Can you ride a road bike on a gravel road? How about a dirt road? Yes, as long as a dry surface greets the rubber where it meets the road. My road bike -- actually a Salsa Chili Con Crosso Scandium with carbon fork, stem and handlebars matched with Shimano Ultegra compact drivetrain (custom-built at the Pedal & Paddle Bike Shop in Pierre, SD) -- begged for some off-pavement exploring recently. What better way to turn a normal, routine, see the same scenery twice out-and-back into a new adventure?
My escapade started at the causeway in Pierre and followed 1804 up Euclid, up Snake Butte, across the dam heading west up/down Gut Check Hill across the Emergency Spillway, which, by-the-way is about as full as it can be, up Big Ass Kicker continuing west on 1806. Sixteen miles later, at the Cut Across Road/1806 Junction, I hung a left and followed the mostly smooth tire trail on the gravel road for 3.1 miles smiling hugely while enjoying wind-aided speeds registering comfortably in the low 20s.
The Cut Across Road connects with 14 and the newly paved surface together with the wide smooth shoulder combined with a 15mph NW tailwind made the 8 mile ride into town a breeze. While on the Cut Across Road a local farmer riding his tractor gave me a full arm wave. Talk about friendly!
Consider adding the Cut Across Rd. Loop into one of your next training rides. You'll be glad you did.
Stats:
27.2 miles
673 feet of climbing
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment