Guest

This summer, filmmaker Keenan DesPlanques set out to tackle a challenging route on British Columbia’s west coast involving a combination of riding and packrafting, which he called “The Big Dumb Loop.” Watch his unique self-filmed video and read some words about the project from Keenan here…

Charismatic young cyclist Boru McCullagh is on an open-ended bikepacking journey around the world, and the second “Mind Mapping” film finds him in Malaysia after having pedaled some 20,000 kilometers from London. Find a written update from Boru, a handful of photos shot between Turkey and Malaysia, and the full 30-minute film here…

In January, Joe Sasada embarked on a solo dirt tour spanning the length of South America from Colombia to Patagonia. Having spent years dreaming and months preparing, his careful plans went out the window as soon as he started pedaling through the La Guajira Desert. Find his story of trying to find momentum in a lesser-known corner of the continent here…

Hats off to Miron Golfman of Alaska, the overall winner of the 2023 Colorado Trail Race, who rolled across the finish line in Denver last night after just 4 days, 16 hours, and 51 minutes on the trail. Learn more about the rookie rider’s incredible effort and find a gallery of photos here…

The Coffee Tea Trip crew in Zielona Góra, Poland, gathered for a joyful night under the stars as part of the 2023 Swift Campout over the solstice weekend in June, and they put together a recap from their time riding, swimming in lakes, and forging friendships in the forest. Find their story and a gallery of photos here…

Four-time 24 Hour World Champion Cory Wallace has been living a nomadic lifestyle for the last 16 years, pursuing races all over the world. In the latest video from Kona Bikes, they catch up with Corey in Xela, Guatemala, as he prepares for El Reto, a four-day stage race. Find the video, a stunning collection of photos, and some thoughts from Corey about riding in Guatemala here…

The Veneto Trail is an unsupported bikepacking adventure that takes riders from the Po Valley to the Dolomites, crossing the Veneto region in Northeastern Italy. We reached out to finisher Cyril Chermin to learn more about their struggles, joys, and setbacks while participating in this year’s event. Read it and find a beautiful selection of photos from the organizers here…

In this feature edition of Reader’s Rig, we introduce Paulo LaBerge and the Esker Hayduke Titanium that most recently took him to the Cape Loop on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Learn all about Paulo’s love for the steel and Ti Haydukes he’s owned over the years, find a detailed build kit, and browse a colorful array of photos of his loaded rig out on the trails here…

After finishing college, Bennett Figueroa set out to fulfill a longtime dream of bikepacking around the country. Without much prior experience, he began pedaling in Montana and allowed a series of chance encounters to define the shape of his trip. Find Bennett’s story of letting his openness guide him to road magic and connection and a selection of photos from the zine he made about his journey here…

This spring, Alvaro de la Camara took on his “Live Slow-Ride Far” challenge to pedal a 300-kilometer route across the UK with his young daughter Cora in tow. Read on to find Alvaro’s diary entries from their eight-day fundraising ride for the Maypole Project, which provides support for children with complex medical needs and their families…

Photographer Danielle Vilaplana was in Wyoming during the 2023 Tour Divide, where she caught up with more than a dozen women riders to learn about their experiences. Find her portraits of the women who took on the iconic 2,700-mile route this year, their advice for future racers and tourers, and other impressions from the field here…

“A Bikepacking State of Mind” is a contemplative piece from Tanner Arrington that offers insight into how having a bikepacking mindset informs his daily life, from remembering to slow down and tune in to the little details to making small rides across town with his kids feel like big adventures. Find his essay and a gallery of photos shot from the saddle with a disposable film camera here…