Your 2025–26 winter playbook with month-by-month planning, where to ride for best groomed singletrack, changes for the 25-26 season, and predictions for what this fat bike season holds. Plan a beautiful fat bike season and explore the best of the Northwoods with the community that thrives on cold winters, fresh snow fall, and endless discussions about tire pressure.

I used to believe the big, bucket-list adventures should wait until the kids are grown. But aging legs, growing kids, and a 7-day gravel stage race in South Africa challenged that rule. This story follows my decision to leave home well, line up for Gravel Burn, and navigate everything from rain-soaked forest stages and scorching Karoo climbs to the tension between helping others, racing hard, and coming home to my family grateful and whole. Words by Josh from The Nxrth. Photos by Bruce Viaene, James Camera Heron, Paul Ganse, and Fahwaaz Cornelis | Nedbank Gravel Burn For years I held an unwritten rule that seemed sensible: the big, bucket-list adventures should wait until the kids are grown and out of the house. Save the long absences for the empty-nest chapter, when calendars are looser and no one needs help finding their shin guards after school. I’m a dad and a husband who cares about being engaged at home, and I’m also a rider who’s always curious about the edge of staying present while going long. The self-imposed rule worked, for a while. It kept my ambition in scale with the season of life we were in. I do a regular mix of friend bike trips and family bike trips. This year saw a couple long weekend bike trips with friends and a few long weekend bike trips with the family. It felt right to say yes to those and let the bigger ideas sit on a high shelf where they couldn’t tip over the rest of our lives. Family bike and cabin weekend: Chequamegon 2025 But a belief can be both wise and incomplete. At some point, “someday” starts to harden around the edges. I began to wonder what I was really protecting: my kids’ needs, or my own fear of asking for something that took more from the family than the usual weekend away. The body I have now won’t be the body I have at 55. Fitness isn’t a savings account you can just deposit into for fifteen years and withdraw at face value. If I wanted to do something truly big and challenging, I might need to stop waiting for a perfect future and find a responsible way to do it now. But would my kids and wife feel left behind? Was I honoring my role at home or asking too much? I didn’t rush those answers. I turned them over until they felt honest. Once I gave myself permission to look, possibilities multiplied. And yet I kept coming back to the idea of experiencing my first gravel stage race and doing it on the other side of the world. A long traverse stitched from dirt roads and small towns, a moving camp that would let me see a new landscape each day. I wasn’t chasing the spectacle. I wanted an arc, a finite, demanding story that asked a lot and gave a lot back. Something that would let me meet a place at human speed and come home tired in the best way. That idea finally found a name: Gravel Burn , a first-edition, South African 7-day gravel stage race that links the coastal forests of the Western Cape to the wide-open country of the Great Karoo and finishes at Shamwari Private Game Reserve . Built by the team behind Cape Epic, it’s point-to-point and fully supported. Not a spectacle for its own sake, but an arc with a beginning, middle, and end. Exactly the sort of storyline and demanding trip I’d been looking for. Gravel Burn wouldn’t erase the tension between presence and ambition; it offered a way to hold both where I could leave well, ride hard, and come home grateful. Leaving Well Before I could line up in South Africa, I had to make peace with leaving Wisconsin for the longest time ever away from my family and my life in general, 13 days. That meant several honest conversations with my wife. She was supportive from the start, but support isn’t the same as blind permission. We talked plainly about the opportunity cost and the risks. Does this trip really fit into the balance of values that I hold? Is this just idealism that I need to get over or am I really going all in on this? Our family goes on plenty of adventures together. Those adventures matter to me precisely because we share them. And this one would be different. It was just me, far away, for a long time, for something big. The day I left, my wife and kids handed me a journal they’d made: drawings, photos, little games, and pages with prompts. What happened today? What was South Africa like? Did you get eaten by a black rhino? What was the hardest stage? I packed it with my jerseys and energy gels and it let me bring them along in a way that felt connected. Learning the Mountains I live in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. We have long gravel lanes and hidden lakes, but we don’t have 2,500 foot climbs. Training for Gravel Burn meant learning how to fake elevation, stacking back-to-back long rides on weekends, simulating fatigue, building a kind of stubborn endurance I hoped would hold over seven stages in South Africa. I’d never ridden a stage race. I didn’t know whether my regular training of 2-3 hard days in a row over a weekend could teach my legs what day seven would feel like. Day one took us through deep, green forest on the coast near Knysna, and it rained, soaking, unapologetic rain that turned everything wet and cold. I loved it immediately. The weather wasn’t an intrusion, it was the story. Part of the adventure I’d asked for. Most of the week was relentless sun plus one day of catastrophic wind that would neutralize a stage entirely. We were told to ride it safely and leave our heroics for another day. The Karoo itself moved under our wheels. Semi-desert, intimate mountains, then farmland and towns that seemed to arrive out of the heat. One stage finished with a 2,400-foot climb in scorching sun that forced me into a slow conversation with pacing: energy gel, drink, salt, drink, repeat. On another day I floated down a 20-kilometer descent on a ribbon of perfect gravel that stitched the hills together. Some afternoons were rugged enough that my hands ached by camp. Others felt like I was a little boy, invincible, and easily entertained by flying down hills at break neck speed. A Moving Camp The Burn Camps moved each night. We traveled roughly 500 miles over the week and camped in six different places. That rhythm of waking up somewhere new, racing into another new landscape, and falling asleep under a different sky made the race feel less like a series of intervals and more like the best possible way to experience a new place on the other side of the world. Camp life wasn’t complicated but it was complete. Being on my own gave me a new rhythm and total control of the pace and priorities of each day. The event was full-service so every day had 3 gourmet meals, espresso bar, evening drinks, onsite showers, and intimate campfires. The amenities felt luxurious and I basked in the daily 30-minute leg compression chair sessions, bike washes, cold wet towels at the finish line, and late night snacks and dessert. Most evenings, I found a corner of shade and opened the journal from home. What happened today? I wrote about the rain in the forest. About the neutrality of the wind day and the way it reset the group’s energy. About the long climb that demanded more patience than strength. Little details I would have forgotten in a week became the anchors of the story I’d tell the kids when I got back to Wisconsin. There was comfort in the daily repetition but the scenery kept refusing to repeat itself. Each new campsite changed the cast of background sounds and smells. Each morning felt like a clean sheet. When to Help, When to Go All week I tried to ride with my head up. I’d pulled over more than once for riders stranded with punctures. Shared a tube, lent a pump. On Stage 7 I wanted to go full gas and put everything I had left into that final stage. I found a fast group that felt right but after 2 hours, a rider stood off to the side, hand raised for a pump. I sat up, drifted out, and unclipped. The group didn’t slow. I felt the sick drop in my stomach that comes when you watch a good wheel vanish up the road knowing that this person’s flat just cost me my final day of racing with all my heart. At the shoulder I asked if he was ready for air yet, and there was no answer. I asked again and the answer was “not quite yet”. My pump wouldn’t help for a few more minutes, and this was a fully supported event with plenty of riders still coming. Right then I changed my mind, put the pump away, clipped back in, and chased back onto the group I was with while the rider shouted for me not to leave. It didn’t feel like indifference. It felt like permission, narrow and specific, to put my own race first on the one day I wanted to empty the tank. I’d done my share of stopping earlier in the week; now the right call was to go. I finished Gravel Burn exactly the way I’d hoped, and with a clearer sense that helping and racing aren’t opposites much in the same way that being there for my family doesn’t have to rule out chasing a big adventure on my own. The cherry on top (and I couldn't WAIT to tell my kids and wife) was that I won the Challenger jersey that final day, given to the one man and one woman who made the biggest single-day leap in the standings each stage. I had been striving and dreaming of earning it since Day 4 and just barely snagged it that final day. The Finish and What Followed We finished at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, and I crossed the line with nothing left that I wished I’d done differently. I’d arrived in South Africa wondering if seven days would break me down for never really stacking training rides further than Friday, Saturday, and Sunday back to back in Wisconsin. Instead I felt proud of my fitness and deeply grateful for my body. If there’s a single word that stayed with me, it’s gratitude. Gratitude for the means to come, for the people who made it possible, for the weather I didn’t get to choose, and for the version of myself that showed up when it mattered. On the flight home, I paged through the journal, now filled with messy handwriting and thought about how I’d tell the story to the people who’d built it with me from afar. Back home in our kitchen, my kids opened the journal and took turns reading the prompts they’d written. Each line turned into a story I could finally tell them in person. What was South Africa like? Big and dry and full of sky. What was the hardest stage? The hot one with the climb that didn’t blink. What happened today? I raced the way I wanted to and came back whole. Coming home didn’t feel like the end of something epic or a slide back into “real life.” It felt exactly right. I was ready to be present again and glad for it.

Meet "The Trestle Run", a ride from Josh Kowaleski that includes a rag tag group ride to the Trestle Inn, along Minnesota's North Shore. The mid-ride prize is the "Train Wreck With Casualties", a legendary burger with a mystery “casualty” topping the kitchen dreams up. After the feast and a lot of laughs, it’s back over the Laurentian Divide and a cold plunge at Divide Lake. Twenty-four miles, one outrageous burger, and stories Josh is still telling. Words and photos by Josh Kowaleski of Pointed North Photo and @pointed_north . The Kessel Run was made famous by Han Solo for navigating a legendary smuggling route in twelve parsecs. Turns out, a parsec is a unit of distance, not time, but we’ll roll with it. Our version covers twelve miles of Northwoods gravel, backroads, and rolling hills. We call it The Trestle Run. Now in its third year, what started as “the unofficial first fat bike ride of the season” has evolved into a Sunday spectacle where all bikes and riders are welcome to tag along. Held on the Sunday that daylight savings time ends, a small, ragtag crew gathers at Divide Lake in the Superior National Forest. No start line, no timing chips, just a handful of riders chasing one thing: burgers. Big, ridiculous, unforgettable burgers. The kind you can only find at the Trestle Inn. If you’re not familiar with this Northwoods staple, well… you oughta be. It’s a one-of-a-kind bar built from timbers salvaged from a nearby decommissioned train trestle. Tucked deep in the woods, it feels like a secret clubhouse for folks who’ve earned their way in. The kind of place where you might stumble upon a band of ruffians swapping stories about their latest smuggling run or close call with the law. The parallels between the Kessel Run and the Trestle Run are pretty uncanny. The star of the show, the crown jewel, the goods, the thing we’re after, is the Train Wreck With Casualties (TWWC). What starts as a burger already worth riding for—a beef patty, a brat patty, cheese, and bacon—takes a wild turn with the addition of a secret ingredient. The “casualty” is a mystery topping the chef picks on a whim. We’re not talking extra pickles or a fried egg. We’re talking fried mac and cheese, an omelet, orange chicken, a whole breakfast sandwich, even PB&J sandwiches for buns. You don’t get to choose, you don’t know what you’ll get, and most importantly, you don’t ask questions. You just dig in when it lands in front of you and go along for the ride. This burger can lay the hurt down on you, but it’s the perfect, gluttonous mid-ride snack. Once the plates are cleared and the laughs start to fade, we spin back up the Laurentian Divide, very full, very happy, and definitely a little slower. Back at Divide Lake, the day ends with a cold plunge to shake off the food coma before heading home. 24 miles round trip, one burger, and a pile of good stories almost as tall as that TWWC. That’s the Trestle Run. If you want in on the next edition, drop me a follow @pointed_north , and send me a DM and I’ll keep you looped in!

Global Fat Bike Day happens every year on the first Saturday of December and this year that's December 6. It’s a worldwide celebration of winter riding and community, and the perfect excuse to get your local crew together for a cold-weather adventure. Here’s how to make your ride one people will look forward to every year. Photo by Nick Meyer Across the Northwoods and anywhere around the globe where people ride fat bikes, riders gather to celebrate the start of another winter on two wheels. Global Fat Bike Day is a laid-back, community-fueled way to usher in the winter season and collectively embrace the active outdoor winter. Are you planning your own Global Fat Bike Day ride? Keep it simple, but make it memorable. Pick a route that feels like an adventure, start somewhere that already brings people together, and focus on the hangout as much as the ride itself. Here a few quick hits to make Global Fat Bike Day an awesome event that everyone wants in on. Pick a Route That Feels Like an Adventure Don’t overthink it, but don’t pick something forgettable, either. A short loop with a mix of terrain (woods, shoreline, river ramble, maybe a coffee stop) beats a long, monotonous grind. Aim for 1–2 hours of riding so everyone can hang out afterward. Pro tip : If your area has unpredictable snow, consider a fat bike route aand mtb or gravel fallback route. Find a Starting Spot Everyone Already Loves If it makes sense for your location, skip the random trailhead in the woods and start your Global Fat Bike Day ride somewhere people already love gathering. That might be your local coffee shop, brewery, or bike shop. When riders can grab a drink, chat, and warm up before rolling out, the energy feels instantly social. BONUS : Make that business a partner in the event. Ask if they want to open early, offer coffee specials, or have them help spread the word. The more connected your ride is to your local scene, the more it becomes the community event people mark on their calendars each year. Give Everyone Something Just for Showing Up A simple, fun, and inexpensive gift makes your ride feel instantly special. Partner with a local shop or sponsor to create a small freebie for everyone who shows up, maybe stickers, hot coffee, branded beanies, or a plate of waffles and bacon waiting at the start. Make It Easy for Anyone to Join Keep it open and chill. No race timing, no entry fee. Announce the pace (“no-drop,” “medium-spicy,” “party pace”) so riders know what to expect. Encourage people with any fat bike setup like geared, single-speed, or borrowed, to show up. Bonus : Offer a short-loop option so newer riders can peel off early. Create a Theme or Tradition A theme makes a special ride feel like more than every other ride. It doesn't need to be crazy creative, but it can help make the event stand out and build community. If the weather's not too cold, maybe it's a flannel or long underwear ride or a post-hunting season blaze orange ordeal. Food related theme ideas are quick and easy, think waffles and coffee, bacon and bonfires, donuts on the lake, or chili feed. Keep it simple and shareable. Partner with a Local Bike Shop Invite your local coffee shop, brewery, or bike shop to get involved. They could: Host pre- or post-ride hangouts Offer a “Fat Bike Day” special Donate raffle prizes (a beanie, a free tune-up, or a drink ticket) Small collaborations build community and make the day feel bigger than just a ride. Have a Fire or Warm-Up Spot December gets cold, duh, and fat bikers love a good bonfire. Find a (legal) spot for a campfire for the post-ride hangout. People will hang out longer, tell stories, roast things, and actually connect. Keep the Vibes Going with Food, Beer, or Coffee Right at the Ending Point Every great ride needs a landing spot. A local brewery, diner, cafe, or cabin porch with chili and thermoses works perfectly. The ride brings people together, but the hangout keeps them coming back next year. Bonus : Don't make it somewhere people have to drive to after the ride or the majority of people will disappear. Plan the ride to end right at the food/drink/hangout point. Spread the Word Early Post your event at least two weeks and make sure to: Create a Facebook event Ask local bike shops and bike clubs to give it a share. Create a Strava event Share it with The Nxrth and we'll post it on our Global Fat Bike Day event calendar Include the essentials: time, meeting point, route distance, and a “what to bring” list (helmet, lights, snacks, etc.). Plan The Group Photo Ahead of Time Avoid the pre-ride photo chaos; half the crew is still unloading bikes, someone’s grabbing gloves from the car, and you’ll end up missing the real moment. Instead, take it mid-ride when everyone’s there, smiling, and their bikes look properly snow-dusted. Plan the spot in advance so it looks great and fits the whole crew. Everyone gets to be a part of the memory and can share it afterwards. Make It an Annual Thing! After the ride, share photos, recap stories, and start planning next year’s edition. Once people know it’s happening again, your small local ride becomes an annual winter ritual. The Heart of Global Fat Bike Day Every Global Fat Bike Day has its own flavor. In some towns it’s a huge group ride, in others it’s a few friends meeting up before sunrise. The size doesn’t matter or even if there's any snow. What matters is showing up, riding something that makes you feel alive, and sharing the trails with people who love winter just as much as you do. This tradition reminds us that even when the days are short and cold, there’s still plenty of joy to be found outside, especially when we find it together.

After seven stages across South Africa’s vast and changing landscapes, Gravel Burn has come to an end. As my first-ever stage race, it was equal parts challenge and reward: a test of endurance, patience, and consistency that pushed me in new ways. It all built toward an unforgettable finish at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, surrounded by riders from around the world celebrating the close of an incredible first edition. Words by Josh from The Nxrth. Photos by Paul Ganse & Daryan Rowe | Nedbank Gravel Burn "The Nxrth Goes South" is Powered by: Over the past week, I was blessed enough to be a part of the first edition Gravel Burn and rode across the most stunning and ever-changing South African landscapes imaginable. Seven stages. Rain, hail, burning sunshine, and winds strong enough to nearly shut down a stage. Having never done a stage race before, I started the first three days conservatively, learning how to pace, recover, and just keep showing up each morning ready to ride again. By the second half, I turned on race mode and gave everything I had for the last three days (Stage 6 was neutral due to the extreme winds). Crossing the finish line at Shamwari Private Game Reserve felt incredible. It wasn’t just the beautify of crossing the final finish line, it was pride, joy, and the realization that I’d just been part of something truly special. The after party and awards ceremony capped off what felt like a dream week: one filled with adventure, camaraderie, unforgettable scenery, and a sense of being part of the very first chapter of something that’s going to become legendary. The organization, service, and energy behind this first edition blew me away. Every detail, from logistics to meals to course marking, ran with care and professionalism thanks to an army of workers and volunteers. Gravel Burn wasn’t just a race. It was an experience I’ll carry with me for a very, very long time.

Josh from The Nxrth is in South Africa riding Gravel Burn, a seven-day gravel stage race across the vast Great Karoo. After Stage 3, the day wasn’t over. Riders gathered for the Night Burn, a short, high-energy race under firelight and Red Bull lights. Bonfires lined the course, music echoed across the desert, and a small group of qualifiers, including Josh, sprinted through the dust being chased by Tom Pidcock. Words by Josh from The Nxrth Photos by Bruce Viaene, Nedbank Gravel Burn After wrapping up Stage 3 of Gravel Burn, the day wasn’t over. As the sun dropped behind the mountains and the desert cooled, riders gathered for Night Burn, a special evening race under the stars by the light of bonfires. It was a wild mix of competition and spectacle: bonfires lining the course, a live Red Bull DJ pounding music into the night, and a light show that turned the Karoo dust into something electric. To qualify, riders needed the biggest spread between their General Classification rank after Stage 2 and their result in the Red Bull Kilometer, a one-mile sprint segment that also took place during Stage 2. The system favored mid-pack riders and somehow, that landed me a spot on the start list. We were handed special Night Burn jerseys and lined up for what promised to be one of the most memorable evenings of the week. We kicked things off by watching the “Legends Race,” where a few pros, (Payson McElveen, Simon Pellaud, and others) ripped three high-speed laps around the one-kilometer loop while the crowd roared. Then it was our turn. The women started first, followed by the men. Once we hit halfway through our first lap, Tom Pidcock was unleashed, sprinting from the start line in a chase-the-fox-style pursuit. The result was pure, glorious chaos. Music thumped and bonfires lit the tight corners as everyone sprinted to stay ahead for as long as they could. I made it two laps before Tom caught me right under the Red Bull arch, his bike lit up beautifully as he tore through the rest of the field. It was such a fun, memorable way to end the day. Part race, part party, and something I’ll definitely remember from this trip.

After months of anticipation, Gravel Burn is finally underway. As part of "The Nxrth Goes South" series, Josh from The Nxrth is sharing his journey through South Africa’s Great Karoo during the inaugural seven-day stage race. Day one brought heavy rain, long climbs, and a deep sense of gratitude for the chance to ride in such a remarkable place. Here’s his reflection from the opening stage: 50 miles, 6,700 feet of climbing, and an unforgettable start to the adventure. The Nxrth Goes South is Powered by: Words by Josh from the Nxrth Photos: James Cameron Heron & Bruce Viaene | Gravel Burn After months of looking forward to this, Gravel Burn has finally begun. Day one is in the books: 50 miles and 6,700 feet of climbing through steady, soaking rain. It was one of those days where you’re either laughing or grinding in silence, but no matter how hard it got, I just kept thinking how blessed I am to be here and I had no rush to get to the finish line. Coming from Wisconsin (and never having done a stage race!), where a 300-foot climb feels like a big deal, it’s wild to spend ten straight miles climbing into the clouds. The landscape is rugged and green, and even with rain pouring down, it’s absolutely beautiful. When the sun briefly broke through for maybe half a minute, it felt like a little gift and filled my heart with joy and gratitude. Everything about this event feels intentional and dialed in, just absolutely incredible for a very first edition of an race. It’s organized by the founder of Cape Epic, and you can tell every detail has been thought through. I arrived a couple of days early to adjust and stayed in Knysna, where the mountains rise up on one side and the Indian Ocean rolls in on the other. That time to settle in helped, but nothing really prepares you for how different and stunning it feels once you’re out on course. The people here have been wonderful, so generous, helpful, and genuinely excited to share their place with us. I’ve met riders and crew from all over the world, and the shared spirit of adventure is infectious. Tonight we’re tucked into our first Burn Camp , with warm food, bike washing stations, and a relaxed hum of food, drink, storytelling, and fellowship. Everything about it feels meaningful, the hard first day of climbing, the rain, the camaraderie. It’s the kind of experience I know I’ll keep turning over in my mind for a long time.

Josh from The Nxrth is heading to South Africa for Gravel Burn, a 7-day gravel stage race through the vast, rugged terrain of the Great Karoo and sharing the story through a series called "The Nxrth Goes South". For the trip, Compass Bike Lab built a fully custom Specialized Diverge 4, stripped to the frameset and rebuilt from the ground up into a race-tuned, adventure-ready machine built to handle whatever the desert throws at it. Here's a look at the bike details... Words by Josh from The Nxrth In a few days, I’ll be heading from Wisconsin to the Great Karoo in South Africa for the first edition of Gravel Burn , a 7-day gravel stage race across remote desert and mountain terrain. This story is part of "The Nxrth Goes South", my story of chasing a new adventure on the other side of the world to celebrate turning 40 this year. "The Nxrth Goes South" is Powered by: For the ride, Compass Bike Lab built something special: a fully custom Specialized Diverge 4 that’s been stripped to the frameset and rebuilt from the ground up. What began as a Diverge 4 Sport was reimagined into a light weight, race-tuned, adventure-ready machine. It runs a full SRAM RED XPLR AXS drivetrain, a Roval Rapide cockpit, and an Alpinist seatpost to keep things light and responsive. The Light Bicycle wheelset paired with Vittoria inserts and Continental Race King 2.2s delivers a mix of speed, grip, and week-long rugged comfort for unknown terrain. Why I'm Riding Gravel Burn in South Africa This year I'm turning 40 and wanted to celebrate with an epic bike adventure somewhere in the world that I've never been. Gravel Burn is a brand new event put on by the founder of the world's biggest mountain bike race, Cape Epic, so I wanted to be a part of the first edition of this gravel race. I've been training all year and looking forward to riding through mountains, desert, and a country and continent I've never seen. Let's go! I'll be sharing photos and updates from the trip as it unfolds next week! Follow along to see where I'm going and catch photos and stories from the week of racing and exploring South African gravel.

As the fall gravel season wraps up and shoulder season sets in, the Country Style 50 Mile marks a laid back farewell to another season of gravel before winter takes over. Now in its fourth year, this relaxed fall ride rolls out from Angry Catfish on Sunday, November 2nd, 2025. Expect a little bit of everything from gravel, pavement, bike path, two-track, and singletrack as you meander through the beautiful Minnesota River Bottoms. It’s not a race, just a chance to soak up the last feelings of fall with friends. The 50-mile route takes about five hours, with a gas station at mile 30 and a few bars and restaurants around mile 40 in Mendota. Run a tire size 42c or larger to handle the sandier sections this year, and don’t forget some snacks. It’s free to ride, but if you’re feeling generous, toss a few bucks in the babysitter fund. Meet at Angry Catfish at 9:15am and roll at 10:00am sharp.

Josh from The Nxrth is heading to South Africa for the first edition of Gravel Burn, a 7-day gravel stage race and telling the story in this seies, "The Nxrth Goes South". Before packin up, we caught up with several international pros racing the first Gravel Burn to hear what’s drawing them to the start line—and what they think awaits in the Karoo. Words by Josh from The Nxrth. To learn more, visit Gravel Burn . "The Nxrth Goes South" is Powered by: In two weeks, I'll be packing up my bike and heading to South Africa for " The Nxrth Goes South ", a new on-the-ground series exploring the first edition of Gravel Burn. The first edition of Gravel Burn is shaping up to be one of the boldest experiments in gravel racing yet: a week-long stage race through South Africa’s vast and rugged Karoo region. With its neutral support, enormous prize purse, and terrain no one has raced before, it’s as much an adventure as it is a competition. Ahead of the debut, we asked a few of the international pros lining up what drew them to this brand-new event and what challenges they expect from the unknown. What makes you decide to line up for Gravel Burn, especially in its very first edition? Peter Stetina | USA The whole reason I got into gravel was for new adventures. Additionally stage racing is what I always excelled at and loved most in my road career. So it's a perfect match of personal and professional objectives. The prize purse makes it interesting but that's not my reason for going. I am excited to explore a new continent and community in the setting of a high profile race. Haley Smith | Canada I love taking on an unknown challenge. It’s my favourite part of racing and training, honestly. I knew that I wanted to Gravel Burn as soon as it was announced purely because it was new and I tried. I also love exploring and travel, and racing in the Karoo was a huge draw. Finally, I really gravitate towards stage racing. I’m good at it, I thrive in it emotionally and mentally, and I just felt really excited by the event. Marco Joubert | South Africa Being a South African I had to take the opportunity to take part and get the chance to race against some of the best riders in the world. It's a daunting challenge but one that I am sure will grow me as an athlete. And, racing on roads and conditions I know I hope that will be an advantage that reflects on the results. Maddy Nutt | UK I’ve done a few first edition races and they are always super special. I love races where you build a community and the race is as much about the experience as the racing, and gravel burn looks like it’ll be just that! Simon Pellaud | Switzerland Since the first time I've heard about Gravel Burn I wanted to participate. GB will be one of, if not THE biggest Gravel event in the future, so important for me to be there from the first edition on! I've a big expectative and I'm really looking forward. Axelle Dubau-Prevot | France What excites me most about Gravel Burn is the chance to dive into something completely new. There’s something special about being part of a first edition, when everything is still to be written. I’m going there with friends, which makes it even better. We’ll get to celebrate the end of the season together, turn it into a little adventure, and discover the country after racing. I feel fresh, motivated, and ready to take on a challenge that goes beyond the usual calendar. For me, it’s the perfect mix of competition, discovery, and shared experience. Gravel Burn stands out as one of the longest gravel stage races in the world, a huge prize purse, neutral support, and an unseen route. What do you think will be the biggest challenge? Axelle Dubau-Prevot | France The biggest challenge is the unknown itself. A multi-day format this long, on roads and trails no one has raced before, means you have to adapt quickly and race without clear reference points. It’s not just about being strong for one day, but about managing yourself across several unpredictable stages. That uncertainty is exactly what makes it exciting. You have to trust your preparation, embrace the adventure, and be ready to respond to whatever comes. It’s a rare kind of test, both physically and mentally, and that’s what draws me in. Simon Pellaud | Switzerland I raced and won the Transcordilleras in Colombia at the beginning of the season: 8 days of Gravel bikepacking/racing so ending my season with another stage race make sense to me! Biggest challenge will be as you said the unknown. I've no idea what to expect from the route and racing conditions. And hopefully nobody does so we will be all equal! Maddy Nutt | UK It looks to be very challenging. I would say the biggest challenge will be the level of the field. The start list is looking super competitive, which will make for a hard but fun week of racing Marco Joubert | South Africa I think the format suits the South African riders. We are used to the terrain and off the bike conditions - staying in campers and looking after ourselves. I think the best thing is to just make the most of everything, taking it all in and going with the flow. Haley Smith | Canada A week-long gravel stage race is a unique offering. I think it is only fitting that the race is neutral-support only, and I love that we’ll all be riding the tracks sight-unseen. It makes it a real bike racer’s challenge. Honestly, I think the biggest challenges are going to be weather and terrain, and the ability to pivot and adapt in the different circumstances we’ll encounter out there. That, and the fact that the field is absolutely star-studded! Peter Stetina | USA I think the logistics will be paramount to success. The route and tracks and course conditions are quite unknown for most. So it's hard to prepare specifically and luck will have a factor. But over-planning logistically is something Big Tall Wayne and I can control, having all the small things around camp life running smoothly and staying healthy. Extra filtered water, some home comforts, anything like that will go a long way. Chasing What Comes Next Talking with these riders, one thing stands out: curiosity. Nobody really know what Gravel Burn will feel like until we’re deep in it. The routes, the rhythm, and how it all unfolds are still a mystery. That uncertainty, the mix of fear, excitement, and discovery, is exactly what makes this so exciting. As the first edition approaches, excitement is building all over the international gravel scene for what could become one of gravel’s defining stage races. In a few weeks, I’ll find out firsthand as The Nxrth Goes South heads to South Africa. Stay tuned for stories, photos, and reflections from inside the race.

A former quarry near Mankato is being turned into a new kind of adventure park—part campground, part climbing and water playground, and anchored by free mountain bike trails built straight into the rock. Learn more about this project, what to expect in 2026, and how to support it. To learn more, visit Rockwell RV & Adventure Park . The Rockwell RV & Adventure Park project is currently in the planning and permitting stages. Portions of trail construction have been completed for demonstration and fundraising purposes, but full development and further construction is pending approval. Not yet open to the public. What Is Rockwell RV & Adventure Park (and why it matters) Rockwell RV & Adventure Park is an adventure destination taking shape inside a century-old limestone quarry outside Mankato, Minnesota. For riders, the headline is free-to-ride mountain bike trails carved directly into quarry benches and limestone blocks, with purpose-built features that lean into the site’s industrial past. The vision is simple but massive: a place where you can spend a day riding rock-forward singletrack, camp among the quarry, and still have plenty for non-riders to do on the water and around the park. A Quarry With a Second Life The site spans roughly a hundred acres that have been mined in one form or another for more than a century. Limestone came out for insulation and mortar; later, frack sand was pulled from beneath the stone. Mining has winded down and instead of grading it smooth and walking away, the team behind Rockwell RV & Adventure Park wants to reuse the rugged topography, exposed rock faces, and deep blue water to create something the region doesn’t have: durable, weather-tolerant trails with a sense of place. Drop into the pit and it feels different: bigger views, more rock, and an entirely new canvas for southern Minnesota. The Mountain Bike Plan: Connected Areas of Rock & Dirt Trails will be free to ride and built in connected areas that link the quarry floor, rock benches, and nearby wooded parcels. Think of it as one network with distinct characters: rock-forward lines on quarry stone, and flowing singletrack through trees and natural outcrops where the terrain shifts. The intent is to connect these pieces so you can pedal a continuous loop, move from slabby rock into shaded dirt, and back again, all without a car. Durability is a huge design goal. The quarry base sheds water fast, which should put more ride days on the calendar compared with Mankato’s existing flood-prone trails. Signature Trail Features You Won’t See Anywhere Else From the start, the plan has been to build with the quarry’s bones. That means limestone blockwork shaping lines and landings, terraces that step along the high wall, and features that reuse old industrial hardware. Three full-size rail cars are set to anchor a rideable train-track experience in the woods. A retired excavator will be set as an elevated rollover that loops from the arm to a lower bench. Historic stiff-leg quarry cranes are being eyed to support a short bridge section. Even the short demo trail, about a thousand feet built this spring, shows what’s possible, with limestone features and flowing lines that preview the look and feel of the full system. The aim is flow and safety first, with the “wow” coming from texture, sightlines, and the fact that you’re literally riding the quarry. Beyond Bikes: The Adventure Park Pieces Rockwell is meant to be more than a trailhead. The plan wraps an RV campground with activity hubs that make it easy to spend a weekend on site. An aqua park will put a floating obstacle course on quarry water. A cable park adds laps for wakeboarders and skiers. A climbing wall rounds out the vertical play. The non-bike pieces won’t overshadow the trail network, but they make this a spot where a mixed group can all find something they love. What’s Next Two levers determine pace from here: permitting and fundraising. The team has already cleared a major zoning hurdle by establishing a pathway for commercial recreation in previously mined areas, and early environmental work has helped frame the opportunity. As dollars come in, phases of connected trail will open, with foundational mileage prioritized first and the larger, more intricate “history features” following as funding allows. Community, Momentum, and the Long Game Local riders and businesses see the upside. A recent community event drew strong interest and a challenge pledge to kick things off, and the project has the attention of regional partners who understand what a destination-quality network can do for visitation. There’s room to grow, too. Adjacent lands could come into play over time, and a future link to the paved trail through town would let riders pedal from downtown and Nicollet Bike & Ski straight to the quarry. For now, the story is simple: a once-industrial landscape is being rewritten as a ride-in, ride-out playground, built on rock, shaped by locals, and designed to feel unlike anything else in the region.

In three weeks, I’ll be heading to South Africa for Gravel Burn, a brand-new seven-day gravel stage race through the Great Karoo. Created by the founder of the Cape Epic, the event showcases some of South Africa’s most rugged and remote terrain and is quickly establishing itself as one of the most ambitious new races in the gravel world. "The Nxrth Goes South" is Powered by Words by Josh from The Nxrth In just three weeks, I’ll be heading to South Africa for Gravel Burn , a brand-new seven-day gravel stage race created by the founder of the Cape Epic . With a $150,000 prize purse, it’s set to attract some of the world’s top gravel racers while also opening the door to everyday riders looking for a week of endurance and adventure. What the Heck is Gravel Burn? Gravel Burn takes riders into the Great Karoo, a vast and rugged interior region known for its open skies, remote dirt roads, and relentless landscapes. Over the course of a week, racers will cover long stages that test fitness, strategy, and resilience in a way few gravel events in the world can match. Why I’m Going to Gravel Burn in South Africa Next year I'm turning 40! I wanted to commemorate this milestone with a once-in-a-lifetime bike adventure. I was specifically looking for an unforgettable gravel stage race and when I first read about Gravel Burn, I couldn't shake the idea that THIS was the adventure I wanted to go all in on. For me, Gravel Burn is a rare chance to experience the emerging frontier of gravel stage racing. Events like this don’t come along often, and the combination of high-level competition, a new cultural backdrop, the very first year of a game event, and seven days of back-to-back riding makes it a unique opportunity. It’s a way to explore how gravel racing is evolving globally while taking on a personal challenge unlike anything I’ve done before. Follow Along: Gravel Burn Updates Incoming! Between now and race week, I’ll be sharing updates on travel, gear, and preparation. Once the race begins, I’ll check in with updates from the Karoo (pending wifi availability!). This is the start of "The Nxrth Goes South", a series that will follow the journey from the Northwoods to South Africa and back again.