Comfortable with the uncomfortable: back to juniper ridge
Riding solo in the backcountry freaks me out. The what-ifs. The weird noises. The eerie silence. That deep awareness of just how small I am out here. There’s a primal fear that kicks in when you realize no one’s coming. It’s just you and the mountains (and yeah, the cougars).
But as most of you know, I’ve been working on that. One ride at a time. One hike at a time. One night alone at a time.
I want to trust myself more. And as I stand on top of a mountain with nothing but the wind howling through the trees, I want to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.
A few years ago, my friend Sarah invited me on a ride out in Gifford Pinchot. I had just scratched the surface of the Gifford and couldn’t turn down the chance to get a locals tour. It ended up being one of those rides that sticks with you. Sarah and her partner Remi, are stewards of the trails here, and I am super grateful they let me tag along and give me the rundown of the land.
I’ve been wanting to go back ever since, but there is just so much left to explore; I never made it happen. So last weekend, I went back and rode the loop solo. Nailed the timing. Leaves were popping. Trails were running perfectly. And honestly, it felt good to be out there without anyone else. Everything’s just sharper when you’re alone—the way the wind moves through the trees, the way your tires sound on the trail, even the way the plants smell.
You're just fully there. No distractions. No one to lean on.




















