When BERT started, I knew I had to do everything I could to send Lael Wilcox a pair of shoes. And don’t think I just knew her because she recently made a Guinness World Record and EVERYONE was talking about her. I first heard about Lael in 2020, when she came to Colombia and embarked on a bikepacking trip in Chingaza—my favorite place on Earth.
She was the first cyclist to ride in this natural park because it is typically off-limits. But as someone who’s always pushing boundaries, she made the impossible happen. Her ride wasn’t just an adventure; it was a statement. She wanted to draw attention to the importance of conserving the unique páramos ecosystem in the area surrounding Bogotá, where I live.
From that moment, I was inspired by her and started following her journey. I was fortunate to have a mutual friend who helped me connect with her and send her a pair of BERTs. To my delight, she agreed to an interview with us! I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we loved talking to this incredible woman.
Who are you?
I'm Lael wilcox I'm a bikepacker from Alaska and I live in Arizona.
Describe yourself in three words.
Passionate, love to have fun and I’m very curious.
When and why did you start cycling?
I started biking to get to and from work when I was 20 years old and then quickly after that I started riding everywhere, and then a couple of months later I rode across the US, travelled the world for seven years like that and then started bikepacking races.
Why did you decide to go and travel around the world by yourself?
I’ve been wanting to do this for.. I guess eight years since I race the trans am bike race in 2016. When I was riding to the start of that from Alaska I thought : "what if this was my ride around the world", and I didn't have a route, or a plan, or any money but it have been in my head since then. And I just thought, I just love how long and big it was, and how many new places I get to see so it was a lot of fun.
How did you prepare mentally and physically for this challenge?
You know, I feel I’ve been preparing for this the last ten years. I’ve been racing and biking and travelling like this and it just seem like the cap stone of all that.
What was the best part of doing this adventure?
Oh the best part was that I invited people from around the world, I said “anybody can come for any distance” so I probably had 3,000 people join me at different parts. Sometimes just for a few minutes, people went there with their kids, on cargo e-bikes, folks everywhere came out to see me. A lot of them ride with me and tell me about their place and why it was special and it made it really really fun.
What was the most challenging part of doing this?
You know, I didn't know in advance but probably winter in the southern hemisphere so when I got to Australia in let see I guess July it was a dead winter so the days were very short it was pretty cold and that was pretty tough.
Why do you think more men do bike-packing than women?
You know, I think because cycling is already a male dominated sport, I think women want to get out for this adventures but I dont exactly know why but I'm trying to change that by making women bikepacking events, I run a Grit program and offer women scholarships. I do see a changing to I’m super excited about that.
If you could do it again, what would you change?
I don't think I want to do it again , I want to do something else. Cause I feel everything got welI, I didn't get hit by a car, nothing catastrophic happens so I feel super lucky that it all kind of came together.
If you could give an advice to all the women who want to do the impossible what would you tell them?
I would say just to get started, you don't have to go for the biggest thing first just start something in a process. I know everyone has responsibilities in their lifes and different limitations but you know for bikepacking even just going for an overnight you learn so much about what you need what you don't need, your preferences and even if you like it. So I just say get after part of it as urgently as you can.
Whats your favorite thing about BERT?
The shoes are so comfortable they remind me of little dojo shoes, oh for martial arts and super easy to slide in a great camp shoes.
Whats your next adventure? are you bringing Berts with you?
My next adventure is racing the iditorah race on a flat bike in Alaska in february. I won't be bringing my berts because I’ll either just be in my big bike winter boots or I'll be camping in my own insolated booties or just be in my socks inside of my cabin, so unfortunately I can't bring them for this one.
