BaseCamp athlete Beth Huffaker shared her experience at the 2024 La Grind Gravel 50-Mile Endurance Challenge in Emporia, Kansas.
I’m sorry now that I didn’t stop for pics of a beautiful ride through the Flint Hills yesterday! Maybe next time. It was my second race of the season, 50 miles. My first time down many of those roads on two wheels. I woke up early and nervously watched the radar as it was raining pretty good a couple of hours before the start. I reallllly don't want to carry my bike down a muddy road. But I made the hour long drive to the start line anyway. The rain had cleared, the roads were in good shape with a few fun puddles to ride through and no hike a bike.
The first half of the race had most of the climbing and I was stoked that I made it up even the gnarly, steep ones! I made a new friend out there too, a Philly girl who recently moved to Kansas. We made plans to meet up for long rides this summer. 🌝 She was on a Raleigh bike with rim brakes and no GPS, so I stuck with her and another rider, also no GPS, riding a new to him bike with a 38 tire on the front and a road tire on the back! I gave up the idea of a fast time and the three of us practiced our pace line riding and then rode three across at the finish line. It was a perfect day! Next up, Unbound 50.
