Rebecca’s Wild Idea: To be a professional adventure racer and bike the Ho Chi Minh Trail in search of her father, who was shot down as a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War.
Rebecca Rusch has been a professional athlete for over three decades. She is a seven-time World Champion who continues to shatter the glass ceiling in whatever sport she tackles, whether it is climbing, rafting, or biking. She has a first female ascent rock climbing El Capitan in Yosemite. She has river boarded down the Grand Canyon. And she has beaten most men at endurance mountain bike racing.
Rebecca’s most recent journey goes much deeper. She biked 1,200 miles along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Southeast Asia to search for the crash site of her father’s plane where he was shot down in the Vietnam War over 40 years ago. She shared the journey with another mountain biker, a local Vietnamese woman, and they documented it all in an epic film by Red Bull Media House called Blood Road that just hit theaters.
Listen to this Episode if:
- You know someone who was in or affected by the Vietnam War.
- You have ever wanted to do an epic adventure.
- You love stories about family, friendship or history.
- You love giving back.
- You love amazing documentaries.
- You want to listen to the most badass female athlete I have ever met.
- You want to hear how finding magic is possible, even after massive blood, sweat and tears.
- You love adventure, adventure racing or know of Rebecca Rush.
Key Takeaways
- 3:30 – Why Rebecca is taking her bike to every stop of her film tour.
- 4:30 – How Rebecca Rusch stays young, fit, and uninjured.
- 5:40 – Who sends Rebecca’s bike to every stop and how you can travel with a bike around the globe.
- 6:30 – The playing field in ultra endurance sports.
- 8:20 – How Rebecca became a professional athlete.
- 10:50 – Rebecca’s other career as a firefighter.
- 11:45 – Rebecca’s belief in giving back.
- 13:00 – How she went on a journey down the Ho Chi Minh trail.
- 16:20 – The trail magic Rebecca found in SE Asia.
- 17:50 – Athletes tend to push down the sensitive side of themselves.
- 20:00 – Rebecca’s new mission to clean up unexploded ordnance in Laos.
- 22:15 – Rebecca’s mom had letters and recordings that she gave to her.
- 23:30 – Rebecca’s husband is a gem.
- 24:50 – How she river boarded down the Grand Canyon.
- 28:25 – When Rebecca started competing and racing.
- 30:20 – Why Rebecca calls on her community to help her feel better.
- 35:00 – We have to forgive and accept each other.