Graveliscious
I love to ride the gravel roads in southern MN. I spend a lot of time on the pavement & there’s something alluring and simple that I like about riding these back roads. The scenery is new, it’s slower, quieter, you have to pay attention to avoid punctures, and the entire riding experience feels more organic. I love the connection to the earth and thinking about how some of the narrow gravel roads evolved from simple paths to what they are now. And in many cases, they haven’t changed much at all. Paved roads, on the other hand, have been widened and resurfaced so many times that they are nearly a foot higher and three or four times as wide as their original form. Riding gravel is also a great way to get lost. The roads may T unexpectedly or simply end and they often follow the topography in interesting ways. I removed my GPS from my bike over the winter and haven’t replaced it. I like the challenge of finding my way home w/o it. So, take your road bike on the gravel and see if you can get yourself lost. Enjoy.
