Mike pioneered many of the best bike trails in Colorado, made countless innovative contributions that shaped the bicycles we ride today and helped push Salida to the top of Colorado riding fame. Despite these stellar accomplishments and a place in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, few people know his name and even fewer know what happened after he tried to settle into a simpler life. Evidence found shortly after he vanished, including a bloodstained gun butt and vest, suggests that Mike met a ghastly end after catching up with whomever had disturbed his home. But with no body or definitive answers, Mike’s disappearance leaves countless unanswered questions and even more broken hearts.
“There was a little blip of news around the time he vanished and then the story disappeared. I thought someone needed to tell it,” says Ward, a writer and photographer raised in Salida. “You don’t always find compelling stories in your backyard, but this one is worth telling and spending life energy on.” Ward had been looking for an opportunity to make the leap to film so he approached Bricker, a local filmmaker who shares his passion for cycling and meaningful work. Rather than heed multiple warnings to leave the past in its
Mike Rust’s solar shack sits near the base of Copper Butte, built almost entirely from recycled materials. It was the scene of the break in.
place, this duo jumped in the deep end and started digging. At first, their inquiries met with resistance and fear, but with persistence and time they gained the trust of Mike’s family and friends. From then on, staying silent about this tragedy wasn’t an option. “When we first went to Mike’s property with his brothers and stood on the very spot where Mike most likely died, we knew we had to tell this tale,” says Bricker. But even these intrepid veteran storytellers didn’t realize exactly what that would entail or how all encompassing this story would become. When they banged on our Shooting a bike scene near Salida, the filmmakers use some of door that night last July, they were beginthe most advanced camera gear available. (Left to right) Claude ning to figure it out. DeMoss, the soundman/editor; Chris Vallier from Flot; and Director Sam Bricker get to work.
Earlier that day, Marty Rust, the youngest of seven in Mike’s clan, had phoned with promising news: An informant had specific directions that would supposedly lead to Mike’s bones. Moved by their dedication to Mike’s story, Marty had come to trust Bricker and Ward so he called to see if they would join the hunt. “He wanted to go down with a posse, but didn’t know if it was a setup or an ambush (by the perpetrators or someone related to them) or not. That was our clue to come prepared and armed,” says Bricker. Ward and Bricker, who are both fathers and husbands, started “freaking themselves out.” They had come to our house seeking advice from my ex-Army Ranger boyfriend who they thought would “know about this stuff.” They wanted to support Marty, who remains committed to the search and doggedly pursues any lead that may bring him closer to justice, but they began to question the wisdom of tagging along on such a risky venture. Though we were fascinated, we didn’t have many answers. The following morning, Bricker and sound man/editor Claude DeMoss joined the search for Mike’s remains while Ward stayed home. The two admit that determining how deeply to get involved has been a constant and challenging process. “This time our team was split,” says Ward. “You can’t tell a story accurately without being involved to some level, but you can tell it without getting overly entrenched. I didn’t want to become part of the story, so I decided not to go. Everyone has to make their own call, especially since we’re dealing with an unsolved murder.”
A Ruger P89 — not your normal film gear.
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