WHERE DID "PINK GRAVEL" COME FROM?  To get straight to the point, PINK GRAVEL is my cancer brain child.  It came to me during a trail walk just after my second chemo treatment in February 2020.  Just months prior, I was riding miles of gravel; and now, this little walk was kicking my butt.  I was so frustrated about how it took so much effort just to walk a couple miles.  My Oncologist told me I would be fatigued and that a walk around the block would be a reasonable goal.  He said I shouldn't be so hard on myself.  But I do tend to be hardest on my self.  I didn't want to accept my physical weakness.  I cried  as I struggled a short incline on the trail.  Eventually I began to think about how all of this crap would make other activities suffer.  Just how long it would take to get "back to normal"?  Would I forever be affected by breast cancer and these  treatments?  Through my tears, I managed a laugh about how my world was pink washed.  I was not really a fan of the color pink either.  Ugh.  Now biking will be such a chore to just get back to where I can ride miles on my own.  I will have to slow my roll in order to ride my now pink miles.  Pink miles on pink gravel . . . Hummm . . . kinda catchy.
WHAT IS PINK GRAVEL'S PURPOSE?  The purpose of Pink Gravel is to support activities that encourage breast cancer survivors to reconnect with their active lifestyles.  An active lifestyle refers to the physical activities one does throughout the day.  Any activity that gets you up and moving is part of an active lifestyle - sweeping the sidewalk, picking up sticks in the yard, walking the dog, walking, running or biking any distance.  Pink Gravel encourages all able persons to do this as well.

Cancer (and life in general) is not just physically hard; it is a mental game.  We all have to do our best to take control of the mind game and in some cases all it takes is a positive activity or distraction.  
WHAT DOES PINK GRAVEL DO?
  • The Pink Gravel Crew assists and /or provides S.A.G (support and gear) for a variety of grassroots gravel biking events in Kansas and Nebraska.  If not helping, we ride!  If possible, we do both!
  • Pink Gravel encourages a laid back, positive atmosphere when assisting events or planning our own such as the annual Just A Chill Ride-50K held the first Saturday of October. 
  • Pink Gravel supports and volunteers for other organizations and community events not related to gravel biking.  You may have seen us team up with the Dwight CDC to provide Tuesday Night Bingo to residents or maybe you have attended one of the Halloween events.  Currently, we are working with the Dwight Pride Committee to provide an activity for the Summerfest event in 2022.
  • Pink Gravel events and merch sales played a big role in helping my husband and I raise money for the Pink Gravel Fund held with the Emporia Community Foundation (ECF WEBSITE LINK).  The fund (separate from the business) will be used to support breast cancer patients, survivors, and awareness/education.  We anticipate that in the spring of 2022, to offer grant opportunities to individuals dealing with the effects of breast cancer.  Here is the LINK to make an online donation directly to the fund if you would like to help.
  • Pink Gravel sponsors individuals and/or teams competing in outdoor walk/run/bike events.  If selected, a sponsorship will include help with the registration fees and a Pink Gravel tank, shirt or jersey to wear during the event.
  • CURRENTLY> > > Pink Gravel LLC is in the process of creating a small event center/venue in Dwight, Kansas.  This venue will provide a place to host a variety of community activities and our regular gravel events.  It will be open to residents and organizations to rent for workspace, family reunions, receptions, fundraisers, meetings, work parties and small retreats.   The property will have 4 RV campsites with wifi available, electric and water hookups as well as a dump station.  There will be plenty of green space for tent camping (yes you too bike-packers).  We are VERY excited about this project.  
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT PINK GRAVEL?  Pink Gravel welcomes your cancer thoughts and stories.  Sharing your cancer experiences as a cancer patient, survivor or a cancer care giver can be a wonderful resource for others.  Believe it or not, it does feel good to share (or vent as some may call it).  So feel free to send Pink Gravel an email with your experience: 
about battling to walk around the block;
about forcing that smile when you want to cry;
about the time your warrior asked you to shave their head;
about using the "C card"  to get out of an event;
about the positives and negative side effects of treatments;  or
about the 1st evening after chemo and you stayed up all night playing Hay Day, went to work all jacked up only to be sent away when you finally came down from your chemo high. 

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