Two last bike posts of the season (probably). I promise (mostly). This week is mostly about the race Gail and I recently participated in, and partly about gravel riding generally. Next week’s post will be about gravel bikes generally, and our bikes in particular. When I mention to people that we are gravel riding, most people say, “huh? What’s that? And what’s a gravel bike?” These are not easy questions to answer. Suffice it to say that gravel riding is a cross between road riding, mountain biking and cyclo-cross. As to what differentiates a gravel bike, that question will be answered next week by a special guest. But as a…

In early August, I participated in Rooted Vermont, a 48 mile gravel bike race in northern Vermont. It was a meaningful weekend for me on several levels. First, as you may recall from a post last year, during my last organized gravel event, I bonked after 60 miles, and had to call it quits. Needless to say, I went into this race, at 48 miles and 4,000 feet of climbing, with some trepidation. But just as important, this race took place in a part of Vermont very near to where my mom retired. My mom passed away 20 years ago last month (she never knew 9/11), and we hadn’t been…