Gravel Worlds '18: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly- Part 3

It was a good day for a bicycle ride

As I crawled back into the finish area for the Gravel Worlds I was careful to make an approach that would not alert anyone that I may be a finisher. That wouldn't be cool at all. So, I came around the back side of the finish line area where riders who had just finished the 150 mile event were decompressing and spraying off their bicycles at a cleaning station. I sat myself down on the curb and texted the DNF number that I was out and okay at the finish line. I then heard a fracas. A disagreement, and foul words were being bandied at one rider, then another.

It seemed that there was some disagreement between a few riders concerning how things played out at the end of Gravel Worlds for the Men's overall. I won't name names, but there was a lot of ugliness going on. I found it extremely unprofessional, inhuman, and downright not what gravel racing was. Unfortunately, it has become this way with the fast guys and gals.

We saw it play out at the DK200 this year with the Women's overall winner, and now this ugliness. You know, in that moment it occurred to me that one of the Gravel Worlds number one rules was "Don't Be Lame". I'm all for that. It is a great rule........unless you do not enforce it. Yeah, no one else from the event was around, but maybe a few riders. I get that the organizers cannot be everywhere. So, no big deal? Uh......yeah. This is a very big deal.

This is what will ruin gravel events. Pissing matches have no place in this. Foul language and posturing is junior high stuff. These were grown men. One had the grey hair of an elder. There is no place for this bull shit in gravel events. I saw a LOT of lame right there to go around. Then there was all the litter on the course, and I saw only the back half.

I got to hang out with good guy, Kevin Fox, and his family. Image courtesy of Kate Fox.

I heard from finishers that it was worse later into the day. You know, if you invite this sort of individual that litters on your courses, and you have zero way, or inclination to do anything about the litter bugs, then whatever derision you get from the locals is on you as an event promoter. Maybe there needs to be a "Clean Gravel Worlds" a week afterward, but in my opinion, its better to shut it down during the event. A couple of immediate DQ's goes a long ways in teaching a lesson to everyone. And if they never come back, big whoop.

In my mind, saying you are against things, having rules, and then not catching the perps is just sending a message that the rules are lame. Look, I like the Gravel Worlds guys a LOT. They have their hearts in the right places, but words mean things, and rules should mean things, otherwise, why bother?

Nuff said about the ugly part.

So, I had a LOT of time on my hands waiting for Tony. He was having a great day. I got a text from him when he was at Mile 112 and he sounded pretty positive. Meanwhile, I was invited to sit down and eat a meal with Kevin Fox and his family. He was knocked out by a broken derailleur. We had a nice lunch and conversation. Then his wife took our picture and posted on Facebook. Not ten minutes later, Rob, who is from Lincoln, saw it and called Kevin, asking if he could come out to Malcom and bail him out. He was having stomach issues. So, we piled into Kevin's truck and headed to Malcom.

Salsa sponsored rider, Matt Aker, gets interviewed after his Gravel Worlds finish.

We collected Rob and headed back to Schilling Bridge where the festivities were taking place after the event. We sat outside where I got to chat with several folks and the "gravel family" concept came up during this time.

There was a lady there who had ridden and said that she came across a man near a cemetery who was in a bad way. She stopped to see how he was and offered assistance. Then she brought up other great examples of how gravel riders take care of one another. She expressed that she was very attracted to the gravel scene because of things like this, and the camaraderie afterward.

I allowed that her actions out on course were right in line with her observations, and therefore she "got it" when it came to why we were all attracted to this scene. We treat each other decently, we take care of each other out there over and above "racing". Well........at least it used to be all of us doing this. 

I'll give you a brief retelling of something that happened at the last Good Life Gravel Adventure, which was the precursor to Gravel Worlds.....

There was a back-of-the-packer single speed rider that year. Basically a non-factor in any way for a podium spot, or a top ten. This guy had trouble at about Mile 100 or so, called in his DNF to Corey Godfrey, who helps to organize Gravel Worlds to this day, and Corey gave the following message to that rider- "I'll get someone out to get you, just hang tight. It'll be a little bit."

Now, this rider knew the rule was "self-sufficiency", and wasn't expecting a bail-out ride, but accepted the offer. A while later a car rolled up and a thin man got out, offered a handshake and a smile, and said he was there to collect him. While on the ride back, it became known to that single speeder, the DNF, back of the packer, that his bail out ride was none other than the race winner.

And that single speeder was me.

The renamed Warbird of Matt Aker. Ya gotta love that!

Ask the winner of any of these "big" gravel events now days to lend a helping hand to fetch a rider, or do anything to help out? Ha! Not that this sort of thing is reasonable, but I tell that story because helping your fellow man was above and beyond winning, or whatever. It bespoke of what attracted me to the gravel scene, that someone like myself would be treated like an equal. That all riders treated each other with respect. It was how it was. Maybe those were "the good old days" and I should just shut up and go away.

But I won't and I don't plan on it.

Allison Tetrick, getting her pirate on, after winning the Women's overall.

Tony finally got in and before seven o'clock! He had a great ride and we hung out for a while longer, taking in the finish line festivities and regaling each other with our tales from the day. Finally it was time to load up the bikes and head back to the hotel for a good shower and a bed. We slept like logs that night, despite the clamor down on the street below.

Good bye, Lincoln and Gravel Worlds- until next year!

So, that's my tale. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of it all. Overall, I think Gravel Worlds is an outstanding event, but unless certain elements are kept in check, it is going to be imbalanced. It isn't going to continue that fine balance between what some races offer in feel and amenities and catering to the original philosophies which the event called Gravel Worlds was built up upon. I'll be back, if they will have me after this criticism, and I look forward to whatever it is I might experience at that event.

Personally I know I wasn't properly prepared for this. I had an awful Spring and Summer training time. Just not near enough miles, or quality rides were put in. That's on me, and I am completely at peace with my 80 miles at Gravel Worlds. My avearge speed was decent at 12.27mph, but that wasn't going to remain that high after CP#1!  I was thrilled to see the new portions of the course. I really liked that, even though it was tough riding. Of course, anytime you get to spend most of the day riding, it is a good day. I had a good day. Not what I expected, but a good day.

Thanks: To Corey, Schmitty, and the crew of the PCL who do all this work for us to come to Gravel Worlds- THANK YOU!! Thanks to all you awesome TRAIL ANGELS!! Thank you, as always, Tony, for the great companionship. Thanks to Matt Aker, MG, Kevin Fox, Ray Cunningham, MW, Rob Evans, Pell Duvall, Rafal Doloto, Karin Jones, Mike McColgan, and Scott Redd for your time at Gravel Worlds. To all of the "Gravel Family" that rode up and made a comment, said hello, stopped by at Cycle Works, saw me and said a kind word, you are all very much appreciated. Thanks to Cycle Works for hosting the pre-race again. Thanks to Schilling Bridge Cork and Tap House for hosting the event before and afterward. Thanks to the Graduate Hotel for the breakfasts and for the hospitality.