The FrontPack Story
Once Upon a Time
We had a cycling family growing up. Two adults, two kids, and a sense of adventure. My first long distance ride was in college, leading an American Youth Hostels tour from NY to Quebec. The next was with my girlfriend, cycling from Oregon to San Francisco. We got married, had kids, and started riding.
And Every Summer
As the kids grew, we went farther. From around the block to around the world. From days to weeks. From flat roads to climbs.
Until One Day
We were planning a multi-week trip and I couldn't find an app that had the routing and tracking features we needed, so I built an app for that. It got us from Prague to Budapest together, and FrontPack was born. It was a free web site to upload and download GPX files, and free mobile apps for offline navigation.
And Because of That
Having successfully used FrontPack to navigate foreign lands, and with a small but growing online following, I approached Adventure Cycling Association about using it to distribute their iconic maps. It helped cyclists navigate the routes, helped the organization transition to digital mapping, and helped me fund my bike travel.
And Because of That
We evolved FrontPack into Bicycle Route Navigator and launched it in 2019. We updated the app early and often, and as cell phones and networks got better, people rode farther. By 2024, FrontPack was used to plan and navigate over 25,000,000 miles.
Until One Day
As Adventure Cycling was developing their 5-year plan, they knew they needed broader digital distribution to reach a larger, more diverse audience. They partnered with RideWithGPS and we transitioned the routes from Bicycle Route Navigator to the new platform. It was the right decision for the organization, a great ride for all.
And From That Day On
So, what's next? I'm not sure, but I do know that it's a big world and the best way to experience it is by traveling by bike. I joined the Board of Directors of Adventure Cycling to help people ride that way for another 50 years.
