Gravel Grinder News

Gravel Grinder Gear: Retroshift

2012-02-12T08:35:00.000-06:00

Retroshift levers/mounts There is a new way to set up your gravel grinder for shifting duty now. It comes via the cyclo-cross realm and is an adaptation of bar end/down tube shifters to the brake lever. Called Retroshift, the mounts come installed on their own brake levers, (a Tektro model brought back to life for this project), and you provide your own levers, (must be Shimano or friction

Freeze/Thaw Gravel Grinding Video

2012-02-10T15:45:00.001-06:00

Hey folks! Something a little different than the same ol' race announcement posts we get here. (Not that those are a bad thing!) This comes to us from the intrepid gravel aficionados who ride in Southeastern Michigan. Have a look and crank up the sound for a good ol' country tune about gravel travel!

Rampart Rumble Gravel Grovel (R2G2) Announced!

2012-02-03T16:31:00.001-06:00

The Colorado Endurance Series is kicking out some cool sounding gravel grinders this year. Here we get word of another coming on September 22nd, 2012. It is dubbed the Rampart Rumble Gravel Grovel, or R2G2 for short. This will be a 170m route with 12K of climbing and all self supported in remote areas. Bring your "A Game" to this one if you should decide to go. Oh yeah.....and bring good

Chucky's Challenge Postponed!

2012-02-03T16:22:00.000-06:00

Just received word today that Chucky's Challenge, originally scheduled for tomorrow, February 4th, has been postponed due to poor weather conditions. Here is the word I got: "(Due to) the 1.5 inches of rain we are getting today into tomorrow and 18 mph winds from the east, we are postponing Chucky's Challenge to next Saturday-Feb. 11th."So there ya have it. The ride is now on February 11th!

South Park Dirty Fondo

2012-01-31T18:39:00.001-06:00

Scene from the course The South Park Dirty Fondo, (Yes.....that South Park!), is a new gravel grinder in Colorado and is part of the Colorado Endurance Series. This one will be a long, rough ride with elevation topping out at over 10,000ft and going for 150 miles, all self supported, of course! Here is a little bit from the site describing what you might experience: "Since you will be in

The Cedar Cross

2012-01-31T17:55:00.000-06:00

The Cedar Cross is an event billed as "Missouri's First Endurance Cross Race". But since they are using a fair amount of gravel and back roads, I'm going to put it up on the site. But the big thing here is the intentions, which are pretty cool. Here's the low down on what I am talking about here from the site: "Well, there’s a no-kill animal shelter about 10 minutes from my house. It serves

Odin's Revenge: A New Epic Gravel Grinder In Nebraska

2012-01-30T23:02:00.002-06:00

As announced recently on Guitar Ted Productions, a new big distance, self supported gravel event is going to take place in west-central Nebraska. Called "Odin's Revenge", in reference to nearby Gothenburg, Nebraska's Swedish-Germanic heritage, this event will feature remote roads and a two-legged course that will be 180 miles in length. This event will start on June 30th, 2012. Registration

Spokane Midnight Century

2012-01-29T22:05:00.002-06:00

Riding gravel back roads at night is really a cool experience. I've done it a lot, and I hope to get out this summer and do even more. Well, it appears I am not the only one who feels this way. Check out this quote from the Spokane Midnight Century site: "It's an epic ride that is really a lot of fun if you're cycling with your friends. Riding over rough gravel roads with a

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational Announces 2012 Date

2012-01-26T22:00:00.000-06:00

Come Burn With Me! The 2012 version of the "Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational" will happen on July 14th, 2012. Routes for past GTDRI events have ranged from 80-150 plus miles in one sitting. How many miles will be on tap for this year? Stay tuned.... The ride is typically done on rolling terrain in a "no rider left behind", group ride style.Despite the pretentious name, anyone that wants to

Gravel Grinder Gear: Clement To Offer New Adventure Tire

2012-01-25T13:37:00.000-06:00

USH Adventure 35mm Clement Tires, the iconic roadie brand, has announced several new tires, but one of the first that will become available this spring for gravel grinders is the USH Adventure. At 35mm, it should please most gravel aficionados with cyclo-cross rigs. The file type tread features a smoother center tread area that should prove to be very fast on smoother sections and the

Pirate Cycling League Sets Ride Dates

2012-01-22T22:12:00.002-06:00

The Pirate Cycling League, which is based out of Lincoln, Nebraska, D Street, U.S.A, Planet Earth, has announced that their traditional rides have dates set for 2012. All PCL events are free, and most of these are group rides for fun and adventure. (Like any good Pirate activity!) The Gravel Worlds/Good Life Gravel Adventure being an exception here. Want to find out more? Tune in to the PCL

Arcadian Grit And Gravel

2012-01-16T16:54:00.002-06:00

The Arcadian Grit and Gravel event is a new gravel grinder for 2012 out of the great state of Michigan. This will be 30 miles of back roads and gravel based near Arcadia, Michigan. Here's a bit of a description for ya... "Now, a little about the course. This may well be the longest 30-mile race you’ll ever gear up for. Even with miles of gravel roads, backwoods 2-tracks, and even some

Dirty Lemming Gravel Grinder

2012-01-10T22:00:00.001-06:00

A new Minnesota based event, the Dirty Lemming Gravel Grinder, is setting a date of July 28th for the second running of this longer ride. (Last year they did 100, 100K, versions of the route) Look for details to be released soon on their website here.

Westside Dirty Benjamin Announces Dates

2012-01-10T20:18:00.004-06:00

The Westside Dirty Benjamin event has chosen a date and announced registration details for the 2012 running of this Minneapolis/St. Paul area gravel grinder. The event is set to happen on June 16th, with registration by post card starting February 1st. The event will accept up to 200 entrants. As always, this AGRS affiliated event is free. Look for the grimy details here on their site.

The AntiEpic Gravel Grinder Announced

2012-01-08T22:05:00.003-06:00

A new gravel grinder in Colorado is in the works called the "AntiEpic Gravel Grinder". Details are being worked out as of this post, but it sounds as though this will be in the 150 mile range and obviously, being set in Colorado, it probably will feature plenty of climbing/descending. You can keep up with all the latest developments by checking in on their site here.

Renegade Gents Race Announces Date

2012-01-05T15:03:00.001-06:00

From the 2011 Renegade Gents Race The Renegade Gents Race has announced a date for the five person team event. This event is a lot of fun, and is about 75miles long with one checkpoint. Riders must start, check in at the checkpoint, and finish together to get scored. Fastest team wins. This year the date will be April 7th. The event takes place near Des Moines, Iowa. Look for more fine

Texas Chainring Massacre 2012

2012-01-04T19:27:00.002-06:00

It's back for 2012! The Texas Chainring Massacre, that is. Don't be afeard though. It ain't a horror flick, it's a gravel grinder, ya'all! This one starts February 5th, 2012 down Valley View, Texas way. They even have a USA Cycling permit! (#2012-358) So, register for this online here, and see that page for the details. Here is a bit to whet yer appetite some; The Texas Chainring Massacre

Durango Gravel Grinder Announces Date

2012-01-04T17:36:00.000-06:00

The Durango Gravel Grinder has just announced a date for this year's event. It will start on April 14th. The event will feature route choices of 115 or 160 miles for the truly twisted gravel junkies out there. But hey, how can you argue with an event that ends at a pizza joint? (With beer, I might add!) Sound like a good time? Go to the site and check into all the details here. Remember! This

Melbourne Gravel Grinders Closes Out Year

2011-12-23T21:44:00.001-06:00

The Melbourne Gravel Grinder Series, a group of events taking place in Australia, just closed out its last, and possibly most spectacular event, with a nighttime adventure. You can catch all the details of their final event for 2011 here. The report is stellar and the images are really cool as well. Definitely worth a read. Look for more Melbourne Gravel Grinder events to happen in 2012.

Velodirt Announces Series Events

2011-12-23T21:22:00.000-06:00

Velodirt announces a series of gravel/back road events for Oregon in 2012. The series will consist of a few established rides and one new ride in the fall which is still tentatively planned as of now. News and details can be seen on their site here. I have also added the events to the page and to the 2012 calendar, which you can find the link to just under the header pic above.

Red River Riot Announces Date For 2012

2011-12-21T21:30:00.001-06:00

The Spinistry, "Church of the Bike", has announced the new date for the next Red River Riot. This event, which will be in its 3rd year, will be run on April 7th, 2012. You can keep abreast of all the latest by clicking here. Or you can check out there Facebook page right here.

Festivus of Nights Gravel Grinder V2

2011-12-17T12:41:00.002-06:00

Guru's Gravel Grinders announces the second running of Festivus of Nights Gravel Grinder. A casual ride at night, this will be a great way to get together, stave off the holiday weight gain monsters, and have an adult beverage or two with like minded gravel grinders. For more details, see here.

Chucky's Challenge Announces 2012 Date

2011-12-15T22:45:00.002-06:00

Don't fear the cold and snow! The Missouri based event, Chucky's Challenge announced the date for its 5th running. It will occur on Saturday, February 4th, 2012 this coming year. The Chucksters will be hard at work laying out a gravelly good course again for this coming event. Check out their site here for upcoming details.

Dirt Bag Dash Announces 2012 Dates

2011-12-10T11:43:00.001-06:00

The Dirt Bag Dash, a back roads/gravel event out in Idaho, has just announced its 2012 dates. Official DBD Flyer! Here's a breif description for next years events that I recently received. "New for 2012 we have added a point to point stage, with a category 2 mountain top finish. New are also a single speed and MTB class.The "Ultimate Dirt Bag" prize is also official this year. John

Lowell 50 Races

2011-12-10T11:25:00.001-06:00

From the course The Flat River Race Series announces the Lowell 50 to be run on a loop course in separate Spring and Fall events. The Spring event starts march 31st, 2012, and the Fall event will take place on October 27th, 2012. Here's a description from the event site: "Race Description: The Lowell 50 is a classic old world style gravel road race. You’ll race along the banks of the Flat

Ammerican Ultra CX Series Announces Addition

2011-12-03T14:11:00.001-06:00

One of the events we've listed hear on the site for awhile, Barry-Roubaix, was just added to the series of "ultra-cyclo cross" events like Iron Cross, Southern Cross, and the Hilly Billy Roubaix. The series will have some similar rules, but is a series raced with the idea of who is best in the four events that now make this series up. Of course, we've had the gravel road based AGRS series

Melbourne Gravel Grinders #5: Night Grinder

2011-11-28T22:42:00.001-06:00

You know that our Southern Hemisphere brethren are enjoying the heights of summer about now and gravel grinding is happening again Down Under. News has reached us here at GGN about the next Melbourne Gravel Grinder, which will take place entirely under the cover of darkness. Here's the description of the ride as it was sent in to GGN. Starting at 1am, riding all night on undulating gravel

Trans Iowa V8 Registration To Start

2011-11-23T09:15:00.001-06:00

Friday, November 25th, marks the opening round of Trans Iowa V8 registration. The "opening round" will only include folks who have finished a Trans Iowa version in the past. Folks that have entered into, but not finished a Trans Iowa, and new folks to the ride, will be allowed a chance at registering after December 2nd, 2011. According to the Trans Iowa site, "Finishers" will have their names

Barry Roubaix Announces Registration for 2012 Event

2011-11-16T08:11:00.001-06:00

Barry-Roubaix, the Michigan gravel grinder event that saw around a thousand riders take the start this past March, has announced the date for registration opening for its 2012 running. The registration will begin at noon on December 3rd, 2011. Registration details will be posted on their site and Facebook page. Participation will be limited to 1500 this year, and the way this event has grown,

XXC Mag Announces New T-Shirt Design

2011-11-13T21:01:00.001-06:00

Boneshaker T Jason from XXC Mag got a hold of me the other day and pointed out a new design for a t-shirt that he has for sale on his site here. The new design features a cool, vintage 1880's style ordinary and a font to go with it. You can pick one up for $16.50, plus shipping, and Jason will throw in a free digital download of an XXC issue and two free stickers. There are a few other

Updates For The Dirty Kanza 200

2011-11-05T17:17:00.002-05:00

A press release has gone out which details some of the events concerning the 2012 running of the Dirty Kanza 200. Event Director Jim Cummins says that the plans are going well for next years 7th running of the Flint Hills based event. Riders will sign in at Emporia, Kansas historic Granada Theater, located in downtown Emporia, on Friday, June 1st. The 200 mile event will start the next day in

"Gravel Grovel" and "Sub 9 Death March" News

2011-10-17T20:42:00.000-05:00

Gravel Grovel The 4th Gravel Grovel, and event held in southern Indiana in the Hoosier National Forest is already taking registrants and the date has been set as Friday, November 25th, 2011. The Grovel is a metric hundy and is noted for its beautiful roads and tough hills. If the full 63 miler sounds too tough, there is a shorter "fun ride" that goes approximately 30 miles instead.

Slender Fungus Cycling Association Announcement!

2011-10-06T19:39:00.004-05:00

Okay, the guys down in Illinois have this little announcement to make. I have agreed to give them this digital space for their purposes for three fingers of single malt Scotch..... The Slender Fungus Cycling Association presents the"Gypsy Criterion"October 16th, 20118:00 a.m. start time.The race will commence at the Slender Fungus Cycling Association World Headquarters which is located at the

Milltown Cycles fall Gravel Tour

2011-10-02T23:12:00.001-05:00

Milltown Cycles will be hosting three different gravel road rides this October and into November. These will be self-supported, self-guided tours for fun. Expect several challenging hills, and spectacular scenery as the woods in southern Minnesota turn color. All rides will start on Sundays at Noon. The three rides will occur as follows... The Haymaker: October 9th, from Redwing, Minnesota,

Battle Of The Bikes; Washington

2011-10-02T19:46:00.000-05:00

Here at Gravel Grinder News we are all about "demented routes", so when I heard about this event, I figured this was something good for all gravel road aficionados to know about. Plus, it involves route finding, which I always find interesting. Here's the skinny, straight from thier flyer; 2011 Battle of the Bikes to Ellensburg What and Who: Bike between Wenatchee and Ellensburg any way you

Some New Dates

2011-10-02T18:31:00.002-05:00

Thanks to those of you that have responded so far with your 2012 (and some late 2011 dates!) dates for gravel grinders. Here are some of the latest to be updated/added. Gun City Gravelrie: October 23rd, 2011. Lees SAummit KS. See Guru's Gravel Grinders site. Triple D: (There is gravel under the snow!) January 15th, 2012, Dubuque, IA CIRREM: Saturday February 25th, 2012, Cumming, IA Colesburg

Send Us Your Dates!

2011-10-01T22:45:00.000-05:00

Although it is fall here in the Northern Hemisphere, and gravel road riding may be on the wane, we need to hear from you! Dates for 2012 can be sent to this e-mail and will get posted on the front page here and also on Gravel Grinder News' calendar page. Thanks in advance for any news on events you can share.

Crush And Run

2011-09-19T18:29:00.001-05:00

A part of the Crush & Run course Nashville resident, Dan Hensley, a Trans Iowa veteran and proprietor of the Nashville Bicycle Lounge, is super-stoked to let us all know about the "Crush and Run", a new gravel/back roads event near the Nashville, Tennessee area. This one is set to take place October 1st, 2011. The Crush and Run will be a self supported event with 50 mile or 100 mile options

Gravel Grinder Gear: Interbike 2011

2011-09-18T21:56:00.001-05:00

I attended Interbike 2011 and although my main focus was not to check out gravel grinding stuff, I did see a fair amount of things that caught my eye. Check out the following.... The All City Space Horse is actually billed as a "light touring bike", but I see gravel grinding written all over it. A bit more relaxed geometry than a road bike, deeper bottom bracket drop for stability, a hair

The Heroic: New Event With A Twist

2011-09-17T15:14:00.001-05:00

Gravel events on the grassroots level keep getting more inventive all the time. This is an event I got wind of weeks ago, but is now something that looks to be getting off the ground now. It's called "The Heroic" The premise seems to be that of having an event that hearkens back to the road racing days of yore. Riders will be limited to wearing woolen jerseys and will be required to carry spare

Keeping My Eyes Open

2011-09-09T17:05:00.002-05:00

All City Cycles Space Horse Proto Next week I'll be at Interbike, and while I won't be specifically there to capture everything good for gravel grinding, I will be keeping my eyes open for anything good that might be of interest. For a preview, I was tipped off to this image of a drop out from the Bike Jerks blog which indicates that something new from All City will be on display at Interbike

Moonshine Metric Gravel Ride

2011-09-08T23:03:00.000-05:00

Moonshine Metric Gravel Ride: Ever ride gravel roads at night? It is a hoot, lemme tell ya! (And I simply haven't done enough of that this year!) Anyway, here is an event to get yer feet wet doing just that, (no- not getting your feet wet, riding gravel at night!). Check out this ride out of Mount Vernon, Iowa, which will take place October 15th, 2011. That's a Saturday night, if you are

Spaghetti Dirt Ride

2011-08-26T21:09:00.000-05:00

In conjunction with a roadie century ride, their will be a special dirt road ride for folks wanting to get into the rural areas of Georgia and Florida soon. The ride held near Tallahassee, Florida, will take place October 15th. From the site in regards to the ride, there is the following: The dirt road rides can present problems, especially for novice dirt riders, in two ways. First, the dirt

Steeplechase Harvest Ride

2011-08-25T15:59:00.000-05:00

I just got wind of a new gravel grinder event that is set to take place mainly in northeastern Nebraska and will be based out of Yankton, South Dakota. It's called the Steeplechase Harvest Ride, and will happen on October 8th, 2011. Check out the details on this free, self supported ride that is to be about 50 miles long here. I read the site and learned what a steeplechase really is. Huh! Who

North O! Rock Road Jackrabbit Hundy 2011

2011-08-23T17:22:00.000-05:00

Omaha, Nebraska is again playing host to the "North O! Rock Road Jackrabbit Hundy", which will take place on October 15th this year. The event is free, and you can get you name on the start list now. It is a self navigated, self supported affair, and features one "aid station" at approximately the halfway mark. Check out the site here.

Gravel World's Results

2011-08-22T08:07:00.000-05:00

XXC Magazine has results from this year's Gravel World Championships posted here. From following some Twitter reports over the weekend, it was apparent that this year's event was a bit different than last year's brutally hot edition. This year featured some wet, soggy MMR, (Minimum Maintenance Road), and some softer gravel due to the days of heavy rain that led up to the event. No matter

"Piggy's Revenge" Back Road Event Announced

2011-08-08T17:37:00.002-05:00

Piggy's Revenge Florida will be the place where a new "back road" event will take place in February 25th, 2012. Here is a short description to whet your appetite from the site for the event: "FREE RACING HAS COME TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA! Get ready for a challenging loop of sand, gravel, grass, single track and a little asphalt. You will see a lot of wild pigs, gators, armadillos, maybe some

Gravel Grinder Gear: Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross" Frame/Fork

2011-08-06T11:47:00.001-05:00

After a spring and summer aboard the orange frame and fork from Black Mountain Cycles, I am ready to make my call on the versatile, capable rig. First though, let's take a look at what it is... BMC "Monster Cross" Frame/Fork "Monster Cross" Model: This frame and fork comes from a small, independantly owned bike shop in Point Reyes, California called "Black Mountain Cycles". Maybe that isn't

One Speed Open Announces Date

2011-07-27T23:00:00.000-05:00

The Colorado based One Speed Open has announced August 14th as the date for the event to occur. This will be the 7th running of this event and you can check out all the pertinent details on their site here.

Gravel Worlds Coming Next Month

2011-07-27T14:24:00.000-05:00

The Pirate Cycling League has announced that spaces are still available for the event that will determine the "Gravel World Champion" in several categories. Once again, winners will be receiving rainbow striped jerseys. Get your gravel on with the crew in Lincoln, Nebraska. Win a rainbow striped jersey of your own!

Melbourne Gravel Grinders: #4: Winds Of Pain

2011-07-12T22:43:00.000-05:00

The "Down Under Crew" is at it again with another Melbourne Gravel Grinder. This time, sans hills! But don't think that'll make it easy. As I am told, the prevailing winds riders will face on this out and back course will have the riders "chewing their bartape on the way out and then spinning it big ring on the way back. Oh yeah! " Busted up gravel and dirt roads will greet the riders that dare

Fall Gravel Road Tour Series Announced

2011-07-08T18:18:00.000-05:00

Milltown Cycles has just announced a series of "tours" on gravel roads in and around the South-central/Southeastern parts of Minnesota. The Rawland Fall Tour, which has occurred in this region before, will be part of this series as well. Stay tuned for more details, but for now we know that these rides will take place on five successive Sundays. Hey, who needs football anyway? Let 'em stay

Win a Custom Independent Fabrication Dirt-Road Frameset.

2011-07-01T07:03:00.000-05:00

This time, I turn over the reins of Gravel Grinder News to Sandy Whittlesey, who is one of the principals of the D2R2, a dirt road randonnee in Massachusetts.He's got some news to share with us you might be interested in.... Observers of the North American Handmade Bike Show may have seen pictures of Indy Fab's new dirt roader: Franklin Land Trust - the folks that organize D2R2 - are now

"Midnight Mini Masacre" Night Time Gravel Grinder Announced

2011-06-27T22:46:00.000-05:00

The folks that put on the events down in Texas like the "Red River Riot" and the "Texas Chainring Massacre" are at it again. This time they are doing a gravel grinder which will occur all at night. A metric century in length, this event will take place Saturday evening, August 13th, near Ponder, Texas. Registration is happening online here, so check it out. Get away from the heat of the day, and

Gravel Grinder Gear: Salsa Cycles Cowbell II Handle Bar

2011-06-23T21:18:00.001-05:00

The Salsa Cycles Cowbell 2: Perfect for gravel grinding! I am a big, big fan of "alt-bars" and in particular, off road drop bars. I plan on doing a complete off road drop bar comparo yet here, but in the meantime, I just got my mitts on these bars that will appear in that round up, and I wanted to share them with you here. The Salsa Cycles Cowbell 2, (There is also a Cowbell 3, which only

Farmhouse Classic

2011-06-07T23:01:00.000-05:00

The Farmhouse Classic is going to happen again this year on July 16th at 9:00am The event is pretty low key and will feature a 95-ish mile long course with about two chances for re-charging the water and food supplies. This is the third running of this event and as always, it will feature a meal at the farmhouse afterward. Check out the details here.

Crooked Roubaix On For September

2011-06-07T22:51:00.000-05:00

The second Crooked Roubaix is scheduled to take place September 10th in Colorado. The ride will take participants on a winding 92 mile course on a combination of pavement, Forest Service Roads, and gravel. Many of the Forest Service Roads are being specially opened just for cyclists on this particular ride. For more info, check out the site here that has all the specifics for you.

Just A Friendly Notice

2011-06-02T20:58:00.001-05:00

Notice: It seems that perhaps a few event directors/promoters maybe don't quite understand Gravel Grinder News, or just what is necessary to have me link to a ride or post about it here. That's cool. I get that. So, in the interest of clearing up a few misunderstandings, or potential ones, I am going to reiterate and clarify a few salient points on what it is that this site is about, and what I

Oregon Stampede 2011

2011-06-01T18:44:00.000-05:00

The Oregon Stampede 2011: I just received notification about the next Oregon Stampede today which will happen September 10th, and the registration is open. NOW! Here are the pertinent details.... September 10, 2011 – 7:00 a.m. start time 127 miles ~9,000 ft elevation gain ~60% dirt Limited to 75 riders – no exceptions Need more info? Link to registration? Go see their site here!

Dirt Bag Dash Series Final Report

2011-05-25T22:27:00.001-05:00

I received this report from "Mr. Dirt Bag " himself, James Lang, and here it is in its entirety. Enjoy! The Dirt Bag Dash road race series has been put to bed for 2011. The series final at the Dream River Ranch had 64 riders come together to battle it out in the foothills of the Danskin Mountains. Rain on the course the night before made it look like the cross bikes were going to have

Melbourne Gravel Grinders: #3 Bump 'n' Grind

2011-05-11T16:59:00.001-05:00

The Australians have caught gravel grinding fever, or so it would seem. Even though they are headed into winter down there, (seems like we just escaped Winter's grasp here!), the hope is that gravel grinding will stay popular. Here's what Andrew Scott, one of the gravel grinder instigators down there, had to say concerning the last Melbourne Gravel Grinder, (Finest Grind), and what the future

NCC-HAC Gravel Metric Promo Video

2011-05-10T16:05:00.000-05:00

The Gravel Metric -- More Gravel from Seth Deming on Vimeo. Nuff Said!

The SFCA "Wolfy 100"

2011-05-06T23:31:00.000-05:00

Certain cycling aficionados in the Illinois area have taken it upon themselves to form together into a loosely held together union they like to call "The Slender Fungus Cycling Association". Well, that's another story, but let's focus on a ride these cats are putting on called the "Wolfy 100". They are heading out on a "mixed terrain" deal and you may see some things that you never thought

A Dirty Kanza 200 Primer

2011-05-01T19:12:00.000-05:00

Hey, there is a Dirty Kanza "practice" ride going on May 15th. Check out what the site says about this right here: John Williams is hosting this "must do" gravel grinder. Take it from someone with experience, if you want to finish you got to train on what you are going to be racing on. This is a great opportunity to test your rig, experiment on the food that you will be consuming and

Trans Iowa History Is Made!!

2011-04-24T19:32:00.002-05:00

Trans Iowa History Is Made!! Janna Vavra Becomes The First Female Finisher Of Trans Iowa! Sunday with about 10 minutes to spare before the final cut off at 2pm, Janna Vavra crossed the finish line of T.I.V7 in Grinnell, Ia. While Trans Iowa has always had women in each of the seven versions, this one is the first to feature a women finisher. Janna was one of five women starters and was quick

XXC Magazine Does A Gravel Grinder Themed T-Shirt

2011-04-20T11:45:00.000-05:00

Love the dirt and gravel road scene? Maybe you should be wearing this fine t-shirt proffered up by XXC Magazine. XXC is the on-line publication that focuses on long distance, adventure, and endurance type cycling and events. You can check out the details on this shirt on XXC's merch page here, or go to XXC's site, download a copy or two of their fine literary work, and even order a print copy

"Hard Rock Mary 208k" Presented By The LSR

2011-04-12T17:17:00.000-05:00

<==Image coutesy of the LSRGGB site. The Hard Rock Mary 208k, presented by the Lone Star Randonneurs organization will take place in North Texas near the Dallas/Fort Worth area on May 21st, 2011. Actually, it will be starting at 7:00AM in Pottsboro, Texas, which is right near the Oklahoma-Texas border. Here are the particulars as sent to me: Date/Time: May 21, 2011 - 7:00am Start Location:

Big Weekend In Gravel Grinding

2011-04-07T20:12:00.000-05:00

<==An Australian "B Road"? (image courtesy of Andrew Blake) It's a big weekend in gravel grinding all over the world! In Australia, the Melbourne Gravel Grinder #2 will be taking place on Sunday. The course is said to be "steep, fast, and moist"! Sounds like fun! From a route finders perspective, I found the following from their site to be rather smile inducing: "As always, some roads looked

Twin Six Does A Gravel Grinder Inspired T-Shirt

2011-04-05T17:26:00.000-05:00

Every month on the 6th of the month, (clever T-Six dudes!), Twin Six offers a limited edition run of t-shirts which usually only last a few hours before being sold out, never to be reproduced again. Well, this month, Twin Six has chosen to do their "T Shirt Of The Month" design based on a gravel grinder theme. Called "Dust To Dust", this shirt is the color of gavel, (what else?!), and features a

Race Report: Dirt Bag Dash #1

2011-04-04T18:24:00.000-05:00

Dirt Bag Dash Race Report: Gravel Grinder News received the following race report from James Lang concerning the inaugural running of the Dirt Bag Dash. Check out the words and fine images he sent in here: The inaugural Dirt Bag Dash was a huge success. Racing took place on courses ranging from 12 miles for the juniors to the expert course of 50 miles. The weather was cool with a light

Red River Riot and PCL's Tour Of Dirt Roads: Updates

2011-03-28T21:28:00.000-05:00

The Red River Riot is happening April 23rd and there is a bit of a change in the event. It isn't a race, but is now a "adventure", so to speak. Here's a bit from the registration page: The 2011 Red River Riot will be a grass roots ride this time around with the focus being the best and most challenging route possible. This is not an official "event" so don't look for prizes, sag support,

Polk County Wildflower Ride 2011

2011-03-22T07:52:00.000-05:00

The folks down in Polk County Missouri like riding crushed limestone and wildflowers. Sounds like my knid of people! maybe yours too? If so, check out the Second Annual Polk County Wildflower Ride happening again on June 4th, 2011. You can check out more details on their site here.

Ronde Van Stony Will Take Place Again In 2011

2011-03-21T17:18:00.000-05:00

This event will be taking place again in 2011 on September 24th. Last year was the first year for the event and it featured a 33 mile course of dirt and gravel with a shorter option for those so inclined. This event is located in Shelby Township, Michigan. Check out the site for more details and stay tuned for further updates there.

Grampian Challenge

2011-03-21T17:09:00.000-05:00

2011 Grampian Challenge from brian hudson on Vimeo. October 1st, 2011 the Grampian Challenge will take place in Michigan again. This event has a great mix of gravel, dirt, paths, and single track. Check out the video above for a tasty sampling. Here is some more description from the events website: The Grampian Challenge will be a culmination off all the things you like about racing your bike

Barry-Roubaix Preview

2011-03-20T20:45:00.001-05:00

2011 Barry-Roubaix Course Pre-Ride from XXC Magazine on Vimeo. Check out this preview of the Barry-Roubaix course, which was shared with me by promoter, Rick Plite. It is a sped up view of the entire course, so look quickly! Rick says that as of now he is expecting 1000+ riders at the event, which makes Barry-Roubaix one of the, if not the, biggest gravel road racing events in the United

Good Life Gravel Adventure/ Gravel World Championships Announces Registration

2011-03-13T21:44:00.000-05:00

Want a jersey like the one in the image? Come and earn it at The Good Life Gravel Adventure/ Gravel World Championships to be held August 20th in Lincoln, Nebraska. This is another "self supported-you are responsible for yourself" event put on by the Pirate Cycling League. The registration process is pretty simple: send in a post card with the proper information, but hurry! They only have a

Renegade Gents Race

2011-03-10T20:21:00.000-06:00

Here's a different sort of event that is happening soon in Central Iowa. From the event website: On Saturday, April 2nd, the BIKEIOWA.COM cycling team would like to invite you and 4 of your teammates to the first annual RENEGADE GENTS RACE. What is a gents race, you ask? Well, to quote the folks at Rapha that started the whole concept (and that we've blatantly stolen it from): "I sold it to

Bonkfest 100

2011-03-03T21:03:00.000-06:00

Looking for some training miles? Well, the "Slender Fungus Cycling Association" has something for you a week from this Sunday called "Bonkfest". It's a 100 miles of slugging it out on gravel and getting your bonk, er......base miles in. Yeah.......something like that anyway! Here are the ride details as given to me by the Cheif of Slender Fungus Operations: The ride will start from my house:

Heck Of The North Registration Details Announced.

2011-02-24T07:18:00.001-06:00

The October 1st running of the Heck Of The North should be a fantastic event. The event organizer, Jeremy Kershaw, has announced the registration details on the Heck Of The North's site. The roster has been expanded from 75 to 100 with guranteed spots for past finishers. A lottery will be held to fill in the remaining spots on the roster. Check it out now. The registration process begins April

The Big Mick: In South Dakota!

2011-02-23T17:13:00.000-06:00

Gold mines, tunnels, scenic vistas, and a ton of bridges all are awaiting you in South Dakota if you join in on the fun during June 18th's Big Mick event. The Big Mick is a ride on the Mickelson Trail for 109 miles from Lead to Edgemont, South Dakota. Along the way on the old railroad bed, you will see some pretty spectacular stuff. I've been in the Black Hills on an old rail road ride and it is

Melbourne Gravel Grinders: #2 The Finest Grind

2011-02-21T17:50:00.000-06:00

The Aussies are doing it again on Sunday, April 10th. What are theyt doing? Why, gravel grinding, of course! What did you think? Cricket? No way! This is another of the Melbourne series and takes place at a different location, self supported, as always. The course description starts out with the following: "This ride will take in some of the best parts of the Mount Dandenong area." Austrailia

Frostbike 2011

2011-02-20T22:49:00.001-06:00

Hey folks! Here is my report from Frostbike 2011 in regards to gravel grinder type bikes and equipment that might be of interest. First up is Salsa Cycles, who do support gravel grinding in a big way, so make sure you check them out for your next bike. The Salsa Cycles Vaya comes in two colors for 2011. In the complete, or frame only you have the Vaya in orange as shown here, or..... ....

More Blacktop to Gravel: Iowa And Nebraska

2011-02-14T07:45:00.000-06:00

We've covered the move across the nation to convert old, blacktop, or chip-seal roads to gravel before here, but those stories were about roads out east. Now we're seeing this happen in the Mid-West too. The "Omaha World-Herald" has an on-line version of the newspaper called "Omaha.com" where it is being reported that Iowa counties are already converting miles of chip-seal to gravel roads again,

Gravel Ride for Maisie's Pride

2011-02-13T14:35:00.000-06:00

On May 7th, 2011, there will be a community fundraiser ride in the Flint Hills region of Kansas to benefit the community pool in Eskridge, Kansas. The ride will be done over some of the beautiful roads through the Flint Hills and should be approximately 40 or so miles in length. A "Bragging Rights" option of almost 70 miles will also be offered to those looking for some good DK200 preparation.

The Green Mountain Double

2011-02-10T17:40:00.000-06:00

Well, the hits just keep on a-comin'! Here we have another event based out of Vermont. Well, the image pretty much says it all! You can hit up their site here for more details.

Chucky's Challenge Report

2011-02-10T17:27:00.000-06:00

Despite recent massive snows in Missouri, the Chucky's Challenge went off without a hitch. First time "Chuck", Ben Bolin, sent us an image of his bike parked against one of the big snow drifts out on the course. We call roads with drifts on both sides like this, "roads with tunnel vision". You can check out more of the results and details surrounding the recent Chucky's Challenge here.

Melbourne Gravel Grinders: Hurtsbridge #1 Report

2011-02-09T21:17:00.000-06:00

Well, the Austrailians know how to have some fun on a gravel grinder. The first Hurtsbridge event went off with nary a hitch and by all accounts, it seems that a very good time was had by all. Check into the event results and story here. The course was rained on heavily in the days leading up to the event, and sprinkles were seen and felt during the event, but being hardy cyclists, they

Ragin' Raisin Dirt Classic

2011-02-09T21:04:00.000-06:00

Here's news of another event in Michigan set to get going on April 16th, 2011. It's the ragin' Raisin Dirt Classic, and in comparison to a lot of events on our calendar here, it is a mere sprint. 36 miles comprises the two lap course over some hilly dirt and gravel roads near Manchester, Michigan, which is near Ann Arbor. Registration is open now for individuals and there is also a Team

Blood+Sweat+Chemo

2011-02-01T10:47:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone, take a few moments to check out the video and please: Click This Link. Meet Andy. Andy is a rider from Minneapolis. The link tells his story. Please consider coming to an event being held in his honor in Minneapolis, MN on February 20th. For more information on One Rock Rally, please click this link. Hope to see you there.

To Hell and Back 180 Mtn Bike Endurance Ride

2011-01-31T18:27:00.000-06:00

To Hell and Back 180 Mtn Bike Endurance Ride: Some gravel road aficionados out Idaho way are cooking up this hot little number as a first time challenge ride where riders will tackle a 180 mile, remote circuit that features 15-20K of climbing. Feel like testing yourself? (It isn't a race, by the way) This one is a self-supported, free event, and only well experienced cyclists that know what they

Gravel Grinder Gear: The Bike

2011-01-29T08:49:00.000-06:00

Hello! It's been awhile since I've delved into the "Gravel Gear" section on the site, but at any rate, here goes! This edition will be about "The Bike". One of our most popular posts here is the review done by Matt Gersib on the Salsa Cycles Vaya. That's a fantastic ride for gravel pursuits, but there is more, and I am going to touch on a few things here and introduce a rig that I am personally

More European Gravel!

2011-01-28T08:10:00.000-06:00

I was just forwarded this information on some "gravel road tours' that will be happening in Austria in 2011. These will range in length and will not be races, but fun rides and of course, will be self supported. For more details keep an eye out on their site here.

New Details On The Durango Gravel Grinder 110/160

2011-01-18T22:08:00.000-06:00

The Durango Gravel Grinder folks have checked in with GGN and pointed out that the date for their 2011 event is April 16th, 2011. Two options have been given with one course going 110 miles and the longer option to 160 miles. Conditions are said to be "fast" for this event due to the application of mg-chloride to the road surfaces out there. For more information, check into the Durango Gravel

Dirty Kanza 200 Registration To Open Saturday AM

2011-01-14T07:35:00.000-06:00

The Dirty Kanza 200 event is going to start accepting registrations starting at 6am Eastern Standard Time on Bike Reg.com Hit that link and get reg'd up! last year the event sold out in less than a day. This year the DK 200 event director, Jim Cummings, has declared there will be more slots available, but the roster is limited, so don't tarry! Good luck to all!

Dirt Bag Dash Dirt Road Race Series Details

2011-01-12T21:51:00.000-06:00

Gravel Grinder News received the info on the Dirt Bag Dash series and I just decided to post the info straight from the flyer for these Idaho based events........ Dirt Bag Dash Dirt Road Race Series USAC Permit Pending March 26th – Glenns Ferry Veterans Memorial Hall, 132 East 5th Street, Glenns Ferry, ID May 7th – Mountain Home Dream River Ranch, 8894 W Martha Ave, Mountain Home, ID

The Westside Dirty Benjamin Announces Race Details

2011-01-08T17:45:00.000-06:00

The Westside Dirty Benjamin has announced some details on their 2011 event, which will be the second running of this event held west of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The registration process will be by post card and they have increased the field limit to 200 riders. (Last year they had 110 riders take part in the event). For more information on this June 11th event, see their site here.

The Rapture: The End Of The World As We Know It?

2011-01-05T21:51:00.000-06:00

Some nutty folks think the world is going to end on May 21st, 2011. So......the good folks up in Oregon figured they may as well have some fun with that, and, (what else?!), have a ride! The good folks at Velodirt have scheduled this "ride" for "individuals", (read the site, you'll understand), in a remote area and this one will really test the mettle of the cyclists that take part in it. There

Gravel Gets Ground Down Under!

2011-01-04T22:32:00.002-06:00

Well, when I started this gravel grinding site, little did I know that it was a world-wide sort of activity. Well, it is, and that just shows you how much, (not much, it would seem!), that I know. Down under, as we say 'round these parts, there is this thing called the Melbourne Gravel Grinders. This series kicks off February 6th with the Melbourne Gravel Grinders #1 Hurtsbridge. Check it out,

Sub-9 Death March

2011-01-02T15:18:00.000-06:00

The "Sub-9 Death March" is a unique event that will take place March 11th in the Hoosier National Forest. Riders will pair up into two man teams and will be given the task of "bagging checkpoints" which will be rural cemetery sites in Southern Indiana. Riders will need to get digital photographs of the cemetery sites as proof they were there and then continue on to the next checkpoint. There are

Heck Of The North Announces 2011 Date

2011-01-02T14:32:00.000-06:00

The third running of the Heck Of The North will take place on Saturday, October 1st, 2011 in Minnesota's northern rural/wilderness area located near the port city of Duluth. This event is part of the AGRS series of events. For updates and details, see the Heck Of The North's site, here.