Ping Pong Pizza Party

From David Bowie to Alaskan winters, cosmic quantum physics to cheap Amazon gear gems...you name it and I guarantee Tom knows a thing or two about it. This was just a random weekday chat between pals in the bike shop and I had a blast. It reminded me that at the end of the day we're all just people trying to enjoy the little time we have here. So, be cool to each other, ride your bikes and eat mor...

I wrote this big ol' thing on how we used to hang in the shop and talk trash in the back of The Bicycle Company and how cool it is that all these years later we find ourselves doing the same thing at Rad Dog after hours and how funny it is that we're all connected in such different ways and how bikes connect people, and and and...then my computer took a dump. So I'm just gonna leave it at that and...

Happy New Year! We're bringing it back to the little bike roots on this one! BMX was (and still is) a big part of my life growing up so I was really excited about having this crew on the mics. Sue Ortiz, Mike Rosson's mom, is responsible for getting Desert Downs BMX track going back in the 80's when Mike was racing a lot in his younger days. Eric Watts is also an old school BMXer and currently run...

"Dream it up and make it real." -Taj Mihelich Lalo Estrada was born and raised here in El Paso, TX riding BMX bikes during the 90's and early 2000's. He has always been dedicated to the sport even with an intense career in finance and a growing family. He's continued to ride over the years making time to stay connected with the DIY trail riding subculture of the healthy BMX scene in Austin. Now in...

Like seeds working hard and out of sight to break out into the light, great things often start very small. They take so much time and energy that goes unnoticed until one day those little leaves break through over night. For the last few years a small, dedicated crew of El Paso Independent School District staff, including P.E. coaches Nick Mendez and Amando Gutierrez, have been working tirelessly...

"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space." -Dr. Amelia Brand, Interstellar Real friendship is one of the purest forms of love. It's honest and simple without attachments or expectations. It doesn't fade with time or distance. Frank and Chris are some of the best friends anyone could ever have and I feel blessed to be a part of their tribe. Joi...

Someone once said, “Find what you love, make it your job and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I don’t think so. Find what you love and you’ll never work harder for it. Fernanda, Brissia and Mike are proof of the latter. Whether it be training, racing, parenting, coaching, volunteering, you name it…they all approach things worth doing with relentless effort and passion. On top of that, they f...

The Puzzler has been referred to by some as the most difficult 50 mile mountain bike race in the country but it's so much more than that. It's a magical weekend in the desert created by riders for riders that highlights our beloved Franklin Mountains. Join us on a trip down memory lane with one of the original Puzzler creators, Brent Sanders, along with current race coordinator, Rodney Dubois, and...

Another 12 Hour mtb race in the books! This year we posted up trailside near the starting line with a couple of extra mics. Huge thanks to my pal Tom Baumann and everyone that joined with us on what ended up being one of funnest, chaotic, and definitely the longest, episodes we’ve ever recorded. I wonder how long we would’ve kept going if the recorder batteries didn’t die in the middle of John C’s...

So, one day Danny calls me up and says he had a dream and wants to do a podcast. We’d been talking about riding Doña Ana trails for way too long so, in classic skater DIY fashion, decided to knock both off the to-do list in one go on the road during rush hour. Join us while we drive to one of the sickest mtb spots just north of Las Cruces and talk gibberish the whole way. Oh yeah, we also scooped...

“You have to die a few times before you can really live.” -Charles Bukowski Podcast link in bio. Thanks for listening. unchartedmanhood.substack.com @chris.oax

The Leadville 100 mile mtb race is its own type of gnarly. The mental, physical and technical aspects all play a huge roll in getting it done. Huge thanks to Luke, Ivan and Joel for sharing their experiences. Aside from geeking out on their race strategies and bike setups, we caught some truly inspiring words and shared a bunch of laughs :) Congrats to these dudes and everyone else who participate...

Zach and Luke are true ride-or-dies. They joke like childhood friends, support each other like pro tour teammates and share a deep passion for working hard, on and off the bike. No stone is left unturned when trying to increase their FTP and watts per kilo. And just like their riding, they’ve put consistent effort into building a strong, healthy relationship with each other. Luke and Zach, sincere...

Over two years ago, on the very first episode of the Ping Pong Pizza Party, Big Dave and I chatted so much he said the interview "might have to be a two-parter." Dude was right...Here's part 2! And I must say it was a treat getting to know Kirstin. We'd met a few times in passing but this time around we shared many stories, a lot of which were not recorded, but sometimes we just gotta live in the...

Another 12 Hours Of Old El Paso is in the books! After a few days of recovery, processing and reflection, I had the honor of sitting with sepsi bois, Luke Cutberth and James Garcia, to chat about it. James and Luke, I appreciate you both for making time to do this. Thanks for listening! -Richie

"Dude, I'm cursed." That's what Luke said to me about 2 months before the 2023 Leadville 100 mountain bike race. I laughed and thought he was just being silly, as usual, but he was NOT kidding. Join us as Luke shares his 5-year epic journey to "The Big Race," turning what he once believed to be a relentless curse into a blessing beyond what words can describe. Thanks for listening.

Oceana is a rad woman, on and off the bike. We chat about how she got her start in cycling, her transition into riding enduro mountain bikes, the different roles she's taken on in helping local cycling non-profits and so much more. Thanks for listening. @deserttxdarlin @last.sundays.ride @eponbikes @dirttherapyproject

On lucky episode 13 we get to know El Paso On Bikes nonprofit co-founder, Gera Medina. Post biomechanics geek out, we speak about how his life has been enriched by two wheels and his mission to spread the bike love to new generations. To donate to EPOB contact Gera at: hello@eponbikes.com or Instagram @eponbikes For bike fitting, coaching, analytics, etc. you can find more info at: www.thebridgeen...

"In this episode of Ping Pong Pizza Party, the host becomes the guest. I’m James Garcia, guest host, and I wanted to give Richie the opportunity to speak his dream into existence. Richie's a passionate dad, bike mechanic, son, brother, and altogether a great soul. I hope you will learn what I have learned about Richie over the last 20 plus years of being his friend, and that is that he has a heart...

Rob Nice, a former tenured professor of the literary arts and hip-hop aficionado, is breaking ground in the hip-hop world bringing his experience from academia to the streets in a unique way. As the creator, owner and operator of Rap Seminar LLC, Rob offers lyrical artists a variety of services and tools to support their growth and offer a platform for real time connection. We talked about lyrical...

I had a chance to sit with local mountain biker, Eddie Sanchez, to talk about Mountain Action Sports El Paso (aka MAS EP), a local non-profit that is making moves to nurture the freeride mountain bike scene in our city. Thanks for listening. Keep it real.

I think life is about connection and timing. Some of the most wonderful, scary and exciting things that I've ever experienced were made possible because things just clicked at the right time, and this conversation with my very dear friend, James Garcia, was exactly that. In this spontaneous post-ride session, we openly discuss depression and how getting outdoors has helped. Huge thanks goes out to...

Desert ants are crazy little creatures with a sense of home that is almost unbelievable. When they're young, they spend a lot of time at home getting to know the place well before venturing out into the wild world above. They often travel far and wide to forage but no matter how far they stray away, they always know how to find their way back. I believe that connection runs deep in us, as well. It...

The "12 Hours of Old El Paso" mountain bike race is back! I recently caught up with race director, Mario Lopez, to discuss event details. In doing so, we laughed, reminisced and stoked the fire that pushed him to breath new life into one of the best bike fiestas our dusty town has ever seen. Huge thanks to Mario and everyone involved for making this happen. Thanks for listening. Keep it real. Gene...

The Chihuahuan Desert is a harsh place. From powerful mountain lions to delicate wild flowers, anything that lives here must overcome relentless challenges in order to do so successfully. Yet, in the quiet struggle that is desert life lies a sense of peace and respect. Fellow desert dweller, Chris Oaxaca, has the ability to capture "beauty in the mundane, as he calls it, with his stellar photograp...