The Scene: A GGN Editorial

In so far as I've found that this "gravel culture" exists far beyond what I had imagined, I have news of a few "big" deals to pass along to the folks who have helped make this "scene" happen like it has. Everyone who is participating in this style of riding has a stake in the following.

Big deals? Yes, in that the niche, of a niche, of a subset of riders of bicycles has made some national sized dent into the consciousness of a few readers of some recent publications, and the perhaps, just maybe, the 'lid" is off this thing. Maybe.

What I am referring to are two things that happened recently. Both were the outcome of something that happened in 2007 during Trans Iowa V3. An author/reporter by the name of Zach Dundas contacted me about writing a book and that he wanted to maybe take a look at Trans Iowa as a possibility for inclusion into this book.

Obviously, the first thing has to do with the book, "The Renegade Sportsman". The book is an amalgamation of DIY sports and oddities and how that fits in with an anti-culture Zach envisions in the book that is pitted against the mainstream sports mega-plex. The chapter on Trans Iowa stands as a centerpiece in the book and although I am somewhat biased, I highly recommend getting a look at the book for the take Zach has on it. By the way, there are a few other cycling references thrown into the mix in the book as well.

The second thing is a short piece Zach wrote for "Good", an online magazine. In the piece, Zach opines on the weirdness that is gravel grinding by using quotes from Tim Ek's blog on his experience at the recently completed Dirty Kanza 200. He then does a short Q&A with me about the origins of gravel grinding and where it is going to.

Okay, so what? Well, the thing is that beyond what Lance Armstrong is doing these days, there isn't much to be found in "mainstream" media about cycling. Maybe Zach's book isn't "mainstream", and maybe no one has ever heard of "Good", (although it is a part of the MSN network), but that said, these outlets are not cycling related, and gravel griding is......well............pretty small in the cycling world, let's say.

All I am saying is that this is a new level of attention that is being brought upon a genre' of cycling that is a niche small enough to make it remarkable. Remarkable in that cycling advocates involved in urban/recreational cycling would certainly be jealous of the exposure gravel grinding is getting. Remarkable in that maybe somewhere, you will say that you like gravel grinding, and someone not into cycling will know what the heck you are talking about.

Maybe.