Just north of Portland, ME lies the rural community of New Gloucester which is sprinkled with pristine class I and II gravel roads, short punchy climbs, and plenty of forest to hug the streets. Mainely Gravel was the last race of the New England Gravel Triple Crown series and my first time biking in Maine.
If you follow Unbound Gravel, you know to never expect an easy ride. The eastern-central town of Emporia, KS is no stranger to heavy, wet weather that can quickly cut your speed in half as you’re forced to go through peanut-butter consistency mud. Or finding yourself stuck going high speeds down a road laced with sharp jagged rocks. Flats are a dime a dozen. Everyone there carried their make-shift mud stick and extra tubes expecting the worst.
For anyone who isn't confident about cornering...
On a group ride last year I saw a rider misjudge the Larimie-Hardie corner on the descent and end up far into the opposite lane. Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic. The next time could be much worse. Given that hills and curves are part of what we love about riding here, how can we corner more safely and confidently?
Let's look at a few common problems:
Group cycling requires extra safety precautions. Communicate clearly, ride predictably, and maintain a safe distance. Be aware of surroundings, obey traffic laws, and stay in formation.
Class 4 roads in Vermont and Class VI roads in New Hampshire are unmaintained public ways, ranging from seasonal dirt roads to abandoned farm tracks and logging roads. These roads can vary in condition from easy to challenging, with some riders enjoying the terrain while others find it frustrating.
My Gravel Biking Experience In The Upper Valley
I was working as a traveling physician assistant jumping from state to state for a little over two years when a friend messaged me about a job opportunity in New Hampshire. I had nothing to lose by checking it out. A few months later, I hopped on a plane from San Francisco to Boston, rented a car, and drove to the middle of nowhere. The further from Boston I got, the fewer the cars, the thicker the woods, the more mountains appeared. The small “city” I arrived in had a single coffee shop, only one option for basic genres of food, and no one in sight past 8PM. What were people doing here?
ChatGPT tries not to offer advice on how to gain an edge over your competitors…but then provides devastating put-downs.
ChatGPT offers advice on encouraging phrases for cyclists. This list is particularly useful on the last laps of cyclocross or a crit when you are suffering from cheering fatigue.