My Hudski Dualist, leaning against a tree on Bolinas Ridge

Background

I started bikepacking on a mountain bike. I had been doing endurance MTB races - 100 miles, 8 hours, 24 hours, that sort of thing - and a person who was coaching and inspiring me was Lynda Wallenfels and her partner Dave Harris. I'd met them in 2008 at TransRockies. I'd paid Lynda to coach me to get fit for that race,…