Originally Posted by
GhostRider62
Not when the RBA puts a control right in the middle of a gravel section and I am pretty sure it is not allowed to deviate from an unsafe route to a safe route although I know that riders do this. So, I can't disagree more.
I agree avoiding busy roads is key. Where I do some of my randonneuring, the routes were always on quiet roads, no gravel, and just a pure delight. Now, there is gravel, busy MUPs, and unnecessary trips in and out of the city. I now very carefully review courses for gravel. There is no way to know in advance if the gravel is fine and maintained or the more common, huge course rocks with potholes everywhere, branches overhanging, branches and debris on the path. Some hazards like rail tracks cannot be avoided but intentionally putting riders on gravel trails in the night after riding 15+ hour is just stupid.
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our schedule, there's only two gravel brevets, and only a few other routes have a few km of gravel... it's super-easy to do an entire series and not see a lick of off-pavement riding. In Ontario if you wanted to stick to asphalt it's pretty easy to avoid the half-dozen routes that have some gravel. I wouldn't suggest anyone cut the course on a brevet 'cos they don't like gravel. They should take it up with the organizers and get rides that meet the needs of the club members. All I can really say is that things are run differently up in Canada. Membership is 50$ a year, ride as many brevets as you want. We don't have support at the start or volunteers at any of the controls.