We’ve been following the development of the impressive Bollinger Motors EV SUV and pickup for a few years now. Today, they finally put a price tag on our dream vehicle: $125,000.
Starting today, you can reserve your place in line to purchase either the Bollinger B1 four-door SUV or the B2 four-door pickup. The final price on both is $125,000. To get your name on an early-production vehicle, you’ll want to put down a $1,000 deposit today. Do note that this deposit is fully refundable at any time, according to Bollinger.
Production is expected to start in 2020 with “first deliveries slated for 2021.” This is at least a year past the projections set when no-deposit reservations were first taken last year.
Sales and service of Bollinger vehicles will be through independent dealers throughout the U.S. and in other global markets. Hopefully, delivery times and service options will become more clear soon, as both are a bit vague at this time.
Both the Bollinger B1 and B2 will be hand-assembled in the U.S. and feature many of the same options. Both will sport a fully electric drivetrain with dual motors and a 120kWh battery pack. In-wheel portal gear hubs will help both achieve a truly impressive 15 inches of ground clearance. Also impressive is the 5,000-pound payload capacity.
The Bollinger Motors full-electric vehicles are unique beasts, even when compared to the plethora of full-electric trucks and SUVs coming to market soon from the likes of Rivian, Tesla, and Fisker. The huge payload, unique cargo storage options/configurations, and portal axles are just a few of the things that set Bollinger apart.
Bollinger Motors is also planning relatively low production numbers, hand-building their vehicles and selling them at a very premium price. All of these decisions are generally the opposite of what we know now about current and potential competitors in the full-electric, off-road-capable truck/SUV space.
Do we want a Bollinger? Hell yes! These vehicles are extremely capable, can haul a ton of gear, and have classic, timeless looks. But the big price tag, vague delivery schedule, and unsecured aftersale support network have us keeping our wallets closed — for now.
If you’re in the LA area at the end of November, be sure to stop by the Los Angeles Auto Show to check out both of these Bollinger Motors’ vehicles in person.
During the 2019 spring wild turkey hunting season, state wildlife officer Austin Levering received a complaint of a suspect shooting from a roadway in Knox County. The caller stated that while attempting to call in a turkey, he observed someone stop on the road and fire three shots at the same bird he was hunting. The caller was not sure if the turkey was killed. Officer Levering contacted the owner of the vehicle, who was not aware of the incident. The owner of the vehicle said a friend had borrowed his vehicle that day. Officer Levering spoke to a second suspect. Further investigation revealed that he had been driving the vehicle and observed a wild turkey near the road. He grabbed his shotgun from the front seat, stepped out of the vehicle, and loaded the shotgun. He put both feet on the road and fired three times at the turkey. He missed the turkey and left the area. The suspect was issued one summons for hunting from a public roadway, and another summons for hunting without written permission from the landowner. He was also ordered to pay $350 in court costs and fines in the Mt. Vernon Municipal Court. The caller was awarded a Turn In a Poacher reward of $150 for reporting the violation.
Prior to the start of the statewide ginseng season, state wildlife officer Brad Kiger, assigned to Franklin County, and state wildlife officer Maurice Irish, assigned to Delaware County, were on patrol in Coshocton County when they noticed a vehicle parked in a secluded area on state property. Officer Irish observed a woman walking through the woods toward the roadway. She was carrying a plastic bag, which she hid in the brush before walking down the road. She was met on the road by a man, and they continued to walk toward the vehicle where officer Kiger was waiting. Initially, the couple denied digging ginseng, telling officer Kiger they had been hiking and looking for mushrooms. Officer Irish retrieved the plastic bag and discovered several freshly dug ginseng roots. The couple then admitted they were digging ginseng on state property. They both received charges for digging ginseng during the closed season and on state property. They paid $600 in fines and court costs to Coshocton Municipal Court.
This summer, state wildlife officer Chad Grote, assigned to Marion County, observed three men fishing while working from a boat along the banks of Alum Creek Reservoir. Officer Grote contacted one of the men after he had moved away from the other two. The man did not have a fishing license. As officer Grote brought the boat to the shore, the man walked toward the parking lot where the other two men were fishing. Officer Grote secured the boat and contacted the other two men, but the first man left. It was determined that neither had a fishing license. They were able to contact the third man on a phone and he came back to speak with officer Grote. All three men were issued a summons for fishing without a license and paid $480 in fines and court costs.
Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District 2
State wildlife officer Josh Zientek, assigned to Fulton County, was on patrol during the statewide deer gun season when he observed a vehicle parked near a woodlot. He determined that the owner of the vehicle was hunting in the woodlot and had checked in two deer that season, one in Lucas County and one in Fulton County. Officer Zientek contacted the hunter and upon further investigation, it was determined that the individual had provided false information when checking in one of the deer. The hunter had harvested both deer in Fulton County, which has a two-deer limit, and checked one deer in Lucas County so he could continue hunting in Fulton County. The suspect was charged and found guilty in Fulton County Eastern District Municipal Court.
Northeast Ohio – Wildlife District 3
While patrolling Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, state wildlife officer Aaron Brown, assigned to Wayne County, contacted an individual who had parked on state property near the middle of an intersection. When officer Brown contacted the man, he could smell a strong odor of marijuana. The man stated he had previously been smoking it. Officer Brown retrieved contraband from inside the vehicle. The individual became agitated after he was asked for his identification. Further investigation revealed the man had an active felony warrant from an adjacent county. Officer Brown arrested the man on the warrant and issued him a summons for the drug paraphernalia. The individual appeared in court on the drug offense, was convicted, and ordered to pay $216.
During the 2018 deer hunting season, state wildlife officer Scott Cartwright, assigned to Carroll County, responded to a hunting without permission complaint. He located the man who was trespassing on the property and learned that he was a Florida resident. Officer Cartwright later discovered that the man had hunted on three different properties without permission. In addition, he had neither a hunting license nor a deer permit. He was charged with the offenses, convicted in Carroll County Municipal Court, and paid $845 in fines and court costs.
Southeast Ohio – Wildlife District 4
Prior to the statewide deer archery season, state wildlife officer Anthony Lemle, assigned to Guernsey County, was informed of an illegal bait site discovered by a concerned hunter on Salt Fork Wildlife Area. Officer Lemle searched the location and located the bait site. On the opening day of Ohio’s deer archery season, officer Lemle contacted the individual responsible for the bait site. The suspect was issued a citation for baiting on public lands. The suspect was found guilty in Cambridge Municipal Court and paid $155 in fines and court costs.
Southwest Ohio – Wildlife District 5
State wildlife officer Brad Turner, assigned to Preble County, and state wildlife officer Aaron Ireland, assigned to Butler County, were checking for fishing licenses at Acton Lake. As they checked the licenses of several anglers at the lake, one man suddenly got up and headed to the parking lot, leaving his two fishing poles and a tackle box behind. The officers proceeded to check the licenses of the rest of the anglers in that area. After the man did not return for several minutes, the officers searched for him. When they contacted him, he initially denied he had been fishing, but then admitted to the officers that he did not have a fishing license and had decided to hide. The man paid $145 in fines and court costs for fishing without a license.
Oct. 25: Magic City WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Barberton Moose, Barberton. For more info call Dale Farmer, 330-607-5317.
Oct. 26: Big Walnut Creek WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Cardinal Entertainment Center, Marengo. For more info call Joel Reynolds, 614-205-1037.
Nov. 2: Muskingum Valley WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Muskingum County Fairgrounds, Veterans Building, Zanesville. For more info call Kent Papageorge, 740-270-9075.
Nov. 7: Gladwin County WTU Banquet, 5:30 p.m., Gladwin K of C Hall, Gladwin. For more info call Jason Maraskine, 989-486-1961.
Nov. 8: Fayette County WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Fayette County Fairgrounds, Mahan Building. For more info call Trevor Justice, 740-604-6209.
Nov. 16: Mosquito Creek WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Yankee Lake Ballroom, Brookfield. For more info call Dennis Malloy, 330-507-9489.
Nov. 22: East Central Ohio WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Lake Park Pavilion, Coshocton. For more info call Angie, 614-374-0292.
Nov. 29: Ashtabula County WTU Banquet, 4:30 p.m., Ashtabula County Fairgrounds Expo Building, Jefferson. For more info call Dale Sunderlin, 440-466-2223.
Dec. 17: Mahoning Valley WTU Banquet, 5:30 p.m., Mill Creek Metroparks Farm, McMahon Farm Hall, Canfield. For more info call Dennis Malloy, 330-507-9489.
Jan. 18, 2020: Central Ohio WTU Banquet, 4:30 p.m., Aladdin Shrine Center, Grove City. For more info call Brandon Showen, 937-725-9349.
Jan. 25, 2020: Miami Valley WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Butler County Fairgrounds, Hamilton. For more info call Don Distler, 513-403-7471.
Feb. 8, 2020: Ohio Five Rivers WTU Banquet, 4:30 p.m., The Irish Club, Dayton. For more info call Brandon Showen, 937-725-9349.
March 27, 2020: Big Buckeye WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center, Cambridge. For more info call Dave Scurlock, 740-584-9263.
April 21, 2020: Mahoning Valley WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Metroplex Expo Center, Girard. For more info call Dennis Malloy, 330-507-9489.
Shooting/Archery
Now-Dec. 1: East Knox Lions Club, Sundays Only, 11:30, Campbell’s Range, Howard. For more info call Chris Fletcher, 740-358-6399.
Nathan Sports built the VaporKrar 2.0 for Rob Krar, one of the top trail runners in North America. We put it to the test.
Knock on wood. I’ve stayed healthy this entire running season, logging just over 1,000 miles in the last 3 months. This includes some mountain trails I’ve been dreaming about for years: Wonderland, Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, Timberline, and Teton Crest, among others. Yet most of these sweaty, muddy miles were on forest roads, through regional parks, and less-glamorous urban sidewalks.
This summer, I tested the VaporKrar 2.0 ($165), an updated running pack by Nathan Sports. Any time I planned on a long run — generally anything more than an hour — I would throw on the VaporKrar, stuff a few GU Energy snacks inside, fill the bladder with water, and head out.
I did this so often that my dog now associates the pack with a long run and gets extra excited when she sees it.
Nathan VaporKrar 2.0 Fit: Like a Glove
The new trend in running packs is to fit like a piece of clothing, hugging your body as tightly as possible. The rationale for this is straightforward physics — mass closer to the center of gravity takes less energy to move.
Many brands have taken note, designing shorts, shirts, and packs that help distance runners tuck snacks, spare layers, and water close to the body.
The VaporKrar 2.0 is especially good at this principal, with a streamlined design that I barely notice on my runs. The downside of this design that contours tightly around your chest is that, when you’re really pushing hard up a steep hill or grinding on long trails at elevation, your breathing is restricted just a little.
But the trade-off is certainly worth it — water and nutrition are necessary.
Durability: Small Cosmetic Tears, Still Full Integrity
My initial gripe with the pack was some small rips. Early in the season, I tackled a 50-mile route in the Grand Canyon and, admittedly, carried a lot of stuff. Still, I was surprised to see a couple of small tears at the top seams after the run.
Like all running packs, Nathan worked exceedingly hard to keep this pack as light as possible, and that led to some weak spots. I found them pretty quickly.
But after months of use in mud, rain, sleet, and dirt, the pack still performs like new, and these small tears haven’t expanded at all. It now has some sweat stains and mud marks, but all of this is cosmetic; the performance hasn’t declined at all.
Bounce: Best in Class
I’ve used a lot of other packs — Salomon, Ultimate Direction, and Patagonia to name a few — and nothing compares to minimal bounce of Nathan’s VaporKrar. When packed right, the apparel-like fit helps mitigate almost all bounce.
The front pockets are designed to provide easy access and spread out the weight. The pack has a compression strap that runs behind the hydration bladder, allowing you to compress the bladder as you drink. But the biggest difference comes in the bladder itself. It is an hourglass shape that helps eliminate the mind-numbing slosh sound and the equally painful bounce.
Storage: Pockets Everywhere!
Each shoulder strap of the VaporKrar 2.0 has two large pockets, good for hydration and snacks, plus a pill-specific pocket and a waterproof cellphone pocket. The back has two large slide-in pockets (for the bladder).
Plus, there’s an even larger zipper pocket for layers and more snacks as well as an easy-access slide-through pocket that you can reach with either hand. I use this most frequently for gloves, a hat, a headlight, and a windbreaker. Despite being listed as 4 L of storage, I’ve found that if you get crafty you can fit much, much more than that.
Nov. 30: Turkey season (males and females) closes in select WMU’s
Nov. 30: Archery deer (antlerless) season closes in WMU’s 2B, 5C & 5D.
Archery/Shoot
Limerick Bowmen, 65 Bragg Road, Schwenks-ville, PA. For more info call 610-287-8850.
1st Sunday: Every Month 3D Shoots 7-noon.
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Falls Township Rifle & Pistol Assoc. Shoots. 354 Newbold Road, Morrisville. For more info call Peter Olivieri, 215-584-0015.
Sundays: 1st Sunday of every month, 7-11 a.m.
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West Shore Sportsmen’s Association schedule of Firearms training & other shooting events. 500 Ridge Rd., Lewisberry, PA. For more info, www.shoresportsmen.org or call 717-932-2780.
Sun.: HP Rifle, 9 a.m., 1 Sunday a month.
Tues.: Air Rifle, 6-8 p.m. Starts second Tuesday in September through last Tuesday in July.
Swatara Archers Schedule of Events. Pine Grove, PA. For more info call 570-345-6254.
3rd Sun. of every month: Archery Shoots, 7-1 p.m.
Special Events
Now-Nov. 24: Fly Fishing Instruction for Veterans, 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. For more info call 908-229-4727.
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Clark County Sportsman’s Club, 3450 Ballentine Pike, Springfield, OH. For more info call David McLaughlin, 937-631-9552.
Tues., Sun: Open to the Public year round.
Coshocton County Sportsmen’s Club Schedule of Shoots. For more info call Karl Steiner, 740-763-2243.
Every Tues.: Open Trap.
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Bolivar Sportsman’s Club Shoots, 11286 Bolivar Strasburg Road NW, Bolivar, 44612. www.bolivarsportsmansclub.org for more info.
2nd Sunday Sept.-April: Lucky X Shoots, 7 a.m.
Every Fri: Trap Shoot, 6:30-10 p.m.
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Allen County Archers, H. Kelley, 8 South Seltzer Street, Wapakoneta, 45895. For more info call Howard Kelley, 419-953-2861.
3rd Sat. each Month: 3D Archery Shoot.
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Beaver Creek Sportsman Club, Events, 14480 Washingtonville Road, Washingtonville, 44490. For more info call Glenn, 330-770-8027.
Every Mon.: Turkey Shoot, reg. 6 p.m.
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Hocking Valley Sportsmans Club Shoots. For more info call Victor Howdyshell, 740-753-3492.
3rd Sat. of every month: 3D Bow Shoot, 8 a.m. April thru Sept.
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Kill’um Buck Longrifle Blackpowder Muzzleloader Shoot Club, 2260 E. West Salem Rd, Creston, OH 44217. For more info call Carole Fry, 330-435-4408.
Allegheny County Game Warden Dan Puhala reports the first week of the early WMU 2B archery season was an exciting one for a local hunter who was able to harvest his first black bear. The hunter was looking for deer when he got an opportunity to take a shot at the bear. This hunter stated it was the first bear that he had ever seen in the wild – even after many trips up north to bear hunt during the firearms season.
Allegheny County Game Warden Zebulun Campbell reports archery season has begun in WMU 2B and, even with high temperatures, hunters were harvesting deer.
Allegheny County Game Warden Zebulun Campbell reports there are many juvenile animals being found in the county. If you come across a juvenile animal that needs help, call the Game Commission. Do not take matters into your own hands, he said. Possessing any wildlife in Pennsylvania without the correct training can cause issues for you and the animal. Plus, it is illegal to do so.
Fayette County Game Warden Charles T. Schuster reports an individual was cited for hunting doves without a valid license.
Greene County Game Warden Christopher Bence reports individuals have been charged with driving vehicles on the breast of the dam at the Lake Wilma Hunter Access property.
Greene County Game Warden Christopher Bence reports individuals have been charged with camping, having open fires and driving on Hunter Access properties in Greene County.
Indiana County Game Warden Chris Reidmiller reports he recently was called out for a complaint of people shooting deer from within a vehicle along the road at night. At the scene, Reidmiller apprehended two individuals while they were field-dressing one of the three deer they had shot. Charges are currently pending.
NORTHCENTRAL REGION
From the Game Commission
Clinton County Game Warden Kirk Miller reports he cited a hunter for having a loaded crossbow in his vehicle. The individual could face fines up to $200.
McKean County Game Warden Jeffrey Orwig reports an individual was cited for riding an ATV on Hunter Access property, then fleeing from an officer.
Clearfield County Game Warden Mark Gritzer reports two subjects are facing charges for killing a fawn with a semiautomatic rifle in September.
Clearfield County Game Warden Mark Gritzer reports two bears were struck by a tractor-trailer on Route 322 near DuBois.
Clearfield County Game Warden Mark Gritzer reports that the inaugural elk archery season was a success with all five bull hunters tagging out.
Clearfield County Game Warden Mark Gritzer reports that two ATV operators face charges for violating the All-Terrain Vehicle Law while on Hunter Access property.
Clearfield County Game Warden Mark Gritzer reports that multiple ATV operators were found spotlighting after 11 p.m.
Lycoming County Game Warden Jonathan M. Wyant reports deer populations are way up in the eastern end of Lycoming County. Many people who grow crops, either professionally or in a garden, have reported damage done by deer.
Centre County Game Warden Michael Ondik reports that many complaints of bears getting into cornfields were received in September and October, and multiple bears were relocated. With expanded early season bear hunting opportunities coming up, seeking out affected farmers might lead to permission to hunt areas with lots of bears, he said.
Union County Game Warden Dirk Remensnyder reports an individual was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia on state game lands.
Tioga County Game Warden Michael Smith reports many places around the county were baited prior to archery season and said he’d be keeping tabs on them.
Lycoming County Game Warden Harold Cole reports that he is seeing more and more wildlife moving around, with the farmers getting the crops harvested and the cooler weather setting in.
SOUTHCENTRAL REGION
From the Game Commission
Blair and Bedford counties Game Warden Brandon Pfister reports that two individuals from the Saxton area have been charged with counts including littering, failing to obey posted signs and providing false statements to an officer.
Blair and Bedford counties Game Warden Brandon Pfister reports that a Huntingdon County man has pleaded guilty to hunting migratory birds without the required migratory bird license, and will pay all costs and fines associated.
Perry County Game Warden Steven Brussese reports that individuals have pleaded guilty to charges filed for hunting waterfowl from within a safety zone, without a migratory game bird license and also while carrying and using lead shot.
Cumberland County Game Warden Timothy L. Wenrich reports that two juveniles were involved in a fight at one of the State Game Land 243 parking areas, resulting in three people being cited for disorderly conduct on state game lands.
Mifflin County Game Warden Amanda M. Isett has been getting several reports of people spotlighting after 11 p.m.
Franklin County Game Warden Trevor Shauf reports encountering drivers on roads closed to the public in Michaux State Forest. He also issued warnings to individuals who picked up road-killed deer without reporting them or getting a permit, and issued a citation for a loaded firearm in a vehicle.
York County Game Warden Cameron Murphy reports encountering few dove hunters while on patrol throughout September. While the weather might have been a factor, he said it seemed like a lot of potentially great dove hunting was missed out on.
Perry County Game Warden Kevin P. Anderson Jr. reports that hunters who choose to illegally use bait while hunting within a DMA may face an additional fine for violating the prohibition on feeding wildlife within a DMA.
York County Game Warden Justin Ritter reports a York City man pleaded guilty to assisting in the unlawful taking of a white-tailed deer. Charges were filed in 2018 after information came in through an Operation Game Thief tip.
Cumberland County Game Warden John Fetchkan reports that the September violations all have been adjudicated through guilty pleas. Baiting and dumping cases still are being investigated.
Bedford County Game Warden Jeremy Coughenour reports that two men have pleaded guilty to unlawfully picking ginseng on state game lands. The two men admitted to having the plants after they were found to be in possession of digging tools as they exited the woods. Fines in the case totaled $1,500.
Juniata County Game Warden Eric Kelly reports increased land-use issues and encroachment on Hunter Access properties.
NORTHEAST REGION
From the Game Commission
Luzerne County Game Warden Justin Faus reports an increase in illegal dumping on both private and public property in the past few months and is conducting investigations at multiple locations.
Monroe County Game Warden Praveed Abraham reports filing charges against an individual for dumping trash in a state game lands parking lot.
Monroe County Game Warden Praveed Abraham reminds people to identify treestands they leave on state game lands with a durable tag indicating their CID or Game Commission treestand ID number. Untagged stands left on Game Commission property represent a violation that may result in a citation.
Bradford County Game Warden Blake Barth reports he transported an injured juvenile bald eagle that was found along state Route 514 to the Carbon County Environmental Education Center for evaluation and rehabilitation. The probability of full recovery is unknown, but the eagle received a second chance from someone who cared enough to report it was injured.
Wayne County Game Warden Adriel Douglass reports investigating two individuals who were riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles and shooting at deer with a handgun along Egypt Road in Mount Pleasant Township on the afternoon of Sept. 24. Anyone who might have information is asked to contact the Game Commission Northeast Region Office.
Sullivan County Game Warden Rick Finnegan and deputies Mike Bedford, Mike Scott and John DeMille encountered an individual spotlighting at 1 a.m. in Forks Township. The man was traveling from one coyote-hunting location to another and couldn’t resist checking some fields for deer.
Bradford County Game Warden Mike Goodenow reports an individual recently was cited for spotlighting after 11 p.m. and faces a maximum fine of $200.
Pike County Game Warden Patrick Sowers reports many state game lands gates are now open to provide greater access for hunters.
Northumberland County Game Warden Derek Spitler reports warning an individual for allowing cattle to graze on state game lands in Little Mahanoy Township.
Susquehanna County Game Warden Mike Webb reports that, on the opening day of archery deer season, he noted scent-safe wipes and other trash items presumably left in state game lands parking lots by archers. “If someone chooses to litter and gets caught, the fine is fairly hefty,” said Webb.
Luzerne County Game Warden Gerald Kapral reports that, while compliance with shooting range regulations has increased substantially, violations still occur, some because shooters simply don’t take the time to read the clearly posted range use regulations. A recent example was a couple who were shooting on the range and neither one had a valid hunting license or range use permit. Also, they were shooting more than six rounds at a time and shooting at a bowling pin. Citations and warnings were issued, and they pleaded guilty.
Luzerne County Game Warden Gerald Kapral recently cited three people for camping and possessing alcohol on State Game Land 57. Their vehicles were parked in a game lands parking lot that had a signboard showing regulations make it clear both acts are prohibited.
Luzerne County Game Warden Gerald Kapral is investigating an incident involving hunter trespass and falling from a treestand on the property of the State Correctional Institution at Dallas.
Red Bull Rampage happens in just 2 days. Now you can get an exclusive look at the crazy lines — and competition.
Red Bull Rampage is just like what it sounds — a risky, death-defying event in which pro mountain bikers fly down steep canyon lines. Each rider makes their own line and hits jumps and features they’ve built along the way.
The competition is known for showcasing some of the best riders in the world. But the event is also known for its crash-inducing level of difficulty. It’s also possibly the biggest competition in freeride mountain biking.
Follow along with riders like Carson Storch, Brandon Semenuk, and Brett Rheeder in the first practice event of Rampage.
Red Bull Rampage 2018: Daredevil 'Guinea Pigs' Break Ground on New Runs
A GearJunkie editor headed to the competition venue to learn about the bravery and bravado that is the Red Bull Rampage mountain bike competition. Read more…
Sgt. Brian Bacon, Cpl. Dave Painter, and CO Anna Viau assisted local law enforcement with responding to a call about a possible active shooter at a church in Dickinson County. When the COs arrived at the church, the subject had already been taken into custody without incident. The subject had been acting suspiciously but had no firearms or other weapons in his possession.
CO Josh Boudreaux was following up on a trespass complaint in Richmond Township when he discovered fresh ORV tracks leading through a gate that had been previously cut open. Boudreaux followed the tracks, which led to Cleveland Cliffs Mine property, where he located two individuals riding double on an unregistered ORV without helmets. After talking with the two, Boudreaux learned that the last run in the pair had with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) a few years ago landed them a spot on the TV show “Wardens.” A citation was issued for riding double on an ORV.
CO Jeremy Sergey and Michigan State Police Trooper John Edwards responded to a vessel in distress call late at night in dense fog. The calling source said they heard several short rapid sounds from a foghorn on Lake Michigan over the course of 30 minutes. The officers conducted a search of the area but were unable to locate anything. A search was also conducted in the morning; however, that search also revealed nothing.
Along with several other law enforcement agencies, CO Anna Viau assisted the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET) with the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Iron County. UPSET discovered several illegal substances and evidence of drug distribution. As a result of the search warrant, four individuals were immediately arrested. Further charges will be sought for additional individuals.
DISTRICT 2
COs Steven Butzin, Robert Freeborn and Christopher Lynch were conducting a group grouse decoy patrol in an area known for grouse hunting. The COs encountered one hunter attempt to shoot the decoy from the passenger seat of the vehicle. When advised that it was illegal to shoot from a motor vehicle, one of the hunters stated that they had driven 40 miles and that was the first bird they saw. The individual was issued a citation for possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle.
CO Steven Butzin was off duty and traveling through Rapid River when he noticed a vehicle parked at an intersection with an individual outside the vehicle laying over the curb. Butzin called Delta County Central Dispatch as he was turning his vehicle around to check on the individual. They informed Butzin that the subject was in anaphylactic shock from a bee sting and was unresponsive. Butzin performed what is known as a jaw thrust on the individual to keep his airway open as the subject’s face and lips were purple and he was barely able to breathe. The subject had already been given two doses of an EpiPen. After several minutes, Masonville EMS and the Delta County Sheriff’s Department arrived on scene until Rampart EMS was able to arrive for a transport to the hospital. The individual was discharged from the hospital later that night.
Acting Sgt. Robert Freeborn along with COs Mark Zitnik and Michael Evink received a call in the evening from dispatch regarding an overdue hiker/fisherman. Dispatch advised that a subject had been camping in the Big Island Wilderness area and had not returned. The COs responded with their canoes and gear and proceeded to locate the fisherman. The COs had to paddle and portage their canoes through four lakes and eventually made it to the lake where the subject was said to be camping. By this time, it was well after midnight and the rain had started to set in. The COs located the subject’s canoe at the campsite and located the subject who was deceased from what appeared to be an accidental injury to his leg. The COs advised dispatch of the situation and documented the scene. After several hours of trying for air support, it was determined that the only way out was to back track to the next lake where MSP and local units had made it to the shore with an ORV. The COs loaded the subject in his canoe which was tied off to one of their canoes and paddled back across the lake. Once the COs made it to the trail that connected to the next lake, they unhooked the subject’s canoe and proceeded to portage along steep hills, uneven terrain, fallen trees and exposed roots. After a grueling half hour, the COs were able to get the subject to the next lake. The COs then had to back track to get their gear and then walk back to continue the recovery. The COs located MSP and the other local units on shore where they received help bringing the canoe and subject to a county road where EMS was staged.
DISTRICT 3
CO Adam Leclerc received a call from a tribal conservation officer stating that he found a live bear trap on state land in Emmett County. After reviewing pictures from the tribal COs, Leclerc met them on site. Leclerc confirmed the trap was not the DNR’s and that someone had placed it there illegally. With assistance from the tribal COs, they started monitoring the area for activity. After a couple of days, the trap disappeared but they had already gathered enough information on a possible suspect. The COs went to the suspect’s residence and located the live trap and with a search warrant they secured the trap and are now seeking charges with the prosecutor’s office.
While patrolling on Belle Isle, CO Andrea Erratt of Antrim County checked two fishermen on the Detroit River. The first fisherman said he did not have a fishing license, but his brother did, and he thought he could fish under his license. Erratt explained he needed his own fishing license and had to ask the man three times for some form of identification. Erratt ran a file check that revealed the unlicensed fisherman had four misdemeanor warrants for his arrest, thus explaining his reluctance to turn over his ID. Erratt warned the man for fishing without a license but arrested him and transported him to the Detroit Detention Center where he was lodged on his outstanding warrants.
CO Andrea Erratt of Antrim County patrolled Belle Isle on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday checking over 40 fishermen. Before going to Belle Isle, the owners of Stinger Lures in Boyne Falls donated lures to Erratt to give to fishermen on Belle Isle. Erratt donated Stinger Lures to all the legal fishermen who had purchased their fishing licenses. Erratt also donated lures to two teenage boys who had been involved in a property damage car accident. The young driver said he was so excited about going fishing that he had forgotten to look in his blind spot before pulling from the left lane into a parking spot on his right. Erratt gave the young fishermen Stinger Lures to hopefully cheer them up a little.
DISTRICT 4
CO William Kinney and Sgt. Dan Bigger were patrolling the Betsie River in Benzie County by boat when they came upon a planer board floating in the middle of the river with a fishing line and lure attached. Adjacent to the river at the local campground, the COs found the fishing pole associated with the planer board. After approximately 45 minutes, the occupant returned to his campsite. The angler knew it was illegal to leave his fishing line unattended. He was issued a ticket for the unattended fishing line and the illegally used gear was seized.
COs Andrea Albert and Troy Ludwig were patrolling the Betsie River when they observed an individual they had seen fishing with a rod and reel attempt to take salmon with a net. When the COs contacted the subject, he stated that he was not fishing or trying to net the fish but trying to nudge the fish upstream for his girlfriend to catch. A check with dispatch showed the subject did not have a valid fishing license. A citation was issued for attempting to take fish with a net and a warning was given for fishing without a license.
Lt. Joe Molnar and CO Troy Ludwig were patrolling the Betsie River when they observed two subjects fishing. The first subject hooked a salmon and was able to get the fish to shore. The COs were able to witness exactly where the fish was hooked, which happened to be under the mouth. The subject then looked around and put the fish on a stringer believing no one had seen him retain the foul-hooked fish. While the first subject had been attempting to land his fish, the second subject had kept fishing and was sight casting towards salmon and setting the hook with a jerking motion to hook fish outside the mouth. Molnar contacted the first subject, and as he did, the second subject turned from him and cut his line letting the “lure” and weight fall into the river. Ludwig happened to be just behind the subject and ordered him to pick up his “lure” and come to shore. The second subject was found to be fishing with two treble hooks, with a bit of yarn attached and a large weight, which was not recovered from the river. The COs issued citations for retaining a foul-hooked fish, use of illegal fishing device and littering.
DISTRICT 5
While patrolling Lake Missaukee for waterfowl hunters, CO Micah Hintze observed a group hunting from a boat along a piece of private property. Hintze moved in close to the group and was able to hear their conversations. One man pointed out a red-tailed hawk sitting in the trees over Hintze’s shoulder. Another hunter raised his shotgun, took aim and shot the hawk from the limb. Hintze contacted the group of hunters. In addition to shooting the hawk and trespassing, other violations included an unplugged shotgun and hunting without a license. Evidence was seized and citations were issued to three different hunters in conjunction with the violations.
CO James Garrett was sitting on an early bear bait he had found established prior to Aug. 15, which is the legal date to begin baiting for bear in the Red Oak BMU. At first light, Garrett heard a vehicle with hounds approaching his location. He observed a hunter tend the bait station and then contacted her. Garrett issued a citation for tending/establishing a bear bait prior to the 31 days before season.
CO Josh Wright was patrolling Clare County when he came across a truck parked on state land. There were numerous empty beer cans and litter on the ground next to the truck. Wright followed a trail and was able to get within 40 yards of the hunter who was situated in a ladder stand. The hunter was not wearing the required hunter orange and was not aware of the CO’s presence. Wright backed out silently and decided to wait for the hunter to finish out the evening hunt. After a short wait, Wright heard the hunter shoot twice. The man was surprised when Wright walked in to offer his assistance with tagging and dragging the nice boar bear back to his truck. After providing the assistance, Wright determined the hunter knew he was supposed to be wearing hunter orange. A citation was issued for not wearing hunter orange and a warning was provided for the litter, which was cleaned up by the hunter.
DISTRICT 6
CO Matthew Neterer responded to a RAP complaint near Sebewaing where a group of youth waterfowl hunters were suspected of taking an over-limit of mallards. Neterer discovered that two of the youth hunters were in possession of 12 mallards and did not have federal migratory bird stamps. The hunters received citations for possessing over-limits of mallards and given verbal warnings for not having their federal stamps.
CO Chad Foerster received a complaint from the RAP hotline about an individual possibly shooting deer and leaving them for dead without retrieving them under a deer damage permit. Foerster determined that the suspect did not have permits for the county/township in question. Foerster and CO Jason Smith obtained a confession from the suspect about shooting numerous deer over the past several months without a permit and without retrieving them. Additionally, the suspect showed the COs the location of each deer which were now reduced to bones. A numerous count warrant is being sought on the suspect for illegally shooting the deer out of season along with reimbursement and hunting privileges revoked.
COs Dan Robinson and Mike Haas were working a waterfowl complaint in northern Montcalm County when they noticed two subjects in a field glassing and pointing a firearm in the direction of an open field. The COs watched the couple for a few minutes and then approached the pair who stated they had permission from the farmer, and they were planning to harvest a deer. The female subject was not in possession of a firearm at the time and did not have on a hunter orange garment. The male subject was holding a rifle and when asked if he had a hunting license, he patted his pockets and said he didn’t have it on him. A check on both subjects’ license history showed that neither subject had purchased an antlerless deer tag prior to going out. A citation was issued to the male subject for being afield with a firearm during season without a license. A warning was given for having a loaded firearm in/upon a motor vehicle and the hunter orange was addressed.
DISTRICT 7
CO Justin Ulberg was checking anglers at a launch in Ottawa County as they came off the water. Upon contacting two anglers, Ulberg discovered that they were 13 bluegills over their daily limit. Further investigation revealed that one of the anglers did not have a 2019 fishing license. The angler was issued a citation for the violations and the over limit of fish were seized.
COs in the Grand Haven area have been addressing the large numbers of panfish being caught in the Grand River bayous. Recent patrols have resulted in subjects being cited for taking more than their daily limit. CO BJ Goulette approached one of these anglers returning to his vehicle and the subject was vague in his responses about how many fish he had caught or how the fishing was. When Goulette went to retrieve a bucket from his truck to count the subject’s fish, the officer noticed the subject quickly bending over and throwing fish under his car and then standing up like he hadn’t done anything. Goulette continued as if nothing had happened and proceeded to count through the subject’s bluegills and when he reached 25 fish there were still some left in the bucket. The subject made a remark about how he must have miscounted by a couple and that is when Goulette told him to grab the fish from under his vehicle. The subject was cited for having several fish over his limit and was advised that it is hard to sell “an honest mistake” when you try to purposely hide fish.
CO Carter Woodwyk conducted an inspection at a commercial meat processor in Allegan County over the weekend of the Liberty deer hunt. The first deer the CO checked had a kill tag on it that was purchased the morning of the opener for the Liberty Hunt, but it was validated for the following day. The CO conducted a follow-up interview with the youth hunter’s father who eventually confessed to his son not having a valid deer license when the deer was harvested. A report will be submitted to the Allegan County prosecutor for charges.
DISTRICT 8
CO Andrew Monnich was checking anglers at Tecumseh Mill Pond when he observed a fisherman put his rod down and start walking to the parking lot rather quickly. Monnich headed toward the fisherman who noticed the CO approaching and started running. The fisherman jumped a fence and headed toward the river. After a quick foot chase, Monnich was able to detain the individual who stated he only ran because he had no fishing license. A file check through dispatch revealed eight warrants for the individual’s arrest. The fisherman was issued a citation for fishing without a license and lodged in the Lenawee County Jail on the warrants.
COs Shane Webster, Andrew Monnich and Eric Smither worked with the Lenawee County drug team on a flight. During the flight, the COs were able to mark several baiting locations through Lenawee and Jackson counties. They also assisted in pulling several illegal marijuana growing operations. Tickets were written for improperly securing/possessing marijuana plants and baiting deer in a closed county.
CO Shannon Kritz was on patrol when she came across a child who was standing in middle of the road without shoes or a shirt on. The child seemed lost and confused. Kritz got the child out of the road. The child was nonverbal so Kritz walked the neighborhood with the boy knocking on doors trying to find somebody that recognized him. Kritz was approaching a house when the mother came out yelling for him. She explained that she had just realized he wasn’t in the house. She was very thankful and relieved that her child made it home safely.
CO Katie Stawara was investigating social media posts when she came across one indicating a youth hunter had shot two deer on opening day of the Liberty Hunt. An interview was conducted and a confession obtained. The youth shot a doe early Saturday morning. She purchased a CWD tag for it after the fact so she could continue hunting on her single deer tag. That evening, she shot a 7 point. The youth did not have hunter safety and both deer had been shot on the neighbor’s property. The deer were seized, and a warrant is being sought for the violations.
DISTRICT 9
COs Kris Kiel and Brad Silorey were patrolling around large gravel pits in Macomb County when they located two deer hunters coming out of the woods during the early antlerless deer season. Both subjects failed to wear hunter orange. Upon contact, one subject failed to purchase a hunting license and the other only had a combo deer license, which is not valid during the antlerless only firearm deer season. When the officers asked if they had taken hunter safety, both subjects replied yes. When checking records, it was found neither subject had taken a hunter safety course. Citations were written for hunting deer without a license and failing to wear hunter orange.
CO Raymond Gardner responded to a complaint about two hunters hunting for deer on state land during the early antlerless season in Lapeer County. Gardner contacted the hunters who said they were hunting for deer. Gardner explained to them that early antlerless season only applies to private lands. A citation was issued to both hunters for violation of the hunting regulation.
COs Jaime Salisbury and Raymond Gardner were patrolling the Lapeer State Game Area for waterfowl hunters. While patrolling, the COs observed several individuals shooting at geese flying high above them. The COs observed for a short time and after the geese were no longer flying over, the COs contacted the hunters in the field. Upon contact the COs checked hunting licenses and shotguns for plugs. While talking with the hunters, Salisbury noticed a gun case on the ground that appeared to have something inside. Salisbury asked about the case and one of the hunters said that was his extra gun that he used to shoot after his other gun was empty. During the contact it was also found that two of the hunters were in possession of toxic shot. Citations were issued for possession of toxic shot and using/possessing more than one firearm in the field while waterfowl hunting.
Oct. 26: Kaleva WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Kaleva Tavern, Kaleva. For more info call Andy Robak, 231-362-3161.
Nov. 8: Auburn/Bullock Creek WTU Banquet, 5:30 p.m., Forest Edge Banquet Center, Auburn. For more info call Jason Maraskine, 989-486-1961.
Nov. 9: Chippewa Snow Chasers WTU Banquet, 5:30 p.m., American Legion 393, Hulbert. For more info call Meike Brelsford, 906-437-5369.
Jan. 11, 2020: Tri-Cities WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., The Grand, Essexville. For more info call Jason Maraskine, 989-486-1961.
Jan. 20, 2020: Traverse City WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Boones Long Lake Inn, Traverse City. For more info call Jim Kurdziel, 231-894-1515.
Jan. 25, 2020: Northern Michigan WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Eagles Club #1825, Gaylord. For more info call Fred Webber, 989-619-3481.
Jan. 25, 2020: Michigan West WTU Banquet, 4 p.m., English Hills Event Center, Comstock Park. For more info call Jim Kurdziel, 231-894-1515.
Feb. 1, 2020: Newaygo WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Cronk’s, Newaygo. For more info call Jim Kurdziel, 231-894-1515.
Feb. 8, 2020: Michigan WTU Banquet, 4 p.m., Radisson Hotel, Lansing. For more info call Jim Kurdziel, 231-894-1515.
Feb. 12, 2020: Kalamazoo WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., The Fountains, Parchment. For more info call Dave Wilkins, 269-377-3149.
Feb. 15, 2020: Ionia WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Steele Street Hall, Ionia. For more info call Jim Kurdziel, 231-894-1515.
Feb. 22, 2020: West Branch WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Knights of Columbus, West Branch. For more info call Jim Gilbert, 989-550-4828.
March 18, 2020: Northwest Michigan WTU Banquet, 5 p.m., Hagerty Center, Traverse City. For more info call Jim Kurdziel, 231-894-1515.
Season Dates
Oct. 25: Beaver (resident) trapping season opens, Unit A
Oct. 25: Muskrat and mink trapping seasons open, Zone 1
Oct. 25: Otter trapping season opens, Unit A
Oct. 30: Crow season closes
Oct. 31: Pheasant season (male only) ends, Zone 1
Oct. 31: Sharp-tailed grouse season ends
Nov. 1: Raccoon, badger trapping seasons open, Zone 3
Nov. 1: Beaver resident trapping season open, Unit B
Nov. 1: Muskrat, mink trapping season opens, Zone 2
Nov. 1: Otter trapping season opens, Unit B
Nov. 1: Beaver resident trapping season open, Unit C
Nov. 4: Woodcock season ends
Shows
Jan. 18-26, 2020: Detroit Boat Show: Sat., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun.-Mon. 11-6; Tues.-Fri., 3-9; Cobo Center. For more info call Liz Szlaga, 734-261-0123.
Feb. 14-23, 2020: Ford Indianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show, Indiana State Fairgrounds. For more info call 765-641-7712.
Feb. 20-23, 2020: Indiana Deer, Turkey & Waterfowl Expo, Indiana State Fairgrounds. For more info call 765-641-7712.
March 12-15, 2020: Novi Boat Show: Thurs.-Fri., 2-9 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., 11-6 ; Suburban Collection Showplace. For more info call Liz Szlaga, 734-261-0123.
Dog Events
March-October: “Puppy Fair” Multi-Lakes Conservation Club, Commerce Township; 2nd Sunday of the month, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. For more info, call Dave Elam, 248-624-0944.
Special Events
Nov. 15-16: Wexford County Buck Pole, Daylight-7:30 p.m., The Barn Hall, Manton. For more info call Chris Vincent, 231-884-4602.
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Multi Lakes Conservation Association, 3860 Newton Road, Commerce Township. For info call Glenn Kruckenberg, 248-363-9109 or www.multilakes.com
Sunday: Country breakfast, 2nd Sunday of every month, 9 a.m.-noon.
Tuesday: Bingo, 6:30 p.m.
Friday: Fish Fry, 5:30-8 p.m.
Archery
Dundee Sportsman’s Club, 2300 Plank Road, Dundee,. For info call 734-777-2719.
Sunday: 4th Sunday, 3-D Archery
Shooting Sports
Multi-Lakes Conservation Association 3860 Newton Road, Commerce Township. For info call Pete Cesaro, 248-363-9109.
West Walker Sportsman Club, 0-601 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids. For info call Patrick Murray, 616-453-5081.
All Year: Open 7 days a week.
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Big Bear Sportsman’s Club, for more info call Dave Somset, 231-362-3103.
Every Sunday: Shooting 5-Stand & Trap, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
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Livingston County Wildlife Conservation Club, For info call 810-231-1811.
Every Tuesday: Trap Shoots, 4 p.m.-dusk.
Meetings
Huron Valley Sportfishing Club meets on the 3rd Thursday of every month, 7:30 p.m., American Legion Post 200. For info call Richard Montre, 734-847-7814.
Multi-Lakes Conservation Association meets every 3rd Wednesday of every month except November, 8 p.m., at the Clubhouse. For info call Sam Mullins, 248-363-9109.
Detroit Area Steelheaders meets the last Tuesday of every month, 7:30 p.m., Polish/American Hall. For info call Bob Mitchell, 586-524-8887.
Freeland Conservation Club meets 1st Wednesday of every month, 7 p.m., at the Club. For info call Ken Balden, 989-695-2641.
Downriver Walleye Federation meets 3rd Monday of every month, except December, 7:30 p.m., Westfield Center. For info call Terry Pickard, 248-520-0116.
Huron Valley Steelheaders meets 3rd Thursday of every month. American Legion Post #200 For info call Carroll White, 734-626-3112.
Grand Blanc Huntsman’s Club meets 2nd Sunday of every month, 5:30 p.m., at the Clubhouse. For info call 248-321-9503.
Mid-Michigan United Sportsman Alliance meets 2nd Tuesday of every month, 6:30 p.m., Twin Ponds Sport Shop, Stanton. For info call Dave Bean, 989-831-4890.
Wayne County Quail Forever meets the fourth Monday of every month, 6:30 p.m., Flat Rock Rec. Center, I-75 & Gibraltar Rd. For info call Ed Moore, 734-782-0329 or 734-771-5607.
Post 46 Hunting & Fishing Club meets 2nd Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m., at the Club. For info call John Wilde, 734-646-6132.
Metro-West Steelheaders meets the 1st Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m., Livonia Senior Citizens Activity Center. For info call Bill King, 734-420-4481.
Dwight Lydell Chapter Izaak Walton League meets 1st Tues. 7 p.m., Belmont. For info contact Tom Watson, twwatson@comcast.net
This is part of #OutsideFlannelWeek, a celebration of the fabric we all know and love.
In the Gingras household, right around the time we replace Halloween decorations with turkeys and cornucopias, the biggest seasonal transition of all occurs: the beds are stripped and remade with flannel sheets.
I grew up with New Englander parents thinking that everyone did this every fall, only to learn last year from my naive coworkers that no, Flannel Savings Time is not a marking of cooler weather and shorter days for other families. I remain baffled that so many people haven’t caught on to this simple hygge hack, so allow me to enlighten you.
Flannel sheets are as critical to fall and winter as hot apple cider and a good pair of waterproof boots. At the end of a long day of work and exercising in the bitter cold, you slide into your flannel nest and feel like you’re wrapped in the world’s coziest hug. They are the OG anxiety bedding (move over, weighted blankets), keeping the gloom of winter at bay and my toes warm no matter how hard the wind howls outside my window. Doesn’t that sound better than shivering while your boring regular sheets warm up to your body temperature, only to roll over and hit a cold spot once more?
“Alright,” you say, “I’m ready to embrace the hygge-est of home goods.” Congratulations on this monumental step in your self-care routine! I recommend this fuzzy brushed-cotton set from L.L.Bean. It’s not too warm in case you sleep hot, but it’ll still elevate the comfort factor of your bed significantly.
Until you’re ready to change out your sheets in spring, I promise the next few months will be full of snuggly nights and mornings of hitting the snooze button for just five more minutes of bliss. Go ahead, you’ve earned that shelter from the cold world outside. Welcome to your best fall ever.
For the first 20 miles of the ride up the Col du Galibier—the storied Alpine climb that debuted in the Tour de France back in 1911, when all but three riders were forced to dismount and walk their chunky pre-carbon-fiber velocipedes to the 8,000-foot summit—I was actually enjoying myself, more or less. The other cyclists on my weeklong tour had decided to bag it and hop in the support van halfway up the climb, as the temperature began to plummet and a cold rain swept down from the surrounding peaks. So had Massimo, our cheerfully inscrutable, Dante-quoting bike guide, who preferred the warmer climes of his native Sardinia. I was alone with the mountain, savoring the subtle gradations of my rising distress.
With a couple miles to go, though, the novelty started to wear off. The rain turned to sleet, and as I switchbacked through canyon-like passageways formed by monstrous ten-foot snowbanks, my hands, in their sodden gloves, became too numb to operate my gears—more of a theoretical problem than an actual one, since I was too spent to get out of my lowest gear anyway. As I neared the summit, the grade seemed to keep getting steeper, the headwind stronger, and my insistence on finishing the climb under my own power more foolish.
Instead of the ghosts of Coppi and Merckx and other bygone stars who’d triumphed here, I found myself chasing the flowing locks of Fabian Cancellara, the flamboyant Swiss rider who was famously (some would say outrageously) accused of hiding a tiny electric motor in his bike in 2010. As a novice cyclist embarking on an ambitious itinerary called Epic Climbs of the Western Alps, I had seriously considered requesting one of the e-bikes offered by my tour company, just to make sure I wouldn’t hold my more experienced trip mates back. Now I contemplated Fabian’s choice: If I had a Go button on my bike, would I press it?
A winding road from the French town of Briançon leads up to Col d’Izoard at 7,743 feet, a pass that frequently features in the Tour de France as a climb rated hors catégorie. (Photo: Edoardo Melchiori)
As I turned yet another corner, with less than half a mile to go, the easterly headwind became a virtual wall. I had to get out of my saddle and lean into a wobbly, slow-motion sprint just to avoid slowing to a complete halt and toppling over sideways. By the time I turned away from the wind a few hundred yards later, my heart rate and breathing were fully maxed out and my legs were jelly. I knew I couldn’t face the gale again. Then I saw that, instead of another hairpin, the road ahead snaked up the rest of the way to the summit without turning back into the wind. I pedaled onward, with a mix of pride and relief—pride that I’d made it, relief that my bike hadn’t, after all, been equipped with a motor that would have tempted me to take an electric shortcut.
A few minutes later, I was thawing in a cozy bistro on the far side of the summit, sipping hot chocolate, with a plush hotel-style bathrobe draped over my shivering shoulders. That’s when an uncomfortable thought struck me: Why should I disparage the boost provided by an electric motor when, that very morning, with precisely the same goal, I’d sat patiently in a hotel lounge while a neuropsychologist trickled electric current through a web of electrodes gelled to my scalp?
Really it was just a matter of time. Back in 2013, when Brazilian scientists first showed that a relatively simple protocol of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) to the brain seemed to enhance endurance, you could already map out the events that would follow: the flood of copycat studies, the launch of a Silicon Valley startup peddling the technique to early adopters, the murky reports of professional athletes and teams like the Golden State Warriors and the U.S. ski squad experimenting with it, the rising ethical concerns about fairness and safety, and, finally, the press release that showed up in my inbox in January of this year—the field’s “Holy shit, they’re using Crispr on human embryos!” moment.
The pitch was from NeuroFire Cycling, a spin-off of Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team’s official sports-medicine clinic, the RIBA Rehabilitation Institute (IRR), based in Turin, Italy. It had enlisted a bike-touring company called Tourissimo, also based in Turin, to run the logistics for a bespoke trip, giving well-heeled amateurs the opportunity to spend a week riding famous Grand Tour passes while eating gourmet meals and receiving “advanced neurostim protocols used by the world’s top riders” for a cool $7,000 plus airfare. Before tackling the Colle delle Finestre, in the Piedmontese Alps of northern Italy, you’d get your prefrontal cortex stimulated to “enhance performance, mood, and the propensity to enter flow states.” After the Col d’Izoard, across the border in France’s Hautes-Alpes region, you’d hit your upper motor cortex “to enhance the central nervous system’s role in natural recovery processes.”
It read like an elaborate piece of satire. But it’s not: the technology is, on at least some level, real, and after six years of speculation and hype, someone was bound to start promoting it to the recreational market. It occurred to me that a tour for weekend warriors run by scientists also working with a top UCI cycling team would offer a unique opportunity to delve into some of the lingering questions about tDCS. Not just the obvious ones—does it work? is it safe?—but also trickier ones about fairness, technological innovation, and the deeper meaning of sport for those of us whose wins and losses are personal and unremunerated. So in early June, I buckled into a red-eye to Turin for a week of hard climbs, fine wines, and credulity-stretching neuroelectrophysiology.
The idea that a jolt to your brain might enhance your physical powers isn’t quite as futuristic as it sounds. A history of tDCS published in Psychological Medicine in 2016 traces the technique’s lineage back to Roman times, when an imperial physician named Scribonius Largus prescribed a live torpedo fish to the scalp to relieve headaches. Similar ideas crop up in cultures around the world, but the modern incarnation of tDCS began in the late 1990s and took off a decade or so later. The basic idea is simple: your brain is like a vast interconnected circuit, with neurons that communicate with each other via electric discharges. Applying a very weak current of a few milliamperes tweaks the excitability of the affected neurons, such that they become a little more (or, if you run the current in the opposite direction, less) likely to fire in response to whatever you do in the subsequent hour or two. Exactly what that means depends on which parts of the brain you hook up, but the general upshot is that different brain regions are able to communicate with each other more easily—which, if you believe the hype, can have effects ranging from changing your mood to making you a better sniper. All it takes, as a vibrant and somewhat scary online DIY subculture attests, is a nine-volt battery and a couple of electrodes.
Of course, wiring up your brain still carries some pretty weighty cultural associations. When Massimo, the Tourissimo cycling guide, picked me up at the airport, I found that he was as bemused by the whole thing as I was. As we dodged and weaved through Turin’s Saturday-morning traffic, he outlined the plan: he would take me back to the hotel for lunch and a brief rest, then I’d get fitted for a bike, then he would take me to the IRR clinic for my first—as he described it, air quotes and all—“treatment.” I’d be joined by two other cycling journalists from Britain for NeuroFire’s maiden tour, he said, since no paying customers had actually signed up. Still, “we have another testimonial,” he added cheerfully. “It’s from Jack Nicholson.”
At the clinic, a sleek complex with ultramodern furniture, rows of sophisticated rehab equipment, and the high-wattage brightness of a toothpaste commercial, we met a half dozen members of the tour’s medical and support staff. The plan for the week, they explained, had two main parts. For our first three days of cycling, we would receive 20 minutes of brain stimulation immediately before riding, with the electrodes positioned on our scalp in a configuration designed to enhance our performance, perhaps by kicking us into a flow state for the first hour or two of the ride. For the last two days, as the cumulative fatigue of tens of thousands of feet of climbing mounted, we would switch to 20 minutes of stimulation immediately after riding, this time with an electrode configuration chosen to enhance the recuperative powers of the massage we would receive simultaneously as our synapses sizzled.
But first we needed some baseline testing to figure out where the electrodes should be placed on each of us. A neuropsychologist from the IRR named Elisabetta Geda ushered me down a corridor, past rows of glossy pamphlets and posters displaying before-and-after tummy pics from exotic treatments like “full-body contouring by cryoadypolisis,” to a quiet room where she pulled a neoprene cap studded with electrodes over my scalp. As I visualized cycling up a mountain road, she used electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor the communication between different regions of my brain. “The brain signals are like an orchestra,” she explained. “Every section has a rhythm, and we record these rhythms with EEG. Then we can personalize your electrode montage, because each person may need a different treatment.”
Geda and her colleagues at the rehabilitation clinic have been using tDCS for several years on patients with conditions like chronic pain, addiction, fatigue related to multiple sclerosis, and cognitive deficits after traumatic brain injury. They use it in combination with existing treatments, priming the appropriate neurons to fire more readily in order to amplify the benefits of those therapies. So in 2017, when the IRR signed on as the official sports-medicine provider for the new Bahrain Merida cycling team, Geda began to consider the technique’s athletic potential. She and her collaborators ran a study replicating the 2013 Brazilian results, then floated the idea to Bahrain Merida.
The initial response was lukewarm. “At the beginning, we were a little bit afraid,” Luca Pollastri, one of the cycling team’s medical doctors told me. “We took some time to understand what’s going on, what’s legitimate, what’s the World Anti-Doping Agency’s position, and so on.” Instead of using it to directly enhance performance, Pollastri asked Geda if she could devise a protocol that would help athletes relax and recover after racing, which is a major challenge in Grand Tours, when riders are going to the well day after day for weeks. Geda suggested stimulating the brain during massage, effectively amplifying the massage’s effects on the central nervous system—an unorthodox approach that no one else had tried.
Neuropsychologist Elena Fontana, from the RIBA Rehabilitation Institute, wires up the author for a session of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) after a long day of riding. (Photo: Edoardo Melchiori)
Among the first riders to try it was Domenico Pozzovivo, an Italian climbing specialist known in the peloton as the Doctor for his cerebral approach—not Bahrain Merida’s star, but someone happy to experiment with new ideas and capable of giving detailed feedback about them. In the 2018 Giro d’Italia, Pozzovivo started using tDCS to boost his recovery a few stages into the race. Night after night, he faithfully donned the electrodes for a massage, and after 17 stages, he found himself in third position in the general classification: on track, at age 35, for his first-ever Grand Tour podium. But the complicated logistics of a grueling mountaintop finish in the resort town of Prato Nevoso meant that he missed his session after the 18th stage, and, for the first time in the race, he slept poorly. The next day, he lost eight minutes to the leader and slipped back to sixth overall, before rallying in the final two stages to finish fifth. To the staff at Bahrain Merida, and to Pozzovivo himself, neither his career-best overall performance nor the timing of his one bad day seemed like a coincidence.
By this time, Pollastri and his colleagues were ready to consider using the technique as a prerace booster. With Gabriele Gallo, a sports scientist at the University of Milan, they brought ten cyclists from Bahrain Merida’s continental team to the lab for a double-blind series of simulated 15-kilometer time trials with real and sham tDCS. For a roughly 20-minute effort, the riders averaged 16 seconds faster with tDCS, right on the margins of a statistically significant improvement. It was suggestive enough that they decided to use it at the opening stage of the 2019 Tour de Romandie, where Slovenian rider Jan Tratnik took the win for Bahrain Merida.
On the morning after our EEG tests, we met Geda in a conference room in the imposingly ornate Grand Hotel Sitea for our first treatment before a test ride up the Colle della Maddalena, one of the hills across the Po River from downtown Turin. When I apologized for encroaching on her Sunday, Geda waved me off: she’d sent her two toddlers to their grandmother’s for the weekend so she could focus on the tour. “This is like a holiday for me,” she laughed. Pulling up a 3-D model of the human brain on her computer, she outlined the results of the previous day’s EEG tests.
Trevor Ward, one of the British journalists, apparently had “a great connection” between his prefrontal and motor cortices—between perception and action, in effect. This is characteristic of elite athletes, Geda explained, so he would receive the same six-electrode tDCS stimulation that the pros got, focusing on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) itself. That’s the region of the brain that integrates information from everywhere else and decides whether and when you can push harder. “Our theory is that the PFC is less active during exercise because other regions are overloaded,” Gallo explained. “So if we stimulate this area, the athlete should have better regulation of pacing.”
The other Brit, John Whitney, and I were not so accomplished, so we’d get a remedial eight-electrode stimulation to help nurture the crucial prefrontal-motor connection in addition to stimulating the PFC. Geda slid the neoprene cap onto my head, and I felt a mild prickling in my scalp as one milliampere of current began to flow. A minute or so later, the sensation faded to nothing, and for the rest of the 20 minutes, I simply sat back and relaxed.
After a short ride through the cobbled maze of Turin’s pedestrian core (and the requisite stop for espresso), we crossed the Po and started climbing. As we pedaled up the incline, I felt a little buzzed and a little jet-lagged, and my bike felt about half as heavy as usual—which it was, since I’d trained for the trip on an aging mountain bike and was now riding a $6,000 carbon-frame Bianchi. Joining us for the ride was Vittoria Bussi, the reigning world-record holder for the one-hour time trial, and I fell in beside her to get her take on the technology.
Bussi, it turned out, had just returned from a time trial in Slovenia, where she’d been accompanied by Geda to try prerace tDCS. Bussi hadn’t detected any difference in performance or power output, but her heart rate had been lower than usual—a somewhat ambiguous result that she’d also noticed in a previous experiment with the technique. A compulsive tinkerer, with a Ph.D. in math from the University of Oxford, Bussi saw tDCS as just another element of the continual process of experimentation, quantification, and optimization that cycling permits. “I’m curious,” she said. “I like trying to figure out the best possible approach to a problem.” Overall, the race in Slovenia had been a success, with a third-place finish that boded well for her goal of qualifying for the 2020 Olympics. She figured she’d keep using brain stimulation, at least for a while.
As for me—well, I never expected to feel any magical gains from brain stimulation. (Don’t tell my editor.) My pace up the Colle della Maddalena, or any other hill, would be determined by how hard it felt. If the effort that felt sustainable happened to get me to the top a percent or two faster than normal, how would I possibly detect such a subtle difference? At best, the cumulative effects of each day’s brain stimulation would leave me a little fresher as the week (and its 37,000 feet of climbing) proceeded—better able to enjoy the evening feasts, less likely to end up in the sag wagon. But for any given ride, the only useful way to judge something like this is with well-designed research, preferably double-blind and peer-reviewed. Trust the data, not your easily deluded intuition.
Even the data, however, is far from definitive on tDCS. The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists more than 5,000 tDCS studies, the vast majority from the past decade. The technique improves working memory (or maybe it doesn’t), it helps patients with Parkinson’s disease walk better (or maybe it doesn’t), it helps fight depression (or maybe it doesn’t), and on and on for a seemingly limitless variety of conditions. There’s a ton of hype and a corresponding amount of backlash. One researcher described the field as “a sea of bullshit and bad science.”
The sports applications of tDCS face a similarly muddled situation. A review published in Frontiers in Physiology in 2017 identified 12 studies of brain stimulation and exercise performance, eight of which found a performance boost. Conversely, two meta-analyses of 22 and 24 studies published in Brain Stimulation in 2019 concluded that the evidence in favor of an athletic boost is somewhere between slim and nonexistent. Part of the problem is that different studies use different protocols, electrode montages, and exercise tests. Some stimulate the motor cortex, hoping to facilitate a stronger output signal from brain to muscle. That’s the approach that consumer-tech startup Halo Neuroscience uses for its $400 brain-stimulating headphones. Other studies stimulate the regions responsible for evaluating inputs to the brain, hoping to dull the sensation of effort. Geda and Pollastri, by focusing on the prefrontal cortex, take yet another approach.
To skeptics, peering at this hodgepodge of conflicting evidence and concluding that brain stimulation will make you faster sounds a lot like wishful thinking. In July, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Calgary named James Wrightson posted a preprint (a finished paper that is posted publicly for comment prior to being submitted for peer review) of his latest study, which found no effect of tDCS to the motor cortex on leg endurance. A crucial detail: Wrightson’s study protocol had been preregistered, meaning that he decided in advance how his data would be analyzed, and he committed to sharing the results regardless of whether or not they confirmed his hypothesis. How many of the small, positive reports of tDCS’s athletic effects, he wondered, might be explained by massaged data or counterbalanced by negative studies that no one bothered to publish?
These issues aren’t unique to tDCS research, of course. In fact, they apply to pretty much any sexy and “science-backed” performance aid these days. Wrightson is a passionate advocate of more rigorous methodology in sports science, which lags behind other fields, like neuroscience, in insisting on things like preregistration and large sample sizes that reduce the likelihood of spurious results. His own study, with 22 subjects, isn’t enough to prove that tDCS doesn’t work, he emphasized when I emailed to ask about his research. Many more studies, with far bigger sample sizes, are needed before we can draw any firm conclusions. Until then, his advice to athletes is to skip tDCS—and any other shiny new performance booster—until better evidence is available. “But athletes are always going to be athletes (and coaches, coaches),” he wrote, “so we’ll probably still see Halo devices everywhere at Tokyo 2020 anyway.”
The tDCS protocol used by NeuroFire and the Bahrain Merida cycling team involves electrodes held in place by a neoprene cap, with the current controlled wirelessly from a laptop computer. (Photo: Edoardo Melchiori)
From a scientific perspective—the Sisyphean pursuit of knowledge through the eternal evaluation and reevaluation of evidence, let’s say—Wrightson is undeniably correct. We don’t know shit about tDCS, scientifically speaking. But his comment about athletes being athletes, with the implication that anyone who tries an unproven technique like tDCS is a benighted dunce, struck me as unfair. Athletes are not trying to advance human knowledge or settle epistemological questions; they’re trying to win. If you have a technology with minimal cost, no known health risks, and there’s a plausible but unproven chance that it has real performance-boosting effects, isn’t it entirely rational to give it a try? Even ignoring placebo effects—another discussion entirely—there’s a small possibility of life-altering benefits for an elite athlete near the top of their sport, weighed against negligible downsides.
Wrightson, when I put this to him, didn’t buy it. In fact, he felt that even discussing preliminary research in fields like tDCS outside the hallowed halls of academia was highly irresponsible. Writing about tDCS in the “lay press,” as I had done on several occasions (and am doing right now, for that matter), was particularly egregious. “I think you were wrong to publish those articles so early,” he insisted. “It’s a hill I’m willing to die on.”
The first real hill of our tour, on Monday morning, was the Colle delle Finestre—the hero-making climb where, in last year’s Giro, Chris Froome made his winning 50-mile breakaway and where, after a restless night, Pozzovivo’s podium dreams died. We started our day in the Alpine town of Susa, lounging on folding chairs in a public park in the shadow of an imposing 2,000-year-old Roman arch as Geda gelled up the electrodes. But just before she cranked on the current, the ominous clouds above us unleashed a few warning drops. We barely had time to scramble back into the van, where I put in my 20 minutes of stimulation amid the drumbeat of torrential rain on the roof.
An hour later, the rain finally subsided, and we pedaled off, with Massimo setting the pace. We soon settled into a rhythm that would come to feel routine in the days to come, climbing steadily for 10 or 15 or 20 miles at a time, up average grades of 7 or 8 or 9 percent. There was almost no traffic, since other roads and tunnels now provide faster and more direct routes across the mountain passes. We saw nobody other than the occasional shepherd or blueberry picker, though we passed farmhouses and mountain refuges and ancient churches and monuments to cyclists of yore. It’s not like climbing the short, sharp hills that I encounter around my home in Toronto, where you can rely on momentum and a leg-burning sprint to get you to the crest. Instead you have to find a sustainable rhythm, so that the climb becomes not a frantic struggle but a meditative grind.
Just under five miles from the top of Colle delle Finestre, the asphalt ended. The rest of the road was gravel, wet and slippery thanks to the rain that was once again falling. I focused on following Massimo’s rear wheel, weaving between rocks and cutting across stream-washed gullies in the road. I felt surprisingly strong and was almost disappointed when we finally reached the stone monument to cycling star (and thrice-caught doper) Danilo di Luca at the summit. I’d have sworn the brain stimulation had worked, except that the rain-delayed start meant the performance-boosting window—about 90 minutes, Geda had told us—had closed long before we even hit the gravel.
The descent from Colle dell’Agnello, which leads from France back into Italy, passes through quiet, cobbled Piedmontese mountain towns like Chianale. (Photo: Edoardo Melchiori)
The logistical challenges of combining brain stimulation with cycling, we now realized, weren’t trivial. Geda had brought enough equipment from the clinic to zap two of us at once, but when you added in the time needed to clean electrodes between users and so on, it took about an hour for the three of us. A fully booked tour with eight cyclists would have been even more chaotic, even with extra staff and equipment. Bahrain Merida encountered similar challenges: it had sprung for ten sophisticated clinical-grade tDCS machines, each costing thousands of dollars, but it didn’t have enough trained medical staff to administer the treatment to everyone at once; instead, it only used one or two machines at a time.
Even though we’d come for the explicit purpose of trying out the brain stimulation, Trevor, John, and I couldn’t help grumbling a bit over the next few days. When the morning sun was shining and the mountains beckoned, it felt wrong to spend precious blue-skied hours fiddling with electrodes or to delay our dinner after a long day in the saddle. There were moments, as I waited patiently on van seats and in lobbies and hotel rooms across Piedmont and Savoy, when I began to question the basic premise of the trip. Sometimes I worried that the technology didn’t really work. Other times I worried that it did.
I’m all for e-bikes in the appropriate context. But it’s also obvious that it would be both unfair and meaningless to win a race using a motor, like winning a marathon by wearing roller skates. Even if the only person you’re competing with is yourself, you wouldn’t celebrate a new best time on your favorite training route (or, God forbid, a Strava KOM) if it was battery powered. Despite the Olympic motto, we intuitively understand that simply going faster (or higher or stronger) without any restrictions is not the fundamental goal of sport. Instead, there’s something else that’s harder to articulate—what the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) vaguely and unhelpfully refers to as “the spirit of sport.”
For nearly four decades, Thomas Murray, president emeritus of the Hastings Center bioethics research institute, has been trying to pin that elusive spirit down. A research grant from the National Science Foundation in 1979 started him down the path of trying to understand why athletes do or don’t choose to dope, which in turn led to the question of what sport is really about. His conclusion, laid out in academic papers and a 2018 book called Good Sport: Why Our Games Matter and How Doping Undermines Them, is that the highest goal of athletic competition is “the virtuous perfection of natural talents.” “Virtuous is a loaded word,” he acknowledged when I phoned to get his thoughts on brain stimulation. “Absolutely it is. But it’s the right word.”
In some situations, virtue is easy to discern. Training, nutrition, and coaching are all widely sanctioned methods of honing your abilities. Taking a crowbar to your main rival’s kneecap is not. But the distinction is often more nuanced. “There’s a golf ball that flies straighter, but sport bans it,” he points out. “They also bar certain clubs that make it easier to hit accurate shots out of the rough.” The point isn’t that all technology is bad; it’s that slicing into the rough should have a penalty. So the key question, whether you’re talking about drugs or technology, isn’t: Does it make you better? It’s: Does it change the things athletes have to do, and the qualities they have to possess, to win?
As the athletic implications of tDCS have become apparent, academics have started grappling with the ethical questions, variously arguing that it should be allowed, or that it should be banned, or even that athletes should be tested and handicapped to ensure that everyone gets exactly the same net benefit from it. The argument that caught my attention, from a 2013 paper on “neurodoping” by British neuroscientist and psychologist Nick Davis, was that brain stimulation “mediates a person’s ability but does not enhance it in the strictest sense.” You don’t get extra energy or stronger muscles from tDCS; you just find it a little easier to access the energy and strength that’s already present within you. Why would we ban something that simply helps us dig a little deeper?
To me, though, that internal struggle to push a little closer to your limits is an essential part of endurance sport—in a sense, it’s the fundamental, defining characteristic. Change that and you change what it takes to win. After all, if you could just push a button to extract every ounce of power from your quads, what mystery would remain? Why would anyone watch—or participate?
I expected Murray, a long-standing defender of anti-doping orthodoxy, to share my qualms. But when I tried to pin him down about tDCS, he hedged. “The mere fact that something is a biomedical technology and enhances performance is not enough to disqualify it,” he said. “It’s only when it disrupts the connections between natural talents and their perfection.” That’s a judgment that may differ from sport to sport: a barefoot ultrarunner might have a different take on the appropriate role of technology in their sport compared to a gear-happy triathlete. WADA itself, according to spokesman James Fitzgerald, is aware of the controversy and has discussed it with experts in the field but hasn’t yet seen “compelling evidence” that it breaks the rules.
There is, however, one final caveat, Murray acknowledged before hanging up: “Once an effective technology gets adopted in a sport, it becomes tyrannical. You have to use it.” If the pros start brain-zapping, don’t kid yourself that it won’t trickle down to college, high school, and even the weekend warriors.
The queen stage of our tour, with almost 9,000 feet of climbing over two historic passes, started in the crenellated French mountain town of Briançon. In the breakfast room of our hotel, I chatted with Umberto, the tour guide who (to his mild chagrin) had been assigned to drive the support van instead of cycle with us. He comes from a prominent Piedmontese mountaineering family and had trained and worked as a mountain guide before switching to cycling. His affection for the Alpine landscape around us was reverent, almost poetic, and I got the sense that he sees the world much as Reinhold Messner does: where you end up is less important than how you get there. “When I was a kid growing up in the mountains,” he told me when I delicately probed his views on our tech-assisted adventure, “sport was about you. Your quest. But our society pushes everything to extremes.”
Those words echoed in my head as we rolled out under the radiant blue sky to tackle first the 7,400-foot Col d’Izoard and then the 9,000-foot Colle dell’Agnello, which Hannibal and his elephants supposedly crossed en route to Rome more than 2,000 years ago. A few miles from the summit of Agnello, I got confused about my gears. Tailing Massimo, as I had all week, suddenly seemed too slow to stay upright, so with a muttered apology, I moved past him and essentially launched an attack. By the time I realized that I’d accidentally been in my third gear rather than my lowest one, I was too sheepish to admit my mistake, so I decided to simply carry on to the summit and let it all hang out. As on Galibier, I was soon living from switchback to switchback, stretching the elastic thinner and thinner, and not at all sure that it wouldn’t snap before I reached the top.
An hour later, after a long, wobbly descent along endless switchbacks, past startled ibexes licking salt from the recently deiced roads, I coasted into the rustic town of Sampeyre, truly a spent force. There waiting for me in the hotel were Geda and a physical therapist from the IRR. Before I knew it, I was lying facedown on a massage table, having my deltoids kneaded as Geda hooked my brain up to the old familiar juice. It was an extremely pleasant way to end an epic day. I’d made it to the top of Agnello successfully—success being defined by the nebulous but utterly unfakeable sense that I’d pushed as hard as I was capable of and then a little bit more. Now the high-voltage massage would supercharge my recovery and, according to Pozzovivo, deepen my slumbers. “I have to say that, for me, the quality of sleep improved,” he claimed in a post-Giro interview last year.
For the record, the idea that tDCS massage should aid recovery is “highly speculative,” according to Samuele Marcora, a University of Kent expert on the brain’s role in fatigue, who has studied tDCS and cycling. That’s probably being diplomatic. Even Geda acknowledged that the recovery protocol is mostly based on clinical experience rather than research. The pre-ride protocol is more plausible and well supported, Marcora told me. But even then, he added, “caffeine and a session with a good sport psychologist are likely to be much more useful.”
I knew and agreed with all this. Really, I did. But as the week wore on, I’d slowly realized that my ostensible reasons for going on the trip—investigating whether tDCS actually works, reflecting on the role technology should play in sport—were to some extent convenient covers for a more personal obsession. As much as I consider myself a skeptic and Luddite who runs and bikes with nothing but a grimy vintage Timex Ironman, I’ve been drawn in repeatedly by a fascination with brain stimulation. (Much to the annoyance, it turns out, of people like James Wrightson.) I’ve flown to Los Angeles for a zany Red Bull experiment with it, tried Halo Neuroscience’s headphones, written a whole book chapter about it, and now biked across the Alps on a bespoke brain stim tour.
As someone who has spent decades trying to figure out what the edge really feels like, the truth is that I’m as fascinated as I am horrified by the prospect of inching a little closer. If you pin me down, I’d say WADA should at least ban the technique in competition, even if, like stimulants and cannabis, it remains permitted in training. But I absolutely want to know with greater certainty whether it truly boosts endurance. Because if it does, that tells us something profound about the nature of our limits—that they’re in our neurons, not our muscle fibers. Maybe that’s what keeps drawing me back to the topic: the desire to find out if the edge I’ve been skirting all this time is just an illusion.
These are the riddles I was pondering when I finally flicked off my bedside lamp after my Herculean effort on Agnello and the subsequent massage. And for the first time since the trip began, I lay awake in the dark for nearly two hours, tossing and turning while my mind continued to race. Maybe it was because of the brain stimulation, or maybe it was despite it. Maybe it was the long day in the saddle, or the ill-advised third helping of gnocchi in butter, or the imponderable depth of the questions I was wrestling with. I’ll never know for sure—unless, as my history suggests is likely, I wire myself up again sometime.
