Connecting The Dots with Aaron Arnzen

Born and raised in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Aaron has spent years developing an intimate relationship with the rivers, forests, gravel roads, and forgotten places that make the Ozarks one of the most captivating landscapes in the United States. Whether he's pedaling remote backroads, floating rivers with a loaded bikeraft, or documenting bikepacking races across the country, Aaron has a remarkable ability to uncover stories and places that most of us would ride right past.Many of you have probably seen Aaron's work without even realizing it. Through Mixed SOiL Media, he's helped capture the spirit of events like the Arkansas High Country Race, DOOM, the Fayetteville Ultra Circuit, Mishigami, and countless other races and adventures across the country. His videos and photography don't just document an event—they tell the story of the people, the landscape, and everything that happens in between.But Aaron's impact reaches far beyond the camera. He's also the mind behind the route entitled MOzark—a 1,320-mile bikepacking route that stitches together some of Missouri's most spectacular public lands, and countless small towns, rivers, and historic landmarks that give the route its character.In this conversation, Aaron and I talk about growing up in Cape Girardeau and where his fascination with maps, rivers, forests, and exploration first began. We dive into the world of bikerafting and how combining bicycles with packrafts opens up entirely new ways to experience the backcountry. We also discuss the evolution of Mixed SOiL Media—from its humble beginnings to becoming one of the most recognizable names in bikepacking storytelling—and what race organizers can expect when they bring Aaron on to document an event.And finally, we spend some time exploring the MOzark route itself. We talk about the monumental task of turning hundreds of miles of disconnected roads, rivers, public lands, and historical points of interest into one cohesive journey, why the Ozarks continue to inspire him after all these years, the highlights of Mr. Randy Windle’s ride back in June, and what it means to share these places with the cycling community in a way that encourages both adventure and stewardship.Spend enough time around Aaron, and you start looking at a map a little differently.