Building Momentum Bikepacking: Making Space in the Kootenays

In the fall of 2024, I was approached by Kootenay Wild Mentors (KWM), a non-profit organization in the West Kootenays. KWM facilitates one-on-one mentorship in backcountry activities, aiming to reduce barriers to entry for marginalized genders, including women, women-identifying individuals, and non-binary and gender non-conforming people. KWM was looking for local speakers for their silent auction to raise funds for the program. Our task was to respond to the prompt, “This one time…” and share a story of spending time in our local backcountry. Specifically, they had reached out because of my work with BIKEPACKING.com in creating the West Kootenay Bikepacking Route Network.

As I began to think about how I could tell a story that was different than the classic “we had this objective, it was hard, look, we did it” story, I knew that the recurring motif in my bikepacking journey was the lack of women I typically ride with and the feeling of imposter syndrome while doing big adventures. As I reflected on my journey, I knew that a big piece of overcoming obstacles in bikepacking for me was the community of amazing folks I have within the sport to help answer questions and push me. 

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I’d been ruminating on the name “Building Momentum” and a mission to support getting more people on bikes for a while, but it didn’t all click until my presentation for KWM. Seeing the response from folks solidified that this was something very needed within my community and the broader public. Thus, Building Momentum Bikepacking (BMB) was born. BMB is a women, non-binary, and gender-non-conforming-specific organization. We aim to disrupt what it means to bikepack and offer inclusive spaces to learn about the sport. Our organization seeks to be a site of resistance, where everyone can show up as they are and feel empowered to participate in spaces they’ve historically been excluded from. 

We just wrapped up our first workshop, which I designed to offer local women and non-binary people a chance to build their skills while cultivating a local community. The workshop consisted of three-hour sessions once a week for a month. We covered topics such as team building, route planning, gear packing on a bike, bike mechanics, period care and general hygiene, and saddle sore prevention. I separated folks into four groups for the duration of the workshop. Their main task in these groups was to provide one potluck meal for each week of the workshop.

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The sneaky result of this was that they’d have to communicate outside of workshop hours. In small ways, this extra communication provided more touchpoints to get to know each other and build up those community connections. During each session, I invited other women and non-binary experts to join me and provide their input on specific topics. I really wanted to highlight the many other talented people in our community who can be sources of information and inspiration.

Taylor Ferguson, a local sexual health nurse, debunked a lot of common misconceptions regarding managing the health and hygiene of your nether regions while on bikes. I personally found this session very helpful because there are so few resources available that speak about this topic. I’ve had to learn a lot from trial and error, which isn’t fun when you’re messing with your reproductive health.  

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To culminate our learning over the month, we completed the Frog Peak Loop overnighter, a route I developed for the West Kootenay Route Network Hub with BIKEPACKING.com last year. The route was specifically designed for beginners as it has minimal backcountry elements, the gravel riding is simple, and there are restaurants and resupplies along the way. It offered an opportunity to put all of our new learning to the test—a test that was looking increasingly difficult because the weather forecast was pretty grim. When we set off from Empire Coffee on June 21, we collectively decided to tackle the original route, even if it meant biking in torrential rain and single-digit temperatures. 

After the workshop, I called my dad to tell him about it. The first thing he said was, “It always rains the third weekend of June in the Kootenays.” I’ve noted to ask him for trip date planning advice in the future. 

Under shifting skies, well known in June in the Kootenays, where the saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes,” we set off. The route starts with a short road section, where we practiced following each other and maintaining a consistent pace. Once we completed this section, we veered off to tackle the backcountry portion and the major climb. We discussed finding your “forever pace” and how to choose gears based on the gradient, or more likely, how tired your legs feel. We decided to ride in two packs so that folks could generally stay at their own comfortable pace.

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The front pack received what I think is one of the most valuable experiences on a bikepacking trip: learning to lead. When you’re at the front of the pack, it can be easy to fixate on getting to the destination quickly at all costs. But on a day that is wet and cold, being at the front meant that folks had to sit and wait, dealing with frozen digits and reminding them of just how much it was raining. We all got to the top of the climb in good spirits. We had a bite to eat and took a much-needed trailside dance break. What we didn’t know was that we were about to hit the crux of the trip.

One participant’s pedal was stripped, and it just would not bite. The tail guide and I tried our best to figure out a solution, but we realized the front pack was continuing. Although we had a mandatory meeting place, folks blew through it, caught up in conversation and led by group mentality. I let my tail guide know I was going to push on to catch up with the front of the group, and I began biking quickly. 

I came across a participant in need of a brake repair. Despite explaining the importance of checking your brakes (and ultimately getting them replaced prior to our trip), there was still a bike that fell through the cracks. Noted as learning for me: you can never remind people enough times to prepare. Nonetheless, it was time for a roadside brake replacement and a lesson.

Although a great learning experience for the participants who were around, I knew I was getting farther from the front of the pack. But I kept thinking, “If they didn’t stop at our mandatory stopping point, surely they’ll stop mid-way through the descent.” We finished up and began riding, only to have one participant’s derailleur hanger break. Although I’m used to turning the bike into a single speed and rolling with it when this sort of thing happens, she had already found a solution that worked for her. It meant she had no gears and would be coasting to the bottom. It was wonderful to watch her problem-solve and explain what she was doing to the other participants. 

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However, we knew it was time to call for backup. My partner, Harry, was our official support person. I had to pull out the InReach texting and activate him. At the same time, our tail guide was activating Harry’s support because the participant without a pedal crashed and needed to go home. And still, the front of the pack was nowhere to be found. We continued on our way, leaving the participant with a broken derailleur hanger at a pre-determined spot for pick-up. We flagged a truck to grab the pedal-less participant, while they all waited for Harry. It was time for the rest of us to finally find the group. We didn’t find them until we reached the campsite for the night, meaning they hadn’t seen us since lunchtime. 

I gathered everyone together and had a safety conversation about wet weather challenges and decision-making. We discussed these challenges and came together as a team to see how we could make better decisions tomorrow. We reflected on what decisions we may have changed looking back, and how to best support each other in our reflection process. By the end of the night, our soggy socks and tired legs gave way to laughter, curry on the stove, and a competitive game of cornhole with makeshift beanbags. We shared our rock, stick, and leaf–what rocked, what stuck with us, and what we would like to leave behind. Overall, folks felt a sense of accomplishment and had many learning opportunities in real situations.

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On day two, we started with breakfast and bike maintenance. It was forecast to rain until later in the afternoon, and folks were eager to stay as dry as possible, so we started early. We cruised the Slocan Valley rail trail, stopping for shared Cokes, river and mountain views, and deep chats. We took a break for lunch at the well-known Frog Peak Café to fuel our spirits before the final road climb. Then we cruised into town right as the rain began. After another dance party, we said our goodbyes and biked home.

Overall, the trip was a celebration of connection and how learning can be fun when you do it with others.  Even though there were hard moments, I think folks ended up learning so much more than they would have if everything had gone perfectly. Not only do I believe the participants learned from this experience, but when I reflect on the journey, I truly see how much I’ve learned. There is so much I am taking away from this experience, including how to support and guide others, simple pieces of gear and bike maintenance know-how that can make a big difference on your trip, and the power of leaning on others. 

To me, bikepacking will always be about community first and foremost. I’ve met some of my favourite humans while riding a bike. Each connection I’ve made has supported my growth in bikepacking. When I think back to the moments I’ve felt out of my element or let imposter syndrome kick in, I remember that my cycling community has always been there to support me. There is beautiful potential in everyone’s growth and learning when we can break down the barriers that inhibit us from participating as ourselves and remind folks who are new to the sport that we are just a goofy bunch of friendly folks looking to spend time outside.

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The bike community has given me so much, and Building Momentum Bikepacking is my way of giving something back. I don’t know exactly where this project will go, but I know we’ve built something beautiful so far. Backcountry and outdoor adventure spaces can be intimidating for any beginner, but particularly for women and non-binary people who may not have supportive communities that reflect or represent their experiences. Our project is a tool for freedom.

Gathering in community around shared interests is an act of liberation in a world that is continually threatening women and non-binary people’s rights. This fall, we are looking to expand our gear library and offer fleet bicycles for folks to take out for free on adventures. If you have something to contribute, please consider reaching out! By providing access to bikes and other bikepacking gear, along with the technical skills to safely engage in bikepacking, we hope to build a culture in bikepacking that celebrates women and non-binary folks.

To follow the journey and support more women and non-binary folks getting on bikes, please consider subscribing to our Substack or following us on Instagram. The more folks we reach, the more we can build partnerships and grow our community to expand the accessibility of this incredible sport. Our Substack will formally house all upcoming rides and opportunities, and it is also where you can directly reach out to me if you have any questions or would like to collaborate. 

I’ll leave this post with a couple of incredible quotes I received in the BMB post-workshop survey…

“When life gets tough, get a bigger cassette.”

“Ziplock bag sushi isn’t so bad.”

“Our community is so lucky to have this program. I wish all my friends could take it!”

“I knew I was going to finish it, but I didn’t know how much I would like bikepacking by the end of it.”

We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what we have without the help of our many partners. The local community and larger bike community have shown up time and time again in so many ways. Here’s our long list of partners: Empire Coffee, Nelson Brewing Company, Kootenay Co-op Grocery Store, Oso Negro Café, Hammer Nutrition, Save On Foods, Ride With GPS, Dispersed Bikepacking, Kona, 7Mesh Cycling, Valhalla Pure Outfitters, BIKEPACKING.com, Kootenay Wild Mentors, Gerick Cycle and Ski, Esker Cycles, Big Cranium Designs, Porcupine Bikes, Paul Components, and OneUp Components.

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A special shout-out to Brianna Goral, who designed Building Momentum Bikepacking’s first logos! Such amazing work. Thanks to all the session experts: Julie James, Sherri Kyle, Ceci Campuzano, Taylor Ferguson, and Kimberly Lessard. A big thank you to Jackie Diaz, who tail-guided our overnighter. Finally, thank you to Jessie Liu, who took a big risk on a film/photography project and turned it into an adventure! You are all so appreciated.

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