Gravel Grinder or CX LSD and off-road Granfondo.

[Paul C.]

Gravel Grinder # 1 or CX ...LSD and off road Granfondo type riding.

Myself, Rooks, Foz and Newfie Steve are planning a 80 to 130km CX adventure ride in October.

Gravel Grinders are becoming popular in the U.S. Its like a really long CX event or a Granfondo with no pavement..( do a search for info) It will be some-what like the 120km CX ride that , Rooks and I did last fall on the Goose... through to Shawnigan lake, Lunch and back on Mill Bay Ferry.
( minus the trespassing part, the threat of a fine, and later the embarrassment of doing it in Tripleshot kit.)

We are considering Sunday October 5, 19 or 26, starting about 7am from the Drive Thru Starbucks. We may not be back until 2 to 6pm. This is an unsupported ride. Although there will be some stops for coffee, food...beer?? you need to bring :

A CX bike in good working order,
Food and water,
Stuff for a mechanical, of course,
A sense of adventure,
Maybe a GPS, although I somewhat enjoy getting lost on this type of adventure ride.

Please join us.
Thoughts or suggestions???

regards, Paul C.

[BPhelps]

Do mountain bikes qualify?

[Fozzy]

Yup!

[Paul C.]

Hopefully you won' t need to carry a mtn bike over a mountain or thru a river...probably less of this than what is in an actual CX race...

Also if anyone just wants to do an out and back with us on the goose, even a winter road bike would be fine. In other words you could do a 25, 50 or 100km without the logging roads or rougher trails aronud Sooke. Join us..

More details and exact date to follow soon.

regards, pc

[roadflasj]

I'm in with a semi-winter bike depending on the exact weekend planned. How far could one go with regular road tires, 23c aired down a touch? Former mtb racer so I'm actually excited about a little mud/tech riding.

[mfarnham]

I'm in.

Martin

[rhughes]

Sounds like fun!! The 5th would be good.

Ritchie

[roadflasj]

I'm good for the 19th. Too many mandatory birthdays to attend early in the month.

[Roland]

Not sure if you have a route yet, but here are two I can recommend if you don't.

http://app.strava.com/activities/62207754
Minus Goldstream heights. The trail down doesn't actually exist. Gravel road the rest of the way. Pretty good loop.

http://app.strava.com/activities/125121813
The descent back into Sooke was a new logging road and pretty rough, maybe it's better now.

[Josh.E]

'pretty rough' is a bit of an understatment for what that was. the road was just blast rock
I thought my hands were going to fall off.

[Paul C.]

Thanks for the route suggestions , comments and suggested dates.

I consulted with one of my partners in crime, Stevie Rooks,
and it will be Sunday October 26 for "The Main Event ", Gravel Grinder # 2...about 110 to 140km leaving at 7:15 from drive -thru Starbucks.
But hang on folks...there's more.....

Gravel Grinder #1 " The Mini-Grind" will be Sunday ,October 5 , about 50 to 100km mainly on the Goose. Same time and location as above.

October 12 and 19 or Cross on the rock events, plus some one had to decide on dates . Sorry if it doesn't work for you. There could be more in November/ December.
Anyone up for an OFF ROAD, CX Winter Solstice ride or dirty Festive 500??

Either of these rides you could do on a Mountain bike. There could be some carrying on October 26.
For October 5 ,a road bike would be OK , if you don t mind getting it dusty or dirty. And either date you could do less distance, (out and back ) as the first 50km is on the goose.

These fun events are rain or shine. Without fenders on our CX bikes, you may not want to were your new kit!

Are you in?
cheers,pc

[stevierooks]

Im in for Saturday. Out the Goose till the end and back. One of my favorite rides. I sometimes feel like I should be paying money to ride this wonderful trail...but they let us do it for free!

Rooks

[Paul C.]

Steve...and others ,Its this SUNDAY, Oct 5,{ not Sat. } 7:15 at drive thru STARBUCKS. pc

[alan boden]

I'm in for this w/e as well as the 26th - hopefully.

[stevierooks]

Sunday. That's what I meant. Still in. All good

Rooks

[Fozzy]

I'm up for Sunday too. Not sure about the 26th yet.

[mshepard]

Interested for sure but I am riding a MTB so you CX guys might leave me in the dust. I am OK with that so hope to see you at least for a coffee at 'buckys.

[BPhelps]

I am interested for sure too.

And I too am looking forward to being left in your dust on my mountain bike.

[Fozzy]

I would hope that this ride encompasses the Tripleshot ideal of no drop on Sundays!!!

[Paul C.]

Hi Gravel Grinders.

Yes, this Sunday at the drive-through Starbucks across from Mayfair on Douglas, near Alpha, not far from the famous Hotel Zed. It opens at 5:30...See some of you at about 6:45...leave at 7:15 am.

Out and back on the goose. about 110 km return from Leechtown [ back about 1 or 2pm depending on coffee stops ] or ,about 80km turning around near Sooke. Or about 50km turning at Metchosin village.

We will discuss some ideas for the " Big Grind" Sunday, October 26.

cheers, Paul C.