What happens when a few friends look at the gravel roads around Stillwater, Minnesota, and decide, “You know what this needs? A gravel race.”

In Episode #6 of the Level Be Podcast, we sit down with Brian Headlee, the organizer behind The Hero Gravel Classic, to get behind the scenes of one of Minnesota’s gravel events and the person crazy enough to keep putting it together.

Brian takes us back to the origins of The Hero, his early days riding gravel on a Schwinn Le Tour, and how a simple idea shared among friends grew into an event that brings cyclists together from across the state. We talk about route planning, disappearing gravel roads, volunteers, logistics, the unique setting of Stillwater, and the beer-and-brat-fueled experience waiting at the finish.

We also dig into the bigger picture: Why do people organize gravel events in the first place? Brian's answer gets right to the heart of what makes the gravel community special—bringing people together, sharing a passion, creating friendships, and stepping back at the end of the day to see everyone smiling.

Plus, we get into Gravel 'Sota, the future of Minnesota gravel, and a rapid-fire round that may or may not reveal Brian's true feelings about gas station food, Minnesota potholes, and Deadpool.

So grab a beverage, settle in, and join us for a conversation about bikes, gravel, community, and the wonderfully questionable decision to organize a gravel race.