Jim has never found it difficult to dream about adventures, whether at night when asleep or with his eyes open wide. This approach has taken him all over the Scottish Highlands where he grew up; Spain, the Alps, the Southwest of the US by hiking, climbing, skiing and more recently by bike. He is a qualified Winter Mountaineering & Climbing Instructor and also holds the Mountain Bike Leader award. Jim is a member of the ambassador team for Six Moon Designs who produce high quality, lightweight shelters, backpacks and camping equipment.
Jim has bikepacked all over Scotland, including The Capital Trail, The Deeside Trail, an offroad coast to coast to celebrate his 50th birthday, The Moray Trail - six times so far! In 2019 he also rode unsupported over 1100 miles on The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route through Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.
In the summer of 2022 Jim created and rode his own version of the Lands End to John O' Groats route which was 1200 miles long with over 62,000ft of ascent. On the way he met lots of interesting local people, sampled great places to eat and stay. The route was a blend of quiet backroads, bridleways and committing mountain tracks and trails. This experience has made him want to share a small version of this with 'rideawaybikepacking' to show others how to then go on to have adventures of their own with a similar ethos of community and leavenotrace.