Photo Journal: A Dang Good Time in The Mid South
Last weekend, the Mosaic crew loaded up the van and pointed it East towards the red dirt roads of Stillwater, Oklahoma. We had ourselves a blast, saw old friends, made new ones, drank some beers, ate too much pizza... You know the drill. It was the Mid South Gravel weekend, and here's how it went down.
Ross Leopold
The reviews are in, and The Mid South was one of the best bicycle experiences I’ve ever had. From the days beforehand through the day of the race, Mid South delivered such a stellar course and an amazing day out. Finally to cap it off, all the festivities afterwards were too much fun. The Mid south is 5 star.
Mark Currie
I finally gained the courage to throw my hat in the ring for The Mid South Double, and I'm so glad that I did. The process of figuring this one out has been one of the most rewarding things I've done in a long time. After two days, 50K of running, and 100 ripping miles on my new GT-1 i45, I landed myself a successful 5th Place in the Double and some of the most memorable miles to date. The feeling isn't one of relief though, as honestly, I wish I could just do it all over again... like this weekend. Stillwater, Oklahoma is home to some of the kindest people you'll ever meet, and during this special weekend in Mid-March, there's nowhere else I'd rather be.
What do you say, Mr. Wintle - 7 day stage race next time? Throw a MTB day in there? You know who to call ;)
Liz Barcheck
One of my favorite aspects of race weekend at Mid South was the live music. From the racer meeting and expo, to the starting line, the music helped bring a special life and lightness to the atmosphere. I gave the race a go for a bit, but then settled into the day at more of a ride pace. The rollercoaster hills, dry ruts, chunks of rich gravel, and a few surprise sections of deep sand kept me focused all day. I really enjoyed chatting with people along the way, and appreciated the shorts-friendly temperature. Mostly, I was glad to snag my first century of the year on an incredibly comfortable, nimble, and gorgeous new gravel bike that got attention all day long... thanks Mid South and Mosaic for a big ol hug and high five to start the season!
Aaron Barcheck
Kristen Legan
As soon as we rolled into Stillwater on Thursday morning, we could feel the buzz of this warm and welcoming event, and it felt so good to be back on those red dirt roads. As the unofficial kickoff party of the gravel season, Mid South delivered a blazing fast course and seriously perfect conditions on race day. For me, this race was all about testing out some new ideas, tires, tactics, and, of course, my new Mosaic GT-1 i45 gravel bike. The bike turned more than a few heads out on course with its slithery snake-like paint and super clean and integrated design.
Mid South 2024 is in the books, and if it’s any indication of what’s to come this season, I think we’re in for a spicy year of riding and racing.
Brennan Wertz
The weekend at Midsouth was absolutely stellar, across the board. The weather, the good vibes, the beautiful fleet of new GT-1 i45s on display, and the fast and furious racing all made for an unforgettable weekend. While I came into the race with high hopes for a podium or a win, I was still pleased with my 8th place result. Sure, it wasn't necessarily the result I came for, but there were tons of positive takeaways and many indications that the preparations have been going really well. I didn't quite play my cards right at the end, but learned a lot in the process and am already chomping at the bit for more opportunities to race and put these learnings into practice.
Next up for me on my race schedule is a trip to Velden am Wörthersee in Austria for the first round of the UCI Gravel World Series. After that it's off to Bentonville for another UCI gravel race before buckling down to prepare for Unbound. Lots of exciting events on the horizon and with my beautiful new GT-1 i45, motivation is at an all time high to log some big miles in the next few weeks!"
Thanks for the good times, Mid South. We'll be seeing ya next year.
