Gravel Adventures in Westcliffe — Part II

I learned that Kelly’s routes are short yet surprisingly tough and maybe that’s because gravel is deceptively challenging. You wouldn’t think riding 45 miles on dirt would be difficult. You wouldn’t think it’d feel like you actually rode 70. You wouldn’t think your hands would be covered in blisters and your watch would cut into your wrist either. But I also think that gravel is more about the adventure and less about “sending it” or getting gainz.

I’ve always loved the “sleepy bike” photos other gravel riders have posted before on social media. As we rode up (because yes, it was a false flat) the washboard road, I saw the best setting for my own sleepy bike. Brittney and Kelly caught up and I explained to them what I was doing. We decided to stack our bikes (gently) and called it an “orgy sleepy bike.”

This ride started fairly tame and I was excited for an easier route. There was a combination of road and dirt which made the dirt more bearable. And we lucked out with less washboard (at least at the beginning).