A Weekend of Doing More Than We Thought We Could

We planned Dirt Squad fall camp because we missed our people. Nick and I wanted everyone to come to Wisconsin, ride with us, spend time together, and enjoy a weekend without the rush of a big event.

What I loved most was watching everyone crush their goals.

Throughout the weekend, we got to see people do things they weren’t sure they could do. And by the end, Alecia said she had exceeded her own expectations.

That pretty much sums it up.

There’s something special about watching someone discover they have more in them than they realized. You can encourage them and tell them you believe in them, but there’s a moment when they start believing it themselves. Getting to share that moment is one of my favorite parts of Dirt Squad.

Alecia has talked about the mental side of riding hills. When I asked what had made her proud at Gravel Worlds, she said:

“When I made it up the hills and didn’t talk myself out of them.”

That feeling carried into this weekend. Seeing her leave having exceeded her own expectations meant a lot. She gets to take that experience into the next ride: she’s already done more than she thought she could.

And she wasn’t the only one. Everyone had their own goals, their own challenges, and their own reasons for being here. We got to watch each other work through them, offer encouragement, and celebrate together.

During our conversations, Katie explained why helping someone else succeed means so much to her:

“For me, it’s just all about giving back because I had the same thing when I was starting out and I want to give the same thing back to new riders.”

I see that in this group. People pay attention to each other. They remember what it felt like to be unsure, and they want to help the next person through it.

That support makes a difference before someone even gets on the bike. Sometimes the first challenge is showing up.

Teresa had joined Dirt Squad before ever riding with us. She told me she felt we wanted people who might not feel they belonged elsewhere to have a place with us. Nick helped make that real by sitting down, talking with her, and taking an interest.

Later, at Gravel Worlds, she saw that same care at the finish line.

“We literally waited till the last person came across officially. That was amazing.”

When people know you’ll be there for them, they have a little more room to try. They can set a goal without also worrying about whether they’re inconveniencing everyone else.

Teresa had a pretty good answer when we talked about being the slowest person, too:

“I would say we all took turns being the slowest person.”

I love that. We all have different strengths, different days, and different things we’re working toward.

George brought another perspective that belongs in this conversation. Cycling isn’t his main passion. He came to spend time with Teresa and get to know the team, and he reminded us:

“Just because we don’t do it or don’t do it much, doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it.”

You don’t have to ride every day to have a goal worth working toward. You don’t have to want the longest route. You get to decide what you want from your time on the bike, and we get to cheer for you while you go after it.

Mark explained that part pretty simply:

“It’s better for me to cheer for everybody because everybody needs that. It helps.”

This weekend, we watched it help.

We rode, spent time together, laughed, and learned more about each other. We also got to see what happens when people bring their goals to a group that cares about helping them succeed.

Thank you to everyone who came and shared the weekend with us. Watching you leave with accomplishments you were proud of—and, in Alecia’s case, more than you expected of yourself—made me proud to be part of this team.

I hope you remember that feeling the next time you wonder whether you can do something.

You Belong Here.

—Crystal