The Gone Graveling festival
A women’s gravel festival
May 11-13, 2023
Bentonville, AR
Single Day Tickets Now Available!
it’s not a race……
That’s right. There are no timed events, no starting lines, no race numbers, and no lines for the last nervous porta potty pee…but there will be sweet swag!
The Gone Graveling Festival is a fun and safe space for women to connect, learn and ride.
Over the course of three days, we have educational clinics, group rides, and community gatherings (aka - parties!).
You’ll get to meet other rad women who love gravel riding and experience one of the best bike towns in the country!
This event is open to any rider who identifies as a woman including cis, trans, non-binary, or any significantly female-identifying persons.
Event overview
Thursday
Arrive early and enjoy self-guided bike adventures or join us for the evening welcome party where you’ll meet new friends, learn all about the weekend, and connect with other women like you!
5:00 PM - Registration Opens
6:00 - 8:30 PM - Festival Kick-Off @ Coler Grove
- Opening party includes heavy apps, drinks, & a special keynote presentation
Friday & Saturday
All-day activities include hands-on workshops, on-bike skill clinics, rides, time to hang out with your new friends, shopping from great vendors, and more.
Both days will include rides of various distances with some rides designed to help you further your skills, while others are just for exploring. We even have a few theme rides in the works. (details coming soon)
Rides will start throughout the day with distances between 15-30 miles. You can join as many rides as you want.
Festival Expo/Activities Schedule (more details coming soon)
Friday @ Coler Grove
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Festival Open
- Registration, Shopping, Hands-on Workshops, On-Bike Skills Clinics, Rides, and more
Saturday @ Coler Grove
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Festival Open
- Registration, Shopping, Hands-on Workshops, On-Bike Skills Clinics, Rides, and more
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Gone Graveling Festival Official After Party
*Schedule is subject to change - Events take place rain or shine
optional routes will be available for those who want to ride on Sunday!
What’s Included?
3 Days of Festival Entry
Opening and Closing Parties with food and drink
Lunch Friday & Saturday
Coffee & snacks
Fun and unique rides throughout the day
Skills clinics led by experienced coaches
Other hands-on clinics on topics like nutrition, ride-leading, etc
A community hub to help you prep for the festival
Really Good Swag
$349 - USD
Note - You will be redirected to Feisty Women’s performance to register and your credit card charges will read feisty women’s performance.
*Price increase April 11th
Festival Partners
Meals prepared by Chef Biju Thomas
Workshops & Clinics
2023 Leaders
Bentonville is home to an all-star group of female ride leaders! We’re excited to work with many of the local women at this event.
You’ll also have the chance to work with some of our favorite teachers including:
Starla Teddergreen
Starla is a long-time professional cyclist and is competing in the Life Time Grand Prix series. She and her husband founded Distance To Empty in 2021.
Susie Douglas is the founder of Down 2 Bike Project, a mountain bike coaching and bike advocacy consulting company. She has ten years of experience working in the bike industry (mechanic, mountain bike coach, group ride leader) and has also worked in the most remote areas on earth…did someone say Antarctica?!!!
Casey Wytaske
Casey is a certified bike mechanic and MTB coach
Lex Albrecht is a 8 time CHAMPION OF QUÉBEC, 3 time podium finisher at the Canadian National Championships, and has represented Canada on 4 occasions at the World Championships, and other prestigeous international events.
Kristi Mohn
Kristi is the OG race promoter for UNBOUND Gravel and Girls Gone Gravel podcast co-host. Over the years, Kristi has helped coach hundreds of women to reach their goals through the UNBOUND gravel camps and is now taking on the role of coach.
Abi Robbins
Abi an author, teacher, and coach who found their career in helping people change their lives. Abi is the founder of Queer Gravel and an advocate for non-binary and trans athletes in the cycling community.
Caro Poole
Caro rides for the Velocio Exploro team and is a Bentonville resident.
Selene Yeager
Selene literally wrote the book on Gravel.
She is also a former professional mountain biker, contributor for Bicycling Magazine, and hosts the popular Hit Play Not Pause Podcast.
Marley Blonsky
Marley is a self-described “fat adventure cyclist” and bike advocate who believes that all bodies belong on a bicycle, regardless of age, gender, size, race, or ability. Over the past six years she has led over 100 community bike rides and has been the keynote speaker and panelist at multiple conferences, including the League of American Bicyclists and the Washington Bike Summit. Blonsky founded the All Bodies on Bikes Community, which boasts over 10,000 members, and was featured in the acclaimed film, All Bodies on Bikes.
Booke Goudy
Brooke is a mountain biker, gravel cyclists and champion for diversity in the outdoors. She founded Roudy Goudy, an organization committed to getting more women of color on bikes.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m registered and I have a question or am not getting emails….
All email communications are coming from Feisty Media - please check your junk mail folders. If you still aren’t receiving emails, you probably unsubscribed from the list. For legal reasons, you must resubscribe yourself. Here’s how:
Go to https://www.womensperformance.com/login - use the email you used to sign up for the festival and if you forgot your password, hit forgot password to reset.
After you log in, follow these instructions.
Please wait until after the festival to unsubscribe from any emails from Feisty Media.
That link will also drop you into the community hub which will answer most of your questions!
who can attend this festival?
The festival is open to any person who identifies as a woman*. Newer riders are welcome to attend. You should be comfortable getting on and off your bike and riding with a group for 60-90 minutes. Keep in mind that NW Arkansas is rather hilly but don’t let that deter you. We’re not racing, we’re out to enjoy the ride.
For more advanced riders, this event is not designed to be a training camp or training weekend. Although you can rack up plenty of miles throughout the weekend, keep in mind that the focus is on community and adventures rather than hard training days.
*This event is open to any rider who identifies as a woman including cis, trans, non-binary, or any significantly female-identifying persons.
What ‘bike stuff’ should I bring?
A gravel bike is recommended. You could also ride this event on a mountain bike.
We also recommend you have some type of bike computer to load routes. A phone holder that displays the route would also work.
Tires - you’ll be happy with anything from 38-45. See our tire guide here
Make sure you get your bike serviced before the event. It’s best to plan 3-4 weeks prior to the event in case you need any parts replaced. We will have onsite mechanics, but parts are limited.
Can I ride an e-bike?
Absolutely! E-bikes are welcome at this event!
if I’ve never done anything like this, How should I prep for this event?
Since it’s not a race, you don’t need a training plan to prepare but we recommend building to a level of fitness that comfortably allows you to ride for 60-90 minutes on rolling terrain. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out this free training plan for the UNBOUND Gravel 25 miler.
Of course, we’ll have longer ride options available as well and if you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can check out the other free training plans from UNBOUND.
Where should I stay?
There are a lot of housing options in Bentonville. The best campground for the event is Coler Mountain Bike Preserve Campground - just minutes from the festival site.
Bentonville also has many bike-friendly AirBNBs and hotels.
The Bike Inn Bentonville and Courtyard by Marriott Bentonville have generously offered discounts to Gone Gravel Festival attendees; log in to the Women’s Performance portal for details.
What airport should I fly into?
Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) is located just 20 minutes from downtown Bentonville, AR. If this option doesn’t work for your travel second best choice is Tulsa International Airport (TUL) which is located approximately 2 hours from Bentonville, AR.
Do I need a car?
Not necessarily. Everything in Bentonville is connected by bike paths and parking can be tight for events. We’ll have designated meet-up spots where people can ride to the event venues together.
What’s included?
All festival clinics, group rides, and opening and closing parties (with food and drink) are included in the cost of the festival. In addition, each participant will get a sweet swag bag and the opportunity to win some fun prizes. Breakfasts and dinner on Friday are on your own. You are also responsible for your own transportation and housing. More activities and events are in the works so stay tuned!
What if I don’t know anyone?
By the end of the festival, you’ll have some new bike besties! But we also know that traveling to an event solo can be intimidating. We’re creating a Facebook group just for festival participants so you can meet each other and find roommates and travel buddies.
Who is Feisty Media and why is that on my credit card charge?
Feisty Media is the parent company of Girls Gone Gravel. We are using our Feisty Women’s Performance system for registration. This saves you on any credit card fees that platforms like bike reg or eventbrite charge in addition to the festival rate.
How is this festival promoting diversity?
We’re holding spots for BIPOC riders and riders who have traditionally been underserved in the sport of cycling. If the event is full, and you’d like a spot, email kathryn@girlsgonegravel.com
We have also partnered with Brooke Goudy and Abi Robbins with scholarship opportunities for BIPOC and trans/nonbinary athletes.
What about the recent anti-trans legislation proposed in Arkansas?
We totally understand that some folks don’t want to support a state with anti-trans legislation or that doesn’t support women’s rights. We choose Bentonville after many thoughtful conversations with trans advocates and local leadership. At the end of the day, we believe that change will only happen from inside of a community and we want to support the people who will ultimately do the hard work to bring change.
Our festival works hard to create a safe space for any woman who attends. Any woman is welcome and will be taken care of.
If you feel strongly about not attending because of the legislation, we encourage you to do more than silently protest and put the money you would spend on the festival to support the work of trans organizations in Arkansas. A list of resources can be found here.
How do I get my bike there if I’m flying/can I rent a bike?
Looking for the best way to get your bike and gear to Bentonville for Gone Gravel Festival?
Flying with a bike bag is easier than you think. Your local bike shop can even pack it if needed. Most airlines have waived the bike bag fees (check before booking). Often, you can even borrow a bike bag from a friend.
There are also some local bike shops that rent gravel bikes. :
PHAT TIRE BIKE SHOP
Call to reserve
479-715-6170
info@phattirebikeshop.com
Gearhead Outfitters
Click here to reserve
479-657-2135
https://www.gho.com/pages/goexperiencecenter
what should I Pack?
Your bike! Bring anything that you’d bring for a bike ride including your bike gear, bike kits, helmet, shoes, packs to carry snacks, water bottles, and more.
We will ride in any safe weather so be prepared rain or shine.
Attire for the opening and closing parties is casual. Wear what feels good. These will be outside and under tents, please be prepared for cooler night temps.
If I can no longer attend, what should I do?
We don’t offer refunds or deferrals but we do offer a zero-cost transfer. Just find someone to take your spot and email yourfriends@livefeisty.com
What else is there to do in Bentonville
Check out Visit Bentonville’s website for a wealth of information on things to do while in town. Some of our favorites include The Momentary, Crystal Bridges, Native American Museum and of course all the great Food options!
I’D LOVE TO VOLUNTEER FOR DISCOUNTED FESTIVAL ENTRY
We are currently full for 2023 volunteers.
I’ve still got more questions or want to know about sponsorship opportunities…..
Email us
Kathryn Taylor - kathryn@girlsgonegravel.com
Aimee Ross - aimee@livefeisty.com