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Brandon Maywood

@branwood__

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Bike racer🚵‍♂️
Native plant enthusiast🌱🌿

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Summer’s not as long as it used to be, gonna miss it like crazy by @branwood__

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a month ago

Not so infrequent reminder to slaughter your lawn. This is my second full year of getting rid of most of the turf grass on my property and converting it back to some natural state. I originally did it because I learned that every form of life on this planet is declining except for humans. I especially did it for the insects.

What I didn’t expect was how it would completely change my life. Every day I step outside, I’m surrounded by more life than I’ve ever witnessed at one time. Dozens of butterflies, hundreds of bees and grasshoppers and wasps (wasp diversity is fucking crazy). I’ve seen 50+ species of birds come through, a flock of 20-30 turkeys. I gave back part of my space to these creatures, and now my home has become their home too.

But I don’t see the world in the same way anymore. It feels like I crossed some threshold and left my old life behind. When I see land cleared for another “luxury” suburban development or car dealership, or see home after home spray their lawn, I feel actual anger and grief for all the life being destroyed.

But when I’m in my yard or somewhere natural, I feel an intense sense of belonging. I learned that Native Americans considered plants and animals as relatives. I’m beginning to understand that now. When I see a plant/flower/insect/animal I recognize, I don’t just see a species anymore. It feels like seeing an old friend. And when I encounter that same friend somewhere unfamiliar, there’s an immediate sense of connection and comfort because I have fond memories and experiences with them. I think it’s called a sense of place.

I’ve been slowly reading Braiding Sweetgrass and it has helped me put some of this into words. And more than once it has made me cry. I wish we had learned more and adopted the ways indigenous peoples honor and respect the land.

I feel grief and anger that the world as we know it is dying. But indigenous cultures around the earth have already experienced the end of their worlds through colonialism. I think we should listen to the wisdom that survived, not only to learn how to carry the grief but how to heal and repair our relationship to the land.

Kill your lawn✊💚 by @branwood__

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2 months ago

Spring by @branwood__

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3 months ago

Feels damn good to be back🙏. Had a pretty severe ankle sprain back in December and then an unrelated surgery in February. Only fitting that I got cleared to ride again on the day I’m celebrating another trip around the sun 🌎. Still a lot of ankle rehab to do and even more bike training but it feels like I’m finally on the upswing. Appreciate everyone who reached out and made it a great day!

@flattireco by @branwood__

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7 months ago

Not sure why I don’t race more cross. I see it almost like an excruciating ballet. Matching your opponent in this two wheeled dance turn for turn, obstacle for obstacle, line for line until one of you bobbles ever so slightly and it blows the race wide open. Packing out the calendar next fall for a full campaign 🫡 by @branwood__

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a year ago

Northern Michigan in early November will always have my heart by @branwood__

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a year ago

37th annual Month of Mud✅. It’s wild to know some of you old heads have been doing this series longer than I’ve been alive, badass.

I talked about this more on strava, but this year sucked ass for me. I spent all spring and summer dealing with injuries in my knees, Achilles, and ankles. It got to the point where it really had me down and feeling defeated. I know compared to the real issues people have it’s nothing, but this sport has been part of my identity for so long and to not be able to take part in it like I have for the last 11 years, it felt like I was losing some piece of myself.

I was able to get back to some sense of normal right before October, not 100% but at least I could ride again without much pain. I’ve done this series a number of times now and every time, especially after this year, my love for the pgh mtb community grows exponentially. Going to absolute war with the homies every weekend, laughing and telling the stories after, meeting new friends and connecting with old. It’s why I’ve done this for so long, and it absolutely revived my spirit after such a shitty year.

All the love to all the homies who kept the stoke so fucking high all month long. Let’s run it back again next year 🤙 by @branwood__

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a year ago

Summer recap. Mourning the changing of the seasons but cherishing the experiences. This summer looked a little different. Less bikes unfortunately, but more slow living and taking in the moment. I feel like I’ve discovered a new side of myself that I really enjoy. Can’t wait to run it back again next year 🙏 by @branwood__

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a year ago

Bug summer bitches

#insect by @branwood__

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a year ago

-Death to the American Lawn-
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This is gonna be a long ass post because I want to talk my shit. Rock wit it or hate on playa

But this is my house. I live in a suburban neighborhood, on a cal-de-sac, had a lawn. The stereotypical American homeowner. A large part of the reason I wanted a house was to have a garden with flowers. My grandma got me into gardening and flowers, I will forever be grateful for that.

Last year i learned about native plants and it blew my fucking mind wide open. Basically when you go outside and you see animals and bugs, they need plants that have evolved here in America. And unfortunately most of our gardens are sourced from Lowe’s/Home Depot or nurseries which sell a majority of European and Asian plants. That means less insects, less birds, less small mammals, less life all around.

We are living through climate and biodiversity destruction. We don’t live connected to the life around us. We plow over what was here to make way for lawns and turf grass and parking lots and Quickie-marts. Ask yourself why you have a lawn. Is it because you chose to have it? Or is it because it’s the only thing you’ve ever known? Or do you see it as some sort of way to show your status or compare yourself against everyone else?

Lawn is part of our culture and actually is originated in some pretty dark ideas. It poisons everything around you with all its chemicals. But it’s just the way we do things. So while my flowers are just flowers, I see it as more than that. I see it as a loud and peaceful middle fucking finger to the status quo and everything that is fucked up in this world and country. To capitalism, to suburban sprawl, to environmental ignorance, fuck it all. I heard a quote the other day that I loved. “When you surround yourself with ugliness and sterility, you exude ugliness and sterility”. Your lawn is ugly and sterile btw.

I was immensely inspired by Crime Pays But Botany and @birdsong.landscapes

Plant NATIVE. And for those of you who love your politics, Plant AMERICAN

✌️ by @branwood__

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a year ago

@hillybillyroubaix was one big, beautiful, bastard of a day. I think we all forgot what it was like to suffer like that on those roads. I was able to make the last selection with @shorty498 but that dude was on a mission and I cracked hard. Death marched the last 20 miles to the finish just glad I was still alive😂. Can’t wait to do it all again next year🤘

@flattireco by @branwood__

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a year ago

spring recap by @branwood__

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a year ago