What is gravel cycling?
“I honestly don’t think anyone has a very straight answer,” says 2019 DK200 winner Amity Rockwell, “There’s certainly no other discipline of bike racing—aside from gravel—where I can just go push myself for that many hours and see what happens…”
Growing up with athletic parents—both Mom and Dad ran daily—running was always something “you just did” in the Rockwell household. “For a long time, it was running—and running was enough,” says Rockwell. “I was just lucky that bikes came in and offered me this whole world of opportunity that I could have never imagined back when I was just running around in circles…”
From growing her own vegetables in a backyard garden, to personal art projects, Amity shares her origins in sports and how cycling—and life—has come into focus during the 2020 pandemic in this video biography.
“I definitely don’t take for granted the ability to just get way out there,” says Amity, “It was never really about bikes—it’s more just about getting outside and having that connection to your environment.”
Currently residing in Santa Barbara, Amity is thankful for the privilege to explore the expanse of southern California wilderness on her bicycle—choosing the Canyon Grail to search beyond the road’s end. “[It’s] pretty incredible to have that escape out my front door,” says Amity, “I feel like it keeps on going forever…”
Video by: Taylor Sage Athlete: https://www.instagram.com/amityvil/