B.O.G. Series: Sending You Off!

Are you ready for adventure? Yes....yes you are!

 Welcome to the FINAL entry for the Basics of Gravel Series (B.O.G.)! In this series I attempted to bring a very foundational knowledge of gravel and back road riding to anyone reading that may be curious or a beginner in riding off-pavement, but not wanting to be mountain biking. There was a new entry every Wednesday until now that the series is complete.  The old entries will be populated to a page which will be linked under the header soon. Thanks! 

First of all, Thank you for reading! This series- hopefully- has brought new knowledge and understanding for the beginners and 'new-to-gravel' folks that were reading along, and hopefully will be a resource for the future. It was my sincere hope that this was, and will continue to be, a help to my fellow cyclists. 

Secondly, this was by no means all you can know or hope to gain from riding rural byways and paths. Even I would never say I have it all figured out! There will always be more to learn, understand, and see out there, and I think this is what keeps riding gravel and dirt a fresh thing for myself. Hopefully it will be similar for you. Never stop learning! Always keep an open mind. 

But now it is time for you to take the dive. Leap off the comfortable and the known for uncharted territory (for you) and see what adventures await you. With that willingness to explore, experience new things, and not be afraid of getting a little lost or coming up against a new challenge, you will have a ton of fun and grow as a person as a result. 

Not to mention all the other side benefits of cycling, which are well documented. That said, I find that rural cycling has a unique way of rearranging your perspective. It can be a revelation in terms of mental health. It can even touch your soul if you let it. (I strongly suggest that you let it do just that!)

Young or old- Rural cycling can open up a whole new vista in your cycling experience.

So, take your chance while you have the opportunity and get out there. Things may not go perfectly at first, and that's okay. It's all part of the experience. Don't beat yourself up over mistakes or if you feel that you are not 'good enough'. Just turn your back on those thoughts and go for it. 

One thing I've been extremely encouraged by over the past 16 years of spending time riding gravel roads, and hanging out with others that do likewise, is that the community of folks that participate in this form of cycling tend to be very accepting and accommodating. Helpful? Totally. Non-judgemental? For the most part, that's been my experience, and listen- I am no great cyclist by any metric that the normal cycling/racing community would measure by. So, I think I can speak from a place that many of you may find yourselves in now, just getting into this rural/gravel cycling thing. Don't be afraid of being put down, left behind, or what have you. 

And for you folks that may be reading this that are seasoned gravel cycling folks- YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY. We need you to be good ambassadors. What does that mean? 

Just be a good human being and be kind to other human beings, no matter what. 

Simple. 

Now get off this device and go ride already!