“The packing isn’t done, and I still don’t have any underwear...”

“Two days out and the imposter syndrome is real. The packing isn‘t done, and I still don’t have any underwear....”

I wrote that 24 hours ago and somehow I packed, found underwear, went for a walk, did my taxes, AND ate food in that time.

I still don’t really know how this trip all came together, but it seems like it has. The past month has been a whirlwind of packing, preparing, repacking, skiing, panicking about what we’re about to do, a tiny bit of bike riding, and holiday parties. Now, Ryan and I are sitting in the Boise airport, unsure if we will make our connection to Lima in Dallas... but it really wouldn’t be any fun if this trip started smoothly.

Megan will meet us in Lima where we will have 3 or 4 days to prepare (eat) before we head up the Carraterra Highway to the start off our first trail: Peru’s Great Divide.

Considering this is Ryan’s and my first real bikepacking trip, we are expecting our fair share of confusion, stress, relying on Megan’s tips, poorly packed bags, swearing, and (on my part) tears.

Over the next five or so months we will pedal, walk, and push our way through the Andes, across the Atacama, and hopefully, all the way to the southern-most tip of Patagonia. I have no idea what we’re about to do but I couldn’t be more excited to find out.

Follow along on our trip for lots of photos of bruises, bikes, new friends, food and utterly beautiful landscapes.