April 24,2021: This was my first gravel ride of the spring season with Gravel NY (GrNY). The weather was beautiful at the ride start and got better as the day continued. We conquered ~62 miles of steep hills, screaming dirt road descents, and beautiful countryside filled with forests and farm fields. We opted for the more adventurous path around mile 48, where the dirt road ended in some chunky gravel before disappearing completely into the woods. Our bike handling skills were definitely tested! By the end of the ride, Sam’s GPS reported ~5500 feet of climbing — though my linked RidewithGPS account said the route was closer to ~6500 feet. Clearly the larger number has to be correct, right? Either way, it was an excellent adventure.
