Behind The Scenes

Meet Chris Gagnon, mastermind behind The Hibernator, and founder of CrossCycle Fitness & Adventures. Chris grew up in a small town along southern Maine coast and quickly developed a love for health/fitness at a young age via ice hockey, skiing, and cycling. As an art major throughout his college years, bike racing and fitness training started to bleed into his studies. Cross-country mountain bike racing became a passion and focus over the past 25+ years, allowing him to spend more time in the fitness industry, adventuring outdoors, and becoming involved in community events.

From 2005 - 2017, Chris developed his CrossCycle® indoor strength endurance training program and began transitioning his experience as a coach & athlete towards the outdoor enthuiast. This work eventually allowed him to position himself with the opportunity to leave Boston and open up shop in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, where he currently resides and offers functional fitness training & guiding expriences right out of his studio in East Burke.

Meet Jesse Holden, co-director and responsible for all things trail running. He grew up running, jumping, climbing, swimming, and biking his way around the NEK. After lots of traveling, he now lives in St. Johnsbury with his amazing wife and daughter. Jesse works at St. Johnsbury Academy where he teaches PE, is the director of the Outing Club, a dorm parent, coach, adventure camp director, and any other role that helps others in enjoying and recreating in the outdoors.

He is a Wilderness First Responder, and in recent years has focused his energy on ultra running in the NEK and White Mountains of NH. Jesse really has a passion for sharing his love and knowledge of the area while running through our local mountains! Jesse has run numerous 25 and 50k's, a sub 12 hour Pemi loop, and sub 10 hour Presidential Traverse. He has been the sweeper three years running for the Mansfield Double up and has helped direct and organize many races. Most recently, Jesse is the founder of NEK Endurance, which aims at bringing out the best in endurance athletes through various local events & activities.

We are fortunate to have such hearty terrain to push our limits. I will be back next year if you do a 4.0 version. I hope there is a + option because that is what I'm going to train for.

Rod

Thanks so much for putting on the event yesterday! That course was incredible - definitely one of the best rides around. Keep up the good work and thanks again!

Dusty

Matthias and I would like to thank you for an amazing day. The venue was wonderful and the hosts incredibly charming and friendly. The mtb epic course was really tough, but very well planned out (dead moose abuse was just too much for me, especially 35 miles in, when I think coordination and reflexes may not be full-on. The grassy climbs at the end were heinous but hey, that’s what we signed up for so fair enough! The post-ride food was just incredible! I think it might just be the best I’ve ever had and I’ve been to a ton of events!

Joanna & Matthias

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