Looking at the weather forecast in Stillwater, OK prior to MidSouth, we knew a dry day was in store. The early March race showed an hourly forecast that began chilly then rocketed more than thirty degrees into an early summer-like high-70s with gusty winds the entire day.

As gravel racing has become more… let’s go with intense, there’s more thought directed towards all aspects of preparation. What previously made do with a JUST SEND IT vibe, has becomes a pre-race mental juggle consisting of “Should I bring this because it will help me?” in contrast to “Should I not bring this because it’s inevitably extra weight?"

A hydration pack, an extra water bottle, food for the entire race, arm warmers, leg warmers, vests, jackets, caps, a spare CO2 for pete’s sake. This is an inventory of supplies that might be helpful or might feel like an anchor.

Coming from a Vermont winter, a race with start temperatures in the 40s sounds downright spring-like! Of course, if it were spring in Vermont and I were going for a ride, I’d wear long sleeves, thermal bibs, a cap, I’d likely spot a neckwarmer, long finger gloves, and probably shoe covers. The intensity is different at the start of a race than just going for a spring bike ride, however, knowing the thermometer will only briefly hang out in the 40s before going up, up, up, it all feels like a toss up. Everyone is in pursuit of the perfect jersey that will keep them warm when they need it early on and cool when they need it later on. Does this mythical article of clothing exist?

I opted for Velocio’s Concept Merino Jersey. Since first getting my hands on this piece a few years back, it’s been a hands-down favorite jersey for it’s versatility — using merino wool, it fact does keep me warm when it’s cool, and cool when it’s warm — and even more so because it’s so damn comfy! I feel at a loss for words to describe something as wildly comfortable as this, akin to trying to describe a memorably tasty meal without using words like “delicious” or “exquisite”. I’m not kidding when I say the Concept Merino in a league of its own.

This post isn’t about comfortable cycling kit. It’s about my dad.

The reason I went with the Concept Merino Jersey isn’t actually because of temperature swings. I chose it because on the front right chest, it’s labeled with KING CHALLENGE. This particular jersey is a fundraising incentive for the King Challenge, which is the ride I started in 2011. There are grand fondos and gravel rides and gravel races and hill climbs and road races and criteriums and any number of ways to put a group of people together on a bike ride. The King Challenge is a fundraising ride. It’s an incredibly fun day in the fall that benefits the Krempels Center, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of those living with brain injury.

Family is at the core of this event. My then-professional cyclist brother Robbie was a co-leader in the early years and to this day 12 years later, we continue to have the invaluable help of Arlon Chaffee of GRVL Cycling.

Moreover, the King Challenge exists because of my dad. He suffered a stroke 20 years ago this month and as much as we cherish that he’s alive, life has become exponentially difficult. I’ll spare details for the sake of not living my family’s entire life online. He needs help with virtually every aspect of life. What made last week particularly hard, just days before MidSouth, he moved into assisted living.

Perhaps because I’m now a parent raising two young kids, I see firsthand the arc of life. There are aspects that are clear and obvious, like needing help buttoning a shirt or cleaning off one’s mouth after meals. Then there are much more subtle ones that I take in as they unfold on both sides of the arc in front of me. Cognition, speech, reasoning. It’s beautiful and it’s heartbreaking and it’s fascinating.

There’s a bittersweet finality to dad’s move into assisted living. With my brother and me making the trip to mom and dad’s for dinner, we had a final whole-family meal in our house. That also marked the final night dad spent in the house he built 40 years before. There’s the emotion rollercoaster that I’m riding as I both observe and help out where I can. Then there’s an attempt to help mom as I try to grasp what’s going on in her mind as she’s been dad’s sole caregiver since 2003.

Those tough emotions are in contrast with how much adoration and love I have for my parents. The lessons in resilience and hard work — both before the stroke and after. The value of family and importance of relationships. Thinking fondly of the lifetime of support I’ve received from mom and dad. In the event you’re reading this mom and dad, I’ll never be able to say thank you enough.

On the start line, I saw lots of hydration packs. Everyone around me was shedding layers to skip carrying extra weight. Fellow Velocio athlete Alex Howes was sporting an Ultralight jersey — a terrific choice, as he was already expecting the heat of competition and afternoon warmth. On the opposite end of the jersey spectrum from the Ultralight, if one were to exist, is the Merino Concept. Over the course of the day, I was warm at the start and still cool at the finish. I crossed the line sweaty, dusty, and with a massive smile on my face. With lots of kit options from Velocio, without a doubt this King Challenge Concept Merino jersey was the the right choice.

Let reading this sentence serve as a personal invitation to join us on October 21, 2023.

To learn about the King Challenge, visit this site.

The beneficiary of the King Challenge is the Krempels Center, visit their site here.