Selfies and Self-Reflection on the Colorado Trail Race
This year’s Colorado Trail Race saw fifteen women and non-binary riders at the start line. In this competitive field, Katya Rakhmatulina took the win and set a new women’s fastest known time at 5 days, 1 hour, 53 minutes. Lael Wilcox, Ana Jager, Alexandera Houchin, and Karin Pocock also bested the previous women’s FKT of 06…
Lost Elephant- Women Rule!
On July 22, 58 bikepackers set out on the Lost Elephant, a self-supported race starting in Cranbook, British Columbia. The race includes two route options, the 520km Jumbo and the 316km Dumbo, both of which form a loop in the Kootenay region on the Western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The challenging route includes high…
Redefining Self-Worth on the Highland Trail
Lining up for the Highland Trail 550, I felt strong. I felt confident. I knew I was going to have a good race. I prepared well and felt faster than I’ve ever been. Conditions were dry and fast and I was ready to crush. I wanted to go under five days and I was sure…
It’s OK, the Snakes are Sleeping – Reflections from Pinyons and Pines
I headed towards the Pinyons and Pines bikepacking race with many bricks in my pack, so to speak. I didn’t really believe I would be racing until I was pulling away from Flag Bike Revolution and pedaling out with the group start.
Unconventional Family Fun: My Mom’s Birthday Party Riding the White Rim
Since we moved into the van, my partner Andrew and I have spent every spring and fall in the canyon country surrounding Moab. This year, our parents joined us so we could share our favorite place. My mom has a tradition of choosing a bucket-list adventure for her birthday each year, and my glowing review…
The Pink Dots: A Story from the Highland Trail
I enjoy a bikepacking film, especially ones that follow races. But often feel a little disappointed that the films inevitably only follow a select few fast riders. Whilst I appreciate how hard it is to follow an entire field as they split up, I often feel slightly cheated out of seeing stories from further back…
Sand and Snow: Bailing from the Mojave Road
By: Katie Strempke Katie’s first-person footage from her day on the Mojave Road Prefer to listen? Here’s Katie reading her story. “Is this a good idea?” I wondered as we drove on I-15 toward the Camp Cady Wildlife Area in Newberry Springs, California. The wind was blowing violently and I had a white-knuckle grip on…
Meg Knobel on Organizing the Stagecoach 400
Meg Knobel is a staple in the bikepacking community. A down-to-earth, positive spirit, one of her major roles is being the race (dis)organizer of the Stagecoach 400, a popular bikepacking route in Southern California created by Brendan Collier. What makes this route special is the access to the coast, mountains, and desert all in one…
Faces Behind the Dots: Stagecoach 400
The Grand Depart of the Stagecoach 400, a long-running bikepacking race in Southern California, starts this Friday. Created by Brendan Collier in 2012, and now (dis)organized by Meg Knobel, the Stagecoach features the coast, mountains, and desert all in one ride. We asked riders about their backgrounds, what they’re looking forward to, bike choice given…
Faces Behind the Dots: East Texas Showdown
The East Texas Showdown is a bikepacking event put on by Patrick Farnsworth, the host of the Bikes or Death Podcast. Starting at Bullet Grill in Point Blank, Texas, the route features a 60/40 balance of gravel to pavement and the opportunity to ride through the Sam Houston and Davy Crocket National Forests. With three…
