The Bikepacking Journal 09

Nearly five years in to publishing The Bikepacking Journal, it’s clear that we’ve unearthed a boundless source of unique and inspiring perspectives in our global community of bicycle travelers. We’ve shared nearly 1,500 pages of essays, stories, photos, and art since our debut issue in 2018, and we’re only getting rolling. Rather than worrying about how to fill each issue’s pages, the true challenge has been figuring out how to select from the many fantastic submissions we’re lucky to receive and squeeze them into just two printed publications a year. As difficult as narrowing them down may be, being immersed in a wide-ranging mix of words and images and themes and destinations from folks who share our passion for pedaling is one of the great joys of this project.

In the ninth issue of The Bikepacking Journal, we again take readers on a world tour with around a dozen stops. Our latest group of contributors invites our Bikepacking Collective members to join them as they travel through the southern extremes of Africa, across the northern reaches of Arctic Alaska, and along ancient roads in England, to name just a few journeys. They take readers on a handful of trips through time, including one to the early days of bicycles as we experience them today. And they also offer several reminders to be grateful for supportive friends and family, intrepid riding companions, and strangers we meet along the way who add depth and make our bikepacking adventures possible.

As a little gift to show our appreciation for our supporters, we also commissioned and included a lovely fold-out poster from French artist Timothé Girard that features 15 elaborately detailed, hand-drawn bikepacking setups. His “15 Ways to Go Bikepacking” posted measures around 21″ wide by 16″ tall (53cm x 41cm) and showcases some of the nearly endless ways to ride your ride. If you’re not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective, get signed up today and you’ll never miss another issue of The Bikepacking Journal.

Stories in Issue 09

Extra Weight

Riding Toward a Reset by Leo Brinkmann
Southern Africa

Corridors for the Curious

Adventures in Parenting by Emily Zebel and Monique Laraway
Pennsylvania

From the Top

The Start of Something by Ana Victoria Cedillo and Greg McCahon
Alaska

Me. Myself. Divide.

A Tour Divided by RJ Sauer and Luciano Obregon
Great Divide

Klunk ‘n’ Float

In Search of Simpler Times by Miles Arbour and Nathan Reimer
British Columbia

Triple Crown

A Trio of Incredible Efforts by Eszter Horanyi and Eddie Clark
Western US

The Devil’s Carts Have Come

A Pedal Through the Past by Joe Cruz
Around the World

Off-TCR

Scratching from the Transcontinental by Sophie Gateau
Europe

Seasons of Change

An Ancient Ride on the Old Chalk Way by Jack Boffy and Monique Laraway
England

Odd One Out

On Cycling and Connection by Joachim Rosenlund and Joshua Meissner
Italy

Going Home

Messed up on the Caldera 500 by Evan Christenson
California

A note to our Bikepacking Collective members: Copies going to US addresses are currently in transit from the printer in Germany to our warehouse on the East Coast and will begin shipping as soon as they’ve cleared customs. Copies going everywhere else in the world are now shipping from our warehouse in Berlin. As long as you joined by the October 17th deadline, you’re all set to receive a copy of Issue 09 and a “15 Ways to go Bikepacking” poster!