Welcome to Wilderland🌠
We’re Ryan and Ilse.
In the summer of ‘21, we met on the Pacific Crest Trail in the area of Kodak Pass (Ryan’s trail name— coincidence, much?) and fell in love.
1 year later, we hiked the Great Divide Trail in Canada and promised to marry each other if we survived this challenging thru hike as a couple. Spoiler alert: we got hitched in Las Vegas 1 week after completing the trail.
We’ve been walking together through life ever since.
In January 2025, we set out for the end of the world to start our biggest adventure yet:
Cycling the entire length of the Americas 🚲
Wilderland…
… is a place of magic in the literature of Tolkien — probably our favorite storyteller.
Wilderland is an ode to the true nature of wilderness, with love for the rhythm of the wild.
Loaded with pens, notebooks, and cameras, we venture into Mother Nature’s backyard and take it all in.
Join us on Patreon and discover…
Early-released videos
Personal updates from the road
Postcards sent from location
Map updates on Polarsteps
Eternal gratitude! ◡̈
STAY WILD