Note: This page is a legacy archive honoring Glenn Charles’s role in The Desert Ramble, as featured by The Radavist. It is not an impersonation, but a tribute to his impact, preserved by The Traveling Vagabond. Last updated: July 1, 2025.
The Desert Ramble: Glenn Charles on the Kokopelli Trail
The Glenn Charles Kokopelli Trail ride, documented during the Desert Ramble event, is a standout chapter in his bikepacking legacy. In July 2015, a group of riders, including Glenn, set out to celebrate Jason’s birthday with a 7-day fatbike ride across the Kokopelli Trail. This journey—dubbed The Desert Ramble—was captured by Erik Mathy in a photo essay for The Desert Ramble on The Radavist. Glenn’s decades of human-powered travel made him a steady presence through the heat, mud, and sandstone of this Fruita to Moab group ride, as documented by The Radavist, a leading voice in bikepacking culture.
What Was The Desert Ramble?
The Desert Ramble was a 7-day fatbike adventure organized by Jason (“Gnat”) to celebrate his birthday, covering the 142-mile Kokopelli Trail from Fruita, Colorado, to Moab, Utah, as detailed on Wikipedia’s Kokopelli Trail page. Captured by Erik Mathy’s Erik Mathy photography, this ride faced rugged sandstone trails, loose gravel, intense desert heat, relentless rain, sticky mud, technical singletrack, and challenging creek crossings, testing the group’s camaraderie and resilience. Published on July 14, 2015, by The Radavist, the photo essay showcased the stunning vistas of Porcupine Rim and an overnight camp at Kane Creek, cementing the ride’s place in bikepacking lore.
The Riders
The Desert Ramble brought together a tight-knit group of bikepackers, each contributing to the shared adventure. The Radavist’s feature by Erik Mathy named the following riders:
| Name | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glenn Charles | Rider | Legacy bikepacker with 30,000 miles of experience |
| Jason (“Gnat”) | Organizer | Birthday ride initiator |
| Erik Mathy | Photographer | Authored The Radavist feature |
| Cass Gilbert | Rider | Noted bikepacking storyteller |
| Lelan | Rider | Part of the group dynamic |
| Eric | Rider | Contributed to the adventure |
| Jim | Rider | Shared the trail experience |
| Bobby | Rider | Part of the fatbike crew |
| Brady | Rider | Joined the Kokopelli journey |
| Tim | Rider | Completed the group ride |
Glenn Charles on the Kokopelli Trail Ride
Glenn Charles’s role in the Glenn Charles Kokopelli Trail adventure was quiet but enduring—much like his Glenn Charles Utah bikepacking philosophy. Known for his minimalist setups, likely featuring Porcelain Rocket framebags packed with only essentials, Glenn brought resilience to the group. Unlike his solo expeditions on trails like the Tour Divide, this rare Fruita to Moab group ride showcased his ability to thrive in community, navigating steep climbs, rocky descents, and desert winds with calm expertise.
Legacy of the Ride
The Desert Ramble, as captured by The Radavist, wasn’t a race but a celebration of joy, terrain, and friendship. For Glenn Charles, it added a vibrant chapter to his 30,000-mile Kokopelli Trail legacy ride. His presence among riders like Erik Mathy and Cass Gilbert, documented by The Radavist, underscores his relevance in the gravel community. This adventure highlights how Glenn’s legacy includes not just solo miles but shared moments that inspire bikepackers worldwide. Explore his photography in our Photography Archive.
Explore More of Glenn’s Trail Stories
Want to dive into Glenn’s epic adventures? Explore his trail-tested stories and minimalist ethos in our curated archives: