I was introduced to bikepacking by Matt Mason. Matt is an avid bike activist, bikepacker, and most famously founder of the “Monumental Loop” a 300 mile bikepacking route around southern New Mexico. Bikepacking is essentially the same as backpacking, except everything is strapped to your bike! Bikepacking allows you to still be completely self-sufficient, yet you move much faster than if you were backpacking. This allows riders to cover longer distances, stretching hundreds of miles before supply refills.