Back on a hardtail after a significant number of years on full squish...your channel was instrumental in deciding which one to go with. Hardtails will always be rad and my favorite! Excited for your upcoming changes, and glad you're doing better! Thanks Steve! 🤘
I was diagnosed with SpA that includes Psoriatic Arthritis 40 plus years ago and suffered episodically until biologic treatments came along around 2000. At 62 I'm able to ride at reasonably high level and my symptoms are mostly in remission now.
This is gonna be weird and maybe outta this world, and sensitive. but I come with good intentions & trying to help. Regarding your health, focus on your diet. 100% No process foods like carbs, sugar…etc. stay away from them like the plague. Highly inflammatory. increase protein like meat, fish..etc heavily. Clean protein. If you can, clean salt like redmonds, Himalayan salts and meat. Done. If you can do this long term. I bet your condition will get at least 80% better if not completely go away. You have to be strict. My wife has autoimmune and dieting has been life changing. And she hates working out or exercising. You’re already on a diff level vs her with biking. So you can improve dramatically. Doctors has no answers for autoimmune besides throw a million drugs at you. If you’re looking for an answer, good luck. Can talk more if you’d like. I’ve been watching your channel for a few years now, just recently subbed. Thanks for all your reviews. Helped me a lot. I was just about to pick up a hardtail, like the growler or commencal, but then for a few hundred more. I’m in the full suspension bikes lol. So now I’m looking at FS. Decisions decisions.
I know how much you love Sedona so that must have been a hard decision but I'm sure you'll have a blast in Bentonville. Life is full of chapters. The more chapters you get, the luckier you are! Stoked for you guys.
Happy for you Steve!! Sounds like Bentonville has a lot of potential for you and your family. Take care, all the best and looking forward to seeing more content from you soon.
Prayers for more recovery and for your future in Bentonville. Thank you for all the rad hardtail content throughout the years. I’m staying tuned. Hardtail 4 Lyf!
Thanks for the update, and being open and informative. Physically and mentally, you look much improved from previous videos, you are on the right track! Please consider sharing your move to Bentonville, I would love to learn more about your experience moving there and acclimating. It’s one of a few areas I am considering moving to in the future, and your perspective would be great to learn from!
change is hard, but its how we grow. As long as Hardtail party is an active account on RUclips, I will forever be subscribed. Love the content and love what you do for the MTB community. Sending prayers your way..
Thanks for sharing good and bad. It’s inspirational to me as you are working thru my worst fear, not being able to ride my bike! As we say over here in Bonnie Scotland 🏴 “Break a leg” on you new adventure, wishing you and yours all the best. Cheers Nick
So glad you guys are making a positive change. It sounds like you've thought this all through and realize that Bentonville would just be a better fit for you (at least in the near term). I will forever be grateful to you/this channel for helping me take the plunge on my titanium hardtail that I love (but am still very much learning on). I've turned it into a mostly XC type bike but it brings me so much joy - in large part thanks to Hardtail Party. That said, and I don't want to be "that guy" and recommend things to you....but, one of my best friends has the same condition as you and has found that the combination of 2-3 minutes of ice bathing, and about 20-25 minutes of sauna has helped him tremendously. Those two things can help dramatically reduce inflammation in the body. I personally cold plunge 3-4x a week just because i feel it helps me with my fitness. But anyway, just thought I'd offer that in case it's something you may want to consider. Wishing you and your family the best in this move and with your health.
Steve, as someone with osteoarthritis, I feel for you. I know how it can affect everyday life. especially for more active people. and your point on hit on your mental wellbeing, I remember how low I felt when I realized how severe are my back/injuries are more than a decade ago. but, only way is up. I managed to turn my life around, and I'm probably more active that ever in a long time. lifting weights, hiking, trail running, riding my hardtail. I know everyone has different symptoms and effects of the illness, but I truly hope medications and other stuff will help you to get back to your old self. stay strong my friend and good luck with everything that's going on.
All the best with the next part of your journey, you can be proud of so much with Hard Tail party and beyond. You were super helpful and influential to me in getting a Ragley Big Al, with a Microshift group-set. 2 years on, I'm still loving it and enjoy proving to my friends that hardtails are capable of so much. Take care and thanks!
Congratulations on your new adventures with the family. Summer time going from #DryHeat to #Humidity I’ve have psoriasis all my life in the past couple years the psoriatic arthritis has gotten bad on my hands. Makes it hard to make a fist / grip tools & handle bars. Keep up the great content 👍🚵🏻♀️
Hey Steve! Glad to hear your doing better. As far as being fatigue, do you snore at night? If you do, you may have sleep apnea. I have severe sleep apnea and I had it for years and didn’t even know it. I was always tired and dragging my butt and I finally was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I’m on CPAP now and it’s been much better. Maybe that could be part of your fatigue problem. Hopefully the doctors can figure it out so you can continue to do what you love. Hope to see you doing more content in the future. All the best from Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦.
Im happy to hear that you are fighting the good fight. Also I wondered if you were planning to relocate based on your current difficulties with riding Sedona trails. It was sad hearing you speak of this, knowing how much you love those trails. God bless your family and future in Bentonville! Ive appreciated your channel these past 4 years, and hope you are able to adapt and overcome in the future, and find new and exciting ways to keep your channels going.
Thanks to you, as well. I've been enjoying your content for many years now. I will check out that new geometry-course, it sounds very interesting. Glad to hear that your health seems to be improving. I hope for the best for you and your family.
Good luck on the move to you and your family. Sounds like all heading in the right direction. Thank you for all you’ve done in the mountain bike community.
I just road Moab last 4 days - drove from Calgary Alberta Canada with my Chromag Hardtail and thanks to you - you inspired me to enjoy the hardtail to the fullest! Thanks again and Godspeed to your next chapter with your family in Bentonville!
Steve, so excited for what the future holds for your family! God bless and best wishes for you guys. Hopefully can make it out sometimes to visit. Hope you get better care for your health! Love you guys.
I bought a Roscoe 9 at the tail end of 2023 many thanks to one of your videos and have never looked back. Perfect trail hardtail for where I bike now in my 80s. My best to you on your new adventure.
Thank you, Steve. I will continue to pray for your recovery and well being during mass. And if you ever design a frame called the "Bentonville," I will be there to get it on the first batch, just like the Stanton Sedona.
Great to hear from you Steve! Was thinking about you a couple of days ago.. glad to hear that things starts to turn around for you :-) be wise and get well!!
Steve, it's been heartening to follow your approach to this unexpected disability. Love your videos (bought a Chameleon frame based on one), and am glad to see you're back and will be moving East(ish). Plenty of my MTB friends have visited and praised Bentonville, so it seems like you chose wisely. It'll be difficult leaving your network behind, but your rationale makes a lot of sense to me. All the best. “Onward and Upward! To Narnia and the North!” ― C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy
Hey Steve, Thanks for this update on Hardtail Party and for your honest, reflective comments on things that matter to all of us! While my enthusiasm for mountain bikes and specifically hardtails got me onto your channel, it is your kindness, values, and honesty, as well as your ability to notice small differences between bikes and bike set-ups, that kept me coming back for more content. You will find your way through your ongoing challenges and will succeed in rebuilding a healthy and balanced life, full of the people and things that you love... it's in your nature! I'm looking forward to hearing more about hardtails and about all of the other things too!
I was diagnosed 12 years ago with both rhumetiod and osteoarthritis. My rhumetologist gave me two words to live by, KEEP MOVING. That coupled with the modern medications for treating the disease, a long life is yours for the taking. My grandfather with RA back in the 1960's wasn't as fortunate as our generation, where all they could do back then was manage pain. Good luck and best wishes. Party on!!!
Welcome to NWA! I have been following you and Tess since the early days of nomadic living. Bentonville is a special place for the family which is how we ended up here too. I am stoked to know that your finding answers and also finding more time on the bike!
I’m so excited for you and your family. I’m glad to be a part of the journey. I’m also glad that the answers to your health is coming to light. Looking forward to more vids.
Love the vulnerability here dude. I struggled with a chronic illness as a rider for a long time. I’m back to my best self now but also found myself in a dark place when my health was low. Praying for you! Sending strong rider vibes your way. We love your content dude!!! Thank you for being you! Hardtails are my chosen bike because of your content!!!!
So fantastic to hear! Best of luck to the new location and journey! My favorite part about Bentonville was the jumps everywhere!!! My favorite ones were at the Huntley Gravity Zone. I was one of the first riders to get on it right after it was built. So fun.
So happy to hear you have made some breakthroughs with your mental health. I've had a couple of years out of the saddle due to some health issues and it reaked havoc on my mental health. I hope the move works out great for you and your family!
I totally understand. I have what you have. And yes they do elbow replacements. I just had one in May. Started riding bike again in August. But no rough mountain biking ever again. Have to stick to pavement and dirt roads. Going to try bikepacking. Love your channel, you have given me inspiration to try this. Thank you
So glad you are starting to get some answers. NWA is such a great place. We've loved living here. Excited you'll be in the area and hope I'll get a chance to ride with you sometime.
Best of luck to you and will be praying for your health to improve. Thanks for sharing all that you do and look forward to more and your experiences in Bentonville!
As someone who has gone through the auto immune disease journey of doctors, medication, lifestyle changes (and still all on-going) I feel for you and wish you the best! It can get better! Even if it will always be there. Here's to good times ahead. Happy for you and your family.
Aw. Sorry to hear of your health problems. I feel your pain. I’m a massive HT fan and was riding a Cotic SolarisMAX but unfortunately 3 years ago I had a bad reaction to Ciprofloxacin- guys - take extra care with this drug if docs ever prescribe it as it’s should only be used in life or death situations. Has caused me to have auto-immune issues and damage to tendons so really struggling with bike on anything other than the flat. A new e-bike this year has been a god send to getting me out and about. MTB is so amazing for mental health :) Wish you every good luck in your move and living with your condition
I’m so happy you still will be doing hardtails. You got my excited about riding again a few years ago and definitely influenced my decision on purchasing my 2 favorite hardtails. Best wishes on your health and the family.
Your attitude is so inspiring. I also suffer from a chronic health condition and eas born with a facial deformity that makes everyday life difficult. Keep staying strong. And thanks for the reminder that we're in this for the long game, and thats ok.
For the last 20 years I have been dealing with the most chronic arthritis which at times had me laying in bed weeks to months at a time. Made me depressed not being able to ride. Learned to manage it better the last 5 years or so by taking supplements, changing my diet and using warm hot compression therapy. When I feel another flare up coming, I use heat and compression and massage to stop it from advancing.. I went from 15 flare up a year down to about 2. It seems the more active I stay the better it gets. Get well soon.
Man, I'm so sorry to hear that you've been battling arthritis so much. I'm glad you're finding some relief, but I'm sure it still affects your life almost daily. Wishing you the best.
Good luck with everything, Steve. I've enjoyed your videos for a while. I attended/graduated from NAU in the 90's and rode Sedona often when all we had were hardtails. Always love visiting Sedona, but Bentonville will be a great adventure. God bless you and your family.
Glad to hear you're making progress with your health and excited for you and your families new chapter. Bentonville is on my MTB bucket list. I'll look into a tour if/when I can get down there.
I am 62 years old and deal with ankylosing spondylitis. As a result of the AS I also have congestive heart failure, so I have my challenges in riding as well. I concur that exercise as well as the proper medications are key to combating any form of arthritis so I wish you well in your journey.
I’m really happy you have made progress on your illness Steve!! Big move to Bentonville is exiting, we are here to support you and no doubt new trails and content is going to be fantastic!!! Can’t wait for what the future brings!!!
I live in Bella Vista and have been following you for a couple years now. Hopefully I’ll get to ride with you sometime and let you see my Binary Maniak build. Happy to hear you’re following your faith and your heart.
Absolutely stoked for you moving forward. I feel like there is a big light and the end of the tunnel for you. While I'm not a man of faith, I'm a man that draws strength from his family. After watching your wonderful wife's video yesterday I could see that you can do the same. I'm glad you have the support of your faith and your family.... but there is also a community of followers out here rooting for you too. Most importantly - thanks for sharing about your mental health. This year, after never having an issue for the first 42 years of my life, I had my own struggles. I really had trouble identifying what was going on. It wasn't until I shared with a close mate, and later my wife, that I could work through the issues and get on top of things. I feel like normalizing these things only helps all of us and with your public platform you are really helping others. This takes a heap of courage and the upmost respect for doing so.
Thank you so much for your kindness and understanding. My family is a HUGE part of my recovery, I don't know how I could have done it without them I dont want to be a debbie downer, but the mental health struggles have been REAL and most men don't talk about it much. Thank you for being vulnerable to share that. It's more common than we think and it's always on my mind regarding how to bring it up in a sensitive way.
Great news Steve! There’s a lot more positive than negative in this video. I’m hoping to get down to Bentonville next year with my Gen 7 Chameleon, it will be the perfect bike for those trails. Your channel is a diamond in the rough and I’m glad it’s keeping afloat.
Like I said on Dusty Betty's page... 2 years ago at my first Sedona MTB Fest...the snowed out one... I went on your group ride in Cottonwood and met you guys for the first time. You guys was so helpful and welcoming and it was the highlight of the weekend. I've loved all the content and help you have provided and pray for continued success and wish the family the best in your new ventures
Fellow arthritic (psoriatic) MTBer here. Great to hear you’re getting this figured out. Keep at it and there’ll be a lot more good days than not so good ones! Thank you for sharing this and remember there’s nothing wrong with a little trailside nap to get you through to the end of the ride 😉
That means so much. I was in a dark place when I had zero answers, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm still in the tunnel, but i can finally see some light. Hang in there friend,l.
It’s absolutely wonderful to see you looking so excited about something Steve!!! I would be really stoked too, very excited for you and your family. Honestly, I’ve looked into that area as well and look forward to hearing more of your take on the healthcare there. Seems like a fabulous place to raise a family!
Thanks so much for your openness and willingness to share your health issues, both physical and mental. We who face both situations know that they can be overwhelming, but feel assured you're not alone. When in need, just let us know. HT party is and will continue alive. A new place to live will bring its share of new experiences and we're looking forward to your videos there. Feel free to review hardtail e-bikes too! Blessings
@hardtailparty Hola👋... Thanks for your reply, actually, I'm looking at a particular model from Trek, the Marlin 8+. This one in particular, because it also is made in very small sizes, appropriate for my wife, who's a hardtail advocate, looking into e-bikes for an eventual upgrade. Giant, Cube, Specialized and Mondraker, among others, have hardtail e-bikes in their lineups too. Be well my friend 👍
Hi Steve, a former consult customer of yours. I had undiagnosed poly arthritis for several years in my 30s. It was awful. Couldn’t turn my neck very far for several years and had swollen inflamed joints that made it painful to much of anything, and fatigue was also part of this. The irony is that I’m a personal trainer and was very busy with clients at the time even though my own body didn’t work correctly. Without boring you, I did find a successful medical treatment and have been I remission for several years. I live a very active life now and don’t think about it much anymore. I hope you are able to get the treatment you need and I believe you will. If you’re reading this comment, and have any questions feel free to send a message. All the best
Despite the health and emotional issues you've been facing, it seems like you've been able to project a positive and determined attitude in your content. That is so encouraging to others dealing with adversity, even when our issues seem to pale in comparison. It makes me want to face my small struggles with the same positivity that you display through the significant issues you've been dealing with (and I agree on the power of prayer). My wife and I, who are from the Kansas City area, have visited Sedona several times and love the area. We happened to run into you a few years back, over on Mescal, and you graciously allowed us to tag along as you finished up a bike review. You were so generous with your time (and coaching tips!), and we've never forgotten how much we enjoyed the experience meeting and talking bikes with you. Being from KC, we've spent plenty of time in Bentonville as well. We wish you and your family the best there!
Having been to both Sedona and Bentonville, I think you will find Bentonville a much more friendly place to ride with your illness. Keep developing the awesome content!
I am in Dallas, but you have given me a great reason to visit Bentonville. See you there in early 2025. Keep this channel posted on how you and family are settling in there. That itself would make great content, your impressions on Sedona vs Bentonville as places to live.
My 9 year old is Type 1 Diabetic, asthma, and severe food allergies. Autoimmune definitely brings friends. FYI I really appreciate how unafraid you are to share your faith.
Thanks for everything Steve! My wife and I wouldn’t be mountain biking if it wasn’t for stumbling across your videos a couple years ago…now we’re thinking about moving to be closer to better trails…so you have legacy status with us!!
@@hardtailparty also, went on my first single speed ride/first ride on my hummingbird...it was magic!!! Can't thank you enough for the help via the channel here...
right on steve! these all sound like great steps forward. i imagine it took a lot to get where you are, and it will probably take a lot to get where you want to be. but i can’t think of someone more equipped for the road ahead. ❤
Welcome to Bentonville! It's a great city to raise a family and, while it isn't the mountain bike capital of the world, the bike culture is amazing.
It is the E-mountain bike capital of the world though. Nowhere is more e-bike friendly than Bentonville.
ha, someone has been on reddit. It's a cool place to bike and feels fair to say MTB capital of the midwest.
Back on a hardtail after a significant number of years on full squish...your channel was instrumental in deciding which one to go with. Hardtails will always be rad and my favorite! Excited for your upcoming changes, and glad you're doing better! Thanks Steve! 🤘
Awesome, glad to hear it! There's something special about hardtails.
Congrats about the move! Bentonville sounds like it’s going to make a lot of sense for you and your family. Stoked you’re still in the game.
I was diagnosed with SpA that includes Psoriatic Arthritis 40 plus years ago and suffered episodically until biologic treatments came along around 2000. At 62 I'm able to ride at reasonably high level and my symptoms are mostly in remission now.
I am so sad to hear you suffered for so long. Im glad you're finding some relief after so many years
This is gonna be weird and maybe outta this world, and sensitive. but I come with good intentions & trying to help. Regarding your health, focus on your diet. 100% No process foods like carbs, sugar…etc. stay away from them like the plague. Highly inflammatory. increase protein like meat, fish..etc heavily. Clean protein. If you can, clean salt like redmonds, Himalayan salts and meat. Done. If you can do this long term. I bet your condition will get at least 80% better if not completely go away. You have to be strict. My wife has autoimmune and dieting has been life changing. And she hates working out or exercising. You’re already on a diff level vs her with biking. So you can improve dramatically. Doctors has no answers for autoimmune besides throw a million drugs at you. If you’re looking for an answer, good luck. Can talk more if you’d like. I’ve been watching your channel for a few years now, just recently subbed. Thanks for all your reviews. Helped me a lot. I was just about to pick up a hardtail, like the growler or commencal, but then for a few hundred more. I’m in the full suspension bikes lol. So now I’m looking at FS. Decisions decisions.
Wishing you and your family the best. Good luck with your health and the move.
I know how much you love Sedona so that must have been a hard decision but I'm sure you'll have a blast in Bentonville. Life is full of chapters. The more chapters you get, the luckier you are! Stoked for you guys.
Thank you my friend. We hope to make new memories with you here too
Happy for you Steve!! Sounds like Bentonville has a lot of potential for you and your family. Take care, all the best and looking forward to seeing more content from you soon.
13:24 so glad your still doing this. Never used it but have been placing on using your consulting when i need to.
Prayers for more recovery and for your future in Bentonville. Thank you for all the rad hardtail content throughout the years. I’m staying tuned. Hardtail 4 Lyf!
Thanks for the update, and being open and informative. Physically and mentally, you look much improved from previous videos, you are on the right track! Please consider sharing your move to Bentonville, I would love to learn more about your experience moving there and acclimating. It’s one of a few areas I am considering moving to in the future, and your perspective would be great to learn from!
Very best of good fortune. I look forward to following your and your family's new adventure.
change is hard, but its how we grow. As long as Hardtail party is an active account on RUclips, I will forever be subscribed. Love the content and love what you do for the MTB community. Sending prayers your way..
Thanks for sharing good and bad. It’s inspirational to me as you are working thru my worst fear, not being able to ride my bike!
As we say over here in Bonnie Scotland 🏴 “Break a leg” on you new adventure, wishing you and yours all the best. Cheers Nick
Steve, sending you love and prayers on your journey to a recovery that allows you to bike as much as you want.
So glad you guys are making a positive change. It sounds like you've thought this all through and realize that Bentonville would just be a better fit for you (at least in the near term). I will forever be grateful to you/this channel for helping me take the plunge on my titanium hardtail that I love (but am still very much learning on). I've turned it into a mostly XC type bike but it brings me so much joy - in large part thanks to Hardtail Party.
That said, and I don't want to be "that guy" and recommend things to you....but, one of my best friends has the same condition as you and has found that the combination of 2-3 minutes of ice bathing, and about 20-25 minutes of sauna has helped him tremendously. Those two things can help dramatically reduce inflammation in the body. I personally cold plunge 3-4x a week just because i feel it helps me with my fitness. But anyway, just thought I'd offer that in case it's something you may want to consider.
Wishing you and your family the best in this move and with your health.
Wishing you all the best mate! Looking forward to what you have in store for us all 😄
Steve, as someone with osteoarthritis, I feel for you. I know how it can affect everyday life. especially for more active people. and your point on hit on your mental wellbeing, I remember how low I felt when I realized how severe are my back/injuries are more than a decade ago. but, only way is up. I managed to turn my life around, and I'm probably more active that ever in a long time. lifting weights, hiking, trail running, riding my hardtail. I know everyone has different symptoms and effects of the illness, but I truly hope medications and other stuff will help you to get back to your old self. stay strong my friend and good luck with everything that's going on.
Thanks for the update Steve. Health before wealth! All the best.
All the best with the next part of your journey, you can be proud of so much with Hard Tail party and beyond. You were super helpful and influential to me in getting a Ragley Big Al, with a Microshift group-set. 2 years on, I'm still loving it and enjoy proving to my friends that hardtails are capable of so much. Take care and thanks!
I also got a Big Al and equipped it with microshift based on Steve's recommendation!
💪
Congratulations on your new adventures with the family.
Summer time going from #DryHeat to #Humidity
I’ve have psoriasis all my life in the past couple years the psoriatic arthritis has gotten bad on my hands. Makes it hard to make a fist / grip tools & handle bars.
Keep up the great content 👍🚵🏻♀️
Man, im sorry to hear that. I'm amazed at how much better i feel with meds that reduce the inflammation
Hey Steve! Glad to hear your doing better. As far as being fatigue, do you snore at night? If you do, you may have sleep apnea. I have severe sleep apnea and I had it for years and didn’t even know it. I was always tired and dragging my butt and I finally was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I’m on CPAP now and it’s been much better. Maybe that could be part of your fatigue problem. Hopefully the doctors can figure it out so you can continue to do what you love. Hope to see you doing more content in the future. All the best from Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦.
Im happy to hear that you are fighting the good fight. Also I wondered if you were planning to relocate based on your current difficulties with riding Sedona trails. It was sad hearing you speak of this, knowing how much you love those trails. God bless your family and future in Bentonville! Ive appreciated your channel these past 4 years, and hope you are able to adapt and overcome in the future, and find new and exciting ways to keep your channels going.
🙏
Keep up the good work Steve, you just helped me pick,my new bike through the consultation service and i love it! Exited to see new content!
Go well Steve. I'm not a religious guy but I love your passion and focus for hardtails, and your health and your family.
Thank you for your kindness and for understanding.
Congratulations on the move! I hope to get out there soon, and we’re looking forward to some fresh reviews!
Definitely prioritize health before youtube! We will always be here when you are able to create content.
Thanks to you, as well. I've been enjoying your content for many years now. I will check out that new geometry-course, it sounds very interesting. Glad to hear that your health seems to be improving. I hope for the best for you and your family.
Good luck on the move to you and your family. Sounds like all heading in the right direction. Thank you for all you’ve done in the mountain bike community.
I just road Moab last 4 days - drove from Calgary Alberta Canada with my Chromag Hardtail and thanks to you - you inspired me to enjoy the hardtail to the fullest! Thanks again and Godspeed to your next chapter with your family in Bentonville!
You got this Steve. Stay positive. It will all come together for you and your family. ❤❤
Steve, so excited for what the future holds for your family! God bless and best wishes for you guys. Hopefully can make it out sometimes to visit. Hope you get better care for your health! Love you guys.
Thanks so much my friend
I bought a Roscoe 9 at the tail end of 2023 many thanks to one of your videos and have never looked back. Perfect trail hardtail for where I bike now in my 80s. My best to you on your new adventure.
Thank you, Steve. I will continue to pray for your recovery and well being during mass. And if you ever design a frame called the "Bentonville," I will be there to get it on the first batch, just like the Stanton Sedona.
Wife just walked by. She said, "Are you watching him again?" For what it's worth, my sons love you almost as much as I do.
Haha, awesome! Ill have to design a Bentonville bike one day (though the sedona excels here)
Great to hear from you Steve! Was thinking about you a couple of days ago.. glad to hear that things starts to turn around for you :-) be wise and get well!!
Steve, it's been heartening to follow your approach to this unexpected disability. Love your videos (bought a Chameleon frame based on one), and am glad to see you're back and will be moving East(ish). Plenty of my MTB friends have visited and praised Bentonville, so it seems like you chose wisely. It'll be difficult leaving your network behind, but your rationale makes a lot of sense to me. All the best.
“Onward and Upward! To Narnia and the North!”
― C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy
Hey Steve, Thanks for this update on Hardtail Party and for your honest, reflective comments on things that matter to all of us! While my enthusiasm for mountain bikes and specifically hardtails got me onto your channel, it is your kindness, values, and honesty, as well as your ability to notice small differences between bikes and bike set-ups, that kept me coming back for more content.
You will find your way through your ongoing challenges and will succeed in rebuilding a healthy and balanced life, full of the people and things that you love... it's in your nature!
I'm looking forward to hearing more about hardtails and about all of the other things too!
Thank you so much for your understanding kindness
I was diagnosed 12 years ago with both rhumetiod and osteoarthritis. My rhumetologist gave me two words to live by, KEEP MOVING. That coupled with the modern medications for treating the disease, a long life is yours for the taking. My grandfather with RA back in the 1960's wasn't as fortunate as our generation, where all they could do back then was manage pain. Good luck and best wishes. Party on!!!
It's great hearing from someone who has been here.
Delighted you're finding a way. Keep on keeping on, you tough mutha.
Look forward to the new videos in a new location. Wish you and your family all the best!
I am so glad that you’re coming out the other end of it. I pray that you have continuing progress and your health improves.
Welcome to NWA! I have been following you and Tess since the early days of nomadic living. Bentonville is a special place for the family which is how we ended up here too. I am stoked to know that your finding answers and also finding more time on the bike!
I’m so excited for you and your family. I’m glad to be a part of the journey. I’m also glad that the answers to your health is coming to light. Looking forward to more vids.
Good to hear good news from you, Steve. I wish you all the best in Bentonville
Love the vulnerability here dude. I struggled with a chronic illness as a rider for a long time. I’m back to my best self now but also found myself in a dark place when my health was low. Praying for you! Sending strong rider vibes your way. We love your content dude!!! Thank you for being you! Hardtails are my chosen bike because of your content!!!!
So fantastic to hear! Best of luck to the new location and journey! My favorite part about Bentonville was the jumps everywhere!!! My favorite ones were at the Huntley Gravity Zone. I was one of the first riders to get on it right after it was built. So fun.
So happy to hear you have made some breakthroughs with your mental health. I've had a couple of years out of the saddle due to some health issues and it reaked havoc on my mental health. I hope the move works out great for you and your family!
I totally understand. I have what you have. And yes they do elbow replacements. I just had one in May. Started riding bike again in August. But no rough mountain biking ever again. Have to stick to pavement and dirt roads. Going to try bikepacking. Love your channel, you have given me inspiration to try this. Thank you
Im so sorry to hear that Mark. I do wonder if gravel will bring a level of enjoyment to you
So glad you are starting to get some answers. NWA is such a great place. We've loved living here. Excited you'll be in the area and hope I'll get a chance to ride with you sometime.
Thanks for update Steve! I'll continue to watch and subscribe and look forward to following your new adventures in Bentonville.
Best of luck to you and will be praying for your health to improve. Thanks for sharing all that you do and look forward to more and your experiences in Bentonville!
As someone who has gone through the auto immune disease journey of doctors, medication, lifestyle changes (and still all on-going) I feel for you and wish you the best! It can get better! Even if it will always be there. Here's to good times ahead. Happy for you and your family.
i love that you are so open with your fan base. praying for you brother. (I'm curious if you are lds)
Aw. Sorry to hear of your health problems. I feel your pain. I’m a massive HT fan and was riding a Cotic SolarisMAX but unfortunately 3 years ago I had a bad reaction to Ciprofloxacin- guys - take extra care with this drug if docs ever prescribe it as it’s should only be used in life or death situations. Has caused me to have auto-immune issues and damage to tendons so really struggling with bike on anything other than the flat. A new e-bike this year has been a god send to getting me out and about. MTB is so amazing for mental health :) Wish you every good luck in your move and living with your condition
Man, im so sorry to hear about your reaction, that's awful!
I’m so happy you still will be doing hardtails. You got my excited about riding again a few years ago and definitely influenced my decision on purchasing my 2 favorite hardtails. Best wishes on your health and the family.
God bless ya bro! Thanks for sharing and good luck with the big move!
Keep fighting and never give up! I can't wait to see you get back on the bike . stay strong brother
You have such an amazingly positive attitude and willingness to adapt/overcome.
God bless.
Your attitude is so inspiring. I also suffer from a chronic health condition and eas born with a facial deformity that makes everyday life difficult.
Keep staying strong. And thanks for the reminder that we're in this for the long game, and thats ok.
Im so sorry to hear of your struggles Jason. Wishing you the best. I hope we get to meet in person one day
Bentonville is a great choice. A friend/former co-worker moved to the area and loves it.
You and your family will do well in the town Sam built. All the best to you, your wife, and your daughter.
For the last 20 years I have been dealing with the most chronic arthritis which at times had me laying in bed weeks to months at a time. Made me depressed not being able to ride. Learned to manage it better the last 5 years or so by taking supplements, changing my diet and using warm hot compression therapy. When I feel another flare up coming, I use heat and compression and massage to stop it from advancing.. I went from 15 flare up a year down to about 2. It seems the more active I stay the better it gets. Get well soon.
Man, I'm so sorry to hear that you've been battling arthritis so much. I'm glad you're finding some relief, but I'm sure it still affects your life almost daily. Wishing you the best.
It used to affect me daily but now I am doing way better. Back on the bike riding a few times a week.
Good luck with everything, Steve. I've enjoyed your videos for a while. I attended/graduated from NAU in the 90's and rode Sedona often when all we had were hardtails. Always love visiting Sedona, but Bentonville will be a great adventure. God bless you and your family.
Congratulations on your move. Happy you will be able to ride and do your reviews. Looking forward to your reviews. Glad you are improving.
I'm such a retro-grouch I sometimes question the value of front suspension, lol! So it's great to see someone still flying the hardtail flag, cheers!
I love the simplicity of a rigid, but sometimes I'm a sucker for a bit of front suspension
God bless you, Steve. You're an inspiration.
Glad to hear you're making progress with your health and excited for you and your families new chapter. Bentonville is on my MTB bucket list. I'll look into a tour if/when I can get down there.
I am 62 years old and deal with ankylosing spondylitis. As a result of the AS I also have congestive heart failure, so I have my challenges in riding as well. I concur that exercise as well as the proper medications are key to combating any form of arthritis so I wish you well in your journey.
I'm so sorry to hear about your AS. It's great to hear from others who have an idea of what it's like. Wishing you the best
Exciting news Steve! Great to see you back. Your videos have been very missed on my feed. Hopefully I'll catch you in Bentonville sometime.
I’m really happy you have made progress on your illness Steve!! Big move to Bentonville is exiting, we are here to support you and no doubt new trails and content is going to be fantastic!!! Can’t wait for what the future brings!!!
Thanks Shaun!
I live in Bella Vista and have been following you for a couple years now. Hopefully I’ll get to ride with you sometime and let you see my Binary Maniak build.
Happy to hear you’re following your faith and your heart.
Ill be posting some group ride meetups soon
Glad you have figured out a better place to continue to do what you love! I guess I might have to go check out Bentonville some day!
Absolutely stoked for you moving forward. I feel like there is a big light and the end of the tunnel for you.
While I'm not a man of faith, I'm a man that draws strength from his family. After watching your wonderful wife's video yesterday I could see that you can do the same. I'm glad you have the support of your faith and your family.... but there is also a community of followers out here rooting for you too.
Most importantly - thanks for sharing about your mental health. This year, after never having an issue for the first 42 years of my life, I had my own struggles. I really had trouble identifying what was going on. It wasn't until I shared with a close mate, and later my wife, that I could work through the issues and get on top of things. I feel like normalizing these things only helps all of us and with your public platform you are really helping others. This takes a heap of courage and the upmost respect for doing so.
Thank you so much for your kindness and understanding. My family is a HUGE part of my recovery, I don't know how I could have done it without them
I dont want to be a debbie downer, but the mental health struggles have been REAL and most men don't talk about it much. Thank you for being vulnerable to share that. It's more common than we think and it's always on my mind regarding how to bring it up in a sensitive way.
All the best to you and your family!
Great news Steve! There’s a lot more positive than negative in this video. I’m hoping to get down to Bentonville next year with my Gen 7 Chameleon, it will be the perfect bike for those trails. Your channel is a diamond in the rough and I’m glad it’s keeping afloat.
Yes it will! Perfect Bentonville bike!
Like I said on Dusty Betty's page... 2 years ago at my first Sedona MTB Fest...the snowed out one... I went on your group ride in Cottonwood and met you guys for the first time. You guys was so helpful and welcoming and it was the highlight of the weekend. I've loved all the content and help you have provided and pray for continued success and wish the family the best in your new ventures
Thanks so much! That was a great ride.
Fellow arthritic (psoriatic) MTBer here. Great to hear you’re getting this figured out. Keep at it and there’ll be a lot more good days than not so good ones! Thank you for sharing this and remember there’s nothing wrong with a little trailside nap to get you through to the end of the ride 😉
Thanks for the kind words. Sorry to hear you've struggled with PsA too
Praying for a smooth moving process and complete miraculous healing. Gods got it! Love your content thanks for your honesty and integrity.
Hey man. You sharing this is helping more than you think. Thanks for being honest and real. All the best to you and your family.
That means so much. I was in a dark place when I had zero answers, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm still in the tunnel, but i can finally see some light. Hang in there friend,l.
I'm so happy to hear about your move. I was wondering if more gentle ride terrain is better for your health. God bless you and your family.
Wow! A very positive video Steve. I hope this new direction and move brings nothing but success and better health for you and your family. Fantastic!
It’s absolutely wonderful to see you looking so excited about something Steve!!! I would be really stoked too, very excited for you and your family. Honestly, I’ve looked into that area as well and look forward to hearing more of your take on the healthcare there.
Seems like a fabulous place to raise a family!
good to hear you are getting a better picture of your health issues, can't wait for the new content, wish you the best
Thanks so much for your openness and willingness to share your health issues, both physical and mental.
We who face both situations know that they can be overwhelming, but feel assured you're not alone. When in need, just let us know.
HT party is and will continue alive. A new place to live will bring its share of new experiences and we're looking forward to your videos there.
Feel free to review hardtail e-bikes too!
Blessings
Thank you so much. There aren't many serious hardtail ebikes that remotely interest me. Are there any in your radar you'd like to see reviewed?
@hardtailparty Hola👋... Thanks for your reply, actually, I'm looking at a particular model from Trek, the Marlin 8+. This one in particular, because it also is made in very small sizes, appropriate for my wife, who's a hardtail advocate, looking into e-bikes for an eventual upgrade.
Giant, Cube, Specialized and Mondraker, among others, have hardtail e-bikes in their lineups too.
Be well my friend 👍
Bentonville is an amazing town. I’m sure you and your family will love living there.
Good luck Steve! Hope you get some relief out there.
Whishing you and your family a lot of power and strength, stay positiv. You're gonna make it...🤙
Great news the channel is going to be invigorated and to hear health is on the up. You are an inspiration steve!
Steve- way to stay dynamic and move with the flow. Best of luck to you and yours with your new home!
Awesome! Healthy progress. I have osteoarthritis in my shoulders and need replacement.
Man, I'm so sirry to hear that
more power to you sir! 🙏
Hi Steve, a former consult customer of yours. I had undiagnosed poly arthritis for several years in my 30s. It was awful. Couldn’t turn my neck very far for several years and had swollen inflamed joints that made it painful to much of anything, and fatigue was also part of this. The irony is that I’m a personal trainer and was very busy with clients at the time even though my own body didn’t work correctly.
Without boring you, I did find a successful medical treatment and have been I remission for several years. I live a very active life now and don’t think about it much anymore. I hope you are able to get the treatment you need and I believe you will. If you’re reading this comment, and have any questions feel free to send a message. All the best
Thank you so much! Id love to learn about your treatment. You can message me on Instagram
More power to you Steve, your family, and your endeavors.
You’re awesome Steve. I hope you all the best in Bentonville. 🙌🙌🙌
Thanks Rob, you'd love the trails out here.
Despite the health and emotional issues you've been facing, it seems like you've been able to project a positive and determined attitude in your content. That is so encouraging to others dealing with adversity, even when our issues seem to pale in comparison. It makes me want to face my small struggles with the same positivity that you display through the significant issues you've been dealing with (and I agree on the power of prayer). My wife and I, who are from the Kansas City area, have visited Sedona several times and love the area. We happened to run into you a few years back, over on Mescal, and you graciously allowed us to tag along as you finished up a bike review. You were so generous with your time (and coaching tips!), and we've never forgotten how much we enjoyed the experience meeting and talking bikes with you. Being from KC, we've spent plenty of time in Bentonville as well. We wish you and your family the best there!
Thanks so much! We'll have to connect in bentonville soon, only 3.5 hours from you now...
Having been to both Sedona and Bentonville, I think you will find Bentonville a much more friendly place to ride with your illness. Keep developing the awesome content!
I am in Dallas, but you have given me a great reason to visit Bentonville. See you there in early 2025. Keep this channel posted on how you and family are settling in there. That itself would make great content, your impressions on Sedona vs Bentonville as places to live.
My 9 year old is Type 1 Diabetic, asthma, and severe food allergies. Autoimmune definitely brings friends. FYI I really appreciate how unafraid you are to share your faith.
Good Luck in Arkansas… I’m sure the content will be great like usual.. Thanks for sharing your mental/health struggles. We got you…
Thanks for everything Steve! My wife and I wouldn’t be mountain biking if it wasn’t for stumbling across your videos a couple years ago…now we’re thinking about moving to be closer to better trails…so you have legacy status with us!!
WONDERFUL! Living close to good trails is a game-changer.
@@hardtailparty also, went on my first single speed ride/first ride on my hummingbird...it was magic!!! Can't thank you enough for the help via the channel here...
right on steve! these all sound like great steps forward. i imagine it took a lot to get where you are, and it will probably take a lot to get where you want to be. but i can’t think of someone more equipped for the road ahead. ❤