Kyle GilbertA backpacker and software engineer
Hello!
My name's Kyle and I'm based in Chicago with my partner, and our dog Dax, on the lands of the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Odawa.
By day, I build web apps as a self-taught software engineer because making things with code thrills me to no end. By trail, I explore the world – from Nepal's Himalayas to windswept Patagonia – carrying everything I need on my back.
Here's a brief history of my life so far, and how I ended up where I am:
- 1987
BirthChicago born
- 1990
Played with LEGO's
- 1993
Began formal educationSchafer Elementary
- 1995
Reveled in Star Trek's golden ageThe Next Generation, Deep Space 9, and Voyager
- 2001
Discovered website programming
- 2008
Introduced to Halo series
- 2010
Finished formal educationBachelors of Science, Northern Illinois University
- 2012
Started web development career
- 2015
Embarked on world explorationBuenos Ares, Argentina
- 2018
Completed first long-distance backpacking trek
- 2020
Met my partnerThe old-fashioned way, at a wedding
- 2022
Adopted our dog, Dax
- 2026
Hiking, travelling, and always learningSee you out there...
I've thru-hiked a lot of miles and witnessed some amazing things. My favorite long-distance trails are the Camino de Santiago in Spain, and the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. But hiking, and travelling, is only part of who I am.