Gravel road touring
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,872
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 598 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times
in
194 Posts
Are we talking White Lightning poo goo ? And can you stuff it in your derailleurs, on your spokes, hubs and rims, your panniers, your shoes, in your lungs,......that dust just gets everywhere.
#28
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,363
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6219 Post(s)
Liked 4,218 Times
in
2,365 Posts
which are nice a smooth and could easily be ridden by a road bike with narrowish tires (25mm). I've ridden on gravel roads in southern Ontario that were almost as fast as pavement and were certainly in better condition than a lot of roads around Detroit
You can find similar roads in New Mexico
this one is part of the Great Divide Route.
Then there are the more challenging dirt roads like those on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which work better with a mountain bike and a trailer
And then there are the full on mountain bike only dirt roads like Williams Pass and Tincup Pass in Colorado for which I don't have pictures because I lost my camera. I won't steal someone else's pictures but you can get a flavor for the "road" here I didn't ride the pass so much as I walked it just as I did Williams Pass which was on the same 3 day route.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#29
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,363
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6219 Post(s)
Liked 4,218 Times
in
2,365 Posts
Yup. I live in a very dust place and it works very well here. I've ridden in lots of other places like the KATY, GAP, Erie Canal, tow paths all over Pennsylvania and New York as well as tens of thousands of mountain bike miles in Colorado where it worked just as well.
I never noticed excessive dust to be that big of a problem on the KATY or any other trail. It's just part of riding on dirt.
I never noticed excessive dust to be that big of a problem on the KATY or any other trail. It's just part of riding on dirt.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,872
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 598 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times
in
194 Posts
Settled then, I'll give the poo goo another try again next year, since we've got one tour lined up that should have several hundred miles on the limestone up in Wisconsin (Bike 4 trails, Badger trail, etc.)
Last edited by robow; 12-05-15 at 05:13 PM.
#32
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,077
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 760 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I still need some advice from you folks with National Forest roads, or stuff like the Great Divide, gravel roads. Big hills sometimes, maybe steep, bigger rocks, and such. For the Katy and other rail-trail a decent light & fast road touring bicycle with wider tires will probably work well.
I saw the bicycle of the guy that won the Great Divide race. It looked like a mountain bike with very shallow drop bars, and a bike packer set-up. I'll listen to you about a small backpack, but you'll have to drag me there kicking and screaming. I'll also check in with the local off road group.
I do appreciate your advice.
I saw the bicycle of the guy that won the Great Divide race. It looked like a mountain bike with very shallow drop bars, and a bike packer set-up. I'll listen to you about a small backpack, but you'll have to drag me there kicking and screaming. I'll also check in with the local off road group.
I do appreciate your advice.
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,923
Bikes: Nature Boy 853 Disc, Pugsley SS
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 251 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
Yup. I live in a very dust place and it works very well here. I've ridden in lots of other places like the KATY, GAP, Erie Canal, tow paths all over Pennsylvania and New York as well as tens of thousands of mountain bike miles in Colorado where it worked just as well.
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,872
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 598 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times
in
194 Posts
I can't imagine that many on the Katy at once moving along as a group. Definitely not my cup of tea. As I mentioned before, there at least 2 or 3 outfitters who make several trips a year and I don't think they take more than 10-20 at a time.
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,207
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3461 Post(s)
Liked 1,466 Times
in
1,144 Posts
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,872
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 598 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times
in
194 Posts
The Bike 4 trails is actually composed of 4 trails that connect and will give you 100 miles of continuous trails, and that is without a couple other beautiful legs such as the Omaha county trail. Starting in Freeport, IL, you pick up the Jane Adams trail connecting to the Badger and then west on the Military Ridge trail, then north by county road to connect to the Bike 4. Really nice ride
https://www.bike4trails.com/Bike4trails.jpg
https://www.bike4trails.com/Bike4trails.jpg
Last edited by robow; 12-05-15 at 06:46 PM.
#37
Senior Member
Squeezebox- My route was probably one or two levels lower in difficulty than the Williams/Tincup route that Cycco took. I recall it being rough in places but 2WD passable. I was on a touring bike with 700x35 tires thus I had to keep my speed down on the descents. I could have let it rip on a MTB but it was doable on the touring rig.
edit: My trip was back in 1983. I see on videos that the eastern side of Cottonwood is now paved.
The TA Cyclotouriste crankset and Hartley Alley Touring Cyclist Shop panniers date this photo!...
camp at Taylor Park Reservoir...
Last edited by BobG; 12-06-15 at 10:29 AM.
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 782
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 226 Post(s)
Liked 45 Times
in
32 Posts
Squeeze, if you live in Missouri you are in luck. They have just annexed (or in the process) the Rock Island rail line for another gravel route across Missouri . You can ride the Katy out then the Rock Island back. Right now it is rough. I haven't been on it but have seen pictures of others riding sections with their Moutain bikes. It probably isn't continuous yet but lots of it is ridable. ( sorry, I don't have a link.... Google it).
#39
#40
Senior Member
#42
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,077
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 760 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Squeeze, if you live in Missouri you are in luck. They have just annexed (or in the process) the Rock Island rail line for another gravel route across Missouri . You can ride the Katy out then the Rock Island back. Right now it is rough. I haven't been on it but have seen pictures of others riding sections with their Moutain bikes. It probably isn't continuous yet but lots of it is ridable. ( sorry, I don't have a link.... Google it).
#43
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,207
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3461 Post(s)
Liked 1,466 Times
in
1,144 Posts
#44
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,207
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3461 Post(s)
Liked 1,466 Times
in
1,144 Posts
The Bike 4 trails is actually composed of 4 trails that connect and will give you 100 miles of continuous trails, and that is without a couple other beautiful legs such as the Omaha county trail. Starting in Freeport, IL, you pick up the Jane Adams trail connecting to the Badger and then west on the Military Ridge trail, then north by county road to connect to the Bike 4. Really nice ride
https://www.bike4trails.com/Bike4trails.jpg
https://www.bike4trails.com/Bike4trails.jpg
If you have a GPS, the coordinates 43.023842, -89.461092 will put you on the bridge, but if you are going north on the Badger State Trail, you should take the turnoff at 43.021371, -89.461414 to get under the bridge. (I got these GPS readings off of Google Maps.)
That bridge location is the meeting place for the Badger State Trail, Cannonball Trail, Capital City Trail, SW Commuter Trail, and Military Ridge. But if you are on the bridge, no signage.
Their budget got slashed again last summer. Next year the annual trail pass is $25. (There are rumors that the state park system will start selling naming rights to parks and trials.) So far the maintenance on the trail has not collapsed, but it probably will pretty soon.
I ride over that bridge a couple times a week for my exercise route, so I am somewhat familiar with the area. I will be putting on the studded tires in a few weeks, this has been a very late start to winter, have not put the studs on yet.
You might want to request a map.
https://www.cityofmadison.com/bikeMa...anTrip/map.cfm
#45
Senior Member
#46
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,872
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 598 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times
in
194 Posts
Tourist in MSN,
thank you so very much for the insights. After responding to your inquiry, I then noticed that you live in Madison, and obviously know the area far better than I. Have you ever traveled from Dodgeville at the western end of Military Ridge Trail north to Reedsburg via hgwy 23 by chance? Just curious what that road was like. Thanks again for the info.
thank you so very much for the insights. After responding to your inquiry, I then noticed that you live in Madison, and obviously know the area far better than I. Have you ever traveled from Dodgeville at the western end of Military Ridge Trail north to Reedsburg via hgwy 23 by chance? Just curious what that road was like. Thanks again for the info.
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,207
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3461 Post(s)
Liked 1,466 Times
in
1,144 Posts
Tourist in MSN,
thank you so very much for the insights. After responding to your inquiry, I then noticed that you live in Madison, and obviously know the area far better than I. Have you ever traveled from Dodgeville at the western end of Military Ridge Trail north to Reedsburg via hgwy 23 by chance? Just curious what that road was like. Thanks again for the info.
thank you so very much for the insights. After responding to your inquiry, I then noticed that you live in Madison, and obviously know the area far better than I. Have you ever traveled from Dodgeville at the western end of Military Ridge Trail north to Reedsburg via hgwy 23 by chance? Just curious what that road was like. Thanks again for the info.
Be advised, that area is often referred to as the driftless area. That means that glaciers did not smooth it out, it can be pretty hilly with a lot of bedrock exposure. (Mostly limestone, dolomite, some sandstone, maybe some shales.) At times when I was driving in that western part of the state I thought that it looked like Appalachia. My point is that while rails to trails routes are often flatter than about 1.5 percent grade, the roads in some parts of western Wisconsin can be pretty steep. So, don't leave the low gears at home for those times you are on roads.
I pulled the route on 23 up on Mapquest, looking at it on my computer screen I suspect my suspicions on the hills are valid.
I assume you already know you will need a light for Stewart Tunnel, maybe other tunnels. I ride through Stewart with a good light, but if I had a loaded bike with panniers I would walk it.
#48
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 63
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I live south of Dodgeville and ride this area very frequently. Hwy 23 is a busy state highway with truck traffic. I have ridden it from Spring Green to Dodgeville, and several sections north of Spring Green. There are countless quiet county and township roads that will roughly parallel Hwy 23. This area is very hilly-Google maps shows 1650' of climbing from Dodgeville to Reedsburg on Hwy 23. The county and township roads would be likely to have more climbing. Unfortunately, there are not many gravel road options in this area. One reason to ride part of Hwy 23 is Wyoming Valley and the area around Taliesen, which is the few miles south of Spring Green and the Wisconsin River-beautiful country! I have also ridden the Elroy-Sparta, LaCrosse River and Great River State Trails as part of my ride across Wisconsin-all nice and very scenic. Have not ridden the 400 State Trail but would expect it to be the same. I also ride the Badger State Trail a couple of times each year. I am happy to share any information I have of this area.
#50
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,363
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6219 Post(s)
Liked 4,218 Times
in
2,365 Posts
The last two pictures are my winter bike in about February.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!