Mountain bikes are so much more than a way to get around outside. They are a transformative vehicle that can change lives, heal communities, inspire us all to put aside the distractions of the modern world and simply… Return To Earth.

Return to Earth “The Series” Season 2, is a mini-part series that tells the stories of Casey Brown, Andrew Shandro, Eliot Jackson, Mark Weir, and Patrick Lucas through five 22-minute episodes on Outside TV+ and Outside Watch. Dive deep with us into inspiring characters who are impacting MTB in all kinds of amazing ways and helping us Return to Earth.

“The Trailblazer” - Eliot Jackson and the impetus behind Grow Cycling Foundation

After the death of George Floyd and the surge of the #blacklivesmatter movement, Eliot was stunned by the reactions from some industry insiders and fans - a sport dominated by white males who didn’t seem to understand the implicit biases he has to deal with as a black man on a daily basis. So he decided to found the Grow Cycling Foundation, which seeks to promote education, access and opportunities that will increase both diversity and inclusiveness in cycling.

“The Healer” - Patrick Lucas as an ally for First Nations communities

Community planner Patrick Lucas sees mountain biking not just as a healthy lifestyle, but as a portal for reconciliation. As the founder of the Aboriginal Youth Mountain Bike Program, he travels to remote First Nations communities to consult with community leaders and help build trails and skills centres. Often places of extreme poverty and hopelessness, this critical work helps First Nations youth find purpose through sport and reconnect to their traditional lands. Featuring pro mountain biker, James Doerfling.

“The Heroine” - Casey Brown and the growth of women’s freeride

Few women have pushed the limits of mountain biking as much as Casey Brown. She has worked tirelessly to become one of the best female freeriders in the world. Now, she's inspiring the next generation of female freeriders to push their own limits. Casey’s toughness can be partly attributed to her upbringing in an isolated rural household, and later in life losing her brother to suicide. That tragedy inspired her to work harder at mountain biking than ever before, overcoming her fears, and ultimately led her to pushing the sport forward for female freeride events, including her own event Dark Horse in Revelstoke, BC.

“The Scout” - Andrew Shandro and the evolution of freeriding

Canadian downhill racing legend Andrew Shandro was at the forefront of mountain biking’s rapid evolution in the ‘90s and early 2000s. Having made the transition from racing to an illustrious freeride career, Shandro, against all expert advice, decided to start a kids camp to pass on everything he learned navigating the early days of mountain biking. With an eye for unique talent, he has quietly launched the careers of some of the sport’s most famous athletes, including Brandon Semenuk and Brett Rheeder.

“The Veteran” - Mark Weir and the early days of enduro

Mark Weir has had a dream career as a mountain bike ambassador, racer and product tester. One year he even logged over a million vertical feet of trail riding. But his life has had its share of challenges, too. Mark has had his family home go up in flames and a few years later he was severely injured in a trailside accident involving a fallen tree. Ever determined to get his life back, he recovered from his injuries and now organizes events with Semper Fi, getting veteran servicemen — many with combat-related disabilities — on mountain bikes and even participating in amateur races.

Season 2 also features Andrew Jackson, Luca Cometti, James Doerfling, Wade Simmons, Thomas Vanderham, Marco Osborne, Ben Cruz, Bernard Kerr, Brandon Semenuk, Sterling Lorence, Micayla Gatto, and Miranda Miller.

HOW TO WATCH:
STEP 1: Sign up for Outside+ here
STEP 2: Go to Outside Watch and start streaming Return to Earth "The Series" Seasons 1 & 2
*Important: this series is only available with a full Outside+ membership.

CREDITS:
Directors: Jason Mannings, Colin Jones, Christian Rigal
Producers: Ian Dunn, Diana Brucculieri
Writer: Vince Shuley
Creator: Anthill Films
Animations: Taj Mihelich