Rolling into Bentonville, Arkansas, I didn’t know what to expect. I was greeted by deceptively flat roads but genuinely sweet souls. The Festival is a 3-day gathering aimed at creating a space for female-identifying athletes who ride gravel to learn and explore at all levels. The event featured riders ranging from pros to novices. With a goal of making all women feel heard, appreciated, and understood, the festival started with a panel on Thursday night, skills clinics all day Friday, and short, medium, and long-distance rides on Saturday.

I opted for the 63 miler with 4K+ feet of climbing. There were some seriously loose gravel descents, thigh-burning climbs, and breezy rolling hills. The ride took longer than anticipated, however, the time spent was well worth it. One rider broke a derailleur, another pulled out an avocado when she began cramping, and near the end, I was in search of water as though I was crossing the Sahara. Once replenished, I was rejuvenated and ready to crush the last 10 miles. I rode 11.5 miles to the ride start and I finished the day with 74 amazing miles.