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Gravel Less Traveled: Rebecca Rusch and Yuri Hauswald*
Tuesday, April 9, 2019 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
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Join the Marin Museum of Bicycling for an evening of adventure, inspiration and great conversation, with Rebecca Rusch and Yuri Hauswald. This highly accomplished pair of competitive athletes will take the stage at the museum on Tuesday, April 9. Rebecca and Yuri both have impressive resumes outside of sports, and they each bring depth and insight to everything they do. For both, stepping into the unknown is a theme. Both have managed to chase their passions and turn them into careers, at a time when most folks are slowing down. Their presentation will include photos on the big screen, and a Q&A.
Rebecca, who lives in Ketchum, Idaho, is the author of Rusch to Glory. She recently returned from Alaska, as the first woman finisher in the 2019 Iditarod Trail Invitational bike race—350 miles on the iconic Iditarod Trail. She is a recognized trailblazer who daily proves one of her core values: With risk there is great reward. Rebecca Rusch, 7X World Champion, 4X Leadville winner, expedition record holder also know as the Queen of Pain. Her impact is felt everywhere, redefining team dynamics of adventure racing, achieving a first female ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite (Bermuda Dunes route), river boarding the entire 300 miles of the Grand Canyon in 18 days, and giving men a run for their money in endurance mountain bike racing in events such as the Leadville 100. While she’s used to pushing her body to the limit, nothing could prepare her for the emotional journey she took in 2015 when she pedaled 1,200 miles of the Ho Chi Minh trail in search of the crash site that claimed the life of her father during the Vietnam War. She’ll share thoughts about that journey, subject of an Emmy award winning feature film, Blood Road. She will also be holding a Be Good Foundation fundraiser supporting NICA, on Monday, April 8, with a screening of Blood Road at the Lark Theater. The Museum plans a showing at a later date.
Yuri Hauswald grew up on a farm in rural Petaluma, roaming the hills looking for adventure when he wasn’t doing ranch chores. After a successful collegiate career playing lacrosse for UC Berkeley, and armed with a degree in American Literature, Yuri discovered the joys of mountain biking while teaching English at a prep school in Pennsylvania. A two-time solo winner of the 24 Hours of Adrenaline, and 9th place finisher at the 2006 24-Hour World Championships, Yuri has crisscrossed the country seeking out his next two-wheeled trip. He turned pro at the tender age of 36 and is currently obsessed with everything gravel. He won the Dirty Kanza 200 in 2015, his third time doing the prestigious gravel race, in apocalyptically muddy conditions. In 2018 he took on the DKXL, a 350-mile self-supported, ultra-endurance cycling challenge in the Flint Hills region of East-central Kansas. Yuri had never ridden that far and was on the fence about taking this on, until Rebecca convinced him to do it. Yuri finished 2nd and Rebecca finished 1st female, 4th overall.
In all aspects of life, these longtime friends emphasize “Redefining what you think is possible.” Rebecca recently launched the Be Good Foundation, to support inclusivity and community building; unexploded bomb (UXO) clearance in Laos; bicycles for African villagers; preservation of public lands and access; bicycle-friendly infrastructure; and more.
Speaker Series regulars please take note: this is a Tuesday event. April 9 was the one night that this dynamic duo was available.
Tickets are $10 per adult ($5 for students and Marin Museum of Bicycling members). Tickets can be purchased in advance at the museum (11:00 am – 5:00 pm Thursdays-Sundays) and online at mmbhof.org. Our Speaker Series events often sell out; there may be some tickets at the door the evening of the event. Advance purchase is recommended. All proceeds benefit the Marin Museum of Bicycling. Not a member yet? Joining or renewing is easy at mmbhof.org. We hope to see you Tuesday, April 9, 7 to 8:30 pm. Doors open at 6:15 pm. Seating is limited. Be sure to arrive early to get a seat and bring your tickets for faster check-in. Thank you!
**** Online ticket sales end at 5:00 pm the day of the show. Tickets will still be available at the door until showtime on a first-come, first-served basis unless/until the show is sold out. Please arrive before 6:30 PM to have the best chance to get a seat. ****
*Events not officially sponsored or organized by the SF Bicycle Coalition are marked with an asterisk. We post events that might be of interest to our SF area members; we do not necessarily endorse any particular group or perspective you may find represented here.