Colorado mountain biker, bikepacker, and writer exploring adventure, wildlife, nature, and personal growth. Nova Context is a collection of stories and reflections inspired by new experiences, fresh perspectives, and curiosity.
One of the things I enjoy most about bikepacking is that the adventure often begins long before an overnight trip. Sometimes it's simply getting outside to explore. On this ride, my goal was threefold: enjoy a couple of hours in nature, spend some time acclimating to the altitude,
bikepacking
One of the things I love about bikepacking is that every trip begins long before I ever throw a leg over my bike. It usually starts with maps spread across my computer, multiple browser tabs open, weather forecasts, campground research, route planning, and asking myself, “What adventure do I want
adventure
“Education gives us knowledge. Community gives us confidence. Stewardship gives us something worth protecting.” When I first became interested in bikepacking, I was looking for answers. I had spent weeks reading articles, researching gear, watching videos, and trying to understand how people planned multi-day adventures on two wheels. Slowly,
adventure
When I first became interested in bikepacking, I didn’t know where to begin. That may sound surprising considering. I’d been mountain biking for more than twenty-five years, but knowing how to ride a bike and knowing how to travel with one into the backcountry are two entirely
bikepacking
When I started bikepacking a few months ago, I thought I was learning how to carry camping gear on my bike. I had no idea I was about to redefine what adventure meant to me. Over the past several weeks, I have ridden through forests, listened to birds welcome a
bikepacking
Yay! I bike packed again! Technically, this overnight happened because I wasn’t entirely sure whether my Nederland adventure counted toward the monthly bike packing challenge. Since I didn’t ride into camp and ride out the next morning, I found myself wondering if I had somehow landed in a
bikepacking
There is a version of this story where I rode into camp exactly as planned. I followed the route, arrived at my dispersed campsite near Nederland, set up my tent beside my bike, cooked dinner, slept under the stars, and rode home the next morning. That is not the story
camping
When I first felt called toward bikepacking, I didn’t see gear. I saw mountain bike trails winding through forests. I heard streams and little waterfalls. I imagined butterflies dancing from wildflower to wildflower beside the trail. I imagined sunshine, sweat dripping from my helmet into my eyes, and the
camping
Well, as life would have it, as soon as I committed to exploring bike packing and all that it involves, all the emotions, thoughts, and belief systems that are not aligned with that version of myself immediately surfaced. * Can I do this alone? * How do I stay safe? * What do
bikepacking
Bikepacking arrived in my life as both a curiosity and a calling. For context, I have ridden and raced bikes—mostly mountain bikes—for more than 25 years. I’ve always loved cycling. I’ve always loved camping. But combining the two seemed like a distant fantasy until I finally