In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, I connect with Nathan Siemans to talk about the Lost Elephant and the Cold Ride. Originally called the Kootenay Gravel Grinder, the name was changed to The Lost Elephant to help people recognize that it was far from being just a gravel ride. As bikepacking was gaining in popularity, more and more people were coming out to ride the event, often without realizing that a gravel bike with 40c tires wasn't going to cut it. Through the involvement of Nathan and a handful of other volunteers, they helped grow a bikepacking event that changes the route each year, creating a new challenge for those that continue to show up time and again.

In the latter part of our discussion, Nathan also shared his passion for fatbiking, and his plan behind creating a challenging winter race that allows people to test themselves in the harshest of conditions. With winter 2025 being the first running of the event, it was great to hear how it came to be and what aspects of creating this event were the most challenging.

I hope you enjoyed the episode and if you are a fan of this podcast, consider supporting it through Patreon.

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Panorama Cycles --> They believe that cycling is a catalyst for adventures, no matter how small they can be. No need to travel across the world or to be a seasoned athlete to live epic outdoors adventures.

Redshift Sports --> Founded in 2013 by a team of mechanical engineers...

In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, Joanne Steventon and I dive into this year's Canadian Shield Bikepacking Summit. Throughout the summit weekend, Joanne could be seen engaging with participants and doing some short interviews to better help portray the community feel of this bikepacking summit weekend.

The episode highlights the unique format of the summit, including campfire stories, workshops, and networking activities. Key presentations and workshops covered topics such as mindset and failure, bike maintenance, packing techniques, long-distance bike fitting and much, much more. Special thanks are given to the sponsors, including Quick Cranks, Panorama Cycles, MyVeloFit, Redshift Sports, and Calad Bags, among others. The summit concluded with riders participating in the Canadian Shield Grand Depart, with rider Nico sharing his motivations and expectations.

The episode provides an in-depth look at the planning, execution, and community spirit that make the summit a special event for bikepacking enthusiasts. If you weren't able to make it to the summit this year, we hope you enjoyed our discussion. See you next year.

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Show Notes

01:14 Summit Overview and Special Thanks

04:06 Event Highlights and Workshops

09:02 Campfire Stories and Personal Experiences

22:43 Morning Ride and Community Building

25:34 Workshops and Speaker Insights

40:26 Workshop Reflections and Female Forward Discussions

41:55 Mary Pierre's Bike Packing Accomplishments

43:00 Challenges and Fears in Solo Bike Packing

53:37 Brendan's Journey with Khaled Bags

01:03:07 Sponsors and Community Support

01:08:31 Canadian Shield Grand Depart and Bike Packing Routes

01:12:22 Nico's Bike Packing Adventure

01:17:38 Summit Reflections and Future Plans

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In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, I connect with Ben Clark, an adventure cyclist who is 18,000 kilometers into his 35,000-kilometer journey around the world.

Ben shares the challenges and highlights of his route, which has taken him through countries such as Turkey, Georgia, Uzbekistan, India, Nepal, and Vietnam. He offers insights into his experiences, from dealing with extreme weather and varied landscapes to navigating cultural norms and overcoming personal challenges like a serious bike crash in India.

Ben also discusses his gear choices, the importance of minimalism, and his strategy for supporting mental health charities like Andy’s Man Club. Tune in to hear about his future plans, including cycling through New Zealand, the US, and eventually reaching Boston, as part of his grand adventure from Wales around the world.

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Instagram: Ben Clark (@worldbybike_uk)

Website: worldbybike – Ben Clark

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Panorama Cycles --> They believe that cycling is a catalyst for adventures, no matter how small they can be. No need to travel across the world or to be a seasoned athlete to live epic outdoors adventures.

Redshift Sports --> Founded in 2013 by a team of mechanical engineers who also happen to be avid cyclists, they've focused on taking a different approach to product development - drawing on their own experiences and needs to create components that make a meaningful difference to the riding experience. Use code BPA15 to save 15% at checkout.

In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, I've had the chance to connect with Chris Mahoney, President of Go RVing Canada, a not for profit focused on promoting the RV lifestyle. After an initial discussion, we thought this could be a really interesting podcast, as both the bikepacking and RVing lifestyles are centred around exploration and spending time in nature. Through our discussion, I learned that Chris is a long-time mountain biker that likes to bring his bikes along when going RVing in the summers. He's also a keen bike adventurer and we spent a bit of time talking about some of his past and upcoming bike adventures. More specifically, throughout this conversation, Chris and I spoke about how RVs can be a great catalyst for bikepacking adventures, some amazing bicycle destinations accessible by RV, the benefits to taking up the RV lifestyle, what some common misconceptions about RVing are, and of course, affordability and how they compare to other types of holidays. We also talked about the rise in popularity of the camper van and how more and more young people are attracted to the RV lifestyle, particularly with more and more people choosing jobs that allow them to work remotely. I hope you enjoy this episode.

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Website: Go RVing Canada

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YouTube: Go RVing Canada - You Are Out There

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Panorama Cycles --> They believe that cycling is a catalyst for adventures, no matter how small they can be. No need to travel across the

In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, I dive into all things Canadian Shield Bikepacking Summit. We talk about the events taking place throughout the weekend, the amazing presenters sharing their knowledge with us, how and why we've integrated workshops into the format, and of course, details on all the amazing sponsors and prizes that are up for grabs.

Be sure to check out the website:

Summit

Grand Depart

If you want to get tickets, you can follow this link:

2025 Canadian Shield Bikepacking Summit

To support the Bike Tour Adventures podcast, follow the links below:

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Redshift Sports

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Panorama Cycles --> They believe that cycling is a catalyst for adventures, no matter how small they can be. No need to travel across the world or to be a seasoned athlete to live epic outdoors adventures.

Redshift Sports --> Founded in 2013 by a team of mechanical engineers who also happen to be avid cyclists, they've focused on taking a different approach to product development - drawing on their own experiences and needs to create components that make a meaningful difference to the riding experience. Use code BPA15 to save 15% at checkout.

Tailfin Cycling --> Tailfin Cycling is a technical bikepacking equipment company that really thinks outside the box when creating new bikepacking gear. They create long-lasting products that have been testing in every way imaginable.

In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, I have the chance to talk with Chris Smith, better known as the Blind Guy Biking on Instagram. Chris has defied the odds on many occasions throughout his life. While Stargardt’s Disease is an inherited genetic condition that causes central vision loss, it usually occurs during childhood, resulting in total vision loss. Chris was fortunate, in the sense that it came about in his 20s, leaving him peripheral vision, and the ability to do some pretty amazing things. He also had the chance to experience growing up as a normally sighted person, allowing him to develop a love of cycling.

Throughout the episode, we discuss his background growing up in Connecticut, his journey through vision loss due to Stargardt's Disease in his early twenties, and how he rediscovered biking as a mode of transportation and passion. Chris shares his experiences from the Tour Divide, a 2745 mile or 4418km backcountry ride from Banff, Canada to the USA/Mexican border, where he faced unique challenges, such as navigating, resupplying, and tackling rugged terrain. He also talks about the immense support from friends, family, and the cycling community, which was crucial for his success. Chris' story highlights how he turned a daunting journey into a successful fundraiser, raising over $30,000 for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. We delve deep into his remarkable resilience, the camaraderie formed on the trail, and insights into overcoming adversity. In completing this challenge, Chris is one of only a very small group of people that have ridden this route legally blind.

To support the Bike Tour Adventures podcast, follow the links below:

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Website: Blind Guy Biking – Chris Smith: Racing for a Cure

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In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, I have Meaghan Hackinen back on the podcast for her 4th time. In this episode we dive into her recent women's 2nd place finish at the Atlas Mountain Race. We discussed her preparations for the event and how challenging it can be to do a major race in the middle of winter, her new Cutthroat and getting it race ready, what she got up to before and after the event, as well as the race itself. As usual, it's a pleasure to get to chat with Meaghan and I hope you enjoy our conversation.

To support the Bike Tour Adventures podcast, follow the links below:

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Instagram: Meaghan Hackinen

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Website: Meaghan Hackinen – Writer, cyclist & adventure seeker

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Panorama Cycles --> They believe that cycling is a catalyst for adventures, no matter how small they can be. No need to travel across the world or to be a seasoned athlete to live epic outdoors adventures.

Redshift Sports --> Founded in 2013 by a team of mechanical engineers who also happen to be avid cyclists, they've focused on taking a different approach to product development - drawing on their own experiences and needs to create components that make a meaningful difference to the riding experience. Use code BPA15 to save 15% at checkout.

Tailfin Cycling --> Tailfin Cycling is a technical bikepacking equipment company that really thinks outside the box when creating new bikepacking gear....

In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures Podcast, I share with you a Ridecast on my recent Wendigo Fatbike Ultra event participation. This was the 10th year of the event and quite a special year to participate in such an event. As an added bonus, I invited the organizer, Cameron Dube, to come on the podcast to start us off and share about the creation of the event and its history.

To support the Bike Tour Adventures podcast, follow the links below:

https://www.patreon.com/bikepackadventures or

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/bikepackadventures

Join the RideWithGPS Bikepack Adventures Club

Use these affiliate links to help cover the costs of running the show.

Redshift Sports

Panorama Cycles

Find me at…

WEBSITE

YOUTUBE

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

ITUNES

Panorama Cycles --> They believe that cycling is a catalyst for adventures, no matter how small they can be. No need to travel across the world or to be a seasoned athlete to live epic outdoors adventures.

Redshift Sports --> Founded in 2013 by a team of mechanical engineers who also happen to be avid cyclists, they've focused on taking a different approach to product development - drawing on their own experiences and needs to create components that make a meaningful difference to the riding experience. Use code BPA15 to save 15% at checkout.

Tailfin Cycling --> Tailfin Cycling is a technical bikepacking equipment company that really thinks outside the box when creating new bikepacking gear. They create long-lasting products that have been testing in every way imaginable.

RaceDay Fuel --> RacedayFuel’s mission is to ensure that you consume the very best and appropriate food or beverage for the task at hand - whether you are golfing, cycling, skiing, running a marathon, or scuba diving in the Red Sea. Use the code BPA10 to save 10% at checkout.

Full Cycle Ottawa --> Full Cycle has been a staple in the...