Thanks to Huck Lee Beh for this photo!
BaseCamp 2024 Recap
Another season of our history is complete! This page is a small celebration of the amazing community we enjoyed this winter and the great things we accomplished. We've made so many new friends and broadened our horizons in so many ways. Simple words are not enough, but we'll say them anyway: thank you for being part of our BaseCamp family!
We hope you enjoy reading some of your parting messages to each other and looking through some of the photos you shared. Thanks again for all the smiles...and all the miles.
360
members
39,600
workouts
18
countries
60,750
hours riding
334
cities
3,043,850
combined TSS
Thx for the guidance, thx for the company. May the rest of your year be a good one! Grtz.
- Frank Ostyn
Feeling sad this community is coming to an end soon. Thank you to the head coaches, all the other coaches, and my fellow athletes. Thank you Coach Tim in particular, you are the reason I'm here and you delivered 150%. Your passion and commitment are exemplary! Has been a fantastic journey and I look forward to being part of this community next year!
- Brian Barrera
It has been so great meeting all of you, and I truly appreciate the lessons learnt. BC has given me a chance to brush up on my cycling skills. Most importantly, it has given me the opportunity to cross path with all of you. Till we meet again, take care! And may you cycle fast and safe always.
- Huck Lee Beh
Another GREAT year of training with amazing coaches and Basecampers. Looking at all of the pictures just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. BaseCamp definitely gets me through another dark winter in Wisconsin. Hugs to all!
- Shirley Crocker
I just wanted to add my thanks to all the BaseCamp staff and fellow athletes. This was my first year and the program was so much more than I ever expected. See you all next winter.
- Matthew Bedford
I am thankful for the Basecamp community and coaches - always so supportive and again this year I learned a ton. Still a super rookie but look forward to more fun! Thanks all!!
- John Keepers
This was my first experience with BC and I started with some ambivalence as I wasn’t sure it would be a good fit for me. First, the timing was not ideal as I ended my cyclocross season in the middle of the first BC cycle which also meant I didn't get a post season break. I was also wary as I dislike riding indoors. Nevertheless, I gave BC shot and am so glad that I did. I am really impressed with what Tim and the other coaches have created. The sense of community had me enjoying weekday indoor group workouts (gasp!). The quantity, quality, and clarity of the teachings were top notch. It was hard to keep up with everything and I barely scratched the surface with nutrition and strength....Between Basecamp and the LA training camp I feel I have regained the fitness and more importantly the mental confidence that I lost after my surgery. At 55 years old I may struggle to keep up with the fastest riders, but am enjoying pushing myself to be as competitive as my genetics and training time allow. I’ve already put a deposit down for Basecamp next year and hope to meet some of my fellow basecampers in person in the future.
- Patrick Grehan
My #1 goal was to finish BaseCamp this winter. It’s official, I made it. 😃 I want to thank everyone, Coaches and BC Teammates for all your love, support, and encouragement. We are most definitely stronger together. I carry you all in my heart during all of my crazy cycling adventures.
Still a way to go to reach pre-Covid Bee, but for the first time in awhile, I see a path forward. I'm truly overwhelmed with gratitude. Thank you Team
- Bee Kickel
15 minutes faster than last year, FTP up 13 points, 8 peak performances. You are loved.
- Frank Giresi
Sending a big thank you to the Basecamp team. Tim/Kathy, a special thx to you. I started this adventure to learn about coaching and hopefully gain some fitness along the way. Wow! Yes, I learned, I studied, I practiced, I asked questions 🧐. I also got stronger and more fit 💪 But it didn't stop there. I also made some friends ❤️ which isn't easy for me. Maybe someday I'll meet them IRL 😁 See y'all for the summer and next winter basecamp. 🙋♀️🚴♀️ Have fun and be safe
- Cindy McCourt
Coaches and friends, thanks for another amazing winter with Basecamp. I continue to learn so much in my second year. I applaud all of you who are able to follow the plan near perfectly for 16 weeks. This is my winter to focus on weight loss and I’m happy to say I was successful. Advice from the coaches really helped me to focus on my goal. I look forward to hopefully seeing some of you over the summer at events and at gravel camp in October, and then next winter virtually. Have a powerful summer
- Rebecca Bishop
Thank you, all you real athletes, for hanging in, learning lots, and stretching your cycling horizons. Thank you to all the awesome coaches. Thank you Tim and Kathy for your passion and vision. Headed to Tucson gravel camp first of April. Then some 2025 National Senior Games state qualifiers in this spring and summer. BaseCamp Solvang in June! A few spots open yet. Join us! It will be awesome! My dried organic apples will be there for ride snacks. Keep the rubber side down. LIVESTRONG BC campers! If you are in the Ann Arbor area for an event, or maybe the famous Ann Arbor Art Fair, dm me. Might be able to put a ride in, or accommodations.
- Mike Adsit
Finishing my second winter BaseCamp I can't imagine going through a winter without it! The workouts, the learning, the meetups, the camaraderie, the support, the encouragement, and especially the awesome coaching make this such an incredible community and experience that I am incredibly appreciative to be a part of. I can't say thank you enough to everyone involved! While I look forward to the coming summer full of cycling adventures, I also look forward to BaseCamp 2025! Thank you so very much!
- Nancy Mizak
Second year of Basecamp brought more learning, better fitness, more fun with the group and clipping in for the first time! Riding on the trainer was so much better than last year, no pool noodles required. 😁 I’m looking forward to racing my heart out on the new Lauf and then adventuring out in the boonies on the Devote this summer. Thanks to everyone for making this community a place to belong no matter where we are along our two wheeled journey! Have a great summer everyone!!
- Beth Huffaker
As we sadly close out another year of BC I can truly say it's a blessing. I can't speak as eloquently as most of you. But I/we are so happy to have found BC and all of you! The learning, the struggles, the fun is priceless! Its my 3rd BC & I feel I keep getting stronger every year. I learn more every year. I am understanding more and more what it takes. And what I can do and achieve! The nutrition, strength training & mental knowledge we gain is top notch! We are a community! It makes it all much easier to go through it all with you! When times get tough and I'm tired of being on the trainer I wonder if I will sign up next year. But when it comes time to reserve a spot for next year, I don't think twice. I can't imagine a winter without BC and all of you!! May all of you have an awesome summer of riding adventures! Hope you meet your goals! If you're doing a ride in Kansas give us a shoutout. We will probably be there! Til we meet again!
- Sue Hageman
What an amazing winter together! 🚴🏻 Thank you to the coaches and everyone that was part of the community this season. This was our 2nd year and we are excited to take our fitness into this upcoming race season.
- Shannon & Den Scanlon
To all the Basecamp coaches and fellow team mates - this was my first year and hopefully not the last. I have missed several events and workouts due to work and life but in spite of this I have learned so much and the winter flew by! Thank you all for your generosity in sharing knowledge and encouragement. I am stronger than at the start and thanks to Kathy have a path forward. Signed up for Summer Basecamp and planning to do RPI and looking forward to meeting some of you in person.
- Mariette Van Wyk
I wanted to take a moment and say thank you to all the BaseCamp coaches and organizers. You do so much for us each year to make this 16-week event so special. It’s really pretty amazing. You set up our individual training plans for the camp and you not only ride with us twice a week in the group rides, but you coach us and do post ride reviews and education. Speaking of education; nutrition, bike fit, sponsor presentations, not to mention all the nerd casts, toolboxes, and webinars. You set up the Challenges, and do so much in advance with planning, education, tips and advice. And, day of, you ride with and coach/encourage each of us. And you help with post BaseCamp options so that each of us can continue our journey. On top of it all you make yourselves available daily to help each of us with all the myriad life issues that arise with illness, vacation, injury, tech challenges, nutrition, and many, many more. And I know there is so much more I don’t mention here. Really, I don’t know how you pull it off. Do you all get any sleep these 16 weeks? So THANK YOU for another great year of BaseCamp! And I hope now you get some rest!
- Bill Hollman
As we wind down our season of training together, I’ve been reflecting on the commitment it takes to show up week after week. We often ask ourselves “why do I choose to be here?” I admit that my why was hard to see on some of those morning trudges down to the frigid basement to swing a leg over a bike that doesn’t move. I couldn’t always make out my why in the predawn shadows. But the accountability required to fulfill the promise I made to you helped me keep the promise I also made to myself. Last week, on my 4-day bikepacking ride with a friend, why I chose to show up was clearly illuminated in the warm Arizona sun. I had turned around to take a photo and to look at where we’d come from, all the mountains we'd traveled over. I was struck by deep gratitude and awareness of the gifts that the winter BaseCamp commitment had given me. All those cold mornings with you provided the strength and ability to be able to ride my bike for four days on a grand adventure. I share this story to remind ourselves to stop, look back at where we’ve come from, and smile with appreciation towards your commitment to show up.
- Rebecca Rusch
Thank you so much for creating this unique community. Every year, I am amazed and wowed by elaborate programs and members’ endless love—both teaching and learning-- for cycling. As for me, I am accumulating understanding about key concepts, tech issues, and bike jargons, and of course skills year by year. Because language is one of my limiters to proceed workouts, two sets of PM group workout provided a unique opportunity for me. By watching (and reading) preview, post-review, and "real" ride, I gained more understanding about key issues in each workout.
Further, I was not good at pursuing both desired rpm and Ws in workout. I quit it because I thought my trainer was not smart. But I learned "not smart" was me. With coaches’ advice and practice, I came to nail it down—not 100% of course. Also, rpm versatility practice brought me energy conservation pedaling. Because of the nature of the disease and medication for it, I lost muscle mass and am hampered in building muscles. I think/ believe that my completion of 2- day race owes a lot for this practice. Again thank you for 360 degrees methods and encouragement provided by coaches and members, as well. Hope you have a wonderful cycling season.
- Taeko Shibahara
I wanted to join the chorus of those who are thanking the community, particularly the coaches and those who rode Zwift with me on those long weekend rides. I'm grateful for each of you, and look forward to meeting up on an IRL ride somewhere...Co2Ut, Unbound 100, Silver Rush 50, or LT100 are the highlights this year. Passing through Colorado Springs, or looking for a riding partner in the big mountains -- look me up!
- Bruce Beyerly
I cannot thank the coaches enough for a phenomenal training program. The support from this group kept the winter blues away…and I actually rode inside for the winter and LOVED it. I will miss everyone so much.
- Jill Purcell
Just wanted to get on say I hope everyone has a great season! So nice to get to know everyone over Base Camp this winter! Any of you in the mountain west think about coming to my local gravel event in the northern Sierra - Lost and Found gravel June 15. It’s an awesome event with great support and lots of wildflowers. I’ll be there riding the 35 mi then running the bike wash with our local kids mountain bike team.
- Erin Barnes
For sixteen weeks, at a cost anyone with the kinds of bikes we buy can afford, we got, in plans, numbers, explainers, Q & A sessions, and more, spoon-fed with kindness, decades of wisdom packaged as knowledge. It is, as I tell anyone who asks, the greatest bang-for-your-buck (read: $) in road cycling I know of. Thank you to all the non-coaching staff, all the coaches, and to Tim, for making BaseCamp, for making it affordable, and for making it pleasurable.
- Kirby
This was my 4th winter with BaseCamp , and I think I ended it the strongest I have ever felt. It may not show in my FTP (although it did go up on Saturdays challenge), but I feel the endurance and the stronger legs and mind ( the mind thing was a real struggle with me this winter). Thank you to all the coaches and my riding mates! Our Tuesday /Thursday rides provided so much motivation and learning opportunities. We got stronger together! And of course the meet ups with Kate and Joe were always fun, informative and helped the long days in the saddle go faster. Cindy's pulling out Trivia cards on the last long Sunday ride was brilliant!...It will be fun to keep up on the Alumni page. You ALL fill me with so much inspiration!! Ride on and hope to see you next winter... if not before!
- Tracy Gravlin
I joined to regain my fitness after a broken metatarsal…. But I got so much more!!! Over the last 16 weeks I’ve learned things I didn’t know I didn’t know about training. (Nerdcasts rock!) I’ve learned I can do so much more than I realized and my limiters are very different (and more approachable) than I thought. The patterns I’ve noticed in how I approach the challenges have helped me see the limiting patterns in how I approach a wide variety of challenges (most of which are off the bike…) But the biggest gain has been riding with and learning from the coaches and other base campers. While, for the most part, I only know avatars and user names — I want to give a huge shout out to everyone I’ve ridden with. The sharing of knowledge, and the camaraderie, and seeing what y’all have accomplished and are capable of — I'm, well, verklempt. I honestly can’t put it into more specific terms, because I’m still processing and learning. So thank you ❤️
- Jessie Dotson
I had to bow out of the final week of training and challenges due to some health issues, but I've had a really amazing 16 weeks. Huge kudos to the coaches for all the support, answering of questions, encouragement, and overall presence and visibility. What a great experience and a tremendous value! I can't wait to rejoin BC later this year!
- Jay Walsh
Every year for the past 4 years I have made exponential gains. It just keeps getting better. I can't imagine going through winter without this community of athletes and coaches. It is completely inclusive and I have never felt such a sense of belonging and comraderie in any of the many cycling clubs I have belonged to. Stay healthy and blessed everyone. Looking forward to meeting some of you on local events IRL and next year.
- Frank Giresi
This winter I was a 1st time BaseCamper. I'd never used Zwift OR a smart trainer and did the majority of my riding outside during previous winters (or did other sports). I'd used a mechanical resistance trainer once or twice a week one year - or join a Y class - but truly have never done anything like this. I know it’s going to help me be stronger at events this year. I didn’t know just how much I didn’t know! Or that it was even possible to be where I am right now, in terms of cycling fitness and my highest FTP ever. This winter I committed to indoor cycling. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. There is something truly special about not going it alone. I rode solo outside a lot in past winters. It can get cold, lonely, and dark night of the soul outside in the PA winter - especially doing long zone 2 rides- and having this choice and community all winter was a wonderful experience. And how much I grew and learned! Basecamp offers a variety of learning formats. Sometimes I could "double up" and listen to a Basecamp recording while executing a workout or during my work day. Appreciated all the articles that were written too. Finally, the fun. It makes a hard or long workout on the trainer so much more enjoyable when you can laugh. Chat about stuff. Share the experience. Or be entertained! And being a newbie to Zwift, I was very entertained. It’s kind of magical when you first get started, especially the orbs in Scotland, the rendering of the Guggenheim in NYC, the course recon in Richmond, riding through underwater tunnels…Huge gratitude to Tim, Kathy, Tina, Namrita, Liz, Jill, and all the coaches and ride leaders who make BaseCamp awesome. I also want to thank my awesome friend Amy Fowler for introducing me to BaseCamp. We have a whole Philly PA BaseCamp crew now!! And my gravel camp bunkies of course who shared the experience and supported me every step of the way. Looking forward to next winter!!
- Allie Burger
A big, deep thank you to all of our coaches for your support, encouragement, generosity, and obviously deep commitment to helping us along this journey so individually and carefully.
I send a special thanks to Namrita and Tina for hosting us on T/Th afternoon rides - your coaching will no doubt echo in my head this year when I face challenges (and Iowa hills in July!), when I want to push myself, when I doubt myself...And a big big big thanks to the T/Th afternoon community who always, always made it worth the effort to try for the watts and push the cadence and grit through the intervals. I looked forward to the 4:45 transition from normal life to Watopia, the welcome and introductions from the coaches, and then our hour of togetherness while we learned and suffered together, but mostly supported and encouraged each other. I think we all know the feeling of barely making it through a moment, then hearing "you've got this!" "It's almost over!" - it works every time. Even our new friend Geaux Cat (and new Basecamper!) told me this week that her workouts are so much harder without our group! Thanks to all of you, and I can't wait to ride with you again in a few short months. See you soon, everyone!
- Anna Abrams
