Guest

As the recipient of the 2018 Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award, Jessica Kelley mapped out and attempted a 1,300-mile bikepacking and packrafting route across Alaska. In this trip recap, she talks about confronting real fear, grapples with the thought of disappointing others, and reflects on what it means to undertake such a massive journey alone…

When Trevor Browne decided to race in the Alberta Rockies 700, he opted to take the long way to the start line, riding an extra 230 km through a maze of logging roads to get there. Read on for his story of missing turns, meeting mushroom hunters, and learning to appreciate the magic of the road…

Nicolaus Hawbaker rode the length of the Arizona Trail for his first bikepacking trip, and found himself asking big questions about wilderness stewardship as he pedaled through its picturesque landscapes. In this short essay, he reflects on the lasting impression his time on the trail left on him, and offers some thoughts on the importance of preserving natural beauty…

Spencer Dillon and his riding partner Sam spent nearly two months pedaling from Canada to Mexico along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, slowly taking in the vast and diverse landscapes as miles ticked by. Read on for some thoughts about looking beyond the typical highlights and finding meaning in the empty spaces along the route…

While pushing and carrying his bike over a steep pass in the mountains above Osh, Kyrgyzstan, Matthew Crompton ponders what it is that draws people to hazardous places in search of first, fastest, or longest achievements. Read on for his story of searching for, and ultimately finding his own limits…

As recipients of the 2018 Lael Rides Alaska Women’s Scholarship, Brooke Larsen and Kailey Kornhauser crafted a 1,000-mile ride from Seward to Deadhorse, Alaska. They didn’t just ride their bikes, though. They also listened to stories about climate change and fossil fuel extraction along the way. Read on for their story of finding gratitude and hope while pedaling through the far north…

The Rekon+ is a 27.5 x 2.8” tire from Maxxis available with an eye-catching skinwall design. Spencer J Harding tested a pair of them to see how they stand up to the rigors of shred-sledding and loaded touring…

Seeking a change in her daily routine, and inspired by the many other women who are out on extended bikepacking trips, Clare Nattress quit her job and left on an open-ended trip around the world. Now, after three months on the road in beautiful and challenging places like Norway and Nepal, she shares some thoughts on what she’s learned along the way, and offers some advice for other new bikepackers…

In this edition of Rider’s Lens, we tag along with British photographer Jack Boffy on his ride from London to Hong Kong. He shares stories of camera failure, underbiking, and the highs and lows of a massive solo tour…

In this edition of Rider’s Lens, we chat with Mike Hayes and hear his unique perspective on travel photography. We learn about the meditative quality of street photography, why bike touring lends itself well to this style of reportage, and glean a few of Mike’s tips for trying it out ourselves…

For Luke Douglas and Flora Hodson, what started as a tour around New Zealand turned into a ride all the way back home to the UK. In this story, Luke recounts the time they spent riding through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikstan on the Pamir Highway. Read on for their story of late-season riding in the Pamirs, Central Asian hospitality, and looming wolf encounters…

Ethan Burns and James Dunaway recently finished the 1,300-mile Southern Highlands Traverse, the longest and most arduous bikepacking route in the eastern United States. As far as we know, they are the first riders to complete a through-ride of the route in a single push. Here are some of their thoughts and stories from the trip…