Charles Dye, Co-Producer/Director

Quick Facts:

• Home: Earth
• What got you into filmmaking? Some hardy thorny desire that grew from having my own black & white TV in my room when I was child. I had no idea what Kunfu or Catch22 were about when I was seven (probably still don’t) but they obviously changed me.
• Why did you become involved in Nikki’s Long Trail expedition / the making of the film? Years ago, Rick Smith told me about an article he’d read about human evolution and endurance running. As a runner turned cyclist filmmaker I immediately wanted to build a film around the topic. But we needed the right story, and years passed. Then one day Rick told me he’d just sat next to Nikki on a plane and that she was planning to run the Long Trail. Shortly thereafter I first met Nikki running up and down the trails at Pipestone, as we filmed the trailer for this film.
• Greatest inspiration: Almost every film I see.
• Proudest moment: I’m grateful for every moment.
• Biggest fear: That someone will notice that Patrick McLaughlin was also involved in this production.
• Favorite food on a shoot/in the field: When it’s hot: coconut water. When it’s cold: chocolate. But of course anything will do.
• Best adventure: my son Colm & daughter Maeve
• 3 Things People Should Know About You: I’m cautious and relentless.
• Ambition / What’s Next? Indian Relay will air on Independent Lens this fall-that’s pretty cool-as that production shared a lot of crew with this one. In the meanwhile I’ve got an ear out for a good story about a Moroccan musician. I’m also looking for the right screenplay(s) for a fictional short or two. And then there’s my goal to run 50k on my birthday after next.

David Wolfgang-Kimball, Pacer and Support Team Member

Bio:

Raised in a log cabin on a Colorado mountain, David has always loved nature. Skiing and running help him take in as much of it as possible, as quickly as possible, although he does stop to smell the foliage occasionally. You may also find him camping, swimming, cycling, taking pictures, or eating cookies. David is Nikki’s cousin, and they have been lifelong buddies. He’s been thrilled to watch Nikki’s relentless progress since childhood, although he occasionally misses holstein-with-rifle biathlon years. In regular life, David works at UCSF coordinating technology for a set of neuroscience labs, and periodically helps manage really good conferences (previously TED, now EG).

Quick Facts:

• Nickname/Trail Name: Cousin, or just Cuz

• Home: San Francisco, CA
• What got you into running? Crewing for Nikki at Western States 100 over the years
• How did you first meet Nikki? Chasing each other around in a sprinkler in our diapers
• Why did you become involved in Nikki’s Long Trail expedition? How could I not?! What a challenge, what an expedition. And I always love supporting Nikki.
• Greatest inspirations: A sunny day. San Francisco. Good people who strive.
• Proudest moment: Running a successful conference!
• Biggest fear: Broccoli, no question.
• Favorite food on the trail: Pizza and reject shattered Santa maple candy.
• Best adventure: Heli-skiing…it’s just stupidly fantastic.

Danny Schmidt, Producer / Director of Photography

Quick Facts:

• Nickname: Schmidt
• Home: Originally from Salt Lake City, currently residing in Fort Collins, Colorado
• What got you into filmmaking? My first foray into filmmaking was in high school when my friends and I would shoot and edit skateboard videos. I will date myself here, but our original editing setup involved two VCRs…
• How did you first meet Nikki? I first met Nikki in Bozeman, Montana, when producers Jaime Jacobsen, Charles Dye, and Rick Smith asked me to come run around with Nikki on the trails with my Stedicam.
• Why did you become involved in Nikki’s Long Trail expedition / the making of the film? Nikki is an awesome person and I immediately felt that the story had potential. I really enjoy working wtih Jaime, Rick, and Charles and I was just really stoked that they wanted me to help!
• Biggest inspiration: My Mom

• Biggest fear: Awkward social situations
• Favorite food on a shoot / in the field: Coffee and gummy worms
• Proudest moment: Turning 30
• 3 things people should know about you: I wanted to be a professional skateboarder, I love the Utah Jazz, I might be funnier than I look.
• Ambition / What’s next? Stay healthy, keep learning, and have a good time.