Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Gravel SHARK?

About seven years ago, I started a healthy and lively group conversation with many elite racers and event directors in gravel. I was concerned with the cheating and bad karma that was oozing into the sport as more elite athletes came to the stage. I felt compelled to protect what I had come to love. I didn’t (and don’t) want to see gravel become a cookie cutter template of traditional road racing. I’m not bagging on road racing, but that style of riding and racing already exists. If that’s your jam, then keep road racing. Our gravel racing discussion included many emails and various opinions on things like drafting, prize money and water bottle hand ups. It was unanimously clear that each event was unique and we all wanted to maintain the unstructured character. We didn’t want rules or sanctions, but we did want ethics. We wanted fair play, fun, and freedom. Based on these conversations, I took everyone’s input and wrote up a 10 Commandments of Gravel. I also had a second name called The Rough Road Code. Ultimately I did not publish these, because “commandments” felt heavy handed, and who was I to say what the code of ethics should be for all gravel events? We all agreed we didn’t want standardized rules for this genre of riding. So I let the conversation drop. A couple of years later, a first grader friend of mine, Anna, provided the answer for Private Idaho and for my own racing ethic on gravel. Anna told me about their SHARK rules at her school and what the letters stood for. How we should behave as athletes in gravel races is what we learned, and perhaps forgot from first grade. It really is quite simple. Here are my gravel SHARK ethics (adapted from Anna’s SHARK rules), and this is how I operate myself, for my event and share this with riders who are coming into this genre of riding. Oh, and feel free to apply this to your everyday life, too. It’s kind of universal. S: Safe. We race on open roads and sometimes in big groups. Be safe and live to ride another day. This includes staying in your lane, obeying the rules of the road, having your ears and eyes open, and maybe even slowing down if a cow happens to wander across the race course. It happens. H: Honest. If you have to ask yourself “Is this okay?” then it’s not. This includes course cutting, taking aid on course, doping, and any other form of cheating. A: Accountable. Your actions are a reflection of you and our community of cyclists. Own your behavior and behave as an honored guest, because you are. R: Responsible. Take care of yourself. Bring a tool, tube, water, food, and a map. Courses are remote and rugged. Take responsibility for yourself. If you don’t end up needing that stuff, you can share it with someone who might. K: Kind. We are all part of the same bike-riding tribe. Let’s treat each other, the volunteers, the staff, the residents, everyone the same way we want to be treated. Here’s the thing about the above ethics. The community is the judge and jury. It's up to all racers, event directors, participants, and sponsors to shine a light on and enforce the ethic of gravel racing. Each event may have different rules for drafting, dropping bottles on course, or where you can take aid. No matter what the rules of the specific event are, SHARK still applies, and it’s up to us to call out bad behavior or an infraction if we witness it.

Is this a race or a ride?

Great question! Rebecca's Private Idaho has an option for everyone, from the ability to ride in Rebecca's hometown with RPI Sun Valley to creating your own route and riding locally with RPI Remote. RPI lets the rider set their own goal. If your goal is to be at the top of the podium, race away! If your aspirations are to finish your first 20, 56, or 102 miles of gravel, we'll support you the entire way and high five you at the end. If you sign up for the experience of RPI—hometown hospitality, connecting with fellow riders, celebrating beautiful places—we will make sure the views are epic and the smiles geniune. So in short, RPI is a ride, a race, an experience—whatever you want it to be! If you do plan to race it, why not optimize your training with Rebecca and her experts? Join RPI BaseCamp for a custom eight-week training program that will prepare you for any version of RPI. Each participant will have intimate access to robust and unique content from Rebecca and her network of performance experts. https://www.rebeccasprivateidaho.com/basecamp

How do I change my registration?

Need to change your distance?Want to go for a longer route? Need a different shirt size? BikeReg makes it super easy to make edits to your registration; click here for instructions. Changes may be made to your registration by logging in to your BikeReg account. Changes and transfers must be completed by August 1. Changes may include:

• Moving to a different race distance (i.e., from French Fry to Baked Potato)

What if RPI Sun Valley 2021 is cancelled?

Please see our policies for Refund, Transfer, Deferment, and Cancellations on our website here: https://www.rebeccasprivateidaho.com/policies

How do I change my registration?

Need to change your distance? Want to go for a longer route? Need a different shirt size? BikeReg makes it super easy to make edits to your registration; click here for instructions. Changes may be made to your registration by logging in to your BikeReg account. Changes and transfers must be completed by August 1. Changes may include:

• Moving to a different race distance (i.e., from French Fry to Baked Potato)

I am registered and would like to reserve some housing. Can you tell me where to find the course start points and any suggestions on housing location?

The race start is at Festival Meadows on Sun Valley Road between Spruce and Dollar in Sun Valley. The packet pickup expo on Saturday is at the Limelight Hotel on Main Street in Ketchum. The towns of Ketchum and Sun Valley are only about three miles wide, and most items are very walkable from downtown, with the exception being if you lodge in a condo at Elkhorn Village of Sun Valley, but everything is ridable on a bike!

Do I need to have a USA Cycling license for the event?

No, you do not need to have a one-day or yearly USA Cycling license for RPI.

What is the Duo category? What is the Tandem category?

Register for the Duo or Tandem categories! Duo: This category was created so that two riders can work together on the French Fry or Baked Potato courses to share the load and help each other along.
Duo Team rules:
​ Duo riders must sign up for the duo category when registering. Duo riders must stay within sight of each other throughout the course. Duo riders must cross all of the timing mats and finish line together. You will be scored and recognized as a team. We have Duo category prizing! ​ Tandem: Grab your partner and your tandem bike, register together for the French Fry or Baked Potato, and enjoy the race together! The hardest decision will be deciding who gets to ride in front!

I missed registering for the Queen's Stage Race and now it is full. Can you open up more spots? What should I do?

We are limited on the number of spots for all of our RPI Sun Valley events by the permits from the Forest Service. While we would love to be able to let more people experience the Queen's Stage Race, our permits ensure that the area and vistas we love remain safe, clean, and pristine so we can continue to enjoy them for years and years in the future. The QSR is limited to 300 riders, and we sold out quickly this year. You may register for the waitlist; however, we also recommend registering for the Sunday Baked Potato ride so you will be locked in to saddle up in case a spot does not open. If spots do open in the QSR, we will move waitlist registrants to the QSR manually and can refund or credit money spent on the Baked Potato registration. Registrants will be moved over in the order they signed up for the waitlist. If you don't get in to the QSR, you can still participate and have a fun time riding together. You can volunteer for the QSR Day 1 at Galena lodge, and on Day 2, you can roll out with the racers and cheer them on from the time-trial start line. The ride to the springs is 12 miles at a casual pace, and no racing takes place until the time trial at the bottom of the Dollar Hide Climb. After that, you can come to the GU Energy group ride on the Tater Tot 20-mile course to shake your legs out even more before the racer expo on Saturday. Furthermore, if you want to plan some other rides or fun activities around Ketchum and Sun Valley, just let us know. There is so much to do and experience in our part of the world.

We will be traveling in an RV. Where is the base/location for the race and nearest recommended camping spaces?

You have a few camping/RV options close to RPI, but you'll need to book early. You can try to book on the recreation.gov site linked below for camping sites. We do have one RV park just south of town, about five miles from the race start. You can contact the Meadows RV Park directly to get a spot. All national forest campgrounds should be open during the event weekend. Check the www.recreation.gov website for availability. You won't be able to park and camp from your RV within the city limits. Please be respectful of the City of Ketchum and City of Sun Valley's rules for parking.

What are the cutoff times for the rides?

BAKED POTATO: The cutoff time to reach the Copper Basin rest stop (approximately mile 41) is 11:30 a.m. You must be through the rest stop by that time to continue onto the loop. Riders who do not make the cutoff will turn around at the rest stop. FRENCH FRY: There is no cutoff time for the French Fry ride, but you must finish before the last Baked Potato rider. The approximate timing of this would be by 5:30 p.m., which is 9.5 hours for the 56-mile ride. TATER TOT: There is no cutoff time for the Tater Tot ride.

How much does it cost?

The cost for the race distances are as follows:

• Queen's Stage Race: $325
• Baked Potato
  • Dec 4-Feb 14: $165
  • Feb 15-Mar 14: $182
  • Mar 15-Jul 14: $199
  • Jul 15 to race day: $220
• French Fry
  • Dec 4-Feb 14: $125
  • Feb 15-Mar 14: $140
  • Mar 15-Jul 14: $154
  • Jul 15 to race day: $169
• Tater Tot: $40

Can I drive to the race start?

We suggest you ride to the race start if you are staying in Ketchum and Sun Valley. The Sunday event begins on the border of Ketchum and Sun Valley on Sun Valley Road. It is easily and quickly accessible from the bike path. If you are staying out of town or must drive in, park in one of the public parking lots around town. Be sure not to park in two-hour parking, as you will be ticketed. Pick a spot in the unrestricted spots or the pay parking lot, which is only $0.25/hour and a quick 0.5-mile roll to the start. You can find the public parking lots on the City of Ketchum's Park Like A Local Brochure here. We suggest that you plan to be parked and rolling to the start line no later than 7:15 a.m.

I’d like to know about the course for the first stage of the Queen's Stage Race. The website indicates it is 40% singletrack | 20% gravel road | 40% non-motorized path. Is this course designed for a gravel bike or a mountain bike? How technical would you rate it?

The Queen's Stage Race first stage takes place on both the Harriman Trail (gravel multipurpose trail) and the mountain bike trails at Galena Lodge. The course is designed to ride with a gravel bike, and while it is on mountain bike trails for part of it, it is not very technical, in that there are no drops, step-ups, or standard mountain bike obstacles. You can see a little course information in the video here from the 2018 event.

Is the course open or closed?

The course is an open course, meaning that it is your responsibility to be aware of traffic, your fellow riders, and of course wildlife. You must obey the rules of the road and the Gravel S.H.A.R.K. Ethics. Failure to abide by these important safety rules will disqualify you from the event.

Rebecca's Private Idaho Sun Valley gratefully takes place on National Forest Land, including the Lost River Ranger District of the Salmon-Challis National Forest, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, and Ketchum Ranger Districts of the Sawtooth National Forest, all of which are historic native land of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe.

The land you will be riding on is also open range land, meaning grazing livestock may be on the course. Below are some general rules and parameters from our Forest Service permit related to the land use.

• Be respectful of other Forest users. This includes other recreationalists and permit holders on NFS lands.
  • Recreation events are non-exclusive and public lands are for everyone’s enjoyment. Please be mindful that the Forest is still open for other visitors to recreate and that public lands are shared spaces.
  • Other permit holders include grazing, mining, and logging permittees who also operate on NFS lands. Please be mindful of these activities.
  • For events that occur within or near grazing allotments, do not harasses or stress livestock and leave gates as you found them (i.e., keep closed gates closed).
• Respect wildlife. Do not harass and stress wildlife. Observe from a distance and do not approach or feed wildlife.
• Ensure participants practice Leave No Trace ethics and prevent resource damage.
• Take responsibility for any resource damage that occurs as a result of the event and contact the Forest Service to repair, restore, or replace any damages on NFS lands.
• Stay on designated routes and trails. Motorized use must comply with Motor Vehicle Use Maps.
• Prevent the spread of noxious weeds by cleaning motorized vehicles and equipment prior to accessing NFS lands. Events promoting motorized use must provide participants access to weed wash stations.
• Follow all Federal, State, and County laws.
• Leave NFS lands better than you found them.

Where are the aid stations on course? What fuel and hydration will be offered?

Aid stations will be available only on the final day of the Queen's Stage Race (including the French Fry, Baked Potato, and Tater Tot). The Tater Tot course will have one aid station at the turnaround point in Long Gulch at the halfway point. For the remaining routes, three aid stations will be set up at the locations specified below with pop-up tents, bicycle racks, portable restrooms, trash receptacles, tables, chairs, and volunteer/staff cars. Aid stations will contain water and support food for the riders and volunteers. All food and water distribution will be done in accordance of best practices for health and safety standards. French Fry riders will visit Aid Stations 1 and 2 twice during their ride. Baked Potato riders will visit each aid station twice during their ride. Aid Station 1 (Trail Creek Aid Station): Top of Trail Creek Climb in the trail hiking/activity parking area Aid Station 2 (Wild Horse Aid Station): West side of the Wild Horse Creek and 135 split Aid Station 3 (Copper Basin Aid Station): At the split of 135 and 138 in Copper Basin
Depending on regulations, you will find GU Energy Products (fuel and gels), Picky Bars, bananas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and other snacks and goodies. We will do our best to provide all riders with fuel they need to enjoy the day in the saddle; however, if you have special dietary needs (gluten free, no caffeine, vegan, etc.), please be sure to prepare these yourself ahead of time for your ride.

I only have a mountain bike and a fat bike. Do I need a gravel bike?

About 25% of riders at RPI Sun Valley ride on their mountain bikes! Not everyone has a bunch of different bikes, and that's okay. If you compete on a mountain bike, my suggestion is to put on thinner tires (1.8 ish) with not a lot of tread. Tires are really what make the biggest difference in your speed. You might even be more comfortable on a mountain bike. We have a small percentage of people who ride fat bikes, but that's definitely slower. In either case, GO FOR IT and just swap your tires. Plus you could do a bunch of our sweet single track while you're here too! Alternatively, you can rent a gravel bike from Sturtevants of Sun Valley if you call them soon! Click here for their contact info: https://sturtevants-sv.com/about-sturtevants-sun-valley/contact/.

Is outside aid/support permitted?

There are no aid stations for the first three days of the QSR, and we do not allow outside support or handoffs for any of the RPI events. We encourage you to prepare accordingly!

Do you have tips for riding a drop-bar bike on singletrack?

Great question...practice is important! Try to ride it like a mountain bike. On technical terrain, I ride in my drops with elbows out for better control and better leverage on the brakes, and wide knees to allow the bike to move over bumps, around corners, and underneath you. You're riding a rigid bike on bumpy terrain, so elbows and knees become your suspension; allowing your body to be loose allows the bike to bump around underneath you while you stay solid. Tire pressure (as in not too much of it) is also key for traction and control. My suggestion is to start dipping into some singletrack on your gravel bike while you train for RPI. You'll be surprised what it can handle!

Where can I find camping for the event?

The regular campgrounds in the area will be full because this is a holiday weekend, but there is dispersed camping off almost every dirt road in the valley. Almost all will be out of cell phone range, and you'll have to do some driving around to find a spot; be sure to allow more time so you find your home for the weekend!

What tires should I use for the event?

Go as big as will fit! Just be sure to dial your tire pressure and choose a tire with decent sidewall protection. Maxxis Rambler EXOs are my go to.

Can I use headphones while I ride?

For your safety and ours, we do not allow headphones for Stages 1 and 2 of the Queen's Stage Race. For the Sunday races (Baked Potato, French Fry, and Tater Tot), we highly discourage the use of headphones, but if you must use them, please leave the left earpiece out so you can hear vehicles and other riders. Again, this is for your safety and ours!

What will the air quality be like?

As you probably know, there are dozens of wildfires burning across the West. This has meant that the air in Sun Valley can sometimes get smoky. Due to air quality concerns, we’re closely monitoring theses fires and the wind conditions in our area. At this point it’s still too early to predict what the air quality will be like for the event; we won’t know if air quality is either safe or potentially hazardous in our area until just before each day’s events. Know that the safety of our participants, staff, partners and volunteers is our number one priority.

After consultation with our local medical advisors, we have determined that an Air Quality Index over 175 or sustained at 150 on any given morning would make physical activity unsafe for our participants. In that case, the riding events for the day would be canceled. Unfortunately we will not be able to refund entry fees. Other non-riding events, such as our Welcome Expo, our RPI Festival, and our Be Good Foundation party, will proceed as planned.

Where can I store my post-ride gear on Sunday?

Sunday will have a morning bag drop station for you to leave all your post ride gear. Your bag must have your rider number on the bag before dropping it off. You can have your change of clothes, recover drinks, car keys, and any other items you will need to relax and enjoy the after the race party without having to go back to your car or condo. After your race, drop your bike at the valet, grab your bag, hit up a changing tent and enjoy everything you just accomplished with a cold drink on us!

Can I use headphones?

For Stages 1 and 2 of the Queen's Stage Race, headphones are not allowed for safety purposes. For the final stage on Sunday, and all Sunday races, headphones are highly discouraged. If you must, please leave the left earpiece out so you can hear vehicles and other riders. This is for your safety and ours.

How crowded is the single track section in Stage 1 of the QSR? Is it difficult to pass?

There are only about 300 people riding the QSR, and there are a couple of miles of double track until you hit true single track. It's mostly uphill from the start, so it does start to spread people out nicely with others who are riding the same speed. There are sections of single track that are hard to pass, but they are interspersed regularly with places where you get back on double track. Typically people are pretty great about passing; just let others know you are there and go for it when the next spot comes up.

How do I change my registration?

Need to change your distance? Want to go for a longer route? Need a different shirt size? BikeReg makes it super easy to make edits to your registration. Changes may be made to your registration by logging in to your BikeReg account. Changes and transfers must be completed by August 1. Changes may include:

• Moving to a different race distance (i.e., from French Fry to Baked Potato)

What is RPI Remote?

RPI Remote is a new staple of the RPI world and a way to connect all of the RPI community worldwide. We'll help you create your own course of at least 62 miles, at least 4,000 feet of climbing, and at least 50% on a gravel surface. The ride must take place on September 5. Even if you can’t be in Idaho with us, you can still be part of the event, the training, the community, and the fun. Following the format of 2020’s RPI Challenge, this registration level will allow participants to race against each other globally! RPI remote riders will compete for finishes and spots on a distinct remote podium with awards, challenges, and finisher prizes.

Is there a cutoff time for RPI Remote?

We do not have cutoff times for the remote distances but strongly encourage your route selection to be safe for the entirety of your ride. We have cutoff times in the RPI Sun Valley event to ensure riders and on-course teams will be back at the finish line safely and before dark.

What exactly is RPI BaseCamp? Is it just a training program file I can download?

Not at all!! RPI BaseCamp is an education, stoke, and training program and community, all here to support YOU in your goals. Our custom eight-week training program will prepare you for any version of RPI. Each participant will have intimate access to robust and unique content from Rebecca and her network of performance experts.

Is the virtual training going to be on an online platform like Zwift?

Tim Cusick (Rebecca’s coach and the founder of BaseCamp) has created a unique community-based coaching and event performance system, in which you’ll get customized training plans, membership in an active Facebook group, four to five group rides, and support unlike any other training program out there. The workouts are built in TrainingPeaks' structured format, which means that when you do them indoors, they can be loaded directly to Zwift, TrainerRoad, other online programs, or your trainer....but they can be done outdoors as well! Read more about how RPI BaseCamp works here: https://www.rebeccasprivateidaho.com/basecamp.

I don't have a power meter. Can I still do the training plan?

Yes! The workouts are written for power, but each one includes a heart rate conversion chart so you can do the workout even if you don't train with power.

Can I move workouts around in my RPI BaseCamp training plan?

Yes! If you have a premium TrainingPeaks account, simply drag your workout to whichever day you want it. If you don't have a Premium account, copy the workout, paste it to the day you want it, and then delete the original workout.

Can my workouts load automatically to my Garmin so I can see step by step instructions?

Yes! If your Garmin Connect and TrainingPeaks accounts are linked and Autosync is enabled, your planned structured workouts will load automatically to your Garmin Connect calendar, and your completed workouts will load automatically to your TrainingPeaks calendar. Click here for a tutorial and more details. One important note: There are a few workouts in your training plan that are not structured, such as FTP tests. These will not load to your Garmin Connect calendar.

What is a Gravel SHARK?

About seven years ago, I started a healthy and lively group conversation with many elite racers and event directors in gravel. I was concerned with the cheating and bad karma that was oozing into the sport as more elite athletes came to the stage. I felt compelled to protect what I had come to love. I didn’t (and don’t) want to see gravel become a cookie cutter template of traditional road racing. I’m not bagging on road racing, but that style of riding and racing already exists. If that’s your jam, then keep road racing. Our gravel racing discussion included many emails and various opinions on things like drafting, prize money and water bottle hand ups. It was unanimously clear that each event was unique and we all wanted to maintain the unstructured character. We didn’t want rules or sanctions, but we did want ethics. We wanted fair play, fun, and freedom. Based on these conversations, I took everyone’s input and wrote up a 10 Commandments of Gravel. I also had a second name called The Rough Road Code. Ultimately I did not publish these, because “commandments” felt heavy handed, and who was I to say what the code of ethics should be for all gravel events? We all agreed we didn’t want standardized rules for this genre of riding. So I let the conversation drop. A couple of years later, a first grader friend of mine, Anna, provided the answer for Private Idaho and for my own racing ethic on gravel. Anna told me about their SHARK rules at her school and what the letters stood for. How we should behave as athletes in gravel races is what we learned, and perhaps forgot from first grade. It really is quite simple. Here are my gravel SHARK ethics (adapted from Anna’s SHARK rules), and this is how I operate myself, for my event and share this with riders who are coming into this genre of riding. Oh, and feel free to apply this to your everyday life, too. It’s kind of universal. S: Safe. We race on open roads and sometimes in big groups. Be safe and live to ride another day. This includes staying in your lane, obeying the rules of the road, having your ears and eyes open, and maybe even slowing down if a cow happens to wander across the race course. It happens. H: Honest. If you have to ask yourself “Is this okay?” then it’s not. This includes course cutting, taking aid on course, doping, and any other form of cheating. A: Accountable. Your actions are a reflection of you and our community of cyclists. Own your behavior and behave as an honored guest, because you are. R: Responsible. Take care of yourself. Bring a tool, tube, water, food, and a map. Courses are remote and rugged. Take responsibility for yourself. If you don’t end up needing that stuff, you can share it with someone who might. K: Kind. We are all part of the same bike-riding tribe. Let’s treat each other, the volunteers, the staff, the residents, everyone the same way we want to be treated. Here’s the thing about the above ethics. The community is the judge and jury. It's up to all racers, event directors, participants, and sponsors to shine a light on and enforce the ethic of gravel racing. Each event may have different rules for drafting, dropping bottles on course, or where you can take aid. No matter what the rules of the specific event are, SHARK still applies, and it’s up to us to call out bad behavior or an infraction if we witness it.

Is this a race or a ride?

Great question! Rebecca's Private Idaho has an option for everyone, from the ability to ride in Rebecca's hometown with RPI Sun Valley to creating your own route and riding locally with RPI Remote. RPI lets the rider set their own goal. If your goal is to be at the top of the podium, race away! If your aspirations are to finish your first 20, 56, or 102 miles of gravel, we'll support you the entire way and high five you at the end. If you sign up for the experience of RPI—hometown hospitality, connecting with fellow riders, celebrating beautiful places—we will make sure the views are epic and the smiles geniune. So in short, RPI is a ride, a race, an experience—whatever you want it to be! If you do plan to race it, why not optimize your training with Rebecca and her experts? Join RPI BaseCamp for a custom eight-week training program that will prepare you for any version of RPI. Each participant will have intimate access to robust and unique content from Rebecca and her network of performance experts. https://www.rebeccasprivateidaho.com/basecamp

How do I change my registration?

Need to change your distance?Want to go for a longer route? Need a different shirt size? BikeReg makes it super easy to make edits to your registration; click here for instructions. Changes may be made to your registration by logging in to your BikeReg account. Changes and transfers must be completed by August 1. Changes may include:

• Moving to a different race distance (i.e., from French Fry to Baked Potato)