Video Created By: Josh Lawless
Not everyone uses mountain biking content to shape life decisions, but many of us have a riding worldview shaped by the industry’s best creators.
When graduating college last year, I faced the standard myriad of postgrad choices. The biggest of those was where to move. Mountain biking, among other perhaps more important factors like friends and family, would be an important part of that choice.
It was time to take stock of all of the information I had gathered about different riding experiences across the world over the years. I reflected first on a synthesis of memories of growing up in Maine and riding on the east coast and traveling elsewhere. Then it was time to consider the media that had inspired me the most to get out and ride over the years. You know - the loamy, mossy, high quality sun-kissed edits that come predominantly from mountain biking’s biggest hotspots.
Something didn’t add up - the beauty and abundance of the media that inspired me most was jaw-dropping. But, so were the memories I had developed riding in Maine - and very little media existed to represent those. Were mountain biking’s most publicized regions really as superior as this disparity in content represents?
I took the chance and decided, “can’t be”. Upon returning to Maine, I found a vibrant and growing community of dedicated trailbuilders, talented riders young and old, passionate trail advocates, budding bike parks and trail networks, local races and even an EWS event on the calendar. The vast beauty of the state with vibrant sunsets spilling through gorgeous, mossy pine forests is just as I remember, and it’s the passion of the community that makes Maine something greater than the sum of its parts.
It was a pleasure to work with Lawless Media to create this video, which we hope takes a small bite out of the east coast content disparity, and inspires you to get out and ride. We’d like to thank the trail builders of Mt Abrams and the Bethel Community Forest for their work in creating the trails this video was filmed on.
Stay tuned for future short videos as a part of “The Dawnland” - a mountain biking mini series filmed exclusively in Maine and supported by Specialized and FOX Factory.
| This project started out as just creating a simple fun edit with one of my best friends. It soon turned into a launching point to create a series of content showcasing the diverse and inspiring riding we have here in the great state of Maine. We have since shot a few other projects with that goal in mind, and we can't wait to share them! Alongside the other incredible members of our growing mountain bike community putting in hard work, we hope our content fuels the fire to continue progressing the Maine MTB scene!—Josh Lawless |
| Friggin catch us riding from sunrise until sundown bub!—Josh Lawless & Ben Farrell |
Mt Abrams Ski Area & Bike Park
|
Mt. Abram Ski Area & Bike Park mountain biking trails Bethel Community Forest
Bethel Community Forest mountain biking trails
1. The bugs were so bad he wore the only pants he could find.
2. His wife/girlfriend got him the pants to keep the Cougars away.