Ashley's story: Oz Wicked Wind

BaseCamp athlete Ashley Helfrich shared her experience at the 2026 Oz Wicked Wind bike race in Kansas.

I had signed up for the 65 mile but decided to ride the 20-mile loop, which was a good idea, as it was super windy that day. The strongest headwind I've ever ridden in lol (and I thought it was bad in McPherson). It was 30 mph winds with close to 50 mph gusts. Luckily my back felt okay during the ride. What didn't feel great was the cramping in my left hamstring, probably from tensing up so much with the wind.