ADV Coaching & Creating Community
Adventure riding is about more than dirt roads, gravel routes and challenging terrain. It’s about the people you meet along the way. In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz talks with Kane Wagner, owner of Appalachian ADV and host of the Appalachian ADV Community Podcast.
Kane shares the story behind the Fool’s Ride, how it has grown from a small gathering into Appalachian ADV’s flagship event and why he wants his rides to feel more like a reunion than just another motorcycle event. He also talks about building routes, managing permits, creating safety plans, leading clinics and helping riders gain confidence on adventure and dual sport bikes.
From community-building and coaching to calculated risk and the phrase “Have fun, take chances”, this conversation gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create meaningful riding experiences.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:
• How the Fool’s Ride grew from a small early-season event into a 150+ rider gathering
• Why unpredictable spring weather is part of the challenge and appeal
• What riders can expect from Appalachian ADV events, clinics and guided rides
• The behind-the-scenes work involved in scouting routes, permits, insurance and safety planning
• How Kane approaches coaching riders from different backgrounds and skill levels
• Why community is at the center of Appalachian ADV
• The story behind the phrase, “Have fun. Take chances.”
• Where riders can connect with Appalachian ADV and follow upcoming events
📲 Connect with Kane Wagner on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube
🌐 Learn more at AppalachianADV.com
🌐 Listen to the Appalachian ADV Community Podcast
🔔 Subscribe for more stories and strategies from inside the motorsports world
“And for me, adventure and dual sport, if you want to progress as a rider or if you want to get better… if you want to go into places that people don’t normally go to, you have to take chances.
So to have fun, you have to take chances sometimes. And for me, that doesn’t mean safety third. It means each individual rider has to assess those things. Like you want to have fun. You know you have to take chances. But you probably should be worried about your safety sometimes. If you’re always worried about safety, you’ll never even ride the motorcycle because it’s a dangerous thing. Two wheels is unstable naturally.
For me, it was not like, ‘Don’t be safe.’ It is just know when you’re going too far or know when you just need to stop and have somebody help you, or know when to just say, ‘I’m not doing that.'”
-Kane Wagner, Appalachian ADV Owner & Appalachian ADV Community Podcast Host
