Bikes or Death is a podcast centered around the growing sport of bikepacking, adventure cycling, and the outdoors. The show features the amazing people who participate in these activities and contribute so greatly to the cycling community. The Bikes or Death Podcast is dedicated to sharing the stories and experiences of these individuals with the hopes that it inspires others to get outside, get on their bikes, and experience what our natural world has waiting for them.
At its heart Bikes or Death is more than just a podcast. Bikes or Death is a lifestyle.
Photo by Jerod Foster
PATRICK FARNSWORTH, The Host
Patrick Farnsworth is the host of the Bikes or Death Podcast. Patrick has been an avid cyclist and outdoorsman since his days in the Boy Scouts, and Bikes or Death is simply an extension of his love for cycling and the great outdoors. He and his family call College Station, Texas home, but you can often find him rambling down some remote gravel road in east Texas or hitting the MTB trails of northwest Arkansas.
Photo by Jerod Foster
ALISSA BELL, The Tech Wizard
Alissa caught the bike travel bug in 2018 during a solo tour in Southeast Asia, and things escalated quickly. Since then she’s pedaled over ten thousand miles, often solo, abroad and in the US, on both roads and trails (increasingly more of the latter these days). She and her husband live in California and play outside as much as possible.
In a former life Alissa was a software product manager, and is now self-employed as a web consultant, WordPress expert, and writer. She built the latest version of this website, and has been helping to keep it up and running since the early days. Combining bikes with building software makes her happy; you can see her latest project at bikesleepbike.com. To read about her adventures, see her advice on planning your own, or get in touch about web consulting services, visit her website: Exploring Wild.
BEN CRANNELL, The Podcast Editor
Originally from Dallas, Texas, the music industry drew me to Nashville in 2005. In that time I discovered a passion for cycling, everything from gravel riding to mountain biking, bikepacking, commuting, group social rides, even pedicabbing and lugging BBQ-dense tourists up hills for two years. After playing music and working in the live sound industry for a decade, covid led to a forced career change and working remotely became an option. My skills translated seamlessly into the growing field of podcast editing and I have been trying to align my clients with my passion for cycling and the outdoors.
Fast-forward a few months and here I am sitting in my camper, traveling the US full time, working, and searching out riding, hiking, and the best swimming holes with my partner and my dog Juniper.
bencrannell@gmail.com for those interested in my services.
CATHERINE WIDJAJA, The Designer
Catherine Widjaja is a designer based in Vancouver, BC. She designed this website, and the very first BoD t-shirt! Originally from Indonesia, this city girl only discovered cycling and bike-camping in 2019, and has never looked back since. She yells out compliments to dogs when she rides her bike.
To see more of her work, visit catwidjaja.com.
EMILY THORNTON, The Event Planning Specialist
Emily is a hardcore neighborhood cyclist with her two kids in tow. When she’s not raising the next generation of cyclists she’s managing the web store, shipping, and getting all the BoD events organized. But her main responsibility is bringing Patrick back down to Earth. And I’ll let you in on a little secret, those handwritten notes that come with your order….all Emily! She brings a level of organization and attention to detail that was much needed. Next time you get some BoD love in the mail, Emily is the one to thank!
MAXWELL JOHNSTON, The Photographer
Maxwell is a visual storyteller who will be joining us to capture the events and the memories that are made. Maxwell was born and raised a Texan, and loves to inspire people to get outside on their bikes with his images. He is a person in long term recovery and hopes that others share the same joy he feels on the bike. He has created two overnight bikepacking routes in Central Texas, so he also has experience planning, preparing and executing an overnight cycling adventure.
