Two Things

 Figuring It Out:

I am doing this "Where We Came From" series on The Guitar Ted Podcast and it has been a lot of fun hearing stories from people that were there back in
the earlier days of gravel racing.

I think the best part has been learning what the backgrounds of these people are. You maybe get a preconceived notion about someone, you know. Like, Mike Marchand, for instance, who I always assumed had been a top-tier racer all his life, when in fact that is not the case at all.

On Thursday I was able to chat with Greg Gleason, who won Trans Iowa twice and legitimately could have won twice more. He came onto the scene, seemingly out of nowhere, to take the top spot in Trans Iowa v10. He dominated the event with his presence at the front for four more years.

Of course, Greg did not "come out of nowhere" and we found this out during the latest Guitar Ted Podcast, which you can listen to HERE. It's a long episode, so this might be a good one for your next trip to a gravel event.

Now, we also spoke about current events, and Greg's opinion was decidedly on not supporting the "big-time" events. It's interesting to hear a strong opinion about this and why that is. In my opinion, Greg's proclivity for a certain kind of event speaks to his personality and his desire to have relational experiences versus purely competitive ones. But do listen to the episode and decide for yourself

From the 2010 Dirty Kanza 200 event. (Image by Guitar Ted)

There's A Hole In The Hall:

This coming Wednesday a small group of cyclists are going to be honored as the newest inductees into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. An institution I am honored to be included in.

There was some chit-chat going around in 2021, when the hall was announced, which communicated an idea. An idea which stated the new hall of fame would not be "legit" unless I was a part of the first class of inductees.

I don't know about that, but one thing I do know is if the GCHoF wasn't going to be legit without my inclusion, then it certainly is not legit without the inclusion of Jim Cummings. 

Jim made a social media post concerning something not at all having to do with cycling, and was 'cancelled' for it. Now, the point he made is debatable, and most people probably have no idea whatsoever what it was he was talking about. (If you find yourself reading this and wondering "what did he say"? you fall into this category.)

I'm not saying what he posted was right or wrong, and to my mind, it has zero - nothing at all to do with gravel cycling. It is a point of no debate that without Jim Cummings and Joel Dyke, (who, by the way, is in the GCHoF), gravel cycling would not be what it is today. Gravel cycling was HUGELY influenced by what Jim and Joel did, along with their team and participants, which include several other GCHoF members, at one point or another.  It is as obvious as the nose on your face that Jim should be in the GCHoF. He's been nominated several times, yet..... Crickets. No reason given as to why he is being systemically excluded. 

So, when you see the start to finish coverage of Unbound this coming weekend, and when you hear the names of the latest GCHoFer's, just remember who is not being recognized, and should be. There is a gaping hole in that Hall of Fame that should be filled. All these people at Unbound are standing on the shoulders of a man they are not recognizing, and this just should not be the case.