Image given to us from Mitch (sea to sky race)
Dirt Bikers are an amazing group of people. We come from every walk of life. From the super rich to the guys who can barely scrape enough money together for a tire. But dirt bikes bind us all together and make us bothers and sisters on two wheels. A common thread through our sport is that we all want to be better riders. Some of us have dreams of racing, maybe even professionally and others just want to clean a section of their favorite trail but all of us want to be better. Its just in our DNA. There is a ton of value in looking at all of the moto specific stuff that the pros in our sport do but I think there is more to it. I think that what these guys do day to day plays a big roll in how they ride. I want to know who they are and what habits, routines and influences make them different!
This is my conversation with Mitch Carvolth. Mitch is a rad guy who is really fast. He even came to Montrose for one of our Moto Mayhem races a couple years ago. Here are his stats:
Photo: Mark Kariya (King of the Motos Race)
Mitch Carvolth
Born: Truckee, Ca
Riding: 21 years
Racing: 15 years
@mcnasty177 on instagram
3x AMRA Champion
2nd Rev Limiter Hard Enduro
3rd King of the Motos
9th Sea to Sky
26th Erzberg
HC: Do you have a morning routine that you practice every day (i.e. not race days)? If so, what is it and why?
Mitch: I like to get a good stretch in and have a solid breakfast. I've never had great mobility so stretching has helped me gain flexibility and I feel that it helps prevent a lot of injuries as well. Breakfast is usually the first thing on my mind when I wake up so I typically cook up some eggs and vegetables before getting my day started.
HC: Do you have a pre-race routine that you use? If so, what does that look like and what are the benefits? Also, post-race.
Mitch: I’ve never had a pre-race routine. It all depends on the day and the race. Sometimes I like to do some shoulder and hip flexor stretches with a PVC pipe or I'll throw on my headphones and listen to music.
HC: What is your favorite book and why? -If you could gift one book, what would it be and why?
Mitch: I don't read as much as I would like to but I find myself re-reading a book called The Alchemist. It's an easy read but for me it's a book that inspires me to continue to follow my dreams no matter what the struggles are along the way. It definitely is a book I would gift someone, I think that's actually how I ended up with it.
HC: If you could only do one training drill, what would it be and why? I am talking about skills drills on the bike.
Mitch: I would pick a drill that I call the one-handed drill. It's something that I teach people when I do lessons. All you do is stand up and ride around without your clutch hand on the bars. This drill really teaches you to grip the bike with your legs. Once you've done that for a minute you can go back to having both hands on the handlebars and everything feels effortless.
HC: Do you have a favorite failure? What I mean is, do you have a failure in your life that, while tough at the time, either changed the course of your life for the better or spurred you on to achieve greater things?
Mitch: I can't recall a favorite failure but I would say any race I haven't finished would be it (not due to bike failure). For me not finishing is usually caused by timing out but nothing motivates me more than a DNF. Pulling off and quitting is never an option.
HC: Who is the single greatest influence in your life and why?
Mitch: The greatest influence in my life would have to be my Mom. She passed away from breast cancer when I was 17 but she did so much for me and my racing when I was younger. Raising two boys, fighting cancer and still having the energy to take me racing on the weekends blows me away. She was by far the kindest person I've ever known and the older I get the more I realize how much I learned from having her in my life. I wouldn't be the person who I am today without her.
HC: What is the most memorable race in your career so far and why?
Mitch: I would have to say it was a race called Ukupacha down in Equador. I got the invite driving home from Endurocross and couldn't book a flight on my phone so I had Taylor Robert, who I was living with at the time book me one. I got home late that night, repacked my bags with clean clothes, gear, parts and flew out early the next morning. That was my first Hard Enduro I had done that was out of the country and I managed to finish top 10 down there. It was one of the hardest races I have ever done but it was a blast getting to spend a week in a different country racing dirt bikes.
HC: What is the most fun about dirt bikes to you?
Mitch: In the beginning, it was all about the rush of going faster and jumping higher. Now I find myself looking for the gnarliest climbs and downhills to get that rush. A day exploring with friends and pushing our limits is definitely the most enjoyable time spent on a dirt bike for me right now.
HC: What is one non-motorcycle thing that you enjoy doing?
Mitch: It might not seem that far off but downhill mountain biking is something I enjoy just as much as riding motorcycles. I don't get to go that often but when I do its one of the highlights of my season.
HC: If you had to purchase a bike and ride it for 1 year and you couldn’t switch at all, would it be 2 stroke or 4 stroke?
Mitch: 2-stroke for sure! I've had more fun on my 2017 300xcw this past year than any other bike I've bought over the years.
Thanks for reading! If you would like to subscribe to our blog and get an email every time we post a new one, just click the link below.
And if you haven't read our conversation with Cody Webb, just click the link below here!