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I’ve learned something over the years. Balance. Work hard, relax hard. Shoot photos of bikes, shoot photos of nature. Ride a lot, hike a lot. When your hobby, passion and love is also your job, establishing this balance is of the utmost importance. So when NAHBS rolls around each year, I try to have an exit strategy…
Over the years, I’ve developed a bit of a phobia for being social during celebrated holidays. It’s not an anti-social behavior because I enjoy the company of friends. It’s the waves of party-goers, long lines, and crowded parties that pushes me out to the vast landscapes. Since moving to Los Angeles, this has only been heightened. I cannot sit inside this plane of tarmac, so my go-to escape during said events has been the wilderness. This year, Halloween, Christmas, and New Years were spent car camping. You know that thing where you can bring a bunch of shit that you normally can’t tow during bicycle camping outings. Now, I know this is a cycling blog and I’m a cyclist but I’ve learned in my years of riding non-stop all year that time off the bike is great for both your mind, body, and chamois contact spot. Everyone needs a couple of days off, so why not spend them hiking, and enjoying the outdoors?
Time off is essential, especially when your job is your passion. For the past few days I’ve been in Death Valley camping, hiking and photographing the all-encompassing, always humbling, surreal landscape. There’s a story to tell, but for now I just wanted to say welcome to 2016, a new calendar year with new expectations. So thanks for sticking around and stoking the stoke.
xo
Death in the Valley – Team AWOL
Words by Erik Nohlin, Garrett Chow, Dylan Buffington, Sean Estes
Photos by Erik Nohlin and Dylan Buffington
“Let’s ride into the middle of the desert on our bikes.”
It was plain and simple. This was the brief that convinced a few friends to dive into Death Valley head first. We planned the trip in three weeks, the drive took 7 hours, and all of a sudden our feet were planted on the dirt of the Inyo Mountain Range that would lead us into Death Valley. We were set for an adventure but what we found was an epic one.
On long rides, moments and memories start to blend into each other, making it hard to differentiate this mountain from the next, that turn from this bend. As part of the Team AWOL spirit, there is a responsibility to tell a story. Whether that be with photos or reports, every rider will explain the pain of a climb a little differently than the next. This is something that is taken to heart especially when riding with a group. In this report, we are including everyone’s voice as a way to adjust the method of storytelling. We find this to be essential to understanding the bigger picture. Not only do we view and take in the photographs, but the style and reflections in each of their writings bring unique perspectives to understanding the truth in the story…
