Originally Posted by
ksryder
At the same time I started doing long-distance gravel events. I met a crowd with a much better vibe--both in terms of riding skill and just overall laid back attitude (their riding is not laid back, however, it's very strong.)
Yes! I think gravel is where it's at for genuinely fun events with a good vibe. Even cranky roadies seem to chill a bit when they get on the gravel (in terms of attitude, not riding).
I've heard that MTB events have a similar vibe; some of my friends got into it and have almost entirely quit road riding. Maybe its the MTB influence on gravel riding that makes it a bit more positive.