Love Where You Ride is an educational effort that shares with bikepackers the knowledge and skills to not only minimize their impacts on the landscape through which we ride, but also have a positive impact on the communities we interact with as bikepackers. Our Positive Impact Bikepacking practices to inspire bikepackers to go beyond minimizing our impact and join us in working to cultivate a positive user-group identity and reputation with the communities, other user-groups, and land managers that we interact with while out riding.
Beyond this, we partnered with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to offer bikepackers tools and practices for minimizing our impact on the landscapes through which we ride while having a positive impact on the communities along the way. We’ve adapted the Leave No Trace Seven Principles specifically for bikepackers and have compiled a set of guidelines to help bikepackers engage positively with communities and individuals we encounter while out riding. Read on to learn more. We invite you to join us by adopting our Positive Impact Bikepacking practices and the Leave No Trace Seven Principles for Bikepacking and participate in creating a future where our growing bikepacking community is one where individuals think globally and act locally to minimize their impact on the landscape and communities through which we ride! |
Before Bikepacking
When Bikepacking
In towns:
When racing:
After Bikepacking:
- Review the first of the Leave No Trace Seven Principles for Bikepacking (“Plan Ahead and Prepare”) to “know before you go” and “pack for the unplanned.”
- Learn the Indigenous lands upon which you ride. Bikepackers ride on stolen land. Learn it and acknowledge it.
- Gather resources to educate yourself about the landscape — from the geophysical, to the biological, to the human stories of where you’re bikepacking. Understanding fosters connection and connection fosters compassion.
When Bikepacking
- Practice the Leave No Trace Seven Principles for Bikepacking.
- Greet land managers kindly and share what bikepacking is, where you’re going, and why it’s awesome to bikepack there.
- Communicate graciously with other users on the landscape. Share what you’re doing, why it matters to you, and treat other users with respect. Try to build bridges between your experience and theirs.
- When in more remote areas, ride more conservatively to minimize risks and to be gentle on trails that rarely receive maintenance.
In towns:
- Leave town services as you find them. Dispose of your waste, and don’t leave a mess after you or your bike are cleaned.
- Camp in legal, permissible places. Don’t camp within town limits unless in a clearly established campground or if given permission by the land owner.
- Communicate graciously with store owners and locals. Share what you’re doing and appreciate riding through their home landscape. Try to build bridges between your experience and theirs.
- Pay for the goods and services you’re using. Your money is supporting the local economy.
When racing:
- Practice all of the Leave No Trace Seven Principles for Bikepacking!
- Know and race within your limits. Actively prevent requiring help from other trail users, local residents, or calling Search and Rescue for help.
- Follow all local regulations and laws.
After Bikepacking:
- Donate money or time to local bike or trails advocacy groups that ensure your route is taken care of.
- Get engaged with access and conservation processes to ensure a positive future for bikepacking is ensured!
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Right click to view full-size images. Illustrations by Jen Reddy Ink
The Positive Impact Bikepacking practices and Leave No Trace Seven Principles for Bikepacking are copyright Bikepacking Roots and Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (www.LNT.org). Please inquire for permission to reproduce these in any manner.
The Positive Impact Bikepacking practices and Leave No Trace Seven Principles for Bikepacking are copyright Bikepacking Roots and Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (www.LNT.org). Please inquire for permission to reproduce these in any manner.