When Nick Kovacs arrived in Council Grove Tuesday night, he had not simply driven in for Unbound Gravel. He had ridden his bicycle from southwestern Wisconsin.
The 72-year-old retired Marine and Vietnam veteran left Wisconsin on Saturday and reached Council Grove about 600 miles later. Although Kovacs said he typically rides about 120 to 125 miles a day, the trip to Council Grove averaged closer to 150 miles a day.
For Kovacs, the ride was not just transportation. It was part adventure, part personal challenge and part celebration of a healthier life he once was not sure he would have.
Kovacs was visiting the Kaw Mission when Site Administrator Mark Brooks met him and recognized that his story was more than another Unbound Gravel arrival. Brooks contacted the Council Grove Republican, believing Kovacs’ journey and perspective would make an interesting feature.
Kovacs and his wife, Crystal, have been coming to the Flint Hills for about 10 years for Unbound Gravel, including the years when the event was known as Dirty Kanza. This year, Kovacs decided he wanted to make the trip differently.
“My wife and I do it, and we just decided that this year I wanted some time to play around by myself,” he said.
Crystal had commitments connected with the event, so Kovacs asked if he could ride his bike to Kansas and meet her in Council Grove. She agreed, and the couple spent the night in town before she left for Emporia Wednesday morning.
Kovacs spent part of the day exploring Council Grove, including the Kaw Mission, before continuing toward Emporia. He said he had also hoped to visit the Dunlap Colored Cemetery near Dunlap.
For many people, riding a bicycle hundreds of miles on highways, back roads and gravel would sound risky. Kovacs does not deny that. “It is,” he said. “It’s awesome.”
That answer reflects the way he now looks at life. Five years ago, Kovacs had a major heart attack. He also has had two knee replacements and once weighed about 120 pounds more than he does today.
“I decided I wanted to live versus just watch Netflix and die,” he said.
That decision changed his life. Kovacs said both he and Crystal committed to becoming healthier. He has lost about 120 pounds, and she has lost about 70 pounds.
“It’s been just a whole transformation for both of us,” he said. “It’s been great.”
Although the heart attack happened five years ago, Kovacs said he became especially serious about improving his health about a year and a half ago. He had lost weight before and gained it back, but this time he decided to give it one more committed effort. His goal was to get below 200 pounds for the first time in his adult life.
Kovacs had already participated in shorter Unbound Gravel events before losing the weight. He said he had ridden the 50-mile and 100-mile events, even when he was heavier. He has no interest in riding the 200or 350-mile distances, but the event itself keeps drawing him and Crystal back. This year, he is not competing. He is helping others.
Crystal founded a group called the Dirt Squad, a community for people interested in beginning gravel riding. Kovacs said the group includes riders at many levels, but most are beginners. Some are people in their 40s and 50s who have raised families and are ready to do something for themselves. Others are older riders, including people who have not been on a bicycle for decades.
The group has about 300 members across the country, connected largely online. About 40 Dirt Squad riders are expected to be at Unbound Gravel this year.
Several members are renting a house in Emporia, while others will gather there to visit, learn and support one another. Kovacs said many first-time riders are nervous, whether they plan to ride 25, 50 or 100 miles. “They’re fearful of not knowing what they don’t know,” he said. They have heard about Flint Hills gravel, heat, wind and difficult conditions.
Kovacs said his role is to help give them tools to succeed. He has an E-assist bike that allows him to keep pace with riders of different speeds, but because Unbound Gravel is self-supported, his help is limited to encouragement and motivational support. “I think it’s really important to support people that want to do this,” he said.
Brooks said he was impressed by the number of miles Kovacs rides in a day, especially because some are on gravel and back roads. Kovacs said some days are better than others. On good days, his legs feel strong and he feels refreshed. On harder days, he has to push himself to get started. Once he gets moving, he said, he usually feels better.
“I really want to die while I’m living,” Kovacs said, “and not just wait until the end to happen.”
Kovacs’ determination is tied in part to his military background. He served in the Marine Corps and is a Vietnam veteran. His family also has a long history of service. His father survived Pearl Harbor while serving on the USS California, his mother served in the Coast Guard during World War II, his brother served in the Army, one son served in the National Guard and another recently was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force.
Brooks said the Flint Hills roads have become an asset for gravel riders. “I think the world is just discovering how great these roads are in the Flint Hills for this type of biking,” Brooks said.
Kovacs agreed. He said the atmosphere around Unbound Gravel is part of what keeps bringing him and Crystal back. He described cyclists and local residents, including farmers, standing together and cheering riders on.
“It’s evolved into something that we really look forward to every year,” he said.
After 600 miles on a bicycle, Kovacs did not sound ready to stop. Part of him even wanted to ride back home. For now, he was headed toward Emporia, Unbound Gravel and a group of riders preparing for their own challenges.
At 72, Kovacs said he is not finished. “I’m just getting warmed up,” he said.
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