Endurance all-star Rebecca Rusch has logged more miles on a bike than just about anyone on Earth. But when she isn’t riding, the multi-time world champion and 2022 inductee to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame makes her home in Smiley Creek. Her love of local terrain inspired Rusch to start Rebecca’s Private Idaho (RPI), a four-day stage race and general cycling festival, in 2013. Since, RPI has become one of the nation’s premier gravel events. We talked with Rusch to get a few tips on getting started, her view of the sport’s growth, and what makes the Sun Valley area heaven for gravel grinders worldwide.
WHAT’S THE APPEAL OF GRAVEL RIDING, COMPARED TO ROAD OR MOUNTAIN BIKING?
Gravel riding lives in this beautiful in-between space—it’s the freedom of the road with the soul of the trail. There’s less traffic, more solitude, and a real sense of exploration. You don’t have to pick between speed or scenery, structure or spontaneity. Gravel gives you both. It invites curiosity. You can just roll out and see where the dirt leads you.
WHAT MAKES THIS PART OF IDAHO A GOOD FIT?
This terrain is raw, rugged, and real. The gravel around Ketchum and Sun Valley connects mining roads, ranch land, and wide-open wilderness. It’s remote and challenging, but also incredibly welcoming. You get the feeling that you’re riding through history with the incredible landscapes that surrounds our areas.
HOW DOES THE POPULARITY NOW COMPARE TO WHEN YOU STARTED?
When I first started riding gravel, people didn’t really have a name for it—it was just what you did when the pavement ended. There wasn’t a category, or a crowd. It’s been incredible to watch this discipline grow. Now? It’s exploded. But the heart of it hasn’t changed. It’s still about inclusivity, community, personal challenge, and discovery.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT GRAVEL RIDING WAS SPECIAL—YOUR “A-HA” MOMENT?
My first year at Unbound (a major gravel race in Kansas), I was more or less forced to go race by my sponsors at the time. I didn’t want to; I was a mountain biker, not a roadie. But once I got out there and felt the freedom and adventure, I knew there was something I was missing out on.
After that I came back and began to explore our area in a different way, on gravel. It opened up a whole new world of exploration by dirt. I could go for miles and hours discovering new areas in our own backyard. This is actually what inspired me to create Rebecca’s Private Idaho 13 years ago. If they could do it in Kansas, I knew it would be that much more incredible here in Idaho!
DO BEGINNERS NEED ANY SPECIAL SKILL OR GEAR?
A sense of adventure is number one! Gravel riding is inclusive and welcoming for all levels, especially beginners. You can have any type of bike that is meant for dirt, you don’t have to start with the fanciest gravel bike out there. The most important thing for all beginner cyclists in this area is to be prepared and safe. If you are going out on a solo ride, make sure someone knows where you are riding and carry a device that can message out on satellite. Along with that, having the basic gear to get you out of most situations is key. That means a light jacket for unpredictable mountain weather, water and snacks, and your basic bike tools: hand pump, tube, multi-tool, and know how to use them! Gravel is incredibly inclusive. You just need to be willing to get a little dusty and have some fun. The road—gravel or not—will teach you the rest.