Gravel Grinders: Rough, Life-changing Bike Races

When I was working on my new book, The Renegade Sportsman, I spent nearly two years tracking down sports odd, brutal, obscure, independent and idiosyncratic. In the course of this sweaty amateur anthropology, I did, saw and contemplated many strange things: I ran seven miles while drinking about seven beers; I was disgraced by prepubescent…

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Zach Dundas

Jun 16, 2010

By Zach Dundas

June 16, 2010

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When I was working on my new book, The Renegade Sportsman, I spent nearly two years tracking down sports odd, brutal, obscure, independent and idiosyncratic. In the course of this sweaty amateur anthropology, I did, saw and contemplated many strange things: I ran seven miles while drinking about seven beers; I was disgraced by prepubescent swordfighters; and I founded a flailing, incompetent croquet-league franchise. However, nothing I encountered proved quite as striking as the Trans-Iowa: a torturous, 300-plus-mile, overnight endurance cycling race down some of the Hawkeye State’s least hospitable roads. In 2007, the year I tracked the race, the top Trans-Iowa riders finished this inquisition in just 25 hours. Even though I just drove the the thing in a rented Pontiac, the expedition into darkest corn country almost killed me.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFbubAEqdWY

And yet the Trans-Iowa is just the kind of do-it-yourself sufferfest that seems to thrive in America’s sports underground. As it turns out, this race is just one of an emerging, fast-growing subgenre of off-the-grid races that focus on unpaved punishment. Collectively, these races are now known as “gravel grinders.” Their following is small but dedicated, and seems to consist of amateur cyclists who care more about unusual thrills, horrific weather, physical pain, and epic challenges than how much wattage they’re generating.

For example, competitors in the recent Dirty Kanza 200 encountered both geological and bovine obstacles on a ride through remote Kansas ranchland. On his blog, Minneapolis-based gravel enthusiast Tim Ek writes:

“We were riding in high plains terrain with breath taking, expansive views. This was open range country and it was not uncommon for us to be riding through areas that contained no fences. Many times we rolled through herds of cows. We’d call out like cowboys, ‘HEP, HEP!’ in order to get them to move out of our way. It was a world foreign to me, but I liked it.”

While that does sound pleasant, in the same race Ek later nearly succumbed to heat, exhaustion, and the perilous borderline mental collapse that seems to be the aim, rather than a side effect, of the typical gravel grinder:

“In a hypnotic state I pushed on … confused and scared by what was happening to me. I analyzed my options. If I were able to get cell phone service, which I doubted was possible it would take them hours to get to me and I’d most likely just die in the dirt waiting.”

While Ek survived, ordeals like that leave the neutral observer wondering just what the point is. (If you want a harrowing vicarious experience, read Ek’s full account.) So I called my old pal Mark “Guitar Ted” Stevenson, founder of the Trans-Iowa and one of the godfathers of the nascent gravel-grinder scene, to ask for his insight.

GOOD: Explain, if you will, the origin of the “gravel grinder.”

GUITAR TED: Well, obviously there are gravel roads all over the nation. In the Midwest, and in Iowa in particular, it became popular for cyclists to use gravel for training rides, because the traction and the fact that gravel roads usually follow the grade of the landscape provide a better work out. And there were smaller rides and races for years, but I don’t think the idea really gelled into a genre or subgenre of racing until we started Trans-Iowa six years ago.

G: And things have obviously progressed from there?

GT: A little while ago, just looking around the landscape, we were like, whoa—these things are popping up all over the place. And what we’re seeing is different races that are born out of different styles of riding. Some grinders are 60- or 80-mile races that are based on cyclocross. The Trans-Iowa and some of the other, longer races are coming at it from more of a roadie or mountain biking background. But there are several dozen races around the country that I know about, and more all the time.

G: And it seemed to me that there is now a definite gravel grinder scene, correct?

GT: There are absolutely some dedicated riders and groups of riders, and they tend to be scattered in little pockets around the Midwest. I think Lincoln, Nebraska sent about 20 guys to the Dirty Kansa this year. Kansas and Iowa, obviously. Minneapolis. But it’s not just the Midwest and it’s not just gravel rides—there is a little movement of sorts that is creating more and more events outside the parameters of traditional cycle racing.

G: Why?

GT: You know, people are looking for something more adventurous. They’re looking for something they can tell their grandkids about, rather than a packaged race that costs $40 and is over in an hour. There’s an appetite for something that’s pretty raw. The Dirty Kansa guys come right out and says in their mission statement, “We are trying to provide a life-changing experience for our participants.” That sounds a little grandiose, but I think it just reflects what the riders themselves are looking for. As race directors, we’re getting this as feedback from the participants, not making it up ourselves.

For more on the emerging national gravel-grinder scene, see Guitar Ted’s own Gravel Grinder News.

Image via Gravel Grinder News.

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Photo credit: Canva – A young hero rises to the occasion.

Local, News

11-year-old Kentuckian rescues man drowning in apartment complex pool

The boy’s quick actions saved a life.

Erik Barnes

7/9/2026

An 11-year-old boy in Kentucky is being praised for rescuing a man from drowning in a pool at an apartment complex.

Avory Woolery spotted the man at the bottom of the pool. The man appeared distressed and that’s when Woolery dove into action.

“There was this man in the pool, like unconscious underwater, almost shaking, maybe, and my adrenaline kicked in,” Woolery told WKYT-TV. “I went underwater, I grabbed him up, his friend, I believe, put him on the floor and started doing CPR on him to try and save him the best he could, until somebody called 9-1-1.”

‘He’s a human being’

When asked why he took initiative, Woolery said that he dove in to get the man because no one else appeared to notice the drowning man’s plight.

“No one was doing anything, so I put on my goggles. I went underwater,” Avory said. “I grabbed him up and I just felt really bad because there was no way that I was going to let another man die today. He’s a human being. He should be treated as such.”

As Woolery noted, another person performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived. The Lexington Fire Department said the man was taken to a local hospital and is still in serious condition. While still hospitalized, worse could’ve occurred if young Avory didn’t intervene.

Fatherly pride

Sean Woolery, Avory’s father, was proud of how his son was able to calmly and quickly react to the situation.

“I’m proud of him. Somebody, when I was walking up here, somebody said, ‘Thank you, you taught him how to swim,’” he said.

A life was saved thanks to young Avory being able to notice signs of drowning and staying calm under pressure during a dangerous situation.

How to spot a drowning victim

While many public pools and beaches have lifeguards, it’s still important to recognize the signs someone is drowning so you can get them the proper help. After all, that’s what Avory did.

But the signs of someone drowning don’t necessarily match the ones that are seen on television or film. Many drowning victims are unable to yell for help, loudly splash, or grab attention since water is gathering into their lungs.

The Red Cross offers some more accurate signs of someone drowning along with tips to help them. A distressed swimmer/drowning victim will look like they’re having trouble making forward progress in the water. They’ll likely appear vertical and unable to tread water. They may look like they’re struggling to keep their mouth and nose above water. They could also appear motionless and face down in the water.

What to do if you see someone drowning

Should you see these signs, yell at the person to see if they can respond. Alert the lifeguards (if present) and have someone call 911 immediately. If there is no lifeguard, it’s recommended to get the person out of the water the safest way possible without going in. This means offering flotation devices like life jackets or buoys for the drowning person to grab.

There’s a reason why it’s usually not recommended to swim to rescue a drowning person. It’s because if they are conscious, the drowning person could instinctually grab at you. They could accidentally pull you down underwater with them. While Avory did swim to save that man, the victim was unconscious. It was an extreme situation in which trained professionals weren’t present.

If swimming is the only option, it’s recommended to swim to the victim with a flotation device in hand for them to grab onto without touching them. This can allow you both to stay afloat with less struggle. That said, it is always best to wait for water safety professionals to act first if at all possible. The Red Cross has some other water safety tips to follow that could save lives and prevent common drowning incidents.

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Environment, Science

A Spanish park has been free of wildfires for over a decade thanks to 18 donkeys

Gnawing our way to a wildfire solution.

Erik Barnes

7/9/2026

According to NASA, wildfires have doubled worldwide due to climate change. Throughout the globe, governments and environmentalists have been trying to find ways to curb the fires. One particular national park in Spain has found a solution that has been keeping them fire-free for over a decade: donkeys.

Since 2014, the Firefighting Donkey Battalion unit consisting of 18 donkeys has been preventing wildfires in Doñana National Park in Doñana, Spain. The mission these donkeys do is simple: eat the dry brush that usually sparks and fuels wildfires. The donkeys spend up to seven hours a day using their voracious appetites to graze and clear a 130 by 50 feet area of dried grass, scrub, and other vegetation.

Why donkeys?

While humans can do this type of clearing out of dry brush, using donkeys for this work is arguably more effective. While it is a slower process, it is consistent and thorough. Donkeys are able to quietly patrol in areas that are inaccessible to vehicles. In exchange for the feasting, the donkeys get about eight gallons of water and rest. No money or fuel needed.

The donkeys’ bodies are also pretty much built for this kind of environmental work, too. Their stomachs are built to eat the same rough and dry grass repeatedly without issues. These daily grazings slowly but surely remove potential origin sources for fires. As a bonus, the donkeys are naturally disposing of the dried vegetation whereas humans would have to find a different way to dispose of it.

Having donkeys or other livestock graze in such areas was once more common in agriculture prior to modern farming. Some argue that the machinization of farming and urbanization have reduced the number of grazing animals. This in turn allows more vegetation growth that become dry spots for more wildfires to occur.

The method expands

This method has been so successful that other areas of Spain have adopted it. In 2020, Tivissa launched the Burros Bomberos project with three donkeys to so much success they’ve expanded. They now have 40 donkeys grazing and clearing nearly 400 hectares of land.

The Andrea Association in Allariz uses a team of donkeys to clear and maintain nearly 1,000 hectares of a biosphere reserve. Using GPS to monitor the donkeys’ activity, the group of grazers travel 19 kilometers per day to feed. Similar initiatives have since started in Basque Country, Catalonia, and Galicia, too.

Other ways to combat wildfires

In the United States, California has been using goats in a similar function. The group Fire Grazers Inc. has been contacted throughout California to bring hundreds of goats to eat dried vegetation. Much like donkeys, goats are built to eat rough and dry brush. This includes certain plants such as star thistle that are painful for human hands to grab.

It’s important to note that donkeys or other animals that eat dry scrub are the primary solution to wildfires. The same folks behind these initiatives also advocate proper forest planning and land management. This includes reducing the amount of easily flammable species of plants and trees such as pine. It takes thought, care, work, and maybe a bunch of donkeys to make a difference.

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Exploration, Science

Spanish zoo study suggests that giraffes can do basic math

These hoofed mammals can understand addition.

Erik Barnes

7/9/2026

The results of an experiment done in a Barcelona zoo suggest that giraffes are capable of doing basic mathematics.

A group of researchers from the University of Leipzig, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, and the University of Barcelona published their study observing four giraffes at the Barcelona Zoo. The experiment involved the giraffes observing containers that had different amounts of carrot pieces inside.

How did this experiment work?

The researchers showed each giraffe the two yellow containers and the amount of carrots within each one. After a few seconds, they closed the containers, keeping the carrots out of sight. They then showed each giraffe a green container which had extra carrots inside. Researchers took the carrot pieces from the green container and placed them into one of the closed yellow containers. They then let each giraffe independently choose which of the two closed yellow containers they preferred, without them seeing the total number of carrot pieces within each box.

The results found the giraffes would choose the container that had the most carrot pieces around 68% of the time. This suggests to the scientists that the giraffes were mentally adding the carrots up in each container before making their choice. After all, there have been past studies suggesting that other hoofed mammals, such as horses, had similar capability of basic quantity tracking.

The researchers did the experiment again. Only this time they subtracted the amount of carrots in each container. The giraffes were mostly unsuccessful at finding the container with the most pieces. So while giraffes showed signs of knowing addition, they don’t quite process all forms of arithmetic.

Math = Survival

Scientists believe that this understanding of addition helped giraffes survive in the wild. They cite that acacia trees, a dietary staple for wild giraffes, can be spread far apart in Africa. Being able to figure out which area has the most trees and the most leaves can help them decide where to graze next.

Giraffes also live in flexible groups that often change in size. One grouping can mix in with another group and then branch off or away. This means that the giraffes often have to keep track of those currently within their group and surroundings to survive.

Can other animals do math?

Giraffes are just the latest animal species known to have some form of mathematical skill. Chimpanzees displayed similar abilities to count as giraffes in a similar experiment that involved them picking the bowl with the most chocolate pieces rather than carrots. Chickens and black bears also showed aptitude in quantity tracking, too.

Scientists theorize that most of the animals that can do this basic math through evolutionary survival. After all, the animal that can deduce where more food is tends to live longer.

One species that displays remarkable mathematical ability are Tunisian desert ants. An observation of their navigational skills of finding their way to food and back to their nest suggests they use the sun as a compass in combination with mentally keeping track of the number of steps they take in a three-dimensional space. In short, these desert ants possess basic geometric and trigonometry skills.

While you wouldn’t want wild animals to calculate your taxes, it’s interesting to see how rudimentary math is a language that goes beyond species.

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