‘Cascadia – In the Shadow of Giants’, the latest film from Montanus, is a bikepacking journey through Oregon’s vast wilderness. It’s a reminder of how small we are beneath towering peaks and endless forests, and how deeply we belong to the land that endures beyond us.
There’s a region in the Pacific Northwest where the forest feels endless, a green ocean stretching beneath snow-capped volcanoes, where time seems to move to an older rhythm. This is Cascadia, a place where light filters through canopies of redwoods and pines, and every trail seems to echo the pulse of the earth.
Giorgio and Francesco’s journey began in Bend and ended in Hood River, near the border with Washington State. Over 520 kilometers, they combined sections of the Three Sisters Trail with the legendary Oregon Timber Trail, traversing the wild heart of the Cascade Range. Beneath the towering silhouettes of Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington, and Mount Hood, they felt incredibly small, smaller than ever before. Out there, deep in the forest, humanity fades into the background, reminding us that we’re part of something much greater, where nature still sets the pace.
They also rode through areas scarred by wildfire, places like Pyramid and Ollalie Lake, where blackened trunks stood as monuments to the endless cycle of destruction and rebirth. From a human perspective, fire feels devastating, but on the Earth’s timeline, it’s simply renewal. Life always returns, stronger, wilder, unstoppable.
CASCADIA – In the Shadow of Giants aims to be a reflection on scale, humility, and the timeless power of the natural world. It’s an ode to the wilderness, and a reminder that we are only guests here, moving quietly in the shadow of giants.
Behind the Build: Montanus’ Kona Hei Hei G10s for Cascadia
For their latest adventure in Oregon, riding the endless singletrack of the Oregon Timber Trail, the Montanus duo chose the new Kona Hei Hei G10.
To stay self-sufficient in the wild, Giorgio and Francesco designed a custom setup that allowed for up to four days of autonomy, while carrying all the photo and video gear needed to document the journey. Alongside their standard kit (two cameras, spare batteries, a tripod, two power banks, and a drone) they brought a second compact drone for dynamic close-up shots in the forest.
The custom framebags in Ultra 200x fabric were handcrafted by Walkman Gear (@walkmangear) to fit the Hei Hei frames precisely. Both riders also modified their Topeak Backloader X saddlebags, reshaping them to reduce bulk and adding rigid supports at the base, which allowed full use of the 120mm rear suspension travel even with the dropper posts lowered.
The tripod was positioned on the top tube using the Morso, a DIY harness created by the duo for this exact purpose. A dry bag was strapped beneath the downtube was used to carry the tent, while the water bottles were positioned on the fork legs.
