Gravel Ride of the Week: GRUSK
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Beautiful, exhilarating and flat out exhausting all at the same time. Oh yes, for the latest Gravel Ride of the Week, I travelled deep into wild and wonderful West Virginia, to ride my bike up Spruce Knob, the highest peak in the state. GRUSK (Gravel Race Up Spruce Knob) delivered one unforgettable ride through the WV mountains and I left this race with lots of stories to tell about my experience. You’ll want to follow along for this one to see how mechanical difficulties, fast moving bunches and majestic mountain views all played into making this one exciting ride. Let’s get started!
I’ll kick off this post by saying that it unfortunately lacks in the photo department. That’s because I did not have my incredibly talented photographer wife along for this trip. Christin had to stay home to attend to a family emergency, which meant that I was flying solo for this race. You don’t always realize how much support you get from a spouse until they’re not there to help you. This was particularly apparent for this trip, especially when it came to the photography and camping by myself. While the photos might be lacking, I did work extra hard on the video to ensure that you get a full account of how it all unfolded. Be sure to check that out for all the visuals.
I set off on my solo expedition with a car full of camping gear to go off exploring the WV mountains. As I drove deeper into the mountains, I soon lost all cellphone signal, something I would be without for the entire time I was in this remote part of the world. The biggest upside to this race’s location has to be the higher altitude. The race venue, the Experience Learning facility, sits at around 3950 ft (~1200m) above sea level and isn’t too far off from the Spruce Knob peak, which tops out at 4862 ft (1482 m). This higher elevation provided some very welcomed cooler temperatures, and since I grew up in a part of South Africa that lies at 4200 ft (1300m), it felt great to be back in thinner air. Spruce Knob might not be an Alpine mountain pass, but the additional altitude was definitely noticeable when traveling from a lower lying area.
After setting up camp the Friday evening, I headed over to the race start/finish area to go pick up my race pack. What I found was that the race vibe was already in full swing with some of the longer format races underway. Live music added to the lively atmosphere that surrounds this race, and with so many of the racers camping out at the start venue, things could only get more entertaining. The buzz surrounding this race was energizing indeed and my eagerness to race was kicking into gear.
GRUSK offered riders the opportunity to ride one of many distances throughout the weekend. Those looking for a considerable challenge in the mountains could opt to follow either the Venti (213-miles) or Loco (140-miles) courses, but for us mere mortals, there were also the options to complete either an 82-, 50- or 27-mile route. I decided on the 80-mile course, but was fully aware that this would test the limits of my current fitness. Test me, it did!
This race was no walk in the park. The 80-mile route that I followed delivered a good amount of elevation gain, which added up to around 6880 ft (2100m) in total. Most of this came towards the end of the ride as we climbed to the top of Spruce Knob. This climb did take the last bit of strength out of my legs, but I have to admit that the long, steady gradient that you find along this climb wasn't all that bad. A good solid rhythm got me up the climb, even at the end of a long day in the saddle. My biggest obstacle on the day actually came earlier in the day and related more to my bike, rather than the route.
At about the 25-mile (40km) marker, I experienced my first dropped chain as we descended into a valley that runs between the mountains. The dropped chain required that I fight my way back into a fast-moving bunch that could offer some assistance along the valley floor. I made it back, but just as I got settled into the group there were more chain drops. This quickly turned into the dropped chain ride up Spruce Knob. In total, my chain shook out of place five times, and I was kicking myself for not fitting the Wolftooth Gnarwolf chainguide that I've reviewed in the past to the bike. This was a hard lesson to learn, but I don't think I'll pitch up at any races in the future without this product fitted to my bike. The wasted energy that I spent getting back into the fast-moving bunches certainly would have been helpful over those last few miles as I ascended Spruce Knob!
Next time I’m riding with a chainguide!
In the end, I made it to the finish line. Tired and definitely a bit disappointed that I missed out on a better race position, but at least I got to see the awesome views from the top of Spruce Knob. It really is amazing to think of all the places that gravel racing can take you. At the Quick and the Dead gravel race last September, I climbed up Mt. Davis, the highest point in Pennsylvania, and now I get to add Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia, to my list of summits. I'm not sure which state's highest point will be next, but for the time being I'm looking forward to my next gravel race, the Dirty Kitten Gravel Race (DKGR) in Culpeper. If you plan to be there, then be sure to come say hi. Until next time, enjoy your ride!
-Wiehan
