My name is Andy Mckowan. I am a Freelance Route Editor for Komoot. I have been riding bikes from the age of 6. I have always had a love for nature and the outdoors. Every minute I had to spare was spent down in the woods behind my house outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My parents were part of the early mountain bike culture of the 90's and passed the passion on to me. I have great memories of piling into an old conversion van nicknamed "The Love Shack" and driving from Pittsburgh to Vermont for a mountain bike festival when I was 10. I have since moved away from home and am now living in Charlotte, North Carolina exploring the local mountain bike scene and taking trips to the mountains to the north and west around Asheville. Along the way I have tackled some major challenges, the toughest being a 24 hour mountain bike race I did while in high school with three of my friends, relay style. That was the toughest thing I have ever done to date. More recently, I have gotten into long distance bike touring and rode the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal 355 Miles from Pittsburgh to Washington DC with my mom over 6 days. The trip was incredible and we did it again in 2021, this time with my wife, my mom and another friend. Our next adventure will be exploring the hundreds of miles of gravel and dirt roads in South Carolina in the Sandhills Area. There is always another adventure on the horizon, and another route to ride. Thanks for taking the time to check out my profile! I hope it gives you some inspiration for you next adventure!
January 28, 2026
Quiet trails, fresh air, and nothing but forest all around. This loop really makes you slow down and just enjoy the moment