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Category : Bikes

I’ve been on bikes from a very young age but my passion exploded in 2004 when I got swept away in Portland’s burgeoning cycling scene and cyclocross racing. I raced for a few years, went on several long tours, and built an independent business around my passion: Little Package Cycling Caps. In my opinion, bikes are freedom and bikes are fun. I hope you ride one!

Old trail sign on the Kokopelli trail with sage prairie in background

Backpacking the Kokopelli Trail – Part 1

In the spring of 2019, I solo backpacked (self-supported) from Loma, Colorado to Moab, Utah on the Kokopelli Trail. Given it was a relatively high snow year and the wet weather forecast, this was sorta dumb. But I was determined to hike “the entire Colorado Plateau” after a geologist friend asked about the Hayduke. He was driving me to Vegas so I could pick up a rental car in 2016, just before the first time I hiked it. He seemed to challenge me when he said: “Why would the Hayduke not cover the entire Plateau?” I am not sure he was exactly throwing down that gauntlet, but that’s how I took it, and even after having hiked the Hayduke twice,… continue reading

A man and his motorbike in Alabama Hills, with snowy Sierra in background

Whitney, Tim, and Willy

Women guard your husbands ‘cuz if they this fun they’re at risk of getting snagged on the local adventurettes. This is Tim. He stopped to smoke a cigarette near my van and I bummed one cuz… good lookin’ lone motobiker? I asked about his planned rides. When he mentioned the Inyo Range, I convinced him that if he was gonna bike it, he needed to do it right, and ride the entire crest. He asked if I would want to come, and duh, guess what I said. So the next day found us BRAPPING the fuck up Cerro Gordo Road, riding clear past the salt tram to New York Butte, then back down the Swansea Grade. We hit some high… continue reading

Cover for video of man descending white mountain on bicycle

Abram’s Descent

Abram (abramwashere.com) descends White Mountain a little more carefully with a borrowed bike and helmet. I invited him the day before and he pulled gear together despite being couch-surfing in a new town; I was able to borrow a 4×4 truck – pretty incredible luck of ours. You can see the summit hut up high in both clips. But look at that scenery 10,000 feet below! My 26″ hardtail did just fine from the top; all those years of hard riding came back to me just like… riding a bicycle. SO. MUCH. FUN. ? Big thank you Julie F ❤️

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There’s a road all the way to the summit of White Mountain (14,246ft), which makes it by far the easiest 14er summit in California (or perhaps anywhere in the USA). From what I understand, once a year the final 7 miles of chunky road even opens for the general public to drive past the gate! How easy, but how darn cool. The White range affords spectacular views of the High Sierra range, the Inyos, and Death Valley on a clear day, and White Mountain itself is beautiful as a lava cake with caramel sauce. (But it’s not white, nor is it edible.) Maybe because it’s so accessible, its summit log has been a bit abused, with people scribbling their names… continue reading

me on a bike with a friend

Roller Race

TBT to bikier times in Portland Oregon (2011?). I’m sitting on a stationary track bike about to have my legs torn off by some women with huge legs. I’m pretty sure the infamous Tori Bortman (background) roped me into this roller race even though I was wearing a dress. Hike up the dress, borrow some pants, and pedal myself into the barf cave. Yes, my hair was like cut like that for a couple years. Wanna say photo by Dan Sharp?

velocipede races close up

Velocipede Races Cover

This time last year I was reading a quick and fun book by Emily June Street called The Velocipede Races, preparing to illustrate its cover. The book centers around a young woman’s passion for cycling, is tinged with steampunky Victoriana, and is also digestibly feminist. In short, I totally enjoyed it and had no trouble finding inspiration to design its new cover. I decided to use a papercutting/scherenschnitte style and incorporate the corset, trying to capturing a mood… of a sporty lady craving to burst out of that delicate corset. Here’s what I initially submitted to Elly Blue over at Microcosm Publishing: To my surprise, the advance copy went black, which I’m glad was a temporary shift! It still looked… continue reading

Lighthouse Surrounded by Trail Trash

The Best Ultra Lightweight Sleeping Bags

Ultra lightweight sleeping bags are purpose-built for long-haul treks where space is at a premium and weight is counted in grams, but they can also be used on your ordinary family camping trips. I call that win-win! The sleeping bag is part of “The Big Three:” your backpack, your tent, and your sleeping bag. These three items comprise the most weight, and take up the most space of all your gear. Also, they are items (aside from food and shoes) that can make–or break–your hike or tour. Be prepared to shell out good money up front (and not have to re-purchase something better later). This is an investment you’ll be putting to very good use. A sleeping bag is a… continue reading

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