Michael Howard
Designated Test Pilot, Videographer, USMCA Coach
Imagine not needing a map, a plan, or an itinerary. Imagine riding into the mountains on your bike for a day, a week, or a month, ready to explore and secure in the knowledge that whatever happens, you will be able to handle it.
Motorcycling was only a dream for me until my late 20s. With no direct experience, and a misguided fixation on the aesthetic, I fancied myself a cruiser guy. My first bike was a Honda Magna 750, a 4 cylinder muscle cruiser that I traveled on around Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
Life was good except for one problem. Every time I would drive past a dirt road in the middle of nowhere, I would wonder "Where does that go?" Curiosity got the better of me and I began driving my street bike in places where it should not have been, rivers, rocky roads, etc. One night, as I searched online for the knobbiest tire that I could mount on my cast rims, I realized I might be barking up the wrong tree.
My dualsport and ADV journey had begun before I even knew it. Since then I've logged tens of thousands of miles a year on a series of dualsport and ADV motorcycles in a wide variety of terrain.
I've approached learning to ride with a holistic curiosity and pattern of practice that I've adapted from other endeavors, such as decades training individuals in the building trades, and coaching beginner and intermediate rock climbers. For me competence in riding extends beyond fundamental riding skills to include mechanical understanding, navigation, fitness, resourcefulness, and creativity.
I believe that competence builds confidence! I enjoy helping riders identify and focus on areas of potential improvement, and have a knack for encouraging people to find the edge of their development. The truth is that today I am able to confidently explore any road or trail I may pass. I want to share that incredible feeling of freedom with anyone who has the desire to explore, and is ready to put in the work.
Youtube and Instagram @michaelmichaelmoto
Brett Landin
Lead Guide, Navigator, Boss of Wrenches
There's nothing I love more than exploring the backcountry. Whether it's on skis, a mountain bike, a pair of trail shoes, or a motorcycle, the mountains and red rock canyons are where my soul is at peace. And I love sharing these places with other like-minded adventurers, sitting around the campfire telling stories and sleeping out under the stars.
I was an aerospace engineer for 27 years working on iconic missions like the Mars rovers, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station, and the first Google Earth satellite.
I fell in love with motorcycles while living in the mountains of central Mexico in 1995 and have been riding ever since, eventually becoming a backcountry motorcycle guide 15 years ago. I've now ridden and guided across China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and all over the American West. I've traveled extensively (57 countries to date), mountaineering, skiing, trekking, surfing, and diving all over the world. I've been the conflict area representative (war zones and natural disaster areas) for an international non-profit getting inserted into hot-spots all across Africa, western Asia, and the Pacific Islands. I live for adventure.
My wife and I recently retired and make our home base in Salida, Colorado where I now work as a mechanic and restore old Porsches, early BMW airheads, and classic Corvettes whenever I'm not out discovering new places to play. I truly believe that travel and shared exploration bring people together like nothing else in the world. I'd love to share my backyard with you and take you deep into the backcountry to see this amazing landscape we're so lucky to call home. What's around the next corner?
Ryan Muff
Lead Hooligan, Bent Wrencher, USMCA Certified Coach
I've been riding dirt bikes since I was 6 after receiving initial instruction detailing the location of the clutch, throttle, brakes and shift levers from Dad. If I returned home without crashing I was sent back out on the trail! I rode trails and a little track for 25 years until my daughter was born. At that point a moto I could use to bring home groceries became more valuable and my appreciation for ADV grew. This required me to unlearn all those bad habits I taught myself since sound fundamentals are SO important on the big bikes.
Now I ride a Norden 901 with custom Touratech suspension on the mountain passes, big adventures and often coaching. The Beta 390 RR-S is set up for short day adventures, single track and entry level hard enduro(aka soft enduro).
I prefer very small groups of 1 to 4 riders on routes of their choice(if appropriate) and use video to document harder obstacles for evaluation and reflection. An experiential approach, USMCA Dirt Coach Certification and decades coaching/educating allow me to provide feedback while we ride and leverage the terrain to create teachable moments. I thoroughly enjoy coaching, facilitating grand adventures, and welcome the challenge of helping riders set ego aside in pursuit of their goals.
Contact us
This is the best way to reach out to schedule time together or get your burning questions answered! Please be patient and we’ll get back to you ASAP…which could be a while if an extended moto adventure is in the works. Thanks and keep the rubber side down!