The ‘Fill in the Map’ Challenge from Bikepacking.com and Ride With GPS asks for submissions of ‘exceptional’ overnight bikepacking routes.
Do you love taking bikepacking trips? Do you have an established overnight route that lets you quickly get out of town and unwind? If so — and you’re willing to share the details — then a new project from Bikepacking.com and Ride With GPS wants to hear from you.
The two organizations have partnered to promote their new “Fill in the Map” challenge, which asks for submissions of “exceptional, one-night, off-road-focused routes to enable more folks to go bikepacking.”
Interested bikepackers must submit their favorite overnight route by Aug. 15. The challenge includes prizes for the top 20 submissions to incentivize cyclists who might feel hesitant about publicizing their favorite routes.
The “prize packages” include items from various outdoor companies. These include Cedaero, Austere Manufacturing, Forager Cycles, High Above, Wolf Tooth Components, and others.
‘Fill in the Map’ Bikepacking Challenge
The challenge’s organizers hope to expand upon the Local Overnighter Project introduced by Bikepacking.com 3 years ago. Now the largest network of bikepacking routes on the web, the project asks local cyclists worldwide to offer their suggestions.
The ultimate goal of the project is ambitious: to offer “countless” one-night route options that users can find and download. The organizers hope for options in any city in the U.S., the U.K., Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as many other locations.
As bicycle sales soared during the pandemic, many organizations have created initiatives to encourage riders to get outside and embrace cycling as more than just a fun way to commute to work. One example is the bikepacking ambassador gig offered by Old Man Mountain and The Robert Axle Project back in March.
However, Bikepacking.com argues that less-intensive overnight bikepacking routes are essential for attracting new people who aren’t prepared for longer trips.
“Increasing the number of approachable routes makes bikepacking more accessible by providing options that don’t require folks to travel far from home to have an adventure,” Bikepacking.com wrote in the press release. “Additionally, a good overnighter route makes a perfect ‘reset button’ for those juggling busy life schedules.”
Learn more about the challenge at Bikepacking.com.
