2024 Solstice Gravel Grinder

The 2024 Solstice Gravel Grinder will be in its eighth year as a premier grassroots Nebraska gravel grinder that starts and ends in Beatrice, NE on June 22th. This ride will again journey through some of the most beautiful back roads and gravel south of Beatrice. The terrain mixes steep hills, rollers, and minimum maintenance roads. The Solstice 100 (The Hundy) is our original distance, and the field will be limited to 150 riders. We will also offer a couple of shorter routes. The 50+ mile gravel grinder, called the Solar Fiddy, which will be limited to 125 riders. And the 50K Kindler (31 miles) will return again this year and will follow many of the same roads as the other routes and also mix in miles on the newly completed Chief Standing Bear Trail. We are also offer the Hundy Team Relay, which is a co-ed event in which you are required to have at least one female on your team.

The Solstice is a self-supportive ride, so plan to bring enough water and supplies to get you in between checkpoints, which are roughly 25-35 miles apart. We will have water, minimal SAG support, and a tire pump at the checkpoints. If you want, you can stop in the local convenience stores or bars and do your own thing. 

This is your ride, so you do what you have to do to make it to the end. You can’t cheat though. There will be checkpoints you must go through to be a Solstice finisher and earn your finishers' patch! And if you want to quit? Well, this is your ride, so you will need to find a ride home.

We called this event the Solstice for a reason; it’s the day before the longest day of the year, so it’s gonna be HOT! Hot and you will be pedaling 31-107 miles on your own, so prepare yourself. We will release the routes the week before the event and will have an all-gravel backup route planned in case of muddy roads. Both routes will be downloadable for cue cards and GPS files. It is your responsibility to print the routes as we will not be supplying them the day of the race.

You are responsible for your safety and well-being. We cannot stress this strongly enough--YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU! No one who has anything to do with this race, including EVENT SPONSORS, ORGANIZERS, PROMOTERS, or STAFF, bears any responsibility for your safety or well-being at any time before, during, or after the race. 

Each participant is considered to be on a private excursion and remains solely responsible for any accidents in which he or she may be involved. No responsibility can be accepted for participants who get lost, stranded, injured, or worse.

Be courteous and respectful at all times. Participants must obey all city, county, and state laws, and the Nebraska Rules of the Road.  Each participant must wear a CPSC approved cycling helmet. Each participant is required to have a clear front headlamp and a red tail light for the duration of the event. At the start of the race, and when riding after dark, participants are required to have a clear front headlamp capable of in the dark (minimum 500 lumens) and a red tail light. Be careful and take care of yourself! Your safety is up to you. Bring plenty of food and hydration. Cellular service may not always be available, but we highly recommend carrying a cell phone to contact someone in case of an emergency. Carry spare inner tubes and an inflation system. 

Pick up your packets at our sponsor Cycle Works, 720 N 27th St, Lincoln, Nebraska, on Friday June 21st from noon til 7 pm. There will be a limited supply of refreshments. 

$60 registration fee for the Hundy, $50 for the Fiddy, and $40 for The Kindler includes:

• Entry into the event
• Limited supply of adult beverages and treats at packet pickup
• Custom awards to the 1st Place finishers in each category
• Prizes for the Second and Third Place finishers in each category
• Embroidered Solstice Hundy event patch for all 100+ mile finishers
• Embroidered Solar Fiddy event patch for all 50+ mile finishers
• Embroidered Kindler event patch for all 30+ mile finishers
• Event Stickers
• Limited SAG stops along the routes
• Custom Solstice Gravel Grinder T-Shirt (if registered by June 7th)
• Free food and drink at Stone Hollow Brewing after finish
• Super cool prizes for finishers from all of our sponsors! 
• Overall male and female winners of Solstice Hundy win free entry into next year's event!
• And DFL trophies for the Last Place finishers!

Solstice Gravel Grinder, June 22nd. RIDE ON!!