I recently moved back to Arizona after spending some time in Idaho, where I found my love of riding gravel! In 2021 I completed my first gravel race and 100 mile ride, at the time I was looking for nothing more than to say I did it. I’ve since learned so much about the greater cycling community and the support that exists with in it which is why I’m so excited to be a part of the 2023 ambassador program! The work that the SBT GRVL team does to create an event with so much emphasis around diversity and inclusion blew me away last year and I cannot wait to be a part of that effort this year!

A little about me: I grew up in Colorado, skateboarding, snowboarding, and mountain biking. Mountain biking in the 90's pretty much equals what I call "gravel" riding nowadays. I've lived in Portland, Oregon since the mid 90's and ride lots of gorgeous routes up here in the Pacific Northwest as part of an "Adventure riding" collective called Our Mother the Mountain (OMTM.CC)

In early 2021, I helped start a BIPOC focused cycling community called BikePOCpnw (@bikepocpnw) and it's been an amazing experience to be a part of something that brings so much joy and passion within our local BIPOC community here in Portland.

With this opportunity as a SBT GRVL ambassador I look forward to spreading the word about this awesome event while representing a demographic that sorely needs representation in this sport we all love. There are lots of folks out there who are on the outside looking in, and hopefully me and my crew will show them that gravel riding looks like them too!

Description Being part of SBT GRVL has been a goal, if not my ultimate goal, literally moments about learning about it over 3 years ago. Not even a month into purchasing my first gravel bike I registered to ride the virtual race in 2020. Drove up from Houston in 2021 to volunteer to make sure I could ride the event the following year. 2022 got to ride in SBT GRVL and take in all the beauty. If I could I do just about anything to make this an annual event for me to be part of. SBT GRVL team members, volunteers, locals, riders that come from all over, and add the incredible course all combined you are left with one of the greatest weekends of your life.

My health wasn't the best about 6 years ago and only declined when I lost my brother to suicide. The day he passed my mother said to me "I can't lose another son." That was how I found out I lost my brother. Those words continue to ring through my soul to this day. About two years after my brother's death, I became ill. No idea what was going on. Went to the doctor 4 times in one week. Only to find out I was a Type 2 Diabetic with an ALC that had me knocking on heaven's door. I had to change my entire life right then and there. Didn't want to be shooting myself with insulin on a daily basis. "I can't lose another son" kept playing over and over. I began to change just about everything I was doing to point me in the right direction. I weighed about 430 lbs at my heaviest. Started dropping weight by sticking to a strict diet. As soon as I lost about 30 lbs with diet, I began to exercise.

As a former professional dancer/ choreographer who grew up in an extremely low resourced area in Brooklyn NY; community has always been my blueprint for survival and thriving. I picked my bike back up in 2016 and it has never left my side since. With experiencing a new sense of freedom of being on the bike, I started an annual Bike Tour called Bike East that focuses on changing the narrative in the same community I grew up in; to give an opportunity for all to ride their bikes through the community and beyond (police escorted) and return to a classic block party. It warms my heart to see and hear so many people say they didn't know riding their bikes would impact their life in that way.

2021 came around and I applied to Team Be Cyclocross (A team created to celebrate and give access to Black and Brown athletes) for this first-time introduction to what is cyclocross. I'm forever grateful to our Team Founder Randy Locklair for giving me another doorway of not just riding, but freedom and a level of enjoyment that heals my heart and feeds my spirit. I've completed my second season in cyclocross so far and I always hear that it's such a silly sport, but it's really a beautiful way to challenge yourself, meet new folk and experience outdoors in a way you can't with road cycling. Trust me, my road bike waits patiently until CX season is over for my return. lol.

With being an amateur athlete at age 51, working full time and a parent to two beautiful daughters, you already know it's hard to maintain a training schedule and keep up with all the finances, bikes, parts, gear, nutrition and to enter races/events. This opportunity creates access and with that, I am honored. Thank you SBT GRVL, this will make one of my bucket list places in the country (Colorado) an amazing and first time that I know I will never forget.

Laura Karpinski and Rose Barcklow, are two life-long cycling enthusiasts living in Denver, CO with a big sense of adventure and passion for exploring roads less traveled.

We believe it is vitally important that the biking industry is inclusive to all and specifically want to promote more women in the sport. In 2018 we started a website, www.gravelbikeadventures.com, with the goal of encouraging all people (and especially women and members of the LGBTQ+ community) to explore the power of the outdoors through venturing onto dirt roads. Our interactive website provides nearly 200 vetted gravel routes, downloadable maps, and lots of gravel inspiration.

My name is Denesha Snell, I am from Kansas City, MO and I ride with the Major Taylor Cycling Club! This opportunity means so much to me because I got into cycling for health reasons. As a black woman who is a Type 2 diabetic, I understand the importance of caring for myself to enhance my quality of life. Cycling, especially on gravel, is an important part of my care plan! My goal is to give at least 3 of these guaranteed entries to other black women who are interested in cycling. I want to use this event as an opportunity to build community and have something to build around, SBT is the perfect event!

My name is Jared Ben-Jamin and I am a Bay Area native currently living in SF working in Tech. I spend most of my time with my dog Moose, my fiance Caroline, and of course riding bikes! I have been riding on two wheels for as long as I can remember. I started out with BMX when I was a kid, then mountain bikes, then got really into road and have fallen in love with gravel over the last couple of years. I love riding gravel for a few key reasons: getting to be immersed in the outdoors, going on adventures with friends where you are never quite sure where you will end up, and for the simple joy of exploration and pushing myself. I think the main reason I fell in love with the bike in general is because it feels so therapeutic for me. Everything else just fades away and I feel like a kid again every time I put my leg over the bike, like I am just going out to play (probably because I am!).

I had such an amazing time at SBT GRVL last year and came back and wanted to share it with everyone. This opportunity is so exciting for me because it means that I can help do that. I feel like it is a platform to help spread the love of gravel and the amazing gravel and SBT community with those in my own backyard. This opportunity means that I can help get more people onto bikes, onto trails and generally just having fun and pushing themselves to try new experiences. It also means that I get to push myself to try new experiences and become more involved with my local cycling community. So excited!

I began cycling in 2013, after a few years off from racing motorcycles professionally as a way to lose weight and become healthier for my 2 young boys. After losing roughly 65 lbs that summer I was completely hooked on cycling and the lifestyle that accompanied it! I began racing Crits/Road Races and over the next couple of years worked my way into the p/1/2 races. A couple broken clavicles and surgeries later I decided that I need to find a “new” type of racing to scratch my competitive itch. I started racing cyclocross and adventure riding and absolutely fell in love with cycling all over again. I love sharing my passion and knowledge I’ve gained with others by leading group rides, volunteering and growing cycling in my community. This passion and excitement led me to create an Instagram page, @the_offroad_cyclist , to share my love of off-road cycling and hopefully push others to explore non-traditional cycling!

Being an official SBT GRVL ambassador will no doubt be the highlight of my 2023 summer. The excitement for a year of gravel riding, promoting and spreading the word about SBT GRVL has me beyond stoked.

Hello! I'm Rachel, a creative director, stylist, and newer cyclist hungry for adventure. This past year I was part of a project called From the Ground Up where I was one of three entry level cyclists who had the opportunity of a lifetime to train and race Leadville 100. Along the journey, I have fallen in love with the endurance and gravel side of things and want to continue getting out of my comfort zone. To be an ambassador for SBT GRVL means so much!! It's a promise to myself to keep growing and learning and ultimately to encourage more people to get on bikes! I was always so intimidated to start and still have much to learn, but if I have any part in helping encourage more people to get on bikes and try new/hard things then that is what I call a success! I am honored to be a part of this opportunity. See you out there!

Photo Credit: Robert Barranco

Adam is a former full-time bike racer who was "almost fast" for many years. During those years he did manage to earn a masters degree in exercise physiology from the University of Kansas which he promptly put to use as a full time cycling coach with Source Endurance while managing and directing the UCI Continental: Elevate Pro Cycling Team. The team made an immediate splash in North America and his clients earned over 24 national championships in 11 disciplines on two continents. Adam works with clients to reach and exceed their goals whether they are a beginner or a seasoned professional. Following his road campaign Adam pivoted to knobby tires and the adventures promised by gravel roads. Gravel roads are a curious thing because they seem to go nowhere, yet you can use them to get anywhere.

I have spent 20+ years riding and racing my bike for US Paralympics demonstrating what’s possible when you, “Make a plan and plan to make it!” Gravel racing and SBT are the next phase in my plan to inspire others by suffering down long dusty gravel roads.

I started racing bikes in June 2022, quickly finding a competitive passion and desire to learn more and be better. Since joining the West Michigan based cycling team RAD. I’m really excited to do more of that in 2023. I own a marketing agency, am a photographer and videographer. Opportunities like these are what helps drive me and my goals for the future and I’m beyond excited to be a part of the team.