Tracy's story: Cedar Blitz

BaseCamp athlete Tracy Gravlin shared her experience at the 2025 Cedar Blitz gravel bike race in Michigan.

Just back from a fun weekend with my BaseCamp friend Beth Huffaker! We met up to race the Cedar Blitz 50-mile gravel race. Beth got us a nice VRBO on the Rogue River outside Rockford and close to the race venue in Cedar Springs.

We had great gravel roads and a well supported race. The start was fast and felt great. About 26 miles in, the head winds seemed to be everywhere you turned. Riding solo at that point made it hard. Beautiful farm country though, and it felt great to finish feeling good but worn out at the same time. Fabulous gravel! Farm country for miles and miles. Head wind that never seemed to end. Beth and I were the only women in the 60+, but we came in ahead of the 50-59 and one of the 40-49, so we felt legit on the podium!

The tasty Cedar Springs Ale was our reward! We both are going home with a growler. We enjoyed good meals at our house and rode to breakfast in Rockford this morning before heading our separate ways.

The BaseCamp community has given me so many cycling friends from across the country. Beth came up from Kansas! And of course fun to see another BaseCamper, John Keepers, as well. Thank you, John Gravlin, for always being my support person!!