Rides

For the past couple of months we have been exploring new places to ride with you. A couple of weeks ago we decided to venture down to the Red River Gorge area and explore the surrounding land. We decided on a route that linked a series of roads to intriguing natural landmarks. We rode that route and liked it so much that we’d like to ride it again, this time, with you! Join us for Highlands Passage, Saturday, June 8. 

Ride Note: Choose your own adventure and participate at your own risk! This is simply a scheduled time to ride and complete a common route with a variety of fun folks. We will provide you with a cue sheet and a basic map to encourage you to participate in any way you would like, whether that is with a group, or just a bud. There is no sag and the area we will be riding through is some-what remote with only a few places to stop for food and water if you need to refuel. Please come prepared!

GPS Route: Click here.

Date and Time: 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 8, 2013

Start Location: Miguel’s Pizza off of Natural Bridge Rd, Slade, KY.

Terrain: Paved roads with a 10 mile section of hard packed gravel.

Statistics: 108 miles and approximately 9000 ft. of climbing. 

Interested in this ride and adventure, but not in 108 miles? There is a 36-mile option planned for you. Ride the first 28 miles and the last 8 miles of the longer route then go on your own second adventure within Red River Gorge while you wait for your friends/family to finish the longer ride. For more information on this ride, click here.

Here are some recommendations

Friend: Bring a buddy to ride with if you are choosing your own pace. Try not to separate from each other.

Bike: Bring a bike that is comfortable for you to ride a long distance easily on paved roads and a section of hard packed gravel. There are also a lot of hills so you won’t regret having some climbing gears! We comfortably ride road bikes with wider, 28mm tires, but bikes with 23mm to 2.3” tires will do the job. 

Fuel: Bring enough food and water to last you 2-3 hours between stops. There will be a few opportunities to stop at businesses along the way to refuel. 

Jacket: Even if it is warm, bring a lightweight jacket or vest for long, cool descents, and potential weather.

Lights: We will travel through a tunnel with no lighting. Bring a front light to see the road in front of you and a rear light to make yourself visible.

Tools: Bring the tools and supplies you need to fix any potential mechanical that you may have.

Parking: The parking at Miguel’s Pizza is first come, first serve. If the parking is full, we recommend parking here and simply riding over to Miguel’s to meet the group. 

Camping and places to stay: Click here to find more information about places to stay in the area.

For the Ridgetop Ramble Recap, click here. 

We combined some of our favorite roads and trails through Shawnee State Forest and would love to share them with you! Join us for a Ridgetop Ramble through Shawnee State Forest this Sunday, February 10.  

Location: Shawnee State Forest, Blue Creek, Ohio.

Statistics: Approximately 47 miles and 5,000ft of climbing

Terrain: Mostly gravel and paved roads with some bridle trails (double track dirt)

Estimated Ride Time: 4-5 hours (including the normal amount of stopping, jibber-jabber, and unexpected trailside bicycle repair).

Carpool Rendezvous Location and Time: 8:45 a.m. at Swallow Bicycle Works 

Ride Time and Start Location: 11:00 a.m. from the U.S. Post Office 

Meet us at whichever location is more convenient.

GPS Route: Click here.

Ride Note: This is a “choose your own adventure” ride organized to bring together a group of like-minded cyclists to ride on some of the beautiful roads within Shawnee State Forest, only an hour and half east of Cincinnati. We will be providing a map and a cue sheet for a combination of gravel and paved roads with some bridle trail. We are providing a map to encourage people to participate any way they would like, whether that’s with a group, or just a bud. There is no sag and the area we will be riding within the Shawnee State Park is rather remote, so every rider is expected to complete the ride any way they can. Also, there are no businesses, gas stations, or bathrooms to stop and refuel once we are riding, so come prepared! 

Here are some recommendations on what to bring:

A buddy to ride with if you are choosing your own pace. Try not to separate from each-other!

A bike with a minimum tire width of 32mm (we ride our cyclocross bikes with 35mm wide tires)

75oz+ of water and enough food to last you all day. Avoid the bonk! You will work hard!

Enough clothes to keep you warm going down long cool descents. 

Tools and supplies to fix any potential mechanical that you may have i.e. multi-tool, inflation device (hand-pump or more than one CO2), quick-link, tube, patch kit, tire lever, and tire boot.  

Something tasty to eat and drink for when you are finished