Words from Brett Davis, Diana Davis, Steve "DOOM" Fassbinder, and Greg Cairns, Images from Brett, Greg, and DOOM
WHO ARE YOU, AND WHO'S IN YOUR CREW?
BRETT - I'm Brett Davis (aka BD or just" Davis" as Doom says, or "Butch Cassidy" for this adventure) the behind the scenes leader of this motley crew that includes: Diana Davis (my adventurous and beautiful wife – aka Double D or Etta Place); Steve "Doom" Fassbinder (aka Doc or Kid Curry); and Jon Bailey (aka JB, Jibs, or the Sundance Kid). We also had a few hanger on'ers who made brief appearances in the film or didn't make the cut: Greg Cairns (aka Creeper, a talented filmmaker who quietly goes about capturing embarrassing moments on film that shouldn't really be captured) and Sean Mailen (aka The Mailman or the Tall Texan) who joined us after the cameras stopped rolling as we biked from Telluride north to our next hideout in Browns Park.
Through the years, I have ventured far and wide with all these characters pulling off adventure heists such as riding the Great Divide (once with Mailman and once with Diana); fat biking and packrafting the wilds of Alaska and across the American West (with Doom and Bailey) on numerous trips; and having Greg follow my raft lines through the Grand Canyon or creeping along as he shot the Ride to Slide film.
DIANA - Brett Davis, BD, Hairless Cat with newfound whiskers (mustache), he’s my ride or die adventure partner and the brains behind our many adventure escapades–he’s not just a pretty face after all.
Photo: Doom
WHAT'S THE BACKSTORY ABOUT THE OUTLAW TOUR? WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?
BRETT - In an era where one continually hears "that all the great adventures have been done already," I have found adventure inspiration from those who have come before us. Previously, I have retraced by bike the Mormon "Hole in the Rock" expedition; followed Viking conquest routes across Iceland; and tackled Roman Dial, Carl Tobin, and Jon Underwood's late 1980s "Hell-Biking" traverse of North America's highest mountain massif, Wrangell-St. Elias. History adds context and gives purpose to an endeavor, and with purpose, I go harder and engage with projects on a higher level.
The idea for this adventure came about due to my interest in America's outlaw era (from after the Civil War to the early 1900s) and the western landscape that allowed these nonconforming individuals to successfully hone their craft. It was a brief time in American history when the little guy could take on the big guys (corporations) and just possibly get away with it.
Upon reading the November 1976 National Geographic article of actor Robert Redford retracing the Outlaw Trail via horse and four-wheel drive vehicle, I began descending the proverbial rabbit hole guided by Dr. Andy Gulliford (a history professor at Fort Lewis College) and some of his colleagues into the lives of the western outlaw. After nearly four years of reading numerous books, talking to historians, and countless hours of looking at old maps, the Wild Bunch or Outlaw Tour was created. It was only logical that I gather up a crew of questionable characters who would have thrived in living in this era to join me in chasing outlaw ghosts across the west.
As you can expect from this crew, they were all universally in. The trip idea scratched an unexplainable itch that they all had deep down to become an outlaw riding across the west, challenging the norms of society.
DIANA - Brett thought about this trip for years, consulted historians, read 20+ books about Butch Cassidy and the outlaws. But, I think a major draw was being able to draw–having a trip where his Spur Shot (slingshot) was always at the ready! The other big pull was to see if it could actually be pulled off–was there still 1,300 miles of connectable, rugged, remote, truly wild country in our modern era?
HOW DOES A BAND OF MODERN DAY OUTLAWS GET READY FOR SUCH A BOLD AND DARING RUN?
BRETT - The plan was to follow the ghost of Robert LeRoy Parker (aka Butch Cassidy) from his childhood home in Circleville, UT to his old haunts and robbery sites ending in one of his hideouts at Hole-in-the-Wall located in North Central Wyoming. Essentially, I wanted to duplicate Robert Redford's outlaw adventure, but in better chronological order and by all human-powered means versus his use of vehicles to get between historical sites.
We would ride bikes, hike, and paddle over 1,300 miles over the course of a month which would allow us to move at a similar pace across the land as Butch's Wild Bunch did by horse. Besides, none of us can ride a horse with any skill.
As far as prep went, there was the usual route logistics to deal with in finding shuttle drivers for the beginning and ending of the trip and to move our bikes around Canyonlands so we could walk across the park (bikes are not allowed off-road in the park), as well as food and equipment prep. Some of us had that dialed, but Doom, Bailey, and Greg all did things by the seat of their pants and failed to read any of my logistics emails. Consequently, they were underprepared when it came to the food planning and drops (Backcountry Experience provided us with some delicious meals that I imagine were way better than the hard tack of the cowboys). This is all par for the course with this crew, which adds a little more flavor and unknown to everything. I expect nothing less and always look forward to these moments.
In addition to our bikes and associated gear (Bedrock Bags made us some sweet bags with a western motif), we had some special additions. First, we acquired some bandanas, dusters, and bowler hats as we needed to truly get into character if we planned on living the western outlaw life. Every outlaw needs a weapon of some sort, so the Mailman (through his start-up company, Relentless Components) designed and built the ultimate bikepacker outlaw firearm: the Spur Shot. We were now armed and ready to shoot lots of beer cans, whiskey bottles, and road signs.
Photo: Doom
As always, we relied on tried-and-true HMG packs (the Southwest, Windrider, and Junction) to help us get through Canyonlands and beyond. These particular versions, however, were prototypes that the HMG R&D Team asked us to bring. As expected, they performed at the high standard we come to expect and are durable enough for the abuse that outlaws such as us subject them to every day. And of course, the UltaMid's were put to good use, keeping us dry and warm while in the mountains. Those shelters can't be beat!
The hardest part in preparing for the tour was growing my handlebar mustache. I am kind of like one of those hairless cats, so growing any facial hair is a challenge. Four months prior to the start of the tour, I began to torture Diana by not shaving the hair above my upper lip. I'm sure the bets in my friend circle were quite large on me not being able to pull a good western mustache off in time for the trip, but if anything, those critics should learn not to bet against me. If I have to say so myself, I grew a pretty darn good mustache, and it looks sweet on the big screen. Needless to say, as soon as the adventure was over, I shaved it off so that Diana would kiss me again and stop complaining about a Halloween costume that never comes off.
Photos: Doom
DIANA - Cosplay duster – light weight with the built in vest. Even bikepacking, Brett needed to look good.
- Crush-able theater bowler hats – they were perfect to smash into a bike bag and then pop out when rolling into a town.
- Spur Shot – Slingshot with bike attachments and bike tools built in. Questionable on it’s necessity for self-defense but an absolute requirement for endless entertainment at camp and rest spots along the route.
- Mustache wax – A ‘must have’ for a well sculpted stash. Whether Brett looked good with the stash, however, that’s highly debatable.
- HMG - Tent, pillow, pack – lightweight, durable, and comfortable–it would not be a well planned endeavor without them!
DOOM - Can I say that I was totally prepared for this trip by simply crawling off the couch? Yes, I can say that because Doom's couch is not a lazy place. I relied fully on muscle memory to get myself to the start line and beyond on this one. I signed the papers selling my old (1903) fixer-upper house that I had been remodeling for the past 20 years, literally the day before leaving on this trip. The tires on my equally fixer-upper truck were threadbare, and I got a flat on the way to the rendezvous. Always have a bottle (or two) of Fix-a-Flat for these situations. Old Toyotas encrusted in decades of grime will never allow you to lower the spare, ever!
SO, YOU MOUNTED YOUR STEEDS AND THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK. HOW'D THE SCHEME PLAY OUT?
BRETT - Well, we didn't come away with any loot or jailtime, but there were plenty of smiles and laughter along the way. The tour was fantastic. It is always rewarding when an idea becomes a reality and is completed. On Sunday, September 1st, we rode out of Circleville, UT with aspirations of finding Butch and his crew. Consequently, over the course of the next 28 days, we traversed some of the West's most iconic landscapes, exploring old weather-beaten cabins, dug-out hideouts, rock inscriptions, and abandoned ranches along the way. We had some trials and tribulations while on the journey with a day of steep hike-a-bike, a broken derailleur and front brake, sweltering heat while crossing Robbers Roost, a deluge of rain and sleet while traversing the Uncompahgre Plateau, and continual dusting by oil and gas trucks in the Uintah Basin.
Despite it all, we problem-solved, endured, and kept up with the ghosts of the past.
DOOM - Easy, except for the hard parts.
LOOKING BACK NOW, WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST THINGS YOU LEARNED FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE WILD BUNCH?
BRETT - From the outset of this project, I sought to find out if the remote and rugged western landscape of the outlaw still exists today. The land of the outlaw was one of open spaces, not confined by barbed wire and private property signs. Butch Cassidy succeeded in his exploits due to his ability to move freely through the land using its many features to disappear until it was time for the next heist. I am happy to say that we found remnants of the western outlaw. This was only possible due to the vast swaths of public land that stretch across the West – land that is currently threatened for profit in the name of progress.
Photo: Doom
We rode 1,300 miles from southern Utah to north central Wyoming along the Outlaw Trail without hindrance. This is amazing and is what keeps the outlaw spirit, a uniquely American one, alive today. When we sell off, privatize, and exploit the resource that is our public lands, we lose a piece of ourselves and destroy an underlying essence of our country. There will always be an allure and fascination with the American West and its legends, which is in large part due to our ability to visit their old haunts and experience what they experienced from the land in person. Butch's hideout in Robbers Roost can be visited by anyone with the will to do so. His dugouts along the Kokopelli Trail and in Browns Park can be crawled into without permission or an entry fee. These are special things and should not be taken for granted. They need to be protected for future generations to experience. Once such experiences are gone, the idea of the western outlaw will only exist in the written word of historians.
DIANA - Solitude is addicting. Even without committing a crime, the need to escape is real.
DOOM - I want to go back!
Photo: Doom - Best(?) band you've never heard.
WHAT ROLE DOES (OR SHOULD) HISTORY PLAY IN ADVENTURING AND ADVENTURE PLANNING? WHAT DOES IT ADD TO THE MIX?
BRETT - As stated above, adventuring into the past adds context and more meaning to a project. It can also be very humbling as one learns how tough and creative those before us were to accomplish what they did without all the technology and the latest and greatest in gear that we have at our disposal in today's world.
DIANA - I like thinking about history, the similarities and differences of how we now move through this land. We have way fancier gear. We have quick dry clothes and lightweight rain jackets. We have Hyperlite packs and tents, backpacker food, water filtration systems, GPS on our phones. Navigating this terrain, particularly the canyons, made me think about how badass these bandits were for truly, deeply, understanding the land. The rough terrain was a big part of what made their escapes possible. They could disappear but also survive. Finding water in the desert, knowing which canyons had feasible exit routes–this is pretty impressive considering the lack of technology and detailed maps. Modern day technology makes for easier access and planning in today’s adventure pursuits. I’m always impressed by historical endeavors and how people navigated/lived in these remote places with so much less. It makes me question and rethink what I actually need.
DOOM - I think we are always beholden to history, whether we like it or not. Might as well have a bit of a curiosity at the bare minimum or you're totally missing out.
Photo: Doom
WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU AND YOUR RAGTAG BAND OF CURLY WOLVES?
BRETT - I'm not sure. I've been told that to truly complete the Outlaw Tour we need to make our way to South America and pick up Butch and the Sundance Kid's trail down there. I guess we are going to have to learn some Spanish.
DIANA - A good escape route is only a good escape route if no one knows about it.
DOOM - I got a tractor, so the world is my oyster!
Photo: Doom
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT SHOOTING THE OUTLAW TOUR FROM FILMMAKER, GREG CAIRNS
This project was a treat to work on. The landscape, route, historical context, and crew were perfect. With that said, it was difficult to film. It was tough to keep up with the crew. They're very fast. I also brought too much camera gear and a stupid amount of instant mash potatoes. I think I missed the part about resupplying twice. I thought more than once how it was interesting that Hyperlite Mountain Gear was sponsoring a bike film that was in almost no way "Hyperlite". I returned home with a bunch of footage of the crew nearly over the horizon, just a mirage and dust trail. I again thought about how this fit into the project. I was some sort of outsider, left in the dust, at times actually tracking bike tires and footprints, always trying to catch up with Butch and the Wild Bunch. I'm being a bit dramatic, but when it was 90 degrees and I was riding alone across the desert, my mind wandered. I relied on voice over and a bit of creativity to flavor the story. Comedy is scary, but in this case, it seems to have paid off. Thanks for watching!
