailgate Pads.1:14:25 – DOUBLE DOPE – Singing the praises of the Voile ski strap.1:16:55 – DOUBLE DOPE x2 – using a plastic grocery basket as a gear carrier.1:21:40 – Part II of the Cosbey Chronicles will be on episode 70.1:24:00 – Trail Whisperer going on a cross-country adventure driving a car from Boston to Reno.1:28:50 – Pow Bot’s story of sleeping on the side of the highway and being woken at 4:30AM.1:33:30 – The dilemma of inheriting family furniture and the cost of shipping it cross country.1:38:45 – The Mountains to Meadows Enduro Festival at Plumas County Fairgrounds on September 12-14. The return of Grinduro!

The first live recorded show of Mind the Track was at last weekend’s grand opening of the brand new Start Haus bike and ski shop in Truckee next to the “mouse hole” on Highway 89, the only shop Pow Bot will take his splitboard. Considered by many to be the best bike and ski shop in Tahoe, Start Haus has a core lord crew of ace mechanics, including one of today’s guests, co-owner Gregg “Stubby” Stone, a recovering singlespeeder who can fix your bike almost as fast as a rides downhill. The boys also chat with OG mountain bike legend Scot Nicol, the founder of Ibis Cycles. Born in 1981 at the dawn of mountain biking, Ibis is the only original mountain bike brand left that is still part owned by its founder. At the ripe young age of 70, Nicol still rips the legs off people half his age. He shares a bit of wisdom about staying young and healthy, a bit about mountain bike history and bike innovation. The boys also chat about California State Park’s recent decision to limb up a Lake Tahoe tree that was the granddaddy of all rope swings, and why social media and “influencers” are squarely to blame for its demise.3:30 – Recording live at the Start Haus grand opening in Truckee.6:10 – Optimization culture – forget that. Optimize having fun. That’s most important.8:00 – We are down to our last 10 Deso Supply hats…so get on it and order yours!9:20 – Pow Bot’s story about riding the Amtrak from Chicago to Colorado to go skiing.11:40 – Listener shout outs to Amiel, Clark and John B.14:55 – A little bit about today’s guests, Scot Nicol, founder of Ibis Cycles and Gregg Stone, co-owner of Start Haus.20:16 – NEWS THAT MATTERS – California State Parks cut down the tree limbs of an iconic rope swing on the West Shore. Social media blew up the spot and ruined everything.34:08 – Former Truckee mayor, Dave Polivy, makes cameo appearance.37:00 – DOPE OR DERP – Bar Down. Liability risk in skiing in the US compared to Europe.45:15 – Euro Carver and Fritz Schmitz talk about difference between Smoke Shack and Start Haus.50:50 – Interview with Scot Nicol, founder of Ibis Cycles.54:40 – The transition from a one-man custom steel frame builder to a 50-person company making composite bikes.58:00 – What innovations have changed mountain biking the most? Suspension. Tubeless.1:01:10 – Why has nobody figured out a 21st Century solution to the Presta valve?1:04:45 – If Scot were to buy a custom hardtail, what would he buy? No. 22 Bicycle Company.1:07:25 – DOPE or DERP – Hardtail mountain bikes.1:10:00 – Staying young and healthy at 70 years old. The key is a life of bikes, avoiding stress and eating healthy.1:15:45 – What is your best day outside North America and inside North America? Slovenia and Lake Tahoe.1:18:50 – What is the Ibis Migration event in Mendocino and La Ventana, Baja Mexico?1:24:53 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?1:26:35 – Interview with Gregg Stone – co-owner of Start Haus.1:27:45 – Where did Gregg get his nickname “Stubby”?1:29:20 – How did Gregg go from being a mobile bike mechanic to being a big bike shop owner?1:34:06 – Start Haus has a great YouTube series with easy to understand tech tips.1:37:00 – How did Start Haus manage to purchase a piece of land and build a brand new building on Highway 89 in Truckee?1:41:45 – What is the best way to get in and out of the parking lot at Start Haus?1:44:10 – What’s the most bizarre bike you’ve ever worked on? Pennyfarthing aka high wheeler.1:48:00 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?1:50:00 – Singlespeed mountain biking and SInglespeed World Championships in Bend, Oregon.

Recorded deep in the Toiyabe Range of central Nevada far from civilization, the guys talk about the Toiyabe Crest Trail project and the tumultuous arrival of summer in Lake Tahoe, where 11 people perished in a couple days due to a boating accident and hikers drowning in a swimming hole. The boys discuss complacency in the mountains and how it can be deadly, Trail Whisperer recaps his Wilderness First Aid training experience with Bliss Wilderness, Spooner Lake State Park puts out a survey for a new master plan, core lords call in to ask how you recover from a mountain bike accident, a rebuttal to DERPing UGG boots, saving wildlife you find in the backyard and if the ice cream man and his truck are DOPE or DERP. Also, Mind the Track announces its first piece of branded apparel for listeners to purchase! 2:30 – Recording on location in the Toiyabe Range of central Nevada, working on the Toiyabe Crest Trail. 5:35 – Jim Zellers and the early days of mountain biking in 1970s Cupertino, California.8:55 – Trail Whisperer’s first time riding the Toiyabe Crest Trail in 2016.18:15 – Mind the Track swag is finally here! Our first piece of apparel – the Mind the Track Do All Adventure hat made by Deso Supply Co (desosupply.com)25:30 – Summer is here. The solstice has arrived. Post work steamy singletrack sundown rides and the deadliest day in Tahoe boating history?29:22 – Three hikers drowned at Rattlesnake Falls on the N. Fork American River. Juan Heredia – a free diver hero who retrieved the bodies.32:20 – Complacency is dangerous. Always be on guard in the mountains because Mother Nature rules.37:45 – Mono County Search and Rescue extracted a splitboarder who fell 1,000 feet off Mount Dana. 39:00 – Ebikes, bad ideas and what’s healthier – no drinking and riding ebikes or drinking and riding mountain bikes?44:05 – Recap of Bliss Wilderness and his teaching of Wilderness First Aid and being a First Responder. 51:14 – Nevada State Parks survey for Spooner Lake State Park. Share your thoughts and ideas!Surveymonkey.com/r/spoonerlakebackcountry or email planning@parks.nv.gov . Survey closes July 20. 53:50 – Core Lord Call-Ins – Sean - @familysize – how do you go about rebounding from a crash on the mountain bike?1:00:48 – Nate – Another name for Tourists – COD – Careless, Odd and Dangerous. He vehemently disagrees with DERPing UGGs.1:05:45 – DOPE or DERP – Kellen on Insta – handguards on mountain bikes. 1:14:20 – DOPE or DERP – The Ice Cream Man and his ice cream truck. 1:17:40 – DOPE or DERP – Saving wildlife you find in your backyard. 1:24:05 – The ice cream power move at camp. What are your favorite camping power moves?1:26:30 – Shout out to Myles at Incline Spirits and Cigars in Incline Village. 

Along one of the best stretches of the Truckee River for fishing, a private landowner in Hirschdale has been blocking legal public access by placing no trespassing signs below the high water mark of the river. Longtime Hirschdale resident Matt “Gilligan” Koles, who’s been a fly fishing guide on the Truckee River for more than two decades, has been fighting these illegally placed signs, as well as dealing with aggressive intimidation tactics involving drawn firearms by the landowner. The Truckee is considered a navigable river, meaning the public has legal access to the river below the high water mark. Nonetheless, the illegally placed signs have not moved, and the intimidation has scared most of the public away. In response, last fall, Matt and a group of fly fishing friends formed @truckeeriverpublicwaters – a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to protecting legal public access to the Truckee River. In Episode 63, the boys chat about the importance of the Truckee River, a bit of its history, a little about fishing and a lot about the access struggle community members in Hirschdale have been facing and what we as the public can do to ensure legal access is preserved. 2:00 – PowBot growing up fishing for Walleye and Northern Pike in Michigan.7:25 – Trail Whisperer growing up fishing at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.13:00 – The importance of the Truckee River to the Reno/Tahoe region.16:45 – Truckee River public access issues are happening in Hirschdale.19:35 – The story of OTB and Deer Creek trail access issues.24:00 – Public vs private land access issues and knowing your access rights.27:35 – More reminiscing about Cape Hatteras.29:10 – Whatcha been riding?30:45 – Truckee River Trivia – the river doesn’t start in Lake Tahoe, there’s an Upper Truckee River.31:35 – Introducing Matt “Gilligan” Koles and Truckee River Public Waters.35:30 – Senator Newlands (Newlands Act) bought a bunch of land and diverted the Truckee River.38:45 – Matt’s story moving to Hirschdale and creating Gilligan’s Guide Service.43:30 – What makes the Truckee River so special for fly fishing?46:10 – Lake Lahontan and the origins of the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout – a native prehistoric fish.48:09 – Some unique facts about the Truckee River.49:45 – The Paiute Tribe of Pyramid Lake, water rights, drought and the reservoir system feeding the Truckee River.55:00 – Truckee River Public Waters – preserving public access along the Truckee River.56:30 – The current public access issues people are facing currently in Hirschdale.1:05:15 – The confusion over the “high water” mark on the Truckee River.1:19:00 – The Hirschdale bridge is the main access point for the Tahoe Pyramid Trail.1:22:00 – What should the public do regarding legal access to the river in Hirschdale?1:25:30 – What if you get harassed by a landowner? What should you do?1:32:16 – How can people help support Truckee River Public Waters?1:34:25 – All fisherman are liars and the Truckee River is hard to catch big fish.1:38:20 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

The 888 COR LORD phone line has lit up the last couple of weeks, and the boys address numerous calls from listeners with questions about backcountry skiing, DOPE or DERPs including wearing full Lycra while mountain biking in the backcountry, riding a splitboard inbounds at a ski resort, blasting music on a Bluetooth speaker while riding and tracking vert skied at a resort and posting to Strava. The boys also talk about the recent closure of all trails in and around Marlette Lake and Spooner Lake State Park for the next two summers and beating the tariff price increases coming with outdoor gear. Trail Whisperer gets chainsaw certified, ASS rants about people saying “could care less” instead of “couldn’t care less” and gets his first snowboard lesson from Pow Bot at Donner Ski Ranch.   3:20 – Pow Bot gives Trail Whisperer snowboard lessons at Donner Ski Ranch. 11:30 – You have to ride the chairlift to become a better skier before backcountry skiing. And if you want to be a better mountain biker, don’t ride the chairlift.18:20 – Trail Whisperer gets chainsaw certified by the U.S. Forest Service.21:50 – Pow Bot starts riding his mountain bike after spring skiing burnout and Trail Whisperer almost gets attacked by a swarm of bees. 25:50 – Listener feedback and 888 COR LORD call-ins – Fritz from Calpine – Kirkwood closing day, pond skimming. 31:10 – Shred the Gnerd – wants to get into backcountry splitboarding and is seeking advice about what to do in the off-season to prepare. 37:26 – Mystery Non-NARP – DOPE or DERP – Full Lycra kit in the backcountry?46:10 – Gordo – about to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail over the next 5 months and a bit about the book “Born to Run” and the 5 finger shoes.52:20 – Steve emailed us about the 10 Shredmandments and people doing dumb things.56:30 – Nevada State Parks shuts down all trails around Marlette Lake for two years.1:03:10 – Washoe County Releases Mount Rose recreational trails survey – https://engage.zencity.io/washoe-county-nv/en/engagements/580ebe44-fd70-4b4d-a9e2-bc0c593d55f6?utm_medium=referral1:04:50 – How are you going to beat the increase in outdoor gear costs due to tariffs?1:09:00 – DOPE or DERP – Riding a splitboard at a ski resort.1:12:55 – DOPE or DERP – Tracking vert skied at a resort and posting to Strava.1:16:25 – DOPE or DERP – Bluetooth speakers while riding.1:21:30 – ASS RANT – could care less vs couldn’t care less. 1:23:55 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – Ethiopian Jazz – Mulatu Estatke. Shout out to Myles at Incline Spirits.