The Penitentiary Mountain Gravel Routes were ridden for the first time today. It was awesome having the Birmingham Bicycle Club coordinate their monthly gravel ride with this event. We had an incredible turnout of 25 today, with folks coming from Bham, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and even Tennessee. Chime in below if I missed you. It was so fun getting to see old friends, and a few riding gravel for the first time. The best part is that all 25 of us pretty much stuck together for the first 20 miles, meeting new friends and enjoying God’s great beauty together.
The weather would have been perfect if it were not for 20+mph gusts from the SW all day. We rolled out at 9ish to 60 degrees and clear skies. It was tough fighting the wind all day, but the scenery was worth it, and so was the company. These routes are about 60% gravel, with just the right amount of transitions from chipseal to dirt. You’re never on pave for more than a couple miles, and traffic was minimal.
I believe we ended up with folks riding all routes except for the 20 and the 36, and some made up their own. The good news is that everyone made it back safe. I said I would stick around until the last car had left the parking lot, and what do you know, it was mine anyway. Rox, Merrill and I did the 74mi route and Nate was the last person in the parking lot when we rolled in. The last half of the 74 was all flat, requiring constant pedaling, and the headwinds were in our faces at least half of the way back. Being able to stick with these two is always one of my goals. It was a tough, beautiful, triumphant day with so many smiling faces.
These routes are for everyone, feel free to share. I will make updates from time to time, but the links will always be updated. Please share any feedback on the routes, help me make them great.
74 – https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45744251
62 – https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45744941
58 – https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45744901
50 – https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45744999
36 – https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46014508