Image from the web and Info for Duluth’s We Ride in Unity

If you live in Duluth, I look forward to seeing you here: We Ride in Unity, Saturday January 31. Thank you Continental Ski & Bike for organizing this. Consider joining your own community’s ride wherever you live.

I’ve been thinking a lot about community and the crisis that many of us are feeling lately and for some, have felt for generations. Alex Pretti was a Heck of the North rider in 2019. A rider that year wrote about her remembrance of him helping another rider during the race. He was also a nurse. His death affected me more than I expected.

I chose to not compete in the Arrowhead 135 for several reasons this year. A significant one was I felt like I needed to do something other than race. The decision tore me up. Like things are not the same, should not be the same. I decided to stay home with my family. But thankfully, a couple of days later, I accepted an offer to volunteer overnight at checkpoint 3 for the race. It was a great experience and it reminded me of something I know. It was good to be with people in my community, too. It lifted my spirits to see people doing amazing things.

We need to be part of our community(s) more than ever. We also need to reach out to communities that may be new to us. Endurance racing and gravel cycling have many family members. I include our Heck events in that family. I felt the importance of not only being part of the things we love to do as well as taking care of others.

Ride the Good Line and be Graveleer. Welcome all and do it with peace.