Payson McElveen took on 140+ miles of trail in one day to learn what makes Bentonville special
Two years ago, Payson McElveen rode every single trail in his hometown of Durango, Colo., and gained a new appreciation of the area just outside his door. The experience got him thinking: What if he explored other great American trail towns the same way?
The result is a new series aptly title “Trail Town,” and the first episode is out now. In it, McElveen visits Bentonville, Ark., a burgeoning cycling paradise that has been dubbed the Mountain Biking Capital of the World. The area not only boasts a constantly growing bounty of pristine trails, but a welcoming, cycling-mad community.
Payson giving a few locals a tow.
McElveen’s adventure spans 142 miles and 17 hours and 30 minutes of riding across 126 distinct trails and 9,300 calories burned. His impression of the track?
“Created with, and maintained with, excellence,” McElveen says near the end of the video. “It’s just the gold standard. It’s so far beyond anything else I’ve seen. It’s just really hard to put into words.”
Lighting up the final miles.
The celebratory cheers.
To encourage more people to see everything Bentonville has to offer, McElveen is offering a massive giveaway to two riders who document themselves riding all of Bentonville’s trails by the end of the year. It includes a $1,500 shopping spree at Osprey Packs, a three year supply of Orange Seal tire sealant and a $100 gift card to The HUB Bike Lounge in Bentonville.
Check out McElveen’s Instagram for more details, as well as photos and video from this adventure and more. And also give his Adventure Stache podcast a listen! May we suggest his most recent episode speaking to Trek-Segafredo’s Kiel Reijnen about his unique journey from the Pacific Northwest to the men’s WorldTour.
