Kristen Jokinen: Girl Around The World
Exciting update! Kristen's book: "Joy Ride: A Bike Odyssey from Alaska to Argentina" will be available in stores on May 2nd. Keep an eye out for cities we're going on the national Book Tour! 👀
The Metamorphosis of a Social Butterfly
A native Oregonian—born and raised in Bend—Kristen’s love of people started in her parents’ five-classroom school (built on the ground level of their family home). As the eldest of three, her childhood was spent watching her two younger siblings—Lisa + Jordan—or playing with the kids at her parents’ school. After attending her family’s school as a young pupil, Kristen became a student at Old St. Francis (a Catholic establishment in Bend—later turned into the locally-loved McMenamins Pub). Even with her responsibilities at home, Kristen was heavily involved in almost any sport that had a slot for her to join: soccer, basketball, track, cross-country, swimming, and snowboarding. Her ability to set and complete goals didn’t just make her a good athlete—it made her a great student. By the middle of high school, she had her sites set on completing a cross-country solo backpacking excursion across Central Europe, which pushed her to keep good grades and graduate a year early before she set off.
Jill of All Trades (and Nicknames)
Kristen is known by many different names—in many places: K.G. (a reference to her maiden name—Kristen Grund), Kris, Kakku (cake), Pocket Tornado, Armadillo, Bumblebee, and more recently—The Diplomat. She spent time as an Oregon State University student, a nanny in San Francisco, a teacher in Chiang Mai, Thailand—where she worked with high school girls from surrounding hill tribes, a wild-land firefighter in California, and a crew member on Caribbean sailboats—amongst various other positions. Through all of these names, places, and careers, Kristen can look back + see how it all aligned to lead her on the best adventure she’d ever embark on—a life with her husband and adventuring partner—Ville.
We Didn’t Kill Each Other—What’s Next?
People recommend pre-marital counseling to ensure your values and expectations of the marriage align before tying the knot—we thought the best way to test our compatibility was hiking 2,655 miles—soon after we started dating. Never having hiked together, we figured if we were going to take on hiking—we’d do it big—like PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) big. Inside the confines of Ville’s 300-square-foot Helsinki apartment, we hatched a plan to purchase our gear (spoiler alert: the newbies (us) packed way too much), fly to San Diego, and store resupply boxes at Kristen’s aunt’s place. At the end of our five-month journey, our bodies were weathered, and our heads were foggy, but we hadn’t killed each other, so we decided to get hitched.
Most people who finish something as taxing as the PCT want to congratulate themselves and settle into something more stable, but we were already planning the next adventure. A year and a half after purchasing and completing an entire house gut remodel in Bend, Oregon—we decided to rent it out, acquire bikes, and—without cycling experience—fly to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to start an 18,000-mile venture concluding in Bahia Lapatia, Argentina—a.k.a. The End of The World. Due to near bear attacks, dengue fever, and the sheer length of the journey, we wouldn’t finish for two years, but we would end up finishing.
The Pocket Tornado Hits Portland
Soon after our 18,000-mile adventure, COVID-19 hit while we were visiting Ville's mom in Finland. Like everyone else, our lives were on hold, and we weren’t sure what to do. We were used to spending the time we weren’t adventuring with friends—organizing impromptu soccer games, snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor with our ‘ride buddies,’ listening to music in the park, and having dinner with Kristen’s parents (who still reside in Bend). We understood any future adventures would have to be on hold, so we decided to go back to the States and move to Portland—prompting the inception of Kristen's literary world adventure. Her desire to share the story of our 18,000-mile adventure—one full of kindness, tenacity, hardship, and hope—stemmed from a hunger to inspire others to brave their own emotional or physical journeys.
Enjoying The Ride
If she learned anything from her various adventures—it was to enjoy the ride. Every end has a beginning, and as Kristen wrote Joy Ride: A Bike Odyssey from Alaska to Argentina (which came with its challenges), she never forgot where it all started: the 17-year-old girl with a backpack and a dream in Central Europe, the novice PCT hiker, the newbie speaker giving talks about our adventures in various locations (from local Bend schools to M.I.T.), and the tyro cyclist on the Dalton Highway in Alaska. Joy Ride getting published doesn’t represent the end of Kristen’s risk-taking chapter—it’s just the beginning. Whether you see her along her upcoming national book tour (list of cities to come soon)—or you wait to see what she does next—you can count on the fact that she’ll be conquering it with Ville by her side, a backpack full of snacks, and a notepad to write it all down.
Listen to Kristen’s Spotify Playlist Here!
Pre-Order Your Signed Copy of Joy Ride Here!
Upcoming Author Events:
RSVP to the Joy Ride book launch at Powell’s Books!
Hey—Bend, Oregon Residents!
We’ll be at the Barnes and Noble in Bend on May 20th (see the poster above) for Kristen’s book Joy Ride: A Bike Odyssey from Alaska to Argentina! Additionally, there will be a delicious after-party hosted at Crux Brewery (The Crux Fermentation Project). Follow our socials for more information on that event and to stay up-to-date on upcoming announcements! We hope to see you there!
