Our good friends Aaron and Errin have officially done did it!! UPNESS is up… and running with a slew of very rad products for your purchasing pleasure!
We’ve had the absolute joy getting to know Aaron Edge and Errin Vasquez these last several months. I can’t remember how I got connected with Aaron’s IG feed (@aaronedge_of_upness), but I loved how many miles he would dominate via bike and feet. I believe it was after one of his posts posing a question about heart rate monitoring; I chimed in with a little insight and here we are today (thanks social media for helping us stay social).
Aaron and I were having a txt convo about how FOLLY started and what Kyle and I stood for. After me blabbering (via txt) for way to long, Aaron responded with “That’s rad! I always wanted to do something like that with a buddy”. Not but 2 and a half’ish months later and BOOM!! Radery be had with UPNESS.
Us creative folk are never without a creative idea sitting in the back of our brain buckets. All it takes sometimes is meeting the right like minded person or people to bring said idea to light and push to make something the world has never seen. Aaron and Errin have done just that! The planets aligned, they met at Golden Saddle Cyclery, and a solid brolationship was born.
SO… without further blabbering, here is a little inside look into UPNESS and how you can support/spread their “Positive Attitude/Positive Altitude” message.
UPNESS Interview:
1.) Why UPNESS?
AARON: I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis on March 6th of this year. It hits everyone in a different way, and so far it has hit me in my hands. I’m a cyclist and runner, I’m also a musician. The pain halted all of these things, stopped a few completely, and I’m just now adjusting to pain management while being active. By nature, I’m the most negative person I know… that couldn’t continue if I wanted to move forward in my life. Upness is a way to move forward for me. Upness is an outlook on life. Upness is a reminder that (at least for now) I’m still mobile, while other MS-fighting folks are not. Errin (whose Mother also has MS) and I decided to share our positivity with the world in the form of articles of radicalness, ie: clothing and grabbables like shirts, bottles, tote bags, cycling kits, etc. Our official motto: ““The Mountain: a metaphor for any tough obstacle in our lives. We could go around it, but we choose to climb it… without great speed, but with an unwavering commitment to the effort it takes to face it, head on.”
2.) Who all makes up UPNESS?
Aaron Edge of Oregon and Errin Vasquez of California. Two men who love to climb up things slow and steady. Two men who grew up on, and still appreciate, the punk rock ethic of “do it yourself”. Upness is also all who get out there and go up. Upness is er’body who faces that mountain in their life and at least attempts to reach it’s summit.
3.) How long have you known/worked with each other?
ERRIN: I met Aaron at Golden Saddle Cyclery one day. I’d been following him on the ‘stagram, but didn’t really know much about him. Just liked his pics and stuff. I think we were both there for a while, doin’ our own thing, before we realized who that other person in the shop was. Weird how things work out that way. That was in September I think. We rode one time together up a mountain (of course) and chatted the whole way. I called our ride #convopace. No heavy breathin’, just gettin’ up to the top. It was great. Then he left SoCal for Portland and a few months later we started talkin’ about UPNESS.
AARON: I was jealous of his massive physical appearance. His barrel chest and track racer legs. I wanted to be him. The next best thing was to ride up Mt. Wilson with him and talk a bunch of shit while doing so. That is exactly what we did.
4.) UPNESS is pro positive altitude via Hike/Bike/Run. What’s yous guyses favorite of the three?
ERRIN: I mostly bike and this summer I’ve been hikin’ some more. I’ve been bikepacking for a couple years now, and that combines my love of camping/wilderness with pushin’ the pedals. A lot of my rides tend to include some hike-a-bike, but that’s rarely the plan from the beginning. Things just turn out that way sometimes. I think we both really like the outdoors, no matter how you enjoy it. I started kayakin’ last year and while it’s a different activity, it moves me the same way that pedalin’ does.
AARON: I let the weather dictate what I shall do, cardio-wise. If I look outside, into the Northwest skies, and it shall rain… I run. If it’s clear, I ride. I love it all.
5.) Aaron, you’re a vegan fella. What’s your favorite post hike/bike/run meal and could you recommend one for a vegan newbie to try?
AARON: I am only healthy because I run, ride and hike. I work out so that I can eat all kinds of vegan garbage. Haha. I eat processed fake meat and fake dairy stuff all day long… and it’s not “health food”.
6.) We are very pumped to be part of the UPNESS kit. Who all is involved in this rad combo and why did you reach out to them?
AARON: We are thrilled to have you and the others (Swrve, Golden Saddle Cyclery, Prolly is Not Probably, Moth Attack, Branford Bike, Cedar Cycling, 21st Avenue Bicycles, Pump Cold Brew Coffee) involved!!! So excited that so many radical companies and individuals want to share in our stretchypant offering.
ERRIN: I think we really just wanted to support the people that we love to support. To help spread their word. That was the idea. If we do somethin’ good, how can we help spread the word about other people doin’ good at the same time?
7.) Errin, you recently rode across Alaska. Comparing that to LA and other places you scooted across… what’s been your favorite?
ERRIN: Ha! Well, I didn’t really ride ACROSS Alaska! It was actually one of the most laid back trips I’ve ever done. The first trip I’ve done in a long time that didn’t have a time cutoff (real or imagined) or any pressure associated with it. It’s kinda perfect that it happened as we are launching UPNESS. LA is truly a great place to be a cyclist. It’s easy to forget that and long for far away places though. I’d say right now Alaska is my favorite. It’s a place that I’ve dreamed about for years. It did not let me down at all. I think my time spent riding along the Continental Divide from Banff, Alberta to Butte, Montana is up there though. That is a damn fine place to spend your time on a bike.
AARON: He’s being modest!!! Errin is a crusher, whatever he is doing or concurring!
8.) Here in FOLLY land, we whole heartedly believe in the Ride x Create vibe. Do you feel folks that ride via bike, board or feet tend to be more creative than those that don’t?
ERRIN: I don’t know that those people are more creative, but I’d say that I’ve met some pretty creative people through cycling. Maybe it’s just that we have a common bond and so what floats my boat is closer to what floats yours. Whatever it is, I dig it.
AARON: I think creative folks can be found in every discipline, and that’s what makes just about everything in life interesting. And that includes, kinda’, roller blading (Editors Note: This is stricken). And, maybe also that skis with wheels thing. Oh, and ping pong. Perhaps not roller blading. Please strike that comment from this interview.
END
There you have it folks. Now you know a little bit more about UPNESS and the rad fellas behind it.
So… what to do next. Go visit UPNESS and pick up a few goods! You will also want to Pre-Order your UPNESS kit (that we are very proud to be a part of) asap, as the pre-order starts today and goes through July 26th.
Thanks for reading FOLLY friends. I know this was a long winded one, but I truly believe in UPNESS and the message they are spreading across the land. I hope you do to.
RIDE x CREATE
