Bike Story Night Virtual Chat with Alexandra Houchin

In this virtual chat episode, Valerie chats with Alexandra Houchin an Anishinaabekwe (Ojibwe woman) about her single-speed bike life, personal body journey, the upcoming 2023 Triple Crown, Chumba bikes and her film “Stronger Together” which takes an intimate look into a story inspired by her mother’s journey to provide a good life for her and her siblings. I want to express my deep gratitude to Alexandra for sharing her insights and knowledge beyond ultra endurance racing. We delved into everything, from her first bike purchase off craigslist, her SS homies and the special relationship between the ultra endurance racers. Not to mention how special she feels when she’s riding and spending a lot of time on her bike. The thing that she finds brings her so much joy and closer to knowing herself more. I still can’t believe how incredible it was to have this chat with Alexandra. It felt like a dream come true. When Vince from Chumba mentioned he could try to connect us, I thought, “Wow, really and that would be amazing,“ but then I also immediately had this thought that something like this would never happen to someone like me. You know that “is this real life feeling” It was really nice of Vince to believe in the possibility, who’s still finding their way as an interviewer, storyteller, host or whatever you want to call it. I do wish I didn’t feel so rushed during this conversation. I was pretty nervous to begin with, and that darn Zoom clock (not the best platform for this special convo) didn’t help! Though needless to say I feel like it taught me so much. Listening to Alexandra talk about her racing and competitions was inspiring, but what struck me even more was the unique bond between ultra racers. It’s not just about competition; “it’s about friendship and love.” In just the short time I’ve been following her I feel like I can really see that and it truly adds to the magic of that community. Be sure to watch till the end when Alexandra talks more about her special relationship with her Chumba family. After this chat with her it’s even more clear that Chumba is “more than just a bike; it’s a work of art.” I loved the part where she touches on how she knows that Mark, the bike frame builder, was jamming to some rad music in the background while crafting her special bike. I also want to extend a huge thanks to the team at Chumba for helping to connect us and hosting me at the new Chumba shop. Your support made this unforgettable experience possible. This chat was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I can’t thank Alexandra and Chumba enough! She’s not only an incredible athlete, but also an amazing person. If you’re not yet following Alexandra I cant recomend it enough - Can’t wait to bring you more awesome conversations and bike stories like this in the future, thank you for tuning in! #BikeStoryNight #AlexandaHouchin #Chumbausa