Team Category: Regional Advisors

(he/him) I am a proud husband, father to two young children, and an active member of the Carbondale, Colorado community. I went on my first bikepacking tour in 2019 and was immediately hooked. Since then, I have explored many published and unpublished multi-day routes in the Rocky Mountains and desert southwest. The Colorado Trail is my favorite so far. In 2022, at the youthful age of 47, I discovered my passion for ultra-endurance bikepack racing, which I have pursued wholeheartedly ever since. Friendships, inspiration, and lessons learned from others along the way have had a seismic impact on my life. I often write about these experiences at my personal blog site mofogo.org. I am currently documenting a number of routes in Northwest Colorado that I hope to publish in the near future. My family is also in the midst of planning our first bikepacking adventure, together as a whole. We look forward to learning and growing alongside many new friends.

(She/her; Erie, PA) I have been cycling more seriously for the last five year and have fallen deeply in love with single speeding, ultra endurance racing, riding and bikepacking. I have been creating routes over the past few years as a way to explore new places and am excited to get to share more of what makes Pennsylvania a beautiful place to ride and enjoy. I primarily explore the western and central parts of the state and co-maintain a community cycling group called the Hellbenders Adventure Collective, encouraging women and non-binary cyclists to explore new types of cycling and new routes to enjoy.

Originally from Colorado, Laura Kelly (she/her, Yorktown Heights, NY) planned her first bikepacking trip with a friend to a campground at a state park in 2016. The trip was transformative, and she’s probably explored more of the Northeast by bike than by car. Laura honed her skills by tagging along with more-experienced bikepacking friends, and enjoys helping others find what works best for them. Her bikepacking philosophy is to be safe, eat snacks, take photos, and have fun. When she’s not out bikepacking or working, you can find Laura spending time with her family and dogs.

Kyle (he/him, Los Angeles, CA) found cycling in grad school at UC Davis, where is it often said there are more bikes than students. After moving to Los Angeles, he started riding the many fire roads through LA’s mountain ranges. Cycling became his primary hobby and way to connect with other people and with nature. Kyle is passionate about getting more people on bikes, and more bikes loaded up with bags to go camping. 

I started the Missouri Bikepacking Facebook Group in May 2022, shortly after my first multi-day bikepacking trip on the Katy Trail.

I am a US Army Reserve Veteran. I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

I met my wife in the Army, and we have two sons that are 7 and 9.

I raced BMX when I was younger, and I sent my BMX bike to Iraq and Afghanistan to get around base.

I feel more comfortable on a mountain bike, but will often hop on my gravel bike when our local trail conditions are poor.

I love creating new routes, exploring new areas, and I am anxious to get more local group rides and events together.

Kirsten (she/her, Colorado) grew up in Washington state, riding bikes around her neighborhood and camping in the rainy old growth forests near Mt. St. Helens. After several years of residing in Colorado, she eventually put the two – biking and camping – together. Her first bikepacking trip was from Durango, CO to Moab, UT via the San Juan huts, a life-changing experience that developed her deep love for challenge and adventure. Fully unsupported trips followed, solo and with friends. She now spends most of her time exploring the roads and trails of northwest Colorado and the vast deserts of Utah, while also dreaming of exploring far off places. She currently works at a small bike outfitter and shop in Steamboat Springs, CO where she leads guided rides, hosts clinics, and assists bikepackers with routes and equipment. She is excited to work with Bikepacking Roots to develop community and camaraderie, as well as educate others how to enjoy and respect the outdoors.

Kayla Layng (she/her, Lancaster, PA) is an anti-elitist cyclist who believes that cycling must be accessible to everyone, and that means cultivating a community with the same values. This is also what she chants under her breath when she’s fighting for her life, trying to catch up with people on climbs. She co-leads a gender-diverse adventure cycling collective called “Hellbenders Adventure Collective” with her friend Maggie Livelsberger. Kayla has worked as an engineering manager, a bike mechanic, a part-time TV scriptwriter, and a rock climbing guide. Currently, she is a Programs Manager for a non-profit bicycle shop, The Common Wheel, in Lancaster, PA. Her favorite bike-packing trip she has done was a route called “The Pictish Trail,” which follows the eastern coast of Scotland, featuring rolling hills of sheep, seclusion, ice cream called lollies, abandoned whiskey towns, and many-a pubs. Despite that being her favorite trip so far, her love for Pennsylvania riding cannot be compared.