Dirty Dan Takes on the US Pacific Coast FKT May 2nd This is his pre ride interview

Dirty Dan — Daniel Connell of Dirty Dan Bikes — is about to take on a Pacific Coast FKT, riding from the Canadian border toward Mexico on a route of roughly 2,667 km with over 24,000 metres of climbing.This is a pre-ride conversation, recorded just days before he rolls out.Dan’s story is a unique one. He didn’t come into cycling through racing or structure—he started with a $100 bike, a loose plan, and a desire to see the world. That mindset led to years of big, self-supported rides, including multiple Tour Divide efforts and countless adventures that were never about speed.But somewhere along the way, that curiosity evolved.In this episode, we talk about that shift—from slow travel to fast efforts—and what it looks like to take the spirit of bikepacking and apply it to an FKT attempt. We get into his setup, training approach, sleep strategy, nutrition, and the realities of taking on a route like the Pacific Coast at speed.More than anything, this is a conversation about mindset.About the energy before something big.About putting yourself up against a challenge.And about what you’re really chasing when you decide to go fast.Dan will be tracking his ride live, and you can follow along via Trackleaders (link in the show notes).We’ll be catching up with him again after the ride to hear how it all played out.If you’ve taken on your own FKT challenge—or are thinking about it—I’d love to hear from you.📩 [email protected]📸 Instagram: @svein.tuft🌍 tuftcamps.comFollow Dan here on trackleaders https://trackleaders.com/pacificfkt26f.phpThanks!