Wise Words is our new interview series talking to some of mountain biking’s most switched on people.
We’ll ask our short list of questions to a heap of influential, inspiring and outspoken people that we feel are driving the direction of mountain biking today. Some will make you think, some will make you laugh, some will be plain dumb, some will inspire you to better yourself and your riding. We hope!
This week’s Wise Words is brought to you by none other than Micayla Gatto.
A former World Cup downhill racer turned artist, Crankworx pundit, #FerdaGirls star, and out-and-out bicycle enthusiast, there’s not an awful lot Micayla Gatto can’t turn her hand to.
Photos by Bruin Alexander.
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
Wasn’t sure how to answer this one, so I asked my best buddy Geoff Gulevich instead!
“Micayla is basically my sister. Very caring and thoughtful. Full of energy and excitement. Always ready for adventure and can probably kick your ass on any terrain.”
What thing or things have you bought in the last year that had the biggest effect on your life as a mountain biker / cyclist / person that works in the bike industry?
A proper Goretex jacket. As someone living in coastal BC, winters are dark, wet, and cold. I had never owned an expensive jacket before, and finally bit the bullet for a good Goretex shell. Now I go ride no matter the weather, and I’m happy to be out there for longer, because I actually stay warm and dry.
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
Traditionally, if I were to try a new jump that I hadn’t done yet, I’d have to follow someone into it 2 times before attempting it the 3rd time. I guess it’s the whole “third times a charm” mentality, but I’m sure my friends that are towing me in don’t appreciate it when they have to hike up and down the mountain 3 times to get me to do something.
I’ve changed that mentality in recent years, however, because I’m learning that trusting my own abilities and skills actually allows me to push farther and harder than if I listen/follow others. Also, my warm-ups as a racer were a bit strange… it involved a lot of dancing around.
What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
I’m not sure I can really generalise on something like that, but I guess the best piece of advice I was given as a racer was “no one ever said it was going to be easy” and “create what you want to be a part of”. I think a lot of riders looking for sponsorship and recognition wait for opportunities to come to them, or get really discouraged and defeated when they produce a good result, and yet still have to work hard to make it. Nothing gets easier, you just go faster.
Trusting the process, being passionate and relentless about what you’re doing, and creating opportunities and goals for yourself without having to depend on others is the best thing you can do to get ahead. As far as advice you should ignore goes, I think listening to others opinions and being able to differentiate whether or not it’s applicable to you and your life is very important as a growing athlete. Something that might be great for one person, might not work so well for another.
A lot of advice that is given is based on personal experiences, and, although it is very important to listen and learn from more experienced riders/coaches/mentors, at the end of the day, it’s your life, your ride, and the only person that knows what’s truly best for you, is you.
If you could go back and re-ride one day from your life so far, where/what/when/who would it be? Would you change anything?
Oh man, there are so many good days on the bike, and bad, but I wouldn’t change anything! The only thing I might want to do, is to really take it all in the second time around. Sometimes when you’re away from home, shooting something, waking up at the crack of dawn, stressing about getting to the top before sunrise, you forget to sit back and really take the whole experience in.
Time crunches sometimes can distract you from really experiencing what is around you. On the rides that I have gotten badly injured, I still wouldn’t change a thing, because getting knocked down or being forced off the bike for a while also teaches important lessons, and gives a new perspective to me on just how important riding is to my life.
What have you wasted the most time on in your life as a rider or bike industry career that you wished you’d given up years ago?
Worrying what other people think, and listening to other people’s opinions of what I’m capable of.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
I wish I had a solid answer for this one! I guess for me, struggling and lacking inspiration are two different things. Struggling to me speaks to the lack of motivation I can develop sometimes. Usually if I’m feeling like that, it’s because I’ve been away from a routine and consistent training for a while. Being home and re-connecting with that routine is huge for me, because it doesn’t take long before I start seeing results.
If I’m working on more creative concepts and am lacking inspiration, I’ll go on Vimeo, go for a ride with friends, or just be around creative people and try to problem solve in a group. Sometimes just talking about things out loud with others can spark new inspiration and ideas.
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
Riding! Seeing short and long term goals met is so rewarding, but it’s also just the physical act of riding a bike that instantly lifts my mood and makes me a happier, better person.
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
I can’t really say because I honestly rarely look at any cycling news. The death of my friend Stevie Smith 2 years ago was so tragic, and something I think we all wish could be taken back, however it was surreal to see how losing someone so important to so many people, created a community and one-ness that brought the industry closer together, and made a lot of people appreciate more what they had.
It sounds cheesy but I do believe everything happens for a reason, and although some things are impossible to understand and are incredibly painful, the reality is we can’t change history, so we have to learn from it and take what we can from it instead.
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
Too many things! I’ve got a few things up my sleeve though, so I guess you’ll just have to wait to find out!
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Vaea Verbeeck, Katie Holden, Casey Brown, Caroline Buchanan
