Paulie, Andy, and Trenton at Theo
There is a large overlap in the Venn diagram of punk rock and bicycles. I spent my 20s playing in bands that occasionally toured. This lifestyle allowed me to meet loads of amazing people. Two of those people happened to live in Minneapolis and have become my closest friends. I’m lucky enough to have both of them on my side in the preparation and carrying-out of this adventure. To state it simply: without them, I wouldn’t be preparing to line up for Arrowhead and there’s a decent chance that I wouldn’t be a bike fitter.
I met Andy Lageson through good ol’ MySpace in 2009. He reached out to the band I was playing in, The Dirty Hits, and ultimately engineered our first full-length record. Over the next few years we ran into each other here and there, once just a few weeks before the inaugural Filthy 50 in 2013. Andy invited me to ride to Stewartville in his van with a few members of his cycling team, Sh!tgoose. We rode most of the event together (until I got dropped) and shortly thereafter I got an email from Andy telling me that I was invited to be a member of the team. This was when cycling really began to sew itself into my life. This was also when Andy and I became great friends. Bikes and punk rock do that. The Filthy 50 is a great segue into Trenton Raygor… By the mid-2010s, bikes, bands, and friendships were fully intertwined.
I was acquainted with Trenton thanks to the Minneapolis music community. We both played in bands and had plenty of overlap in our friend groups. We knew of each other but didn’t really know each other. I had participated in the Filthy 50 in 2013 and 2014, which served as opportunities to get his famous finish line hug. :) Fast forward a couple of years to 2015 and suddenly Trenton and I were playing together in a new band, Blood Banks. We had grown closer over the years, sharing rides on dirt roads and even becoming teammates on the Hub Cycling Team. After joining a band together, we spent at least one night a week together for the next 5-6 years for rehearsals and shows. Playing in a band together has a way of creating a bond that few things can. Oh yeah, bikes also do that.
It was around this same time that Trenton launched what would become one of the premier cycling events in the Midwest. The Day Across Minnesota (DAMn) is a 240-mile gravel race from Gary, SD to Hager City, WI that starts at midnight and ends with a cutoff 24 hours later. Every year, Trenton encouraged me to sign up and I always told him that I had no desire to ride my bike that far. Then, I caved and signed up in 2020… and again in 2024… and again in 2025. LOL
DAMn finish line, 2024
These two humans are the most supportive and encouraging people you could ever meet. I’m lucky enough to have their experience, optimism, and generosity along for the ride. But more than anything, I’m grateful for their friendship. Trenton has lined up and completed Arrowhead multiple times. His knowledge of the event has been invaluable in preparing my mind for what’s to come. Although I typically train solo, Strava tells me that I’ve shared more miles with 1. Andy and 2. Trenton than anyone else. These rides serve as great opportunities to remember why I love to ride bikes. They also offer a chance to talk through logistics, mindset, and goals. Without both of them, there’s a good chance that I wouldn’t believe I could even line up for this type of event. With both of them, I think I can finish strong. Arrowhead feels less like a solo challenge and more like the natural extension of years of shared miles and experiences.
Participating in an event like Arrowhead takes a lot of time and equipment. I’m privileged to have the time to train and the freedom to get time away from work. My boss is great. He encouraged me to take time off for the event. ;) Cobbling together all of the required equipment is another issue altogether. Trenton’s experience with winter ultras has served to fill part of his basement with the supplies I needed and I am forever grateful for the ability to borrow some of this costly gear (see ultralight -20 deg sleeping bag).
Lastly and most importantly, Andy and Trenton will be traveling with me to International Falls for the actual event. Their presence before, during, and after will be priceless. And although they are not able to offer any assistance at the checkpoints, anyone who has ever participated in an ultra event understands how much energy you can absorb from seeing a familiar face and hearing some words of encouragement. As I visualize those final miles, as I approach the finish line in Tower, MN, I can already see their silhouettes cheering me on until I step off the bike. Hugs will follow. Our intention is to document as much of the event as possible so that the experience can be shared with all of you after the fact. Until then, remember…
“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”
-Helen Keller