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  #1  
Old 02-03-2019, 01:35 PM
stev0 stev0 is offline
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Loudoun 1725 Gravel Grinder

has anyone done the Loudoun Gravel Grinder Ride? (link) seems like it could be quite nice, but would love to hear some personal experiences
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  #2  
Old 02-03-2019, 04:15 PM
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ElvisMerckx ElvisMerckx is offline
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I haven't done the ride, but as a lifelong Loudoun resident and avid gravel rider, I've ridden most if not all of the roads on the various routes. I'm biased, but I'd say a trip is worth it if you like scenic gravel rides.

I really hope the efforts to preserve the gravel roads are successful. Sadly, many of my favorite routes have been paved over in recent years. Which is another reason to ride these beautiful roads while you still can.

Oh, and rim brakes and 28s will be fine.
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  #3  
Old 02-03-2019, 04:54 PM
XXtwindad XXtwindad is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stev0 View Post
has anyone done the Loudoun Gravel Grinder Ride? (link) seems like it could be quite nice, but would love to hear some personal experiences
Thanks for the heads up. This looks incredibly scenic.
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  #4  
Old 02-06-2019, 08:55 PM
stev0 stev0 is offline
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Thank you for that bit of info, ElvisMerckx! Might sign up for the event, or just explore Loudoun's gravel roads sometime.
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  #5  
Old 02-07-2019, 07:05 AM
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ElvisMerckx ElvisMerckx is offline
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I'll most likely sign up myself.
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  #6  
Old 02-15-2019, 10:47 PM
ultraman6970 ultraman6970 is offline
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u r in Loudoun ??? where? area?
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  #7  
Old 02-15-2019, 11:27 PM
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ElvisMerckx ElvisMerckx is offline
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Originally Posted by ultraman6970 View Post
u r in Loudoun ??? where? area?
Between Trump National and the Chevy dealership.
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  #8  
Old 02-16-2019, 11:18 AM
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BlueFly BlueFly is offline
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I have added it to my 2019 bucket list. Looks like a great ride!
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Originally Posted by ElvisMerckx View Post
I'll most likely sign up myself.
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  #9  
Old 02-16-2019, 11:46 AM
ultraman6970 ultraman6970 is offline
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Interesting... there's another forumite that is located in that side of town... im at sterling park...




Quote:
Originally Posted by ElvisMerckx View Post
Between Trump National and the Chevy dealership.
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  #10  
Old 02-16-2019, 11:57 AM
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ElvisMerckx ElvisMerckx is offline
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Originally Posted by ultraman6970 View Post
Interesting... there's another forumite that is located in that side of town... im at sterling park...
Cool, I grew up in Sterling Park in the 70s and 80s. I'm in Richland Acres. I occasionally ride with several other forumites in the area.
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  #11  
Old 02-17-2019, 06:41 AM
ultraman6970 ultraman6970 is offline
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Sugarland area... we have to meet one day all of the guys that are around.. I know 3 so far... 2 from the area... the other from fairfax.. oh forgot the dude from Falls church...
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  #12  
Old 04-01-2019, 09:49 PM
zennmotion zennmotion is offline
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Just saw this, I frequent those roads as well, scenic if you like miles of historic rock walls, horse farms, and occasional Blue Ridge/foothills views. You'll be tracing a good bit of Civil War history, troop movements and skirmishes especially related to the weeks leading up to Gettysburg further N. it's worth doing some reading before you go, those ghosts are everywhere and not much has changed on some roads. Fairly easy rolling hills although there's a few very short nasty leg openers, the routes avoid the largest hills. 28mm tires are fine, 32-35mm are perfect, the roads are well maintained for the most part but beware that some sections may have been ground up or re-graveled in early June, so soft gravel is possible. Watch the poison ivy if you're sensitive, it pretty much covers anything along the road that's not grass. You can easily add a lot more distance and gravel if you want longer routes or make a longer visit, especially between Rt. 50 and The Plains/Haymarket. BTW, this is Joe Dombrowski's (Team Sky- later Cannondale) home turf BITD when he used to tear the legs off everyone on the Haymarket winter "rides".
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  #13  
Old 05-09-2019, 04:44 PM
Powerful Pete Powerful Pete is offline
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Also - the Bikekinetic folks are a good group of people...
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  #14  
Old 06-10-2019, 11:30 AM
Monthly Payment Monthly Payment is offline
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Did anyone end up doing this? Wonder how it turned out with the rain.

How was the course? Elevation, gravel size, could I have done it on my road bike with 700x30s?
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  #15  
Old 06-10-2019, 04:08 PM
nobuseri nobuseri is offline
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Chiming in here. Local; in the Cascades area. I didn't ride this event (saw it too late), but I will probably do it next year. I usually roll through there quite often from where I live - on and off the tarmac.
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