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HazyRay on
Did the [Grassroots Gravel](https://www.grassrootsgravel.com/) ride Sat out of Pueblo, CO. Wasn’t really trying to place but dang were there some tinges of wounded pride to see folks in their 70s well ahead of me on the leader board afterwards. Alas. But I was on a steel bike with extra water, and I stopped to take pictures of tarantulas and to pee on fenceposts… you know, the stuff you do when you’re out and about in the countryside. Gravel and racing don’t really fit together in my schema for each – one is spandex and skinny tires and speed above all, the other is rolling waaay out there on roads that don’t see much in the way of bikes but from which you see much along the way. Change my mind, I guess, but otherwise I’m sticking to my slow, scenic story.
Edit: I see the sub call for bike details. It’s a 2016 Surly Straggler I got used a couple years ago. I built it as a touring rig with a mtb triple (22-32-46) drivetrain with bar ends – got some compliments (maybe tongue-in-cheek?) on both the 3x and bar ends from those mounted on more modern steeds.
Specialist_Program94 on
Been there. My first gravel race was a humiliating shit show. Beautiful day. Perfect weather. No flats. No mechanicals. I was one of the last people across the finish line. I didn’t eat right. I didn’t pace myself. I didn’t bring enough water. Like you, I was decimated by people nearly twice my age. But I learned my lesson and the next two were much more respectable. Someday I’ll be the old bastard schooling the inexperienced whippersnappers.
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Did the [Grassroots Gravel](https://www.grassrootsgravel.com/) ride Sat out of Pueblo, CO. Wasn’t really trying to place but dang were there some tinges of wounded pride to see folks in their 70s well ahead of me on the leader board afterwards. Alas. But I was on a steel bike with extra water, and I stopped to take pictures of tarantulas and to pee on fenceposts… you know, the stuff you do when you’re out and about in the countryside. Gravel and racing don’t really fit together in my schema for each – one is spandex and skinny tires and speed above all, the other is rolling waaay out there on roads that don’t see much in the way of bikes but from which you see much along the way. Change my mind, I guess, but otherwise I’m sticking to my slow, scenic story.
Edit: I see the sub call for bike details. It’s a 2016 Surly Straggler I got used a couple years ago. I built it as a touring rig with a mtb triple (22-32-46) drivetrain with bar ends – got some compliments (maybe tongue-in-cheek?) on both the 3x and bar ends from those mounted on more modern steeds.
Been there. My first gravel race was a humiliating shit show. Beautiful day. Perfect weather. No flats. No mechanicals. I was one of the last people across the finish line. I didn’t eat right. I didn’t pace myself. I didn’t bring enough water. Like you, I was decimated by people nearly twice my age. But I learned my lesson and the next two were much more respectable. Someday I’ll be the old bastard schooling the inexperienced whippersnappers.