Gravel Ride of the Week: unPAved
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Mud, mud, and more mud. Things got a bit messy during the latest Gravel Ride of the Week! In this edition we travelled to Lewisburg, PA for unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley. After this seven-hour ride, I required nearly seven hours to wash my bike. That ought to be a clear indication that I pushed both bike and body to the extreme! Persevering through these challenging conditions was, however, totally worth it and the incredible autumn scenes in the Pennsylvania mountains made for some breathtaking scenery. This ride called for some extra grit, but in the end, hundreds of riders stuck it out to see through an epic day on the bike. Let's look at how it all unfolded!
The unPAved gravel event took us into the heart of Pennsylvania and the small college town of Lewisburg. Home to Bucknell University, this town is a true gem with plenty of interesting shops and hangout spots, as well as a trail situated in the downtown area. It really reminded me of Potchefstroom, the town in South Africa where I attended North West University. The vibe surrounding unPAved is very noticeable and the fall festival that goes along with this event sets the mood for the fun that follows on race-day.
Speaking of racing, the unPAved event adopted an alternative approach during 2020 when it switched to a segment racing format. This same format was followed for the 2021 event and allowed for a less congested start, given the pick-your-own-start-time arrangement. The competitive riders in the bunch still had the option to test their skills against others with 6 timed segments set out on course. While there were a few route options available, including a 125-mile, 95-mile, and a few shorter routes (somePAved), only the longest distance event was considered an official race. With last minute route changes, the Plenty-90 route for which I had entered, was extended to 95-miles. While this route was not considered an official race, I decided to still push the pace over the segments that were included on my course. Five out of the six segments awaited along my route. In the end, only four of those five were included in the official timing results, as the timing chip system failed to consistently register riders at the Pine Swamp segment. While not a race, the timed results still reflect that I set the 5th fastest time for the Plenty-90 course. While competing, I still managed to create the Gravel Ride of the Week video and you can experience each of these exhilarating segments for yourself by following the link.
The course is a challenging one on a good day, but throw in some rain, fog and lots of mud and you have a recipe for a tough day on the bike. This ride truly tested everyone’s abilities to endure the elements, as bikes and riders got completely covered with mud. Scenes at the aid stations reminded me of something out of a war movie, with riders huddled around a fire, comparing battle stories, and figuring out who looked the dirtiest.
The best decision that I made for this event was to fit my mudguards just before the start. This well and truly saved my backside from getting completely covered with rear wheel spray. By the end, my bike (and everything on it) was a complete mess and I truly had my work cut out to get it back in working condition. Unfortunately, the gritty conditions did lead to one casualty from a component’s standpoint. The drive-side bottom bracket bearing seized up completely from all the dirt and mud, leaving me without a gravel bike for a few days, while I waited for the the replacement part to arrive.
All that mud and post-ride clean-up was however completely worth it. The 95-mile route that I followed through the Pennsylvania countryside and mountains left me speechless with all the amazing views along the way. The Bald Eagle State Forest stands out as a clear favorite when it comes to the incredible scenery. There was the explosion of yellow fall colors as we moved along the Mid State trail, there was the passage through a dark tunnel with horse sightings on the other side, spectacular bridges over rivers and one of the most scenic aid stations I've ever stopped at during an event. This part of the course had me repeating the word, wow, over and over and as I rode through this awesome place. Sure, there were times when I purposefully had to switch my thinking away from being cold and wet, focusing instead on the positive, but those times also made me appreciate the natural beauty so much more. Unpaved surely lived up to its tag line of “Easy on the eyes, hard on the legs”.
Awesome job to all the riders who persisted to finish this ride in such challenging conditions. While our clothing and bikes might still carry the marks from this epic ride, we can proudly say that we earned each one of those dirt stains. Great job to all the volunteers and staff involved who made this day possible. Without all your hard work, none of us would be able to tell any of the stories that we got to take away from this event. Thank you! Until next time, enjoy your ride.
-Wiehan
