Amazing story! My wife and I biked the length of the Andes, South America 2 years back. Most people were very confident my wife could do it, but not many were confident that I could. Congrats on making it!!
We had a friend sell us prototypes for his bike company when it was young. The bikes were “Boskey” but they were “touring bikes” that were supposed to be easy to repair… which ended up not being the case but they did get us to the end of the world and back!
Incredible story! Very touching and a sweeet tribute (that extra "e" matters) to Grace. That's quite a feat! I don't think I've ever done anything at that sort of scale before. I once walked 15K steps for 90 days straight to raise money for a project in Africa. And, I did run a 10 mile race... well two... And, those were amazing feats personally. These sorts of big pushes, particularly in mid-life, in my opinion can be life-defining and affirming. I read this story aloud to my husband thinking we were going to get some laughs; instead as we realized this was a different kind of post from Thigpen, we snuggled on the couch with wow's and aw's. Although we did chuckle at all illustrations. Loved this Thig. Thank you for sharing.
Also a mountain biker here, and this was such a beautiful story. I can’t believe that anyone mentioned in this post did that race… and I’m kinda jealous. Y’all might be inspiring me.
Yeah I read pro-athlete (and about to follow you). Pro in the MTB world or outside of that? If in the MTB world, enduro? Cross country? Cyclocross (that used to be my fav!). I’m built for long distance and NOT speed
Ha ha, well, I was actually a pro volleyball player in a past life. Now, I just refer to myself my a volleyball player on a bike. I’m a sucker for cross country riding, but that endurance stuff is really intimidating to me!
I just stalked your IG page! OAXACA!!! Omg I used to live in Puebla (but I can assure you, your Esapnol is waaaaay better than mine, but that said, mucho gusto!). When doing 24 hour races (another fav of mine…when I did those kinda things, I’m in my 50s now and my body doesn’t work like that anymore, ha) or any multi day racing, I go slow and conserve energy. If I go out like a bat outta hell, I last for about 5 minutes, bonk and then I’m done for the day.
If you like to travel and bike, I cannot encourage you enough to book a trip at Mulberry Gap in Ellijay, GA (just above Atlanta). It is, by far, the most bestest ride ever! Just go before Kate and Andrew sell the lodge (I think they want to have kids and can’t do both). They are dear friends of mine and I consider Mulberry Gap my second home (some amazing singletrack).
You should see my volleyball skills! I can run, trip, break my ankle, eat sand, miss the ball, miss the ball again and sometimes the ball lands near me and I pick it up #soPro
Aha mucho gusto! One of my dear friends is from Mexico City, so I went with her and her friends (always better to go with locals cuz we got charged way less 😆). I’ll definitely check out that place in ATL… I haven’t ridden on the East Coast at all, and I’d really like to. My best friend lives in NC, and I’ve heard there are great places around there, too.
Happy to connect with you! My daughter really wants to be a character designer, so lots of overlap.
Pisgah trails in NC! Some gnarly stuff, but it’s fun! As for character design, if ever she has any questions just ask and I’m happy to answer (or point her in the right direction). The big secret to CD more than anything (ANYTHING) is story. Make your character connect with your audience and it could be a stick figure and it’ll work. Also I super loved all your science based stuff you had on your IG page! (I don’t do IG anymore, I’m at @sthig.art on there but I’ve since deleted all my work from there as I don’t like the Zuckerverse at all. Here’s hoping they don’t buy up Substack and ruin it too). Thanks for connecting and thrilled your daughter wants to go into art (whatever that may look like over the next few decades)
A beautiful eulogy for your fierce little friend. Your animation 👩🍳💋 and all your drawings have such lovely rhythm to them. You’re very talented and can also ride a bike! I really enjoyed this post
thank you Theresa! Means a lot, although if you put me in a short bike race I’m pitiful (I’m not fast nor can I conquer a gnarly rock garden trail very well)
First, I checked out your IG and I loved your pet dragon Inktober stuff! Second, you are welcome. I’ve wanted to find a way to voice a eulogy for Grace and I was glad to capture it this way. Much appreciated A.N.!
Mike, she was something else amazing. Was gutted when I found out she had cancer and still she was going full tilt. Funny lady, feisty as hell and was a beautiful soul.
Hope you’re doing well and the tigers are crushing it. (I kinda watched alabama get beat up by a high school team or community college :D)
Well you honor her memory well. And what an awesome achievement on the bike ride! I’ve follow professional road cycling for years. Every year I try to watch as many of the races as I can. I ride in a few local marathons but lately I’ve been slacking off.
I like roadie stuff but my heart belongs to knobby tires and backwoods… or did, I’m a fan of air conditioning (Texas heat is unrelenting and it’s made me so spoiled with flat land vs having to do serious hill / mountain climbs)
Mirelle thank you so much for your comment, I’ve been a lurking fan of yours for a while (just so you know), so it means a lot. While I’m a corny white middle aged dude, “Mucho gusto” and Mexico always has had my heart (I used to live in Puebla, sadly almost all my spanish is gone now)
ahh, thank you so much! Muchísimo gusto. I'm a new (not so) lurking fan of yours! So glad we've met now! Excited to keep reading and see the beautiful things you create! :D
I have a hardtail right now but I'm scoping out the end of season sales now to upgrade to full suspension! I'm looking at a trek topfuel as the lead contender but I'm pretty open to other models. Basically everyone here in Bend rides an 8k Santa Cruz, and that's just too high a budget for me! Once I have a full suspension I'd like to try downhill. We have a ski resort with a bike park 30 mins away! I don't really want to do big jumps because #old but I do want to rip it a bit!
Normally I'm a green and blue cross country trail rider. I lead an asthmatic/slow MTB group called "wheezy riders." When you live in a bike town, it's easy to feel like a piece of shit for being anything but a 120 lbs hunk of muscle that cruises blacks like it's nothing, so my group is full of really awesome normal people who can't breathe, are injured, or just like slower pace.
I ride rigid and like single speeds and fixies because I like torture I think (that and I also like the feel everything the bike is feeling). HOWEVER at 51 my back is taking a beating from it when I do ride (I don’t ride as much as I used to). I don’t have asthma but I do like the gentle roll of a ride than going all out like a bat out of hell (I can, and I’ve done it, I just don’t like it).
Weezy riders, omg, how cool! I don’t have asthma but give me a slow fun ride any day over having to keep up with Billy-Bad-ass (like Grace).
Okay first, I absolutely loved your work on your sketching trip article. Second, yeah my wife cried too. I’m too manly for crying but if you’ll excuse me I need to go dab my eyes ;)
Ok my first things first my pigeony friend. A close artist friend of mine is also an avid Pigeon gal and is involved in pigeon rescue, too. Because of her, I’ve found a new respect for these birds! Second, I cannot thank you for your comment, every time I get something sweet like that it’s like a small rush of dopamine. (Also your work is super duper)
They are truly beautiful birds, they are overshadowed here in Austin by Grackles (that should be our state bird honestly). I want to read up on why pigeons are seemingly EVERYWHERE in the world.
I lived in College Station for 5 years *shudder + NOT AN AGGIE disclaimer* The Grackles are insane. Their hissing... screeching... eyeballing me with soulless yellow and black dots "like a doll's eyes" as I try to eat a whataburger in peace.
Also sports are lost on me. But I find little devils a whole lot cooler than a bovine.
However Due to being from the south, I cannot escape sports so I know more than I’d want, soooo if I have to make a tribalistic chant to root for a team, it’s War Damn Eagle
Oh I hope you do! It's truly fascinating! They are so closely connected to us (and we've let them down). Don't wanna talk your ear off... but I could, lol.
I work from home. My coworkers are a cat and dog. My wife gets tackled the moment she walks into the door because I’ve not talked to anyone all day long. Pigeon talk away :D
Or my DMs are open (to everyone) and respond when I can. (I have to turn off the WiFi to get art done sometimes)
As an avid mountain biker, I salute you and Grace for your astounding achievements, which are way beyond what I could even imagine doing - and thank you for an excellent and touching article.
Back in the day I had a Gary Fisher Joshua X-1. Great bike for its time (I rode the heck out of it) and I still have it and it still works perfectly, but the geometry on MBs has changed dramatically over the years. These days I find my son’s (my kids inherited the mountain biking bug) bikes a lot more comfortable to ride, with their slacker geometry and all the most recent doodads on them. We have very extensive trails a short ride from our front door - very gnarly, full of roots, rocks, boulders, and, of course, endless fun.
Gary Fisher! Wow man you must be from the Jurassic era! 🦕 🦖 🚲:D
(Kidding, I’m in my 50s and remember Gary Fisher very well). Yes bikes have changed a lot. I ride rigid single speed. Feels like what I rode when I was a kid. When I ride a full sus, it feels like being in a sports car!
I believe you did an excellent job of incorporating humor into the art, playfully engaging with it in a way that added a lighter touch to the story. This approach made the more serious themes, particularly Grace’s battle with cancer, resonate even more deeply. I had no idea about those experiences, and I truly appreciate you sharing them. Thank you for your openness and creativity.
In the face of adversity, you stood tall, never wavering or backing down. Grace, you have shown us what true strength looks like, navigating life’s toughest challenges with a smile and an unbreakable spirit. Thank you for your inspiring example.
Wow, that was a great post and great tribute to your friend, Grace. That you were able to survive those gnarly mountain rabbits with yourself and your humor intact is amazing.
The only way I got through that race was humor. There was 156 miles through the Wyoming basin. So basically a desert. It took days and I almost went mental during that time.
Amazing story! My wife and I biked the length of the Andes, South America 2 years back. Most people were very confident my wife could do it, but not many were confident that I could. Congrats on making it!!
Whooooa wow! That’s fantastic! What kind of bikes did y’all travel on!?
We had a friend sell us prototypes for his bike company when it was young. The bikes were “Boskey” but they were “touring bikes” that were supposed to be easy to repair… which ended up not being the case but they did get us to the end of the world and back!
That is awesome (I’m a semi bike nerd )
Incredible story! Very touching and a sweeet tribute (that extra "e" matters) to Grace. That's quite a feat! I don't think I've ever done anything at that sort of scale before. I once walked 15K steps for 90 days straight to raise money for a project in Africa. And, I did run a 10 mile race... well two... And, those were amazing feats personally. These sorts of big pushes, particularly in mid-life, in my opinion can be life-defining and affirming. I read this story aloud to my husband thinking we were going to get some laughs; instead as we realized this was a different kind of post from Thigpen, we snuggled on the couch with wow's and aw's. Although we did chuckle at all illustrations. Loved this Thig. Thank you for sharing.
I just saw this. Wow how sweet. Thank you Emily!
Also a mountain biker here, and this was such a beautiful story. I can’t believe that anyone mentioned in this post did that race… and I’m kinda jealous. Y’all might be inspiring me.
Thanks for sharing this.
Yeah I read pro-athlete (and about to follow you). Pro in the MTB world or outside of that? If in the MTB world, enduro? Cross country? Cyclocross (that used to be my fav!). I’m built for long distance and NOT speed
Ha ha, well, I was actually a pro volleyball player in a past life. Now, I just refer to myself my a volleyball player on a bike. I’m a sucker for cross country riding, but that endurance stuff is really intimidating to me!
I just stalked your IG page! OAXACA!!! Omg I used to live in Puebla (but I can assure you, your Esapnol is waaaaay better than mine, but that said, mucho gusto!). When doing 24 hour races (another fav of mine…when I did those kinda things, I’m in my 50s now and my body doesn’t work like that anymore, ha) or any multi day racing, I go slow and conserve energy. If I go out like a bat outta hell, I last for about 5 minutes, bonk and then I’m done for the day.
If you like to travel and bike, I cannot encourage you enough to book a trip at Mulberry Gap in Ellijay, GA (just above Atlanta). It is, by far, the most bestest ride ever! Just go before Kate and Andrew sell the lodge (I think they want to have kids and can’t do both). They are dear friends of mine and I consider Mulberry Gap my second home (some amazing singletrack).
You should see my volleyball skills! I can run, trip, break my ankle, eat sand, miss the ball, miss the ball again and sometimes the ball lands near me and I pick it up #soPro
Aha mucho gusto! One of my dear friends is from Mexico City, so I went with her and her friends (always better to go with locals cuz we got charged way less 😆). I’ll definitely check out that place in ATL… I haven’t ridden on the East Coast at all, and I’d really like to. My best friend lives in NC, and I’ve heard there are great places around there, too.
Happy to connect with you! My daughter really wants to be a character designer, so lots of overlap.
Pisgah trails in NC! Some gnarly stuff, but it’s fun! As for character design, if ever she has any questions just ask and I’m happy to answer (or point her in the right direction). The big secret to CD more than anything (ANYTHING) is story. Make your character connect with your audience and it could be a stick figure and it’ll work. Also I super loved all your science based stuff you had on your IG page! (I don’t do IG anymore, I’m at @sthig.art on there but I’ve since deleted all my work from there as I don’t like the Zuckerverse at all. Here’s hoping they don’t buy up Substack and ruin it too). Thanks for connecting and thrilled your daughter wants to go into art (whatever that may look like over the next few decades)
A beautiful eulogy for your fierce little friend. Your animation 👩🍳💋 and all your drawings have such lovely rhythm to them. You’re very talented and can also ride a bike! I really enjoyed this post
thank you Theresa! Means a lot, although if you put me in a short bike race I’m pitiful (I’m not fast nor can I conquer a gnarly rock garden trail very well)
This hit my soul. I've lost more people than I care to, to cancer. It's an unfair disease. Thank you for sharing this and sharing Grace with us. ❤
First, I checked out your IG and I loved your pet dragon Inktober stuff! Second, you are welcome. I’ve wanted to find a way to voice a eulogy for Grace and I was glad to capture it this way. Much appreciated A.N.!
Thank you! 💕 I love Pet Dragon too. I love when other people love it as well.
Wow, that was a really touching post. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Paula. She was truly one in a million billion
Fantastic tribute! Grace sounds like an incredible human.
Mike, she was something else amazing. Was gutted when I found out she had cancer and still she was going full tilt. Funny lady, feisty as hell and was a beautiful soul.
Hope you’re doing well and the tigers are crushing it. (I kinda watched alabama get beat up by a high school team or community college :D)
RIP Grace! Wow, what a cool lady. Wish I had known her!
She was a hoot to say the least. I teased (and trolled) her relentlessly. It still hasn’t completely hit me that she’s gone and that was 2019 now
Well you honor her memory well. And what an awesome achievement on the bike ride! I’ve follow professional road cycling for years. Every year I try to watch as many of the races as I can. I ride in a few local marathons but lately I’ve been slacking off.
I like roadie stuff but my heart belongs to knobby tires and backwoods… or did, I’m a fan of air conditioning (Texas heat is unrelenting and it’s made me so spoiled with flat land vs having to do serious hill / mountain climbs)
And I hate hills! lol. Love being in nature but give me flat land to ride on! 😊😊😊
This was such a great read! Thank you for sharing. It’s so rare to read something that is so equal parts hilarious and moving!
Mirelle thank you so much for your comment, I’ve been a lurking fan of yours for a while (just so you know), so it means a lot. While I’m a corny white middle aged dude, “Mucho gusto” and Mexico always has had my heart (I used to live in Puebla, sadly almost all my spanish is gone now)
ahh, thank you so much! Muchísimo gusto. I'm a new (not so) lurking fan of yours! So glad we've met now! Excited to keep reading and see the beautiful things you create! :D
Ugh. I laughed. I cried. This asthmatic mountain biker salutes you!
Also I love talking bikes! Do you have a favorite type of riding? Bike? Trail? Casual? Asthmatically hardcore? :D
I have a hardtail right now but I'm scoping out the end of season sales now to upgrade to full suspension! I'm looking at a trek topfuel as the lead contender but I'm pretty open to other models. Basically everyone here in Bend rides an 8k Santa Cruz, and that's just too high a budget for me! Once I have a full suspension I'd like to try downhill. We have a ski resort with a bike park 30 mins away! I don't really want to do big jumps because #old but I do want to rip it a bit!
Normally I'm a green and blue cross country trail rider. I lead an asthmatic/slow MTB group called "wheezy riders." When you live in a bike town, it's easy to feel like a piece of shit for being anything but a 120 lbs hunk of muscle that cruises blacks like it's nothing, so my group is full of really awesome normal people who can't breathe, are injured, or just like slower pace.
I ride rigid and like single speeds and fixies because I like torture I think (that and I also like the feel everything the bike is feeling). HOWEVER at 51 my back is taking a beating from it when I do ride (I don’t ride as much as I used to). I don’t have asthma but I do like the gentle roll of a ride than going all out like a bat out of hell (I can, and I’ve done it, I just don’t like it).
Weezy riders, omg, how cool! I don’t have asthma but give me a slow fun ride any day over having to keep up with Billy-Bad-ass (like Grace).
Okay first, I absolutely loved your work on your sketching trip article. Second, yeah my wife cried too. I’m too manly for crying but if you’ll excuse me I need to go dab my eyes ;)
This was a beautiful read. Thanks for sharing.
Ok my first things first my pigeony friend. A close artist friend of mine is also an avid Pigeon gal and is involved in pigeon rescue, too. Because of her, I’ve found a new respect for these birds! Second, I cannot thank you for your comment, every time I get something sweet like that it’s like a small rush of dopamine. (Also your work is super duper)
Well now THIS is MY rush of dopamine! Thank you thank you. (also, yeah, pigeons rule)
Can I just say this is why I love Substack? I discover other cool artists WHO ALSO LOVE PIGEONS. https://www.instagram.com/p/C_DKbIXCnVV/
Awww yay! Here’s my pigeon obsessed art buddy, Victoria. https://www.instagram.com/epicandmyth?igsh=eDFrd3F0NmIwN2F5
They are truly beautiful birds, they are overshadowed here in Austin by Grackles (that should be our state bird honestly). I want to read up on why pigeons are seemingly EVERYWHERE in the world.
I lived in College Station for 5 years *shudder + NOT AN AGGIE disclaimer* The Grackles are insane. Their hissing... screeching... eyeballing me with soulless yellow and black dots "like a doll's eyes" as I try to eat a whataburger in peace.
I am about 50 steps from a whataburger. I wish I wasn’t but we are close to the campus and so it fits. Grackles sound like dial up modems
Also sports are lost on me. But I find little devils a whole lot cooler than a bovine.
However Due to being from the south, I cannot escape sports so I know more than I’d want, soooo if I have to make a tribalistic chant to root for a team, it’s War Damn Eagle
Oh I hope you do! It's truly fascinating! They are so closely connected to us (and we've let them down). Don't wanna talk your ear off... but I could, lol.
I work from home. My coworkers are a cat and dog. My wife gets tackled the moment she walks into the door because I’ve not talked to anyone all day long. Pigeon talk away :D
Or my DMs are open (to everyone) and respond when I can. (I have to turn off the WiFi to get art done sometimes)
Yes! Always up for pigeon talk! ;)
if you haven't yet-- "Pigeons" by Andrew D. Blechman is a fascinating read about our winged friends.
As an avid mountain biker, I salute you and Grace for your astounding achievements, which are way beyond what I could even imagine doing - and thank you for an excellent and touching article.
Ooh! What kinda MTB do you ride and what’s your favorite type of mountain biking? (I’m a nerd about this stuff and love to talk about knobby tires!)
Back in the day I had a Gary Fisher Joshua X-1. Great bike for its time (I rode the heck out of it) and I still have it and it still works perfectly, but the geometry on MBs has changed dramatically over the years. These days I find my son’s (my kids inherited the mountain biking bug) bikes a lot more comfortable to ride, with their slacker geometry and all the most recent doodads on them. We have very extensive trails a short ride from our front door - very gnarly, full of roots, rocks, boulders, and, of course, endless fun.
Gary Fisher! Wow man you must be from the Jurassic era! 🦕 🦖 🚲:D
(Kidding, I’m in my 50s and remember Gary Fisher very well). Yes bikes have changed a lot. I ride rigid single speed. Feels like what I rode when I was a kid. When I ride a full sus, it feels like being in a sports car!
Omg what an amazing post and beautiful tribute to your friend. 😭
“having heart failure and dying in the driveway” 😬😳 um, hope you’re okay now? Obvs not dead but still…
I believe you did an excellent job of incorporating humor into the art, playfully engaging with it in a way that added a lighter touch to the story. This approach made the more serious themes, particularly Grace’s battle with cancer, resonate even more deeply. I had no idea about those experiences, and I truly appreciate you sharing them. Thank you for your openness and creativity.
In the face of adversity, you stood tall, never wavering or backing down. Grace, you have shown us what true strength looks like, navigating life’s toughest challenges with a smile and an unbreakable spirit. Thank you for your inspiring example.
Wow, that was a great post and great tribute to your friend, Grace. That you were able to survive those gnarly mountain rabbits with yourself and your humor intact is amazing.
The only way I got through that race was humor. There was 156 miles through the Wyoming basin. So basically a desert. It took days and I almost went mental during that time.
Also thank you, Tim!