Why Everyone Needs Adventure: A Teton Moto Rally Perspective
- Matt
- Oct 13, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 10, 2025
Embracing discomfort and the Power of Adventure
I embrace a lifestyle of deliberately stepping into uncomfortable situations where success isn’t guaranteed in exchange for numerous personal rewards. Recently, this has meant diving headfirst into winter fat bike racing across distances over 100 miles. The idea is not just about the physical challenge; it’s about rewiring my brain to handle life’s toughest moments with resilience and perspective. Pedaling through winter storms in sub-zero temperatures supplements my motorcycle adventures with a different kind of challenge, but the idea stays the same - adventure is my way of hitting the reset button.
My Journey with Fat Bike Racing
Two years ago, I ventured into fat bike racing, a stark contrast to my background in fast cross-country mountain bike racing. Trading fast rolling carbon fiber for the grueling slog of cycling in soft snow tested my patience like never before. My first season included two local races, most memorably being a 40-below-zero race start near Yellowstone National Park. I held second place for half the race but finished fourth after a fierce jockey for position to the finish. The next race, I claimed second, just shy of the top spot.
The following season, I upped the ante with ultra-distance races—200k courses lasting 25-30 hours in harsh winter conditions. Imagine starting at 7 a.m. with Black Sabbath’s “Crazy Train” blaring, single-digit temps, and 80 riders knowing half would drop out before nightfall. At the first aid station, 40 miles in, fatigue reared its ugly head with no option but moving forward through heavy snow, dehydration, and leaking tires. By midnight, I was battling serious nausea, and freezing mist that developed into a cold injury in my lungs. At 3 am I was coughing up dark phlegm while pumping my tires every 20 minutes. I crossed the finish line in 18th place, good enough for the top third. I pedaled for 30 hours without sleep or significant rest, a respectable time for this 200-kilometer course. Passing out in my fiancée’s truck afterward, I coughed and wheezed, struggling to breathe from the cold injury to my lungs. Best yet, it took three months to regain feeling in my perineum, but was it all worth it?
My second ultra race that season was even tougher—10,000 feet of vertical gain on steeper, scarier, more remote trails. I fought for second place all night, finishing fifth against elite riders. I can pontificate on how this experience was just as harrowing as my first, but the truth of the matter is that despite this race being objectively “harder” my mental preparation was at an all-time high. I can honestly say that those 100 grueling miles and 24 sleepless hours felt kind of fun.
Why Adventure Matters
These experiences taught me that adventure isn’t just about physical endurance; it’s about mental training for life. As I often told my students on backpacking trips, “The point isn’t to make you great backpackers—it’s to make you great people when you return home.” Adventure regulates thought patterns, builds perspective, and gives people something to be proud of. For me, it’s a lifeline against depression and anxiety. The pain, discomfort, and fear? They’re temporary. They remind me that life’s challenges—work stress, relationships, or unexpected setbacks—are fleeting, too.
Not everyone needs to race fat bikes or qualify for the Iditarod Trail Invitational (though, proudly I did). Adventure is personal. For some, it’s a calculated risk; for others, it’s a way to break free from routine. That’s where Teton Moto Rally enters the chat.
Why Teton Moto Rally?
Motorcycles are a utilitarian tool we can use to find balance and amplify life’s joy. With Teton Moto Rally we offer a chance to trade the daily grind for the thrill of exploring paths less traveled. The modern day moto adventure is not a cure-all, rather an opportunity for shaking up our daily routines and access to the outdoors. The benefits of an adventure mindset are endless. With a capable adventure motorcycle and some skill, more people can venture out into the proverbial unknown to discover new things about themselves, build confidence, strengthen sense of self and ultimately reconnect with a more enriched way of being.
Find Your Wild
Hosted in the heart of “WyDaho,” Wyoming/Idaho if you haven’t heard the expression, our experiences are designed for adventure seekers—whether you’re a seasoned rider or a newbie craving some off-road excitement. Our routes traverse some of the most stunning landscapes in the U.S., from the iconic Grand Tetons to remote backcountry roads. WyDaho is home to hundreds of miles of incredible dirt roads making this region perfect for adventure loops of any distance and difficulty. It’s not just about riding; it’s about forging connections, building skills, and finding joy in the challenge. Each experience in the wilds is like giving yourself a gift. You may open that gift immediately, or it may take time to slowly unwrap in your mind. Whether it hits all at once or not, you are worth the treat.
Comments