Last Saturday saw the Heatstroke 100, primarily a road event, but now with a gravel option. I heard great things about the many volunteers and the SAG stops, and that the course was challenging. From what I understand, road riders expect lots of support, and they got it. That’s one difference between road and gravel rides. A hardy breed, gravel riders don’t traditionally expect it, and may be surprised to get support. Having to forage […]

The congratulations for a job well done were flying thick Sunday morning, both to the race directors and the riders of Gravel Worlds 2019. Monday morning quarter-backing is now in full swing. Also, some who once said “never again!” in the past are now making tentative plans for next year. The finishers of the Privateer and Buccaneer routes had great rides, hitting many of the course highlights without so much of the punishment that can […]

The rolling sea of gravel that surrounds us here in the capital city will soon be taken over by a full fleet of two-wheeled ships bound for glory. Next Saturday, August 17th, is the tenth annual Gravel Worlds, put on by Pirate Cycling League, and now presented with help from an Icelandic bicycle company, Lauf. The event has grown quite a bit over these ten years, shedding some of it’s more piratey ways, and is […]

It’s high season for bike packing and festival adventures. This past weekend saw rides to Wilber for their Czech festival, with both hard-surfaced, and in my case, gravel routes. It’s about the same distance as going to Platte river State Park for a bacon ride, between 60 and 80 miles, depending where you start from. This coming Saturday is Czech Heritage Day in Prague, which comes out at about the same distance. If this seems […]

Last Friday at Bike Club I was waiting for riders to come into Code Beer and pick up a raffle ticket, some information, and maybe a button. With great bike parking right in front, it’s easy to see who rides in. As I asked those coming in after locking up whether they were there for Bike Club, the answer I got most often was “what’s that?” Lincoln is a bike city, in our view, and […]

Having missed the Bohemian Sto Mil hundred mile gravel race through the rugged hills around Prague the past two years, two days before the event, I pulled the trigger and registered late. People kept asking if I was riding it, and with my knee on the mend, I couldn’t see a reason not to. Except for the heat. Riding through these past weeks I figured had hardened me off to that. Though I can do […]

This week I’ve switched it up and asked local rider and all-around bicycle event supporter Jen Carlson to talk a little about her re-entry into riding. I learned to ride a bike like most kids in a small town, with my older sister and a collection of scrapes and cuts. My first bike had a banana seat and I rode that thing all over town.  In Jr. High, I had a BMX bike, and in […]

I hope you all got out over the holiday and did some riding. Whether a race (Husker Hundo), a ride (Firecracker 50, GONG ride, SMNDFBR, Bacon ride, mtb at Branched Oak), bike packing or just a ride to the lake or around town with friends, this is high season. I saw small groups of riders on the shoulder of highway 34 on their way to and from Seward on the Fourth. The showers we had […]

You commuters out there, did you know that you are idols? It may come as a surprise, or not, but your grocery cashier, that medical field worker, barista, customer and motorist who passed by, idolizes you. It always takes me by surprise because I’m just living my life on my bike, but every one of us is an inspiration to someone who interacts with us that drove to work today. How many times have you […]

There are many kinds of bike tours. Last year’s tour was just the two of us, unsupported, in Southeast Asia. We had an itinerary, which we could use or ignore, but we had to figure out everything else and carry our gear on our own. It was great and I’d do it again in an instant. If you want to find out more about that kind of touring, check out the Facebook group Bicycle Touring […]