The Adventure Stache Payson McElveen

After four years of pestering, Payson has finally convinced Nichole to return to the show to talk about her most recent trip to Uganda. In 2017, she visited the country for the first time to teach pathology residents and, based on her experiences and newfound connections there, started Path of Logic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving cancer diagnostics and outcomes in equatorial Africa. She’s returned every year since to expand Path of Logic, and even started a Master’s program in Public Health at Johns Hopkins to deepen her work. 

In this episode, Nichole and Payson talk about the animated film she and her colleagues are working on to help destigmatize breast cancer in Uganda, her side project of riding her bike into rural towns around the southwest of the country to deliver solar-powered lights to school children, and how her work at Johns Hopkins is pushing Path of Logic forward. She also talks about getting stranded in Brussels on the journey to Uganda and why she thinks Payson’s lifestyle has made her soft. 
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YouTube: Payson McElveen

It takes a particular kind of grit to win the grueling 800-mile Atlas Mountain Race, and Cynthia Carson did it on less than five hours of sleep. The rising bikepacking star has had quite a year, winning Spain’s infamous desert race Badlands in September and becoming the first woman to finish in the top 10. Cynthia joins Payson this week to talk about how she rose so quickly from casual gravel cyclist to one of the top ultradistance racers in the world. She explains why she’s chosen to focus on non-U.S. races since the start of her career, why her extreme competitiveness and relaxed approach to planning are a winning combination, and how an impromptu tea ceremony during the Atlas Mountain Race helped get her over the finish line. She also talks about nutrition, bike setup, and why she started her own race, Gravista, a few years ago. 
Instagram: @theadventurestache
YouTube: Payson McElveen

At 21 years old, Luke Lamperti is already riding for one of the biggest teams in the WorldTour, Soudal–Quick-Step, and he's hit the ground running. Since the season began, he’s racked up podiums at the Challenge Mallorca, the Muscat Classic, and the Tour of Oman, solidifying his place as a young rider to watch. Before signing with Quick-Step, he raced alongside Tom Pidcock on the Trinity Racing development team where he honed his reputation as a formidable sprinter, but he’s still figuring out where his skills lie. At the start of the season, Quick-Step manager Patrick Lefevere invoked Tom Boonen's name when speculating about Luke’s potential as a Classics rider, and the team has already given the newcomer plenty of opportunities to flex his muscles.

Luke sat down with Payson in Girona earlier this month to talk about his first few months in the WorldTour, including what it’s like to have your idols become your teammates, coming to terms with just how good riders like Wout van Aert are when you have to race alongside them, and why his lifestyle hasn’t changed much despite having joined the highest echelons of the sport. He also talks about growing up in a ranching family, his love of motocross, and keeping a level head despite the breathless media coverage surrounding his first season. 
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YouTube: Payson McElveen

At approximately 12:30 a.m. last weekend, Beth McBride crossed the finish line of Mid South to a thunderous reception. The race is known for its celebration of riders of all levels, and the final rider to cross the finish line is arguably more of a celebrity than the first rider. Payson sat down with Beth to talk about her race, including overcoming her fear of riding in the dark, silencing the negative voices that she’s encountered over the years as a cyclist, and why the acknowledgment of the Indigenous land that the race passes through holds particular significance for her. She also talks about why she had to get up early the morning after the race to ride, and how her affiliation with All Bodies on Bikes has shaped her love of gravel. 

We also hear from listeners who competed in the race and sent us their stories. 
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YouTube: Payson McElveen

In 2019, Morgan Aguirre decided to step outside of her comfort zone. Having never competed in any sports, she rented a bike from her local Trek store with the goal of riding 50 miles. Things escalated quickly, and soon, fellow Seattle resident (and now WorldTour rider) Veronica Ewers saw her posts on Strava and asked her to join the Fount Cycling Guild, a Seattle-based team geared towards new riders. But just as her aptitude for road racing was becoming increasingly apparent, Morgan made an unusual decision: she moved to Spain. Now, several years later, she’s living in Girona and throwing down some attention-grabbing results in the European gravel scene.
Payson sat down with Morgan last week to talk about why she decided to move to Europe and focus on European gravel despite being an emerging American talent, and where she’s hoping to take her career. She talks about grabbing first place at a stage of Santa Vall last month (and second overall) with a commanding performance alongside heavy-hitting pros like Ashleigh Moolman and Klara Sofie Skovgaard, and why she doesn't have plans to switch to U.S. gravel anytime soon.

You can listen to our episode with Veronica Ewers here. 


Instagram: @theadventurestache
YouTube: Payson McElveen

During his eight years in the WorldTour, Paul Voss rode for some of the most successful teams in the sport, including Milram, Endura Racing, and Bora-Argon 18. In that time, he raced in multiple Grand Tours, and even wore the polka dot jersey for a stage of Tour De France in 2016. But in that same year, he was pushed off the Bora team when Peter Sagan signed on and brought several of his teammates with him. At 30, Paul retired from road racing, became a director sportif for Wiggins, did some cycling commentary for German TV, and put all his savings into starting a junior development team. Now, he’s found a second racing career in gravel. Last year, he won the Traka 200 and placed 3rd at the European Championships, and has his eye on Unbound this year. 
Paul sat down with Payson in Girona to talk about how his fitness is better now than it was in the WorldTour, how he thinks gravel World Champion Matej Mohorič will fare at this year’s Unbound, and stirring controversy with his podcasts. 
Instagram: @theadventurestache
YouTube: Payson McElveen