Gravel race/ride in S. IL
 

Anyone interested in a race/ride in beautiful Southern Illinois on the 19th of October?
https://cannonball.bike
I am not a racer so this will be a stretch for me. Pretty sure I have a lock on last place.

This looks like fun, 62 miles of gravel and 5000 ft of climbing. I'm building a vintage "gravel" bike this weekend (I'm rebuilding my 1993 Trek 950 to use for gravel rides).

If I were to do it, I'm pretty sure I'd be challenging you for last place. :)

On epic rides like this, my only goal is to have fun and enjoy the beer after the ride. I figure if I get so beat up that I just want water afterwards, I've done the ride all wrong.

I went to the Shawnee Forest a few times as a kid to family camp- beautiful area. This looks really neat and is something I need to set a reminder for next year.

If you want a reason to hang out they also put this on.
Southern Illinois Fat Tire Festival
https://ftf.bike

There is some really good climbing areas close by.
Tunnel Hill Trail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_Hill_State_Trail
This part of the state is not a prairie.
Cypress swamp. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_...e_Natural_Area
Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Miguel.v
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b5426056f7.jpg

Post event report.

I flip flopped about which bike to take. #3 was the winner.
1st choice Trek Cirrus 520 converted to 584 x 38 GravelKings.
2nd choice Miyata Two Ten converted to 622 x 38 GravelKings.
3rd choice Trek 970 MTB converted to dropbar with Tioga PowerBlock 2.1.
I tested Compass Naches Pass, Pasela-TG, and the PowerBlocks for a couple of weeks and decided wider would be better.

Happy with the 970, no mechanical problems. Glad I added ty wraps to secure the Madden bracket to the bars. A drop bag service was offered but I wanted to be self supported. Two bottles on the bike, a liter Nalgene in the Madden bar bag, one spare tire, two tubes, tools, food... for a 40 pound rolling weight.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...67ea78b6f2.jpg

Didn’t see any other steel bikes. Not sure anyone else had rim brakes. For sure I was the only rider in Teva sandals.

My description of the course would be “mixed surface”. Maybe 40% paved/oil&chip, 50% gravel, and 10% single track. The off road was tough. Varied from faint trail, horse trail, to get off and scramble down while carrying/dragging the bike.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...aa57a0f7c2.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ab9996b147.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8c1998f177.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...922e771c6f.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...69f6be65d3.jpg


The paved portions were glorious. Should have taken more pictures. Little traffic and the drivers passed slowly and far into the left lane. Gravel sections were plenty dusty. Some smooth, some washboard areas that were hard to spot in the shadows.


Maybe 50 riders. I was last off and last to return. Happy to be alone. About 11 miles in a young woman joined me. Her riding partner decided to cut off to the 25 mile route. Molly had a modern Specialized MTB running 1 x 12. She installed GravelKing SK two days before. Strong rider and a fearless descender who would leave me behind. Her tail light is visible in one picture. I could catch and pass her on the climbs. I did have to tell her on one hill that I would talk after the top. We kept each other on course except for a missed turn around mile 36. We were enjoying a rough and rocky decent when we met a line of Jeeps slowly making their way uphill. They let us know that it was a dead end. They passed and then we headed uphill about .7 miles to a sort of trail that we missed, this was the off road section. Only one tree to climb over. After getting thru the woods it was just keep riding.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5009ef9b9f.jpg


I strongly dislike paying money, or driving somewhere to ride my bike. A six hour round trip is not my preference. I am glad I went. It was hard. It was good to return to the hills my father came from.

Wow, great ride report and pictures.
Congrats from start to finish.
This is scenery is soooo different from what we have here in central Illinois.
Well done.

Nice job. I've done a few 60-70 mile gravel events like the one described and it definitely takes a lot out of you compared to a road ride of the same length.

This sounds like fun. I would have opted for the vintage MTB as well; they make great gravel grinders.

Brings back memories of my time as a Saluki in Southern Illinois. Beatutiful part of the country. I recall some challenging mountain bike tracks down there.

Great pics from your ride. Classifying those trails as gravel seems a bit optimistic but fortunately you chose the most appropriate bike in your fleet. My vintage graveler still has downtube shifters and drop bars. Not sure that’s what I’d want to ride when navigating through the trails you photographed.