No, no crit bike necessary. It's just that I've already carbon repaired this one once in a slip-up.
It's mostly a kids and work thing. The local scene is awesome. Just that my availability to do stuff sucks. That's on me.
This year I did the CH RR, the Cary Duathlon, and an informal DPTT by Carborro.
I've been in Umstead a lot for the UGG, but it's not happening this year. Cancelled permanently. Last year was fun. Dirt Diggler is far enough out I could maybe beg for a freebie to go do that. That distance is in my gravel wheelhouse too for going non-stop.
Also, local cross has more than one race at Dix. I can ride to Dix from my house. I made a bad assumption about the BHB mountain bike series and could have gone to that this summer. I just saw "MTB" and glossed over. There's nothing on that track after going up there to look that a CX bike couldn't do. Just rhythm the jump instead of jumping it.