Gravel dust tastes so sweet

Pavement Ends: Adventure Begins!

Gravel Ends: Nebraska Begins!

Looking North out on the "Bohemian Alps" from the "Summit" of NW 70th street. 

I took my Specialized Crosstrail Sport on a round trip to and from my in-laws place (aka "The Funny Farm") on Sunday. It's a 43 mile round trip, 26 of those miles were on gravel roads, 2 were on hard-packed dirt. The rest was in-town streets and bike trail.

The first couple off-road miles were shaky while I tried to hammer with the bike skipping across the rock towards the ditch, but I found a sweet spot between speed and control. I had a grand old time riding into Raymond at 13mph.

The road I took into Raymond largely follows a rail line, so it's flat.

I turned left about a mile north of Raymond and entered the Bohemian Alps. Short and steep monsters. I just put it in the stump-pulling gear and spun up at 7mph and coasted back down at 15. Evil things, the Bohemian Alps.

The ride back wasn't bad. I had a lot more confidence in my ability to keep a straight line and decided to bomb down the Alps at 30+mph. I rode the one mile section of dirt road in about four minutes on the way back. (Hard dirt is a lot smoother than gravel.)

During those 28 off-road miles, I saw a total of six cars. Two were on the way out and four on the way home. Not a bad car/mile ratio for a bike ride. I can see why riding a bike on gravel roads has been growing in popularity.

Doing my best Lloyd Dobler impression: "Gravel is the cycling of the future."

Hopefully it doesn't rain much.

What we lack in mountains in Nebraska, we make up for in farm access roads. I've ridden a few just because.

Up until March I haven't had a bike I felt comfortable taking on gravel roads. I bought a Specialized Crosstrail Sport because being cooped up all winter SUCKED. I've had it fitted with fenders and a rack, I ride it when it threatens to rain during the not-snow season.

The Crosstrail will get some studded ice tires in October or so and then the road bike gets to live in my basement, held upright by an indoor trainer. It might also serve as a drying rack for clothes since it's in the laundry room.

Enough discussion of the "dark by 5pm" season. It's summertime.

I've often entertained the idea of riding to the in-laws place via gravel and minimum maintenance roads. This is my weekend for it. I'll feel like a true Yankee pioneer by cycling on roads normally not cycled upon, joining the ranks of the brave (or foolhardy).

I definitely won't feel guilty about eating/drinking too much when I reach the in-laws place: it's 22 miles, 15 of which will be on gravel or dirt with tons of ungraded hills. If my HRM is correct, I should burn off 1300 calories in the 2 hours it's going to take for me to ride.