About Us
We are incredibly lucky to have a seasonal staff that comes back year after year for Bikerpelli. We will work towards an all femme staff for BABErpelli, but for this first year, we are prioritizing having an experienced, dialed crew, so we will have a dude or two on staff. They know what we’re going for with this trip, however, and have promised not to mess with the vibe. As we finalize the crew, we will add them to the section below.
Owner and Event Coordinator
Emily started working for our sister company, Bikerpelli, in 2018 and was the Event Coordinator until she purchased the company in 2024 (she’s still the Event Coordinator BTW. She just also now handles the less fun parts of the business as well). She’d been dreaming of how incredible a women’s ride on the Kokopelli would be for years, and is so stoked to make that dream come to fruition in 2026.
Emily previously ran a ranch wedding venue and worked in logistics and field camp coordination for the United States Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. She thrives in the details of streamlining group coordination and strives to facilitate joy through sharing these unique mountain bike trips with folks who might not attempt the Kokopelli unsupported.
Emily loves mountain biking (though in her opinion she brings more stoke than skill to the trail), as well as rock climbing, skiing and SCUBA diving. Basically any reason to get outside! She leans into the “work hard, play hard” mentality and when she’s not with you in the desert she is a rope access technician working on radomes around the world.
Chef Cat
Cat has been with us since 2019, blessing the Bikerpelli table with her amazing home cooked meals. Cat has cooked in science camps all over Antarctica as well as at at ski-in back country camp in West Yellowstone.
Don’t expect anything less than a balanced, nutritious and delicious menu, with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies alongside the requisite carbs and proteins. Cat takes special care to make sure riders with food restrictions get everything they need and never feel left out. She’s our fierce, talented Chef who will nurture you but will also loudly scold if you don’t wash your hands before dinner. So, wash those dirty paws and grab a plate— you’re in for a treat!
Varga, Your Risk Manager
Varga has worked as both our Risk Manager and Camp Manager and is amazing in both roles. Whether they are checking you into camp or building the bonfire, driving one of the big rigs or choosing the most picturesque groover placements you can imagine, they bring the best energy to the table. And, the best trumpet serenades— imagine rolling into a remote camp after 40 sweaty miles in the saddle to Eye of the Tiger or the Jurassic Park theme song. We still have the requisite bike event cowbells, but the trumpet really does add a little somethin’.
Varga previously worked supporting science (and playing trumpet) at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. In Antarctica as in the CO/UT desert, Varga is passionate about reducing waste and promoting recycling and has helped us create lower-impact events in the back-country.
Your In-Camp Massage Therapists
Our massage therapists have been working with Bikerpelli (and now BABErpelli!) for over 2 decades. They have their tables set up in camp every evening— outdoors if the weather is giving us relaxing weather, otherwise they set up in our box truck which they turn into a magical, mobile spa with their candles and aromatherapy. Their services are the only thing NOT included in your registration fee, as they are their own business and join us in collaboration on the Kokopelli.
Treat your body to a healing massage after a day (or two, or three) in the saddle. You won’t regret it.
Your Yoga Instructor, Nina
Nina is an enthusiast of the natural world and all the physical and spiritual beings that dwell within it. She is a farmer, yogi, and outdoor enthusiast whose curiosity is fueled by the interconnections of all living things. Based in Northern New Mexico, Nina guides a creative vinyasa practice that invites students back into their bodies while exploring their own relationships with the more-than-human world. She sees yoga as another tool for exploring what it means to be human within that larger web of life, and as a way to tune into the glimmers that surround us in every moment, no matter where we are or what state we may be in. Nina has been a student of yoga for more than 15 years and received her 200-hour RYT through The Mindfulish School in Bali, Indonesia.
Nina will be riding alongside you on the Kokopelli, and guiding you in a revitalizing guided practice to help support your bodies and minds on this challenging adventure ride.