Resources to Get You Riding Gravel

The idea for this post came to me after I received an email from a woman who was a gravel first-timer and thought she would enjoy riding gravel but didn't know where to start.  She asked me for some recommendations of where to ride near the Twin Cities.  I gave her a list of resources to point her in the right direction.  Riding gravel is one of my passions so I decided I should put this information into a post so others can enjoy the Minnesota gravel riding experience.

There are several resources I use to help me discover new places to ride.  With this information I can plan out routes and by using my smartphone I can stay on track without the worry of getting lost in unfamiliar territory.  If you are new to riding gravel or an experienced aficionado, I hope this information will help you find new roads to ride.

Google Maps

Google Maps has been a longtime favorite of  mine for finding gravel and planning routes.  Using the Google Earth (satellite) layer I can find gravel roads and map out a ride.  Once my route has been created, Google Maps displays the route distance, elevation profile and the option for turn by turn directions by selecting "List all steps" in the elevation profile box.  From here you can print a cue sheet by selecting "Print text only" or with the map included by selecting "Print including maps" in the print options above the map.

Mobile Apps

There are quite a few cycling website/apps that use Google Maps for their mapping engine to plan routes, Strava, MapMyRide, RideWithGPS, Runtastic, and Endomondo just to name a few.  Creating routes using these websites will sync them with the corresponding mobile app for use out on rides to keep you on course.  These apps will also let you search other user's routes and some even give you the option to download GPX files of the routes for export into the app website of your choice or Garmin GPS devices.  For more information and features on Runtastic's Road Bike Pro app see my post App Review: Runtastic Road Bike Pro.  To learn how to create routes with your PC using the Strava Route Builder for use with the Strava iPhone and Android apps, see my post Strava Routes Now Available For iPhone & Android.

Gravelmap

Gravelmap is an interactive user-submitted gravel route database created by a web developer/cyclist from southern Oregon.  This is a growing resource with new road/routes being added weekly as the word gets out about it.  Read my post Gravelmap Launches Interactive User Submitted Gravel Route Database for more details.

 Forest Roads

Image Credit:  MN DNR

Minnesota has many miles of forest, logging and fire roads located in our State and National Forests waiting to be explored.  For more information on riding gravel in Minnesota's State Forests, see my post Explore Minnesota's State Forests by Mountain Bike With Resources From the MN DNR.  GORP has compiled a list of road and trail rides in Superior National Forest and more information can be found on the USDA Forest Service website.  Information for Chippewa National Forest can be found on the USDA Forest Service website.  The Cook County Visitors Bureau has also compiled a list of adventure riding opportunities in Northeastern Minnesota.

Riding Gravel Forum/
Gravel Grinder News

The Riding Gravel Forum is a place to share your knowledge, experiences and photos with others that like to crush gravel. It's also a good resource to learn from experienced gravel riders, ask questions and join in the conversation on everything from bikes, components, accessories, gravel racing and everyday gravel riding.  Read my post New Riding Gravel Forum Provides a Place to Talk "Gravel" to learn more.

Another one of my go-to gravel resources is Gravel Grinder News from Trans Iowa Race director, Guitar Ted.  It covers everything from bikes, equipment, events and gravel-related links.

Riding Safely

There are several good articles on how to stay safe out on those lonely gravel roads.  Guitar Ted has put together this post entitled Safety And The Gravel Road Rider.   Marsh Jones, Miesville Grinder organizer has some Common sense tips for riding gravel on his blog.  I have on many occasions encountered aggressive dogs out in the country and Crazy Guy on a Bike has written Some tips for handling encounters with "Man's Best Friend" while cycling that will help you know what to do in just such an event.

Gravel Events

For those looking to challenge themselves or ride with others there are still quite a few gravel races/rides left for 2014 in Minnesota.  I have compiled a list of 2014 Minnesota Gravel Grinders with links to more information and registration details.  2014 is winding down and I will be publishing a new list for 2015 as next year's gravel events start to be announced.  For additional gravel events outside of Minnesota, visit the Gravel Grinder News Calendar of Events page.

The upcoming Fall riding season is my favorite time of the year to hit the gravel.  Weather conditions can range from warm and sunny to cool, cloudy and sometimes windy.  Dress accordingly and be prepared for sudden weather changes because you may find yourself a long way from your finish destination if things turn cold or rainy.  When the leaves begin to change colors expect some spectacular scenery on rural country rides.  Southeastern Minnesota is where I like to ride this time of year, the hardwood forests along gravel roads in this region are quite a sight for the eyes.  Begin a new adventure, leave the hustle and bustle of the city and head out into the country for some great riding on the road less traveled.  

Gravelmap Launches Interactive User Submitted Gravel Route Database

Gravelmap is a new website that launched on April 1st and comes to us from a web developer/cyclist from southern Oregon.  After first learning of Gravelmap, I saw huge potential for this budding new resource and decided to get in touch with the site's creator to learn more about it and to give a little feedback about its current features.

Theo responded filling me in on all of the details of Gravelmap and even implemented several of my suggestions to make the site better and even more user friendly.  He proceeded to tell me, "Last year, I acquired an interest in "gravel grinding," as many others have done. Here in Oregon we have lots of gravel, but finding it can be a challenge. Though the roads are plentiful (BLM/USFS roads, logging roads, etc.), when planning a route using Google Maps or topographic maps, it's not always clear if a road is accessible, legal to access, traversable by bike -- or if it even exists. As I explored, I found many great roads, not to mention a few dead ends here and there. But, more than that, I began to contemplate the idea of a resource to help other cyclists find the roads I was enjoying. As more and more people acquired cross bikes and began searching for gravel, I began to hear the same question from friends on Facebook and elsewhere: 'Does anyone know where the gravel roads are?'"

"While out on a ride about a month ago, I had the idea to build a site that would allow users to "draw" and save routes over a live map. Google Maps offers a very powerful interface for extending and adding to its functionality, and the fact that I had worked with it before made it an easy choice to use as the basis for the tool. I spent a series of late nights and a weekend or two building the route mapping engine (the components that make it possible to click, drag, and delete points on the map to create a route), followed by the pieces surrounding it -- the database on the back end, site pages, user login/registration functions, and so on. Eventually I had something that was bare-bones but functional, and I leased a hosting account and launched the site on April 1." 

Because Gravelmap is so new the route database is very limited, but that's where you come in.  Your added gravel routes will be extremely beneficial to the growth and usefulness of this great new resource.

"Most people who find the site simply want to know where the gravel is in their area, and new routes will help make that happen.  My sole intent in building the site is to help share the passion that I have for gravel and backroads cycling. I check the stats and the route database multiple times per day and I get genuinely excited when I see new signups or new routes added -- it feels great to know that people are participating."  

I am always looking for new gravel roads to ride and Gravelmap now allows me to find other user's routes in my area and I can share mine.  Getting started is easy, simply click "Log in" on the top navbar and sign up instantly using Facebook or create a user name and enter an email address with a password.  That's it, you're ready to start sharing your routes, voting on routes and leaving comments on routes you've tried.

Using Gravelmap is easy, visit the Gravelmap Help page for an overview of how to browse the map, add your first route and to see what the guidelines are for adding routes.  Once you have added a route to the Gravelmap database or found a route you would like to try, click anywhere on the route to display more details including:

• Description 
• Overlapping routes
• Elevation profile (including reverse direction, if desired) 
• Export a GPX file for the route
• Vote on the route
• Leave a comment
• Embeddable route profile (copy and paste a HTML snippet to display a route on a webpage or blog)

Future plans for Gravelmap include user profile pages (click on a user's name to see the other routes they've created) and route editing.  Gravelmap is also compatible with Android devices and is iPhone friendly.  Images below are from an Android phone.

Sign up today to be a part of this fledgling resource and help with the growth of its interactive database of gravel/dirt roads and paths.  After getting to know Gravelmap you may find a bug or have an idea to make the site even better, feedback is welcomed from the developer.  Visit the Feedback page to voice your ideas or problems.  For more information, news, terms & conditions and privacy policy, visit the About Gravelmap page.  Follow Gravelmap on Twitter (@Gravelmap) or "Like" on Facebook.