- Joined
- May 31, 2015
- Messages
- 3,274
Spring - Fall 2023
Here's something a little different. I'm posting it in "off-road" because I generally covered ground that would fall into this category if I had been in a motor vehicle. A bike's a vehicle, just with me as the motor instead, so I'm counting it. It's side country rather than backcountry for sure. None of these were terribly long or hardcore rides, but it has been a lot of fun.
I got a gravel bike in April and tried to get out and ride as much as possible. I fortunately live in a spot where the dirt roads start within about a mile of my house, and they range from well-graded, frequently graveled roads to very primitive roads that see minimal maintenance and are impassable when wet.
Because we've had an abysmal start to the winter season, most roads in the valley are still rideable, so I'll probably get out again this weekend if it isn't too windy. Anyway, here's a collection of shots from a handful of rides I did from May to November.
First real ride in May:
Took a longer ride this day, out to the trailhead of one of my favorite trails in the Bridgers:
Tried out some logging roads that are closed to vehicles, and rode to a lake south of town. Ended up doing this ride 3 times over the summer. It's a grunt because it's an out-and-back with 5 miles downhill, 5 miles uphill, then you turn around, so you go 5 miles downhill and have the last 5 miles on a relentless uphill.
Jessica also got a gravel bike this summer. We went out with some friends on the 4th of July. It had rained the night before, and we got lucky it wasn't impassably muddy along the Gallatin.
Some more from some favorite spots fairly close to home.
Did a few pre-work morning rides with my friend, Kenny. We decided to go for it this morning despite this ominous storm cloud. It stayed north of us, so we were all clear. We weren't sure for the first few miles though.
Some others from the north Bridgers.
Tried taking my youngest brother-in-law up to that lake again in August. It started thundering, so we bailed when we were about 2/3 of the way there. Sad.
This road gets impassable when it's wet. Ask me how I know.
Out along Ted Turner's Spanish Peaks area ranch.
Another encounter with mud, kinda near Manhattan. Turned around after it became nonstop.
Longest ride of the year. Only 40 miles, but having most of my riding experience come from when I was growing up in Indiana, it was surprising how much harder 40 miles are in the hills on dirt. On two occasions back then, I rode across Indiana from east to west in a day, and although this wasn't quite as hard as that, it was the most tired I've been from a ride aside from those.
And here are a few more.
Maudlow. Cool place.
Thanks for reading!
Here's something a little different. I'm posting it in "off-road" because I generally covered ground that would fall into this category if I had been in a motor vehicle. A bike's a vehicle, just with me as the motor instead, so I'm counting it. It's side country rather than backcountry for sure. None of these were terribly long or hardcore rides, but it has been a lot of fun.
I got a gravel bike in April and tried to get out and ride as much as possible. I fortunately live in a spot where the dirt roads start within about a mile of my house, and they range from well-graded, frequently graveled roads to very primitive roads that see minimal maintenance and are impassable when wet.
Because we've had an abysmal start to the winter season, most roads in the valley are still rideable, so I'll probably get out again this weekend if it isn't too windy. Anyway, here's a collection of shots from a handful of rides I did from May to November.
First real ride in May:
Took a longer ride this day, out to the trailhead of one of my favorite trails in the Bridgers:
Tried out some logging roads that are closed to vehicles, and rode to a lake south of town. Ended up doing this ride 3 times over the summer. It's a grunt because it's an out-and-back with 5 miles downhill, 5 miles uphill, then you turn around, so you go 5 miles downhill and have the last 5 miles on a relentless uphill.
Jessica also got a gravel bike this summer. We went out with some friends on the 4th of July. It had rained the night before, and we got lucky it wasn't impassably muddy along the Gallatin.
Some more from some favorite spots fairly close to home.
Did a few pre-work morning rides with my friend, Kenny. We decided to go for it this morning despite this ominous storm cloud. It stayed north of us, so we were all clear. We weren't sure for the first few miles though.
Some others from the north Bridgers.
Tried taking my youngest brother-in-law up to that lake again in August. It started thundering, so we bailed when we were about 2/3 of the way there. Sad.
This road gets impassable when it's wet. Ask me how I know.
Out along Ted Turner's Spanish Peaks area ranch.
Another encounter with mud, kinda near Manhattan. Turned around after it became nonstop.
Longest ride of the year. Only 40 miles, but having most of my riding experience come from when I was growing up in Indiana, it was surprising how much harder 40 miles are in the hills on dirt. On two occasions back then, I rode across Indiana from east to west in a day, and although this wasn't quite as hard as that, it was the most tired I've been from a ride aside from those.
And here are a few more.
Maudlow. Cool place.
Thanks for reading!
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