From the Ground Up: Bentonville!
The Bentonville x From The Ground Up Camp is an opportunity for entry level bike riders to gain the skills and confidence they need to dive deeper into the sport and take on challenges that are meaningful to them. Our goal is to have 15 people walk away from the weekend having explored the town and trails that make Bentonville such a special place while finding a sense of belonging in the cycling community. After the the first two editions of FTGU x Bentonville camp in 2022 and 2023, we have worked to make 2024 even better as we transition to gravel this year. Scroll down to watch a video about camp last year, a note from Ryan and Alexey as well as a tentative itinerary!
Take a look at your coaches and celebrity chef:
The Ride Series - https://therideseriesmtb.com
Biju the Chef - https://www.chefbiju.com
Wednesday:
Starting 2pm: Arrivals to main house
Build Bikes @ main house,
Starting 4pm: Shuttle to AirBnB’s
6:30pm: Welcome Dinner @ main house w/ Chef Biju
Thursday:
7:30am Breakfast at the main house w/ Biju
9am: Gravel Skills with TRS
12:30pm: Lunch @Oven and Tap
2pm: Gravel skills with TRS pt. 2
3:30: 3 options: Return home, ~15 mile intermediate pace ride, ~8 mile beginner ride
6:30pm: Happy Hour
7pm: Dinner at Preacher's Son
Friday:
7:30am: Breakfast at the main house w/ Biju
9am: Shuttle/ride Out to Big Sugar Course. Example: 15 mile ride with 3 skills stops
12:30pm: Lunch on course/on the road.
2pm: Group riding skills, break into 3 groups to ride 10-15-20 mile options
7pm: Dinner at the main house w/ Biju
Saturday:
7:30am: Breakfast at main house
9am: Shuttle/ride out to Rule of 3 course. Example: 10 mile ride with 3 skills stops.
12:30pm: Lunch on course/at park etc.
2pm: Break into 3 groups to work on everything. 10-15-20 mile options.
6:30pm: Dinner Party at house w/ Biju, sponsors invited, giveaways.
Sunday:
7:30am: Optional easy spin to coffee shop/sleep in
9am: Easy breakfast at main house, snacks to go, pack bikes, goodbyes.
Camp Application
Our goal with the From The Ground Up Camp is to host 15 people and ensure that they each walk away with a renewed sense of confidence and appreciation for this sport and the community it attracts.
Below are a few questions just to get to know you so we can ensure that everyone is on the same page and we can provide the best camp experience possible.
We reluctantly can only choose 15 riders for this camp so if you are not selected please know that it is not because we don’t think you’d be a great addition to the camp. We hope to have more of these opportunities in the future!
We will be notifying everyone regardless on a rolling basis as quickly as possible , we know you have lives to plan around!
The camp will cost $2000 to attend. Once in Bentonville, we will have everything covered from meals and lodging to coaching and informative presentations/ Q+A.
Dates: March 27th to 31st 2024
Place: Bentonville, AR
Excited to get everyone together!
Alexey + Ryan
Camp ‘23
A note from Ryan and Alexey
When we made the switch for this season from Leadville to SBT GRVL, we questioned whether we should still put on a skills camp in Bentonville. The past couple of years, this camp has been a highlight of our year. Hanging out in the cycling mecca with a bunch of friends riding world class roads and trails in between eating delicious meals... I mean, what's not to like?
Gravel cycling is great because of its accessibility for all riders. Yes, there are the "champagne gravel" roads where simply adding a little bit of rubber is all that's needed, but one look at the SBT Black Course and we knew it would be reckless to not put a heavy focus on skills ahead of race day. Babyhead size rocks, fire roads with large ruts, loose climbs, singletrack, and off-camber corners all need to be navigated in order to find the finish line. Add in other riders, the importance of drafting, and the need to ride one handed to eat and drink and it became very clear that yes, we needed a skills camp.
Whether your goal is SBT GRVL, a race like Big Sugar, Rule of 3, or one of the hundreds of other gravel events popping up that include these technical elements, we promise that you'll leave Bentonville with a skillset that allows you to approach just about any race or adventure on your gravel bike with confidence.
We hope that you'll consider joining us for 4 days of learning and dialing in skills with The Ride Series, pedaling on the Big Sugar and Rule of 3 courses guided by pro riders, fueling with meals cooked by Biju the Chef, and exploring the best that the Town of Bentonville has to offer with new friends.
https://www.bigsugarclassic.com/