Interviews, adventures and features
Set down your rucksack, put your feet up and get inspired by passionate adventurers, new routes, kit inspirations, details and food ideas.
Book Excerpt
Meaghan Hackinen: Shifting Gears
Meaghan Hackinen has a unique storytelling gift that can take the reader along with her on her on two wheel adventures. She has written two books, the most recent being, Shifting Gears: Coast to Coast on the Trans Am Bike Race. Follow along in an excerpt from her new book as she takes on the Trans Am Bike Race across America.
Past dispatches
Gear check
The big day had come. I awoke to temperatures of -24 ° Celsius in the Whitewater region of Ontario for the Wendigo fat bike ultra-race. I was quite nervous that all my gear would be warm enough for these conditions, but once I lined up at the start all my worries melted away and I knew I was ready.
Gear Review
I’m not a speed demon but I do love to go long distances. So having multiple positions for my hands to remain comfortable has always been a focus of mine. Recently I started to see Farr’s alternative, the aero bolt-on v3 bars. They looked light, slick, and unobtrusive on a drop bar system but how efficient would they be.
Gear Review
How light are the Arkel’s Dry-Lite Saddle Bags? At an incredible 19oz with 28 litres volume for the set they really exceeded my expectations. Read on for our in-depth review of these ultralight water proof panniers.
#coffeeoutside review
We wanted a good cup of instant coffee… for biking, for camping, for keeping as a backup. On our quest to find the perfect instant #coffeeoutside we decided to look no further than our local cafe @dispatchcoffee.
Route Finder
HOWARd’s pass forever
Not enough people know about the beauty of the Nahanni watershed in the Yukon. Joel Hibbard and Kevin Ehman set off by bike to explore this beautiful and rugged landscape and were inspired to write a book about it called Howard’s Pass Forever.
Route Finder
LA TRANSGASPÉSIE
La Transgaspésie is an epic traverse of the beautiful Gaspé peninsula, situated in Eastern Québec. Doubletracks, gravel roads and a few miles on pavement brings the rider to amazing landscapes: through subalpine panoramas remote valleys and the boreal forests, pristine salmon rivers and, at the very end, breath-taking views overlooking the sea.
Route Finder
EASTERN TOWNSHIPS GRAVEL GROWLER
La Boucle is a 600km loop that goes through the rolling, open and diversified landscapes of the Eastern Townships, in the south of Québec, and passes by multiple microbreweries.
Review
PANORAMA CYCLES KATAHDIN
We approached local Montreal bike brand Panorama Cycles to see if we could try out their take on the adventure and gravel bike with their Katahdin. We spent a weekend up in the rugged Laurentian Mountains to test this rig on multiple surfaces, from pavement to gravel to rough double track and single track.
Review
Rondo Mutt AL
We decided to take the Rondo MUTT AL for a spin and see what this Polish bike brand was all about.
Gear Review
Alba optics AnVMA review
Messkit picked up Alba optics ANVMA frames to test. These sunglasses are meant for bikepacking and gravel cyclists who love traveling light, exploring new roads, and looking great.
Feature Article
Fatbike at Loup Garou
The Parc du Mont Loup‐Garou, in Sainte Adèle, is a project that is creating an outdoor enthusiast nature paradise on more than 788 acres, the equivalent of 595 football fields.
Feature Article
2019 Grinduro Canada
A fun look at the first Canadian edition of Grinduro. Maxin'. Relaxin'. Meeting new friends and hanging out with old ones. Charlevoix, Quebec, was the perfect backdrop for a great weekend.
Interview
The roots of RAsputitsa
Rasputitsa is a classic 1-day gruelling gravel bike race in Vermont held in April. Since 2013, they have been involved in the effort of uniting cyclists, bringing economic opportunity to remote areas of Vermont, and giving back to the rapidly growing sport of cycling.
Interview
cory wallace
Cory Wallace grew up riding in the Canadian Rockies and turned his cycling passion into a career with Team Kona that has taken him on adventures and races around the World.
Interview
Kerry Werner
Follow along as we meet up with cross boss and Kona Adventure Team member Kerry Werner. Find out why he’s a sucker for pain, pancakes and two wheeled adventures.
Feature
FOUR MONTHS IN A VAN
For the last four months, Miles and Emily have been cruising around the Western United States in search of trails, bikepacking routes, and good times. Here is Miles’ honest look at simple van cooking tactics.
Photo Essay
-24 in VAL david
Picking one of the coldest days of the year to go back country skiing maybe wasn’t eh best idea to be had. But once all bundled up I had the trails to myself and there wasn’t a whole lot to be unhappy with.
Feature
Alberta rockies 700
It was a hot one this year rolling through the Rockies on gravel roads that never seemed to end. The burritos and jerky kept me fuelled along the long days in the saddle.
Interview
tanesha milucky
This is Tanesha Milucky. She’s a back-country chef for some amazing cycling events like Ramble Ride and WTF cycling summits. Find out how she manages to combine all her favourite things with her love of cooking.
Interview
Emma Frisch
Meet Emma. She’s co-founder of Firelight Camps in Ithaca, NY. She is also a marketer, adventurer, mother, fire-maker and amongst other things, an amazing chef. Find out how her passions came together in her book Feast By Firelight.
Interview
Jocelyn Gaudi Quarrell
Say hello to Jocelyn. She wears a lot of different hats (and helmets, of course) in the Portland cycling community and far beyond, with a major focus on getting women on bikes and out into the woods.
Feature
SKI NORDIQUE
What do you think when you hear the words “backcountry skiing”? Do you imagine epic journeys into the wilderness, sleeping in snow caves and dodging avalanches?
Interview
Dirty Gourmet
Meet Aimee, Emily & Mai-yan; three ambitious women who came together after years of camp experiences to rethink what food could be in the outdoors and founded Dirty Gourmet. Based out of California they believe that food should be an essential part of every adventure.
Gear Review
We wanted to check out the Canadian based Arkel Bike Bags to see what was on offer in terms of a lighter weight waterproof bar bag. We reviewed the Arkel Signature BB Handlebar Bag which looked like it might provide a near perfect solution to our cycling bag stuffing requirements.
#coffeeoutside guide
Coffee grind guide
Here are some simple rules to grinding your own coffee beans to make the best brew outside and at home.
#coffeeoutside guide
The Aeropress GUIDE
The Aeropress might be the best way to enjoy #coffeeoutside. Here are a few easy steps to make the perfect brew.
Interview
Log driver’s waltz
The Log Driver's Waltz is an 800 kilometre, multi-day cycling route that traverses a vast variety of terrain in the Ottawa Valley and Outaouais regions of Ontario and Quebec. Come and find yourself immersed in the endless network of lonely backcountry gravel and dirt roads, forested paths and charming towns. We sat down with the route creators, Eric and Jen, to learn more about it.
Interview
Tutti Gravel Inn
In the historic village of Clinton, British Columbia, the Tutti Gravel Inn was born, surrounded by some of the most picturesque and challenging gravel roads to be found anywhere.
Review
ALBA OPTICS SOLO FRAMES
Tired of getting dust crusted into your eyes? Snow getting blown into the sides of your face? Not anymore with Alba Optics new SOLO frames.
Review
Hanah living
I contacted Hanah to see if I could try a few of their products like Hanah One and Coffee Boost. I wanted to incorporate these products into my daily routine and see if they would make a difference at home and on the trail.
Film
GP 1200
Jack rode for a total of 56 hours, covering 1,200km and 11,910m of elevation. A beautiful and challenging journey designed to once again remove the stigma attached to mental health, GP-1200 tells their story.
Feature
Fireside chat with Cascada
We recently sat down with Carlo Bonetti, co-founder of Cascada, to talk about the inspiration for the outdoor brand and what the bikepacking scene is like in northern Italy.
Feature Article
2019 Big red gravel run
Follow along as old and new friends alike ride their way out along the Red River region in Quebec to grind some gravel, ride some single track and celebrate in the sunshine after a long day of riding.
Feature Video
La route des champs
Follow along as four friends ride their way out along La Route des Champs to camp and cook out for a night at Parc Yamaska in Quebec.
Interview
Spencer Paxson
Spencer has been racing mountain bikes since he was 12. Over the years he has been a 6x us national team member, 2x olympic long team member, as well as racing with Team Kona. Find out how he juggles these things in his life and why he loves Fritos so much.
Interview
MAtthew Kadey
Meet Matthew Kadey. He’s author of the book Rocket Fuel, a dietitian, a cyclist and creator of the BT700. Follow along as we learn about his motivation for starting the bikepacking event.
Feature
THe wendigo ultra
Have you ever dreamt of doing an ultra endurance fatbike race? Loïc did. He decided to stop dreaming and headed out on one wild ride and learned a lot in the process.
Interview
ATWATER ATELIER
Meet Narek. He’s the owner of a local Montreal cycling bag maker called Atwater Atelier. We visited him at his workshop to talk about his journey as a bag designer and the idea behind his creations.
Feature
Swift Campout 2018
Thanks again to Swift Industries for hosting an amazing summer solstice campout this year! We chose Le Foret Ouareau near Mont Tremblant, QC, for the beginning of our summer celebration.
Interview
jonathan hayward
Introducing Jonathan Hayward, founder and event organizer of the Alberta Rockies 700. Follow along as we learn about his motivation for starting the event, riding tips, and what’s happening on the route this year.
Feature
Eating our way through the West Coast Trail
The WCT is located along the misty southwestern edge of Vancouver Island, BC, in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Follow along as we eat our way through the mud and rain.
Interview
Anna brones
We sat down with Pacific Northwest-based writer, explorer, artist, cyclist, and activist to hear more about her love of coffee, art and how to focus on slowing down.
Interview
Gabriel AMadeus Tiller
Gabriel Amadeus Tiller is a modern-day adventuring renaissance man. He is one of the top bikepacking experts in America, culinary extraordinaire, mixologist, entrepreneur, mischief seeker, route designer, tinkerer, photographer, writer, and an overall optimistic guy.
Photo Essay
At THE FAIR
The Stanstead County Agricultural Society's annual exposition at Ayers Cliff, Quebec, is one of Canada's oldest country fairs with approximately 25,000 visitors every year. Join Trevor as he ventured out during their 172nd birthday to explore the food and people.
Events and nutrition
Course designer, professional cyclist, and Rooted Vermont’s co-founder Ted King is excited to guide you through the key components of proper fueling for this years cycling events. Get ready for some mullet protocol!
Book Review
The @gestalten Bikepacking book presents a roundup of real journeys from all around the world. We are over the moon that we were asked to contribute a tale and some photos about our Forêt Ouareau experience.
Review
Bar Mitts Extreme
I reached out to the friendly folks at Bar Mitts to get their opinion. After chatting with them about their various models including versions for flat bars and drop bars with both internal and external cables, I decided to try both the mountain extreme and drop-bar extreme mitts which are the neoprene, fleece-lined mitts.
Coffee outside review
CoffeeTabs
Recently we reached out to Invito coffee to try the CoffeeTab that is more like a Turkish coffee (not an instant coffee) that you brew in the cup.
Coffee outside review
Stirz zero waste coffee
We’re always on the lookout for the perfect instant coffee to take bikepacking. First and foremost, we want something great tasting. Second it has to be easy to pack and has sustainable packaging. On our coffee quest we ran across Canadian based Stirz.
Event
grand quarantined bivouac
Here’s a great idea from the Grand Quarantined Bivouac crew to scratch that camping itch during Covid-19. Each of us, at home alone, can come together to #homebivouac!
Feature
The true definition of adventure: kinda.
After biking the 571 miles of the Three Ranges in Cowboy Country Route, a gravel/all-road route through Montana and Wyoming, Simon Garant shares a part of his adventure.
Film
Sky Island Odyssey
Sky Island Odyssey is a short film about a bikepacking trip Ralph Samson made last January. They followed the Sky Island Odyssey route traced by Sarah Swallow applying the leave no trace rules.
Feature Article
2020 Honesca on ice
Messkit was on hand at the Maisonneuve Park chalet, Montreal, on Saturday, February 8th, to take part in the 4th edition of the “Velo sur glace” ice race organized by the Honesca gang.
Interview
Shore lunch
When Craig Fowler and his dad first went to The Pines, in Maine, they didn’t know where to fish. They asked the staff for suggestions and they referred them to Randy Spencer, a registered Maine guide. Plus find a great recipe for fried fish and tartar sauce!
Review
Springing Forward
We took advantage of daylight savings time to head up Mont Royal on our bikes and test out the new Cricket Energy Bites from Naak, a young local company based in Montreal.
Review
THE MSR WINDBURNER
The Beans and Rice field test the MSR Windburner Stove and Coffee Press Kit. They decided to forego their pour-over habits to give the MSR setup a fair shake and look see.
Feature
outdoor cookbook guide
The sky can be the limit when cooking with a camping stove and a fire pit, but sometimes you need a little direction and inspiration. We’ve made a list of our favourites that are sure to please any messkit fan.
Feature
Lost in the labyrinth
I had a few extra days before the start of the Alberta Rockies 700 bikepacking event in Coleman. I was already 100km into the pre-event ride and I was loving every moment, until I took a wrong turn.
Interview
TAra Alan
Meet Tara Alan, author and photographer of cycle touring cookbook, Bike. Camp. Cook. Learn how Tara makes outdoor cooking simple and demystifies travelling with fresh vegetables in your panniers for the long haul.
Interview
Craig Fowler
Meet Craig Fowler. He's a rare breed. In fact he's the only person on the planet to have completed both the thru-hiking Triple Crown and the bikepacking Triple Crown.
Feature
lean on me
Laughter could be heard echoing throughout the cold winter woods. We were literally shouting and hooting as we traversed through the snowy winter wonderland of Gatineau Park.
Feature
ADVENTURES OF A HOBO WEREWOLF
It was finally time to turn off the asphalt and get back on some dirt trails. It was my first time up in this neck of the woods so I wasn't sure what to expect. Follow along as I discover a great little trail winding its way through the hills.
Feature
CAMPING WITH KIDS
School was about to start and I wanted to spend one last weekend with my son before we went back to the grind of everyday life. We packed the car, making sure not to forget the marshmallows and bug spray. Fortunately, I only forgot the latter.
Feature
THE BAKERY BREVET
Read along as messkit curator, Trevor Browne, rides the Vermont Green Mountain 200 km with the Northeast Randonneurs Club. From freezing rains to headwinds, its the baked goods and maple water that keep him going and going and going.
