Exploring the Adirondacks by Bicycle - Bikepacking Wilcox Lake Wild Forest

With ~2 million acres of public land open to bicycles within and adjoining the Adirondack Forest Preserve, the Adirondacks are a blank canvas for exploration by bicycle. Just don't expect to ride your bike the whole time while finding which trails are rideable and which are not.

His Name is Marshall Church

His name, Marshall Church, loosely translated means American Wilderness. Read on for a little history lesson on why there was a continuity to my naming scheme.

Bob and George Marshall built the American wilderness movement in part based on the adventures of their youth in New York's Adirondack Forest Preserve; Senator Frank Church turned that movement into federal law protecting millions of acres with the Wilderness Act of 1964, which was heavily based on Article 14 of the New York State constitution -the Forever Wild clause.

If we peel away one more layer: It was Verplanck Colvin's surveys and lobbying for creation of the Adirondack Forest Preserve and Forever Wild that allowed the Marshall's to adventure in the Adirondacks in their formative years. The Adirondacks were in essence the birthplace of the federally conserved American wilderness and the modern conservation movement.

In total the Marshall and Church names have 3.4M federally protected wilderness acres including my favorite place that isn't the Adirondacks, the 2.3M acre Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. However, the scope of land preserved thanks to my trail dogs namesakes (Colvin Harrison and Marshall Church) is in the millions of acres and a good part of why the US has 12% of the world's IUCN protected wild lands but only covers 6% of the earths surface.

Bikepacking: Testing Out the K9Sportsack

This was the initial day of the K9Sportsack back in September of 2025. By November we used it to do a 66mi (3 day, but really overnight) bikepacking trip in Arkansas in the Ouachita National Forest that would not have been remotely possible without it.

Colvin in a Moment

Gotcha Day 2/14/2010 

Left this Earth 1/14/2023

Missed but not forgotten

Introducing Seneca Ray, our 3rd generation trail dog

I'd like to formally introduce Seneca Ray Serpico. She's a rescue with some trauma that we hope will become a wonderful trail dog. She's our first female dog and very dainty and gentle. Dainty and gentle as she may be, she has giant snowshoe sized trail paws and an inquisitive nature. And those eyebrows! Most importantly is her shepherds lantern (the white tip on a herding dogs tail), something I've grown accustomed to over the last 13 years motivating me to finish the hike even on days I'd rather turn around. 

Seneca's namesake was Seneca Ray Stoddard. Stoddard was a naturalist, cartographer, writer, poet, lecturer, and - most famously- a landscape photographer known for his images of the Adirondack Mountains. His works helped popularize the Adirondacks; America's first wilderness. Verplanck Colvin created the New York State Forest Preserve and Seneca Ray Stoddard help put it in the hearts and minds of America. 

Colvin, our 2nd generation trail dog, visited 37 states, spent hundreds of days in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine, but like his namesake Verplanck, the Adirondacks were where he spent most of his life exploring the wilderness. 

Seneca will be just as lucky to travel the Northeast and the US, but the Adirondacks will always be home base for adventures big and small.  

Goodbye, Colvin...

 

9/1/2009-1/14/2023

 

I always dreaded this day. You were everything I ever wanted in a dog and so much more. Obedient, loyal, protective, endlessly patient, and the most trusting companion imaginable. 

 

I remember vividly when I didn't think you were trainable. Later on I doubted you'd ever be a good trail dog. You lived up to your namesake -Verplanck Colvin-surveying every corner of the Adirondacks and 38 states. 

 

You were so well trained -even things I didn't teach you- like waiting for your family at trail intersections. A puppy that couldn't swim, couldn't scramble and absolutely hated the wind and water, you ended up loving the mountains more than I ever thought possible. You were perfectly made to be out there, right down to your weatherproof coat. Anytime I took up a new activity you adapted to be the best X dog I could imagine. Trail dog, crag dog, canyoneering dog, paddling dog, swimming dog, mountain biking dog, traveling dog, and anything else I threw at you. 

 

There were days I didn't want to be out there that you made it fun for me. Your shepherds lantern got me up mountains when I wanted to just call it a day. I hated trips without you and I always appreciated how grateful you were for everything we did. You were so positive, you were "just" a dog but you made me laugh all the time. 

 

The thing I loved most, beyond you being my best adventure buddy, was how you just loved being close to us and how much you loved and trusted us. We loved you every bit as much. I'm grateful we found you 13 years ago and most grateful you chose to make me your person. I'll never forget the loyalty, appreciation and love you showed me and everyone else who's lives you touched.