I’m a lifelong outdoors lover who found a whole new way to connect with nature through cycling. What started as a simple way to get outside quickly turned into a deep passion for bikepacking, a way to explore both the rugged, remote singletrack trails and the long, winding gravel roads that stretch across the Midwest.
Cycling has completely reshaped how I see the world and has given me a newfound appreciation for the landscapes of the Midwest, its subtle beauty, hidden wildness, and the rich public lands that too often go overlooked.
I’m passionate about getting more people on bikes and helping them discover the joy, freedom, and perspective that comes with moving through the land on two wheels. Whether it’s sharing gear tips, route ideas, or stories from the trail, I’m always excited to bring new folks into the bikepacking world.
Most importantly, I believe in speaking loudly for quiet places, using my voice and my platform to advocate for the protection of public lands. These spaces belong to all of us, and I’m committed to defending them so future generations can experience the same wonder I’ve found in the saddle.
Cedar (he/him, Zigzag, Oregon) has been Bikepacking for well over a decade with inspiration and mentorship from Brendan Collier (the original creator of the Stagecoach400 Route). He is also involved in advocacy and trail building locally as a board member of the newly formed “Hoodland Trails Collective”. He works with HTC as well as NWTA, 44 Road Trails, and The Oregon Timber Trail Alliance to help build and maintain trails all over the Mt Hood National Forest.
Corey (he/him, Bozeman, MT) bought his first bike in the mid 1980s – a Shogun Prairie Breaker. He grew up in a logging family in Idaho and got into cycling because asthma kept him from riding horses. Later in life, Corey ventured into advocacy in the early 2000s as he saw groups successfully convincing land managers to ban mountain bikes from some backcountry trails. Since then, he has helped found the Montana Mountain Bike Alliance and has been heavily engaged in mountain bike access issues throughout the northern Rockies. He’s also spent countless hours clearing and maintaining trails in the Caribou Targhee National Forest.
Helena (she/her, Warriors Mark, PA) is a central Pennsylvania native who is happiest traversing landscapes by bike, boat, foot, or ski and makes moving outside daily a non-negotiable part of her lifestyle. She believes that backyard adventures are just as important as the epic ones, and is passionate about getting more people outdoors in whatever way they can. Helena has worked for the Pennsylvania Environmental Council for the past six years, where she does GIS and map-making in addition to managing a variety of projects related to trails and outdoor recreation. She is also a writer and previously, she worked at Dirt Rag Magazine and still does some freelance work on occasion.
Forrest (he/him, Grand Canyon, AZ) is a high school science teacher at the only pre-K-12 public school located in a National Park at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. He is passionate about (a) education and teaching, (b) biodiversity, environmental science, and evolution, and (c) outdoor adventuring. Forrest is devoted to getting students into the outdoors and helping them learn science deeply. He’s built a strong love for Arizona – a topophilia enriched by bikepacking and backpacking around the state. He’s created and published the Capes of the Canyon (South and North Rims), El Lobo Lupus, Gold to Grand Loop, and House Rock Wrap bikepacking routes.
Emily Elliott (she/her) hails from Redlands, California. A community planning consultant by profession and a geographer by education, Emily has an affinity for route making, advocating for active transportation, and sharing the stoke of bikes. In partnership with community stakeholders, she established and stewards the Ranchita Rambler, a route and annual event for cyclists to cut their teeth on bikepacking and self-sufficiency while simultaneously promoting low-impact tourism and economic development in rural communities. Nestled at the foot of the San Bernardino mountains and within easy reach of the Mojave and Colorado deserts, Emily enjoys scouting and documenting routes from Sunday-funday rides to ‘more than you can chew’ adventures. Emily has dabbled in ultra-endurance, xc, and road racing, but has found the most joy and fulfillment in simply sharing the trail with friends (or her dog) and riding for the sake of fun. Having enjoyed the support of others in cycling, she’s excited to pay it forward by joining Bikepacking Roots to showcase inland southern California and welcome newcomers of all identities.
Erin (he/him, Santa Barbara, CA) is an avid mountain biker and backpacker and got into bikepacking to blend the best of both worlds. A landscape architect by profession, Erin has always been fascinated by maps and trying new bikepacking and backpacking routes. Erin’s other passions include surfing, botany, volunteer trail work, dogs, studying maps, exploring new trails, and just getting outside in general. Erin is the creator of the Tour de Los Padres, which was first released in 2014 and is now the 2nd oldest annual bikepacking event in California.
Joe (he/him, Prescott, AZ) began racing mountain bikes in 1992, and soon learned that chasing people around in neon spandex wasn’t as fun as pushing your bike uphill on chunky jeep roads and sleeping out under the stars. He took his first bikepacking trip around 1995 before the word “bikepacking” existed. Since then, he’s tackled routes in the Appalachians, the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest, and Alaska. Joe is an expert on public lands management and policy and has worked in the natural resources management field since the late 1990s as an educator, guide, trail builder, forester, ecologist, and conservation advocate. He has worked with the Center for Biological Diversity, The Wilderness Society, Resource Legacy Fund, Save the Dells, Arizona Wilderness Coalition, and numerous other advocacy groups.