Guest Blog: Gravel rocks! Biking on gravel leads to adventure

Riding bikes on gravel roads is becoming a popular way to travel. Photo Courtesy: Tiffany Burris

By Tiffany Burris, 
Founder and Head Coach at DarkEarly Racing LLC 

I started cycling as part of the triathlon sport. Back then, I just saw the bike as a way to get from the swim to the run. In order to up my triathlon game I turned to my local bike shop, Santa Fe Trails Bicycle and Coffee Shop, in Leavenworth and they encouraged me to enter some local road races and join them on some group rides. I had fun and my eyes were opened to a new world, a subculture I had no idea even existed. 

Photo Courtesy: Tiffany Burris

It was in the spring, when some of the group rides took to the gravel in the hills of Leavenworth County when I lost my heart to those white rock, wash boarded, cursing under your breath but beautiful backroads. Years, miles and a whole fleet of bikes later I’m still hooked and share the gravel gospel with anyone who will listen.

The Dirt Road Debutante Gravel Academy was an Idea that came to me in a place I never thought I would find myself. I was competing in The Win For KC women’s triathlon. 

I was awestruck at how many ladies had entered this event. I spoke with several competitors and the general feeling was that events like this were lower stress and less pressure. During the cycling portion of the race I found myself doing something unheard of in triathlon. I saw a racer on the side of the road struggling with a derailed chain. I pulled over to help her to get it back on and got her back in the race. This is the very moment I decided how I can serve my true passion of gravel cycling and bring women into this community. 

In the world of gravel cycling this act of kindness is the norm, sure there are lots of fast racers that go out hard and play to win, but the vast majority just want to cover the distance, push themselves, have fun and collect stories and memories.

The Dirt Road Debutante Gravel Academy is my best effort to provide an all-inclusive gravel cycling experience aimed at beginner to intermediate lady riders. The clinic will empower women with the skills, knowledge, and tools to be confident on gravel and enter this cycling community.

Gravel riders on the Katy Trail in Atchison. 
Photo Courtesy: Tiffany Burris

The Clinic Info

I have picked some of the best and nicest local female cyclist in Kansas City, Karen Pritchard, Catherine Walberg and Jen Barr, to teach the ladies how to ride gravel with confidence.  They will cover techniques and gravel related topics in class. Some of the topics will include: Tire pressure and type, clips vs flat pedals, how to pack enough water for the ride, what to wear, how to position yourself on the bike for the given terrain and a lot more. Then they will head out on the road to practice what they have learned, under the watchful eye of the pros. 

I have paired with my local bicycle shop, Sante Fe Trails Bicycle and Coffee Shop – where the clinic will be held, to cover bicycle maintenance and common roadside repairs and to do a lactic acid threshold test for those wanting to really train to become better and stronger.  
Riders will have the opportunity to learn about hydration, nutrition, calorie consumption and recovery from Candice McField, a local nutritionist.

A local bicycle safety advocate, Bob Vervecke, will teach the ladies about basic bicycle safety, how to be seen, and to give them information on the different technologies available to protect oneself and to alert family if something happens.

I will cover topics related to training, incorporating a family into your training, ways to sneak it in, goal setting and planning a race/event schedule.

Gravel riders on the Katy Trail in Atchison.
Photo Courtesy: Tiffany Burris

The clinic is made possible by the local and corporate support.  I am not the only one that would like to see more women cyclists.  It is a common discussion around the cycling community but has remained a mystery as to how to make it happen.  It is my belief that many women would like cycling if they knew how to juggle it with all the demands they already have.  

I think women believe they need to be their best or it is not worth doing.  I think you can be your best when you challenge yourself, accept that your best today is different than your best will be later in life. With different life circumstances and understanding, people need to see gravel cycling is about the ride and not the finish line.  Finding a close-knit group is part of the experience and will help get you out of the door on the tough days.  

Making time for yourself, improving your health and seeing things from a new view is often all it takes to have a better outlook on life.

For more information check out www.darkearly.com 

KDOT note: Check back in June for another blog about how gravel riding is having an impact on Kansas communities! 

Grassroots effort in Topeka brings bicycling back to kids, in school setting

By Andy Fry,  Topeka Community Cycle Project

Over the last three years, the Topeka Bike Lesson and Safety Training (BLAST) program has reached more than 2,500 Topeka elementary age children, with plans to continue by either utilizing the gym space or outdoors when weather allows.  Grant funding made it possible to purchase the transport trailer and fleet of kids’ bicycles.

Providing the basic understanding of operating a bicycle around their neighborhood as well as basic handling skills better prepares these children to not only ride safe when out enjoying their community with their family, but also prepares them to be considerate road users as adults. In addition, there are typically some students unfamiliar with riding who have not yet had exposure to a bicycle. We provide starter bikes, called balance bikes, and a brief course to get them used to riding and then proceed with pedals and the functional coursework.

With the courses taught in the USD 501 Physical Education curriculum, this program allows the instructor to bring real world safety and healthy activity concepts into the classroom. Teachers have reported children are engaging and enjoying the opportunity to be active on bicycles during their school day.

Currently, all the materials and equipment necessary to operate the program are in place and working effectively. The Topeka Community Cycle Project has partnered with the Shawnee County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment through the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction grant to fund an education position to staff the BLAST program and help teachers in the school setting. BLAST allows children to understand some of the physics and science surrounding movement on a bicycle as well as enjoy exploring their community.

Students line up with their bikes as part of their participation in Topeka's Bike Lesson and Safety Training program. 

The Topeka Community Cycle Project (TCCP) is partnered with USD 501 Topeka Public Schools and Safe Kids Shawnee County (Safe Kids) to offer Topeka Bike Lessons and Safety Tools BLAST programming in Topeka's elementary schools. Topeka Community Foundation (TCF) and Heartland Healthy Neighborhoods (HHN), through the Kansas Health Foundation, provided donations and grants needed to launch the program. TCCP applied for the Healthy Initiatives grant from TCF.

The Topeka Community Cycle project strives to broaden access to cycling in the city through education and bike repair..  

The Topeka Community Cycle Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community bicycle shop. TCCP strives to broaden access to cycling in Topeka through hands-on education and bike repair and is located at 801 NE Poplar. TCCP is open Thursdays from 5 - 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Through a partnership with the Shawnee County Parks and Recreation Department, TCCP is housed in the Oakland Community Center and is open to allow individuals to come and work on their bike for free, as well as earn and learn about bicycles while volunteering. TCCP is currently developing several other programs this summer with Shawnee County Parks and Rec and other community organizations to bring safe, healthy experiences in Topeka.

Please contact TCCP at andy@cycleproject.org if you are interested in participating in BLAST as a volunteer or have another interest in partnership or programming or give us a call at(785) 380-9827.