Don't see a path?
Make one.
To spark imaginations and help with some planning, every January I publish a series of posts that highlight my gravel and bikepacking routes on this blog: the original Black Hills BackBone & Double BackBone gravel routes, the relatively new, more rugged BackBone Grande bikepacking route, the surprisingly resilient Cloud Peak 500 bikepacking race, and the always popular Great Divide Mountain Bike Route experience.
Those Pages describe each route in detail and link to posts sharing maps, images, logistics, and ride reports. Just the thing to help you get started, and maybe even get out there. Posts bumping individual Pages start next week, although you can go to them anytime.
In addition to highlighting those Pages, this year I will be introducing a new bikepacking route that I call the BackBone Double Grande. It starts at the end of the BackBone Grande route at the North Dakota border and meanders over 480 miles across Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota on rough, remote roads down to the BackBone Grande start at the Nebraska border. Combining the BackBone Grande and Double Grande will make one, big, bad, 900 mile bikepacking loop through the very best of this backcountry. Stay tuned for details.
For riding in 2026, I'm heading back to 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo in February. Also, I'm intrigued with a BackBone Grande/Double Grande loop, but that's a big commitment. So, maybe. More likely is the 200 mile BackBone Buffett loop. And I'm definitely going back for Year 6 of the Black Hills Bounty. And maybe a fresh challenge out-of-state.
I'll be riding somewhere, making a path.
Hope to see you out there.
