the futility of planning....

[nighthawk]

I left the house Saturday morning planning on a modest 30 mile loop through a state park on some "roads" I haven't yet explored.
Turns out google maps likes to make paths through the woods look like roads. What resulted was a 40 mile part bike ride, part hike.
At first I attempted to ride the "paths" but some of the steep grades and mix of big rocks and ruts made it nearly impossible. After going
over the handlebars I opted to hike till I got to a rideable road. Some of the "rideable" roads were some of the thickest gravel roads I've seen.
Overall, a fantastic day to be in such a nice area... but my body and bike were pretty beat up. Good times!

First the numbers:

Miles biking: ~35
Miles hiking, carrying bike: ~5
Elevation gain: 2500 ft
KOMs: 0
Fell on my side while still clipped in: 2
Over the handlebars: 1
Soggy shoes: 2
Bloody legs: 1
Mud on my bike: lots
baby porcupine: 1
dollars found in the middle of the woods: 1


and some pictures to prove it...

Rattlesnake gutter rd.:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hNlls_hn3Ds/UZj9yfIU6fI/AAAAAAAACLo/iBEEayXC7Vo/s800/IMG_0168.JPG
Wickett Pond:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y0lZmVEPbBw/UZj9RtnBCYI/AAAAAAAACLI/HIbXzrDk_qc/s800/IMG_0164.JPG
gravel, i mean Gravel, i mean GRAVEL:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-MSmyMdZPpWY/UZj85-2-aDI/AAAAAAAACKw/dkUkNotxKOs/s800/IMG_0161.JPG
Looks softer than it is:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QUvr_zmw-vA/UZj8ywKtMDI/AAAAAAAACKo/92s9ZubQ7wE/s800/IMG_0160.JPG
Nobody was home:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UWvsJj1s57A/UZj8oql_TGI/AAAAAAAACKg/nBid1Vhkg_o/s800/IMG_0159.JPG
Note to self, bring ladyfriend here sometime:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IRmGEq_9hZ0/UZj8SQDI0PI/AAAAAAAACKI/irxTei_Z7vU/s800/IMG_0156.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-61JW0ifw9NE/UZj8Yo1eYPI/AAAAAAAACKQ/HVEdCW2oPfQ/s800/IMG_0157.JPG
Something was eating this tree:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CHZNAIrGWYE/UZj8MC5ssMI/AAAAAAAACJ8/0xDa1NsWsvk/s800/IMG_0155.JPG
Easy livin':
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IXc5hI4Yao8/UZj78y38vHI/AAAAAAAACJs/cUArDZKiX_Q/s800/IMG_0152.JPG

[nighthawk]

Baby porcupine:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RBQPBPTBYp4/UZj7ynz2L6I/AAAAAAAACJk/VROFxSnO_Ic/s800/IMG_0151.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p8KjezUkRiE/UZj7UYJlyXI/AAAAAAAACJE/H9NRWfUX8Gs/s800/IMG_0147.JPG
Stinging nettles:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d0TwfRRkL7g/UZj7BrlVi0I/AAAAAAAACI0/MoKdv1loiqk/s800/IMG_0141.JPG
harvest for dinner:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-boBbCfo6Kyc/UZj6-VFcSEI/AAAAAAAACIs/Xmm32UUphoI/s800/IMG_0140.JPG
Real easy livin':
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2OVPWAmXNYg/UZj7GVaM9UI/AAAAAAAACI8/yVZ9pE8t7To/s800/IMG_0143.JPG

[bluesea]

Use satellite view? :) Wish there were such rides on this island.

[Pete Mckeon]

and a relaxing (Hopefully) day:)

[csm]

That sounds like a nearly perfect ride.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Tandem Rider]

Sounds like a good one to do again and again.

[rnhood]

Nice pictures and, it looks like a nice area to ride on a mountain bike. You should be able to get county maps (or the composite book of them) from your state's DOT for a small fee. The county maps will indicate which roads are paved. I use these when plotting back country routes.

[MattTuck]

I hear you!

google maps has screwed me many times in similar ways. I remember one ride that I mapped out, and turned out to involve going on a 'road' that was clearly two tire tracks with knee high grass in the middle heading into the forest. I opted to 'discover' another way rather than get lost hiking in the woods with speedplay cleats.

Google maps satellite view doesn't do much in this part of the country. Roads through the woods look like a forest whether they're paved or dirt. I'm sure the GIS data is there for surface condition, but Google doesn't seem to incorporate it into their map.

On the bright side, it looks like you brought the right bike for the job. A skinny tired road bike could have been much much worse.

[bobswire]

Nice pics looks like it would have been a perfect mtn bike ride.
Cool frame too.

My plans went awry today also..
I got all packed to view the start for todays ToC stage then decided to take the Richman bike instead of the Merckx, bad choice. Got as far as Twin Peaks and caught a flat. No biggee , I always take along two tubes but had to loosen then adjust rear pads that require a thin 13mm wrench (which I left at home). Too many hills for me to continue with just front brakes for this bike so headed back home , switched bikes and headed out for a ride. Too late to see the start of the ToC so just headed up the coast for a nice ride instead.

[Ken Robb]

That is some big "gravel" for sure. I wonder how wide a tire I would have to have to make it fun. I would think 2.1-2.4 might suffice.

[Columbus SLX]

Turns out google maps likes to make paths through the woods look like roads. What resulted was a 40 mile part bike ride, part hike.

Haha, this happened to a guy on our team last year on his way to a road race. He showed up right at staging, muddy, shaking from having been late and lost in the woods. We pinned him up and shoved him in the queue just as they released the pack. Inauspicious start!

[mike p]

If google map took you through all that they did you a big solid! Looks like a fantastic ride! Thanks for bringing your camera!

Mike

[67-59]

That is some big "gravel" for sure. I wonder how wide a tire I would have to have to make it fun. I would think 2.1-2.4 might suffice.

Yeah...the OP called it gravel, but to me it just looked like a bunch of really big rocks.

[MattTuck]

Yeah...the OP called it gravel, but to me it just looked like a bunch of really big rocks.

Looks like an old river bed.

[slidey]

Well, definitely seems like you had an adventurous ride...hope the scuffs aren't too bad!

[nighthawk]

That is some big "gravel" for sure. I wonder how wide a tire I would have to have to make it fun. I would think 2.1-2.4 might suffice.

I was riding 32 Schwalbe marathons at about 80psi and they handled it just fine, though I had to be really careful with my line to stay out of sharp crevices between rocks.

That particular road (aptly called Stone Rd) was only graveled like that in sections... That photo is the beginning of the road, and it seemed like many of the low spots in the road were also like that, probably an attempt at dealing with deep mud.

It was really fun and well worth the cuts and bruises. For future rides like this I'm thinking about building up a bike that can handle wider tires, but not really interested in a mountain bike. Mostly because I end up spending half the time on paved or hard packed dirt roads. Something like the Black Mountain Cycles monster cross probably in my future.

[bironi]

Looks like it turned into a nice, but challenging day. Nice pics.

[Louis]

gravel, i mean Gravel, i mean GRAVEL:


That's not a road, that's a dry riverbed!

[oliver1850]

buldogge and I had a similar day in western IL 2 weeks ago. Some maps showed roads crossing streams, others (mapmyride) showed them as dead ends. I thought they would be worth exploring, which is just how it turned out. We spent an hour or so hiking through woods, looking for a way out on the other side, ended up going back the way we came. That's Mark on his Meech, he's hiding behind a tree in the 4th pic.

[Louis]

buldogge and I had a similar day in western IL 2 weeks ago.

Just out of curiosity, where was this? I haven't done too my rides in ILL, and most that I have done were in the flood plains south of Columbia.

[Ken Robb]

I was riding 32 Schwalbe marathons at about 80psi and they handled it just fine, though I had to be really careful with my line to stay out of sharp crevices between rocks.

That particular road (aptly called Stone Rd) was only graveled like that in sections... That photo is the beginning of the road, and it seemed like many of the low spots in the road were also like that, probably an attempt at dealing with deep mud.

It was really fun and well worth the cuts and bruises. For future rides like this I'm thinking about building up a bike that can handle wider tires, but not really interested in a mountain bike. Mostly because I end up spending half the time on paved or hard packed dirt roads. Something like the Black Mountain Cycles monster cross probably in my future.

I have been riding the roads quite a bit lately on my Marin Full Suspension bike. I replaced the cross-country knobbies with Continental Town and Country 26x2.1 tires. Huge reduction in rolling resistance and buzziness on pavement and quite good on non-muddy trails. I think it would be good for the ride you pictured here.

[oliver1850]

Just out of curiosity, where was this? I haven't done too my rides in ILL, and most that I have done were in the flood plains south of Columbia.

We started in Mt. Sterling, but the pics are from just south of Rushville (Schyler county). There's lots of good riding in the general area, both paved and gravel. I could see spending a lot of time riding there if not for the drive. I think Mark said he made it home in 2 1/4 hrs.

[fogrider]

I'm no expert, but when using google maps, there is an option for bicycling when you ask for directions. this might help with what is actually passable...but it might just be more interesting finding your own way!

[William]

I've got many "roads" like that around here.....right BBDave!;) I like exploring them any chance I get.

Looks like a fun time though!:cool:







William

[Tandem Rider]

We started in Mt. Sterling, but the pics are from just south of Rushville (Schyler county). There's lots of good riding in the general area, both paved and gravel. I could see spending a lot of time riding there if not for the drive. I think Mark said he made it home in 2 1/4 hrs.

God's country! Lots of relatives in Mt Sterling area.

When I was a young kid parents owned a farm on the McGee Creek between Chambersburg and Versailles. Learned to ride on those gravels. Lots of backroads to explore there. Used to get watermelons in Meredosia, best ones ever, hands down. Still warm from the field, cut and eat, worh planning a ride around.

[killacks]

[QUOTE=nighthawk;1353364]dollars found in the middle of the woods: 1[QUOTE]

sounds like you came out ahead

[nighthawk]

dollars found in the middle of the woods: 1

sounds like you came out ahead

Assuming nothing fell out of my pockets when I went over the handlebars, I think you're right!