Matt Neundorf shares his love of motorcycling while on the job and at play, and lucky for him sometimes they are one in the same.
Working as part-time motorcycle journalist is easily the best “job” I’ve ever finagled my way into. My side hustle with Gear Patrol, Bike Exif, Craftrad and VICARIOUS Magazine affords me fantastic opportunities to explore hidden corners and dusty paths all over this world. And, ever since I was introduced to them on a trip through Eastern Oregon (watch on YouTube), Velomacchi has played an integral part in many of those escapes.
I’ve lugged countless riding essentials across the pond into Spain, Portugal, the Isle of Man, Ireland and numerous provinces and states using the Velomacchi 50L Hybrid Duffel Travel Backpack as my carry-on friendly luggage of choice. With the backpack straps deployed, even the most snarky of TSA agents continuously wave me through so I needn't worry about lost riding gear when I land. And I can fit everything I need for a bike launch in there without a worry.
Most recently my nerves, bike and gear were put to the ultimate test when I made the trek home from AltRider’s Conserve the Ride event last year, in Woodward, PA. Exhausted, hungover and sore from two amazing days of camaraderie and hustling my Triumph Tiger through the trails winding through the Seven Mountains area I pried my eyes open to a deluge of biblical proportions. Worst of all, that storm seemed to hone in on me and followed me for eight of the ten hours I needed to get home.
I was soaked through before I even hit the interstate. And my mind was splitting time between focus on the road and worrying about my camera equipment stowed in my duffel -- my tent, tarp and all the other wet bits had been stuffed into the panniers, so I only had dry space available in that Velomacchi Duffel.
When the sun finally came out about thirty miles before the border, I stopped to check just how waterlogged my Canon had become. Unlike my soggy self (and the passport I’d stashed into an advertised “waterproof” pocket in my jacket), everything stowed behind me in that beautiful bag was bone dry. A sigh of relief and a small prayer for an easy going border guard and I was on my way.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing I like better than to strap that duffel to the back of mine or somebody else's bike and take off on another adventure. But the truth of the matter is that, like just about every other wanderluster out there, I need a 9-5 to fund some of those exploits as well as everything else life has to offer. Thankfully, my day-to-day as a construction inspector doesn’t have me strapped to a desk: it lets me travel all over my fine city of Toronto.
And once the streets thaw out, that means the cage gets parked and one of my bikes becomes my sole mode of transportation. Of course, working from a mobile office has its own challenges. I need to carry just about everything most of you see on or in your desk, and then some -- and panniers alone won’t cut it: I need to lug those essentials on foot too. Thankfully, Kevin and his Velomacchi minions heard my cries and developed the 40L Speedway Backpack. I can stuff everything I need to do my job professionally (and pretty damned stylishly) inside its waterproof cocoon to take it comfortably everywhere I’m needed to be.
The 40L Speedway Backpack handles my EDC like a champ.
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Keep up to date on Matt's travels and articles with the links below.
Articles: Muck Rack
Instagram: @mattneundorf
Twitter: @NeunRulez
Take a closer look at the 40L Speedway Backpack & 50L Speedway Hybrid Duffel Travel Backpack Matt trusts.
