BEATRICE – An annual tradition of Homestead Days took off a little earlier than normal, Saturday. The cross-country Solstice Gravel Grinder cycling event featured three waves of cyclists, taking various race routes which began at Center Street, in Beatrice, initially traveling north on Second Street, before entering rural parts of the county.


"From here, they're going up to Pickrell, then up to Adams. We had to cut the route short this year because of the temperatures, so we cut the 100-mile ride down to 70 miles. They'll be coming from Adams, going straight down (south) to Filley....then to Holmesville....then back here again."


Joe Billesbach, the Coordinator of the Gravel Grinder now in its ninth year, gives cyclists the option of going the long route or choosing one of two other shorter races that wind through rural areas, before finishing where they started. Four hundred cyclists registered for the event.


Bicyclists were getting the challenge of dealing with upper 90s temperatures and a stiff headwind of up to 40-miles per-hour on their way back to the starting line.

At the start, along Center Street
At the start, along Center Street  

 
"We moved it up one hour just to try to beat the heat and our goal is to have everyone off the course by one o'clock. Hopefully we can get that done. We told them ahead of time we kinda of wanted to keep a faster pace...we don't want any lolly-gaggers out there...so a lot of people who thought they were going to have a hard time, cut down to the 37-mile."


New this year, was an E-bike category on the shorter race, for those who want to try that option. In the past few years, the event also added team relays. The Solstice Gravel Grinder takes place when the coordinator is celebrating his birthday, which touches off a little serenading of happy birthday.


Cyclists encounter flat land, some rolling hills and a few minimum maintenance roads on the way through the road race….including some time on the Chief Standing Bear Trail.


The last time temperatures hit the 100-degree mark during the Gravel Grinder, was 2022.