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<\/strong><\/p>\nFrom Road To Rough<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re transitioning from road to gravel your muscles could be in for a shock. If you\u2019re up for challenges, riding dirt hills will have you grabbing the epsom salts to soothe a mysterious set of new aches and pains. After all, we\u2019re not kids again! Not only do we use alternative muscle groups, but the chatter of the rocks on a long ride will pummel your body like you\u2019ve just been tenderised.<\/p>\n Even with the physical tests, the addiction to off-road grows. Flip through the pages of a bike magazine. You\u2019ll see a definite surge of popularity for gravel riding. Its supported by a spike in gravel bikes, the growth of reviews and articles on locations, equipment, events and rides.<\/p>\n Why? Because even the smallest of gravel escapades burst with potential for excitement. There\u2019s the lure of adventure away from the humdrum of work and routine. Moving over gravel is a sure way to punch a thrill or two into your day. And you\u2019ll likely be talking about it all week.<\/p>\n Starting Out<\/strong><\/p>\n The fantastic thing for those starting to gravel ride in Australia is that you\u2019re in good company. Communities of off-road riders are being fostered by bike shops and event co-coordinators, and there\u2019s no shortage of beginners with every event. At the start line you\u2019ll compare the glossy paint and sparkling chains, there\u2019ll be fresh rubber tread and clean bar tape. All are at the ready to take a good beating.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not up for a communal gravel ride, how else do you start?<\/p>\n When I began on the gravel again, I rode solo. Friends gave advice on trails suitable for a cyclocross. I was contacting people by association in search of good tracks. At the time I believed anything trail was doable on my cross, though in reality the options were more MTB trails than gravel. And so I built my confidence and picked up skills quickly.<\/p>\n Word got out and I was quickly matched by mutual friends to a perfect gravel partner. Riding solo isn\u2019t reasonable to friends and family who wonder if you\u2019ve being eaten by a python or fallen in a ditch deep in the Australian bush.<\/p>\n Things got serious as our navigation skills were put to the test using downloaded erratic maps. We started by dragging our bikes from the back of the car and spending hours searching for rideable gravel in the bush. I can\u2019t read maps, so getting lost was inevitable. There were snake sightings, and the markings of wild dog prints and other unmentionables. I kid you not, a wombat skull in the middle of nowhere was worth stopping for a photo.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clareclassic.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/img_6643_preview-300x225.jpg\")
<\/strong>Nadine was the best person I could wish to ride with. We immediately hit it off and began planning riding weekends out of the smoky noisy city. Routes were discovered on random websites. Open our computers at any point and the search engines were filled with Strava rides, mapmyride, gravelmap and other MTB sites.<\/p>\n