Podcast
My Back 40
Hosted by Steve O'Shaughnessy · EN
A weekly (hopefully) conversations about bikepacking, training, nutrition and mental health.
Subscribe and share to be inspired by conversations with weekend warriors and elite athletes alike.
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
191. Listener, Matt Mersch - Tour Divide AMA
Apr 20Tap to summarizeIn this episode I connect with a listener to chat about all things Tour Divide. Mat reached out to me wondering if I'd be open to answering some questions about the Divide. I finished the Divide in 2022 and it was one of the most impactful things I have ever done. To say I came back changed would be an understatement.My caveat to Matt was that even though I am considered a TD vet, I certainly wasn't the fastest and could only speak subjectively about my experience; gear, planning (or lack thereof), favourite sections, etc.Matt is a math tutor and you can learn more about that at his website. merschmathtutoring.comI enjoyed meeting and chatting all things Divide with Matt and I hope you dig it.Huge thanks to Mannmade Cycles for sponsoring the My Back 40 PodcastSave 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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190. Mikey Coulter - Yeti Adventure Films
Mar 24Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the podcast I reconnect with Mikey Coulter of Yeti Adventure Films. His latest video, FOOL'S GOLD: 4 Days of Winter Bikepacking the Gold Rush Snowmobile Trail, is a recount of a winter adventure along the longest off-road trail in BC, The Gold Rush Snowmobile Trail which stretches 463km through BC’s Cariboo, tracing the same route that once carried fortune-seekers north more than a century ago. Mike’s work captures both the grit and unpredictability of these cycling adventures, while highlighting the strong sense of community and camaraderie within this tight-knit world of adventure seekers.We chat about his film making ethos, the logistics and challenges of making such films, as well as a number of other topics. I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did and I hope to work with Mike again in the future.Huge thanks to Mannmade Cycles for sponsoring the My Back 40 PodcastSave 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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189. Solo - Where the hell have I been?
Nov 25Tap to summarizeNot much to write here. This long overdue episode fills you in in what I have been up to this past summer. A new hip, travel, adventure, bikes and boards, school and major life changing considerations. I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I enjoyed making it. It’s been too long.Huge thanks to Mannmade Cycles for sponsoring the My Back 40 PodcastSave 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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188. Nathalie Baillon - Women’s winner of the 2025 tour divide.
Jul 26Tap to summarizeToday’s guest is Nathalie Baillon, a French ultra-distance cyclist with an inspiring story of passion and perseverance. After spending a few years working as an engineer in Munich, she took a leap—packing up her bike and heading off on a solo cycling trip through New Zealand. That journey sparked something big.Back in Europe, she bought a new bike, strapped on some panniers, and knocked out her first 1,000-kilometre ride in under 60 hours. That was just the beginning.Soon after, Nathalie moved to Isère, picked up her engineering work again—but also signed up for her first official ultra race: the Race Across France, a grueling 2,600-kilometre ride. And she crushed it.From there, things took off. She entered international ultra-distance races, landed multiple women’s wins, and regularly placed in the top 10 overall—competing with the best in the field. Eventually, she left her day job to go all-in, building a life around the sport she loves.To learn more about Nathalie, chek out her website. https://www.nathaliebaillon.com/home/enHuge thanks to Mannmade Cycles for sponsoring the My Back 40 PodcastSave 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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187. Stephan Kesting - Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic.
Jul 26Tap to summarizeListen in as I speak with Stephan Kesting—martial artist, author, and serious outdoor adventurer. In this episode, we’re diving into highlights from his incredible solo 1,000-mile canoe journey from Missinipe, Saskatchewan to Arviat, Nunavut. He paddled and portaged through some of Canada’s most remote wilderness, following the Churchill, Reindeer, Cochrane, and Thlewiaza Rivers, crossing massive lakes like Reindeer and Nueltin, and making his way down through the Barren Lands all the way to the shores of Hudson Bay.It’s a wild story of grit, solitude, and survival.If you want the full trip report, check it out at grapplearts.com/solo, and if this kind of adventure speaks to you, Stephan’s book Perseverance: Life and Death in the Subarctic is a must-read. https://www.amazon.ca/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612Huge thanks to Mannmade Cycles for sponsoring the My Back 40 PodcastSave 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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186. BC's Mike Martin and his 6th Place Tour Divide Finish
Jul 7Tap to summarizeIn this episode I bring you a conversation with British Columbia's Mike Martin. There Were a number of riders from British Columbia this year and Mike Martin stood out.Although Mike hasn't been in the ultra endurance scene for that long he might just be a rider to watch as he continues to push his limits in the sport.In this episode I get to know Mike a little bit. We talk about Fatherhood, his work life, Tariffs (sorry), his previous adventures, as well as some stories from the trail.It was great to get to know Mike.Huge thanks to Mannmade Cycles for sponsoring the My Back 40 PodcastSave 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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185. Sebastien Rolland Asks - What do you Want to Create?
Jun 27Tap to summarizeI have been exchanging asynchronous text and voice messages with my coach Sebastien Rolland since October 2021. During that time, he has been a vital support person, mentor, and friend as I work on my own personal growth.As I work toward my own career in coaching and counselling, Sebastien has challenged my thinking in many life aspects allowing me to reframe my experience. To say that I have all these lessons nailed down would be a gross overstatement; We are all works in progress.In this conversation, we get things rolling with the question "What do you want to create?" This question can be a catalyst for any life decision you want to make, whether that's starting school or a new career. It can be the impetus of how you navigate your relationships and open up possibilities as you create the palette with which you want to colour your world.From a mental health perspective, I hope this chat will help people feel less trapped in their day to day lives and shed some light on the amount of control we actually have with the choices we make. So, what do you want to create?Huge thanks to Mannmade Cycles for sponsoring the My Back 40 PodcastSave 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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184. Svein Tuft - Repost
Jun 17Tap to summarizeThis is a repost of a conversation I had with Svein Tuft last year after he crushed the BCEPIC 1000 in 2 days and 2 hours. Svein is currently in second place on the 2025 Tour Divide and is in solid contention to setting a new record.My buddy Michael brought it to my attention that many might not know who this unassuming athlete is or his background and this podcast covers that.I hope you enjoy this repost.---------In this episode I have a chat with Svein Tuft, winner of the BC Epic 1000. Svein shattered the record riding 1,044 km with almost 12,000 m of ascent in a time of 2 days and 2 hours.Svein is a retired Canadian road cyclist who competed professionally from 2005 to 2019. He rode for several teams, including Symmetrics, Garmin–Transitions, SpiderTech–C10, Mitchelton–Scott, and Rally UHC Cycling. Tuft won the 2006–07 UCI America Tour and claimed thirteen titles at the Canadian Road Cycling Championships: twice in the road race and eleven times in the time trial.We chat about his childhood, his draw to doing hard things, what is was like riding as a professional cyclist and what drew him to unsupported bikepack racing, which is quite a departure from the pro tour but something that he has fallen in love with.Huge thanks to Mannmade Cycles for sponsoring the My Back 40 PodcastSave 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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082. My Dad!
Jun 15Tap to summarizeIt’s been a long time coming, but I’m so happy to finally be bringing you a conversation with my dad, Darrel O’Shaughnessy. If you want to get to know someone, often meeting the parents is the best way to do that. Let’s just say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. You can also listen to a chat I had with my mom back in Episode 14.Born in Bancroft, Ontario in 1946, Darrel O’Shaughnessy grew up in the post war era of opportunity, which he didn’t take for granted. He has worn many hats, from being a chef, to being an officer with the Ontario Provincial Police. He was the Director of Security at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. where something like 80% of the worlds isotopes were derived, and later, branched out on his own to share his security expertise as a consultant. My Dad was always a hard working dude, travelling often to seek out new challenges and opportunities to make a better life for our family.Darrel never fully retired. Later in life, he and my mom built a Dragon Boating community in Kelowna, B.C. Later, when they moved back to Arnprior, Ontario, they founded the Arnprior Dragon Boating Club, dedicated to inspiring health and fitness, for all ages through the sport of dragon boat racing. Dad became an active board member with the Senior’s Active Living Center in Arnprior, which led to him developing “Men’s Sheds”, non profit entities that support senior men by providing a place of camaraderie, purpose and meaning. Members of Men’s Sheds are active in the community and work hard on projects such as building toys for fairs and markets, picnic tables and benches for parks and were active in building screens for various public facing services during the Pandemic.Being in service to others has been an extremely meaningful path for my dad and he has been recognized for his efforts. He was recently named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world.” Humbly, he accepts this award on behalf of the team of hard working people he surrounds himself with.Dad was always an active guy and considered being active and staying fit very important. He played and coached hockey and was an avid tennis player, classic cross country and downhill skier and, if I’m not mistaken, did pretty well in the Silver Spoon Ski Fest that the Deep River Cross Country Club has been hosting for the last 50 years. I couldn’t be more proud of my dad and am so happy to be sharing this conversation with you. Despite it not being cycling centric, this chat still reverberates with the importance of being in service to others, finding meaning and purpose in one’s life and the importance of living an active and stimulating life. Envoy.Driving Home for ChristmasK-LiteLight & MotionSave 25% off a consultation at Cycling 101 when you use the code VIP50 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!
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183. Getting to Know Alex Burk
Jun 14Tap to summarizeIn this episode, by popular demand, I connect with Alex Burk. This was one of those cold call episodes where we connect and just shoot the shit about... well, about a ton of things!Topics include; Cycling, bikepacking, her journey to becoming a Veterinarian, the "why" of doing hard things, the inclusiveness and safety of bikepacking events, her Lost Elephant experience as well as her recent ride of Caves and Coves.I had a blast connecting with Alex and I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I did.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for keeping me rolling!
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